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Misplaced (and edible) Panama hat
Tim Entwisle March 8, 2015
It takes six leaves from the Panama Hat Plant to make a Panama Hat. The leaves must be young and most commonly they will come from the country of Ecuador. Never or rarely, I gather, from Panama, where the hats were first traded in the nineteenth century.
A photo by Lynda of me with my then new Panama Hat, in London in 2012
The Panama Hat Plant looks like a palm. Indeed it is sometimes called the Jipijapa Palm, after one of the Ecuadorian towns that makes the hats. But it's not a palm. Botanists have always know that. In fact these days we consider it even less of one!
Carludovica palmata has always had its own family, Cyclanthaceae, but this used to be tucked in near the palm family Arecaceae, albeit each within its own order (Cyclanthales and Arecales). The Pandanas family, Pandanaceae, used to be thereabouts, again in its own order (Pandanales).
Nowadays our Panama Hat Plant is included within the Pandanales, closer to Pandanas but distant now from the true palms which are clustered elsewhere in the family tree with grasses, gingers and the water hyacinth (in a group called the Commelinids).
Cyclanthaceae; Carludovica palmata Photo of mature plant by Bill Baker, from Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, taken inside the Palm House at Kew Gardens by the looks of it
To look at though, the fronds look very palm-like. The one-metre wide leaves are fan-shaped, divided into three to five segments, with each segment further divided towards the tips.Unlike all fan palms, however, it doesn't produce a trunk.
The flowers arise from the base of the plant, on a stalk and grouped in a cylindrical 'spike'. As with cycads, an very unrelated group of plants, weevils pollinate the flowers.
The Panama Hat Plant is a tropical species, growing naturally from Mexico to Bolivia, but more commonly in Ecuador. In Australia it grows outdoors in Sydney and Brisbane botanic gardens, but apparently not here in Melbourne. There are three other species in the genus Carludovica, all with similar horticultural requirements.
Apart from spiffing hats, the leaves are used for 'matting, curtains, roofing, baskets, cigar-cases, purses, fly swatters and brooms'. In fact anything that needs a tough, weavable fibre, including mammal and fish traps.
In Ecuador the base of the unopened leaf base tastes similar, apparently, to a palm heart. This may be a more sustainable way to satiate that particular food fetish given that extracting the heart – the growing point – of a palm kills it.
Window sill seedling of Carludovica palmata is from the office of Frank Udovicic, at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, who drew this plant to my attention
I just need to wait until this specimen on a colleague's windowsill matures a little, then creep in and do some (sustainable) harvesting.
< A plant that's a moment in time Fruit and vegies to grow in the shade >
The extinction of Madagascar's palms
Chiranthodendron pentadactylon
Monster flower for Christmas
About Tim Entwisle
Dr Tim Entwisle is a scientist and scientific communicator with a broad interest in plants, science and gardens, and Director & Chief Executive of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Previously he was Director of Conservation, Living Collections & Estates at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and prior to that, Director of Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens for eight years. Read Tim's full blog at Talking Plants
View all posts by Tim Entwisle →


In accordance with the decision of the faculty board of 12/2/2009 and the decision of the examination boards of 10/14/2015, in particular cases written examinations of the faculty for Business Administration and Economics of the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) can be taken at European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) partner universities outside of erasmus area, as long as the same testing conditions can be guaranteed.
You must prove that you are studying at a partner university on the date of the examination. The partner university, outside of erasmus area, must declare that the same testing conditions of the European University Viadrina are guaranteed.
You must prove that you either did not have the possibility to take the exam before leaving for abroad, or after returning to European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder). Moreover, it is not possible to take the exam during the second examination period while abroad if you were not registered for it in the first examination period, even though you would have had the opportunity to take the exam at European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder). Please note that during a leave of absence (Beurlaubung), you are not allowed to participate in course examinations at European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder).
The examination abroad must be taken at the same time as the exam is held at Viadrina. It could happen that you won't be able to take the exam due to a time difference. This is, for example, the case if the exam at European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) starts at 8:30am, which would be 2:30am in Columbia.
Exam registration must be completed by the announced deadline via viaCampus (see right-hand box). For a five Euro fee per exam you can also register at the examination office by the same deadline.
Exam deregistration is possible via viaCampus by the given deadline (see right-hand box). Deregistration is fee-free if done via Hisportal by the same deadline. For a five Euro fee deregistration can also be processed at the examination office by the same deadline. After the deregistration deadline has passed deregistration is only possible in case of illness. In case of exam non-attendance due to illness, a doctor's note must be submitted to the examination office immediately after the examination. Otherwise, the missed exam is counted as having been failed.
If your application is approved by the relevant examination board, the further steps are completed through the Department of International Affairs of the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder). After the approval from the relevant examination board you must then contact the International Office of the foreign university to request the provision of an invigilator for the examination. The name and e-mail address of the invigilator should be sent to Torsten Glase or Aleksandra Klecha (outgoing-wiwi@europa-uni.de).


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Croatia Is the Affordable European Destination You Need to Visit
Andrea Romano
Andrea Romano is a writer and editor in New York City. For the last eight years, she has been a lifestyle journalist for Mashable, Brit+Co, Reviewed, Bustle, and Travel + Leisure.
Photo: David Clapp/Getty Images
Tourism is on the rise in Croatia and there's no wonder why.
This beautiful Central European country along the Adriatic Sea was Travel + Leisure's Reader's Choice Destination of the Year in 2016 due to its gorgeous beaches, historical points of interest, picturesque national parks, and delicious food.
And frankly, there's no sign of the country's popularity waning amongst international travelers after only a few short years.
One of the crowning jewels of Croatia still has to be its Dalmatian Islands, one of the country's four historical regions known for its pristine beaches, limestone cliffs, crystal clear waters, and beautiful vineyards and olive groves. Chances are if you're planning a Croatian trip, whether it's by air or by cruise ship, you're probably going to stop in this idyllic location.
But Croatia is so much more than just pretty beaches. Plitvice National Park, one of the best national parks in Europe, is also a bucket-list destination for the nature lover or adventure seeker. Throughout the country, foodies, wine connoisseurs, and coffee lovers can find fine food, delectable wine, and strong java to enjoy. And if you're a history buff or TV addict, many of Croatia's ancient sites have served as filming locations for the HBO show "Game of Thrones."
You might think all this beauty, history, and Hollywood appeal might come with a hefty price tag, but arguably the best part about traveling to Croatia is how budget-friendly it is. Because it was part of Yugoslavia until 1991, the country has stayed off the beaten path for many travelers, making it an often over-looked vacation option.
Frankly, if you're looking for a destination that literally has it all while still saving your wallet, you can't do better than this sunny Mediterranean spot. But if you're still not convinced, here are some very good reasons to make Croatia your next holiday.
The Idyllic Beaches
Jorg Greuel/Getty Images
The number one reason to go to Croatia has to be the beaches. If you've ever wanted to soak in the sun on the Amalfi Coast but never quite had the budget, beaches along the Dalmatian Islands, the Golden Cape, and coastal cities like Dubrovnik are the perfect alternative.
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Kelly Cheng Travel Photography/Getty Images
Located only two hours from the city of Zagreb, this national park is arguably one of the most beautiful in the world. It's chock full of lush moss, turquoise lakes, gorgeous canyons, and spectacular waterfalls. It's also an incredibly walkable park since many of the paths are well-marked and even constructed with wood for easy accessibility.
Aromatic Coffee in Zagreb
Westend61/Getty Images
Coffee lovers, take note: Zagreb should be on the top of your bucket list when it comes to delicious brews. The capital city is overflowing with craft coffee cafes – and you probably won't find an overcrowded Starbucks here. Coffee (or in Croatian, "kava") culture here is all about sitting, sipping, and enjoying rather than getting a quick cup of joe on your way to work.
The Exchange Rate
David Clapp/Getty Images
Did we mention this place was affordable? Many people save up for an expensive Mediterranean vacation, but perhaps budget-conscious travelers should consider what's on the other side of Italy's boot – on the Adriatic Sea. While flights to the country can be as expensive as any other in Europe, travel, accommodation, food, and activities within the country are surprisingly cheap thanks to the favorable exchange rate.
There's Delicious Food
Sanja Cokolic/Getty Images
Croatian food is both unique and familiar at the same time, making it a foodie paradise. Some of the best dishes are fresh, handmade pasta called fuzi covered in white truffles and butter in Istria, black seafood risotto along the coast, and many other Mediterranean-style foods. Basically, if you're a fan of Italian cuisine, you'll also love Croatian food.
One Word: Wine
Speaking of food, no Croatian meal is complete without good wine. Istria is particularly known for its wines, and would-be sommeliers should definitely take advantage of wine trails in Pelješac, Dingač, Plavac Mali, Korčula Island, and throughout the country — many of which are offered through organized tours. According to Essence of Croatia, the country has 64 distinct grape types and more than 800 wineries in the country so you're guaranteed to find a vino you'll love.
You Can Pretend to Be in "Game of Thrones"
Denis Lovrovic/AFP/Getty Images
If you're a fan of the HBO show "Game of Thrones," visiting Dubrovnik and Split have to be on your bucket list. Most of King's Landing was shot in these two cities, and you can see many of the areas where iconic scenes took place. You can either put together your own list of sights to see or even take local tours to do some in-depth exploring.
There's Plenty of Adventure
Tuul & Bruno Morandi/Getty Images
Croatia sounds like a fun and relaxing place, of course, but it's also the ultimate destination for thrill-seekers. Along with its beautiful beaches and fabulous food, it's also home to some exciting adventure areas where you can soar on a zip line, or go hiking, biking, climbing, or kayaking in its many national parks.
Centuries of History
According to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, Croatia is home to eight cultural and two natural UNESCO sites. The country's ancient heritage rivals that of any other country in the region, so if you're a history buff you can find many sights to see, tours to take, and intriguing architecture that's been preserved for hundreds of years, including a first-century Roman amphitheater in the city of Pula in Istria.
Diocletian's Palace
Perhaps one of Croatia's most historic and popular sites, this ancient Roman ruin is the ultimate destination for history lovers and "Game of Thrones" superfans. Located in Split, this ancient site was a filming location for the HBO show, but its appeal goes way back. It's a beautiful send up to Roman architecture with its well-preserved columns and arches, and modern tourists can enjoy some of the city's nightlife at nearby restaurants and bars when they visit.
The Ston City Wall
The Ston City Wall (located in Ston, of course) is the second-longest city wall in Europe, measuring at 7,000 meters (just under 23,000 feet). The longest wall in Europe is actually Hadrian's Wall in England. These stone walls protected the city-state of Dubrovnik's independence for centuries.
People You'll Never Forget
Melissa Tse/Getty Images
One of the best parts of any destination is meeting new people, and Croatia is known to have some pretty friendly locals. Croatian culture is a melting pot of other different cultures and histories, including Hungarian, Austrian, Venetian, and Mediterranean to name a few. People there are warm, social, and are all about soccer, style, family, and food.
8 Places in Croatia Locals Love, From Under-the-radar Islands to Stunning Forests and Hilltop Towns
25 Best Worldwide Vacation Spots for Couples
The 15 Best Beaches in Croatia
Do You Know Where Croatia Is?
The Ultimate Guide to 'Game of Thrones' Filming Locations Around the World
Istria Is Croatia's Hidden Gem — and the Melting Pot of the Adriatic
12 European Destinations Perfect for Your Next Group Trip
How to Visit 6 European Countries and Only Unpack Once (Video)
From Luxury Resorts to Delicious Street Food: 12 Reasons to Visit Peru
13 Affordable Places to Visit in Europe — From Country Escapes to Stunning Cities
Toronto City Guide

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Music for Wilder Mann è un album di Teho Teardo pubblicato nel 2005 dalla Specula ed ispirato al lavoro fotografico di Charles Fregér.

Tracce

Note

Collegamenti esterni
Music for Wilder Mann su Discogs

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Prime focus shots of the moon is one of the easiest types of astrophotography. The moon is bright and relatively easy to focus through an SLR camera. Guiding is not required. Eyepiece projection is more demanding and requires a steady atmosphere.
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Are you filled with despair every time you get your utility bill?
Have you had enough of noise, pollution, stress and all the other trappings of civilization?
If so, chances are you've considered living off grid as an alternative.
Ironically, many of the technologies of today are what make it possible to go back in time to a simpler way of life.
It's not a simple as installing a solar panel and a rainwater system though, or is it?
This is everything you need to know about living off the grid.
You have three broad options when it comes to off-grid living.
An almost-there off the grid existence is common on smallholdings and farms.
Homeowners in these areas rely on modern infrastructure to a lesser degree.
Water wells and solar power, as well as septic tank systems for waste disposal, are common in these areas.
Other rural properties still rely on electricity or water from city resources.
Often, a farm or smallholding has some means of producing their own food thanks to crops and livestock.
This involves gearing up for a greener future by adjusting your own abode to fit in with the cities of tomorrow.
Usually, all you need for this is an efficient solar system and a rain-water harvesting setup.
This way, you can continue enjoying all the conveniences of modern life without fossil fuels and hefty bills.
Living Alaska-style is the epitome of an off the grid lifestyle, where you rely totally on your own resources to survive.
If you're considering going the whole hog like this, then you've got some planning to do.
Unless you were born that way, self-reliance is intensely challenging.
If you're considering turning your back on modern-day conveniences, you must consider the following important points.
Off-grid living is cheaper – eventually.
Setting yourself up for a comfortable existence takes time and money though, especially when you have a family to consider.
There are things you need for your new lifestyle that only money can buy.
What's more, though you'll be eking out an existence from the land, you need money for ongoing expenses.
You can't grow things like fuel, medical supplies, and clothing – for those (and many other things) you need cash.
If you are fortunate enough to have a home-based job that brings an income, that's great.
However, you need to make sure that you can use the business technology you need at your new location.
Off-grid rentals are few and far between. Chances are you are going to need to buy land and build your own escape-from-it-all.
For now, we'll focus on the location aspects of suitable land.
You need a plot of land that's close to schools if you have children.
Despite how you feel initially, you will need the company of other people from time to time.
Choose a piece of land where your neighbors aren't too far away, and that is not so remote that you never see your family and friends.
Medical facilities and shops are other considerations. Pick a spot that's away from the crowds but still within reach of basic necessities.
Depending on your preferences, try to avoid areas with extreme temperatures. You'll get sick of the snow after a while and high temperatures become unbearable when they continue day after day.
Another consideration is enough space to build your dream home, plant your food crops and raise some livestock.
Once you've found a likely area, there are a few more things to consider when it comes to looking for places to live off the grid.
Not even Bear Grylls can survive without clean drinking water. Neither can livestock and plants.
Land without water rights is useless to you. A good strong well, river, or lake are the best options.
If you are considering solar or wind power for your energy, make sure your chosen spot gets enough sunlight and wind to keep you up and running.
Make sure you know all the zoning rights, water and mineral rights pertaining to the piece of land you like.
Double check that you can physically and legally install the energy generators that you need on the premises.
Unexpected surprises can turn what's meant to be a simple life into a living hell.
As you move further away from civilization, the less restrictive building regulations tend to get. Check these before you start planning your new home.
Unless you're buying land that already has buildings on it, log cabins tend to be the cheapest type of dwelling for off the grid living.
Straw bales, cob, and earthbag technologies are other cost-effective and environmentally friendly options.
You can either move in when construction's done or stay on site in a recycled shipping container, yurt, or RV during the whole process.
A vegetable garden is a top priority when living off the land.
Remember that most vegetables take at least a month until harvest. Trees can take years to bear fruit.
Until then, you'll need to stay stocked up on store supplies or what you can buy from a local market.
Chickens are the heroes of the day when it comes to food production. They don't eat much and are quite happy to forage on their own.
They'll happily start laying eggs straight away, provide manure for your vegetables, and can be a source of meat.
Quite a variety of predators agree, so build your chickens a safe place to stay out of harm's way. Preferably close to your house.
That brings us to another sensitive issue. If you are going to raise livestock for meat, you will need to kill these animals yourself.
Remember that domestic animals are efficient breeders, make sure you have a plan in place to sell excess stock and avoid overloading.
When you have livestock, you must know basic veterinary care and be able to recognize the symptoms of common animal ailments too.
Otherwise, you're in for a hefty vet bill every month.
To start and maintain a vegetable garden takes careful horticulture.
You'll need seeds and cuttings to start out and have to learn how to harvest these for next season's crop.
A greenhouse is an excellent option for year-round crop production and well worth the initial expense.
Candles and firelight are very romantic at first but they won't keep your supplies cold or your laptop running.
Some sort of electricity is important if you want a relatively comfortable lifestyle.
Solar panels and wind turbines are the best options for a reliable source of energy. They're expensive to set up but they last for up to 5 years.
You can get rebates from the government for installing these green options though. The savings on your electricity bill far outweigh the initial expense too.
A backup generator is imperative in case of emergency and also comes in handy to run tools and other electrical implements.
A small portable generator, like these ones from Genset, is a good option.
Composting toilets are popular among eco-friendly off-the-grid aficionados.
You can have flushing toilets if you're able to install a septic tank in your area and you have abundant water.
When it comes to plastic and paper, "reduce, reuse, recycle" is the way to go.
Some farmers have a small landfill for household refuse but this soon becomes an eyesore. It best to avoid plastic and paper waste in the first place.
Kitchen scraps and cuttings have an automatic home on the compost heap or as chicken feed.
Part of learning how to live off the grid is figuring out how to fix things yourself. You'll soon learn how to perform basic home repairs.
To keep up with these aspects of general upkeep you're going to need some tools. Get a supply of the basics to start with. You can always add to these as needed.
Keep safety precautions top of mind when working with tools. Remember, you're a long way from medical assistance.
Lumber, wire, plastic sheeting and metal posts are part and parcel of rural living. Keep a stock of all the things you think you'll need for emergency repairs.
You'll soon learn to keep offcuts and scraps for a rainy day. Keep these in a safe place with the rest of your tools. A tool shed works best.
The one thing you need more than anything else is a strong commitment to what living off the grid entails.
At times you may feel like giving up and hightailing it back to the city.
Other times, you'll wonder why you didn't embrace life off the grid sooner.
Murphy's Law is a daily rule of a life away from it all. Stick it out and in time you'll surprise yourself with your own ingenuity in dealing with these challenges.
Keep reading my blog for more advice about the things you wonder about sometimes or get in touch to discuss your ideas for new articles.


The White Sage embodies some of the highest wisdom of the plant kingdom, it holds the essence of purity, embodied wisdom, and practical application of spirituality. We like to call it the "walking the spiritual path with practical feet" remedy- AKA the walk your talk remedy. Helps integrate the spiritual and physical worlds together, dissolving the boundary between the mundane day-to-day world and our spiritual life. Helps put spiritual knowledge into the heart where it is embodied and transmuted into wisdom.
It is a general remedy for purification of self and space prior to any ceremony or sacred space, helping us to show up and choose to be present in our strength and spirit. Reconnects us to who we are and to see the wisdom throughout all of life, and how each reflection of life is a reflection of a part of our own nature, as we hold the whole universe within our being.
This is an amazing remedy to work with for an extended period of time in meditation, contemplation, and ceremony.


loin, rump, sirloin (especially beef), boneless pork loin. In 1617, while staying in the London Tower for three days at the expense of Sir Richard Hoghton, James I of Englabd knighted the loin served at dinner as he found it exquisite. Since beef buttocks particularly are Sir Loins. Sir Richard was not as blessed. As a result of the fiasco, he went to debtor's prison.
Bring skillet to a high heat. Add oil, garlic and meat and cook to desired doneness. Sprinkle with a little salt and deglaze pan with sherry and a little water.


In Northern and Southern California, as elsewhere throughout the country, personal injury cases are a common type of litigation. If you have suffered a personal injury in California, it is helpful for you to have some basic understanding of the various laws that govern personal injury claims in California. Most of all, it is essential that you work with a skilled personal injury attorney who can answer all your questions and concerns and will fight fiercely to protect your rights. At California Trial Law Group, PC, we are well-prepared to assist you.
In all 50 states, the law recognizes it may not be easy to discern which party is at fault in a particular accident, but different states have different ways of handling the situation. In many states, including California, comparative negligence is the rule. Comparative negligence means that the injured party can recover damages even if he or she was partially at fault for the accident, but that the damages received will be reduced by the percentage of fault attributed to the injured party. "Pure" comparative negligence, the specific method used by California and a number of other states, establishes that as long as the defendant in a personal injury lawsuit bears any portion of the blame (even 1 percent), the case can be adjudicated and the insured party can be awarded damages.
Comparative negligence is important when the court is attempting to level the playing field in an accident inquiry. The fact that a truck involved in a traffic accident is much larger and heavier than the motorcycle with which it collided, for example, does not mean that the truck driver bears all the responsibility for the cyclist's head injury. Though the truck may have been traveling at 10 miles over the speed limit, the motorcycle may still have made an illegal left turn, and the cyclist may not have been wearing the motorcycle helmet required by law.
In cases like this, the judge or jury will assign a percentage of blame to each party. The injured party's award will be decreased by the percentage of his or her liability. If the court awards damages in the amount of $1,000,000, for instance, but finds the cyclist to be 40 percent at fault for the crash, the cyclist will end up collecting $600,000, an amount from which his 40 percent portion of blame had been subtracted.
While in some states, a person who bears any fault for his or her own injury cannot sue for any compensation at all, in other states, the injured party can only receive damages if he or she is less than 50 percent (or less than 51 percent) to blame for his or her own injuries. This latter method is known as moderate comparative negligence. What makes California comparative fault "pure" is that the injured person is permitted to sue and win damages even if he or she is 99 percent responsible for the injuries received. This pure comparative standard in regard to personal injury lawsuits is in effect not only in California, but in a number of other states as well.
Personal injury laws are some of the most widely varied and idiosyncratic laws among the states. Only in Michigan, for example, is the plaintiff allowed to collect economic damages if he or she is 51 percent at fault for the injury suffered, but not non-economic damages (such as pain and suffering). Another oddly ambiguous personal injury law exists only in South Dakota. In that state there is a "slight/gross" negligence rule in which, if the plaintiff's fault is considered more than "slightly" (a vague term at best) at fault, he or she is barred from receiving any compensation at all.
As you can see, comparative negligence is a complicated, often confusing, method of calculating personal injury damages, particularly because it varies so much from state to state. This makes it essential for you to deal with a savvy, experienced personal injury attorney familiar with California laws when you're trying to collect compensation for your medical costs, lost wages, future disability, and pain and suffering. If you have been injured in Northern or Southern California, you should get in touch with the efficient, compassionate California Trial Law Group. Our proven track record gives you the very best chance of a possible outcome. We can be reached by telephone or by filling out a contact form on our website. Remember that we will not take your case unless we are confident that we can win damages for you and that you will not be charged any attorney fees until we do.
Located In Albany, California,the California Trial Law Group Serves Clients in Alameda County, Contra Costa County, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Fresno, Kern, Yolo, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange and Sacramento Counties.


text:
Xhaferi wants to protect the members of Parliament from mandatory drug tests
Macedonia	17.05.2019 /	18:33
Talat Xhaferi dismissed the growing calls to have members of the Macedonian Parliament tested for drugs use. The calls are growing after one of the top SDSM members of Parliament Pavle Bogoevski was secretly recorded ordering what appears to have been cocaine from his dealer.
According to the law, there are no legal grounds that the Speaker or the Parliament organize such an initiative, Xhaferi said.
Members of Parliament attend bi-annual health checks, but these do not include drug tests. As Bogoevski is defending himself by saying that he was ordering an illegal substance, but that it was merely cannabis oil for a sick relative, he is being called out from all sides of the political divide to submit himself to a rigorous drug test, and publish the results.
These calls are reinforced by the fact that Bogoevski positioned himself as chief "executioner" of the ruling majority, demanding that opposition members of Parliament are stripped of immunity for all sorts of politically driven charges filed against them. Bogoevski was also the leader of the "Colored Revolution" which was, at least in theory, a movement to demand full accountability from those in power.
xhafericocaine
Macedonia 30.05.2019
Wiretaps scandal: Xhaferi fumes after being compared to Pavle Bogoevski
Parliament will vote on Gruevski's mandate in 10 days
Xhaferi expects NATO membership by the end of the year
Macedonia News


text:
HD Vinyl strikes deal with one of the world's largest record pressing plants
The innovative company has funds and partnerships aplenty…
vinyl-records2
Tom Goulding
HD Vinyl has struck a deal with GZ Media, one of the major vinyl record pressing plants, amongst a number of other major partnerships.
HD Vinyl is an innovation that hopes to boost audio fidelity of vinyl records by 30%, while expanding the amount of music that can be played on a single side from 22 minutes per side to half an hour.
GZ and HD Vinyl are teaming up, for GZ to retrofit HD's laser-cut stampers to select machines, revealed at the Making Vinyl conference in Detroit this past week.
Record Products of America (RSA) and Viryl Technologies are also partnering with the much anticipated HD Vinyl, which has received millions in funding, and is part of Rebeat Innovation.
"Changing from traditional to HD Vinyl stampers has to be simple and fast," said HD Vinyl founder, Guenter Loibl. "Therefore, we are excited to work together with such innovative partners. They are leaders in their field and have the experience and knowledge to fit HD Vinyl stampers into any press machine, both new and existing."
The key to the innovation is the ultra-precise laser, which cuts grooves along an exact topographical path, cutting out a number of steps in the manufacturing process. This would be one of the first major changes to vinyl production since 1978.
The first HD Vinyl-pressed records are expected to emerge in Spring of 2019, according to Loibl.
This comes at a time when vinyl sales are thought to be in the tens of millions, and rising.
vinyl HD Vinyl Detroit
New J Dilla biography will explore the life and influence of pioneering producer
New East London record fair to take place this week
Vinyl outsold CDs in U.S. for first time in 30 years in 2021
New vinyl pressing plant, Press On Vinyl, to open in Middlesbrough
Vinyl pressing plant launches express service for super limited releases
Vinyl sales in 2021 at highest level in three decades


Dietitians help promote good health through proper eating. They supervise the preparation and service of food, develop modified diets, participate in research, and educate individuals and groups on good nutritional habits.
What are the other benefits of having a dietitian?
They work with other health care professionals and community groups to provide nourishment, nutritional programs and instructional presentations to benefit people of all ages, and with a variety of health conditions.


VASTAS is designer, manufacturer and service provider of industrial valves and actuators, serving various industries with the focus on oil, gas, energy and water projects.
My enthusiasm about valves have not been decreased a bit in this past 50 years but only kept growing. Sharing this knowledge and passion with others, expanding it to new generations, teaching and learning about valves, the continuous improvement opportunity is my main motive here.
Committed to valve business, Vastas is serving the industry with advanced, safe and long lasting products. 7 decades of experience with the enthusiasm to develop new products, Vastas realized over 8000 valve projects and become a Global brand active in 5 continents.
Our main focus areas are Valves and Actuators for oil, gas, fuel Pipelines & Storage facilities. API & SIL certified Ball, Gate, Check, Plug, Globe Valves and Hydraulic, Pneumatic Actuators. It offers ESD, LBV, SOV solutions for midstream applications.
Controlling the flow has been invented in ancient times and various type of valves have been designed centuries ago. What we do in valve design is not a revolution but understanding today's needs, problems, opportunities and improve the well known valves with evolutionary innovation.
Using 73 years of site experience, Vastas designs advanced valve solutions, including tailor-made valves for the most complex needs.
Vastas's 21.000m2 production plant differs from others with its in-house capabilities. Machine park has over 300 key machines and tools including CNC's, test benches, welding, heat treatment, coating etc. The production facility and all processes are in line with the QHSE management system.
Heritage of Vastas is its site service, which has a history that dates back to 1930's. Today, Vastas is a service provider for all valve and actuator brands.
Vastas experience includes 50+ NOC's, 10+ IOC's, 15+ EPC's and 250+local contractors. Realized over 8000 valve projects, its products are used in 5 continents in over 70 countries.


Maillol's wife was the model for Femme Assise. The piece evokes a sense of tranquillity and repose. Comparing it to his later works which were reduced to simplified volumes, Femme Assise is relatively naturalistic. The woman depicted is sat down with an earth bound movement which is well balanced with a focus on hand placement and weight distribution. Interestingly, Maillol was a very versatile artist: a painter, tapestry designer and illustrator, but after1900 he concentrated on sculpture, where he remained prolific. Maillol's subjects where predominantly female nudes, and Femme Assise is a perfect example of a sculpture of this subject conceived during this period.
Aristide Maillol began to sculpt relatively late in life, he was already in his forties. By that time, he had struggled with his artistry for twenty years under hardship and poverty. As a young man, he took several attempts before he was admitted to the École des Beaux-Arts. His passion was painting but found no success in this area. In the 1890s he became acquainted with Paul Gauguin who came to have a great importance for Maillol as an artist. With Gauguin's encouragement, he began to create imagery that aroused appreciation and he could even use some of the work for some of the work. Just as the success seemed close, he suffered from temporary visual impairment, which was probably caused by over-effort. This forced him to abandon the image weave in favor of the more tactile three-dimensional creation. Although he had previously only sporadically studied sculpture and basically only possessed elementary knowledge, he quickly found in his sculpture his own unique way of expression. Amazingly, a mature and full-fledged artistry emerged. Within a couple of years he had developed the motif that came to occupy him during the rest of his life – the female body in various variations.
The 19th century sculpture tradition was largely based on realism with a great measure of narration, which also included the use of metaphors, symbols and attributes. At the turn of the century, Auguste Rodin was the dominant sculptor. His powerful work is characterized by twisted, almost embarrassed forms and can be considered as a combination of two of the great currents of that time, realism and symbolism. Most young sculptors during the late 19th century were under the influence of his art and teachings. Perhaps Maillol's distinctive art had not found its distinctive character if he, as a young man, applied to the sculpture as a means of expression and thus possibly also ended up in Rodin's doctrine. Maillol's simplified, static sculptures completely broke in the 19th century. With their silent, closed massive shapes, they defy all attempts at interpretation. His goal was that art would not be descriptive or use metaphors, but rather represent a quest for simplification of forms to express the synthesis of the object.
Maillol died in 1944 in the suites after a car accident. He was 83 years old and had been active in many artistic branches, such as painting, carving, pottery, book illustration and image weaving. However, it is as a sculptor he made the deepest impression in art history. He performed several public assignments and eventually won both national and international fame.
Aristides Maillol's renewal of the art of sculpture creates a synthesis between ancient human art and the future abstract art. His sculptures thus became an intersection that connects the beginning of art with its future promise.


Andrew Leonie, the associate deputy attorney general for the state of Texas. Images via Leonie's Facebook.
One of Texas' top lawyers appeared to take issue with the massive outpouring of sexual assault and harassment claims associated with the #MeToo movement in an early morning Facebook post on Wednesday.
In the post, which was still posted publicly on Leonie's Facebook as of Thursday afternoon, the deputy assistant AG linked to an article from the conservative magazine The Federalist about how women "relish" male desire.
A perusal of Leonie's Facebook timeline reveals him to be a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump's. He also appears to be a fan of alt-right provocateur and erstwhile Breitbart writer Milo Yiannopoulos.


You have nothing to fear when you take a natural treatment path. Even if acupuncture is not completely successful, at least you will have a new experience under your belt. If it does succeed, you will be free of pain and physical difficulties. Regardless of the outcome, it is your task to find the help you need today.
Previous Post: Is Your Hair Giving You Fits? Check Out These Ideas!


text:
Exploring NBA's Model-Based Load Management System For Position Players
By TC Zencka | November 16, 2019 at 9:38am CDT
Studies around the game are investing significant resources into the study of players' health, and though we know all change is bad and everyone hates it, baseball could soon turn to the model-based resting patterns that has swept through the NBA in recent seasons, per The Athletic's Eno Sarris.
Technological advancement has already clung to the pitching side of the game, where Driveline and pitching labs have entered the common vernacular. Studies continue to work towards a better understanding of pitcher health, including looking at spin rate changes as an indicator of future injury. The naked eye can only gauge so much in terms of a player's fatigue level, and the goal here is to put as much precision into the process as is scientifically possible.
Pitchers' rest has obviously been a key part of the modern game, but it's the position player side that might lean towards an NBA-style model-based resting program. It's not uncommon, of course, for players to want to play everyday or even insist that their play improves the more often they're in the game. Sarris provides Marcus Semien as an example – Semien feels days off knocks him out of rhythm.
There's certainly validity to Semien's line of thinking, but the counter would be that a day or two of feeling off in the box is worth it in the grand scheme of a 6-month long season. Tracking acute stress versus chronic stress is one of the key issues in managing player fatigue, and there's more than one philosophy on how to manage it. It's difficult to quantify the impact of fatigue on player performance, but there's little doubt it plays a significant role in the game. In fact, it very well might be the area of greatest impact of which we know the least.
Of course, getting enough information to make a model-based resting program would mean cooperation from the players. There's a fair amount of data acquisition possible through wearable technology, but if players aren't invested in these programs, it will be difficult to progress. Players have plenty of reason to invest themselves in this brand of technological advancement, but they also have cause to be wary. If data collected is owned by the teams, players are put in a vulnerable position – as said data could be used against them in contract negotiations.
As pitcher velocity rises and injuries continue to threaten their livelihood, expect this conversation to gain traction, and don't be surprised if the data ownership conversation spills over into the next round of CBA negotiations. In an increasingly flattened competitive landscape, teams already view health as a new frontier to gain a competitive advantage. To delve further, Sarris' full article is well worth a read, as he explores this issue in full, citing a number of studies currently working to better understand player load management.
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2021 CBA Marcus Semien
AL Notes: Trumbo, Angels, Orioles, Harvey
Royals Sign Matt Reynolds To Minor League Contract
Wolverines2
Que up old guys commenting how soft the modern player is, and how they should play every day because they are making millions of dollars:
Bill Harford
Or young guy that is working 60 hours per week and doesn't get days off.
If your occupation is 100% physical, then you have plenty of room to talk. Most of us can perform just as well at our jobs if we have a bone chip in our elbow though. Most employees don't have as much invested in them as professional athletes (for better or worse).
whyhayzee
It's spelled queue. I'm an old guy.
CujoMarlin
Actually, it's "Cue." i.e. to signal something to begin. I don't think he was demanding old men get into a line ("queue") to make their comments.
krillin89
I would argue that both would work. Queue would mean the old men are lined up waiting for their turn to comment. However, I don't think that's what he meant
Beavis was the Smart One
Que????
southbeachbully
@Wolverines2
You say that smugly but there's merit to this question. Why can't pitchers throw as often as they used to?
Facts. The game has changed but at it's basic, it really hasn't. Still 3 outs in an inning. Still 9 innings in a game. The only change is the number of games played throughout history.
In 1880 eight mlb pitchers threw over 450 IP. Eight of them threw at least 49 complete games.
Those seasons were only 85 games played.
Fast forward to 1926. 49 different pitchers throw over 200 IP.
Fast forward to 1972 when 52 pitchers threw over 200 IP
Add another 46 years and we get to 2018 where only 13 pitchers threw over 200 IP.
So I get that the number of players has grown since 1880 and so have the number of games. I get it that teams found it in the players best interest to not throw every pitch of every games started and I get that relief pitchers play a larger role. What I don't get is how did pitchers in the 1800s to more recent players like Nolan Ryan, Pjil Neikro, Don Sutton and Steve Carlton (5,00 IP club) end up being such workhorses but pitchers today, some considered aces, fail to get into the 7th inning or 230 IP? How did human beings put so many innings over so little amount of seasons before advanced science, TJ surgery, etc?
philsphan1979
That's the most horrible idea that they can think of…this will hurt and end career stats as we know it. Records now would never be broken. There going to lose a lot of fan base
YankeesBleacherCreature
Not for their own pockets. The threshold for getting in to the HOF has been lowered over the past 15 or so years. Players are simply used differently today. Complete games mean squat now. Wins and Saves totals only matter in arbitration. It is what it is but fans aren't going away as revenue keeps rising.
Strike Four
No records were broken from the 60s to the 90s so who cares? I dont watch baseball to watch records being broken, I watch it to see who wins the game.
MoRivera 1999
I would guess the majority of fans always have one eye on the record books.
MrStealYoBase
Definitely good they expanded the pitcher IL to 15 days then!
I'm sure everyone loves watching bullpen days when the ace needs a day off.
Wow so a worker isnt allowed a day off just because you say so? This "everyday player" nonsense is anti-worker and workers rights laws exist for a reason, just because Cal Ripken happened once doesnt mean thousands of other players have to be like him. Ripken was a freak occurrence, not the norm or "standard".
hrbekrules
It's called the off season, they have months off at a time. They also don't play everyday during the season, there are off days.
I'm really thinking MLB TV should just gather all the analytics, etc. and begin televising the managers rolling dice and checking the Strat-o-matic cards. Nobody gets tired, worn down, really injured….the best team probably wins…..
I know, too old for most of you, but still one of the best games ever. Strato!!!
AND PRINT IT!!!!!
Strat-o-matic!
Kept me out of trouble in my youth. Can't get girls pregnant or catch STDs when you're playing it.
I only played the R-rated version but got close to stepping on a landmine or two.
Wilford Brimley
"The naked eye can only gauge so much in terms of a player's fatigue level…"
Not for those of us who WATCH EVERY GAME!
mlb1225
I don't care if every defensive measurement rates Nicholas Castellanos as one of the worst defenders in baseball since his rookie season. I watch him play, and he isn't a bad defender (*sarcasm*).
Eye test…more like eye roll
jbigz12
Thanks for the laugh today.
StandUpGuy
What are they proposing? Make every player take a day off every week or something?
richard dangler
This is ridiculous. Baseball is not a physically demanding sport.
Teams can do what they want with their investments to protect them.
hiflew
Not when their "investments" are directly tied to others paying money to watch them perform. If you pay to go to a play and instead seeing of the big star you paid to see, you get the understudy, you are going to demand your money back. And even if you don't get your money back, you are probably going to be less likely to pay to go to another play from that company.
Sometimes those plays offer partial or full refunds to ticketholders in the event of a star not appearing. Maybe if teams started doing that, there wouldn't be as much of an issue.
Good idea hiflew!
Tell that to those who play catcher.
Yes, because the pitchers who throw 97 MPH+ consistently aren't putting massive stress on their arms.
Pitchers are not the issue. They have had a "load management" system in place for decades. It's called the starting rotation. Even relievers have been classified as "unavailable for a game due to pitching in 2-3 consecutive games.
Catchers have also historically been given extra days off due to stress on the body.
The issue here is "everyday players" that are called that because they are supposed to play every day.
Obviously the game is physically demanding because of all the time on the IL. Maybe you never played?
cyyoung24
Just because it's a non-contact sport doesn't mean its not physically demanding.
These guys play 162 games in 187 days. That doesn't leave much time to recover from minor injuries that end up lingering around for much of the season. Obviously if the injury is severe enough, they go on the IL but hamstring tweaks or a sore back, etc can really hamper performance but not warrant missing at least 10 days.
Also, makes sense for these guys to get a mental break, totally non-injury related. Let a guy a take series off, available to pinch hit maybe, and reset themselves. I think it could actually lead to more consistency in some of these players.
I would definitely not support a blanket policy, however, there shouldn't be backlash if teams prioritize winning and maximizing their players abilities.
Sucks for the fan that wants to see Mike Trout the one time per year his team cones to their city and thats the series he's out, but too bad. Maybe MLB needs to change to a more balanced schedule so that doesn't happen.
cyyoung24 with the best post in the thread
CoolKidJoeXBL
You can't change the schedule to make it more balanced without cutting games and if you cut games, then there's going to be serious financial consequences for everyone involved. TV Networks paid for X amount of games so they want to pay less, since the ownership is taking less they'll want to pay the players less and the players won't want to take less. A lighter schedule will never happen because a player with a guaranteed contract will not take less money because less money is coming in and the union will never go for it because the union fights to put as many dollars in the player's hands as possible.
tiltedgambler
you are brain dead
snotrocket
Neither is golf but if I play 3 or 4 days in a row my back definitely needs some rest.
I seriously doubt you are in the shape of a pro athlete, but even if you are, the comp is not the same. I'm pretty sure if you were getting paid millions to play golf and relied on people paying a lot of money to watch you play golf, you would play through a little pain.
You think players aren't constantly "playing through a little pain"? On what planet? Dude you need a full re-boot on this issue. You've totally crashed.
Seriously doubting you have ever played it then.
TheReal_DK
Teams already give players maintenance days. The DH allows teams to essentially give players days off in the field. "Load management" works in the NBA because those guys are sprinting miles a game and their bodies don't have enough time to recover when the next game is 24 hours away.
eyesaiah
Load Management would be best thing to happen to players. Wouldn't even mind having SP pitch 1 day a week like in Japan
Tom Reither
The games over 100 years old….Now all of the sudden we need a rest program?
I'm all for keeping players healthy, but the biggest concern I have with this is that nobody will ever be able to challenge any MLB records again.
We went decades with no records broken before steroids, so youre saying you want more steroids? I agree, if we lets players use PEDs they wouldnt get injured and we could see them play everyday.
DTD_ATL
The NBA maintenance program is a joke and it screws the fans over that pay to see the game played at its highest level. If these athletes can't do their job, their pay should reflect it. Less games played need to result in lower salaries.
I'm all for that idea. Have player salaries tied directly to whether or not they play. Average out player salaries and if they don't play due to injury, sickness, or needing a rest, and are not on the injured list, they shouldn't get paid for that game. Or maybe get paid like 25% of their salary for that game. There would definitely have to be provisions included to keep teams like the Pirates from sitting healthy players to save money.
That being said, it would never happen in a million years.
hiflew you are on fire!
So it's better to have players on the field simply because it's their job and they are being paid to do so?
Say a player is in an 1-18 slump with 10Ks and a mild back issue that he could play through but it's obviously contributing to poor performance and directly contributing to your team losing more games? That's a better product for the fans?
Hurt/bad/fatigued players forcing themselves to take the field in order to maximize their earnings?
Yeah, I don't agree with that.
But the profits are constantly skyrocketing and when you say things like this, you are literally advocating for billionaire owners to make even more money for doing absolutely nothing other than being rich. Why? Because you are petty and think baseball players arent "real" athletes or have a "real" job. But I can bet you whatever field you are in doesnt generate BILLIONS of dollars every year only due to your hard work.
Maybe the worst take I see on these threads. So very shortsighted and dumb. Players absolutely should make money relative to profits. Current production should have zero influence to current salary, period.
Owners control the media and feed you narratives and storylines that make the owners out to be good and players bad and you eat it up happily because you are jealous you arent a pro baseball player. Grow up.
@DTD_ATL
I wouldn't mind contracts having an incentive for GP. No problem at all. I just can't see that being a major component. No way do I think Trout should be signficantly penalized for missing three weeks at the end of the season. Injuries happen, and that's why you have injury insurance. Moreover, anyone playing a sport is going to need downtime to rest their muscles, tendons and ligaments, let alone bones. Thinking otherwise is just…boneheaded.
Rallyshirt
Any plan to increase communication, monitor and offer protection from further injury is a major plus.
Who cares about records set by some on-field drunk back in the '20s?
Most baseball fans care.
There's literally no going back from today's highly-tuned athletic machines in any competitive sport.
Only boomers care.
Stop with the boomer insults. It's anti-social. You make worthwhile contributions here. Boomer insults are not among them. You don't see people making millennial insults, at least not very often. You tend to get in this rut fairly often…
DarkSide830
you are the funniest person on this site. please consider making comedy your career.
It's like people forget that Cal Ripken exists and played baseball really not that long ago. We aren't talking about people from the 1920s here. We are talking simply 1, maybe 2 generations ago. What has changed in such a little time?
The human body surely hasn't. Is it the money involved? Do people just not try as hard? Do they have less of a work ethic? Do they just not care as much? Are people playing/training too much year round? Is it too much strength training overtaxing the body? Is it some combination of all of that and other stuff I haven't even thought of? I don't have the answers, and I don't think anyone else does either. But it does make one wonder about the future of not only baseball, but the human race in general, if there is this much of a fall off in productivity in such a relatively small time period.
Badda Bing!
What was the average male height in 1900?
A century ago, American men ranked as the third tallest in the world, standing at 171 centimeters (5 feet 7 inches).
Yeah, Jose Altuve would still be looking up at the average guy. That was a joke, but all it shows is that height doesn't matter when it comes to baseball. If you want to make that argument in a basketball discussion, you might have a valid point, but in baseball a man that is 6'6″ tall doesn't really have much of an advantage over a man that is 5'6″ tall. In some ways, he has more of a disadvantage since his strike zone is bigger.
Nothing against the shorter guys. This research might not apply to the spry 5'8, 180 pounders, but the 6'4, 240 pounders?
With advancements in technology and science and how politics and capitalism have changed, the 80s might as well have been 200 years ago.
When one player is literally your only argument to playing everyday, you dont have an argument.
megaj
I miss the 80's. Good music, good movies, no PC bologna, no kids going crazy attacking the schools, the freedom of going places without a security blanket like a cell phone or GPS 🙂 When we talked baseball it was never about how much money or big a contract a player should get. Ever. A story like this would have been laughable and absurd.
"no PC bologna"
yeah, back then you could call people whatever you wanted. The golden days of bigotry.
youngTank15
With the advancements in science and medicine the human body should be able to do more not less.
One player is not my only argument. It's just the only one I listed. Try and keep up junior.
All those things are just assumptions by someone who doesn't actually know, just assumes.
bravesfan
I think it's really neat that this technology exist and is continuing to advance. It's only gonna help the game in the long run. Healthier players lead to higher quality of play. The key is to be able to take this technology and appropriate training with it not only to the majors but to little league to prevent injuries there and understand the impact the game can have on someone at such a young age.
Little League?!
No you make that kid throw 150 pitches per game. And then you make that kid come back and catch in the 2nd game that's a makeup for rainout. Especially if it's 95 degrees out.
"But Dad, I'm tired."
"Shut up, son, or no Slurpee after the game."
But sad and true in the past. Don't Little Leagues
have pitch limits now?
im not sure. my elementary school-age cousin threw out his arm a few years ago though, and now he cant play anymore. leads me to believe those rules are spotty at best.
Little league is slightly egregious, but your point rings true for college and high school players, because thats where you find more failed players with egos who think winning at that level actually means something and dont care about pitch counts "because theyre young, theyll bounce back" but its miles on the arm that causes injuries down the road.
theredsoxrule
ok so if they can't handle playing a game for a whole season then start paying them what they deserve which is a rookie gets minimum wage per game played and every year you get a small raise and give them a nice bonus for amount of games played…today's athletes are spoiled rotten overpaid crybabies
And get off my lawn!
today's comments section posters are spoiled rotten overpaid crybabies
If billions are getting generated then millions are what they deserve. Period. Your arbitrary judgment of minimum wage should not apply. Or do you like Robber Barons?
antibelt
Players were willing to cut the September call ups (which would get them extra rest heading to the playoffs)for the hope a little extra would be tossed their way for members on the 25 man staff (And keeping much needed money from minor leaguers who would otherwise get called up). Hard to sympathize with them now that they've calling for more days off or less games.
Uh, I think it is front offices that are exploring this…..
Another jobs program for people who never played the game.
"…all change is bad and everyone hates it…"
That's funny TC!
joedirte4life
I wonder what Cal Ripken Jr.'s take on this is?
He's open-minded enough to know that the game has changed over the last two decades. Playing 162 games/season or pitching complete games mean squat now. No one is trying break any consecutives games played record today. It's not better or worse, it's just different.
No. It is worse. But thank you for speaking on his behalf since you know his opinion already.
The fans take should be never missing games is stupid and too many players think that they can play hurt but if they aren't at 100% when instantly turn into a replacement level/AAAA player every time they think they're "toughing it out".
Yeah it's much better to put them on the IL and call up an actual replacement level /AAAA player from the PCL to play in their place. That way you get both the mediocrity AND the lack of name recognition. Twice the fun.
Some fans complain that games are too expensive to attend as ticket prices continue to rise. This is an idea for ownerships way to reduce cost (by limiting injuries) thus providing a lesser product on the field. That may translate to slower ticket/concession price inflation. So what do you fickle people want?
Maybe they should think about making it 130-140 games a season instead of 162. SeAson would end aug 30th a month earlier
They talked about a 154 game season but it never gained traction. Players don't want to get paid less.
Go to 168 games (every team plays each other 12 times (2 home series of 3 games, 2 away of 3 games) with only 2 rounds of playoffs (LCS, WS) because the schedule will finally be balanced and we won't have to sit through pointless rounds of playoff sweeps because phony-good teams are involved who only made the playoffs because the worst team was in their division.
The Nationals just won the World Series and they were a wild card team. In 2014 the Giants and Royals both wild card teams were in the World Series.
@youngTank15
Yeah I'm not sure that that makes it a good thing, the right thing. I admit I'm kind of on the fence. I hate de-valuing the 162 game season results by letting Wild Card teams in, but I do like the fact that fans of more teams get to be involved. It's a tough one.
ummm Baseball has been doing this for decades, star players pretty regularly get Sundays off. In fact, I think there was already whining and media-led controversy about it because sometimes it happens on national tv games.
coldbeer
Generally vets get a day game off the day after a night game. Not sure about this Sunday stuff you're spewing tbh…
I just come here now and then, but every time I see some ignorant posts. Not sure he if is just an angry kid or just lonely, but he doesn't seem to know much about baseball.
Now there's an anti-social dude.
Strike Four is right. Giants have been doing that for years. A lot of catchers also get the day game off after a night game. Been like that for years. No reason was a position player needs to take 20 or so games off a year unless he's in a platoon (Not a huge of either).
elgranrojo44
Really… there is no comparison with what Basketball players endure to what baseball players do.. NBA guys constantly running on hard wood does a number to your knees.. the ONLY players on a baseball field that takes body punishment like that is a catcher and last I checked they get days off.. pitchers already get plenty of rest.. position players sprint 4-5 times a game (assuming balls in play) on soft dirt.. and how many times is the ball hit to them on the field in a single game.. get this load management nonsense out of here.
Keep sitting star players and I'll stop buying tickets. It's not cheap going to games these days, and now I might not get to see the best of the best play due to "load management"? Beat it.
Anthony Princeton
This is silly. The average NBA player is running between 2 and 2.5 miles per game. It's far more physically demanding. Also we already have load management in baseball. Pitchers and catchers get several days off. Only 5 players appeared in all 162 games this past season and a total of 28 appeared in at least 156 games. So the vast majority of MLB players are getting around a week off per month or more, factoring in off days also, in a sport where the average position player spends the game either sitting on the bench or standing in the field. Except for the aforementioned catchers that already get significant time off.
Basketball players play half as many games with more days off. and they have load management.
Melchez
They need to follow the 1970's NHL model… "You need Tommy John Surgery? Pitch with the other arm, now get out there." "You got a torn ACL? We need more tape here!"
I don't think anybody should take advice from the NBA on anything at this point. If I were a starting player in today's game I would NEVER take a day off unless I was literally unable to field my position or run to first base at a reasonable pace. If I was asked to sit for any other reason other than my performance, I would immediately ask to be traded. So ridiculous that the old veterans played for peanuts but had way more pride and work ethic than these pansies
Easy to say when you don't have to back up your words.
Says the internet tough guy.
im sure if they had it their way most guys would want to play 162 games if healthy. however, they are smart enough to realise that the occasional off day is part of sports, and probably not terribly detrimental to their well-being.
You don't work as many days a week for six straight months as ballplayers do, and I'll bet you do ZERO physical labor. I'll bet they do more physical work in one year than you do in a lifetime.
As you say: pansy!
I've run an average of 4.5 miles per day for the past forty years. Only really started to struggle with injuries over the past ten years. Was still strong in my late forties, I could run a 6 minute mile and an 8 minute pace marathon. But that's all out the window now that I'm an old fart. The absolute first key is getting enough sleep, 8 hours is essential. The second key is having a good diet. I learned mine from watching my father survive pancreatic cancer as a diabetic. Small amounts of meat (deck of cards), complex carbohydrates (whole grains only) and loads of vegetables. Sure, you fart a lot, but you feel a lot better. The third key is the work you put in. Don't overload your body with repetitive movements (that's funny for me to say when I've run over 66,000 miles), allow for recovery days between really hard workouts. There aren't a lot of high school athletes who get this right at all so it's not hard to imagine that baseball players don't know what they're doing to their bodies. I think playing college sports helps make you more aware and I also think organizations are getting smart about making sure their athletes take care of themselves. It's not rocket science and it doesn't require technology. You just have to live the right way and take proper care of yourself.
PeeWeeGaskins
so many foolish people here. most healthy stars only get a few games off a year, yet some make it seem like its every other game. if you buy a ticket and one player isnt playing, im sure you will live. go for the team, not the player.
Oxford Karma
Baseball teams already do this, and have done it forever. Guys get a day off once a week in general. Baseball plays 162 games in around 185 days. That's 3-4 days off a month. I picked one team (wizards). They play back to back days 8 times the whole year. 82 games in six months. It's different.
takeitback
Why do so many people have an issue with this? The Astros have been giving their guys scheduled off days for 3-4 years. During the regular season they routinely rotate the off days in order to keep players fresh. That's why Marwin Gonzalez was so valuable when he was with the Astros. He could step in for any infield position and LF with ease. He was basically a 10th starter.
Every team gets Thursday's off. Don't schedule any games on Thursday during the season. Every other Monday is an off day. The season is too long anyway.
26 weeks at 6 games per week is 156. minus 13 (every other monday) is 143. More than enough baseball. That's the first week of April through the last week of September.
Like the NBA, Make 2 leagues, no divisions. Everyone plays everyone the same number of times.. Top 4 in each league gets a one game bye. Expand wildcard playoffs. One round of wildcard with winner take all between next 8 teams in each league. The best 4 play the wildcard winners in a best of 5 Then the winners of that round face off in a best of 5, then a best of seven for the LCS. Then a best of 7 for the World Series.
This gets more teams into the playoffs and a chance to win it all. The teams with the best records all get to play a wildcard team. This should cut down on the "tanking" especially when you see wildcard teams making it to the World Series and even winning it.
Fortunately, MLB isn't run by Adam Silver or NBA team owners. Sub-.500 ballclubs should not be in the playoffs, period.
That's true. It would look bad if a team was under .500 for the season and they end up winning the World Series. Just means they got hot at the right time.
TheAdrianBeltre
My tickets should definitely be discounted on Pops is Resting Everybody Day…
bennygb07
MLB should be looking at the NBA's financial model…..
Mets Hire Buck Showalter As Manager
AL East Notes: Guerrero, Bichette, LeMahieu, Camden Yards
Details On The Orioles' Signing Of Cesar Prieto
Who Will Sign Kris Bryant?
Who's Blocking Spencer Torkelson?
Aníbal Sánchez Considering Return To MLB In 2022
Trade Candidate: Max Kepler
Mets To Hire Glenn Sherlock As Bench Coach


text:
(Amendment No. )*
GARRETT MOTION INC.
Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed:
☐ Rule 13d-1(b)
☒ Rule 13d-1(c)
☐ Rule 13d-1(d)
The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).
CUSIP: 366505105
NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
Hawk Ridge Master Fund, L.P.
CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP
(a) ☐ (b) ☐
SEC USE ONLY
CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
BENEFICIALLY
SOLE VOTING POWER
6,023,159 (1)
SHARED VOTING POWER
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
8.8% (2)
TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
Includes 2,336,564 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share (the "Common Stock") and 3,686,595 shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of 3,686,595 shares of Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Series A Preferred Stock"), of Garrett Motion Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company").
Based on 68,722,396 shares of Common Stock outstanding, consisting of 65,035,801 shares of Common Stock and 3,686,595 shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of 3,686,595 shares of Series A Preferred Stock.
Hawk Ridge Management, LLC
Includes 2,336,564 shares of Common Stock and 3,686,595 shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of 3,686,595 shares of Series A Preferred Stock of the Company.
Hawk Ridge Capital Management, L.P.
Hawk Ridge Capital Management GP LLC
David G. Brown
1(a). Name of Issuer: Garrett Motion Inc. (the "Company")
1(b). Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Officers: La Pièce 16, Rolle, Switzerland 1180
2(a). Name of Person Filing:
This statement is filed by (1) Hawk Ridge Master Fund, LP, a Delaware limited partnership ("Hawk Ridge"), with respect to the shares of Common Stock and Series A Preferred Stock directly owned by it, (2) Hawk Ridge Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("Hawk Ridge GP"), as the general partner of Hawk Ridge, (3) Hawk Ridge Capital Management, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ("Hawk Ridge LP"), as the investment manager to Hawk Ridge, (4) Hawk Ridge Capital Management GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("Hawk Ridge Capital GP"), as the general partner of Hawk Ridge LP, and (5) Mr. David G. Brown, as the portfolio manager of Hawk Ridge LP and sole member and manager of Hawk Ridge GP and Hawk Ridge Capital GP. Hawk Ridge, Hawk Ridge GP, Hawk Ridge LP, Hawk Ridge Capital GP and Mr. Brown are collectively referred to as the "Reporting Persons."
2(b). Address or Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence:
The principal business address of each of the Reporting Persons is 12121 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 900, Los Angeles CA 90025.
2(c). Citizenship: See Item 4 of each cover page.
Item 2(d). Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share ("Common Stock").
Item 2(e). CUSIP No.: 366505105.
Item 3. If this Statement is Filed Pursuant to §§ 240.13d-1(b) or 240.13d-2(b) or (c), Check Whether the Person Filing is a: Not applicable.
Item 4. Ownership.
(a) Amount beneficially owned: See Item 9 of each cover page.
(b) Percent of class: See Item 11 of each cover page.
(c) Number of shares as to which the person has:
Sole power to vote or to direct the vote: See Item 5 of each cover page.
Shared power to vote or to direct the vote: See Item 6 of each cover page.
Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: See Item 7 of each cover page.
Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: See Item 8 of each cover page.
Item 5. Ownership of 5 Percent or Less of a Class.
Item 6. Ownership of More than 5 Percent on Behalf of Another Person.
Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company or Control Person.
Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.
Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group.
Item 10. Certifications.
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect, other than activities solely in connection with a nomination under § 240.14a-11.
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.
Dated: May 10, 2021
its General Partner
/s/ David Bradley
Name: David Bradley, COO, CFO, CCO
Hawk Ridge Capital Management GP, LLC
/s/ David Brown
Name: David Brown
The original statement shall be signed by each person on whose behalf the statement is filed or his authorized representative. If the statement is signed on behalf of a person by his authorized representative other than an executive officer or general partner of the filing person, evidence of the representative's authority to sign on behalf of such person shall be filed with the statement, provided, however, that a power of attorney for this purpose which is already on file with the Commission may be incorporated by reference. The name and any title of each person who signs the statement shall be typed or printed beneath his signature.
99.1 Joint Filing Agreement
JOINT FILING AGREEMENT
This will confirm the agreement by and among the undersigned that the Schedule 13G filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about the date hereof with respect to the beneficial ownership by the undersigned of the shares of Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share, of Garrett Motion Inc. (this "Agreement"), is being filed, and all amendments thereto will be filed, on behalf of each of the persons and entities named below that is named as a reporting person in such filing in accordance with Rule 13d-1(k) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.


Smashwords – Books Tagged "disfigurement"
These results show books which have been specifically tagged with this keyword. You can also try doing a general search for the term "disfigurement" .
Someone is stalking 2 year old Emily Michaelson in Lithia Park playground as she plays with her 18 year old half sister, Brandy. Not long after Emily's disappearance, Detective Radhauser finds her rainbow-colored sneakers in Ashland Creek, their laces tied together in double knots. He insists Brandy stay out of the investigation, but she's obsessed with finding her little sister.
Two loners, an internet connection, a forbidden friendship. No good can come of this. Two troubled and lonely people meet online and start an email friendship. She's a schoolgirl and street-wise, so she thinks. He's an older man, a social misfit, already known to the police, a marked man. No danger, as yet - but he's a fantasist and she's a girl who breaks rules.
John loves his job as head rigger for Cirque Brilliance. The heavy scarring over half his face makes it a little hard to meet new people, but John's got a good crew and a nice found family, and he's content with his lot in life. When Cirque hires talent for a new show, John meets Bao, a bright, ever-cheerful acrobat.
Alive is the dark and depressing tale of Scorpina's birth and potential. She will have to fight for freedom and learn to exist in a society that sees her as abnormal. Scorpina is a mutant humanoid with scorpion features, her life is forged on a whim and she struggles to escape from her dangerous insectoid creators. Will Scorpina find purpose in life or even survive escaping from the insectoids?
A mysterious boy starts appearing in the paintings of an artist who can't remember ever seeing him. A disfigured agoraphobe is forced out of his apartment by an unseen entity. A widower begins to suffer terrifying nightmares. A runaway realizes his new companion is actually his captor. The lives of these four strangers crash together as they try to solve their mysteries and save an innocent boy.


In this infographic, ACLED Research Analyst Hilary Matfess examines patterns of protest and riot activity in the run-up to Senegal's elections. © 2019 Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). All rights reserved.


text:
The Customer Service Arms Race
By Neil Wertheimer April 19th, 2016
The other day I had several questions about Olark, a San Francisco-based software company. So I went to the company's website to find answers. But before I could even begin to look for a link to an FAQ page or help center, a pop-up featuring three smiling faces beckoned from the home page: "We're Olark. Chat with us. Have a question about Olark?"
I wrote back: "Is anyone there? I have a few questions."
In exactly seven seconds, I got a response. "I'm Richard. I can help. What do you want to ask?"
After I typed my questions, Richard told me someone named Karl could answer them best. Twenty seconds later, Karl Pawlewicz, whose official title is "The Voice of Olark," was on the chat, answering my questions. We eventually migrated to email, and my quest for Olark knowledge was fulfilled.
Welcome to the new world of online customer service. Today, companies are creating sophisticated apps and web plug-ins that allow real-time communication with consumers. At the same time, the meteoric rise of Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and other instant messaging services promises a whole new environment and approach to customer service. It all adds up to surprisingly helpful and efficient corporate communication.
Help me help myself
Answering customer questions lies in a gray space between CRM (Customer Relationship Management), basic product support, and content marketing. Addressing feedback varies a lot depending on the situation. One person might ask, "How do I get this thing to turn off?" Another will want to know, "Where do I send my payment?" And a third person could say, "What does the future hold?" (That person probably took one too many philosophy classes in college.)
But worrying about which department should own a website's FAQ section is like worrying about whether Pharrell Williams makes pop, soul, or hip-hop music. Consumers don't care; they just want to be happy. And that means answers, fast.
New research from Forrester shows that 73 percent of adults say valuing their time is the most important thing a company can do to provide good online customer service. And 53 percent claimed they are likely to abandon an online purchase if they can't find a quick answer to their question.
Simply put, consumers want to control the process of getting answers. The Forrester study also showed that, for the second consecutive year, more people turned to self-service web and mobile tools than customer call centers. Additionally, 81 percent of adults used a help center or FAQ on a company website in 2015, up from 67 percent in in 2012.
"I think the website FAQ is alive and well," Karl Pawlewicz said.
At Olark, Pawlewicz's company offers software that enables websites to launch a real-time chat from any page, which he sees as supplemental to FAQs and other established communication tools. Two industries have been particularly drawn to the product: retail and SaaS (software as a service). That makes sense since retail sites tend to get transaction-related questions and SaaS providers get lots of technical questions. In both cases, the questions are often urgent.
"Customers don't want to wade through a laundry list of answers; they want self-service sites to serve up the one right answer to their question," The Forrester report concluded. "To do this, organizations must strengthen the foundations of their knowledge management programs so that content is easily findable and contextualized to the customer's situation."
A customer service arms race
Today, a wide range of software companies offer innovative help desk solutions that pull in consumer questions, automate the support-ticket process, streamline the response functions, and layer on analytics to see if there are particular bottlenecks or weak spots in your operations.
Zendesk, one of the more respected companies in the space, has software that gathers inbound queries from all locations—chat, social media, web, email, and phone—and helps you manage them. It also offers tools for creating and organizing FAQ pages and help centers in intuitive, easy-to-navigate ways.
Other software companies, like Olark, let clients add a live communication tool to the standard website customer-service functionality. The live-chat product "is the frontline in building and refining an FAQ or help center," Pawlewicz told me.
LivePerson, meanwhile, allows companies to chat with consumers in web, mobile, or app environments. Initial interactions are automated, and the software posts a message in the chat that estimates how much time it will take someone to answer. Consumers have the option of marking a query as "urgent," which triggers a quicker response.
There are even free options like Tawk.To, a messaging app that provides chat tools and a full suite of analytics. Rather than selling the software, Tawk.To generates revenue by selling live answering services.
Off site, on app
While FAQ pages and most customer-service tools live on websites, there are some indications that big name instant messaging services may be taking over. As we previously reported, Facebook Messenger has high ambitions to become the "app for everything," including allowing companies to have ongoing, personalized conversations with individual customers inside the confines of a mobile app.
A "Bots and Businesses" space has quietly appeared on Messenger's search function in recent weeks that allows people to search for companies and then have basic questions answered or requests fulfilled by their automated consumer response system. The news even sparked this recent news headline: You May Soon be Texting Robots as Often as Your Friends.
Zuckerberg recently used the example of 1-800-Flowers at his keynote to F8, Facebook's annual developer conference. He showed that, instead of calling 1-800-Flowers, customers can simply chat the company using Messenger. The "1-800-Flowers.com" listing on Facebook Messenger has the line "Typically replies in minutes." Tap on "Send Message," and you're told "You can now order flowers or talk to support without leaving Messenger."
While instant messaging services haven't proven to be a viable or large-scale customer service tool in the U.S. just yet, they are already highly successful channels for B2C communications in China and Europe. And with Messenger now boasting 800 million users, Facebook has the cash, power, and customer base to replicate those successes in America. Google and other aren't far behind in developing customer-service bots as well.
The arms race to provide the best digital customer-service experience is just beginning. For millions of people who have struggled to navigate bureaucracy over the years, finding the right information is no longer out of the question.
Image by Getty Images
Tags: chat apps, Customer service, facebook, Featured


text:
GSA nomination mired in Senate muck
Johnson confirmation in limbo as Senate bogs down
By Sami Lais
A busy Senate schedule, not further questions, is apparently holding up the confirmation of Martha Johnson to be administrator of the General Services Administration.
Johnson's is not the only confirmation vote awaiting the Senate's attention, said a spokeswoman for the Secretary of the Senate. But despite the backlog, action on the nominees could come within days and without a vote, she said.
It's likely "that noncontroversial nominations will be confirmed by consent," she said, adding that senators from both sides of the aisle have agreed to confirm noncontroversial nominees and waive a vote in the full Senate to move the process along.
Speeding the process would be welcome; Johnson would be GSA's fifth administrator in 14 months. During her hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, she said she would bring much-needed stability to the agency's top office.
After a congenial confirmation hearing June 3, Johnson won the committee's stamp of approval June 8. The committee submitted the nomination for a confirmation vote by the full Senate, which had been expected by the end of that month.
Sami Lais is a special contributor to Washington Technology.
Oregon sysadmin wins SANS NetWars competition
Allen resigns as CGP president to start a company
GSA fast tracks requirements for FedRAMP
CNN senior White House correspondent added as keynote to FOSE 2009
Michael Daconta, Chief Technology Officer, Accelerated Information Management


So you've just downloaded Yummy from the App Store (thank you), what next?
Perhaps slightly counter-intuitively, your first step should be to look in the "Settings" screen.
Enter your Delicious.com username and password. You might also want to think whether newly added posts should default to be public or private.
And return to the home screen.
When you start Yummy for the first time it will download all your bookmarks. If you have a lot of links you might prefer to use a WiFi connection though it should work just fine on EDGE or 3G.
When complete it will display your bookmarks in reverse chronological order.
Come back tomorrow to see how you can view your links.