text:
'I'm an outraged Angeleno': Garcetti calls for accountability if Ridley-Thomas corruption allegations proven true
by: Cameron Kiszla, Kareen Wynter
Posted: Oct 14, 2021 / 04:39 PM PDT / Updated: Oct 14, 2021 / 07:38 PM PDT
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti did not mince words when it came to the alleged corruption scheme that led to the federal indictment of Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas on Wednesday.
A former USC dean and Ridley-Thomas, who was then serving on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, are accused of exchanging county contracts for benefits for a relative of Ridley-Thomas, who reportedly is his son.
On Thursday, Garcetti called for accountability if Ridley-Thomas is convicted.
"While I've witnessed things that Mr. Ridley-Thomas has done that are extraordinary in the community, too, if serious, this has no place in local service. He should be prepared to pay the price," Garcetti said.
Ridley-Thomas' attorney, Michael J. Proctor, said in a statement that his client was "shocked by the federal allegations leveled against him, and with good reason."
"They are wrong, and we look forward to disproving them," Proctor said. "At no point in his career as an elected official — not as a member of the City Council, the State Legislature, or the Board of Supervisors — has he abused his position for personal gain. Mark Ridley-Thomas has been in public service for 30 years, and his actions have been open to public scrutiny for a full three decades. Over those 30 years, he has demonstrated the quality of his character. We ask you to allow due process to take its course."
Ridley-Thomas isn't the first L.A. City Council member to face a criminal investigation.
Former Councilman Mitch Englander is serving 14 months in prison in corruption charges, and former City Councilman Jose Huizar is also facing federal charges.
L.A. City Councilman Ridley-Thomas, ex-USC dean indicted on federal corruption charges
L.A. political world stunned by corruption indictment against Mark Ridley-Thomas
L.A. City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas says he won't run for mayor in 2022
Like many of his constituents, Garcetti said he has "the same confidence shaken whenever this happens."
"It makes me sick to my stomach, and I hope that there are swift consequences, and that that sets the example that you will get caught. You will get caught if you betray the public's trust. If you take the public's money and use it in a way you're not supposed to, there will be consequences," Garcetti said. "So today I'm not a mayor. I'm an outraged Angeleno, if these accusations are correct."
Garcetti was not the only public official to comment on Ridley-Thomas' indictment.
In a statement, Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Ridley-Thomas' former colleague on the Board of Supervisors, noted that he is "innocent until proven guilty."
"I will be deeply disappointed if these allegations are true," she said.
City Council President Nury Martinez added in a statement that she was "disappointed" by the news of the charges.
"While the alleged crimes took place while Mr. Ridley-Thomas sat on the Board of Supervisors, these charges are serious and the Council will need to take appropriate action," Martinez said.
Ridley-Thomas and Marilyn Louise Flynn, a former tenured professor and the dean of the USC School of Social Work, face one charge each of conspiracy and bribery, as well as multiple counts of mail and wire fraud.
Each conspiracy count could result in up to five years in federal prison, while each bribery count carries a maximum of 10 years in federal prison, according to a release from federal prosecutors. Each fraud charge could result in up to 20 years in prison, the release added.


Reds in the Community's Our Club, Our Ground, Our Past, Our Future, is a campaign to tell the story of Barnsley Football Club through the memories of its supporters and community.
Supporters of all ages are encouraged to share their memories with us. Whether of a win in the 1960s or at last weekend's match; at Oakwell in the '80s or watching the Reds on the road—we want to hear your stories of those special memories. Where it was, who you were with, how you got there, and maybe even what you ate; we're looking for whatever it is that made these moments unforgettable for you.
Reds in the Community will feature some of the memories shared in displays at Oakwell. We hope that supporters and the wider community continue to share their memories and experiences of supporting Barnsley, through which fans continue to write the club's history, into the future.
Now is the chance to hear Barnsley FC legend Eric Winstanley's favourite memories from his time at Oakwell!


DEL MAR — After a months-long investigation into allegations of workplace misconduct and misuse of public funds, the City of Del Mar's popular community services director and chief lifeguard Pat Vergne, was fired Aug. 23.
According to a press release issued less than 20 minutes after Vergne said he met with city officials and received the news, the investigation concluded that between 2015 and 2017, Community Services Department staff cost the city nearly $200,000.
Vergne and his employee Liza Rogers are accused of waiving or discounting permit fees totaling more than $150,000. submitting $43,000 worth of false claims for pay and overtime. hiring and paying a part-time city employee an extra $23,000 as an outside contractor to do work he was already doing as part of his regular job. and making more than $4,500 in personal purchases using a City of Del Mar credit card.
Vergne doesn't deny many of the allegations, saying that if his actions were questionable someone would have confronted him.
"When we built the Powerhouse it was … designed to bring the community together, and as it grew over the years we started to rent it out a little bit more," Vergne said. "I had been given flexibility in the rental rates.
"It was simply that was my task," he added. "Or at least I thought that was my task, to bring the beach community, the parks, everyone together. And when we needed something – fixing the interior – then the nonprofits would give money to the city so it was a win-win situation for everyone.
"A couple of applications (for permits) were from ex-lifeguards," Vergne said. "I didn't see anything wrong with letting the building be used by an ex-employee or a current employee. … Typically if it was a memorial service then we would waive the fees. That wasn't uncommon.
Huth said he and his administrative staff didn't know Vergne was discounting or waiving fees for use of the Powerhouse Community Center or other city facilities. He said he became aware of it as a result of the investigation.
"The council has a specific policy for charging fees and it was approved back in 2009," he said. "It speaks to who gets free use of the facility and under what conditions people get charged.
Ashley Jones, administrative services director, said permit fees for memorials are the same as all other events. They range from $350 to $550 an hour depending on the time of year and the residency of the person renting the facility.
"I'm pretty sure that no manager would have ever given any employee that authority," Huth said. "I don't have that authority. … If I use that premise, then he didn't have to charge anything for anybody to use the facility. And that's just not acceptable.
Vergne said during the investigation he was shown three or four receipts for questionable charges made by Rogers on the city credit card. He said they were for department-related items such as surfboards, surfboard repairs and bathing suits for female lifeguards.
He said he wasn't told the credit card charges amounted to thousands of dollars until Aug. 23.
Huth said some of the charges appear to be legitimate. Others, such as a $1,000 bicycle that is not the type used by the city and swimwear purchased from a vendor not normally used, do not.
Vergne's attorney, Del Mar resident Dan Crabtree, said an outside contractor was hired to polish the Powerhouse floor because the city doesn't own the proper equipment. A part-time city employee also worked for that company.
City Attorney Leslie Devaney disagrees.
Vergne admits he could have been "a little bit more diligent" in authorizing Rogers' overtime.
Rogers was placed on paid administrative leave in early April after two Community Service Department employees filed complaints with the city.
Vergne was placed on paid leave two days later after being accused of attempting to interfere with the investigation. He disagrees with that conclusion.
He said he emailed Rogers to tell her to return anything that belonged to the city.
An outside investigator interviewed 20 employees and reviewed thousands of pages of records, according to the city, and filed a final report July 17.
A few days earlier Vergne filed a complaint against Huth for alleged harassment and retaliatory behavior. Another outside investigator concluded the claims had no merit.
Because managers such as Vergne are at-will employees, they don't have a job right, which means they can be fired immediately.
After reading the report, Huth made that recommendation to City Council members, who unanimously supported the decision during a closed-session meeting Aug. 22.
The city also initiated the process to terminate Rogers and the part-time employee.
"From a professional standpoint and knowing what my responsibility is to the city and looking at the totality of the information that we got from the investigator and the actions of the employees during the investigation, it was easy to come to what was the right conclusion of what to do with them," Huth said.
"But it was a very difficult decision, knowing in Pat's case, how much good he's done in the community," he added. "I get that people like Pat. They appreciate his service to the community. I do, too. … He has a great legacy of helping people out … and doing really good things. And I'm not looking to tarnish that.
Residents will not likely be happy with the outcome. More than 300 people signed an online petition demanding Vergne be reinstated earlier this summer.
Evidence collected during the investigation has been turned over to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department for further review.
"It involved a misuse of public funds and we have an obligation to send it to the Sheriff's Department instead of handling it internally," Devaney said. "They'll make a determination to move forward and include the (district attorney). That's their decision.
"But when you uncover something internally of that magnitude, there's an obligation to turn it over because it's the public's money," she added.
Vergne said he preferred not to comment on whether he will pursue legal action against the city.
Other than helping his mother after the recent passing of his father, he said he has no immediate plans.
"But you'll definitely see me walking around Del Mar and Solana Beach, getting exercise and talking to people to say hi," he said.


The apartment is brand new, classified 4 * with high quality services and great comfort. Everything has been thought for the well being of those who seek calm, serenity and luxury.
This accommodation can accommodate from 2 to 4 people.
All rooms have access to a beautiful semi-covered terrace of 40 m2 facing south with a dining area, lounge and solarium area.
The apartment is facing south, so you can enjoy the constant sunshine for your meals and enjoy a view of the very Mediterranean park with beautiful palm trees.
The residence is secure, very quiet. You are in town without suffering any nuisance. Rest is assured.
A haven of peace and serenity for golfers, beach lovers, shopping fans.


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Like A Moth To Flame EP
EXS MUSIC
Contemporary multimedium artist EXS seeks to change the narrative of emotionality, meaning, and participation in the art and music experience. With an eclectic music background floating between various genres to curate a vibe, evoking love, loss, joy, and happenings in the great in betweens. Painting has been an outlet for expression for EXS, but has taken a position alongside music most recently as an extension of said evocation. In music bleeding through various genres has lent a hand incorporating a multi media on canvas practice including acrylic, charcoal, spray paint, and oil/chalk pastels. Themes dominating EXS' work propel listeners and viewers into an unforgiving world engulfed by love. Much like the Yin and Yang philosophy, you have a duality in this world that lends to darkness and light as love is all things. He understands his art to be the purest form of himself and finds balance in premeditated as well as improvisational design/creation. Enticing the beholder of his art to dig deeper than face value, to look beyond the event horizon into the great unknown. EXS feels all art is a collaborative process between creator and the observer of the creation, a delicate contract of experience and elevation.
STAY UP TO DATE WITH EXS
© 2023, Art.By.EXS Powered by Shopify

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Who To Watch In The Inaugural AFLW Season
Fans Partnerships
With the AFLW competition in full swing, Aflplayers.com.au spoke to three former champions and pioneers of the VWFL for their insight on who to look our for during the inaugural season.
SHANNON MCFERRAN
Who will dominate the competition:
"Emma Kearney lays low a lot of the time but for me she is probably one of the most consistent players I've seen for a long time. Her ability to break the lines and run defensively as well as offensively is going to be really important for the Bulldogs."
Name a player to look out for:
"Britt Bonnici is definitely an athlete who can run all day, gets in and under and I was lucky enough to get to coach her at the Spurs and the Sharks, so she's definitely one to watch."
Michelle Dench
"Moana Hope is a superstar. I remember playing with her when she was literally just a kid and we went over to Ireland again. Mo was a natural, she's always been a superstar and now she's starting to realise it because she is going to rip that league apart.
Lou Wotton is a superstar – we have to have one of us oldies representing us in the AFLW. She has really big elbows and knees and she can jump, so if they get you they hurt."
"Cecilia McIntosh will do really well. She's been around for a while now and she's a smart player."
Debbie Lee
"Bri Davey is going to be an exceptional player because of her strength, her disposal, she gets a lot of the football and she can drive through packs and bring physicality to the game."
Name someone to look out for:
"They'll be a few that'll make a name for themselves out of nowhere but those who can find space will reap the rewards so in that regard Kaitlyn Ashmore is one to watch out for. If Brisbane can get the ball to her, she can use space, use the footy and can read the game well.
From a Melbourne point of view, we think our Frisbee player Cat Phillips will go well. This game will suit her and she'll get a lot of the footy. She's quick, her strength is her speed and her running patterns and endurance are really good. On the field of 16 per side, she could really burn the opposition."


Barrie studied chemistry at the University of Edinburgh and now looks after the whisky at Brown- Forman's three Scottish distilleries.
She creates single malts for BenRiach, Glenglassaugh and The GlenDronach distilleries and her service to the whisky industry has now been recognised with an honorary Doctor of Science.
"This is one of the proudest moments of my life," said Barrie. "My quest has been to unlock a deeper understanding of the distillation, maturation and provenance of Scotch, to develop and nurture richness of character and taste and celebrate it with the world; it's a great privilege to be recognised in this endeavour.


text:
Types of Problems
Bound Constrained Optimization
Constrained Optimization
Derivative-Free Optimization
Discrete Optimization
Global Optimization
Nondifferentiable Optimization
Optimization Problems by Type: Alphabetical Listing
Optimization Under Uncertainty
Quadratic Constrained Quadratic Programming
Semiinfinite Programming
Unconstrained Optimization
Complementarity Problems and Variational Inequalities
Back to Continuous Optimization
Nondifferentiable optimization deals with problems where the smoothness assumption on the functions is relaxed, meaning that gradients do not necessarily exist. In nondifferentiable optimization, the functions may have kinks or corner points, so they cannot be approximated locally by a tangent hyperplane or by a quadratic approximation. Nondifferentiable optimization problems arise in a variety of contexts such as applications in rectilinear data fitting, problems involving \(\ell_1\) (Euclidean) or \(\ell_{\infty}\) (Chebychev) norms, and algorithms such as exact penalty methods that change constrained problems into unconstrained problems. Because the non-smoothness manifests itself in many different ways, there are no "black box" solution techniques to be applied; instead, solution techniques are developed to handle the particular structure of problem.
Nondifferentiable Optimization Solvers available on the NEOS Server
Elhedhli, S., Goffin, J.-L. and Vial, J.-P. 2001. Nondifferentiable Optimization: Introduction, Applications, and Algorithms in Encyclopedia of Optimization, C. A. Floudas and P. M. Pardalos, eds. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp. 1705 - 1710.
Optimization Online Convex and Nonsmooth Optimization area
Rockafellar, T. 1994. Nonsmooth Optimization in Mathematical Programming: State of the Art 1994, J. R. Birge and K. G. Murty, eds. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, pp. 248 - 258.


'This year we've had success with people found guilty for what they've said so we can go further,' says Police Commander Carolyn Cournoyer.
So far this year, the No. 1 target of hate crimes in Montreal has been the Jewish community, receiving death threats online and swastikas on school buildings.
Last year it was Muslims.
But while the target may fluctuate, the overall numbers have remained steady over the last two years, says the head of the Montreal Police Hate Crimes Unit, with disturbing peaks after high-profile incidents like the Quebec City Mosque shooting and the Oct. 27 massacre at a synagogue in Pittsburgh.
The one bright spot on the horizon is that as perpetrators of hate crimes are arrested and make their way through the courts, some, at least, are having to face justice — and even jail time.
From Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, 2018, the Montreal police tallied 172 hate crimes in Montreal, compared to 250 in all of 2017 (19 per month compared to 21 per month). While 56 were said to be motivated by the victim's ethnic origin — a conclusion based largely on what was said during the crime — 71 crimes were motivated by the victim's religion: 36 against Jews, 33 against Muslims.
Another 14 people were victims because of their sexual orientation and 31 for other motives (physical handicap, language or social status.) Then there are all the hate "incidents" — that don't meet the legal definition of a crime — and all the crimes that weren't reported.
Out of the 172 cases, 27 investigations are still active, and 74 were "completed but not resolved", most often because the perpetrator could not be identified, Cournoyer said.
"For example, people are pushed or someone tries to grab at their hijab or kippah on the bus or on the métro. It's assault or armed assault, but we can't identify the person," Cournoyer said.
But in those 172 cases, 40 people were arrested and charged, Cournoyer continued, most of them with uttering threats and incitement to hatred (75 per cent of these cases were crimes against the person, 25 per cent against property).
Line Lemay, one of two lieutenant detectives on the hate crimes unit, says it's in the courts, in four particular cases, that she now finds hope and encouragement.
In March, a 24-year-old Gatineau man, Alexandre Chebeir, was found guilty of criminal harassment of two organizations for comments he posted on their websites.
The first group, the Réseau québécois en études féministes (The Quebec Network for Feminist Studies), received comments in July 2016 with links to an article about Marc Lépine, the man who killed 14 women at the École Polytechnique in 1989 in the worst mass shooting in Canadian history.
The second group, Sans oui, c'est non, an online campaign against sexual violence, in October 2016 also received a photo of Lépine, along with messages that read: "One day you will pay for all the harm you have brought on men. We will avenge O Marc Lépine…" Chebeir also sent private messages to the administrator of the group.
After administrators of both groups told the judge of their fear and anxiety, even months after the incident, Chebeir was sentenced to three months and 20 days of jail, followed by three years probation.
A second success was the Montreal Police's ability to issue an arrest warrant in June 2017 for a Jordanian Imam, Moh'd Moussa Hussein Nasr, who, while in Montreal, incited his followers to kill Jews. Unfortunately he had already returned to Jordan.
There was the conviction of a man who uttered threats online against gays and lesbians in Mali. It was brought to the attention of the Montreal police by someone in France.
Then there was the case where the hate crimes unit was notified about 51-year-old Claude Fiorini, who was allegedly inciting hatred toward Muslims. He wasn't charged with hate crimes, but after a search of his residence, he was convicted of improperly storing a firearm, and the firearm was destroyed by order of the court.
Fiorini received an absolute discharge and the imam was never arrested. But it's the message that counts, Lemay said, when it comes to crimes that affect whole communities, and their sense of security in Montreal.


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var ariaUtilsCallback = require("./Callback");
var ariaCoreBrowser = require("../core/Browser");

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        $statics : {
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             * This is called to remove all events registered on the window (if any).
             */
            reset : function () {
                if (unloadListeners) {
                    unloadListeners = null;
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             * @param {aria.utils.Callback|Object} callback The method the event invokes, if callback is undefined, then
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            /**
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             * @param {String} event The type of event to append
             * @param {aria.utils.Callback|Object} callback The method the event invokes, if callback is of type Object
             * fn property is mandatory. Note that callback parameter cannot be a function - the form { fn :
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             * @param {Boolean} useCapture capture or bubble phase
             * @return {Boolean} True if the action was successful or deferred, false if one or more of the elements
             * could not have the listener attached, or if the operation throws an exception.
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            addListener : function (element, event, callback, scope, args, useCapture) {

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                var normalized = this._normalizeTargetAndEvent(element, event);
                element = normalized.element;
                event = normalized.event;

                if (!this.typesUtil.isFunction(callback)) {
                    useCapture = scope;
                }
                var capture = ((event == FOCUSIN || event == FOCUSOUT) && !this.UA.ie) ? true : useCapture;
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            },

            /**
             * Adds a DOM event directly without the caching, cleanup, context adj, etc
             * @param {HTMLElement} element the element to bind the handler to
             * @param {String} event the type of event handler
             * @param {Function} callback the callback to invoke
             * @param {Boolean} capture capture or bubble phase
             * @protected
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            _simpleAdd : function () {
                if (Aria.$window) {
                    if (Aria.$window.addEventListener) {
                        return function (element, event, callback, capture) {
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            /**
             * Appends an event handler. Target elements should already be in the DOM, an error is logged otherwise.
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             * elements to assign the listener to.
             * @param {String} event The type of event to append
             * @param {aria.utils.Callback|Object} callback The method the event invokes, if callback is of type Object
             * fn property is mandatory. Note that callback parameter cannot be a function - the form { fn :
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             * @param {Boolean} useCapture capture or bubble phase
             * @return {Boolean} True if the action was successful, false if one or more of the elements could not have
             * the listener attached, or if the operation throws an exception.
             * @protected
             */
            _addListener : function (element, event, callback, scope, args, useCapture) {
                if (this._isValidCollection(element)) {
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                        ok = this._addListener(element[i], event, callback, scope, args, useCapture) && ok;
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                if (this.typesUtil.isString(element)) {
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                        this.$logError(this.INVALID_TARGET, [element, event]);
                        element = oElement;

                        return false;
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                    element = oElement;
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                if (!this.typesUtil.isHTMLElement(element)) {
                    // Element should be an html element
                    return false;
                }

                var handler = callback;
                if (!callback.$Callback) {
                    if (!handler.fn || !this.typesUtil.isFunction(handler.fn)) {
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                    if (!handler.scope) {
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                    // callback = new aria.utils.Callback(handler);
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                var handlerCBInstance = callback;
                if (!callback.$Callback) {
                    handlerCBInstance = new ariaUtilsCallback(handler);
                }

                // wrap the function so we can return the obj object
                // when
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                var wrappedCallback;
                if (event != "mousemove" || !ariaCoreBrowser.isWebkit) {
                    wrappedCallback = function (e) {
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                                || !aria.touch || !aria.touch.ClickBuster || aria.touch.ClickBuster.preventGhostClick(e)) {
                            return handlerCBInstance.call(aria.utils.Event.getEvent(e, element));
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                    };
                } else {

                    /*
                     * This case has been created to workaround a webkit issue : a click trigger a click and a mousemove
                     * So here we keep the last mouse position, and run the registered callbacks only if the position changed
                     * See http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=161464
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Dr. Kristin Hamre of UT Health Science Center receives $1.5 million grant to study genetics and fetal alcohol syndrome.
It is widely known that alcohol should not be consumed during pregnancy, Dr. Hamre said. Many women, however, consume alcohol before they realize they are pregnant. Binge drinking in college can be associated with unplanned pregnancies, she said.
The effects of this alcohol consumption by pregnant women on their babies vary greatly, with genetics – both the genetics of the mother and of the child – playing a key role. Dr. Hamre and her team are working to find out more.
"Women who drink ethanol during pregnancy oftentimes have children who show very different types or levels of effects due to the ethanol," she said. (Ethanol is the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages.) "Some children will have fetal alcohol syndrome; some will be much less severely affected. So there have to be factors that are contributing to the different sensitivity.
Looking at mouse models, the study will use cell death in the developing neural tube in an embryo as a marker of the effects of alcohol exposure. The neural tube goes on to become the brain and spinal cord, so cell death in the neural tube early in pregnancy due to alcohol exposure can lead to deleterious effects, Dr. Hamre said.
The second phase of the study will focus on choline, an essential nutrient often classified with B-complex vitamins. Choline is given to those children whose mothers have consumed alcohol during pregnancy as a means to lessen some of alcohol's harmful effects. There is, however, no consensus on the dose, Dr. Hamre said.
The study's third and final phase involves epigenetics, defined as changes in gene expression that occur without changes in the DNA. Epigenetics is the way in which environmental factors, such as stress, can change how genes are expressed across generations. This is a complex process accomplished by a number of mechanisms. Again, the focus will be on the role played by epigenetics in predicting the type and severity of fetal alcohol syndrome.
Co-investigators at UTHSC include Lu Lu, MD, professor in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, and Bob Moore II, PhD, professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Additional investigators in the project are Drs. Daniel Goldowitz and Michael Kobor at the University of British Columbia.


text:
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Catalyst
What is the function of a catalyst in the fuel cell system?
What are the characteristics of a catalyst used in a fuel cell?
What are examples of different catalysts used in fuel cells?
What is catalyst loading?
What factors affect the performance of catalysts?
What are the failure modes of a hydrogen fuel cell catalyst?
What are different methods for analyzing the potential lifetime of a fuel cell catalyst?
List of certain suppliers of a hydrogen fuel cell catalyst
A catalyst is any substance that increases the rate of reaction in a chemical reaction without undergoing any permanent chemical change itself. This process is known as catalysis. A hydrogen fuel cell catalyst eases the reaction of oxygen and hydrogen (i.e the fuel). Fuel Cell catalysts are normally porous and rough in texture in order to provide more surface area to the reactants oxygen and hydrogen. The catalyst layers are among the most important parts inside the fuel cell since it is on their surface that the chemical reaction occurs. The higher the surface area available the higher the rate of reaction. These porous catalyst layers can be manufactured by pyrolysis which involves heating the source materials above their decomposition temperatures in a suitable environment.
Various types of hydrogen catalysts are used in different types of fuel cells. The catalysts are among the primary cost determining factors in the manufacture and application of fuel cells. Also they can be vulnerable to particular gases or other substances which the fuel cell is exposed to and therefore additional measures may be necessary to protect the catalyst from decomposition or detrimental deformation.
The hydrogen fuel cell catalyst does not change during the chemical reaction it is accelerating.
The catalyst in hydrogen fuel cells help break the molecules into protons and electrons.
Only a small amount of a catalyst is required.
Catalyst do not change the equilibrium constant of the reaction.
The catalyst does not make impossible reactions possible and it does not start the reaction.
The catalyst shows maximum activity at a specific temperature known as its optimum temperature.
PEM Fuel Cell catalyst – In a PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) fuel cell, inert rare earth metals are used as catalysts. Platinum is the most commonly used catalyst material and its use has been one of the factors determining cost for the manufacture and application of PEM fuel cells. Platinum as a catalyst is however susceptible to decomposition in the presence of carbon monoxide, so exposing it to this gas permanently reduces the amount of catalytic material available to accelerate the reaction in the fuel cell. This is called fuel cell poisoning and is a known risk for fuel systems. Recent developments introducing other materials such as molybdenum carbide into the membrane structure or introducing an additional reactor have led to a significant reduction of this risk.
Alkaline Fuel Cell catalysts – In Alkaline Fuel Cells (AFC), non-precious metals are used as catalytic material. These metals are usually nickel, porous nickel and nickel alloys.
PAFC (Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell) catalysts – In a Phosphoric acid fuel cell, platinum is used as a catalyst. The economic effects of using this catalyst are similar to those described above for PEM fuel cells.
MCFC (Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell) catalysts – The anode and cathode are Nickel based in Molten carbonate fuel cells. The nickel on the anode and the cathode provides catalytic properties in this fuel cell type. The high working temperature eliminates the necessity of a precious metal catalyst.
SOFC catalyst – Nickel is the catalyst accelerating the reaction in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. This catalyst also needs to be protected from degradation through sulphur and from becoming coarse (forming granulates) as this reduces the surface area available to accelerate the reaction. To avoid the growth of nickel granules the nanomaterial YSZ (Yttria stabilized Zirconia) is used.
DMFC (Direct Methanol Fuel Cell) catalyst – In direct methanol fuel cells platinum and ruthenium are used as catalysts. There is research ongoing to add iron and nickel to the catalysts with a view to further decreasing the cost and performance of this type of fuel cells.
DLFC (Direct liquid fuel fuel cell) catalyst – In this type of fuel cell, platinum is used as main catalyst. To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, a secondary element such as ruthenium, tin, tungsten or rhenium can be introduced.
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Loading refers to the application process of the catalyst on the fuel cell membrane or area of interaction with the reactants. It is typically done in 2 ways:
Sock loading
Dense loading
Efficiency gains in loading of the hydrogen fuel cell catalyst have decreased the costs of fuel cells in the last 20 years. This has helped to improve cell power density and durability. It has, for example, also enabled the more efficient use of Platinum as a catalyst.
In 2021, platinum loading at the anode in a PEMFC was approximately 0.025 mg/cm2, which is a significant reduction in comparison to approximately 1 mg/cm2 achievable in the year 2000. This has decreased the production cost of fuel cells accordingly. Given that the price of platinum is between 40 to 60 $/mg, this can lead to a manufacturing cost reduction of about 800 USD in a fuel cell road vehicle.
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Sintering/dealloying of catalyst
Corrosion of catalyst support (substrate)
Mechanical stress
Change in hydrophobicity of the materials
Loss of activation
Conductivity loss
Decrease in transport rate of reactant
Loss of reformate tolerance
Decrease in control of water management
Potential cycles
Acid washing
Temperature elevation
Permissible fuel/oxidant contaminates
These manufacturers offer a hydrogen fuel cell catalyst:
Amalyst Ltd
Cataler Corporation
ENY-Mobility GmbH
Genport srl
HIAT
James Cropper
Nisshinbo Holdings
Riogen Inc.
Sainergy Fuel Cell India Pvt Ltd
SiM Composites
Tanaka Precious Metals
TFP Hydrogen Products & Technical Fibre Products Ltd. (belongs to James Cropper)
Umicore
Last update: 15.1.2023
Find suppliers of a hydrogen fuel cell catalyst soon in the marketplace section of this website
hyfindr.com is your one-stop shop for hydrogen systems and components for the hydrogen fuel cell industry.
Visit the hyfindr.com marketplace of product listings, available for supplier-direct purchase with one click on this website.
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Terms + Conditions — Jordana Gilman, M.D.
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text:
BOOB – Bias Objects Objective Bodies
Caroline Phillips
Karryn Argus
Stephanie Leigh
1 Oct 2016–22 Oct 2016
Karryn Argus, Stephanie Leigh, Caroline Phillips
A collaborative installation of sculptural works by Karryn Argus, Stephanie Leigh and Caroline Phillips, BOOB examines the relationship between bodies and objects through abstraction and materiality. These three artists make things out of timber, fabric, rope and soft stuff that amalgamates in seductive, feminised objects. Their differing forms encompass de-constructed bodies and simplified shapes, formed through handmade and industrialised processes. BOOB questions regimes of power and control, proposing alternate frameworks of elasticity, relation and fun.
Karryn Argus uses textiles and craft based practices to explore the relationship between materiality and affect. She has exhibited in Melbourne and Sydney and has work in the Victoria University Library and Fiona Meyer Collections. Stephanie Leigh's work draws on tropes of the reclining pose, beauty and the naked fetish. She was selected as a finalist in Linden New Art 2015, where she won the MARS Gallery award. Caroline Phillips' practice questions oppositional and oppressive regimes of power and control. She has recently completed a PhD in sculpture at Victorian College of the Arts, and her work has been shown in Australia, France, Canada and the UK.
Caroline Phillips ›
Karryn Argus ›
Stephanie Leigh ›
Caroline Phillips is a Melbourne based visual artist whose work has been shown in a number of solo and group exhibitions in Australia and Internationally. Working primarily in sculpture, Phillips creates handmade objects and installations from recycled and craft based materials. Her work explores contemporary feminist aesthetics through modes of abstraction and materiality. In 2017 Phillips will undertake a three month residency at NARS Foundation, Brooklyn, USA where she will develop new works exploring prototypes of the abstracted body. Phillips also works as an independent curator and researcher. Her most recent collaborative curatorial project f generation: feminism, art, progressions (2015) explored connections amongst the work of 96 contemporary feminist artists at George Paton Gallery, Melbourne. From 2016-18 Phillips is Research Assistant for Prof Anne Marsh, working on the Women, Feminism and Art in Australia since 1970 Australian Research Council project at the Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne. https://carolinephillipsart.wordpress.com
Born in Yarrawonga, Victoria. Currently lives and works in Northern New South Wales http://www.karrynargus.com/
Stephanie Leigh is a Melbourne based artist. Working with painting, sculpture and installation, Leigh's work draws on tropes of the historical and modernist canon such as the reclining pose, ideas about beauty, the naked fetish and cultural and political oppression. These concepts in her works are reconfigured in her contemporary practice to uncover modes of resistance and change that renegotiate female objectification. Stephanie Leigh has achieved critical success as an emerging artist with a number of prizes and exhibitions. In 2014, Leigh graduated from her Masters at RMIT University in Melbourne. Following this, Leigh was selected to exhibit at Linden New art for their 2015 PhD and Masters exhibition and went on to win the MARS Gallery award. In 2015, Leigh was invited to co-curate AS IF: Echoes of the Women's Art Register at West Space, Melbourne, which was funded by Arts Victoria, City of Melbourne and City of Yarra. Leigh was also invited to exhibit in F Generation: feminism, art, progressions at George Paton Gallery in 2015, a major exhibition of Australian feminist art. www.stephaniefredaleigh.com


text:
Shams al-Din Ali ibn Masud ibn Khalaf ibn Mihraban (mort març/abril de 1255) fou el primer malik mihrabànida de Sistan el 1236.

Pertanyia a una de les principals famílies del Sistan i fou aclamat com a malik per la població a la meitat del 1236, un any després que els mongols havien capturat la ciutat de Zarandj. Després de reconstruir les fortaleses que els mongols havien destruït i d'establir la seva autoritat sobre la província va deixar al seu germà Mubaraz al-Din Abu l-Fath al front del govern de Sistan i va anar a la cort del gran kan Ogodei on fou confirmat com a malik vassall del gran kan, amb la condició de pagar les taxes establertes pels mongols i de destruir una fortalesa al districte de Farah.

El 1253 la ciutat de Nih, a l'oest de Sistan, fou assetjada pel general mongol Neguder. Shams al-Din Ali va encapçalar un exèrcit que va anar en ajut de la ciutat i va forçar a Neguder a negociar la pau; després va passar un any fent campanya al nord del Balutxistan. El 1255 va esclatar una revolta a Zarandj i el sobirà kàrtida d'Herat, Malik Shams al-Din I, va marxar al sud i es va apoderar de la ciutat. Shams al-Din Ali va abandonar la seguretat del seu palau i fou mort pel rebels i els kàrtides van conservar el control del Sistan fins al 1261 quan el fill de Mubariz al-Din, Nasir al-Din Muhammad va recuperar la capital.

Referències
 Bosworth, C.E. The History of the Saffarids of Sistan and the Maliks of Nimruz (247/861 to 949/1542-3). Costa Mesa, California: Mazda Publishers, 1994.

Maliks mihrabànides
Polítics iranians
Polítics perses

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
I suoi libri trattano vari argomenti e temi contemporanei, sottolineando la rilevanza della filosofia per la vita quotidiana. Ha pubblicato Esercizi d'amore (1993), che ha venduto due milioni di copie. Tra i suoi altri best seller ricordiamo Come Marcel Proust può cambiarvi la vita (1997), L'importanza di essere amati (2004) e Architettura e felicità (2006), tutti pubblicati in Italia da Guanda.

All'attività di scrittore ha affiancato quella di presentatore televisivo e imprenditore culturale. Alain de Botton scrive in inglese.

Biografia
De Botton è nato a Zurigo, figlio di Jacqueline (nata Burgauer) e Gilbert de Botton. Gilbert è nato ad Alessandria d'Egitto, ma dopo essere stato espulso sotto la presidenza di Nasser, è andato a vivere e lavorare in Svizzera, dove ha co-fondato una società di investimenti, la Global Asset Management; si stima che la sua famiglia avesse un valore di 234 milioni di sterline nel 1999.

La madre di Alain de Botton, nata in Svizzera, era aschenazita, mentre il padre proveniva da una famiglia ebrea sefardita della città di Boton in Castiglia e León. Tra gli antenati di De Botton c'è Abraham de Boton. La nonna paterna di De Botton era Yolande Harmer, una giornalista ebrea-egiziana che operò come spia per lo Stato di Israele e morì a Gerusalemme.

Alain ha una sorella, Miel, e ha ricevuto un'educazione laica. Alain ha trascorso i primi dodici anni della sua vita in Svizzera, dove è stato educato parlando francese e tedesco.

De Botton ha frequentato la Dragon School, dove l'inglese è diventato la sua lingua primaria. In seguito è stato mandato a studiare nel collegio pubblico della Harrow School. Ha spesso descritto la sua infanzia come quella di un bambino timido che viveva in collegio.

De Botton ha studiato Storia all'Università di Cambridge, dove era membro del Gonville and Caius College. Ha poi completato un MPhil in filosofia al King's College di Londra (1991-1992). Ha iniziato a studiare per un dottorato di ricerca in filosofia francese all'Università di Harvard, ma ha rinunciato a questa ricerca per scrivere libri per il grande pubblico.

Alla morte di suo padre, la sua famiglia ricevette un fondo fiduciario di circa 200 milioni di sterline. La consistente eredità è stata presa a pretesto da alcuni giornali inglesi per contestare a de Botton la pretesa di parlare di lavoro, in "Lavorare piace", in quanto non ha mai avuto realmente bisogno di mantenersi. Dal canto suo, de Botton ha dichiarato di vivere completamente con i proventi delle vendite dei suoi libri..

In risposta alla domanda se si fosse sentito votato al mestiere dello scrittore, de Botton ha risposto:"Penso che dove la gente tende a finire sia il risultato di una combinazione di incoraggiamento, caso, e fortuna. Come per molti altri, la mia carriera si è svolta così perché certe porte si sono aperte e certe altre si sono chiuse. Ad un certo punto ho pensato che sarebbe stato grande fare dei documentari. In realtà, ho scoperto che è incredibilmente difficile e molto dispendioso, e veramente non avevo il coraggio di continuare a combattere per quello. In un altro periodo, avrei potuto essere un accademico in un'università, se il sistema universitario fosse stato diverso. In definitiva, sta tutto nel trovare il miglior accordo tra i tuoi talenti e quello che il mondo può offrire in quel determinato momento.

De Botton vive attualmente a Londra, con la moglie Charlotte Neser, sposata nel 2003, e con i figli Samuel e Saul.

Attività letteraria

De Botton ha scritto opere di diverso genere, le quali hanno avuto accoglienze contrastanti. Le reazioni positive sostengono che de Botton ha reso la letteratura più accessibile alle masse. I critici negativi dicono invece che de Botton tende a esprimere l'ovvio e hanno descritto alcuni suoi libri come ampollosi e dispersivi.

Romanzi

Nel suo primo romanzo, Esercizi d'amore, pubblicato nel 1993, de Botton si confronta con il processo dell'inizio e della fine dell'amore. Lo stile del libro è inconsueto, in quanto mischia elementi romanzeschi con riflessioni e analisi che normalmente si trovano in opere non di finzione.

A fine aprile 2016, è stato pubblicato The course of love (tradotto in Il corso dell'amore), che attraverso i personaggi di Rabih e Kirsten, segna il ritorno al romanzo di de Botton dopo oltre venti anni.

Saggi

De Botton ha scritto saggi nei quali le sue esperienze ed idee personali si intrecciano con quelle di artisti, filosofi e pensatori. Sono stati descritti come "filosofia quotidiana". Sebbene a volte descritti come semplici opere di volgarizzazione, in questi saggi, con l'aiuto di idee di altri pensatori, si sviluppano anche idee originali riguardo ad esempio l'amicizia, l'arte, l'invidia, il desiderio e il senso di inadeguatezza.

Fu la sua prima opera non di fantasia, Come Marcel Proust può cambiarvi la vita, a dargli notorietà internazionale nel 1997. L'opera è basata sulla vita e le opere di Marcel Proust, in cui uno dei più venerati ma meno letti libri della letteratura occidentale, Alla ricerca del tempo perduto, è la base per riflessioni filosofiche. Il libro è stato un best seller in U.S.A. e in Gran Bretagna.

Proust fu seguito nel 2000 dal Le consolazioni della filosofia. Il titolo è un riferimento all'omonimo libro di Severino Boezio, nella quale la filosofia personificata appare a Boezio per consolarlo nel periodo di prigioni che lo avrebbe portato all'esecuzione. Ne Le consolazioni della filosofia, de Botton tenta di dimostrare come gli insegnamenti di filosofi come Epicuro, Montaigne, Nietzsche, Schopenhauer, Seneca e Socrate possono essere applicati agli affanni moderni quali la impopolarità, il senso di inadeguatezza, le preoccupazioni finanziarie, i cuori spezzati e in generale il problema della sofferenza.

In seguito de Botton è tornato a uno stile di scrittura più lirico e personale. In L'arte di viaggiare, si è dedicato ai temi della psicologia del viaggio: come ci immaginiamo le destinazioni prima di raggiungerle, come ci ricordiamo delle cose belle, cosa ci accade quando osserviamo deserti, stiamo chiusi in albergo o visitiamo la campagna.

In L'importanza di essere amati (2004), esamina la quasi universale ansietà che raramente è esplicitata: cosa gli altri pensano di noi; se siamo giudicati un successo o un fallimento, dei vincenti o dei perdenti.

Nel successivo Architettura e felicità (2006) discute sulla natura della bellezza nell'architettura e come essa è correlata al benessere e all'appagamento dell'individuo e della società. Descrive come l'architettura condiziona le persone ogni giorno, sebbene esse raramente prestino ad essa particolare attenzione. Buona parte dell'opera espone come i tratti della personalità sono riflessi in architettura.

Nell'aprile 2009 de Botton ha pubblicato Lavorare piace, un'analisi di dieci lavori diversi, dalla contabilità alla manifattura di biscotti, che include duecento immagini originali e ha come scopo quello di mettere in mostra la bellezza, l'interesse e l'orrore occasionale del moderno mondo del lavoro.

Nell'agosto 2009, de Botton rispose alla gara emessa dalla BAA (British Airports Authority) presso gli agenti letterari inglesi, per un posto di "scrittore di sede" all'aeroporto di Heathrow. Il lavoro consisteva nel rimanere seduto a una scrivania nel Terminal 5 per scrivere degli arrivi e delle partenze dei passeggeri per una settimana. Il risultato è il libro Una settimana all'aeroporto (A week at the Airport).

Nel 2011 esce Religion for Atheists (tradotto in Del buon uso della religione: una guida per i non credenti) dove —come ateo convinto, con radici ebraiche— suggerisce che i laici dovrebbero, ispirandosi alla millenaria esperienza dalle religioni, riconoscerne i meccanismi di propaganda, reinterpretandoli e applicandoli a una società secolare (spesso inabile a esprimere e affermare i propri valori). Ciò andrebbe fatto anche con lo scopo di ricavarne qualche utilità, motivi di interesse o fonti di conforto, adattando alla propria vita certi principi o consuetudini religiose. Purtroppo, la società tende più alla fascinazione del sacro che all'analisi delle modalità di convincimento, che dovrebbe portare all'uso di questi espedienti, riadattati, per propagandare il culto della ragione sulla superstizione, promuovendo sentimenti di fratellanza e una "gioiosa immersione nello spirito collettivo".

Attività giornalistica e documentaristica
De Botton scrive regolarmente per diversi giornali inglesi, tra i quali The Independent on Sunday. Possiede e collabora con una compagnia di produzione, la Seneca Productions, che crea regolarmente documentari televisivi basati sulle sue opere.

Altre attività

School of life

Dal 2008 De Botton è impegnato in un'iniziativa culturale, con base a Londra, denominata "School of life" (Scuola di vita), nella quale viene offerta un'istruzione che ha come fine una vita completa. In un'intervista, de Botton ha detto:
L'intenzione è sfidare le università tradizionali e riorganizzare la conoscenza, orientandola verso la vita, e lontana dal sapere fine a se stesso. In parole povere, è un istituto che cerca di dare alla gente quello che penso le università dovrebbero sempre dare: un senso di orientamento e saggezza per la vita con l'aiuto della cultura

Living Architecture

Nel maggio del 2009 de Botton è stato l'ispiratore di un nuovo progetto architettonico denominato "Living Architecture" (Architettura vivente) che propone di costruire una serie di residenze innovative in Gran Bretagna, con l'aiuto di alcuni architetti contemporanei di spicco, tra i quali Peter Zumthor, MVRDV e Michael e Patti Hopkins. Gli edifici sono destinati a essere affittati al pubblico. Lo scopo del progetto è quello di migliorare l'accoglienza dell'architettura moderna e si presenta come la continuazione pratica delle teorie espresse nel suo libro Architettura e felicità.

Opere
 1993 - Essays in Love, Esercizi d'amore,  Guanda, 1995 ISBN 8877467029
 1994 - The Romantic Movement, Il piacere di soffrire  Guanda, 1996 ISBN 8877468599
 1995 - Kiss & Tell, Cos'è una ragazza  Guanda, 1997 ISBN 8877469331
 1997 - How Proust Can Change Your Life, Come Marcel Proust può cambiarvi la vita  Guanda, 1998 ISBN 8882460150
 2000 - The Consolations of Philosophy, Le consolazioni della filosofia, Guanda, 2000 ISBN 8882462757
 2002 - The Art of Travel, L'arte di viaggiare, Guanda, 2002 ISBN 8882464237
 2004 - Status Anxiety, L'importanza di essere amati, Guanda, 2004 ISBN 888246654X
 2006 - The Architecture of Happiness, Architettura e felicità, Guanda, 2006 ISBN 8882469700
 2009 - The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work, Lavorare piace, Guanda, 2009. ISBN 9788860880376
 2009 - A Week at the Airport, Una settimana all'aeroporto,  Guanda, 2010. ISBN 9788860887641
 2011 - Religion for Atheists, Del buon uso della religione. Una guida per i non credenti, Guanda, 2011. ISBN 9788860885227
 2012 - How to Think More About Sex, Come pensare (di più) il sesso, Guanda, 2012. ISBN 9788823500938
 2013 - Art as Therapy), con John Armstrong, L'arte come terapia,  Guanda, 2013. ISBN 9788823506367
 2014 - The News: A User's Manual, News. Le notizie: istruzioni per l'uso, Guanda, 2014. ISBN 9788823507524
 2016 - The Course of Love, Il corso dell'amore, Guanda, 2016.ISBN 978-88-235-1706-6

Trasposizioni televisive
Nel 2000 sono stati tratti da How Proust Can Change Your Life l'omonimo docu-drama televisivo, con Ralph Fiennes nel ruolo di Marcel Proust, da The Consolations of Philosophy una serie in sei episodi intitolata Philosophy: A Guide to Happiness. Nel 2004 è stato tratto da Status Anxiety l'omonimo documentario. Nel 2006 da The Architecture of Happiness è stata tratta la miniserie in tre episodi The Perfect Home.

Note

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

de Botton, Alain
de Botton, Alain


The last refurbished hotel in the complex was recently fully reconstructed, set in a beautiful pine forest.
It has 16 double rooms and 2 family double rooms with a living room and a kitchen. All rooms have a balcony.
All air- conditioned rooms have bathrooms with a shower, a toilet and a hairdryer, a SAT-TV set, a phone, a fridge.
The hotel was recently fully refurbished. It is situated by the sea.
It has 23 luxuriously furnished, air-conditioned double rooms and 7 apartments. Each room has a SAT-TV set, phone, Internet access, a mini bar, a bathroom with a shower, a toilet and a hairdryer, a living room and a balcony with a sea view.
All apartments are spacious and luxuriously furnished. They have two double rooms, a bathroom with a shower, a living room and a balcony with a sea view.
All apartments are spacious and luxuriously furnished. They have a double room, a bathroom with a shower, a living room and a balcony with a sea view.
An air-conditioned reception desk, a lift, an exchange office, Internet corner, luggage keeping service, laundry service, an air-conditioned restaurant with a spacious terrace, a coffee bar, a tavern, an outdoor pool with fresh water and with a separated children's mini-pool, a children's playground, a free parking place (without supervision).
Rich buffet breakfast and dinner including drinks (soft drinks and mineral water, beer, white and red wine).
There are pebble, concrete or rocky beaches app. 20 meters from the hotel and a sandy beach 5 km from the hotel.
- swimming school, aqua aerobics.
The hotel was recently reconstructed, set in a beautiful pine forest. It has 17/2 apartments (each with a double room, a living room with an extra bed and a balcony overlooking either the sea or the park. All rooms are air-conditioned with a bathroom (a shower, a toilet and a hairdryer), a phone, a SAT-TV set, a fridge and a safe.
In the central building there are an air-conditioned reception desk, an exchange office, safe deposit boxes, an air-conditioned restaurant with a spacious terrace overlooking the sea, a la carte restaurant, a pizza bar, a coffee bar and a night club, a souvenir shop, a swimming pool with sea water (parasols and sunloungers), a wellness centre. There is a free car park in the pine shade.
It includes breakfast and dinner. Free drinks are served with dinner (soft drinks and mineral water, beer, white and red wine). Once a week there is a Dalmatian evening with local specialties and live music.
The hotel was recently fully reconstructed, nicely set in a pine forest, a few metres from the sea. It has 87 double rooms with balconies overlooking either the sea or the park (40 rooms have the possibility of an extra bed). All air- conditioned rooms have bathrooms with a shower, a toilet and a hairdryer, a phone, a SAT-TV set, a phone, a fridge.


When Victorian horse trainer Darren Weir won the 2015 Melbourne Cup with Prince of Penzance he attributed his success, in part, to the famed Warrnambool dunes and beaches where the champion thoroughbred trained.
This, according to the Belfast Coastal Reserve Action Group, is the moment that sparked the battle for the south-west's coast.
Suddenly a historical practice which had been "tolerated" – local trainers using the beaches for their horses – got ramped up on an industrial scale.
"That's when all hell broke loose," the action group's Bill Yates says.
The practice has pitted those who want to protect the environment against a horse-training industry rich in money and jobs for the region.
The conflict has been brought to a head by Parks Victoria, which is currently developing a new management plan for the area, due later this year.
The 20-kilometre stretch of coastline between Warrnambool and Port Fairy is, according to Parks Victoria, "known for its wild and unspoilt nature".
It encompasses the renowned surf breaks at Golfies Beach, the steep dunes behind Levys Beach and Rutledge's Cutting, where the waters of the Merri River flow through an estuary before meeting Bass Strait.
It's this character that Warrnambool Racing Club chief executive officer Peter Downs says is key to the success of local horse trainers, who have used the beaches for training for decades.
But environmentalists say the plan, which could allow up to 250 horses each day, would spell disaster for threatened and critically endangered species in the area.
It may also trigger a nasty precedent for other beaches in the state, they say.
The plan is still in its draft stage, but pleasing all the stakeholders may be difficult.
A 2014 state government report found the thoroughbred racing industry generated $97.2 million in "value-added impact" in the area and provided full-time employment for almost 950 people.
"Access to the beach is vitally important to our industry ongoing," Mr Downs says.
Racing Victoria says there are about 250 thoroughbreds training in and around Warrnambool. Mr Downs says those horses mean jobs.
But one of the leading experts on hooded plovers, Grainne Maguire, says the plan could drive threatened shorebirds further towards extinction.
Dr Maguire says the Belfast reserve is the most important breeding habitat for the hooded plover, which is considered a resident bird of the reserve. Rutledge's Cutting is also an important foraging site for the orange-bellied parrot.
Both birds are listed by the federal government as top 20 priority birds in its threatened species strategy.
Recent research suggests habitat loss and degradation, particularly in Victoria, is the leading cause of the parrots' demise.
Dr Maguire says roughly $450,000 is spent on protecting birds in the reserve every year.
"It makes no sense to invest nearly half a million [dollars] in protecting the birds if threats that have been identified as their biggest barrier to recovery are not being addressed but instead facilitated by the proposed management plan," she said.
Both Mr Yates and Dr Maguire have suggested a purpose-built facility replicating the conditions on the beach as a "win-win" solution.
But Warrnambool trainer Matthew Williams says some things cannot be artificially replicated.
"It's a bit like footballers, they can use ice baths and things like that to cool down their joints, but they still head down to the beach," he said.
It is not yet clear how many horses could be allowed under the proposal, but in addition to Levys, up to 50 horses will be allowed to train on Golfies Beach and local trainers will be able to use Rutledge's Cutting and Killarney Beach.
Warrnambool Council already allows limited use of Warrnambool Beach, or Lady Bay – which is outside the Belfast Coastal Reserve – for horse trainers. This will not be affected by the proposal.
The state Environment Department's Barwon South West regional manager community and partnership programs, Jason Borg, says the proposed plan will strike a balance, limiting horse training to small areas.
It also includes "immediate priority management strategies" for both orange-bellied parrots and hooded plovers, he says.
But Mr Yates has accused the government of spin, saying the plan as it currently stood would see an increase in commercial horse training.
"The plan adds up to 250 horses a day on four locations," he says. "That sets a very nasty precedent for other Victorian beaches."
The Environment Department declined to respond to those figures. It would also not comment on whether it would consider a custom-built training facility as an alternative.


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Right now you're all champing at the bit to buy the next generation of consoles that are coming out. Perhaps you've already pre-ordered. So it's a good time to remind you about things like the Red Ring of Death and the Orange Light of Death and various other things "of Death" that tend to plague new hardware.
'm not saying that the Xbox One or PS4 will have flaws that render them unusable, but as they're being frantically manufactured in order to meet launch demands, problems may arise. If they do, what are your consumer rights?
Thankfully in New Zealand our consumer laws are pretty good, and the best one is the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA).
Be of acceptable quality (meaning they do what they're supposed to, are free from minor defects, and are both safe and durable).
And all of this applies for a reasonable time after you buy the product. For game consoles, the life expectancy is the same for computers: roughly five years. This means that for up to five years after you buy it, if it suffers a fault that is in no way caused by you, you may be able to get it replaced or repaired for free.
Beyond durability, the device also needs to be fit for purpose. This is important if you decide to buy a console for one its lauded features. For example, if you go into the store and say "I want to buy this Xbox One because it lets me watch the NFL live" and a salesperson confirms that you can, and then you discover this is a US-only feature you can return the console for a full refund.
To claim under the CGA you need to go back to the place you purchased from. I've bolded that because it's very important. Do not go back to the manufacturer (also an important note). I've heard of a lot of retailers saying things like "Go talk to Sony". "NO!" should be your reply. The retailer can go back to the manufacturer after it has sorted out your problem, but telling you to do so is shirking its responsibilities under the CGA.
The retailers do have the right to ask for an independent assessment and this may mean sending your console away for a while. This is OK as long as it's a reasonable timeframe (your version of "reasonable" and its may differ). It may also ask you for a fee to do this; this is a bit sketchy. If you do pay the fee you must make sure that if it's found to be a fault of the console that you will get that fee back.
The retailer has three options to reimburse you: replace, refund or repair. You are pretty much stuck with whichever one of these it chooses. If it goes for the repair or replace option though, the CGA still applies to the console when it's returned to you.
So go and buy your crazy shiny new toys and know that New Zealand law is protecting you should this next-gen have anything "of Death".


Living in cities is basically a germ ridden hell of bacteria that wants to ruin your day. Real talk. For all you germaphobes out there, fact is you are absolutely right. Don't let the nay sayers get you down. Go on with your bad self and all that hand sanitiser. You ARE worth it. Maybe you are flirting with the idea of wearing a surgical mask? I don't know about you but personally when I see someone wearing a mask it kind of sends me into a germ induced paranoia. But does wearing a mask prevent flu transmission?
Public transport is a minefield. I once remember touching a pole on the tube once and my hand actually slid down in because there was a jelly like substance on it. This was almost definitely snot.
Guys the germ struggle is real. Did you read about Maccy D's? So it turns out that a study from the Metro found that 100 percent of McDonalds touch screens tested had poo on them. Poo. What a time to be alive. Further evidence to the fact that people absolutely do not wash their hands enough. So imagine people like this, who don't wash their hands sufficiently enough after the bathroom. You know they are not washing their hands after the cough all their hideous germs all over them.
According to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), the masks are basically designed to stop hideous virus droplets. The thing with these masks is that they are worn mainly by medical professionals, as they stop virus infested water droplets from getting into their mouths.
"Virus-laden droplets that are generated when infected persons speak, cough, or sneeze; these droplets can be deposited onto the mucosal surfaces of the upper respiratory tract of susceptible persons who are near the droplet source".
Now, in the interest of public safety and good old science, I contacted the experts over at Public Health England, to see if wearing masks when out and about really will actually prevent flu.
"The evidence base regarding the effectiveness of face masks by the general public was observed to be particularly limited".
"As well as getting the flu vaccine, practising good hand hygiene by catching coughs and sneezes in a tissue, throwing it away and washing your hands after can help limit its spread — catch it, bin it, kill it."
These three rules have been embraced by the NHS and are essential in order to prevent the spread of the very evil flu virus. Catch it — catch the germs when you cough/sneeze by using a tissue. Bin it — throw it away carefully after you have used it, ensuring it does not contact anyone else. Kill it — wash your hands carefully with antibacterial hand soap to kill the germs that are lingering post sneeze.
Also, a flu vaccine is recommended by the NHS for people "aged 65 and over, pregnant women, children and adults with an underlying health condition (such as long-term heart or respiratory disease), and children and adults with weakened immune systems."
But is it worth getting these masks for your daily commute? Like as well as copious amounts of snot rags (tissues)? Erm, well, if you are ill? Yes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In order to stop you from spreading the germs. Yes y'all, you could in fact be the problem here.
And what do you do if everything else has failed and despite your best behaviour you actually get ill?
The NHS advises that you rest, keep warm, keep hydrated, and take paracetamol/ibuprofen.
Also, the unofficial line from fake doctor Aoife? Soup and cuddles are also excellent cures.


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