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Daniel Gould – zaterdag 15 juli 2017, 05:31 uur
The night before I had set the alarm. Admittedly, not too early, and when it went off at 8:30 I was already awake. My biological alarm clock was as reliable as mechanical one.
I got out of bed and went through the rituals that comprised my entry into a new morn.
I was out the door by 10:30.
When I got on my bike, I had a thought ... why not check out the auction house first. So, at the Jan Pieter Heijestraat I went in the opposite direction than I normally did when on the way to the office.
De Zon, the auction house, was located on the Singel in what was formerly a hidden church. Dutch tolerance was something that was centuries old. It started long before the hippy era. My theory as to how it came about was that as Europe grew and developed---both elements could be directly traced to the expansion of the Roman Empire---people seeking independence and "freedom" gyrated to the ends-of-the-earth. Or more accurately, to the end of the European continent.
People desiring independence and freedom tend to grant to others the right to these expressions. When the Christian Reform movement began in the 16th century Catholic Churches were desecrated; iconic art work was mutilated or destroyed. But, when the dust had settled, the new Christian church, that took the place of the one that had been dominated by Rome, allowed Catholics to continue to practice their dogmatic practices. However, their services were confined to rooms, of all sizes, and most especially built and designed for the purpose of worship. The entrance to the building De Zon occupied was generic to the neighborhood as of that time it had been built. As you entered, the building appeared to be of standard size to the adjacent buildings. But, at the back of the entrance foyer, it expanded greatly.
In the foyer there was a glassed-off space. At the center, was a window that opened to the foyer. I made my way towards it. There sat a very large lady who flashed me a smile that lit up the enclosure. She had very pleasing facial features when taken-in independently, but they didn't really all come together. However, with the smile you didn't linger over it. She asked me in Dutch if she could help me? I replied in Dutch that I didn't speak much of the lingo and could we do it all in English? "Natuurlijk. How can I help you?"
I explained about Jan Jansen's purchase of a painting and gave her the date of the auction---and the lot number---and went on to explain that I was now working for him and trying to establish the provenance, etc, etc. She listened patiently before saying, "Meneer Jansen has asked us for this same information. Meneer Jansen is a loyal client and for many years. I, personally, called the seller to ask if I could give out the information. He said he would prefer that I did not."
I said I understood. But something had come up since the time that Meneer Jansen had made the request. The painting had been stolen. "Oh! That is most distressing...." she paused, then added, "But I can't see how it changes the situation."
She had me there. The she said, "This is all so strange. We had an unusual incident just recently. It may have had something to do with this very lot number. I arrived..." she paused for a few beats before saying, "...it was about three weeks ago, the main entrance door was unlocked..."she pointed towards the door I had entered by, "...and so was this rooms door unlocked. A few file drawers were open part way. One was open as far as the drawer would extend. It was the drawer that held the information as to whom the lots, at that particular auction Meneer Jansen had referred to. We were mystified. More so because of the unlocked doors. It appears that someone had keys to this building. But how did they get them?"
"Maybe someone who works here or has worked here in the past."
"Meneer Cord, this is a family business. Neither possibility is possible."
"Did you call the police? "
"Yes, of course. But nothing had been stolen that we could determine. And they said there had been no forced entry. The police, like you, suggested an 'inside job,' isn't that what they say in the movies? An 'inside job?'" I said it was. I thanked her for her time, handed her my card and added, "Call me if you think of anything else." And as I walked out of the place it occurred to me that the more I was learning about this case the more I thought it had the makings of a script for a "B" movie. Hey, some of those "budget" films turned out okay, like "Casablanca." Well, I could always hope. Where was Bogart when I needed him? Dead, of course. Lung cancer, as I remembered, which reminded me that I needed a cigarette. Once outside, I took out the packet of Van Nelle Export. In some way, I think I enjoyed the rolling as much as the smoking. Each cylinder was perfect and firm to the touch. I pinched off the tobacco extending from each end, inserted the "stick"---Susan, an old girlfriend, use to refer to cigarettes as "cancer sticks"---into my mouth. "Flicked my Bic" and lit up. Actually, it wasn't really a cheap throw-away lighter, but a gold plated Dunhill that I had once splurged on after being well compensated for a rather nasty case.
As I puffed away, I thought, now I have a new mystery. Why did someone want information about Lot number 2472? After all, Lot number 2472 was a painting that had sold for a mere pittance as far as paintings were concerned. Its authenticity has been questioned. Did this break-in somehow relate to the Mondrian being stolen? The timing was right. The unforced entry---unforced?---had taken place about three weeks prior which would mean about one week before the painting went missing. It fit! But what was it. I still had a little time before my meeting with the print dealer. I rode my bike to the office.
I took the mail from the post box at the gate. I sifted through the five or six envelopes as I walked to the office door. Nothing got my attention. Or, perhaps, better put, there was nothing that I wanted to get my attention. Unlike many bill collectors in the states, which printed on the envelope "Second Notice" or the more riveting, "Final Notice," their Dutch counterpart did not use such blatant methods. But, it was probably only a matter of time. Both the best and the worst of America eventually made its way across the Atlantic; and the Dutch were generally at the forefront of introducing whatever it was to Europe.
I check the answering machine, but the promises of riches---that Sassy had predicted to motivate my purchase of said machine---did not avail themselves.
I made coffee. The magic potion that promised me alertness beyond the call to duty. Or something like that.
I sipped at it as I thought, again, about the break-in at De Zon---No, non break-in would be more accurate---and its implications---if any---to this whole affair which was...What?
I was getting close to my appointment time. I got up, left the office and locked the door. Hopped on my bike and pedaled to the Tuinstraat. A fifteen minute trip. That was another positive point about the city of Amsterdam, no trip was a long journey. When I was working Chicago, I had occasion to visit the suburb Skokie. There was a sign as you entered the geographical divide at...was it Dempster Avenue...that said, "The World's Largest Village." Nah, not by a long shot. The world's largest village was Amsterdam.
The address on the Tuinstraat turned out to be what looked like an old school. The city was undergoing a regeneration which had been put into motion sometime during the 60s. The demographics of several neighborhoods were changing or had already been drastically altered. The Jordaan was a perfect example. It had been, for centuries, the home for those who worked for the bourgeois who lived on the grand canals like the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Singel. Gradually, the working element of the Jordaan was either dying out or moving on. The young professionals were moving in. But most did not have families yet. As a result of all the various factors involved, schools had fewer and fewer students. Most were now closed or in the process of closing. Artists had been the first to take advantage of the empty spaces left behind so I guess it was natural for a print dealer to follow their lead though he professed to be uninterested in the 20th century.
There was a series of bells at the entrance to the building that looked like it was built during the late 19th century. I found his name and pressed the button. There was no voice box nor did a buzzer sound. I prepared for a wait. Thought of rolling a cigarette, then thought better of it. Presently, I heard a key in the lock on the other side of the door. It swung open and before me stood a Dutchman who was about my same height. That was refreshing. I wouldn't have to always be looking up. The other thing, that got my attention, was that he could have been Vincent van Gogh's twin. Kid you not. Same nose and the same piercing eyes that you see in Van Gogh's self portraits. Penetrating, to say the least. He even had a goatee like the master. "Meneer Cord?" He said.
"That's me!" As I stepped through the doorway, I said, "Thanks for seeing me."
"Most certainly, but I assure you it is my pleasure. Please follow me. I am on the second floor."
Damn. That meant he was three flight of stairs up. In Europe, a building's "first" floor was its "ground floor." Thus, to us backward Americans, the "second" floor was the "third" floor. And to make it more of a plight---if that was possible---the ceilings were high. The ground floor looked to be nearly five meters high. By the time we reached his open door I was puffing like I had just run the 100 yard dash in under 10 seconds. Of course, I was now beginning to think that I could no longer run a 100 yards, meters or what have you at all. Not in under ten seconds or ten hours. Blame it on the goddamn cigarettes...but, hey, I love to smoke.
The room obviously had been a classroom. It was large enough to probably seat 30 to 60 kids depending on their ages. Wetering had built shelves that began at about ten centimeters off the floor and continued with shelves at regular intervals to about 30 centimeters below the ceiling. Paper and more paper was stacked on each shelve.
"Meneer Cord, could I offer you coffee?"
"Always!"
"Pardon? I do not understand."
"Sorry, it is an American expression, if you can call it that. Anyway, it means, 'Sure.'" He nodded at me and before going to wherever it was he had to go for the coffee and said, "While I am making it, you can study De Hooghe's "Paye qui Tombe." He lead me to a chest high table with its top slanted at perhaps a 30 degree angle. He left me there and I stood staring at the black and white print. It showed what looked like a circus tent. At the center, there was a thick rope like tightrope walkers use, but this one had lots of slack. I heard rustling behind me and turned to see Wetering clearing papers from a small round table with two chairs placed around it. He walked over to me.
"'Whoever falls off pays,' I think I translated it incorrectly when I talked to you, yesterday, on the telephone...See this man who has lost his balance? He's is The Young Pretender, Charles Edward was his proper name. This man is the Emperor awaiting his turn to try and balance and dance along the rope. The musicians are the French and Holland. A student could write their thesis on this print with all the symbolic messages embedded within it. And this is also a very fine impression as you can see. The dating is vague, however. Sometime during the 1690s is my guess. A worthy addition to any concerted collection. I am sure that you will agree with that."
"Oh, most certainly." I wasn't sure what more I could say. I was tempted to ask the price, but thought better of it. Even if it was "reasonable priced," for what it was, I was sure I couldn't afford it. "It is definitely something I would like to think about. I do have a question though, you mentioned that the date is uncertain. How do you know it is not a copy?"
His immediate expression seemed to indicate that he was taken back by the question, but then he quickly recovered and said, "Meneer Cord, all prints are copies. As you Americans say, 'That's the whole idea.' That is why we talk about states. Alterations have been made to the original plate. There may be five, six or more states before the engraver or etcher is satisfied. For important artists, like De Hooghe, raison catalogues exist which detail the variations of the states. His personal output was an almost unbelievable 3,500 examples. As to how many copies of the final state were made of any one print, I can only make an educated guess. It would be different for any of the 3,500." Lecture over, he stared at me, I guess waiting for some sort of acknowledgement that I understood. I rewarded him with, "I see." But it hadn't answered my question which prevented me from taking the conversation to where I wanted to take it.
"Could it not be a forgery?" I asked.
"Forgery? Meneer Cord, I do not deal in forgeries---"
"Sorry, I did not mean to imply that you did. It's just that, you know, experts sometime make mistakes. I was talking to someone a few days ago about forged paintings---" But before I could finish he cut me off with, "Paintings, drawings, water colors, they are all a different story from the print. It is not necessary to 'forge' or even copy a print. They are all copies as I have already explained to you. I can show you Rembrandt etchings that come from his original plates. Of course they lack definitions because the plates become worn. People still have these plates and continue to do restrikes. Is it an original Rembrandt or not? Yes, it is and no it is not. Often, who did the 'pull' is as important as the artist's name---"
"Pull?" I questioned.
"An engraver or etcher may do the actual drawing on the copper or zinc plate, but he may have a print maker do the printing or pull."
I had nothing more original to say then, once again, "I see."
But I didn't see how I was going to get to the subject of the Mondrian. This was more difficult than it had been with Van den Valk. I decided to do something that private eyes---according to my friend Augie---did not do: Be honest! "I do appreciate everything you have told me. But I should be honest with you---" What the hell, why not? Nothing else was working. "I---how should I say this---misrepresented myself on the telephone yesterday. I wanted to talk to you about a Piet Mondrian---"
"Piet Mondrian? He did not make prints. That's not completely accurate ... I do seem to recall---" I cut him off. When you cut to the chase, you want to get on with it!
"I am not talking about his print making or his lack of print making. It concerns with an oil from---"
"Meneer Cord, you need not say more. I can see of no way that I might be of assistance---"
"Well, Jan Jansen---"
"Jan Jansen!" Both his facial expression and the level of his voice could have been a playback of what I had experienced from Van den Valk. "What does he have to do with this?" He didn't look to happy when he said it either.
"Ah, well, you see, he bought an oil painting some months ago with Piet Mondrian's name on it ... and, it, well, has come up missing. He says someone entered his home and made off with it. He says you may know something about it."
"Me? Nonsense! I have no interest in Mondrian. I have no interest in Jan Jansen. He is a irascible old pompous fuddy-duddy. I nod to him at kijkdag, but only out of politeness. I feel no warmth towards the man. I certainly have no knowledge concerning his painting. Why he would connect me to it, it is beyond me. And where did he get a Mondrian. He does not have the money for a Mondrian."
"Yeah, I see. Well, it isn't one of the man's linear abstracts that I understand bring the big bucks, as we American's say, it is from his earlier period---"
"The luminosity period?"
"Exactly. He bought it at---"
"De Zon---"
"Right, again. Last---"
"It was around the holidays. I remember seeing a painting at that auction house from this very period. But the word was out that it was a phony---"
"That's what I have been told----"
"And now that I think about it, a colleague of mine who does deal in oils, but earlier ones from the 19th century, told me that he had been told by...I think he said, Jan Jansen, that it was a phony. My friend was asking if I thought Jansen was creditable on the subject? I told him I had no idea."
"He said that Jan Jansen has said it was no good? Then why in the hell did he buy it?"
"Meneer Cord, do you have any knowledge of the auction circuit?" I shook my head and said, "None."
"It is a world on to itself. Anything of value passes through an auction house at some time. There are people looking for gold hidden beneath a badly tarnished metal cup; people looking for cabinets with hidden drawers; there are those that buy quickly and badly painted oils because the backside of the canvas looks like it could be from the 17th or 18th century. At that time, people would have their prized paintings painted over to hide the fact from foreign invaders. Then there are people waiting for that wonderful moment when they stand before a painting, let us say, by a great artist that they have spent a life time adoring; and one that is undocumented---for whatever reason---and say to themselves, Eureka! But, of course, there is always the obstacle that someone else or several someone elses will also covet the work. So it is not uncommon for dealers and quasi-dealers to put-out-the-word that it is not by the master's hand. In this case, as I recall, De Zon did not list Mondrian's name after the lot number. That means they questioned its authenticity. Now I assume Jansen was just trying to hold the price down to keep out the speculators who do take chances. This sounds like a ploy such a person like him would employe. And I would say he did and was successful since you tell me he bought the painting. And there is no more I can tell you!"
It was time to go. I thanked Wetering and apologized for my deception. I told him that he did trigger an interest in me by showing the De Hooghe engraving. I hastened to add that I really did have examples of prints by William Hogarth.
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#kerkverhalen: Op bezoek in een Schuilkerk
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Van Gogh's brieven ontleed
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Van Gogh en de Haagse School
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Late Rembrandt
Rebekka Heysteeg
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Amerikaanse Rembrandt 'Saskia van Uylenburgh' in Amsterdam Museum
Nolda Straatman
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De nieuwe Van Gogh en de gemiddelde Rembrandt.
Jeroen van der Most
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Bijzondere musea – Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder
Hugo Verschoor
Den Haag - de schuilkerk van de oud-katholieke parochie HH Jacobus en Augustinus
Chris Schram
Jordaan wandeling Amsterdam
Pieter de Nijs


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Disaster management topics for 9th. What is disaster management? 2019-01-20
Disaster management topics for 9th Rating: 8,5/10 1693 reviews
Topics Themes for Project Work on Disaster Management
The mode of construction in the rural areas has also changed from mud and thatch to brick and concrete construction thereby increasing the vulnerability. The point of origin of the earthquake within the crust or mantle is called the seismic focus. In contrast, responding to terrorism might emphasize a command and control first responders approach. In the Pacific ocean, they are called 'typhoons', in the Indian ocean they are called 'cyclones' and over North Atlantic, they are called 'hurricane'. Various disasters like earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, floods, blizzards, tsunamis, and cyclones are all natural disasters. You next step would be to set the canupright, move the cat to safety, stop the paint from draining downthe floor vent, and get all the rags and paper towels along withgarbage bags tiogether to clean up the mess this is the controlstage. Police Fire Ambulance Hospitals Clinics Doctors Red Cross Blood Banks Marine operations are there bodies of water? It is a community of peoplethat use radio transmitters and receivers to communicate with otherAmateur radio operators.
Essay on Disaster Management for Children and Students
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Class 9th : Disaster Management
Sometimes, due to lack of co-ordination between the central and state government as well as the absence of correct resources; the concerned forums, organizations are unable to provide the apt rehabilitation. There are 250 such cyclone-warning sets installed in thecylone prone areas of east and west coast. Design posters on do's and don'ts of various hazards prevalent in that area. The earthquake caused extensive loss to human life and damage to property in the Kutchch neighbouring districts. In case of group work where two students are involved, work should be divided equally so that distribution of marks is easier. A burn is a damage to the skin caused by contact with dry heat. Socioeconomic differences: These are bound to influence local coping and adaptation capacity, which may be exacerbated during a drought event.
Important Short Notes on Disaster Management
Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average. Where do I get eBook files? Qualified engineers and architects can be invited by the principal of the school for lectures and also to suggest methods of carrying out the models. Eventually it was agreed that the government had a moral obligation to provide improved dwellings when it was previously substandard, and would do so. For many of them the attraction to the hobby is tobuild their own equipment whether it is just a simple antenna,something as complex as a transmitter, or an interface betweentheir radio and a computer. The second basic type of nuclear weapon produces a far larger amount of its energy through nuclear fusion reactions.
Although underlying values are likely to be fairly robust, strategies, tactics, and implementation increasingly depend on these factors. The dilemma involved the conflict between socialist and libertarian ethics. James Newman Disaster Risk Management Specialist, Disaster Risk Management Hub, Tokyo, Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery, World Bank Since joining the World Bank in 2013, Mr. Long sleeves and trousers with stockings may protect the arms and legs, the preferred sites for mosquito bites. The class X textbook on Disaster Management will help the teachers and the students to have a fair understanding about the topic.
Disaster management 9th cbse social project
The Group will also suggest short-term and long-term measures on technology up-gradation. One of the tensions in this decision making existed because of the merging of two ethical norms related to the aid that was being provided. It can have a substantial impact on the and of the affected region. A natural disaster can also be defined as the effect of a e. This is the time when the actual emergency preparedness comes into effect by giving first aid to the injured ones, providing rescue and relief operations to the victims.
Free NCERT Solutions for 9th Class Disaster Management
Connect a computer to your radio andinstall some software and you can be communicating digitally overthe air. The Principal along with the teachers can help the students in organizing a meeting with the local slum community. The content shared in the guide should be supported with adequate pictures so as to give a clear and elaborate understanding about the topic. Space stations dohave ham radio equipment and licensed ham astronauts take the timeto make contacts with amateurs on earth. My area is vulnerable to road traffic accidents, earthquakes and droughts.
What is disaster management?
Primary and secondary organizations are identified to carry out specific support functions in response to disasters. The voluminous material which runs into about 10000 pages has been divided into 4 broad sections in 7 volumes. These networks allow them to access resources of critical private companies, nonprofits, and community organizations that otherwise would be neglected in a traditional command-and-control emergency management structure Waugh, 2003. Where a number of humans are displaced and post disaster there are a number of causalities. Coast guard Department of transportation Departments of environment if there is clean-up involved Airlines Rail companies Local transit companies Bus companies in case of evacuation Border services - if applicable The use of satellite, computers, electronics, better communicationfacilities are going to make significant difference in disastermanagement.
Social Studies For Class 9th [CBSE]: Disaster Management
A disaster is a destructive event that occurs suddenly and involves loss of life and property. This means being prepared for disasters, fighting disasters effectively, ensuring the safety of life during disasters and helping in rebuilding society after the disaster. Translation and Other Rights For information on how to request permission to translate our work and for any other rights related query please Copyright. Thermal infrared remote sensing has been applied for volcanic hazard assessment. Each report has been subjected to a rigorous and independent peer-review process and it represents the position of the National Academies on the statement of task. The Skit and the posters can also be used to make the junior students aware.
Sometimes, it is soothing, sometimes it is ferocious. The country as a whole may have a normal monsoon, but different meteorological districts and sub-divisions can have below normal rainfall. It is important for governments, communities, individuals, and the nongovernment sector to negotiate how responsibility is to be shared, who is to be responsible for what, and who owns the risk that comes with natural hazards. A central coordinating body that can compel ministries and departments to enact policy integration is an important component of mainstreaming Lafferty and Hovden, 2003; Nunan et al. Awareness generation campaigns to sensitize the all the stakeholders on the need for flood preparedness and mitigation measures.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Do you do your research?
Back when I started writing and was working on short stories the idea of research didn't loom very large. Mostly I was writing from my own experience, things I either knew first hand or had already read. I didn't really have to gather knowledge in order to get the story down on the page.
Once you start writing novels I think that changes a little. firstly because you have so much more of a canvas to fill – you need to create whatever world you are writing in more depth than you do over the two or three thousand words of a story.
What that inevitably means is that you have to know more about the world you are striving to inhabit. That's fine if it's your world, if it's someone else's then it's probably time to do some research.
I find I read around a subject almost before I know I'm interested in writing about it. What we write springs from our interests and passions in the end after all. Once I am hooked on a subject though I will pursue information on it through the usual channels. I will visit the library, I will get online and I will look out for articles in the newspapers and magazines I read.
I will even gather cuttings and printouts from articles on the net and keep them folded in the back of my notebook – because there is specific information in them which I think I need, or just the idea of something, just the feel or spirit of something which I think might help me later on.
While I was researching for Song of the Sea God I was interested of course in information about all kinds of ancient religions and beliefs and the ritual which went with them. But I also needed to research psychological magicians' tricks such as cold reading, and I needed to know more about how cults worked and the dynamics of the relationship between a leader and his followers.
For parts of the book I needed to know about people who managed to live on rubbish tips, people who believed they had been healed by miracles. I looked at outsider art and the huge, incredible structures built by people from found materials.
All manner of things which I did not know from my general knowledge.
I think the more research you can do for a book the better – but you really don't want to see it all on the page. There's nothing worse for the reader than having to plough through a big heap of undigested facts – they want a story not an encyclopaedia entry. The research you do should inform what you write rather than be what you write.
Having a body of knowledge and understanding behind what appears on the page can make your work richer and more complete without you having to prove you have done the reading by displaying it. So, for example, your background knowledge can inform the way a character reacts to a situation.
In Sea God my reading took me to all kinds of places I had never been before – it was an extra little pleasure in the writing of the book. I read widely but I suppose if I had one key text it was The Golden Bough, which is a huge collection of religious beliefs and traditions published in 1890 by James Frazer. He took a dispassionate view of religion and looked at it as a cultural phenomenon – which got him into all sorts of trouble at the time but seems a very modern way of looking at it now.
His world of fertility rites, human sacrifices, the dying god and the scapegoat informed the world of Song of the Sea God. And indeed, the central character in the book, John Love, carries a battered copy of The Golden Bough with him which he uses as a kind of text-book.
What sort of research do you do as a writer? And, as a reader, how important do you think it is that a novel rests on a bedrock of research?


Great tug toy for puppies and small dogs. 4 layers of durable, 100% natural cotton canvas on the arms and legs. Soft on smaller mouths.
This is an interactive toy, not a chew toy, and should not be ingested in any way. Please always supervise your pets while using these toys.


If you're on a budget, you don't have to settle for low-quality flooring. Expert Flooring has quite a selection of affordable laminate flooring products.
Our laminates come in various thicknesses, colours, grain patterns and styles. With the same level of choice as traditional solid floors and engineered floors, you won't have to compromise on aesthetics.
We would be glad to provide you with a free consultation, or if you would like to see our products up-close, you can visit our showroom in Richmond Hill. We are open 7 days a week.


Getting publicity on social media sites can mean many things for specific individuals. Some may admire the fame for their own assurance and satisfaction on their talent that they wish for the whole world to see, some wish to gain fame in order to promote their own self, looking for directors and producers to hire them by judging them on their skills on TikToks and Dubsmashes.
In specific cases such as Instagram, an individual's worth is determined by the number of followers they have, hence their popularity. An increased amount of followers means that they have more viewers to promote products or brands and get paid for doing so. Thus the payoff on Instagram can turn out to be huge. It does provide 58 times improved engagement than other social networking sites such as Facebook.
How to achieve this popularity overnight?
Get Creative: Posting the same type of photos, the dull and regular kind that you do, has definitely not been doing much for you. Posting the same type of material is not getting you any engagement online. It is high time to realize that content and what you post has the greatest impact on your followers and engagement. It is indeed the time to get creative in this regard.
Increase your own engagement: an active user is easier to get into the radar of their own kind of people because the algorithm used in Facebook and Instagram shows you content according to what you have interacted on previously. Thus to increase engagement the trick involves liking more posts than usual of people who you want to notice you.
Hashtags: the beauty of the social media is that there is no end to a trend, and the smallest most, slightest act can trigger a trend, irrespective of who initiated it. Such of a trendsetter is hashtags which, if clicked, can take you to the numerous posts people have used them on. Hence using the never dying hashtags such as #L4L or #TBH will make you more visible by the audience.
Stay Active: if you wish to be an influencer of social media, staying active is the key.in order for staying active, you need to post on a regular basis. Yet this process is to be tackled with caution because there is a thin line between posting regularly and spamming. Nobody likes spam.
Utilize all facilities: Instagram is an enormous platform which offers a great many facilities to avail for this very purpose. A new account can take start with 100 Instagram followers that can help you gain exposure. Besides the usual feed and profiles, it has introduced the idea of stories, highlights, IG TV, live videos, etc. by using all of these would help to maintain an interesting and creative Instagram life.
Captions! Instagram mostly itself is a visual content social website where written has less representation, however, adding catchy yet awestriking captions to your adorable moments are what the audience on Instagram live for.
Instagram is an amazing social media platform where the turnouts of effective engagement can be tremendous, by simply applying a few changes to our content and feed, it can take us long ways.


text:
using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;
using FlatMate.Module.Account.Domain.Models;
using prayzzz.Common.Attributes;
using prayzzz.Common.Mapping;

namespace FlatMate.Module.Account.DataAccess.Users
{
    [Inject]
    public class UserMapper : IDboMapper
    {
        public void Configure(IMapperConfiguration mapper)
        {
            mapper.Configure<UserDbo, User>(DboToEntity);
            mapper.Configure<User, UserDbo>(EntityToDbo);
            mapper.Configure<AuthenticationInformation, UserDbo>(EntityToDbo);
            mapper.Configure<UserDbo, AuthenticationInformation>(DboToAuthEntity);
        }

        private static AuthenticationInformation DboToAuthEntity(UserDbo dbo, MappingContext ctx)
        {
            var (result, authInfo) = AuthenticationInformation.Create(dbo.PasswordHash, dbo.Salt, dbo.Id);
            if (result.IsError)
            {
                throw new ValidationException(result.Message);
            }

            return authInfo;
        }

        private static User DboToEntity(UserDbo dbo, MappingContext ctx)
        {
            var (result, user) = User.Create(dbo.Id, dbo.UserName, dbo.Email, dbo.Created);
            if (result.IsError)
            {
                throw new ValidationException(result.Message);
            }

            if (dbo.IsActivated)
            {
                user.Activate();
            }

            return user;
        }

        private static UserDbo EntityToDbo(AuthenticationInformation entity, UserDbo dbo, MappingContext ctx)
        {
            dbo.PasswordHash = entity.PasswordHash;
            dbo.Salt = entity.Salt;

            return dbo;
        }

        private static UserDbo EntityToDbo(User entity, UserDbo dbo, MappingContext ctx)
        {
            if (entity.IsSaved)
            {
                dbo.Id = entity.Id;
            }

            dbo.Created = entity.Created;
            dbo.Email = entity.Email;
            dbo.UserName = entity.UserName;
            dbo.IsActivated = entity.IsActivated;
            dbo.PasswordHash = "";
            dbo.Salt = "";

            return dbo;
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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text:
All posts for the day June 27th, 2016
Full Text Political Transcripts June 27, 2016: Democrats Issue Benghazi Report and Release Interview Transcripts
Democrats Issue Benghazi Report and Release Interview Transcripts
Source: Democrats-Benghazi.House.gov
WASHINGTON— Today, the Democratic Members of the Select Committee on Benghazi issued a 339-page report entitled, "Honoring Courage, Improving Security, and Fighting the Political Exploitation of a Tragedy." Democrats also released all of the unclassified interview transcripts in their possession so the American people can read them for themselves.
"Decades in the future, historians will look back on this investigation as a case study in how not to conduct a credible investigation," the Members wrote. "They will showcase the proliferation of Republican abuses as a chief example of what happens when politicians are allowed to use unlimited taxpayer dollars—and the formidable power of Congress—to attack their political foes."
The Democratic report's overarching conclusion is that the evidence obtained by the Select Committee confirms the core findings already issued by many previous investigations into the attacks in Benghazi. Although the Select Committee obtained additional details that provide context and granularity, these details do not fundamentally alter the previous conclusions.
The report finds:
U.S. personnel in Benghazi and Tripoli conducted themselves with extraordinary courage and heroism and at grave personal risk to defend and rescue their fellow Americans.
The Defense Department could not have done anything differently on the night of the attacks that would have saved the lives of the four brave Americans killed in Benghazi, and although the military's global posture prevented it from responding more quickly that night, improvements were made years ago.
The State Department's security measures in Benghazi were woefully inadequate as a result of decisions made by officials in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, but Secretary Clinton never personally denied any requests for additional security in Benghazi.
The Intelligence Community's assessments evolved after the attacks as more information became available, but they were not influenced by political considerations.
Administration officials did not make intentionally misleading statements about the attacks, but instead relied on information they were provided at the time under fast-moving circumstances.
The Democratic report also documents the grave abuses Republicans engaged in during this investigation—from A to Z. Republicans excluded Democrats from interviews, concealed exculpatory evidence, withheld interview transcripts, leaked inaccurate information, issued unilateral subpoenas, sent armed Marshals to the home of a cooperative witness, and even conducted political fundraising by exploiting the deaths of four Americans.
"In our opinion," the Members wrote, "Chairman Gowdy has been conducting this investigation like an overzealous prosecutor desperately trying to land a front-page conviction rather than a neutral judge of facts seeking to improve the security of our diplomatic corps."
"We are issuing our own report today because, after spending more than two years and $7 million in taxpayer funds in one of the longest and most partisan congressional investigations in history, it is long past time for the Select Committee to conclude its work," they wrote. "Despite our repeated requests over the last several months, Republicans have refused to provide us with a draft of their report—or even a basic outline—making it impossible for us to provide input and obvious that we are being shut out of the process until the last possible moment."
The Democratic report makes 12 recommendations. Because the fundamental goal of the Democratic Members has always been to improve the security of our diplomatic corps and Americans serving our country overseas, the report makes nine recommendations to improve security measures, security training, risk management processes, and support for survivors and their families. The report also makes three recommendations for Congress to consider before establishing any future select committees.
Click below to read each section:
Courage and Heroism of First Responders
The Department of Defense
The Department of State
The Intelligence Community
No Intentionally Misleading Public Statements
Republican Abuses
Interview Transcripts
The Democratic Members of the Select Committee are Ranking Member Elijah E. Cummings, Rep. Adam Smith, Rep. Adam Schiff, Rep. Linda Sánchez, and Rep. Tammy Duckworth.
Posted in 114th Congress, Hillary Clinton, International Politics, Libya, Obama Administration, Political Documents, Secretary of State, State Department
Tagged Benghazi, Congress, Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton, Libya, Select Committee on Benghazi, Terrorist Attack
https://historymusings.wordpress.com/2016/06/27/full-text-political-transcripts-june-27-2016-democrats-issue-benghazi-report-and-release-interview-transcripts/
Full Text Political Transcripts June 27, 2016: Republican Select Committee on Benghazi Releases Report
Select Committee on Benghazi Releases Proposed Report
Source: House.gov, 6-27-16
81 New Witnesses, 75,000 New Pages of Documents Reveal Significant New Information,
Fundamentally Changes the Public's Understanding of the 2012 Terrorist Attacks that Killed Four Americans
Washington, D.C. – Select Committee on Benghazi Chairman Trey Gowdy (SC-04) released the following statement after the committee's Majority released a mark of its investigative report:
"Chris Stevens, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods were heroes who gave their lives in service to our country. Their bravery and the courageous actions of so many others on the ground that night should be honored.
"When the Select Committee was formed, I promised to conduct this investigation in a manner worthy of the American people's respect, and worthy of the memory of those who died. That is exactly what my colleagues and I have done.
"Now, I simply ask the American people to read this report for themselves, look at the evidence we have collected, and reach their own conclusions. You can read this report in less time than our fellow citizens were taking fire and fighting for their lives on the rooftops and in the streets of Benghazi."
The committee's proposed report is just over 800 pages long and is comprised of five primary sections and 12 appendices. It details relevant events in 2011 and 2012.
The following facts are among the many new revelations in Part I:
Despite President Obama and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta's clear orders to deploy military assets, nothing was sent to Benghazi, and nothing was en route to Libya at the time the last two Americans were killed almost 8 hours after the attacks began. [pg. 141]
With Ambassador Stevens missing, the White House convened a roughly two-hour meeting at 7:30 PM, which resulted in action items focused on a YouTube video, and others containing the phrases "[i]f any deployment is made," and "Libya must agree to any deployment," and "[w]ill not deploy until order comes to go to either Tripoli or Benghazi." [pg. 115]
The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff typically would have participated in the White House meeting, but did not attend because he went home to host a dinner party for foreign dignitaries. [pg. 107]
A Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST) sat on a plane in Rota, Spain, for three hours, and changed in and out of their uniforms four times. [pg. 154]
None of the relevant military forces met their required deployment timelines. [pg. 150]
The Libyan forces that evacuated Americans from the CIA Annex to the Benghazi airport was not affiliated with any of the militias the CIA or State Department had developed a relationship with during the prior 18 months. Instead, it was comprised of former Qadhafi loyalists who the U.S. had helped remove from power during the Libyan revolution. [pg. 144]
Rep. Mike Pompeo (KS-04) released the following statement regarding these findings:
"We expect our government to make every effort to save the lives of Americans who serve in harm's way. That did not happen in Benghazi. Politics were put ahead of the lives of Americans, and while the administration had made excuses and blamed the challenges posed by time and distance, the truth is that they did not try."
Rep. Martha Roby (AL-02) released the following statement regarding these findings:
"Our committee's insistence on additional information about the military's response to the Benghazi attacks was met with strong opposition from the Defense Department, and now we know why. Instead of attempting to hide deficiencies in our posture and performance, it's my hope our report will help ensure we fix what went wrong so that a tragedy like this never happens again."
The following facts are among the many new revelations in Part II:
Five of the 10 action items from the 7:30 PM White House meeting referenced the video, but no direct link or solid evidence existed connecting the attacks in Benghazi and the video at the time the meeting took place. The State Department senior officials at the meeting had access to eyewitness accounts to the attack in real time. The Diplomatic Security Command Center was in direct contact with the Diplomatic Security Agents on the ground in Benghazi and sent out multiple updates about the situation, including a "Terrorism Event Notification." The State Department Watch Center had also notified Jake Sullivan and Cheryl Mills that it had set up a direct telephone line to Tripoli. There was no mention of the video from the agents on the ground. Greg Hicks—one of the last people to talk to Chris Stevens before he died—said there was virtually no discussion about the video in Libya leading up to the attacks. [pg. 28]
The morning after the attacks, the National Security Council's Deputy Spokesperson sent an email to nearly two dozen people from the White House, Defense Department, State Department, and intelligence community, stating: "Both the President and Secretary Clinton released statements this morning. … Please refer to those for any comments for the time being. To ensure we are all in sync on messaging for the rest of the day, Ben Rhodes will host a conference call for USG communicators on this chain at 9:15 ET today." [pg. 39]
Minutes before the President delivered his speech in the Rose Garden, Jake Sullivan wrote in an email to Ben Rhodes and others: "There was not really much violence in Egypt. And we are not saying that the violence in Libya erupted 'over inflammatory videos.'" [pg. 44]
According to Susan Rice, both Ben Rhodes and David Plouffe prepared her for her appearances on the Sunday morning talk shows following the attacks. Nobody from the FBI, Department of Defense, or CIA participated in her prep call. While Rhodes testified Plouffe would "normally" appear on the Sunday show prep calls, Rice testified she did not recall Plouffe being on prior calls and did not understand why he was on the call in this instance. [pg.98]
On the Sunday shows, Susan Rice stated the FBI had "already begun looking at all sorts of evidence" and "FBI has a lead in this investigation." But on Monday, the Deputy Director, Office of Maghreb Affairs sent an email stating: "McDonough apparently told the SVTS [Secure Video Teleconference] group today that everyone was required to 'shut their pieholes' about the Benghazi attack in light of the FBI investigation, due to start tomorrow." [pg. 135]
After Susan Rice's Sunday show appearances, Jake Sullivan assured the Secretary of the State that Rice "wasn't asked about whether we had any intel. But she did make clear our view that this started spontaneously and then evolved." [pg. 128]
Susan Rice's comments on the Sunday talk shows were met with shock and disbelief by State Department employees in Washington. The Senior Libya Desk Officer, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, State Department, wrote: "I think Rice was off the reservation on this one." The Deputy Director, Office of Press and Public Diplomacy, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, State Department, responded: "Off the reservation on five networks!" The Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications, Bureau of Near East Affairs, State Department, wrote: "WH [White House] very worried about the politics. This was all their doing." [pg. 132]
The CIA's September 13, 2012, intelligence assessment was rife with errors. On the first page, there is a single mention of "the early stages of the protest" buried in one of the bullet points. The article cited to support the mention of a protest in this instance was actually from September 4. In other words, the analysts used an article from a full week before the attacks to support the premise that a protest had occurred just prior to the attack on September 11. [pg. 47]
A headline on the following page of the CIA's September 13 intelligence assessment stated "Extremists Capitalized on Benghazi Protests," but nothing in the actual text box supports that title. As it turns out, the title of the text box was supposed to be "Extremists Capitalized on Cairo Protests." That small but vital difference—from Cairo to Benghazi—had major implications in how people in the administration were able to message the attacks. [pg. 52]
Rep. Jim Jordan (OH-04) released the following statement regarding these findings:
"Obama Administration officials, including the Secretary of State, learned almost in real time that the attack in Benghazi was a terrorist attack. Rather than tell the American people the truth, the administration told one story privately and a different story publicly."
Rep. Peter Roskam (IL-06) released the following statement regarding these findings:
"In the days and weeks after the attacks, the White House worked to pin all of the blame for their misleading and incorrect statements on officials within the intelligence community, but in reality, political operatives like Ben Rhodes and David Plouffe were spinning the false narrative and prepping Susan Rice for her interviews."
The following facts are among the many new revelations in Part III:
During deliberations within the State Department about whether and how to intervene in Libya in March 2011, Jake Sullivan listed the first goal as "avoid[ing] a failed state, particularly one in which al-Qaeda and other extremists might take safe haven." [pg. 9]
The administration's policy of no boots on the ground shaped the type of military assistance provided to State Department personnel in Libya. The Executive Secretariats for both the Defense Department and State Department exchanged communications outlining the diplomatic capacity in which the Defense Department SST security team members would serve, which included wearing civilian clothes so as not to offend the Libyans. [pg. 60]
When the State Department's presence in Benghazi was extended in December 2012, senior officials from the Bureau of Diplomatic Security were excluded from the discussion. [pg. 74]
In February 2012, the lead Diplomatic Security Agent at Embassy Tripoli informed his counterpart in Benghazi that more DS agents would not be provided by decision makers, because "substantive reporting" was not Benghazi's purpose. [pg. 77]
Emails indicate senior State Department officials, including Cheryl Mills, Jake Sullivan, and Huma Abedin were preparing for a trip by the Secretary of State to Libya in October 2012. According to testimony, Chris Stevens wanted to have a "deliverable" for the Secretary for her trip to Libya, and that "deliverable" would be making the Mission in Benghazi a permanent Consulate. [pg. 96]
In August 2012—roughly a month before the Benghazi attacks—security on the ground worsened significantly. Ambassador Stevens initially planned to travel to Benghazi in early August, but cancelled the trip "primarily for Ramadan/security reasons." [pg. 99]
Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta bluntly told the committee "an intelligence failure" occurred with respect to Benghazi. Former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell also acknowledged multiple times an intelligence failure did in fact occur prior to the Benghazi attacks. [pg. 129]
Rep. Susan Brooks (IN-05) released the following statement regarding these findings:
"President Obama has said his worst mistake was 'failing to plan for the day after … intervening in Libya.' As a result of this 'lead from behind' foreign policy, the Libyan people were forced to make the dismal trade of the tyranny of Qadhafi for the terror of ISIS, Al-Qaeda and others. Although the State Department considered Libya a grave risk to American diplomats in 2011 and 2012, our people remained in a largely unprotected, unofficial facility that one diplomatic security agent the committee interviewed characterized as 'a suicide mission.'"
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (GA-03) released the following statement regarding these findings:
"One of the most concerning parts of the State Department's policy in Libya was its reliance upon the militias of an unstable nation to protect our men and women in Benghazi. These were by no means forces that could adequately protect Americans on the ground, and the State Department knew it. But the appearance of no boots on the ground was more important to the administration."
Part IV of the report reveals new information about the Select Committee's requests and subpoenas seeking documents and witnesses regarding Benghazi and Libya, and details what the Obama administration provided to Congress, what it is still withholding, and how its serial delays hindered the committee's efforts to uncover the truth.
Part V proposes 25 recommendations for the Pentagon, State Department, Intelligence Community and Congress aimed at strengthening security for American personnel serving abroad and doing everything possible to ensure something like Benghazi never happens again, and if it does, that we are better prepared to respond, the majority make a series of recommendations.
The Select Committee intends to convene a bipartisan markup to discuss and vote on the proposed report on July 8, 2016. All members of the committee will have the opportunity to offer changes in a manner consistent with the rules of the House.
Below is the full report with links to PDF files of each section.
Report of the Select Committee on
the Events Surrounding the 2012
Terrorist Attack in Benghazi
Letter from Chairman Trey Gowdy to Speaker Paul Ryan
The Benghazi Committee's Investigation – By The Numbers
Terrorist Attacks on U.S. Facilities in Benghazi
Internal and Public Government Communications about the Terrorist
Attacks in Benghazi
III. Events Leading to the Terrorist Attacks in Benghazi
Compliance with Congressional Investigations
Appendix A: Resolution Establishing the Select Committee on the
Events Surrounding the 2012 Terrorist Attack in Benghazi
Appendix B: Significant Persons and Organizations
Appendix C: Questions for the President
Appendix D: Significant Events in Libya Prior to the Attacks
Appendix E: Security Incidents in Libya
Appendix F: Deterioration of Benghazi Mission Compound Security
Appendix G: Timelines of the Attacks
Appendix H: The September 12 Situation Report and the President's
Appendix I: Witness Interview Summaries
Appendix J: Requests and Subpoenas for Documents
Appendix K: Analysis of Accountability Review Board, House Armed
Services Committee and House Permanent Select Intelligence Committee
Appendix L: Glen A. Doherty, Sean P. Smith, J. Christopher Stevens,
and Tyrone S. Woods
Additional Views by Rep. Jordan and Rep. Pompeo
Posted in 114th Congress, GOP -- Republican Party, Hillary Clinton, International Politics, Libya, Obama Administration, Political Documents, Political Speeches & Documents, Secretary of State, Terror Attacks
Tagged Benghazi, Congress, Hillary Clinton, Libya, Republican Party, Select Committee on Benghazi, Terrorist Attack
https://historymusings.wordpress.com/2016/06/27/full-text-political-transcripts-june-27-2016-republican-select-committee-on-benghazi-releases-report/


text:
1Christians Malaysia
Keeping Christians of all denomination in Malaysia informed of events happening in the country affecting the Christian faith and other political issues. Encouraging Christians to get more involved in politics so His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
EDL takeover could weaken future toll projects, says economist
By Lee Wei Lian
Highway concessionaires could no longer count on unyielding support for toll collections, said Yeah. — File pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 ― A government takeover of the Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL) could undermine future toll projects given as concessionaires must be mindful that the government could reverse support due to public pressure, said RAM Ratings chief economist Yeah Kim Leng.
This comes after reports on Thursday that the RM1 billion EDL, which has not been allowed to collect any tolls since it opened in April, will be taken over by the government ― a move that could potentially utilise taxpayer funds and increase the country's public debt levels.
Yeah said future highway operators now needed to be mindful that government support for toll collection was fluid.
"It makes it more difficult for future projects," he told The Malaysian Insider when contacted yesterday.
Yeah added that for government should first gauge the public's willingness to pay the proposed toll for such future projects, as well as determine if taxpayers would agree to foot the bill for privatisation deals.
The Malaysian Insider reported last December that the RM1 billion highway built by Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB) would force motorists making roundtrips to Singapore via the Johor Causeway to pay about five times more than the present rate of RM2.90.
The decision to bar the collection of tolls when the EDL opened was widely seen as a move to avoid a public backlash in the Umno stronghold state in the run-up to the general election.
The steep increase in tolls would have provided fodder for the opposition, especially PKR, which held its national congress in Johor late last year to signal its ready to take over the state despite not winning a single seat in the Umno fortress during Election 2008.
Over 50,000 vehicles cross the bridge daily, mostly Malaysians living in and around the state capital who commute to the island republic to work.
The lack of revenue prospects since the new highway opened, however, caused the Islamic bonds issued by EDL's owner ― MRCB Southern Link Bhd's ― to be downgraded by RAM earlier this month.
Malaysia has seen the sprouting of privately operated toll highways since the 1980s and tolls were a major issue during the last general election.
The Najib administration has attempted to address public unhappiness over tolls, and either reduced rates or completely abolished tolls at several highways in and around Kuala Lumpur.
PLUS Expressways Bhd, which operates the North South Expressway, was also taken over by the UEM Group, a government-linked corporation, and national pension fund EPF for RM23 billion in 2010.
After the takeover, PLUS Expressways said it would agree to lower toll hikes and forego compensation in exchange for a longer concession period.
The latest toll project to come under scrutiny from the opposition is the West Coast Expressway being built by Kumpulan Europlus for RM7 billion, due to its interest subsidies and RM2.24 billion soft loan from the government.
Posted by 1Christians Malaysia at 08:09
1Christians Malaysia is a Christian NGO with the aim of uniting Malaysian Christians of all denomination into 1 Body of Christ. Christians must be united so that we can speak in 1 strong voice to protect our rights as stated in our federal constitution. We must work and pray together so that His Will be done on earth as it is in heaven.


Since I do not have an industrial mixer or even a hand mixer or even a whisk, I had to make my meringue by whipping it manually with a pair of forks. This took me like 25 minutes. I never quite got hard peaks to form, but it did seem to more or less work. To the right is my recipe, in case you want to copy this genius invention.
In category Flash, Pinball, Punch, Pie.


The view from the South Branch of the Chicago River on the way to a day of fishing with Capt. Pat Harrison.
I think fall fishing will dominate this weekend in the free form Chicago outdoors, but there is a lot of scheduled stuff, too. With that, here's this weekend's Show & Go.
Saturday at Waukegan will be the epicenter in some ways.
Aquatic Pet Take Back Event: Only fish and aquatic invertebrates accepted (no penalties for turning in regulated species), email BeAHeroReleaseZero@gmail.com to ensure space, 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Waukegan Harbor, ReleaseZero.org.


text:
<?php

namespace Magento\Quote\Test\Unit\Model\Quote\Address;

use \Magento\Quote\Model\Quote\Address\Validator;

use Magento\Framework\TestFramework\Unit\Helper\ObjectManager;

class ValidatorTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
{
    /**
     * @var Validator
     */
    protected $model;

    /**
     * @var \PHPUnit_Framework_MockObject_MockObject
     */
    protected $countryFactoryMock;

    /**
     * @var \PHPUnit_Framework_MockObject_MockObject
     */
    protected $itemMock;

    /**
     * @var \PHPUnit_Framework_MockObject_MockObject
     */
    protected $countryMock;

    protected function setUp()
    {
        $objectManager = new ObjectManager($this);
        $this->countryFactoryMock = $this->getMock('\Magento\Directory\Model\CountryFactory', [], [], '', false);
        $this->countryMock = $this->getMock('\Magento\Directory\Model\Country', [], [], '', false);
        $this->itemMock = $this->getMock(
            '\Magento\Quote\Model\Quote\Address',
            ['getCountryId', 'getEmail'],
            [],
            '',
            false
        );
        $this->countryFactoryMock
            ->expects($this->any())
            ->method('create')
            ->will($this->returnValue($this->countryMock));
        $this->model = $objectManager->getObject(
            'Magento\Quote\Model\Quote\Address\Validator',
            [
                'countryFactory' => $this->countryFactoryMock,
            ]
        );
    }

    public function testValidateWithEmptyObject()
    {
        $this->itemMock->expects($this->once())->method('getEmail')->will($this->returnValue(null));
        $this->itemMock->expects($this->once())->method('getCountryId')->will($this->returnValue(null));
        $this->assertTrue($this->model->isValid($this->itemMock));
        $this->assertEmpty($this->model->getMessages());
    }

    public function testValidateWithInvalidEmail()
    {
        $this->itemMock->expects($this->once())->method('getEmail')->will($this->returnValue('invalid_email'));
        $this->itemMock->expects($this->once())->method('getCountryId')->will($this->returnValue(null));
        $this->assertFalse($this->model->isValid($this->itemMock));
        $messages = ['invalid_email_format' => 'Invalid email format'];
        $this->assertEquals($messages, $this->model->getMessages());
    }

    public function testValidateWithInvalidCountryId()
    {
        $this->itemMock->expects($this->once())->method('getEmail')->will($this->returnValue(null));
        $this->itemMock->expects($this->once())->method('getCountryId')->will($this->returnValue(100));

        $this->countryMock->expects($this->once())->method('load')->with(100);
        $this->countryMock->expects($this->once())->method('getId')->will($this->returnValue(null));

        $this->assertFalse($this->model->isValid($this->itemMock));
        $messages = ['invalid_country_code' => 'Invalid country code'];
        $this->assertEquals($messages, $this->model->getMessages());
    }

    public function testValidateWithInvalidData()
    {
        $this->itemMock->expects($this->once())->method('getEmail')->will($this->returnValue('invalid_email'));
        $this->itemMock->expects($this->once())->method('getCountryId')->will($this->returnValue(100));

        $this->countryMock->expects($this->once())->method('load')->with(100);
        $this->countryMock->expects($this->once())->method('getId')->will($this->returnValue(null));

        $this->assertFalse($this->model->isValid($this->itemMock));
        $messages = [
            'invalid_email_format' => 'Invalid email format',
            'invalid_country_code' => 'Invalid country code',
        ];
        $this->assertEquals($messages, $this->model->getMessages());
    }

    public function testValidateWithValidData()
    {
        $this->itemMock->expects($this->once())->method('getEmail')->will($this->returnValue('test@example.com'));
        $this->itemMock->expects($this->once())->method('getCountryId')->will($this->returnValue(100));

        $this->countryMock->expects($this->once())->method('load')->with(100);
        $this->countryMock->expects($this->once())->method('getId')->will($this->returnValue(100));

        $this->assertTrue($this->model->isValid($this->itemMock));
        $this->assertEmpty($this->model->getMessages());
    }
}


6 Kangtega (6779M) British Kangtega Exp. Mr. Paul Ramsoen UK 4 South Rid.
7 Makalu (8463M) "O O" Nalunfreunde Makalu Exp. Mr. Hermann Trippocher Austria 10 Normal R.
12 Manaslu (8163M) Gdnsk Szczecm Himalaya Exp MR. Krzysztof Tarasewicz Poland 11 Normal R.
13 Sagarmatha (8848M) Handicapped Expedition 2001 India Mr. Baba Munindra Pal India 7 S.E.R.
14 Sagarmatha (8848M) Odyssey Everest Expedition 2001 Mr. Mitsumasa Miyamoto Japan 7 S.E.R.
15 Sagarmatha (8848M) Mountaineering Experience Everest 2001 MR. Jason Edward USA 4 S.E.R.
16 Sagarmatha (8848M) IMG Everest 2001 Expedition Mr. Ronald Gregory Wilson USA 6 S.E.R.
17 Sagarmatha (8848M) Expedition Castelana Y Leonesa Exp Mr. Isidoro RodriguezCubilias Spain 9 S.E.R.
18 Sagarmatha (8848M) 2001 NFB Everest Exp Mr. Pasquake V. Scaturro USA 10 S.E.R.
19 Sagarmatha (8848M) Chilean Women Everest Expedition Ms. Biviane Cuo Chile 8 S.E.R.
20 Sagarmatha (8848M) Everest Expedition 2001 Germany Mr. Peter Guggemos Germany 7 S.E.R.
21 Sagarmatha (8848M) Indian Army Everest Exp Lt.Col.MR. SC Sharma India 12 S.E.R.
22 Sagarmatha (8848M) Everest 2001 Friendship Everest Exp Ms.Neni Duro Arajol Spain 7 S.E.R.


I truly enjoy seeing my students gain confidence and mastery of the guitar. Teaching music is not work. It's a joy and every moment spent teaching music is fulfilling. They say time flies when you are having fun. It goes twice as fast when you are playing music. The rewards of teaching are unlimited.
I can't stress enough how critical it is for any student to find a teacher that really connects with them at whatever learning stage they are, inspires them to learn, gets them excited enough to practice what they learnt and to look forward to the next lesson. In our case Robert was that teacher. My eldest son took lessons with Robert for 3 years. Today at 13 my son plays like a pro practically any song he likes. Instead of waiting outside for my son to finish lessons I also took lessons with my him and despite my busy life Robert taught me enough to be able to play my favorite songs on stage with confidence. Robert makes guitar lessons highly interesting and we always walked out feeling very excited about what we learnt. Robert is technically very savvy and used technology all the time to enhance the lessons. Every year he arranged 1-2 guitar concerts that offered students from basic to advanced levels an opportunity to play songs of their choice, on stage, with a live band, in front of a very supportive audience comprising of friends and families of all students - which gave us valuable stage experience and confidence to play. I strongly recommend Robert's lessons to everyone who is serious about learning guitar.
My son has been taking bass and guitar lessons from Robert for a year now. The growth has been phenomenal! Robert has great patience and is a wonderful teacher. My sons feels he has learned something new each week. The shows that Robert puts on for the kids are wonderful. Not only do they get to show off all their skills for a day they also give back to those in need. Such great lessons for these kids to learn.
Robert is a great instructor, from his ability to break down a song by ear to his extensive knowledge of theory. Robert will aid you in meeting personal goals and provide you with the ability to share what you have learned with others. Robert can have you in front of people playing before you know it, if that is something you want to do. I have had several guitar instructors along the way, Robert has provided me with the most tangible, measurable instruction - bar none!
Robert is a great teacher, very patient, sincere and has commendable teaching techniques. We drive an hour each week for lessons.
My experience could not have been better. I am older, well, a lot older than his usual student. He was encouraging, and lessons were fun! I had some left wrist issues so had to stop. When those are over, I will be back! He knows the guitar & he knows music of all kinds. Whatever you want to learn, he is THE MAN! Patience is a virtue. Robert has patience. No matter your age, you Will learn to play.
Robert is an excellent and patient teacher who I highly recommend to any age student. He is a passionate professional who really knows music .
Robert has a unique ability to disect what is heard in a song, instruct, via practical music theory, what is going on in the song and assist the student in practical application of playing the song. Our lessons were informative and fun. Best of all is his "Juniper Jam" to raise funds for a Veteran Charity. Students get to play with a real rock band, or just with Robert, on a stage and perform for friends and family.
Robert is an amazing teacher with a great approach to teaching that really works . I learned more in a couple lessons from Robert then I did after what seemed like forever trying to teach myself. I highly recommend Robert for guitar lessons.
Robert is a great guitar teacher!!!! We are amazed at how much our son has learned from him. Robert makes it fun, and our son really enjoys learning from him.
Robert puts his students ahead of making money. He sets up opportunities for his students to play at open mikes and in other situations without any extra charges. Also, if he doesn't have another lesson or any other responsibility, he will extend a lesson beyond the usual time frame. I highly recommend him!
I'm a 50 yr old dad who's sons and business have kept me busy. I've dreamed of playing guitar and singing along from an early age. With very limited knowledge of playing, I reached out to Robert and I'm so glad I did. I'm two months of lessons in and I'm able to make some music!! I can't say enough about Robert's style, knowledge and patience!! He's truly a tremendous teacher and an even better guy!!!
The first thing we do is make sure the guitar plays the way it should and that it is a good instrument to learn on. Then, we play music. We choose our curriculum and the direction we are going and follow the path that best suits the guitar player in training. My students are amazed at how quickly we progress.
I started plaiying the guitar at around 13 years old. It started off slowly until I found great teachers. On my own I was slow to progress. But, I have several teachers to thank for my ability to teach music and guitar. I also studied acoustic and electric guitar styles at Chicago' Old Town School of Folk Music. Music can be easy to understand if you have a good teacher. I was fortunate enough to have several good teachers. I pass their knowledge on to you. I have been teaching guitar for the last 28 years. This is my full time career.
Please visit my website at www.DupageGuitarLessons.com to see rates and availability.
In 1990, I started teaching a neighbor. From the neighbor I received a few referrals. Before I knew it I had over ten students. Then, I started working in the music stores. In the year 2000, I had over 50 students per week in three different local music stores. I did that for about 5 years before it became too much on my hands and arms. For the last ten plus years I have been teaching from my home studio in Carol Stream and I teach in my student's homes. I maintain a current student base of 30 - 35 students. Physically, that's about all my arms and hands can handle. So, spots are limited. But, there is always availability for passionate willing learners that are looking for a top tier guitar education.
I teach all ages and abilities from the age of 5 and up. My current roster of students spans from 7 years old to 70. It's never too late or too early to learn.
Make sure you are a good fit and that you are acheiving your goals on the guitar. Make sure your teacher is passionate about lessons and that you are getting the best you can.
What are your goals on the instrument? Are you passionate and feel a burning desire to learn the guitar and play? Do have time to play? What should you look for in a teacher? What should you play?


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When we said goodbye to the suburbs a few years ago and bought a house east of Troost in KC the irony was not lost on me. We might have looked like one of those families that was sloughing off the confines of suburbia with its immaculate lawns, cul de sacs, and conformity. People may have thought we were on a mission to snatch up an old home for a steal and buy into the increasingly popular urban lifestyle.
This resurgence of city living is very much fixed on the place, the location, the older homes, and interesting architecture in the city scape, or even nearby pubs and artsy shops.
But my family—my husband, three young boys and myself—didn't move to Hyde Park or Westport where the cool factor is significantly greater. We chose east of Troost, what seemed to many like an identity-less, rougher part of town that was more of a passageway to other places rather than a desirable destination in its own right.
We moved because we wanted to be close to our church and the community we had been growing to love through ministry work at Reconciliation Services at 31st and Troost. It wasn't about the place or the location. It was about entering into a community where our hearts were called to struggle and to love others.
I didn't want to be some outsider family that was moving east of Troost to fix things, fix people. I wanted to blend in, to really enter in and to be a part, to be authentic. This is where I wanted to build community afterall.
The fact is however, that I don't blend in very well. I'm a middle-class, white woman who moved to a predominantly African American community that is economically stressed. I am like the poster woman for gentrification. I move to a depressed part of town and I bring my ideas of community—what that looks like and who belongs there—with me. I want to restore my old house and beautify my garden. I also want safer streets and better quality shops nearby. I want a place that feels good, beautiful and safe.
In the midst of this struggle and tension I have this little mantra: People over place. When I am daydreaming about the mountains or the ocean, when I fantasize about some beautiful paradise or an amazing new house, I remind myself that my deepest desire is always to put people over place. It has so little to do with me impacting someone else and so much more to do with me striving to see beauty and truth in others, in myself even.
The core mission of Reconciliation Services is to reveal the strengths of those we serve, to restore dignity. This mission can bring the kind of development and restoration that really offers lasting change - it is the development and restoration of people. It isn't some underground initiative to fix or change people but rather a sincere working together to bring to light what is good and true and beautiful - what is already there waiting to be revealed.
Restoration can't help but alter things. When you move into an old house and labor over renovating and restoring it, you alter it. When we move to a different part of town, where people have different backgrounds and different struggles to us, when we get to know the people around us—us sharing with them and them sharing with us—we alter one another.
I've decided that this idea of blending into my neighborhood is not really possible for me. I want to be light, to love. Light and love alter things. They spill over onto the people around them and they permeate the places they inhabit. But I also want to find ways to see light and love in my neighbor, understand better who they are and what makes them precious.
These connections are so much easier to make with people who are like me. There are some neighbors around me with similar values and backgrounds who have proven to be easy company. But what about the man named John who walks down my street daily to the gas station to get a beer? What about Tamika, who lost her dog recently and lives alone? What about Charles who seems to drink the day away on his front porch? What about the older ladies in the nice house that rarely come outside? What about the family that rents "that" house at the end of the block?
These folks are every bit a part of my community yet so unknown to me. They are more important than the old houses and the latest city plan to better the neighborhood. But man, it sure is easier to hone in on those measurable initiatives, to change the look and feel of the neighborhood than it is to discover the inherent beauty of the people who occupy the neighborhood and to honor their history and struggle.
It doesn't really matter if our heart's path leads us through the wilderness or the urban landscape. The place is just the place. But the people, the people are everything.
Tags kc, reconciliation services, kc east side, troost, 31st and troost, gentrification, hyde park, westport
When my family moved to the urban core of KC over three years ago, friends and family cautioned us, "It is more dangerous over there!" Some said, "It isn't safe!" The narrative of our part of the City had been told in terms of its crime and instability.
The neighborhood alerts on our community boards do sometimes reach a fever pitch, announcing another suspicious person, another break in, or worse. But it's the city. We expect that, right?
Violent acts and violent rhetoric seem to dominate our landscape. From suicide bombings in far off places to murderous rampages and vehement speech closer to home, violence presses in on us. We turn on the news or browse the headlines expecting it, even looking for it. It seems inevitable to us that certain places or certain people would be violent.
But violence is as close as our own hearts.
I have cringed at the sound of a mother berating her child at the bus stop. I have called the police when the argument heard coming from a nearby house sounded like it was turning dangerous or if I heard gun shots closer than I'd like. I have taken an alternate route on my walk when I encountered two women shouting and degrading one another. Yes, violence is pressing in, but it is also pressing out.
In 1 John 3:15 it says that, "anyone who hates his brother is a murderer." That isn't some flowery metaphor or shocking image. It is fact. An act of hate is murder.
So what makes me different from the mother berating her child at the bus stop? Nothing, really. I despise her behavior. I despise what she represents. I despise how she treats her child. Therefore, I despise her, hate her, murder her in my heart.
In the end I put myself in the place of judgement over these violent "others" and assume that they are just degenerates and perpetrators, forgetting that their story is most definitely one of victimhood as well, with complicated and traumatic stories that have played out time and time again.
So how do we battle violence?
Reconciliation.
Gentleness, forgiveness and reconciliation. These are the weapons we must use.
We see examples not only in the Bible but in Christian saints, modern day activists, and mystical teachers—of how peace can disarm violence. St. Seraphim of Sarov, a Russian saint entreated, "Acquire the Spirit of Peace and a thousand souls around you will be saved." We see in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:9 in the Bible, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
Peace is this thing that we must acquire, hunt down, work for, struggle to maintain. We are urged to close the gap between ourselves and others in peace and reconciliation. Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are those who reconcile.
It seems an overwhelming proposition to me to take on a violent culture, the vehement rhetoric of today's warmongers, the institutions and religions that perpetrate violence. That is why I must make my most strategic battlefield my own heart. This is where I begin my struggle to overcome violence. From there, who knows what may come!
Tags urban core, reconciliation services, St Seraphim, Troost, violence, 1 John 3:15, murder, peace, peacemakers, reconciliation, Jodi Mathews, kc, suicide bombings


Welcome to the Parafield Gardens High School Curriculum and Enrolment website.
This website gives a brief description of every subject offered to students in Years 8 to 12 at Parafield Gardens High School. It also shows the courses available at each year level, and the pattern of subjects that students must follow for each course.
After carefully reading the information on this website, students should choose, with caregivers, the relevant subjects appropriate to their interests, abilities and career aspirations. The final subject selection can then be made using the online enrolment wizard.
Any choice subjects offered on this website will be taught only if there are sufficient student numbers to form viable classes, and if teacher resources are available.