text:
Renault Trucks Defense Seeks Core Role in Industry Consolidation
(Source: defense-aerospace.com; published Nov. 19, 2012)
The VAB Mk 3, developed by RTD for the export market, has attracted interest from ten countries; initial deliveries are planned for late 2013 or early 2014. (RTD photo)
PARIS --- Having undertaken what it considers as the first step in the consolidation of France's army equipment industry by purchasing Panhard, Renault Trucks Defense (RTD) hopes to resume its merger talks with the state-owned Nexter group.
Despite current uncertainties about the new French government's defense industry policies, RTD continues to be interested in a combination of its mobility know-how with the Nexter's range of weapons, but is also looking at Finland's Patria and the Australian-based army equipment business of Thales as possible strategic partners, company CEO Gérard Amiel told reporters here Nov. 14.
With the previous purchase of military truck-maker Acmat, RTD now has over 1,000 employees spread over seven facilities, and is well on the way to reach its goal of 700 million euros of annual sales by 2015, from the 400 million euros it projects for 2012.
More significantly, its product range now covers the full range of wheeled platforms, from under 3.5 metric tonnes to over 42 tonnes, and for military missions including combat, fire-support and logistics. Much of its recent business, however, has been generated in the homeland security sector, which is also where it sees the fastest growth in the coming years, Amiel said during an even marking its formal take-over of Panhard.
RTD believes there are two main reasons why it should be the core of a consolidated French army equipment industry: it belongs to the Volvo AB group, on which it can rely for access to technology, major components and financial assistance; and all of its facilities and personnel are based in France, where it also is in the running for taking over and operating French army logistical centers, a profitable and growing business.
Amiel makes a persuasive case for the benefits of belonging to a dual-technology group active in both civil and military markets, as a company which has to buy components and technology from outside suppliers at a premium has little chance of staying in business as the market becomes even more price-sensitive, and technology becomes more expensive to develop or buy.
"We buy our engines from Volvo at cost, while Nexter buys its components from Mercedes at twice their cost price," Amiel says: which is the better deal, he asks?
And, to illustrate how the cost of buying in components from outside suppliers can boost costs, he points out that Panhard's PVP, which tips the scales at just over 4 tonnes, costs as much as RTD's own Sherpa Light, with an empty weight of 8 tonnes.
In the meantime, the new defense white paper due out in February has delayed the next major army program, the VBMR multirole armored vehicle on which RTD and Nexter have partnered for at least two years. There are even some doubts about the future of the ambitious Scorpion program, which called for a multi-billion euro overhaul of almost all in-service equipment.
But, whatever the future holds, RTD is presently focused on integrating Panhard, developing export sales, expanding logistic support services to the French army, and accompanying the shift from military to homeland security acquisitions, especially in Africa and the Far East.
"Our core business is mobility, not weapons" says Amiel, so whatever happens the company will not have to merge to survive because there is much less competition, and less duplication, at this end of the business.
RTD's closest competitor, Iveco, is also part of a large, predominantly civilian maker of trucks and buses, and there are a lot of similarities in how the two approach the military market. Iveco has already beat out RTD to a major French truck contract, but Amiel notes with satisfaction that his company "beat Iveco three times in Egypt," where it has won contracts worth over 400 million euros over the past year.
RTD is also making good progress in taking over the French army's in-service support; it has taken over and now operates a first workshop at Fourchambault, in central France, and will bid for more as the outsourcing process continues.
RTD's support business is now worth about 100 million euros per year, and the gains that it brings in terms of effectiveness can be astounding compared to military procedures. RTD has involved its civilian truck dealers in supporting their local French army units, so "a part that is ordered before 6 p.m. is delivered to the army workshop by 8 a.m. the next morning," Amiel says, while "comparable army procedures allowed 40 days from order to delivery," and thus made for needlessly big, unwieldy and very expensive inventories.
The company also continues to develop armored vehicles, and will begin production next year of the VAB Mk III, a new variant of this wheeled armored vehicle that it developed on its own funds for the export market. This vehicle is likely to interest the ten export customers which already operate earlier models of the VAB, as well as others who do not require vehicles as advanced or as costly as the VBCI or the VBMR.


text:
Salmonella & Pests
Salmonella and Pest Control
What Is Salmonella?
Salmonella is a species of bacteria of which there are over 3000 known strains. It gets its name from the American vet, Daniel Elmer Salmon (1850-1914).
Is Salmonella Dangerous?
Not all strains or varieties of bacteria are considered dangerous to humans. Unfortunately, some are so significant that death is not uncommon. The most common forms of Salmonella bacteria associated with transmission to humans include – S.typhi, S.paratyphi, S.typhimurium, and S.enteritidis. Salmonella used as a biological control on rat populations has proved to be useful but not ideal. Rats became resistant, and humans did not. In fact, it was also transmitted to humans, resulting in outbreaks of gastroenteritis. Because of this, The World Health Organisation (WHO) quickly retracted its use.
Is Salmonella Common?
In humans, the disease is common. Each year, millions of people worldwide suffer acute gastroenteritis after becoming infected with Salmonella typhimurium.
How Does Salmonella Attack The Body?
Like all microorganisms, bacteria attack the body in a variety of ways. Some bacteria produce toxins that poison you, while others attack the body. Salmonella enters our body with contaminated food or water, so it is considered a foodborne pathogen. The word pathogen means – disease-causing from the Greek: pathos "suffering, passion" and genēs "producer of." The bacteria attack the body by invading and colonising the lining (mucosa) of the intestine. Bacterial invasion of the lining of your gut causes inflammation (swelling), termed enteritis.
Where Does Salmonella Come From?
Rodents, pets, birds, and insects can all carry salmonella. Most people are unaware that they are carriers of the bacteria (5%) without showing symptoms of the disease. Human to human transmission should not be ruled out for this very reason.
What Are The Signs & Symptoms of Salmonella Infection?
Symptoms of Salmonella include stomach cramps, dizziness, confusion, and nausea. Signs of infection include vomiting, fever, diarrhoea and severe dehydration, collapse and, in rare cases, death. On average, it takes from 12 to 48 hours for the symptoms to develop (incubation period) after swallowing an infectious dose of salmonella, thought to be around 105 per gram. Symptoms usually last for several days, and most people recover without treatment. People who become severely ill may need hospital care because dehydration caused by the illness can be life-threatening. One of the most dangerous forms of Salmonella because it has the highest mortality (death) rate is S.choleraesuis. Because Salmonella can multiply between 7C and 45C, fridges must be checked to ensure they are operating at 5C or below. Disinfection of all food preparation surfaces is vital before any food preparation.
Who Gets Salmonella?
Anyone can get salmonella, but young children, the elderly and people who have immune systems that are not working correctly (including people on antibiotics, recovering from illness), have a higher risk of becoming severely ill.
How Do You Get Infected With Salmonella?
You usually get salmonella by eating or drinking contaminated food and drink. Salmonella bacteria live in the gut or on the surface of many animals, including rodents, birds, and insects. Contamination is also possible when raw and cooked foods become stored together. It's impossible to tell from the appearance of foods if bacteria have contaminated it. It will typically look, smell and taste quite ordinary. Bacteria can be spread from person to person because of poor hygiene. Failing to wash your hands properly after going to the toilet or after handling contaminated food.
How Do You Avoid Salmonella Infection?
Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water:
Before preparing and eating food
After handling raw foods
Following the use of toilets or waste facilities
After contact with pets or animals and their faeces
Following work in the garden with compost or soil
keep cooked food away from raw food
store raw foods below cooked or ready-to-eat foods in the fridge to prevent contamination
wash raw fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating
cook food thoroughly, especially meat, so that it is piping hot
keep all kitchen surfaces and equipment, including knives, chopping boards and dishcloths, clean
do not drink untreated water from lakes, rivers or streams
do not keep reptiles or amphibians in households where there is a child under five year of age or someone with a weakened immune system
If someone has salmonella, launder all contaminated clothing, bedding, and towels in the washing machine on the hottest wash cycle possible. Disinfect toilet seats, toilet bowls, flush handles, taps and wash hand basins after use with detergent and hot water, followed by a household disinfectant.
This entry was posted in Pest Control Bristol and tagged Bristol, Disease, Pest Control.
Pest Control Gallery
Pests & Disease Risk

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Well-designed window fashions do more than simply cover a window. At Hunter Douglas, form and function are inseparable. Great design is beautiful to live with, provides variable light control, insulates rooms against heat and cold while saving energy, protects your furnishings from damaging UV rays, and even absorbs sound, improving the acoustics in a room. And, our advanced operating systems make using our products a pleasure every day. Now that's artful window dressings. Lifetime guarantee.
Hunter Douglas window fashions are available in a wide variety of product designs with fabrics and materials that come in a range of opacities from sheer to opaque – Offering varying degrees of privacy and light control options. Silhouette Clearview shadings feature S-vane constructions, diffusing harsh light while creating daytime privacy, all while un-obstructing your view. Sheer fabric from Hunter Douglas also filters out glare, brightness, and UV rays, protecting your furniture and valuables from fading over time. For an extra layer for restraining light, there is optional lining available with Hunter Douglas window treatments. These fit beautifully behind sheer shades or even blinds. Hunter Douglas also offers window treatments like horizontal blinds with varying slat sizes. Slat size determines the amount of light coming into your living space, so it's nice to have versatile window treatments to choose what is best for you. From fabric choice to efficient designs, Hunter Douglas has an assortment of window treatments to fit your privacy and light control needs perfectly.
Up to 50% of your home's heating and cooling energy can be lost through your windows. Hunter Douglas is an industry leader in making a big energy savings difference at the window. Hunter Douglas has innovative products like honeycomb shades with cellular construction. This design traps air in pockets, providing an extra layer of protection at your windows. This keeps your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Architella® shades feature a double honeycomb construction, giving you even more energy efficient choices. The honeycomb shape not only works to keep your home cool, but the design adds a stunning visual element at the window as well. Being energy efficient is an important quality any home should have, and it's great that it can start by simply using beautiful window treatments.
All of our window fashions are designed and custom assembled in the US. Our long-standing commitment to quality and innovation means you will enjoy choices at Hunter Douglas that you won't find anywhere else. From cordless manual and motorized operating, retractable lift cords, cord tensioners and wand controls, we offer a wide array of innovative lifting system options for enhanced child and pet safety. LiteRise is a cordless system that allows you to easily push up on your blinds or shades, and they stay where you put them. This way you are no longer struggling with pulling the cord just right. This cord-free feature is also safe for children so you can put window treatments anywhere in your home. Cordless also means no distracting strings tangled beside your window fashions. To also get rid of tangled chords, Hunter Douglas offers UltraGlide with a retractable cord used to adjust your shades or blinds. This is another feature that is child and pet-friendly. All Hunter Douglas window treatments are advanced in noise reduction, helping to reduce outside sound while improving the acoustics in your home. This is based on the fabric of your window treatments, so be sure to talk to a sales expert if this is an important feature to you.


text:
Q: pass the value of a variable to another method C# I am new to programming. How do I pass the value of a variable to another method? The code variable gets a value, but when the method exits, it is reset to zero. I need to set the visitcode variable to the value of the code variable. I've tried declaring a code variable in the public class, but it doesn't work either. i did it like this
public partial class _Default : System.Web.UI.Page
Int32 code = new Int32();

protected void Repeater1_OnItemCommand(object source, RepeaterCommandEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.CommandName == "visitcode")
    {
        Int32 code = Convert.ToInt32(e.CommandArgument);
    }
}

protected void button1_click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    string num = number.Value;
    string document = doc.Value;
    string format = "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss:fff";
    string stringDate = DateTime.Now.ToString(format);
    string visitcode = code
}

A: Each HTTP request is treated as a new request, this means that your "code" variable is always cleaned every time it reaches the server, so ASP.NET WebForms offers a way to store temporary values in the session variable.
Your code could see like this:
protected void Repeater1_OnItemCommand(object source, RepeaterCommandEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.CommandName == "visitcode")
    {
        Session["Code"] = e.CommandArgument;
    }
}

In a second request, you could retrieve the value as follows:
protected void button1_click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    ...
    string visitcode = Session["Code"];
}

As I mentioned, Session variable is temporary so you have to validate if your value is different to NULL, if so this means that the session is over.
I hope it is useful for you

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


"Kentucky Annual Economic Report 2009" by Kenneth R. Troske, John Garen et al.
Troske, Kenneth R.; Garen, John; Sudharshan, Devanathan; and Sigafus, Roy A., "Kentucky Annual Economic Report 2009" (2009). Kentucky Annual Economic Report. 4.


BORN is the world's largest digital platform for fashion, sport, design, tech, motor and creative intelligence, with the aim of enabling collaborations and facilitating networking between the disciplines. And there was certainly an air of camaraderie as the greats of the design world gathered at the Design Museum for the eighth annual Land Rover BORN Global Awards.
Entry is now open for next year here, with the theme being 'Desire', a product which is dynamic, captivating and sophisticated.


Danielle Harris was born in NY on June 01 and now she is featured here. She began her career in the entertainment industry with modeling jobs. She married David Gross in 2014. Her mother is named Fran and she has a sister named Ashley.
As a child she received a two-week travel reward for winning a beauty contest. She was in the comedy movie Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead with Christina Applegate.
Danielle Harris's fappening pics on the next page!


text:
Africa & African American
Asia, Middle East, India
Critical Writing & Theory
European Artists and Exhibitions
Group Exhibitions A-Z
Latin American Artists and Exhibitions
Limited Edition Prints & Multiples
Minimal, Conceptual & Land Art
Performance, Dance, Fluxus, Happenings
Photography, Film & Video
Prints, Drawings, Collages & Printed Matter
Sculpture, New Media, & Installation
Sound, Text & Language
Surveys, Biennials, Collections & Movements
Artist A - D
Artist E - K
Artist L - R
Artist S - Z
Cahiers d'Art, Paris
TOMMA ABTS
Would you like this gift wrapped?
Tomma Abts.
Bruce Hainley, Laura Hoptman, Jan Verwoert, New York,
Hardcover, d.j., 136 pp., 55 color illustrations.
Born in Germany and based in London, Tomma Abts has received considerable acclaim for her paintings and drawings. Her work has been shown at such major international exhibitions as the Berlin Biennial (2006) and the Carnegie International (2004), as well as at prestigious museums across Europe, including Kunsthalle Basel (2005) and Van Abbemuseum (2004). In 2006 she was awarded the Turner Prize.
Each Tomma Abts painting is the result of an intuitive process, a complex operation of addition and substraction. Within rigid parameters – unvarying materials and size – she conjures a progression of shapes and colours, building layer upon layer of seemingly spontaneous geometry until the work reaches its culmination: an abstract arrangement in perfect tension.
This volume, the artist's first extensive monograph, provides a comprehensive survey of her work, with full-colour images of thirty-seven paintings, and eighteen drawings, as well as three specially commissioned essays. In the first essay, Laura Hoptman dismantles abstraction's historical framework to illustrate the uniqueness of Abts' approach. Jan Verwoert meditates on the subversive power of contemplation, findind in Abts' artistic process a validation of "the beauty of latency." And Bruce Hainley gazes at Abts' work through the fictional eyes of Margit Carstensen – actress, muse, and star of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant.
ADEL ABDESSEMED. CERF, 2016
ADEL ABDESSEMED. HIBOU, 2016
ADEL ABDESSEMED. PIGEON, 2016.
ADER, BAS JAN. PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME.
AIR GUITAR: DAVE HICKEY
Art Catalogues
Tuesday–Saturday
11 am–4 pm
9469 Jefferson Boulevard
Culver City, California 90232
info@artcatalogues.com
Sign up for news of our events and new arrivals


Yohan Cabaye has been a class act since arriving from Lille last summer and capped Wednesday night's top performance with a scorcher of a free-kick which killed the Mancs off so early in the second half.
Cabaye, or 'Dreamboat' as some have christened him, has now scored three screamers in black & white.
At Anfield, Cabaye was cheated out of the opening goal but made no mistake with that thirty yard unstoppable free-kick.
We aren't ones to brag but in our Man. Utd. match preview we did tip Cabaye at 13-2 with BET365 to score anytime, the midfielder also made sure one of our other suggested bets came up as his free-kick meant Newcastle had scored in both halves which paid out at 9-2.
Recent matches have seen Cabaye definitely getting forward more, so we wouldn't put anybody off backing him to knock in more goals.
As well as a being a quality midfielder, the French international comes over as a great character to have at the club.
"It is one of my best free-kicks, I used to score a few in France, and I practice them a lot in training, but in a game is totally different.
When I saw the ball in the goal I was so happy for the team, for the whole of Newcastle, and it was an important goal.
It was important, not just for me, but for the team as well because it was the second goal and just at the start of the second half. It is a very, very good result for us and a brilliant start to the new year.
For me, it is the best game and the best win since I have been at Newcastle. I was very happy to be on the pitch tonight".


text:
FactoryGirl.define do
  factory :user_stack do
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Are you struggling with thoughts, emotions, memories, grief, loss, trauma, stress, anxiety, depression, panic, anger, feeling stuck, or worried about your relationships? True Selves Counseling offers a safe space for individuals and couples to experience change, growth and healing.
Located in the Belltown area of Seattle, Washington, my counseling practice is based on a belief that every individual and couple has a unique history with many experiences that shape and transform our ways of being and interacting. Each person is beautiful and whole, with a powerful story. Life experiences, life changes, trauma, loss, abuse, violence, oppression, and so many other factors impact our development, how we see ourselves, and how we relate to one another. It can be difficult or feel impossible at times to know who we are, who we want to be, and how we get there. I'd like to help you on that journey.


text:
Acts 1:2
2 until the day He was taken up, after He had given orders through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen. b
Mt 28:19–20 Lk 24:47 Jn 20:21
Acts 1:2 — The New International Version (NIV)
2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
Acts 1:2 — English Standard Version (ESV)
2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
Acts 1:2 — King James Version (KJV 1900)
2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
Acts 1:2 — New Living Translation (NLT)
2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:2 — The New King James Version (NKJV)
2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,
Acts 1:2 — New Century Version (NCV)
2 until the day he was taken up into heaven. Before this, with the help of the Holy Spirit, Jesus told the apostles he had chosen what they should do.
Acts 1:2 — American Standard Version (ASV)
2 until the day in which he was received up, after that he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
Acts 1:2 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)
2 until that day in which, having by the Holy Spirit charged the apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up;
Acts 1:2 — GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
2 until the day he was taken to heaven. Before he was taken to heaven, he gave instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles, whom he had chosen.
Acts 1:2 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
Acts 1:2 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)
2 until the day he was taken up, after he had given orders through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen,
Acts 1:2 — New International Reader's Version (1998) (NIrV)
2 until the day he was taken up to heaven. Before Jesus left, he gave orders to the apostles he had chosen. He did this through the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:2 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)
2 until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen.


Use a multi-channel e-commerce strategy to sell your products not only on Amazon but also your own website and more!
Have you dominated your product niche on Amazon and want to expand your sales to a multi-channel e-commerce strategy? By increasing the number of platforms that offer your Amazon product, you can increase your brand's exposure to a broader audience and potentially in overall revenue.
Amazon makes selling beyond its own platform easy with the Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment program, allowing customers to order your products from your own website and be fulfilled by Amazon.
Since there are many choices of platforms to add to your multi-channel e-commerce strategy, we have taken the liberty of evaluating them and have created this nice top 6 list for you. We have ordered the platforms according to certain factors we felt are significant when choosing other places to offer your Amazon products.
Some of these platforms are free platforms to start from scratch while others build on existing software for optimal integration into your Amazon business. We have ordered them based on their Ease of Use rating (5 being the easiest to use and 1 being the most difficult to use), meaning how easy they are to use in conjunction with your existing Amazon listings.
Also, pay attention to our "Features" rating (5 being a robust list of features and 1 being hardly any features at all) for the best bang for your buck comparisons!
Amazon Support: Yes, but you must be selling products that fit into a supporting category.
Shopify is a big name in the world of e-commerce, supporting online store functionality on a significant number of websites. Products are supported in the cloud, and the platform integrates pretty well with others and affords customers multiple forms of payment. Shopify also offers many services and features that some of the other platforms may not have on this list.
While Shopify offers multiple paid plans, they can begin to get pricey in the third tier. If you want good functionality and have more money to spend, then Shopify can be a welcome addition to your multi-channel e-commerce plan.
Amazon Support: Yes, but depending on your business, you may also be required to register your brand and request approval to sell in certain categories.
BigCommerce is another name many will recognize. The platform is supportive of most features and payment options and also rates highly on our Ease of Use scale. Also, the four plans offer a plethora of features for sellers to take advantage of, but the more worthwhile ones start to become more expensive at the Plus tier.
Additionally, BigCommerce requires more from its users than the top three on our list, which some may consider an inconvenience. Support for Amazon products appears to be conditional and may require users to register with the platform.
BigCommerce may be a worthy addition to your multi-channel e-commerce strategy if you don't mind the significant price per month to get the features you want.
Squarespace has made a name for itself as being an easy-to-use custom website builder that requires little technical skill to accomplish. And like the #1 contender on our multi-channel e-commerce list, this platform also affords users considerable range in customization options.
This platform also earns high marks for Ease of Use, giving users the ability to build a custom website from which to sell their Amazon products. Also hosting your products in the cloud, this platform offers a bit more in plan options and provides a high page allowance for a significant number of products as well as variations.
Squarespace has some limits on support for add-ons, but some Amazon sellers may not be bothered if customers can't use eBay or Bitcoin for purchases. If you like customization, Squarespace will make an excellent choice for your multi-channel e-commerce strategy.
Wix is one of the best-known website building platforms on the Internet due to its drag-and-drop method. Even the most inexperienced novices can create a website without coding or HTML, making the platform accessible and customizable.
For these reasons and more, Wix scored highly on our list for building out your multi-channel e-commerce strategy. Ease of Use holds the high score of 4 because of the flexibility and competitive pricing that the Wix plans offer.
Many useful features such as a built-in blog function, SSL certification, and cloud hosting are necessary for a successful website to sell your products. Additionally, Wix gives users the ability to add functionality and support of more platforms through third-party widgets.
Volusion makes a welcome addition to any multi-channel e-commerce plan due to the value it provides to users for the modestly priced plans. This platform offers a robust list of features across its plans and a high Ease of Use score. Support for our essential options and payment methods are either available from the beginning or are easily installed, making this newer platform one to add to your strategy for selling outside of Amazon.
WooCommerce is one of the more interesting contenders on our list because it exclusively works with WordPress website building. Simply put, you must host your website on WordPress to take advantage of this platform as it was designed to work with the website building giant.
For WordPress users, WooCommerce is a free widget that can be installed at any time and offers good flexibility in its integration. In keeping with WordPress' continuing effort to be user-friend, the widget follows in suit with a simple yet insightful interface.
Something that users may dislike is that many of the advanced features on our list have to be obtained by installing third-party plug-ins. Only a few features come standard with WooCommerce, so just add it to your multi-channel e-commerce plan if you have built a website through WordPress.
Do you have your own favorite e-commerce platform you would suggest to Amazon sellers as a way to expand sales? Let us know in the comments below!
How to Protect Your Amazon Inventory from Coupon ScammersDon't Miss the First-Ever Helium 10 User Social!


text:
Q: Can an ATmega or ATtiny device signature be read while running? While programming an ATtiny or ATmega, avrdude prints the device signature, in this example it is an ATtiny.
avrdude: Device signature = 0x1e910a

Can I read this signature on a running device using C++ code (avr-gcc)?  For ATmega1280 there is a chapter 29.6.10 writing about it, but I'm a bit puzzled by how I can code it in C++.
I want to be able to make the device send its device ID back to the controlling PC, so the PC can make decisions on it.

A: You can use these macros that get defined automatically when you include <avr/io.h>:
SIGNATURE_0
SIGNATURE_1
SIGNATURE_2

For ATmega1280, they're defined as:
/* Signature */
#define SIGNATURE_0 0x1E
#define SIGNATURE_1 0x97
#define SIGNATURE_2 0x03

in iom1280.h (which is automatically included through <avr/io.h> when you compile code for the m1280)
For example, this will send the three bytes via UART:
uart_putc(SIGNATURE_0)
uart_putc(SIGNATURE_1)
uart_putc(SIGNATURE_2)

If you truly want to read the fuses, you'd need to use  boot_signature_byte_get macro from <avr/boot.h>


text:
Beauty July 29, 2020
Gone Rouge: The History of Lipstick and the Color Red
by Alexandra Venison
Photographer Vikram Gawde
"Red can connote everything from desire, to danger, to power," says Christian Louboutin. Using red on the lips can be traced back to the women of Mesopotamia, who adorned their lips with crushed semi-precious stones, and Cleopatra, who used crushed beetles and ants to create the perfect crimson for lips, eyes, and cheeks. The Egyptians also used a mixture of focus-algin, iodine, and bromine mannite to color their lips – but this concoction could prove to be lethal and, legend has it, led to the coining of the term "kiss of death."
The Romans used red vermilion, derived from the powdered mineral cinnabar, as a cheek stain – but since it's derived from mercury, it can be toxic to humans. The Ancient Greeks opted for a safer path and crushed mulberries to add a flush of color to their complexions. Meanwhile, the Chinese began to paint their fingernails red. Red was seen as a status symbol by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, and the lower classes were forbidden from wearing the bright color.
Actress Elizabeth Taylor as Queen Cleopatra. Alamy
"Wearing lipstick has always been an emotional and visual experience, from the defiant red lips of the suffragettes to the alluring yet powerful pouts of the 1980s supermodels," says Charlotte Tilbury. During the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I of England made bright shades of rouge popular. Before then, medieval Europeans believed that makeup – particularly red lips – warned of death. In the early 20th century, Queen Victoria frowned upon the wearing of makeup but the young women of the day were not deterred, and early feminists started painting their lips crimson as a symbol of emancipation.
Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland. Alamy
During the second world war, lipstick was the only cosmetic not rationed, as British prime minister Winston Churchill believed it boosted morale. The decades after the war saw lipstick continue to dominate the cosmetics market, with movie sirens from Egypt to Hollywood favoring a bold pout. Samia Gamal danced her away across the silver screen with a bold flush of blush, and it is said that 98% of women in the US were wearing lipstick by that time, probably encouraged by Hollywood sirens like Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor.
Actress Marylin Monroe. Alamy
In the following decade, women became more experimental with their makeup colors but instead focused on eyeshadow. It would be two more decades before the bold look came into vogue, with women layering blush across their cheeks and up to the temples. Then in the minimalist 1990s, the look was natural, with a focus on flushed, rosy cheeks.
In 2020, red has cemented its status as a timeless accent, with a vivid red lip or nail the epitome of chic. The way the color is worn has also evolved over the last few seasons – 2015 saw the rise of crimson eyeshadow, now seen as a mainstream look – then came blush swept all the way up to the temples and now countless FW20 shows called on red in every shade for the ultimate power pout. From Dries Van Noten to Oscar De La Renta, lipstick followed no rules. Precision application is now a thing of the past.
Backstage at Oscar De La Renta F/W20. Indigital
"To me, red represents strength and confidence," says celebrity makeup artist Hung Vanngo. At last year's Golden Globe awards, Margot Robbie, Claire Foy, and Zoë Kravitz chose red makeup looks to complement their black #TimesUp outfits, wearing the color across eyes and lips. "When a woman wears red lips, it means she is confident. She is taking control of how others perceive her, and that message is very powerful. It is also a fierce signal to say, 'Look at my face,'" says Louboutin.
Originally published in the February 2018 issue of Vogue Arabia
Read Next: Team Vogue Arabia's Cult Beauty Products
Model and Actor Milla Jovovich on Her New Movie and Her Definition of Beauty
Meet The Nail Artist Extraordinaire Behind Dua Lipa's Maximalist Manicures
"I hope I continue to be curious about life" – Selena Gomez on Why She's Just Getting Started
Miranda Kerr, Tata Harper and Other Beauty Experts to Come Together at This Digital Festival


text:
Home Health Tips Hong Kong Baptist University receives FDA orphan drug designation for novel aptamer
Hong Kong Baptist University receives FDA orphan drug designation for novel aptamer
A research team from the School of Chinese Medicine at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has successfully developed a novel aptamer, i.e. a single-stranded piece of DNA, for the treatment of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. It is the first time a drug in Hong Kong has been granted orphan drug designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The designation will bring a series of benefits to the subsequent research and development of the drug, such as tax credits when conducting qualified clinical trials. The research team expects that clinical trials can be conducted in three years' time, at the earliest.
OI, which is also known as brittle bone disease, is a rare hereditary bone disease with no effective drugs for treatment. It affects 6 to 7 people per 100,000 worldwide. It is estimated that 700 to 800 people in Hong Kong have OI. Genetic studies have demonstrated that inhibition of sclerostin, a protein that regulates bone formation, can improve the clinical presentation of OI. Monoclonal antibodies, a type of biological therapy, can be used to inhibit sclerostin, but clinical evidence suggests that their use can lead to increased cardiovascular risk.
The research team - which was led by Professor Zhang Ge, Associate Director of HKBU's Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone & Joint Diseases, and Professor Lyu Aiping, Director of HKBU's Institute of Integrated Bioinformedicine and Translational Science - strategically screened and optimised a new class of molecule-nucleic acid aptamers against the sclerostin protein, which significantly promotes bone formation in mice with OI. In addition, it does not affect the cardiovascular protection function of sclerostin and hence will not increase cardiovascular risk.
Aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA molecules which are regarded as an alternative to antibodies. They can bind to and inhibit specific targets, such as sclerostin, with their three-dimensional structures. However, in a random single-stranded DNA library with more than 1015 sequences, identifying the most optimal molecule for the treatment of OI is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Aptamers can be selected, amplified and enriched through a process called Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment (SELEX). Traditionally, SELEX is done manually and is very time-consuming. In this project, the HKBU team succeeded in substantially raising screening efficiency by using a microfluidic system designed by the researchers to screen the aptamers. Microfluidics is a technique which can be used to precisely control and manipulate fluid in the microlitre range (one millionth of a litre).
After screening out tens of thousands of aptamers against sclerostin using the microfluidic system, the team then applied AI technology to further identify the optimal molecules.
We obtained thousands of candidate sequences after Next Generation Sequencing (one of the procedures of SELEX). While it is impossible to characterise the binding specificity, affinity and activity of each of these candidates, AI can calculate these characteristics.
AI technology saves manpower, shortens screening time, and also reduces reagent consumption. It also avoids the loss of potentially promising candidates which happens frequently when using traditional analytical methods.
Professor Zhang Ge, Associate Director of HKBU's Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone & Joint Diseases
The novel aptamer against sclerostin developed by HKBU was granted orphan drug designation by the FDA in August 2019. In the US, the Orphan Drug Act allows the FDA to grant special status to drugs for rare disease treatment, which is referred to as orphan drug designation.
Success in obtaining orphan drug designation will bring a series of benefits to the subsequent research and development of the drug, including the speeding up of the review process, a waiver of the marketing authorisation fee, and seven years of market exclusivity for the approved product.
"The research team is currently conducting pre-clinical research on the project. We will take receiving the FDA orphan drug designation as an opportunity to further strengthen our technological edge, and develop a more effective treatment strategy for OI in order to benefit patients and society," said Professor Lyu.


text:
Tesla Is Introducing Touch-Less Deliveries In US
C19 COVID-19 Tesla Tesla factory
In early March, Tesla China, due to an outbreak of coronavirus, officially announced the launch of its Zero contact test drive service. Following them, Tesla provides the "touchless deliveries" service for US residents.
Yesterday, after meeting with the Fremont Police Department, Tesla issued a statement explaining its further actions in connection with quarantine, due to which all production except "essential businesses" should temporarily suspend their activities.
Police Chief Kimberly Petersen and members of our City Management team will meet with Tesla Factory management today to discuss cooperation for compliance with the County Health Officer's Order. pic.twitter.com/dTBnbEdTmN
— Fremont Police Department (@FremontPD) March 19, 2020
Now Tesla will carry out "touchless deliveries" in order to secure its customers.
"In many locations, we are in the process of implementing "touchless deliveries" so customers can continue to take delivery of their vehicle in a seamless and safe way."
Due to the high technology of Tesla's cars, the client can access them without a standard key or even a key card. In order to pick up his new car, a client can unlock it using a mobile app. All necessary documents that need to be signed will be in the vehicle.
After the new owner signs the documents, he must return them to the on-site spot, before leaving the parking lot where he picked up the car. In addition to the fact that this method is a safe method of transferring the vehicle to the owner, it is also convenient and comfortable.
"Due to the unique over-the-air connectivity of our vehicles, customers are able to unlock their new cars at a delivery parking lot via the Tesla App, sign any remaining relevant paperwork that has been placed in their car, and return that paperwork to an on-site drop-off location prior to leaving. This method provides additional convenience and comfort."
The statement also says that Tesla's US factories will be temporarily closed from March 24th. Basic operations will continue in order to support their vehicle and energy service operations and charging infrastructure, as directed by the local, state and federal authorities.
Their factory in New York will temporarily suspend production as well, except for those parts and supplies necessary for service, infrastructure and critical supply chains. Operations of their others facilities will continue, including Nevada and their service and Supercharging network.
1/4 of the staff continues to work at the Tesla factory in Fremont, in order to support its customers. In order to protect them, the company implements a number of necessary measures: employees measure the temperature and distribute masks.
Source: cjayy5/Instagram
Tesla is taking the necessary measures to protect its customers and employees. Even in this difficult time, the automaker is thinking about how to give its customers a positive experience in buying their cars.
Featured image: consumerreports.org


Here is a chart I made of the runs scored by both teams in all the All Star games. This is important stuff.
I don't see a trend, maybe you could make a chart that shows the time you have on your hands to make charts.
I believe this chart thing was on an episode of How I Met Your Mother.


...and watch, from my chaise lounge, as my mother-in-law plays cards with the kids, my father-in-law wakes from his nap in his own chaise and takes out the sprinkler for the little ones to run through, and the others read a comic book or leaf through a magazine. This is life in the afternoon in the summertime here.
We've had lunch, coffee with an extra uncle or aunt or three, cleaned the kitchen and are now free to drift and play until 4, which is the hour of the gouter; snack time, to be respected as religiously as lunch or dinner. What do little people eat at their gouter? Mint water, bread with a piece of dark chocolate, or maybe a biscuit (cookie) and a yogurt. In cold weather it might be hot chocolate. When out and about, it would definitely be a croissant or chocolate bread.
I can still remember an occasion when my French host-father brought me along on an errand to Bayonne, a secret mission. He dropped me off at a tiny table in front of a shop. I understood zero French at this time of my life. He left, I waited. A while later, a server brought me a tray; a pot of hot chocolate, a pitcher of water, a mug, a glass, sugar and thick slices of hot buttered bread. I would not know it until years later, but I was in the very place where chocolate had been introduced to Europe by sailors returning from the Americas, and this was the oldest chocolatier in France. My host-father returned from his commission with tickets for the upcoming bull-fights of Bayonne. An entire day of unexpected adventures.
I am not very good at this lounging thing. Yesterday I went back and forth between my computer, finishing up some loose ends, and my knitting. I will leave the computer home today and try to settle into a calmer rhythm, it may be hard, but I think I can get the hang of this. Wish me luck.


text:
Q: Keep image original size inside smaller div I have an image that is 600x400px, and want it inside a smaller div of size 240x200px, but the image shrinks or gets distorted. I want the original size image centered in the smaller div, which would hide some of the image
I wrote this CSS rule to apply to different image sizes.
.theBox {
   float: left;
   overflow: hidden;
   width: 240px;
   height: 200px;
}

.theBox img {
   display: block;
   height:100% !important;
   width:100% !important;
 }

A: If you specify a 100% size for your image.
Your image will then take 100% of its container.
The thing you want is keeping your file at its original size, so do not specify any size for your image.
overflow:hidden is the key to show only a part of your image.
If you want to always have the center of your image visible, you should take a look at this CSS3 property transform:translate(-50%,-50%) with a proper positioning.
Take a look at this jsfiddle and tell me if it can help you.

Edit: With 2020 modern browser, it may be useful to take a look at the CSS object-fit property. In particular object-fit: cover;. Take a look at this updated jsfiddle.

.imageParent, .imageParentCover {
    position: relative;
    text-align: center;
    width: 200px;
    height: 200px;
    overflow: hidden;
}

/* Solution using `transform: translate`: */
.imageParent img {
    position: absolute;
    top: 50%;
    left: 50%;
    transform: translate(-50%,-50%);
}

/* Solution using `object-fit: cover`: */
.imageParentCover img {
    object-fit: cover;
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
}
Solution using transform: translate:

Solution using object-fit: cover:

A: To maintain the aspect ratio, only size one dimension, the browser will size the other to maintain the aspect ratio. With the dimensions you have given you'll need to set the height to fit the container (as opposed to the width) so not to have any gaps:
.theBox img {
    display: block;
    height: 100%;
}

Example: jsfiddle

A: If you specify a 100% size for your image. Your image will then take 100% of its container.
In order to maintain the actual size, you should write an inline style like this:
style="width: auto"

A: Your container should have overflow: hidden;. Scale down your image with the object-fit property.
.imageContainer{
    width: 100px;
    height: 100px;

    // align center the image
    display: flex;
    justify-content: center;
    align-items: center;

    overflow: hidden;
}

img{
    object-fit: scale-down;
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
}


text:
Q: unity3d boxcollider2d not colliding with Vector2.MoveTowards I am moving a sprite that has the following attached BoxCollider2D, Rigidbody2D (Dynamic set with simulated off) and a SpriteRenderer. Problem the trigger is not being set with the following code. I come from a 3D background and this would have triggered but its not in 2D not sure why, maybe things are different?
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using UnityEngine;

public class MonsterController : MonoBehaviour
{
    private MonsterInformation info;
    private bool isMoving;
    private Vector3 wantedPosition;
    private Vector3 MaxPosition;
    private Vector3 MinPosition;
    private bool isAttacking;

    // Start is called before the first frame update
    void Start()
    {
        info = MonsterDatabase.Instance.MonsterLookup("Slime");
        MaxPosition = new Vector3(transform.position.x + info.WanderingDistance,
transform.position.y + info.WanderingDistance, transform.position.z);
        MinPosition = new Vector3(transform.position.x - info.WanderingDistance,
transform.position.y - info.WanderingDistance, transform.position.z);
    }

    public void Update()
    {
        if(!isMoving)
        {
            wantedPosition.x = Random.Range(MinPosition.x, MaxPosition.x);
            wantedPosition.y = Random.Range(MinPosition.y, MaxPosition.y);
            wantedPosition.z = transform.position.z;
            isMoving = true;
        }
        if(isAttacking)
        {
            return;
        }
         transform.position = Vector2.MoveTowards(transform.position, wantedPosition,
 Time.deltaTime * info.WalkingSpeed);
        if(transform.position == wantedPosition)
        {
            isMoving = false;
        }
     }

     public void OnTriggerEnter2D(Collider2D other)
     {
         Debug.Log($"Triggered {other.name}");
     }
 }

I am guessing that this needs to be moved through physics? transform.position = Vector2.MoveTowards(transform.position, wantedPosition,
Time.deltaTime * info.WalkingSpeed);

Also thank you for your time to respond to this question even if it seems like its stupid and I didn't do enough research, the main problem is Unity3D in a 3D environment I would collide with a box collider without having to move through physics so I am stumped as to why its not working in 2D.


text:
CAPTAIN KIDD'S TREASURE.©
Since evidence was first discovered of underground workings on Oak Island, belief has persisted that the island is the possible location of Captain Kidd's treasure. Before he was taken to the gallows in 1701 Kidd claimed to have buried treasure on an 'island in the Indies' amounting to £100,000, a fortune at the time. Because his hoard of illicit wealth has never been found (at least officially) speculation has been rife that Oak Island is the repository. This speculation was fuelled by the discovery, prior to World War II, of a number of charts now known as the Kidd-Palmer charts. This article, based on findings first published in Treasure and Intrigue – The Legacy of Captain Kidd, examines some of the evidence, and draws the conclusion that Kidd was never anywhere near Oak Island, nor did he cache any treasure there. His treasure was recovered three centuries ago.
The story of the Kidd-Palmer charts begins in Eastbourne, a seaside town on the south coast of England, where Hubert Palmer lived in quiet retirement with his brother Guy. The two men, both wealthy bachelors, had developed a keen interest in acquiring nautical relics, particularly those possessing a link to piracy. Their unique collection of books, artifacts and assorted relics of one kind or another was considered unrivalled for the age in which they lived and Hubert Palmer became a recognized authority on matters relating to piracy. He was discriminating regarding the items selected for their collections, being careful to authenticate provenance as far as possible. In 1929 he bought a heavy seventeenth century oak bureau bearing a much worn brass plate inscribed with the words 'Captain William Kidd, Adventure Galley 1669′. This item of furniture was to reveal the first of the four charts to become known as the Kidd-Palmer charts.
Knowing that furniture of the period often contained secret compartments, Palmer subjected the bureau to intensive examination and found three secret compartments all of which proved empty. While using the bureau one of the runners supporting the lid broke off, and carved upon it he noticed the barely decipherable words 'William Kidd, his chest'. Impressed upon one end coated with wax was the sign of an anchor, and guessing the runner to be hollow he broke the seal. Inside was a slender brass tube round which was rolled a scrap of yellowed parchment. When carefully unrolled the fragment depicted the outline of an island with an 'X' in the centre. Above were the words 'CHINA SEA', and below was 'W.K. 1669′. There was also a north point shown, together with the words 'of me Sarah-W'. Understandably the Palmer brothers were excited with their finding, believing this to be the first solid evidence that Kidd had indeed buried his treasure as he had claimed, but doubtless puzzled regarding the whereabouts of the island the chart depicted as well as the other sketchy information given.
Hubert Palmer now concentrated his collecting activities upon seeking out other possible Kidd related artifacts, in the hope of discovering other scraps of information which would help in deciphering the mystery upon which he had stumbled. He advertised for seventeenth century items of furniture without, of course, revealing the nature of his interest. In the process he recruited antique dealers and agents to search on his behalf. Three subsequent items of furniture were to reveal charts as fascinating, and as enigmatic, as the first.
The second chart was discovered in an ancient sea chest purchased in 1931 from an antique dealer. The chest was 26¼ inches long, 13 inches wide and 16 inches deep, and purported to have been left by Kidd to his boatswain before eventually passing into the possession of Captain T.M.Hardy who served on the famous battleship HMS Victory. Carved upon the lid was a Black Flag carrying the date 1699, a cutlass and the words 'Capn Kidd his chest'. A false bottom was found, within which was discovered a slim book relating to a sermon preached on May 29th 1662 by a Daniel Cudmore of Tiverton, Devon. In addition there was a map, but this second map was a duplicate of the first and revealed no more information regarding the whereabouts of Kidd's island.
A year later (1932) Palmer was introduced to a Captain Dan Morgan of Bristol who claimed to be descended from Sir Henry Morgan, the noted buccaneer. Morgan possessed a sea chest he said his father had obtained from Kidd when incarcerated in Newgate Prison. The chest was adorned with a brass plate engraved with the letter 'K' and the insignia of a skull and crossbones. Inside was a plaster skull fixed to a bible, which was popularly imagined to have been used during swearing-in ceremonies of pirate crews. A false bottom was found, which though empty had some beading around a small mirror. After removal of the mirror a shallow well was found in the floor of the box in which there was a piece of parchment. It was the same island as had been depicted on the other two charts, but this time there was a real difference. The map showed hills, a lagoon, reefs, four conspicuous looking 'dots' and a 'cross'. A red zig-zag line joined the cross and the dots. There was a compass bearing and some cryptic wording considered to have been the directions for recovering the 'treasure'.
Two years later (1934) the fourth and final chart was found in a small workbox believed to have been once owned by Mrs Kidd, as inscribed upon a brass plate were the words 'William and Sarah Kidd, their box'. It was located in Jersey, Channel Islands, and was 12½ inches long, 7½ inches wide and 7 inches deep. Withdrawing some nails from the beading around the base of the box Palmer discovered a narrow cavity and extracted from it an oblong piece of faded parchment. The parchment depicted not only the same island as the three other charts but, most importantly, gave details of latitude and longitude, the figures for the latter being less well-defined, as well as other information which, regrettably, has defied interpretation to the general satisfaction and consensus of scholars. In addition to the general topographical features previously shown, the fourth chart showed reefs, wrecks, an 'anchorage' and a 'smugglers cove' This, undoubtedly, was the definitive map to the whereabouts of Kidd's ill-gotten hoard, or so the Palmer brothers must have thought.
It requires little imagination to visualize the mounting excitement during the period when these discoveries were being made by Hubert Palmer. Apparently every effort was made by him to authenticate the findings and, it has been stated, a number of experts were consulted which included those of the British Museum. Palmer's actions under the circumstances were perfectly natural. At no time did he, or his brother, attempt to profit from their acquisitions by attempting to sell the maps, or the information they contained. In fact they were extremely secretive at all times. They did, however, plan an expedition to the island they concluded was represented by the charts. For reasons best known to themselves the Palmer brothers thought this lay among the Sequeiras, an island group in the Philippine Sea, which appears and disappears above sea level with bewildering frequency. Regrettably World War II intervened and their planned expedition had to be postponed indefinitely, and never took place. It was not until after the cessation of hostilities that speculation was renewed among a much wider public as to the whereabouts of Kidd's 'treasure island'. That speculation is just as rife today as it was a half-century ago.
Hubert Palmer died in 1949, bequeathing his huge collection of pirate relics and books to the woman, Mrs Dick, who had been his companion and nurse for the eleven preceding years. Faced with increasing taxes and rising costs in her own old age Mrs Dick was forced to sell many of the articles she had inherited. These included the original Kidd-Palmer charts which, eventually, were purchased in peculiar circumstances by a Maurice Taylor in 1959 and, purportedly, promptly disappeared in as strange a manner as they had first appeared thirty years earlier.
In the process of following up all available evidence related to the Kidd-Palmer charts a visit was made to the Map Room of the British Library, now the repository of the maps, books and manuscripts previously housed in the British Museum. It proved an interesting visit with curious implications, for on approaching the desk and enquiring about the whereabouts of the Kidd-Palmer charts, I was met with a indulgent smile from the pretty young lady who remarked "We get an awful lot of enquiries about these." She handed over a plastic envelope extracted from a ring-binder taken off a shelf behind her desk. It was stuffed with oddments of all kinds, with little order to the miscellany contained therein. There were photocopies of extracts from various pirate books, old letters from enquiring researchers, and a copy of British Library letter of more recent date stating quite categorically that the charts could not have been seventeenth century and were, most likely, twentieth century forgeries which more resembled R.L.Stevenson's fantastic 'treasure island' than anything else. In fact the letter contained the explicit suggestion that the charts were probably forged by someone possessing a copy of the famous classic Treasure Island, and this person likely was Hubert Palmer. Palmer had been dead for over forty years so was in no position to refute such allegations. But where were the detailed reports, memoranda and photos of the original charts to which reference has often been made, that would have been kept by an institution like the British Museum when called upon to voice a professional opinion? The shambolic contents of the file looked as if they were an acute embarrassment to the owners, who fondly might be imagined to have welcomed their removal by larcenous researchers.
Stevenson's 'treasure island' is named Skeleton Island, and the fourth chart has a word written in its margin which might be construed as 'skeleton' or a reasonable facsimile of the word. When Long John Silver first looks at the map of Skeleton Island he remarks "Ay, here it is: 'Capt. Kidd's Anchorage' – just the name my shipmate called it." The fourth chart also has 'Anchorage' marked upon it. It also has a 'Smugglers Cove' and, strangely Skeleton Island had a 'Rum Cove', rum being a favoured liquid commodity of pirates. An even stranger coincidence is that a Mr. R.A.Skelton had joined the staff of the British Museum in 1929, during the period when the Kidd-Palmer charts were being discovered. Was there a connection? Was this all some preposterous hoax?
Raleigh Ashton "Peter" Skelton was born in Plymouth, England in 1906. After taking modern languages at Cambridge University he joined the British Museum and remained with them until 1967 when he retired suddenly for no apparent reason. Skelton's service of 38 years with the museum was broken during World War II when he served with the artillery in North Africa and Italy. After the war he developed his interest in maps and cartography and became an acknowledged authority in this field. One of his most challenging involvements during his career was an involvement in the studies of the so-called Vinland Map after it came to light in 1957.
The Vinland Map is now considered to be bogus, not because of the parchment, but because of the ink. Space does not permit the evidence for this conclusion, but what is most significant is the Vinland Map could not have existed prior to about 1928. This date is important, because it precedes by only one year the discovery of the first of the Kidd-Palmer charts. There is an interesting coincidence also in the fact that the Vinland Map came into the possession of Yale University by a path as tortuous as that by which the Kidd-Palmer charts came into the possession of Hubert Palmer. There is, however, a notable difference – the purchaser of the Vinland Map paid a small fortune for his forgery which, if authentic, would now be valued at over $20 million!
If there is a connection between the forgery of the two sets of maps it is natural to ask – who did it? Forgers are by their very nature secretive, shy of advertising their abilities, but often the most confident cannot refrain from hiding their 'mark'. It is, therefore, noteworthy that on the fourth Kidd-Palmer chart, the one the British Library claims is based upon Stevenson's Skeleton Island, the initials 'TA' can be clearly discerned amidst the hachures to the northwest. Who was 'TA'? Two letters on file are suggestive. The first letter is dated June 1965, from Peter Skelton replying to an enquirer and typed on British Museum letterhead. It states emphatically he had examined only the fourth Kidd-Palmer chart some 14 to 15 years earlier, i.e. about 1950, and the chart in his words "was drawn on the back of a perfectly genuine will apparently of the eighteenth century…." The second letter is dated October 1974 addressed to the same enquirer, but written by a man once employed by the British Museum, and typed upon letterhead of a dealer specializing in 'rare maps and prints'. This letter, which appears to have been composed with deliberate vagueness, states categorically "The charts were not photographed by the Museum, but an infra-red lamp was used to ascertain some of the figures which were indistinct. I do remember Mr. Skelton having an opinion that they were authentic 17th century charts …" The writer's initials are 'TA'! The content of these two letters contradict each other in that 'TA' in his letter implies Skelton to have seen and authenticated all the maps, whereas Skelton himself admits to having seen only one. This is a big difference and suggestive of a deliberate falsehood! Written nine years after Skelton's death the implications made by 'TA' obviously cannot be refuted by Skelton.
'TA' was employed by the British Museum for a period of almost fifty years, a period which overlapped with Skelton's tenure. During the initial period of his service a mammoth cataloguing process, begun by the Manuscripts Department in 1898, was finally accomplished in 1922, a span of a quarter of a century. This task, of nightmarish proportions, was intended to create order out of chaos from the vast accumulations of uncatalogued files, letters, book collections and maps that had been bought by, or bequeathed to, the Museum. It may be assumed that 'TA' was actively engaged in this activity where surprisingly valuable documents were often discovered. Consideration of the dubious provenance of the Vinland Map is beyond the scope of this article, however, this provenance suggests that the medieval texts associated with the map, namely those known as the Tartar Relation and the Speculum Historiale, dating back to about 1434, may well have originated within the walls of the British Museum in a form far different from that in which they subsequently materialized at New Haven, Connecticut in 1957-58. The British Library may be perfectly correct in their recent assertion that the Kidd-Palmer charts, especially the fourth chart, is reflective of Stevenson's Treasure Island. However, if 'TA' was of a whimsical disposition the appearance of a young Peter Skelton on the staff of the British Museum in 1929 may well have inspired the preparation of that last chart upon which the reference is made to a 'skeleton'.
Are all the Kidd-Palmer charts forgeries? Not necessarily. The first chart was discovered in a bureau bearing the date 1669 upon a brass plate. This is the same date as that given upon the chart found inside. However, in 1669 Kidd would have been about 18 years old and unlikely to have possessed much treasure, least of all any he was inclined to bury. If he did, then why didn't he recover it years earlier before he undertook that fateful voyage in the Adventure Galley, a voyage that led to a painful and untimely death? Furthermore, he didn't marry his wife, Sarah Oort, until 1691. However, if there had been a mistake in the engraving of the brass plate to be fixed to the bureau, whereby '1669′ had been erroneously engraved upon it instead of '1699′, then the first chart is an obvious forgery, and the second identical chart can be concluded to be forged also. The fourth chart has already been discussed having been concluded as the last forgery ever made. But what about the third chart? This appears to be the most realistic of all four of the Kidd-Palmer charts because of the topographical features the map portrays. It is likely to have been used by the forger for preparing the fourth chart with its Stevenson 'touch'. Furthermore, it will be recalled that the only one of the charts personally examined by Skelton was the fourth chart, which he stated was drawn on the back of a perfectly genuine will, apparently of the eighteenth century. We know nothing as to how Skelton arrived at this conclusion (obviously there wasn't a date on the will), but the eighteenth century was not very old when Kidd was hanged in 170l. It is plausible that the parchment upon which the chart was drawn, as also with the other charts, was carefully selected by the forger with the intention of maintaining credibility by selecting old parchment of a date approximating to Kidd's death.
If the charts are mostly forged what was the forger's objective? A great deal of trouble (and associated expense) was doubtless undertaken to ensure the items of furniture containing the four charts were funnelled into Hubert Palmer's possession, in a fashion unlikely to raise suspicions on his part. This was, therefore, no act of revenge, nor act of spite on the part of the forger, and unlikely to yield much profit in selling items of antique furniture by creating a fraudulent belief the items might contain secret compartments. To maintain this fiction over a period of five years suggests more serious intent behind the deceit, and bearing in mind that Hubert Palmer had an international reputation as being one of the most serious collectors of piratical relics, the plot carries significant overtones. Once Hubert Palmer had been convinced that Kidd had indeed buried his treasure upon that "island in the Indies", then world opinion would sooner or later swallow the same bait in the belief the treasure still awaited recovery. It may, or may not, be significant that the letterhead used by 'TA' in his letter of 1974, referred to earlier in this article, carries an address in the same area of Sussex where the Palmer brothers resided.
The publicity surrounding the Kidd-Palmer charts in the aftermath of World War II spawned a series of wild goose chases into isolated corners of the globe in search of Kidd's treasure, including reinforcing speculation about Oak Island. George Edmunds, in his book Kidd – the Search for His Treasure, documents many of these expeditions, often in humourous fashion. Space forbids dealing with this aspect of the charts, but the ardent enthusiast may like to refer to George Edmunds's book.
There is no reason why the Kidd-Palmer charts do not truly reflect the actual island upon which Kidd really did bury his treasure as he claimed. The charts appeared after the prodigious task of cataloguing the numerous manuscripts in the British Museum had come to a close in 1922. What if this process had unearthed documents disclosing the fact that Kidd's treasure had been recovered following his execution? And important men in the government of the day had pocketed this wealth? This would have proved an acute embarrassment to the British government of the 1920s, especially as India was becoming an increasingly difficult colonial possession to administer. Legally Kidd's treasure, the property of the Mogul of India, should have been returned to its rightful owner on recovery. One way out of any dilemma in this regard would be to lay a trail suggesting Kidd's treasure was still out there – somewhere! All that was required was one map, chart or sketch, from which all the others could be copied in outline; that original document is believed to have been the third of the charts discovered by Hubert Palmer in 1932. However, it is the fourth and final chart, discovered by Palmer in 1934 that contains the vital information enabling the island to be located. In his position within the British Museum, 'TA' would have been aware that Palmer had obtained three of the charts by 1932 and was frantically in search of yet another chart containing the final clues enabling the island to be identified. The forger could take liberties in his preparation of the fourth chart, therefore, and perhaps poke a little fun at his youthful colleague, Peter Skelton.
The most important aspect of the fourth chart is, of course, the reference to latitude and longitude. There is no dispute about the latitude, it is plainly given as 9-16N, which is interpreted as 9E 16N North. The reference to longitude, on the other hand, is open to a number of interpretations; variously +31.30E, 431.30E or 43.30E for there may be a broken "4″ preceding the figures which since it looks more like a "+" sign is confusing, perhaps intentionally so. The figure of 431.30E is meaningless and is promptly discounted. Mariners of the seventeenth century had no means of measuring their longitude by reference to a meridian such as Greenwich, however they would track their voyage by making reference to the last point of their departure. Numerous examples of this can be quoted from ships' logs of the period, Dampier and Narbrough being notable contemporaries of Kidd who consistently advocated this practice. Thus, it is reasoned, the longitude quoted on the fourth of the Kidd-Palmer charts must represent the departure, i.e. difference in longitude, from the pirate base of St. Marie from which Kidd sailed after he had accumulated some worthwhile treasure.
The longitude of the pirate base at St. Marie is 49E 52N E of the Greenwich meridian, thus the island on the Kidd-Palmer charts is variously 49E 52N E + 31E 30N = 81E 22N E (which is close to Mullativu on the northeast coast of Ceylon), or 49E 52N E + 43E 30N = 93E 22N E (which is slightly north by a few sea miles of Car Nicobar in the Nicobars). Car Nicobar is an isolated island off the beaten track of vessels plying the trade routes between India and the East Indies. Many of the topographical features shown on the Kidd-Palmer charts can be identified on Car Nicobar. As mentioned the third chart, considered the most authentic, shows a number of dots linked by a dashed line – the dots appear to represent inter-visible high points along the route which is represented by the dashed line. The route leads from a sheltered anchorage, circumvents an extensive swamp, and terminates on the southern flank of a prominent spur of limestone. As everyone knows limestone is a rock type renowned for its caverns. The conclusion would seem obvious.
When Kidd and his crew finally returned to North America from the Indian Ocean they made their first landfall at Anguilla (Leeward Islands) at the beginning of April 1699, and two months later arrived in New York where they were later arrested. Some of this time was spent in various backwaters of Hispaniola and the Mona Passage, offloading some of their remaining booty (in the form of bales of cloth) to traders, and obtaining and fitting out a small sloop to take them to New York. There is insufficient time, and less reason, to sail north to the waters of Nova Scotia and find a repository for the illegal gains remaining in their possession.
Captain Kidd's treasure appears to have been recovered from the Indian Ocean region in the first years of Queen Anne's reign. A number of noblemen, including one who had been an original sponsor of Kidd's voyage, became immensely rich all of a sudden, and some exceptionally fine gemstones appeared of doubtful provenance. The inference suggests that Captain Kidd's treasure was recovered three centuries ago, and it was never cached in any quantity in North America.


The Fighting Edge James LaFond has been training in various U.S., European, Korean, Chinese and Filipino martial arts for 25 years. He is also a veteran boxer and a laborer in one of America's toughest cities. He knows that the martial arts do not present all the realities of real combat and that 30 seconds on the sidewalk is worth three years in the dojo. In this book he explores the practical value, study and application of the martial arts in relation to real violence. What is it like to be in a real fight against deranged, drunk or drugged opponents? What is it like to be punched in the head? What do you do if your attacker is armed and you're not? What about the claims of various martial arts - are they valid? Which martial art is better for real fighting? Reading this book will help you maximize your training and become a better, smarter fighter.


How can I help this editor?
Some times when I introduce myself, I'll say that I'm an acquisitions editor. You can almost see the glazed look come over listener's faces and mentally they ask a question that sometimes they don't verbalize, "What's an acquisitions editor?" Its simple, I find the books for my publishing house to publish.
For the last five years, I've worked as an acquisitions editor at two publishing houses. Most full-time acquisitions editors acquire between 15-20 books in a year.
Many editors have acquisitions as a part of their job responsibilities but it's the total responsibility for an acquisitions editor. It means that I'm often the first contact for an unpublished writer. Each of the two publishers, where I've worked, consider or accept unsolicited manuscripts. Because of the poor quality of these submissions, most major publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Their submissions come from a literary agent or an author with an established relationship with the publishing house. When a publisher considers unsolicited manuscripts, it is a virtual onslaught of material. The majority of this onslaught is presented in an unprofessional manner and not written well--truth be told.
An acquisitions editor not only finds the manuscripts but they champion the manuscript within the publishing house. I've often told writers that I characterize publishing as a consensus building process. I may be convinced your book project is perfect for our needs--but I have to convince a number of other people including my fellow editors, sales people, marketing personnel and the leaders of the publishing house your book is worthy to appear in print. For any publisher to take your book and print it, they will spend about $50,000 to $100,000--and this cost includes only a modest advance to the author ($5,000 or less). As an author who had written over 55 books with traditional publishers, I had no idea the publisher was investing this amount of money in my idea to put it into print--before several years ago when I started working inside a publishing house. The author never sees the actual financial numbers for the cost of the paper or the editorial or the marketing expenses for the book yet I know firsthand the investment. It's a considerable investment--and numerous people seriously weigh the risks.
Most acquisitions editors are not waiting for the golden best-selling manuscript to simply drop into their mailboxes. We are proactively looking for new projects. I've been in publishing many years and have rolodex with personal phone numbers, addresses and email addresses for some high profile people. I'm actively using this information to contact my friends to see if they have some project that I could acquire. Why? There is much less risk for the publisher to take a well-known author (even who has never published with you) than an unknown author and make them known. Also it involves much less work for the publisher.
Before you think there is absolutely no opportunity for an unpublished and unknown author, don't be discouraged. Publishers are looking for your work but it has to be excellent and a good fit for the needs of the particular publisher.
1. For nonfiction books, write a proposal--not a manuscript. No matter how many times I say this information, I regularly meet writers who are writing their nonfiction manuscript. About 90% of nonfiction books are contracted from a book proposal.If you are writing a nonfiction manuscript then you are wasting your time. The proposal contains information about you, the market and the competition for your idea which would not be in a book manuscript. You need to work hard on your book proposal to show you're keenly aware of the market. Visualize your book. How long will it be? Where will it appear in a bookstore? What books will be beside it? (your competition). Don't tell me that you will not have any competition and your idea is unique. It is not true. Your book will compete with something else and is not totally unique. Publishers are quite jaded and roll their eyes at this common statement from new writers. What are you going to do to market and push your book into new areas for sales? This type of information has to be built into your proposal and will help it stand out from the others on the editor's desk.
2. For unpublished or newly published fiction authors, write the entire manuscript.
In general publishers have been burned with first-time authors who only write a great summary and a couple of well-written chapters. The publishing house contracts the novel, then the author writes the plot into a corner and can't finish the story. Suddenly everyone is stuck with a large problem. Publishers avoid such problems and require first-time authors to write their entire fiction manuscript. This book has to sing with excellent action, drama and characters. If it starts out slow, you will be repeatedly rejected.
3. Build a relationship with the editor. Conferences are great for these relationship building experiences. Don't try to do it on the phone (you will waste the editor's time--from their perspective). It's a huge mistake for you to call the publishing house and ask the editor how to submit your materials. You are not building a relationship. Instead you are showing your lack of professional courtesy and building a negative memory with this particular editor--because from his or her perspective you are wasting their time that should be spent elsewhere.
4. Never push for an answer about your project--except after months without a response then only inquire gently. If you push for an answer, you will get it. "No." I regularly tell authors if they want an answer about their work, I can give it immediately. "No."
It's not what they want to hear. Yes takes time. Some times lots of time. I've acquired several complex children's books which took a year to convince a team of people they needed to publish this book and it would be financially viable to the publisher.
Yes, it took a year. From time to time I was in touch with the author to give them an update but it took patience to get these particular books published. Most writers don't have enough patience--so they push and get the answer they don't want to hear. "No." And you can completely understand it from the editor's perspective. It's easier to get rid of the nuisance calls and pushing from an author with a quick "no" against the small chance this book could turn into a bestseller. Submit your proposal simultaneously to various publishers and have patience with the lack of response. When you don't hear anything for three months or longer, then gently inquire for an "update." And instead of treading a path to your mailbox looking for an answer, get busy and write another proposal.
5. Learn how to present your proposal with excellence. Your proposal has to be written well and in the expected format. No graduation certificates are needed with your submission (yes, I've seen them). Skip the colored paper or weird fonts (yes, I've seen these as well). Leave out the fancy notebooks or costly presentation folders. These things get attention but mostly negative attention. Always include a Self Addressed Stamped Envelope or instructions to discard the manuscript and respond with a single stamped envelope or include an email address if the materials are rejected. Without the SASE, you have no hope of receiving a response from the publisher. Imagine receiving 6,000 to 10,000 unsolicited submissions in a year without any return postage. Imagine yourself in the role of the publishing house and consider your choice--throw the manuscript or use money from your already-tight budgets to return them. It is not hard to determine that the publisher will toss your materials and never respond. You need to study the market (something you've heard), learn how to present marketing material and yourself to be unique with well-written material. It is not easy but possible. A typical excellent nonfiction book proposal is about 15 to 20 pages--just for the proposal materials.
Your challenge (and goal) as a writer is to send an absolutely irresistible proposal to the publisher. If you follow these five basic areas, then you will separate your materials from the many other manuscripts which arrive at the same time. It will help the acquisitions editor and also improve your possibilities to be one of the few proposals which become a book.
W. Terry Whalin understands both sides of the editorial desk--as an editor and a writer. He worked as an editor for Decision and In Other Words. His magazine articles have appeared in more than 50 publications including Writer's Digest and Christianity Today. Terry has written more than 60 nonfiction books and one of his latest is Book Proposals That Sell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success (Write Now Publications). You can learn more about Terry's background at:www.right-writing.com/whalin.html. For more than 12 years Terry has been an ECPA Gold Medallion judge in the fiction category. He has written extensively about Christian fiction and reviewed numerous fiction books in publications such as CBA Marketplace and BookPage. He is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing and creator of www.right-writing.com.
Sign up for Terry's free newsletter, Right Writing News.


I was 11 years old when the incident happened. It is not easy for a girl to tell the world the pain she once felt in the dark, my lips tremble and knees go weak every time I recall it. I had recently started getting my periods.
My periods were irregular and my parents were constantly discussing about visiting the doctor.
It was a Saturday evening and I had gone out with the maid to buy some copies. When we came out of the shop, a middle-aged man called me and told the maid to stand at a bit distance. He took a hanky in his hand, opened it and whispered into my ears "Your father just called me and said you are not having your periods. I am a doctor and I will take you to my clinic" and I don't know whether I was hypnotised, but I started following him. The irregularity of periods is very common for all girls at this age, that's how maybe he guessed it.
But I am still not sure how he came to know about it, maybe he was bluffing.
I could not protest or say a single word but kept going with him. I could not hear my maid crying behind me, I could not hear the horn of the cars. I was petrified. He took me to a narrow lane, and suddenly held me tight. He told me to undress my top. I was gaining my strength back slowly but was too weak to protest. I pushed him away and he held me even more tightly as he pulled up my shirt. He pressed me against the wall bitterly, and touched my private parts. It hurt. Then he asked me to remove my skirt. I protested and asked him to leave me. I begged. He didn't listen.
He snatched open my skirt and grabbed me. He entered inside my body and kept pushing hard till I started bleeding. I begged but he went on.
And then, suddenly he left me and said: "Go back and don't tell this to anyone". I got back my strength and started running. I was still weak and didn't want to look back at the man again. I kept running till I found the main road and tried to find my uncle. I didn't realize I was away for more than an hour. My maid had meanwhile told my parents that I was missing and now they were on the road, tensed, searching for me. I gathered courage and told them that nothing had happened. I was too young then to understand what a "sexual crime" is. I was too small to realize that shouting may have helped and that I could have filed an FIR. All I knew was, what has happened was absolutely wrong and my parents would get hurt if they knew of it. So I somehow remained strong. I kept quiet for years and finally told my parents six years later when I couldn't bear it any more.
I would like to specially mention that this incident does not haunt me anymore.
It took me years to realize that keeping quiet is not the solution and it only encourages this kind of crime. It was initially tough to tell the world with such details, but now it's not because I'm now aware of the fact that being molested or raped is nothing to be ashamed of. Thousands of people go through these things and keep quiet because our society directly and indirectly teaches so. It's high time we need to open our mouth and protest. I wrote about this incident in hope that this will give people enough courage to speak against wrong.
Share this story to raise awareness.
"Listen, I like you; you always make me happy"


Birmingham is one of essentially the most desired tourist destinations their world and is positioned on the banks of an River Thames that moves across the city. Equally year, the city is actually visited by millions of holidaymakers from across the environment and to provide all of them a comfortable and incredibly affordable staying option in that this expensive city of London, there are plenty of a cheap hotels dotted on place. Have Pousadas em Boiçucanga developed a trip to some famous city of Greater Then get ready to discover the amazing Royal amazing European architecture and regarding world famous attractions for this city for a life-long experience.
Spreading over one particular land area , km square mi, the settlement of London is without a doubt counted as ones largest metropolitan state in the Great. It is even the capital associated U.K. and The united kingdomt and is at the same time known for for being a diverse modern city, where a great deal than three hundred dollars languages are written by the consumers. Moreover, being home in which to many world properly attractions including museums, lush greens amusement parks and gardens, fine galleries, shopping areas, etc., London would be best recognized due to the fact one of those most visited locations destinations of ones world.
For every holiday maker coming to appointment London, the hometown is a submit package of extreme fun and great touring memories to make cherishing throughout forever. Although there happen to be endless ways of a discovering the splendor of the the city but visiting currently the famous attractions created by the city is without a doubt the best best way of getting more to the the historical past and lifestyle from the city. of these visitors attractions of Greater include Westminster Palace, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, London Eye, the British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Madame Tussauds, Tower of London, London Bridge, Saint.


Teaching music to kids is a highlight in my life. In our classes, I teach proper vocal technique for popular music styles, group and harmony singing, stage performance techniques and how to be strong and confident when delivering a solo performance.
We have a lot of fun in our classes and the kids don't even realize they are learning something at the same time. It's a lot like hiding vegetables in the macaroni and cheese sauce. The kids are enjoying something that's good for them, without knowing it's good for them.
For kids, the stage creates a place where they get to practice being visible and heard. I feel these kinds of successful experiences are what is missing for all the kids that fall through the cracks. When children scale the mountain of creating a performance, they arrive at the summit victorious, and filled with self pride. They then carry this communication confidence into every aspect of their lives.
None! In some classes, we explore playing together as a band, but musical knowledge or playing an instrument is not a requirement.
Feel free to contact me for the up to date class schedule.