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Sector witnessed 14 per cent drop in exports last year.
A set of measures will be implemented this year to address agricultural marketing bottleneck and strengthen the resilience of the agriculture sector, which saw a 14 per cent drop in its exports last year, according to a senior government official.
The measures entail supporting farmers, launching government-based agricultural production projects, exploring new means and portals for exporting fruits and vegetables, modernising agricultural guidance and restructuring the ministry among other measures to recuperate agriculture in Jordan, Agriculture Minister Khaled Hneifat said.
The action plan seeks to stop the agricultural sector from a deterioration that started with the Syrian crisis in 2011 and worsened with the consecutive borders closures with Syria and Iraq, Hneifat said.
"There's no country in the world suffering as much as Jordan does in terms of agricultural marketing congestion…, the regional turmoil post the Syria conflict has affected all the sectors, but agriculture was the most-hit by the regional instability because it is the most fragile sector," Hneifat told The Jordan Times in a recent interview.
Read the full article by Hana Namrouqa via The Jordan Times.
Big countries are still waiting to ratify the Paris climate deal. What's the holdup?


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This Clear View Acrylic Earring Display offers an impressive way to display your earrings.
Made of glass-clear Acrylic, these attractive Displays will keep the customer's eyes focused right on your beautiful Jewelry!
8" x 4" x 8-1/4"


"Godfather" or "Untouchables" it certainly is not, but "Road to Perdition" proves that even after delivering such a superb piece of cinema with his first effort "American Beauty", Director Sam Mendes is on course to become one of the great directors of this decade.
Despite its Depression-era setting and mobster overtones, 'Road' is far more of a western about one man on a crusade of violence in order to protect his son from the life he's lead. There's typical mobster movie subplots of 'family' and in this case Irish background but sadly none of them particularly spark our interest. As much as its enjoyable to see the good on-screen chemistry between Hanks and Newman, the scenes are few and far between whilst a subplot about Newman's overly vicious but dumb son Connor (Daniel Craig) is fine but the whole "Hanks was the son I should've had" theme feels unconvincing and dare I say cliched.
Hanks himself is a consummate performer, he understands the material well and plays right to its subtle strengths. Newman seems to be loving his work as a sort of local Don and whilst some of the more emotional outburst scenes are a little rough around the edges, its the quieter more neutral conversations between him and Hanks in the last act that are compelling. Jude Law is the strongest performer of all though and certainly of Supporting Actor Oscar nomination quality.
His twisted turn as a killer who takes photos of his victims includes not only an intriguing makeup of bad teeth and vanishing hair, but a real sense of menace and animal predatorism about him which make him one of the best on-screen bad guys you'll see in a movie this year. Supporting roles are fine but the likes of Stanley Tucci and Jennifer Jason Leigh have little to do, whilst there's no sign of Alfred Molina's cameo as Al Capone though his name is brought up many times.
After a decent but unremarkable first act, things pick up in the middle as it becomes Hanks and son being forced into a desperate run for their lives. There's some skilfully pulled off sequences here including one in the Hanks household where the son Michael comes back to the house only to see Connor ready to assassinate him – there's a simple trick of light in this scene but it works very effectively.
As the film progresses and the pace begins to pick up there's several more scenes of a remarkably well filmed style – a series of bank robberies is made into a slick and fast montage, a shootout in a hotel room screams out in sheer power, a simple conversation in a diner instills an astonishingly high level of tension, and the finales in both a rain-soaked street and quiet beach house are predictable yet still quite powerful. Mendes never goes too far and stays true to the film's central elements.
Yet there's a central problem here in that the film seems to lack fire. Proceedings move from point A to B to C in ways that are for the most part easy to guess and every scene is shot as though its trying to become a piece of artwork, yet because of that level of sheer deliberation there's a real coldness and lack of life. You know what's coming long before the characters do and when they come around to actually doing said action, nothing particularly comes as a surprise as more often than not this will resort to gangster movie elements we've see countless times before.
On top of that 'Perdition' never glamorises, makes fun of or even shows us a different side of its setting. Despite the gorgeous cinematography throughout, this is a very down, dirty and serious affair and while some will like the fact it sticks so closely to its guns, the lack of humour, the gloomy locations and even sympathetic characters makes this a dark, bloody and somewhat depressing narrative to follow. Even the loving father/son relationship that's supposed to be the film's heart is icy.
Maybe its because I've never been a big Tom Hanks fan, maybe because I dislike both westerns and gangster movies, and maybe because the film has been hyped above and beyond belief but while I did like 'Road' a lot and can see why people say its an Oscar potential, I and I'm sure other viewing audiences will find it a little too hard to warm too.
Its a tragic story done in almost theatrical overtones but without the life or essence of the stage. In many ways that may be more realistic as to be involved in this world one would have to have an emotional coldness to deal with it psychologically. Yet a two hour film along those lines is sadly not the most engaging affair. Its superbly made and yet oddly sterile.


text:
It Doesn't Have To Be Right…
… it just has to sound plausible
Tag Archives: pamela zoline
by iansales	7 Comments
2014, best of the half-year
We're halfway through 2014, which is a year, I believe, of no prior literary, cinematic or even science-fictional significance. No matter, I have certainly consumed some significant literature, cinema and music for the first time during 2014, or at least during this first half of the twelve-month. As usual, there's a top five and a paragraph of honourable mentions for each.
1 Life After Life, Kate Atkinson (2013) I nominated this for the Hugo, but since it features no spaceships or dragons it was always going to be a long shot. And, what a surprise, it didn't get a look-in. I'd never read Atkinson before – my only exposure to her work was the BBC Jackson Brody adaptations with Jason Isaacs – so I was surprised at just how effortlessly good this book was.
2 Ghosts Doing the Orange Dance, Paul Park (2013) I also put this novella on my ballot, and it too never made the shortlist. The title refers to a painting, painted by one of Park's relatives, which may or may not show an encounter with extraterrestrials. This is an astonishingly clever piece of meta-fiction, in which Park explores his own family tree and fiction, and creates something strange and interesting. And beautifully written too.
3 The Machine, James Smythe (2013) And a third book I read for the Hugo. And also nominated. And – yup, you guessed it – it didn't appear on the shortlist either. Ah well, my first – and last – attempt at involving myself in the Hugo awards… I won't make that mistake again. The Machine, however, did make it onto the Clarke Award shortlist, and was even considered by many the favourite to win. A Ballardian near-future with some sharp prose.
4 Busy About the Tree of Life, Pamela Zoline (1988) I read this for SF Mistressworks, but my review has yet to appear there. Zoline is best-known for her 1967 short story 'The Heat Death of the Universe', and she didn't write much else – a further four stories, in fact. All are collected here. Unsurprisingly, this is one of the strongest sf collections around. It really should be back in print.
5 Europe in Autumn, Dave Hutchinson (2014) This is a surprise – a book in my best of the year in its actual year of publication. I'm pretty sure that's a first for me. Europe in Autumn is a pleasingly cosmopolitan near-future thriller that takes an interesting twist reminiscent of Ken MacLeod's novels… but very different all the same. Sure to be on some shortlists next year.
Honourable mentions: Two books from my Hugo reading made it onto my top five – even if they didn't make the award shortlist (as if) – and I'm going to give another one a mention here: Anne Carson's Red Doc> (2013), a narrative poem which managed more art in its 176pp than all fourteen volumes of The Wheel of Time; also very good was Olivia Manning's last novel, The Rain Forest (1974), a somewhat Lowry-esque farce set on a small island in the Indian Ocean; from reading for SF Mistressworks, Joanna Russ's collection Extra(ordinary) People (1984, my review here), her novel We Who are About To… (1977, my review here) and Josephine Saxton's Queen of the States (1986, my review here); and finally Laurent Binet's HHhH (2013), which offers a fascinating perspective on literature, history and writing about history as fiction.
Two women and three men in the top five, and five women and one man in the honourable mentions. I have made an effort in 2014 so far to maintain gender parity in my fiction reading – and, as can be seen, it does make a difference. On the other hand, there seems to be more genre fiction in my picks this year than is normally the case – over half were published explicitly as genre, and a further three published as mainstream but make use of genre conceits. Which makes a top five that is entirely genre – which I think is a first for me for a good many years.
1 Beau Travail, Claire Denis (1999, France) Beautifully photographed – and if that seems common to my choices, cinema is a visual medium – but also sharply observed. However, what knocks this film from merely good to excellent is the final scene – and if you've seen it, you'll know what I mean.
2 Under The Skin, Jonathan Glazer (2014, UK) Scarlett Johansson guerilla-filming in Glasgow, playing the part of an alien harvesting men for some unexplained reason (in the film, that is; in the book it's for meat). It's the film's refusal to annotate or explain that makes it.
3 Blow-Up, Michelangelo Antonioni (1966, UK) After you've finished marvelling how young both David Hemmings and Vanessa Redgrave look in this film, you begin to realise how beautifully each shot is framed. It's perhaps not as painterly a film as Antonioni's stunning Red Desert, and perhaps its plot boasts too many echoes of that of L'Avventura… but this is excellent stuff.
4 Call Girl, Mikael Marcimain (2012, Sweden) A political thriller based on a real scandal during the 1970s, known as the Bordelhärvan scandal, involving senior politicians and under-age prostitutes. Filmed with that sort of stark Scandinavian realism that is its own commentary.
5 The Burmese Harp, Kon Ichikawa (1956, Japan) A Japanese soldier in Burma just after WWII chooses to stay in the country as a travelling Buddhist monk, with the intention of providing a proper burial for all the soldiers killed during the fighting and whose bodies have been left to rot. What really makes this film, however, is that the rest of his company use choral singing to maintain their morale, and throughout the film they put on impromptu performances.
Honourable mentions: Upstream Colour Shane Carruth (2013, USA), is an elliptical, often beautiful, film and the complete antithesis to Hollywood mind-candy; Kin-Dza-Dza!, Georgiy Daneliya (1986, Russia), is completely bonkers but somehow manages to make its more ludicrous aspects seem completely normal in its world; Head-on Fatih Akın (2004, Germany), an intense drama about a Turkish-German couple and a marriage of convenience; Man of Iron, Andrzej Wajda (1981, Poland), is based on the strikes in the Gdańsk Shipyard during the 1970s, and mixes real fact and fiction – Lech Wałęsa appears himself and is also played by an actor; The Best of Everything, Jean Negulesco (1959, USA), its first half is the sort of well-photographed 1950s melodrama that really appeals to me, but it's a shame about the film's second half; Like Someone in Love Abbas Kiarostami (2012, France), displays Kiarostami's typically elliptical approach to story-telling which, coupled with its realness, makes for beautiful cinema; and finally, a pair of films by Piotr Szulkin: Ga, Ga. Chwała Bohaterom (1986, Poland), the blackest of comedies, takes a hero astronaut and subjects him to a litany of inexplicable indignities; and Wojna Swiatów – Następne Stulecie (1981, Poland), even blacker and more cynical, in which a popular TV presenter becomes first a tool of the oppressors, then a rebel, but will be remembered ever after as a collaborator.
And once again I have failed to pick a single Hollywood film – well, okay, the Negulesco is a Hollywood film, but it's also 55 years old. So perhaps I should have said a recent Hollywood film. This doesn't mean I haven't watched any, just that none of them were any good.
1 Shadows Of The Dying Sun, Insomnium (2014) A new album by Insomnium on this list is hardly a surprise, but this band really is bloody good. As I've said before, if you look up "Finnish death/doom metal" in the dictionary, all it says is "Insomnium".
2 Valonielu, Oranssi Pazuzu (2013) I actually purchased this in 2013, but too late to make that year's best of. It's… well, it's a recipe that doesn't deserve to work, but actually does so brilliantly – space rock plus black metal. Weird and intense and very very strange. It should come as no surprise to learn the band are from Finland.
3 From a Whisper, Oak Pantheon (2012) A US band that plays a similar black/folk/atmospheric metal as Agalloch, but seems a little more… metal in places. This is their first full-length album after a debut EP, and I'm looking forward to whatever they produce next.
4 The Frail Tide, Be'lakor (2007) This Australian band's latest album made last year's Top 5, so why not their debut this year? Their complex melodic death is enlivened with some nice acoustic passages in this. Excellent stuff.
5 Earth Diver, Cormorant (2014) Another self-release by a band that refuses to be pigeon-holed and quite happily shifts through a number of metal genres during each epic track. And they do write epic tracks.
Honourable mentions: 25th Anniversary of Emptiness, Demilich (2014) is a compilation of unreleased and rerecorded material from classic Finnish vocal fry register death metal band, an important document; Stone's Reach, Be'lakor (2007), the band's sophomore release and every bit as good as their other two, but their debut's acoustic sections gave it the edge; The Void, Oak Pantheon (2011), is the band's debut EP and an excellent harbinger of their later material; Restoration, Amiensus (2013), any band that manages to mix Agalloch and Woods of Ypres gets my vote; Older than History, Master of Persia (2011), Iranian death metal which makes good use of Iranian music traditions to produce something excellent.
Categories: 2014 roundup | Tags: abbas kiarostami, amiensus, andrzej wajda, anne carson, bel'akor, claire denis, cormorant, dave hutchinson, demilich, fatih akın, georgiy deliya, insomnium, jame smythe, jean negulesco, joanna russ, jonathan glazer, josephine saxton, kate atkinson, kon ichikawa, laurent binet, master of persia, michelangelo antonioni, mikael marcimain, oak pantheon, olivia manning, oranssi pazuzu, pamela zoline, paul park, piotr szulkin, shane carruth | Permalink.
The first haul of the year
… Although, strictly speaking, this isn't the first book haul of the year as it includes a few books I received for Christmas. But it's certainly the first book haul post of 2014. I also seem to have gone a little mad in the past three weeks, and bought more books than usual – and some of which, I must admit, I've no idea why I purchased… Still, so it goes.
Some graphic novels to start: I liked Léo's Aldebaran series so much (see here), I bought the follow on series, Betelgeuse: The Survivors, The Caves and The Other (and I've already written about them here). I'll be picking up the next series, Antares, soon, although it's not yet complete in the original French. Apparently, the English versions have also been censored, with underwear added onto nude characters. Orbital: Justice is the fifth in the space opera bande dessinée series, and while it looks great and has an impressively twisty plot, it does owe a little too much to big media sf.
Imaginary Magnitude, Fenrir and High-Opp were all Christmas presents. I've already read Fenrir – while I really liked Wolfsangel, I found this one a little too long for its story, and it didn't really pick up until two-thirds of the way through. High-Opp is a previously-unpublished Frank Herbert novel; should be interesting. Europe in Autumn I have to review for Vector; and New Adventures in Sci-Fi is an early collection by one of my favourite sf writers, Sean Williams (it was also incredibly hard to find a copy).
These are the "wtf was I thinking?" books. Mostly. The Rose of Sarifal is a Forgotten Realms novel, which I normally wouldn't touch with a bargepole a good kilometre or so in length, but Paulina Claiborne is, I am reliably informed, a pseudonym of Paul Park. Chauvinisto I spotted on eBay and it sounded so awful I couldn't resist it. I've been picking up the Hugh Cook fantasies when I see them, as I've heard they're quite interesting. The Wordsmiths and the Warguild is the third in the ten-book series, and also the third book I now own. The Red Tape War is definitely a wtf purchase; it was very cheap. The two Ted Mark novels, The Man from Charisma and Rip It Off, Relevant!, are 1960s 007 pastiches with added rumpy-pumpy. Or so I believe. Goodbye Charlie is the novelisation of a quite silly film from 1964 starring Debbie Reynolds and Tony Curtis.
Four hardbacks for the collection. I already have a first edition of Monsieur of course, but this one is signed. The first edition of The Jewel In The Crown was a bargain (first editions are normally not cheap at ll), as was the first edition of The Clockwork Testament, the third of Burgess's Enderby novels. (I suspect the first, Inside Mr Enderby, will continue to elude me as it was originally published under the name Joseph Kell and first editions are hugely expensive.) Ghosts Doing the Orange Dance is a new novella in signed limited hardback by one of my favourite genre authors and published by PS Publishing.
I had a Women's Press SF copy of Native Tongue but it was really tatty, so I gave it to a charity shop. But now I have a copy in really good condition. Zoline's collection, Busy About the Tree of Life, I will be reviewing for SF Mistressworks (that has to be one of the worst Women's Press covers, though). Having heard so much about Joyce Carol Oates, I decided to give something by her a go, and Man Crazy was the first book by her I stumbled across. I've been a fan of Paretsky's fiction for many, many years – Breakdown is not her latest, there was one published last year, but it is the one before that. I've also been reading Grafton's Kinsey Milhone series for a long time. I'm up to V is for Vengeance, but W is for Wasted was published last year. Only three more letters to go. What will Grafton do after that?
Three things that interest me: Brutalist architecture, and there's lots of lovely photos of it in Concrete (I actually bought a copy for my brother-in-law for his birthday, and over Christmas I had a look in the book and liked it so much… I bought myself one); the Cold War, and Fear and Fashion in the Cold War, covers, er, fashion inspired by the promises of bases on the Moon and the threat of nuclear armageddon (see my The future we used to have posts for more); and finally, the works of Paul Scott, in this case his most famous work, the Raj Quartet, as the title Paul Scott's Raj, er, indicates.
Lumières I bought on eBay for not very much because its introduction was written by Lawrence Durrell. The art in it is also very good. Lenae Day I stumbled across while researching Then Will The Great Ocean Wash Deep Above. She restages photographs from 1960s magazines with herself as the model, and accompanies them with autobiographical text. One of her shows was 'Space Cadette' and in it she restaged a photograph from Time Magazine of Mercury 13 candidate Rhea Hurrle preparing to enter an isolation tank (Day's version here). So far, Day's work has only been published as Day Magazine and Modern Candor, but she recently ran a kickstarter for her next project, based on invented 1930s movie studio Prescott Pictures – see here.
Soyuz: A Universal Spacecraft I bought specifically for research for my Gagarin on Mars story, but it'll also go in the Space Books collection. N.F.Fedorov is research for a novel I'm working on, but it's not going to be about what you think it might be about. Or something.
Categories: book haul | Tags: anthony burgess, barbara robinson, cook, dave hutchinson, frank herbert, hugh, jack chalker, joyce carol oates, lenae day, leo, md lachlan, nf fedorov, pamela zoline, paul park, paul scott, paulina claiborne, raj quartet, robin moore, sam merwin, sara paretsky, sean williams, serge pellé, soyuz, stanisław lem, sue grafton, suzette haden elgin, sylvain runberg, ted mark | Permalink.
Find Me In…
Postscripts 20/21 Edison's Frankenstein
M-Brane SF Quarterly
Catastrophia
British Fantasy Society Journal: New Horizons
Vivisepulture
The Monster Book for Girls
The Maginot Line
Because of What Happened
Litro Magazine
Postscripts 32/33 Far Voyager
The New Accelerator
A la deriva en el mar de las Lluvias y otros relatos
Interzone #262
Ian Sales's 2010s – A Son of the Rock -- Jack Deighton on 100 books, part 5
iansales on Moving pictures 2019, #34
Mark on Moving pictures 2019, #34
Redhead on Best of the year 2019
Scrum_Jet on Best of the year 2019
@thefajster here's the programme upsalasfxvi.home.blog/program/ 5 hours ago
@thefajster Upsala SF-möte XVI 5 hours ago
@thefajster starts this weekend for me :-) 5 hours ago
@davidmbarnett Cross? They'll be *furious* 8 hours ago
@davidmbarnett careful, or you'll get tangoed 8 hours ago
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Bill Darwin says that living in a south Vallejo hotel has made it difficult to find convenient access to healthy foods, like fruits and vegetables, and that he's pleased that the nearby 7-Eleven has added some of those things.
It's especially helpful now that his 81-year-old mother, Lois Gilmore, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease and is now homeless, is staying there with him, the 61-year-old unemployed man said.
The 7-Eleven on Magazine and Lincoln Road East is part of a Solano County Public Health program designed to fight obesity and the problems that go with it, like diabetes and heart disease, by making healthy foods more available to more people.
The 7-Eleven is one of three Solano County shops — the only one in Vallejo — to get a "healthy makeover," as part of a county-wide campaign made possible by a three-year, $5 million grant.
Last week a slew of volunteers from Solano County, Vallejo Together and others, converged on the store, spruced it up, set out new signs encouraging healthy choices, and put new healthier snacks, like apples, bananas and oranges, up front near the checkout counter.
A community celebration was held there Friday.
Research suggests that getting people used to buying healthy things instead of sweets and chips, will change their mind-set and behavior over time, which can have long-lasting impact on many facets of life.
Although on Friday he opted for a box of donuts and a soft drink, local resident Nathaniel Dennis, 30, said he believes the effort will make a positive difference in the neighborhood.
Health officials said they know a dramatic change won't likely happen over night, and so far, store owner Dev Joshi said the fruits and veggies are not exactly flying out of the baskets they're displayed in near the checkout counter.
"Maybe they're buying a little more bananas and apples," he said.
Vallejo Mayor Osby Davis was at Friday's event, and said he thinks it's an "excellent" idea.
Wine marketing professional Tim Peters, 48, and his daughter Gabriella, 7, were in the store Friday for a treat of the less-than-healthy variety because the Glen Cove residents have easy access to healthy foods near their home, he said. The concept behind the healthy makeovers make sense, though, he said.
"There's not a supermarket near here, so, I can see how access to fruits and vegetables might be limited for people who live right near here," especially those without easy access to transportation, he said.


text:
STUMP » Articles » Divestment and ESG Follies: Where's My Dark Money? » 28 April 2019, 14:32
Divestment and ESG Follies: Where's My Dark Money?
Not only divestment.
But yes, a lot of divestment.
Harvard Activists Call for Fossil Fuel Divestment
Harvard University students, faculty, and alumni marked Earth Day by kicking of a week of climate-related rallies and calling on the university's $39.2 billion endowment to eliminate fossil fuel-related companies from its investment portfolio.
Divest Harvard, a fossil fuel divestment advocacy group began this year's "Heat Week" with a press conference in a Cambridge, Mass., hotel where the group invited alumni, faculty, and environmental advocates to pressure the university to divest from fossil fuels.
So, here's a question: how do the Harvardians stay warm in the winter?
In a March interview with student newspaper The Harvard Crimson, Bacow reiterated Harvard's policy against divestment, saying the endowment is not, has never been, and should not be a vehicle for social change.
"The endowment exists to support the institution, to support our students, and to support our faculty," Bacow said. "And it was on those terms that our donors have entrusted the resources to us. They've said here, here are these resources which we want you to invest to support these activities—not to accomplish some other ends."
And this week in an emailed statement to the Crimson, university spokesperson Jonathan Swain reiterated Harvard's stance on the issue.
"The university's position, as it has stated previously, is that it should not use the endowment to achieve political ends, or particular policy ends," Swain wrote.
Yup, the people with actual fiduciary duty tell the activists to go blow.
THOSE NEFARIOUS PEOPLE TRYING TO THWART DIVESTMENT
The Dark-Money Lobbying Group Going After Pension Funds
DUH DUH DUHHHHHHHHH
Enter the Institute for Pension Fund Integrity.
The impressively named group began its campaign to "keep politics out of pension funds" roughly a year ago, launching in April 2018. Since then IPFI has released several white papers covered by Reuters, Barron's, Institutional Investor, and other mainstream publications. It has submitted reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission roundtable and targeted specific U.S. public funds, including New Jersey's and Washington State's.
Founder Christopher Bancroft Burnham claims that IPFI is working to depoliticize pension funds and make performance information more accessible.
But in practice the organization primarily attacks divestment initiatives and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) programs. The information it publishes on public funds is frequently rife with errors and seemingly self-serving data. And for someone striving to make pensions nonpartisan, Burnham has deep political ties. He served on President Donald Trump's transition team in 2016, and was recently subpoenaed by the House Judiciary Committee as part of its investigation into potential abuses of power and illicit campaign activities.
DUH DUH DUHHHHHHHH.
How about the "dark money groups" that back these divestment pushes?
Could we hear a little about those, hmm?
(Also, none of that sweet sweet "dark money" ever comes my way. The main reason, of course, is I'm such a sucker that I do this crap for free.)
I want to point out something that automatically makes my antennae raise:
Robben's pension fund has been on the receiving end of inaccurate IPFI information. According to the nonprofit's website, "The Kentucky State Retirement System [sic] saw its funded liabilities drop from 16 percent in 2016 to just 13.6 percent funded in 2017. The prospects for fiscal year 2018 are even more dismal, as rate of return on investments are [sic] still too optimistic at 7 percent."
Hmmm. Two instances of what I call the "asshole [sic]". Given the damn thing is in quotes, why [sic] at all?
First, [sic] is a bit obscure to many people. The point is "yes, we really copied over something verbatim, and the mistake we want you to make sure to notice was in the original source." Except, if you put the stuff in quotes, and you link to the original source, my assumption is that obviously the text was copied exactly. The whole point of the [sic] is to highlight some kind of mistake.
If you're scratching your head over what is being [sic]ed, first, the official name of the system is the Kentucky Retirement Systems, and the second is a noun-verb mismatch — it should be "the rate of return on investments is still too optimistic"
A legitimate use of [sic] is when there can be a confusion that comes from the copied text — but in general, using [sic] is an asshole move. Indeed, I dug through my own posts, and found two prior uses – one where I [sic]ed NBC news, which should have editors, dammit, and one where I said I'd correct the quoted text without a [sic].
Says Robben by phone, "We changed that a year ago. The assumed rate of return for the plan that we mentioned here is 5.25 percent, which I'm pretty sure is the lowest in the country."
So… you're bitching that the group is not keeping up with a really recent change?
Also, I am extremely skeptical of this claim.
Let's check the actuarial valuation from October 2018, and…. I find there's two valuation rates. For non-hazardous, it's 5.25%. For hazardous (like police), it's 6.25%. Mind you, these are fairly low compared to other plans. It's the lowest among state plans, yes.
The IPFI website's dedicated page on Kentucky seemingly once linked to a full IPFI report on the retirement system, which has since been taken offline. This is one of many instances of outdated or false information appearing live on the website, where many links to its supposed sources are broken.
Well, this kind of lets me know that they're not spending much (any) money on editors, etc.
I wonder if there's much money at all behind Burnham's efforts. I wouldn't be surprised if he is just a jumped-up version of me, in that he's self-funding his little project. He's running the thing out of his business office, and he's obviously a lot richer than me and has much more important connections than I have.
I think it's hilarious. I bet this "dark money" is just Burnham himself.
Oh, and it's "dark money" funding STUMP! As in, I'm paying for the hosting fees, and Stu bought me this domain back in 1999, and I make chump change in Amazon fees:
Oooh, I'm in the money…
Now, maaaaybe there's a shady big dark money source for Burnham. I think they assume that because there definitely are big money sources backing all sorts of divestment pushes.
Tom Steyer is a big name in leftist dark money circles, and he's all-in on fossil fuel divestment.
President Trump's abandonment of America's global role on climate change means cities and states must lead the way. San Francisco can claim the mantle of leadership and set an example for the world by divesting its pension funds from fossil fuels.
Wednesday, the San Francisco Employees' Retirement System's pension board will decide the issue. As someone who spent 30 years in the investment world, I believe the choice is clear: Divestment is the right thing to do, and it's financially smart. I speak from experience as someone who decided to divest almost five years ago. It feels right and it pays well.
Steyer is using his own money for this, as far as I can tell. He's super rich. But maaaaaybe there's nefarious dark money players behind him!
Or, maybe, it's just some very rich individuals spending money on their own hobby causes.
Burnham is getting out there saying "hey, that's not your money to play with — consider fiduciary duty".
Steyer is saying "yes, it's fiduciary duty… and given the likely trajectory of fossil fuel returns, these institutional investors should divest."
Neither is particularly a nefarious point of view.
I can see fossil fuels eventually going the way of whale oil, but who knows?
In many cases, the investment horizon of these pension plans is not 200 years (though they pretend to go out that far. That's absurd).
It would be really interesting to do a study looking at how long particular assets are in pension plan funds. Do they hold onto a stock for decades? Or is the turnover about every ten years? Would be really interesting to know.
DIVESTMENT AND ESG STORIES
I don't feel like commenting on all the following, so enjoy:
Black business leaders push for gender, racial quotas for public corporate boards in Illinois
Pensions & Investments: CalPERS opposes bill that would require divestment from Turkish investments
Epoch Times: US Pension Funds Should Worry About Financing Rights Violations, Cyber Espionage
P&I: Pension funds probing deeper on pay, discrimination claims
CalSTRS Expanding Green Investment Efforts
Norway Reviews Ethical Guidelines
CalPERS Supports Carbon Pricing
P&I: Brunei's drastic punishment becomes ESG issue
SF Chronicle: Panel: Transition NY pension fund to adapt to climate change
UK parliament pension fund takes first step towards fossil fuel divestment
CalPERS Puts 'Laser-Like Focus' on ESG, Board Diversity, and Executive Pay
New York Common Must Have 100% Sustainable Investments by 2030, Study Urges
NRA: Anti-Gunners Pressure Gun Industry with Pension Plans, Institutional Investments
Divestiture politics roils pensions, investments
Letter: DiNapoli, do not divest pension funds
CalPERS Investment Committee Rejects Tobacco Reinvestment Again
Public Pension Assets: Our Funds were in Alternatives, and All We Got Were These Lousy High Fees
Kentucky Pensions Even Closer to the Brink: New Assumptions, New Report
Divestment and Activist Investing Follies: Shooting Yourself in the Foot?
« Taxing Tuesday: NY Tax Revenues Down, Population Down | Main | Taxing Tuesday: Feds Take an Interest in Chicago Shenanigans? »


Matt 7:24 ¶ "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
Matt 7:25 "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.
Matt 7:26 "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
Matt 7:27 "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall."
Matt 7:29 for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
Matt 8:2 And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."
Matt 8:4 And Jesus *said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
Matt 8:6 and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented."
Matt 8:8 But the centurion said, "Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
Matt 8:9 "For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it."
Matt 8:12 but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Matt 8:14 ¶ When Jesus came into Peter's home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever.
Matt 8:16 When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill.
Matt 8:19 Then a scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go."
Matt 8:20 Jesus *said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."
Matt 8:22 But Jesus *said to him, "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead."
Matt 8:26 He *said to them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.
Matt 8:28 ¶ When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way.


Legendary Austin musician George Reiff was recently been diagnosed with stage four cancer that has spread to his brain, adrenal gland, liver, and right lung. Well-known musicians such as Ringo Starr, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Charlie Sexton, and others have all worked with Reiff throughout his career, making him the go-to bassist when you need music recorded.
Reiff picked up a bass at the age of 12 after watching Paul McCartney perform. After moving to Texas at the age of 16, he began his career as a touring musician. He's been at it almost full time ever since, which explains why he's so beloved and so well known.
Once his cancer diagnosis became known, the Austin music community set up a GoFundMe to help with Reiff's mounting medical expenses. So far more than $1,000,000 has been raised.
Medical updates are being provided by Reiff's brother Michael. In the spirit of support and George's love for music, a benefit concert will be held on Friday, August 5th at Strange Brew in South Austin. Many acts who are performing tonight have a connection to Reiff, including Miles Zuniga of Fastball, Nakia, The Mastersons, and Dustin Welch. The concert will start at 8pm and run for four hours. It is $20.00 to attend.
Watch the video below to see Reiff performing with Ian Moore.
Featured photo: George Reiff by Mark Abernathy, via Gallery Winter.


Two months ago, my life changed in a strange way: I stopped cooking. I began working so much outside of my profession that I didn't have time to cook. There were only two days during September and October where I made time to cook, not for sustenance but for filming. However, something else arrived in September that would unknowingly become a savior in my little household. Slow Cooking for Two: Basics Techniques Recipes by Cynthia Graubart became a mainstay for about two entire months in my home. I was never at home so I was never in front of my stove to cook dinners. I had never used a slow cooker in my entire life, let alone my career as a chef. As a professional I should be able to prepare meals for my family ahead of time because I was…professional. Here's the reality: chefs rarely cook at home. When we do, it's probably the easiest and basic of meals. I have a teenager so I'm blessed that I can make easy meals and he'll be less picky about how I present it or how uninteresting the menu. Now that both his schedule and my schedule have evolved away from the dinner table, it's been replaced with fast and easy meals on the go. The solution to fast food? The slow cooker. I don't have to stand at the stove or by the oven tending or waiting for a meal to finish. I can put some quality ingredients together into the slow cooker, set it, and it'll be ready in about 8 hours. The great thing about the slow cooker now is that you can still "finish" up a dish without spending over an hour doing it. Slow Cooking for Two is filled with tips and tricks on how to make the best use of your slow cooker. My favorite was the section for the slow cooker pantry. Most of you may have everything on her modest list to make wonderful meals in a slow cooker. And if you don't, those items are more likely available at your local grocery store.
I learned some very helpful tips on what "tools" to use with my slow cooker. Did you know you can prepare TWO recipes in one cooker? Yes! Blew my mind, too! On Sundays, which happens to be the one day off of reprieve from working, I can prepare two separate recipes using slow cooker liners and make one of Ms. Graubart's Double Dinner recipes. I felt immediate kinship with her because, like her, I have a dislike for large quantities of leftovers. Who wants to eat the same thing for 3 or 4 nights? Hence, Double Dinners. In her book, you'll learn how to economize on a roast to make two separate dinners. I love it!
When you open a cookbook, what's the first section you turn to? I always turn to the Poultry section. We're not big red meat eaters (don't get me wrong….I love a juicy rib eye or a giant Porterhouse once in a while!) so we stock up on whole chickens or chicken legs and thighs instead. My son loves chicken wings so I was thrilled to see Asian Chicken Wings. He loved the savory taste of the sticky sauce. It sure turns the tables from the constant spicy Buffalo wings he consumes on a weekly basis! We equally loved Five Spice Chicken Thighs. This recipe so delicious and reminiscent of a dish from my childhood. Chinese Five Spice powder consists of star anise, clove, Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel. I love the aroma of freshly ground Chinese Five Spice. Fairly inexpensive, it's a wonderful spice to have in your pantry. After the four hour slow cook time, the smell in my kitchen was intoxicating. The few ingredients going into the cooker may seem very minimal but you will be surprised to see that there was plenty of sauciness to douse over your hot steamed rice. Oh joy, this was so yummy! If you love Philippine Adobo, you have to try this recipe.
Beef is another favorite, but it is almost always ground for meatballs, burgers, or pasta meat sauces. Every once in a while, I'll buy beef short ribs. I almost always buy either the short ribs, with the bone-in or I buy the "Boneless Country Style Beef Ribs". This cut is actually not from the ribs but cut from the chuck or chuck eye roll. If you know chuck, then you know that that meat loves to be cook long and slow and does so very well with braised cooking methods. Ms. Graubart's Braised Short Ribs was another hit. The sauce that developed over the 4 hour slow cook time was seriously good. The meat was so tender I stood there for a minute just eating a whole piece before I got caught and had to plate the rest. I went out the next day and bought more.
You have to remember that the recipes in Slow Cooking for Two is by all intents and purposes for two people and the smaller 3 ½ quart slow cooker suggested use is perfect for small apartments, mobile homes, and boats. BUT…the other great thing is that all these recipes are easily doubled, just be careful and reduce the amount of liquid suggested in the recipe. I used my 5 quart slow cooker because there's more of us and believe me, using the slow cooker and this beautiful cookbook was a breeze….as well as a life saver.


Last year around this time I was at the tail end of a brief relationship with my old favorite training partner. I wasn't even a year out from leaving my abuser, I hadn't been dating; I was terrified of male attention. Scott and I had known each other for years. We ran together all the time. He knew all my stuff and I knew a lot of his stuff and he was always kind and gentle with me. He helped me when I got panicky in public places and he seemed so steady.
It took months for me to be clear that I was attracted to him and even longer to comprehend that he was interested in me–broken, unstable, emotionally vulnerable me. I noticed how I felt safe and even normal with him, how the hours we would spend talking after a run were hours I wasn't breaking down–in fact felt happy and engaged, intelligent and strong. I felt like myself. We didn't have a lot of conversations about intentions or feelings, we just spent more and more time together and when we said goodbye our hugs would last longer and longer. My sense of safety and belonging from those embraces would stream a supportive undercurrent of happiness through several days after.
Scott kissed me for the first time beneath a brilliant fall moon on the beach at Falls Lake the night before my birthday. Being seen and held made me feel my own strength reappearing with increasing brilliance. In the final month of training before the New York City Marathon I shone like a diamond that had just been polished. I could finally run on the road again, I felt my self-worth reappearing, I was happy and confident.
We talked about his family and our experiences with therapy and why a stray Halloween wig lying on his bed made me recoil in fear one night, but we didn't talk about what we wanted from each other or how we needed a relationship to work. I read a lot into the way he wanted to spend all his time with me and how tightly he held me every chance he got. I'd learned how to spot red flags that signaled a potentially abusive partner but was less clear what might signal an avoidant one.
In hindsight the signs weren't actually so subtle. He spoke respectfully of his exes, but I heard no clarity about his role in why things didn't work. He mentioned offhandedly once how an old girlfriend asked him to read Gary Chapman's The 5 Love Languages–and he didn't. He didn't have many friends and the ones he had didn't seem like strong connections. He couldn't sleep with me touching him. Although he texted between times we saw each other, there wasn't a lot of warmth or connection and we rarely talked on the phone. Still, I felt safe around him, we were happy in each other's company. He was delightfully geeky and an amazing training partner. He loved to run trails and could hold pace like some kind of machine. I loved him.
In the span of a few weeks, my sick 15 year old cat died and I stress fractured my right 5th metatarsal. I couldn't run–and then I couldn't even walk. Scott was not interested in pool workouts with me. Suddenly he didn't want to spend much non-running time with me, either. I went from strong but grieving to anxious and desperate to horribly depressed over a couple of weeks as I tried, carefully and persistently to get his attention. He stopped communicating with me almost entirely and I didn't see him for an entire week. My therapist made me get the friend I was staying with on the phone one session–she wanted to know someone would make sure I didn't kill myself. It hurt that much. Finally he agreed to meet with me over lunch.
He said he didn't want to hurt me but that he wasn't having the same feelings I was having. I still can't remember much of the conversation; I was so distressed I cried and cried, clinging for comfort to the man who didn't love me and hadn't apparently given much thought to what might be the emotional fallout inherent in getting involved with his most traumatized friend. I definitely shut down completely for some period of time and stared, vacant and weeping, at the dashboard of his car. I think he might have said he hoped we could stay friends. I know he kissed me tenderly one last time–on the lips and on the forehead.
What I remember most is how pathetic I felt, going from his car to my own on crutches with the snow steadily falling as the day drew to a close, cold tears on my face. I felt worthless and nauseatingly alone. The friend I was staying with–the one who was on suicide watch–had flown out that morning.
I was trapped alone and immobilized by that snowstorm for days and my holiday season was a cold, dark, hopeless time. Walled off by my trauma, my depression, my limited ability to self-ambulate and my sense of total abandonment I wondered what had been the point of leaving my abuser at all and just what constituted rock bottom. I struggled to find people to spend holidays with–my friends all seemed exhausted with me. I'm honestly not sure how I got through it.
Scott asked me months later if we might go back to being friends, and I told him we'd have to have a difficult conversation for me to consider it. He said that seemed worth trying, so I met him. Normally reserved Scott started catching up on life stuff immediately, when we'd barely said hello. We walked and talked and there was comfort in the familiarity of him being there but very little sense of true caring or emotional safety.
When I finally brought it up I took responsibility for not seeking more clarity from him. I said how we hadn't communicated our intentions and asked what his were; he wasn't sure. I fished for any measure of personal responsibility. What I got was that when I was upset, he didn't want to make things worse for me so he pulled away. I was so shocked at this appallingly emotionally immature logic I fell silent. He quickly changed the subject. Not only did he have no apparent regret about shutting me out at a vulnerable time when I needed him to be there for me–he wasn't even emotionally available enough to stay present for the conversation I needed to have.
I didn't need a miraculous movie apology or for him to compensate all the therapy bills spent dealing with the fallout or anything. I would have connected some of the dots for him; I'm generous that way. But at bare minimum, I needed him to hear me in that moment rather than turning away again. I never spoke to Scott again.
I thought I did better choosing Kevin*, I really did. He communicated well and clearly about feelings and expectations at the beginning. He checked in with me about sensitive things. I found out about the important relationships in his life and how he's cared for even the challenging ones. Kevin* and I would sit down with our calendars and create events to spend nights together; I loved that. We made travel plans together well into next year. He said all the comforting words of validation I longed to hear. When we weren't together he would call and text and send pictures–even when he was with family, even on busy work trips.
I understand that attachment avoidance develops as a response to emotional neglect from primary caregivers and intimate partners. I understand it's reflexive and defensive and difficult to change–much as my attachment insecurity has been. I also understand that between avoidance and the proclivity of our culture to idealize male stoicism and self-reliance, there's less internal motivation to unlearn that particular dysfunctional relational adaptation–even despite the painful result of repeated relationship failures.
My head understands all the likeliest explanations for the disappearance of my partner behind an impenetrable wall of defensiveness. My head knows I can't get behind that wall and I'm supposed to turn around and try some other direction, searching for home without him.
My heart does not know. My heart can't understand. My heart is broken.


text:
Q: What does telling Whirlwind about Vessel Town affect? On my way back to Tharsis after discovering Vessel Town, I rushed through the dialogue so I could talk to the Count. On accident, I clicked "Yes" when given the option to tell Whirlwind about Vessel Town. Does this affect the story later on? I received a Medica II, which I hardly believe is worth any possible future trouble.

A: I did another run and from what I can see, there isn't any impact beyond getting a Medica II for telling him. The story is playing out the same way and I haven't encountered any noticeable differences.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Ha egy generátort a villamos hálózatra akarunk kapcsolni, ennek feltétele, hogy a gép és a hálózat minden paramétere megegyezzen. Váltakozó áramú hálózat esetén ennek létrehozása a szinkronizálás, és bekövetkezte a szinkron állapot.

Sziget üzemű szinkron gép indítása
Ha egy szinkrongépünk arra van hivatva, hogy valamilyen fogyasztót generátorként egymaga tápláljon, akkor nincs szükség szinkronizálásra. Üzembe helyezése előtt (meggyőződve a gép kifogástalan üzemképességéről) a gép kapcsait rákapcsoljuk a fogyasztó áramkörre. A hajtógépet elindítva névleges fordulatszámig gyorsítjuk a gépcsoportot, és fokozatosan fölgerjesztjük a generátort (mint mondani szokás: "rágerjesztünk a hálózatra"), természetesen kellő óvatossággal, hogy a hálózati hibák esetén a rövidre zárás ne okozzon bajt; ha pedig nincs ilyen hiba, a hirtelen terhelés a gép tengelyét ne vegye lökéssel igénybe.

Háromfázisú gép szinkronozása

Ha szinkrongépünket feszültség alatt lévő hálózatra akarjuk kapcsolni, azt csak akkor tehetjük meg, mikor gépünk indukált feszültsége tartósan egyenlő a hálózati kapocsfeszültséggel. Ezt az állapotot, az úgynevezett szinkronizmust, szinkronozással érjük el. Szinkronizmusban a bekapcsolás előtt a gép, és a hálózat feszültsége egyenlő kell, hogy legyen. A két feszültség frekvenciája, és minden pillanatnyi értéke kell, hogy egyezzék; háromfázisú gép feszültségeinek fázissorrendje is azonos kell legyen. Ha úgy kapcsoljuk a generátort a hálózatra, hogy a szinkronizmus nem áll fenn, a hálózat berántja a generátort a szinkron állapotra, ami a gép tönkremenését okozhatja, akár a gép tengelyét is eltörheti, amennyiben a védelmek működése nem elegendően gyors.
A szinkron állapot meglétéről többféle módon is meggyőződhetünk. A szinkron állapot feltételei:
 Tartósan egyezzen meg a frekvencia,
 egyezzen meg a feszültség,
 egyezzen meg a fázissorrend (vagyis a hálózat és a gép feszültségvektora egy irányba forogjon),
 a feszültségek egymással fázisban legyenek.

Sötétre kapcsolás

A gépet előkészítjük, gerjesztéséről, és hajtásáról gondoskodunk, kapcsolóját azonban nyitva hagyjuk, és a nyitott kapcsok mellé lámpát, vagy voltmérőt kapcsolunk. A lámpák, vagy voltmérők ellenállása egyezzen meg! Álló generátor mellett a hálózati kapocsfeszültség a lámpákon (voltmérőkön), és a gép armatúra tekercsén keresztül zárt áramkörre talál, a lámpák gyengén égnek, a voltmérők kis kitérést mutatnak. Ha a gépünket elindítjuk, armatúrájában indukált feszültség támad, és ez a lámpákon, illetve voltmérőkön ráül a hálózati feszültségre. a kétféle (hálózati és gépi) feszültség frekvenciája, és effektív értéke általában nem lesz azonos, ezért eredőjük lebegő feszültség. A lámpákon mindig a pillanatnyi, előjelhelyes eredőjük jelenik meg, így a lámpa a különbségi frekvencián lobog. Ha bekövetkezik a hálózat, és a gép szinkronizmusa, vagyis ha frekvenciájuk azonos, és a feszültségek tartósan azonos nagyságúak, és irányúak a lámpák tartósan elalszanak. Közepes-, és nagyobb feszültségű hálózatoknál szinkronozó lámpákat nem használhatunk, ott feszültségváltókat használunk, és ezek szekunder körébe kötjük a lámpákat.

Világosra kapcsolás

Egyfázisú gépeknél elterjedt még a világosra kapcsolás. Ekkor a lámpák teljes izzása jelzi a szinkronizmust. ez a kapcsolás nem használható többfázisú gépeknél, mert ott a tartós izzás bekövetkezik akkor is, ha csak a feszültség, a frekvencia és fázissorrend azonos, de a feszültségek között lényeges (pl. 90˚) a fáziseltolás.

A lámpák vegyes kapcsolása

Háromfázisú gépek szinkronozására igen elterjedt a lámpák vegyes kapcsolása. Ebben 1 lámpa sötétre, 2 világosra van kapcsolva. Szinkronizmusban a sötétre kapcsolt lámpa tartósan kialszik, míg a két világosra kapcsolt lámpa tartósan világít. Ha a lámpák sorrendje megegyezik a hálózat fázissorrendjével, és a lámpákat egy szabályos hatszög csúcsainál, vagy egy kör mentén az óramutató járása szerinti sorrendben helyezzük el, és a lámpák számát megsokszorozzuk. Helyes kapcsolás esetén az egyik (sötétre kapcsolt) lámpa sem világít, míg a világosra kapcsolt lámpák világítanak. Az óramutató járásával szemben forog a jelenség, ha a gép lassabban forog a kelleténél, a lámpák sorrendjével azonos irányban forog a jelenség, ha a gép gyorsabban forog a kelleténél. Ha több mint két lámpa (valamennyi lámpa) periodikusan egyszerre elalszik, és felgyúl, a gép forgási értelme, nem felel meg a hálózati fázissorrendnek. Értelemszerűen a lámpák helyett használhatunk kielőtétezett LED diódákat is. Ilyenkor minden LED diódát megduplázva antiparalel kapcsolunk, és így nincs szükség egyenirányításra. A LED diódák bekötése olyan, hogy sorrendben minden három LED diódából az első sötétre, a másik kettő világosra van kapcsolva. A 12 LED diódából 4 sötét, és 8 világít. Az eltérés hatására a sötét lámpa világítani kezd, míg a mellette lévő (az eltérésnek megfelelő irányú) LED kialszik, így mintegy "forog" valamilyen irányba.
A szinkronozó lámpák mellett szokás még voltmérők ("nullavoltmérők") és szinkronoszkópok használata is. A két frekvencia ellenőrzésére általában dupla frekvenciamérőt építenek be.

Szinkronizálás kapcsolótáblába építhető szinkronizáló egységgel
A műszerbe beépített feszültségmérő van, mely mutatja a generátor feszültségét. A beépített mutatós frekvenciamérő pedig a generátor frekvenciáját. A frekvenciamérő skálája nem DIN szerinti, így pontosabb leolvasást tesz lehetővé. (Felbontása 0,2 Hz) A szinkronoszkóp helyett van beépítve a 12 LED-ből álló egység. Ezen túlmenően egy nulla voltmérő is be van építve, mely duplán túlterhelhető, beállítása pedig olyan, hogy a nulla környéki kitérések legyenek a lehető legnagyobbak. Ez mutatja a két hálózat feszültségének különbségét. A generátor gerjesztésekor azonnal látható a generátor feszültsége és frekvenciája. Ez segíti a generátor felgerjesztését. Normál körülmények között nincsen szinkron állapot. Ekkor a LED-ek a fentebb leírtak szerint "forognak", míg a nulla voltmérő a különbségi frekvenciának megfelelően "lebeg". Célszerűen a feszültséget, és a frekvenciát be kell állítani a generátoron. Megközelítve a szinkron állapotot a LED-ek forgása lelassul, és a nulla voltmérő egyre kisebb kilengéseket végez a nulla eltéréshez képest. Elérve a szinkron állapotot a LED-ek forgása leáll, és a nulla voltmérő kilengései megszűnnek. Ekkor a generátort rá lehet kapcsolni a hálózatra.

Források
Karsa Béla: Villamos mérőműszerek és mérések. (Műszaki könyvkiadó. 1962)
Tamás László: Analóg műszerek. (Jegyzet. Ganz Műszer ZRt. 2006)

Elektronika

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
A conversation on creativity with Michelle Tibbits, a confessed "artsy fartsy" and recovering compliments "shyoholic".
Michelle Tibbits is the friendly and smiley face that is likely to greet you when you enter The Treehouse. "She oozes goodness", as our Jackie Blackmore would say. She has worked at Semiahmoo House Society in various roles for nearly 2 decades. In addition, she is a talented artist who reveals herself in the full artistic spectrum. The following conversation reflects Michelle's insights on creativity, including a heart-warming example of how discovering his own creativity made one man very happy.
Tell me how you've witnessed creativity with people who participate in our programs?
It's great that our Rec and Leisure Program, through the Extravaganza, provides people the opportunity to be performers, singers and artists. The level of art that comes out of the Program is incredible and allows people to express themselves through creativity.
During the Extravaganza performance, I saw smiles I don't see on a daily basis. I watched pride, growth and expression. I got joy seeing them blossom on the stage. Even my husband was tearing up. The performers felt good about what they were doing. They felt special when people applauded their hard work. Any form of art is hard work; it's hard to put yourself out there to be judged.
The Day Program also encourages much creativity. People create art, sewing projects, music and plays. They decorate the building with what they make, creating opportunity for participants to express themselves in so many ways. The Program also brings into the building different types of performers to share their art form and culture, providing new experiences which promote personal growth. All of this plays a role in encouraging people to create from within.
Photography is another form of creativity. The fact that Janek (Janek's work will be featured in the Fall Newsletter) is such a talented photographer who actually sells his form of art is inspiring.
Also, participants in Rec and Leisure created a vibrant mixed media painting that is proudly displayed here and it has a rock glued on it that says "inspire". To me, that is a perfect message for everyone.
That painting is one of many living here in the building that has been created by various artists. To me that shows how much we embrace the creativity of others and recognize how much of a positive impact that can potentially have.
Do you think that vulnerability also plays a role in this?
Absolutely. You have to allow yourself to be vulnerable. That means you embrace the opportunity to be yourself and that makes you stronger. Vulnerability is good because if you feel strong enough, you can be out there and open up to more people.
If people stay where they know; they're never vulnerable but they don't grow either. I think that creativity, vulnerability and growth are entangled.
How has creativity helped you in your work supporting people?
It helps me think outside the box.
I have one particular example in mind. His name was Stan. One day, he saw me draw and he said, "I would like to draw." I handed him a pencil and some paper and I said, "OK, here you can draw." He tried it then he said, "It's colouring that I want to do." I drew him a picture and gave him some colouring pencils. He coloured it and enjoyed himself.
One day, Stan and I went to a casual drop-in ceramics place that was laid back and easy going. That way, Stanley could do whatever he wanted. He chose a big pig to paint. Then, he asked me, "What should I paint?" I told him, "It's your pig, you paint it whatever you like." He stamped the pig and I helped him make the stampings look like flowers. Here we had this huge pig painted with flowers all over it. Stan named the pig, Ed.
Once Ed was glazed, he looked so fabulous that someone offered to buy him. Stan was very proud that someone would want his work.
I'll never forget that time. Stan was so proud of Ed that he had him living in a basket in his room and he would cover him at night. When Stan passed away over 10 years ago, he left Ed to me. I have him still living in the basket in my house.
Do you believe that creativity is related to wellness?
Creativity is a good way to release stress by escaping into a different world and doing something that feels good. Creativity releases toxins; it's cleansing.
Personally, I have to make time for my art. If I don't, I don't feel rested. My art gives me the opportunity to be free.
How has creativity contributed to your own growth?
My husband is an incredible artist and I would hide my drawings from him. One day, he told me, "This is yours; you own it. It's from the depth of you and to share it with me would be an honour." I had to agree with him. The experience shifted my mind and now I let him watch me draw. In turn, this is what has helped me be comfortable with things like painting the Semi doors at Christmas or sharing my music.
I didn't feel comfortable with compliments either because it meant that I was the focal point and people were paying attention to something that was very personal to me. Now, I'm able to accept compliments a lot better mostly because I have realized that it is ok to feel a sense of pride. Understanding what a huge impact that had in my life is probably why I am such a strong advocate for helping people express their inner creativity – whatever form that may be.
Prior to those insights, I never considered myself an artist—just artsy fartsy—but once I got the courage to let other people in, I was able to believe myself to be an artist and call myself one.
I think of how many people write and they never show their words to another soul because they think they're not good enough or their inner being will be judged. Showing your art to someone means being strong enough to allow someone in. That's a big compliment for that other person and it's a big step forward in self-confidence for the person sharing.
What is creativity not about?
It's not about being perfect; it's about expressing yourself. Do whatever you do and don't compare yourself.
Again, it's about that freedom of being yourself and vulnerable and developing the strength to get up there in front a room full of people or maybe even just one person to share part of yourself with, because creativity is a part of who you are as a whole.
At Semi, people are allowed the freedom of being themselves. If they can't be free, how would they express themselves? I so believe in the arts for those reasons.
Semiahmoo House Society, a non-profit organization located in Surrey/White Rock, exists to provide quality services and supports to people with disabilities and their families in the community.
The Semiahmoo Foundation, located in Surrey/White Rock, exists to fund, support and enhance the programs and services delivered by Semiahmoo House Society.
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text:
The Oldest Pizzeria in New Jersey Has Been Making Pies For Over 100 Years
Matt Ryan Published: January 5, 2023
Bernardbodo, Getty Images
Sure, you can have your pizza delivered, but there's something special about getting a slice on a paper plate and sitting in a booth at your favorite pizzeria.
I've always been fascinated by the pizza-making process.
Isn't cool to take a peek "behind the scenes" and see how the magic happens?
The process goes back a long time and sometimes many generations.
Flipping the dough in the air, layering on the sauce and cheese, and don't forget the toppings. It's fun to watch.
In my opinion, the more old-school the pizzeria, the better.
I'm talking about those smooth red booths with red pepper shakers and grated cheese. It's always a bonus when they have garlic salt.
Everything is a little greasy, but hey, it's a pizza joint.
There are so many incredible pizzerias in New Jersey that have been serving piping hot pies for a long time.
However, there's only one Jersey pizzeria that has been doing it for 111 years.
That's right. New Jersey's oldest pizzeria was established in 1912.
Not only is there a lot of history here, but the pizza is also top-notch. Check out some of these Yelp reviews.
The pizza was so good. I was tempted to eat all 8 slices while driving home. We also got a traditional pie with cheese. Their sauce is outstanding. The sauce and cheese ratio was perfect. Both pies were cooked to perfection with good char. The crust was on the crispier side. No flop which I love.
The oldest pizzeria in New Jersey and the oldest continuous family-owned pizzeria in the U.S. is none other than Papa's Tomato Pies in Robbinsville.
Have you ever had a mustard pie? People say this Papa's pie is legendary.
Papa's Tomato Pies
The 25 Most Dangerous Cities in New Jersey
Filed Under: NJ Pizza, NJ Pizzerias, oldest pizzeria in nj
Categories: Articles, Food, Lifestyle
This food was voted a 'must-eat' in NJ — and it's not pork roll
The 3 Oldest Pizzerias In The State Continue To Make New Jersey Residents Smile
A guide to every NJ pizzeria Barstool's Dave Portnoy has reviewed
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If I Were A Rich Man


Mention that you saw this Early Season Special when you make you reservation for December and get $10.00 off per night!
This offer is valid for the nights of December 1st through December 24th, 2015.
Not valid December 25 - 31, 2015.
Reservations must be made directly with the Indianhead Motel front desk by calling (906) 932-2031.
This offer can be rescinded at any time without notice.


text:
Tessab.net
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text:
Incorruptibility body after death in many religions is a sign that the person lived a holy life. But in fact, not everything is so simple. In this article we want to introduce you to the most amazing five cases of incorruptibility in the history of mankind.
Dashi-Dorzho Itigelov
Itigelov - Buddhist lama who lived in Russia in the early 1900s. Even during his lifetime, he asked another Lama to begin the funeral process, and he meditated. He died while meditating in the lotus position. Lama wanted to be exhumed several years after the death. In 2002 Lama's body was exhumed from the grave and still perfectly preserved.
Saint Zita
Like most saints in his lifetime Zita was a very kind person, and even perform miracles. She died in 1272, and when 300 years later, her body was exhumed, it turned out to be incorruptible. Mummified relics of St. Zita were transferred to the Basilica of San Frediano in Lucca in Italy, which holds to this day.
Xin Jouy
Xin Jouy lived in luxury during the reign of the Han dynasty, and was married to a Chinese gentleman. this lady was different excellent appetite and absorbs unhealthy food in large quantities. As a result, it has become obese and 163 BC. e. He died of a heart attack. When the body Jouy Xin was found in 1971, her skin was still soft, and joints can move.
Saint Catherine Labouré
It is reported that during the life of the Holy Catherine Labouré had visions of the Virgin Mary. During one of such phenomena Saint Catherine even talked with the Virgin Mary in the church, his hands resting on her knees. She died in 1876 and was buried in a coffin. When in 1993 her body was exhumed for the canonization, it turned out that the relics are in perfect condition. Now the body of Saint Catherine Labouré is stored in Paris.
Girl La Donsella
This 15-year-old girl from Inca tribe was killed during the sacrifice of almost 500 years ago in what is now Argentina. Cold and dry air conditions preserved her body almost unchanged, when it was discovered in 1999.
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WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — Flirt4Free has announced details of its 2017 "Flirt of the Year" contest — an annual three-month celebration featuring a series of model and customer contests offering more than 100 cash prizes totaling over $100,000.
Running from October 1 through December 31, the contest is the site's largest competition, consistently bringing in thousands of models and millions of customers.
Rodriguez said models will have the opportunity to place in the general Flirt of the Year contest, which will give away cash prizes — including a $2,000 grand prize — to the Top 20 contenders, as well as six other contests that will allow the models to compete against those with the same credit level, the same category, the same region, and more.
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Throughout the contest, Flirt4Free will maintain a comprehensive leaderboard updating in real-time, making it easy for models and customers to see exactly who's ranking where in each contest.
For a full rundown of all of the contests, prizes, and categories, click here.
Affiliates interested in promoting the Flirt4Free network can apply here.
Performers or studios interested in broadcasting on the Flirt4Free network can apply here.


text:
Steve Tarter
While many area car dealers see the high price of gas driving the sale of smaller cars, the Dodge Viper still stands tall at the Roanoke Motor Co.
The $95,000 sports/muscle car remains a hot item at Roanoke's Chrysler-Dodge dealership, where this past weekend a Viper owned by a couple from Texas received a special paint job, said Roanoke Motor Co. co-owner John Gastman.
"We had people here from Chrysler along with our own people working on the car," he said.
"We may be the largest Viper dealer in the country," said Gastman, noting that, "If you're driving a $95,000 car, you're probably not worrying about $4 gas."
But the Viper is a niche market, he said. Most of the business that Roanoke Motors does involves pickup trucks and minivans, where buyers do ask about mileage, said Gastman, pointing out that a strong local economy has cushioned the impact of rising oil prices in central Illinois.
Queries about a vehicle's mileage are still being heard across the area's car market. "Fuel efficiency is the most-asked question," said Jim Scherer, owner of Scherer Mazda, 2300 W. Pioneer Parkway.
"There's no question that people are going to smaller cars. There's less (consumer) shock this time over gas prices than in 2008 when we had $4 gas. The 2008 truck market went down by 50 percent. It was ridiculous," he said.
Fuel economy has been on the customer's mind for the last few years, said Mike Murphy of Mike Murphy Ford in Morton. "Sales remain steady, with a shift to the more fuel-efficient models like the Fiesta and Focus," he said.
Another Ford dealer, Velde Ford in Pekin, will showcase the 2012 Focus, a model that gets 40 miles per gallon, at a special unveiling at the dealership from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday.
At Ray Dennis Chevrolet in Pekin, general manager Brian Dennison expressed support for the Chevy line. "Chevrolet has nine models that get 30 miles per gallon or better. That's why sales are up 30 percent this quarter," he said.
Truck sales have remained steady, he said. "People still want their trucks. You've got features now like 'active fuel management' that automatically adjusts to using four cylinders instead of eight when the truck is on the highway," said Dennison.
At Bob Lindsay Honda, 918 W. Pioneer Parkway, where Japanese-based Honda vehicles have long been known as mileage leaders, the problem is one of supply after the disastrous earthquake/tsunami in Japan earlier this year.
"We've started to put people on waiting lists," said general manager Rod Dixon. "We have customers looking for brand new Civics, but we can't get enough of them. Some models will trickle in by August. Others won't be available until the fourth quarter of this year," he said.
Steve Tarter can be reached at 686-3260 or starter@pjstar.com.


"Thank you so much for what you have done with our yard. it looked like a hurricane had come through, and now it is a beautiful park again. The Elms are so well shaped and elegant. i won't be gathering limbs after windy days agin. You are an artist.
"On behalf of Interstate Highway Construction, Inc., I would like to thank you for your work on the SH-52 Intersection Project. I appreciate the expertise, flexibility and professionalism that you ad your crew demonstrated while on the job site, especially with the level of detail that you showed in starting and finishing the work safely.
IHC looks forward to working with you again on upcoming projects. Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you."


Well over 40 years after they formed the Stones are still rolling, a bigger and more powerful machine than ever, generating millions of pounds each year. Their tours are certified money makers.
Except for the Beatles, probably no British rock group has been so iconic. But for collectors, it's the two early periods, first with Brian Jones, and then with Mick Taylor, that hold the real interest. Already hailed as the world's great rock band, these were the most creative days of the group, when they symbolised rebellion.
Yet, in spite of their exalted status, prices for Stones memorabilia don't begin to touch that of their biggest 1960s rivals. Why? The probable reason is the fact that they're still going, a musical juggernaut that shows no sign of stopping. Prices are always higher when a band no longer exists. Even material relating to Brian Jones, the original member who died in 1969, surprisingly doesn't generate significantly high figures.
Most things are quite affordable, and, if you can hang onto them for several years, might represent a good investment. A copy of the 1981 album Tattoo You, signed by all the members who played on it, is a steal at £250.
Go back to the original line up, and you can get a complete set of autographs from £500 – 800 – very reasonable compared to the Beatles. Even sets of old photos don't go for premium prices, and you can pick up a vintage autographed picture of Mick Jagger for a little over £100.
That said, some items can raise prices in the thousands. The top hat Jagger wore on a 1972 tour fetched £2700 at auction, but that's the exception, rather than the rule, as a scarf he wore two years later only managed £600.
Keith Richards items sell relatively briskly, but again the prices aren't that high - £75 for a signed photo, for instance, and at £1000 a signed guitar (not one he'd played) wasn't being snapped up.
Vintage tee shirts and backstage passes are available from some dealers, generally in the £20-40 range.A lot of dealers ask higher prices for items. However, visit their sites several times over the months and you'll see that they don't sell quickly.
You're mostly going to find items from dealers and auction houses. Because of the low prices, don't be afraid of auction houses with Stones memorabilia; even with the buyer's premium, items won't drain your bank account.
With dealers, it pays to look around. Some have realistic prices, others are hopeful. If you see something you want, it can't hurt to put in an offer. If the item's been sitting a while, your offer – if it's reasonable – might well be accepted.
It's worth keeping an eye on EBay, but be very sceptical of items offered. There are plenty of fakes out there. However, given the relatively low value of Stones items, it might be possible to pick up an occasional bargain.
One of the big questions with Stones memorabilia is how great a potential investment it might be. The band has lasted longer than anyone (probably even themselves) expected, but it can't go on forever. Material is cheap enough to amass a sizeable collection, but you'll probably need to hang on to it for about a decade for prices to rise significantly. If you're willing to do that, then it can represent some of the best bargains currently available.
@KJ. WE can't give individual valuations, but hopefully one of our readers might spot your post and be of help.
HiI've 2 original photos that I took of Bryan Jones and Keith Richards in ahotel in Copenhagen.Keith Richards looks about 14 and totally innocent Bryan Jones is smokin a joint and has that knowing stoned look and smirk. They should be out there for public consumption as they are so iconic. Any ideas ?


As a global market leader in sportswear, Nike understand the importance of providing managers with effective coaching and mentoring skills. On 21 and 22 October 2010, Nike engaged SPECTRA to conduct two Coaching & Mentoring workshops at Chingluh factory in Long An province. One workshop was conducted in English by a foreign trainer while the other one was conducted in Vietnamese by a Vietnamese trainer. A total of 50 participants completed this workshop.
Nike is a company that is committed to growing its people. In addition to conducting Coaching & Mentoring Workshop, SPECTRA has also conducted other training programs, such as How to Conduct Performance Evaluation, Problem Solving and Decision Making for Nike.


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