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Fargo-Moorhead slows preparations as flood risk drops; road closures continue
Dan Gunderson and MPR News Staff
Across Minnesota
March 29, 2019 3:00 a.m.
The water level continues to rise beneath the Highway 41 bridge over the Minnesota River near downtown Chaska Frida. The bridge has been closed since March 21.
Courtesy James Bryan
Updated: 4:30 p.m. | Posted: 4 a.m.
Optimism is rising — tentatively — that the impacts of spring flooding across Minnesota will continue to be minimal this year, as near-perfect conditions remain in the forecast.
Officials in Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn., announced Friday that they are pulling back on the flood preparations that have been in full swing since spring began.
Elsewhere in the state, rivers continued to slowly rise this week along with temperatures.
After near-balmy conditions midweek that allowed the gentle snowmelt to continue, the National Weather Service's map of river levels lit up with red and purple dots indicating moderate to major flooding on several of the region's rivers.
But so far, the flooding in the south has led mostly to a bevy of closed roads and logistical headaches.
MPR News reporters are monitoring rivers' rises across the state. Here's what we're seeing today.
Fargo-Moorhead:Flood prep slows as risk drops
| SW Minn.:More road closures
| SE Minn.:Farmers face possible spring delays
| Updraft:Flooding forecast
Fargo and Moorhead: Preparations slow as flood risk drops
Kendall Railing and his 5-year-old son, Alec, fill sandbags the old-fashioned way on Tuesday at Sandbag Central in Fargo, N.D.
Dan Gunderson | MPR News
Fargo officials will suspend sandbag operations Friday evening and are downgrading flood preparations in response to nearly ideal spring weather conditions that are reducing the flood risk along the Red River.
On the Minnesota side of the rising river, Moorhead will "pause sandbag operations" Saturday afternoon and "wait for additional information" before deciding if additional sandbags are needed.
Rising water:Check your river
Tell MPR News:How are you preparing for flood season?
Full coverage:Spring flooding
The National Weather Service will issue a deterministic flood forecast as early as this weekend that sets a target for a specific flood stage the Red River is expected to reach, and helps engineers fine-tune flood preparations.
Fargo has a strategy of preparing for worst-case flood scenarios, and that's why the city initially planned to fill a million sandbags.
"It's easy to ramp down. It's very difficult to sit on your hands and then try to ramp up when time is really your enemy. So I would say in this case, it's worked exactly like we hoped it would," said Fargo City Administrator Bruce Grubb.
With the reduced flood risk, Fargo will likely need fewer than 400,000 sandbags; the city will end sandbag filling operations at 7 p.m. Friday. City engineers will spend the weekend recalculating what flood protection is needed, and present an updated plan on Monday.
Mayor Tim Mahoney said he's happy the city can slow its flood preparations.
"We've been really pleased that the public's come out on our sandbagging, worked with us on this, and hit the goals we asked for every day," Mahoney said. "(This) once again reaffirms the community is ready to stand in case of a flood and help us out."
In Moorhead, sandbag production will continue — and volunteers still are needed — through 3 p.m. Saturday. More volunteers may be needed next week to place the sandbags in areas vulnerable to flooding.
— Dan Gunderson | Moorhead
SW Minn.: More road closures and a cresting Minnesota River
A county highway bridge across the Minnesota River is closed due to flooding on Monday northwest of New Ulm. The bridge wasn't affected by flooding, but floodwaters were covering part of the south approach to the bridge.
Andrew Krueger | MPR News
While many roads across southern Minnesota remain closed due to flooding, the Minnesota Department of Transportation reopened the eastbound section of Highway 65 out of Albert Lea on Friday.
Residents in the town of Henderson in Sibley County have been connected to the rest of the county by a single road since rising floodwaters forced MnDOT to close two of the city's three main arteries.
Eastbound Hwy 65 open in Albert Lea, westbound remains closed for water on road https://t.co/TmdeBuSw2x #MnDOT #mnflooding #albertlea Thanks to the city of Albert Lea for the photo. pic.twitter.com/p9vux3HTpc
— MnDOT District 6 (@mndotsoutheast) March 29, 2019
A section of U.S. Highway 212 has been closed due to rising floodwaters from the Minnesota River between Montevideo and Granite Falls in southwestern Minnesota.
The river is 3 feet beyond what's considered major flood stage, and is expected to rise another foot this weekend.
Heading out?Check your route
The Minnesota Department of Transportation and State Patrol closed the section of road around noon after the river's waters rose faster than expected and spilled over the road.
"If it goes down as fast as it came up, it should open up fairly quickly. But it also could be a few more days into next week if it is a slow recede," said Craig Gertsema, MnDOT's highway maintenance superintendent for District 8. "I wouldn't anticipate a real long closure, but for sure through the weekend would by my anticipation."
The National Weather Service predicts the Minnesota River at Montevideo to crest at 21.7 feet this weekend, which would be the third-highest crest in the city's history.
Across Chippewa County, ice jams continued to cause problems for the area's roads and bridges, according to the Montevideo American-News.
In Montevideo, the West-Central Tribune reported that workers set about reinforcing a dike on the city's southwestern side that was built in 1969. The paper reported that the spot "remains the weak link in an otherwise enhanced city levee system," and that the city has plans to complete the levee later this year.
Lac qui Parle County sheriff's deputies rescue the occupants of an SUV that went around a barricade and was swept off a flooded road in Garfield Township, southwest of Madison, Minn., on Thursday.
Courtesy of Lac qui Parle County Sheriff's Office
West Central Tribune:Montevideo is ready as Minnesota River nears crest, crews building up '69 levee
On Thursday, floodwaters from the Minnesota River hit 21 feet, 7 feet above flood stage. The paper reported that the city halted sewer services to one of its neighborhoods and to the nearby town of Watson, whose wastewater is typically treated at Montevideo's plant.
Also Thursday, the Tribune reported, Lac qui Parle sheriff's deputies rescued a man and a woman who were stranded in floodwaters when they drove their SUV around a barricade and onto a flooded road.
NewsCut:Here's why you shouldn't drive through flood waters
The current was strong enough to push the SUV off the road and into an adjacent field. Deputies used cold-water rescue suits and an inflatable rapid-deployment watercraft to rescue the occupants.
The sheriff reminded drivers to avoid flooded roads.
— Peter Cox & MPR News staff
Updraft: River flooding forecast
The Redwood River flows over the historic Swayback Bridge at Ramsey Park in Redwood Fallson Monday. The river had dropped a few feet from its peak crest over the weekend, but remained above flood stage. The bridge is designed to allow floodwaters to flow over the middle, the lowest point.
From the MPR News weather blog: Our lack of rain the past two weeks has been helpful. River levels won't crest as high as they would have if we had seen a couple of inches of rain.
Several locations along our Minnesota rivers remain at major or moderate flood stage. Many areas have flood warnings. You can get flood warning updates by clicking on any location on the National Weather Service Twin Cities website.
When we say there is flooding happening in southern Minnesota, THIS is what we mean.
Take a look at the currently closed Hwy 93 heading into Le Sueur, shot on Monday afternoon. @mndotscentral Road closure info: https://t.co/yhtPwRf2sU pic.twitter.com/vVgd3bQx45
— MnDOT (@MnDOT) March 27, 2019
Read the full post here.
— Ron Trenda | MPR News Updraft weather blog
SE Minnesota: Hurt by weather last year, farmers face possible spring delays
Ponding and flooding in fields could delay corn planting by a couple of weeks in southern Minnesota this spring.
Jacob Swanson | Faribault Daily News
Spring flooding may delay planting season a little bit for some southern Minnesota farmers, but that comes with the territory.
With most snow melted, corn-planting season is approaching. Rice and Steele ag production systems extension educator Claire LaCanne said Rice County farmers often look to plant corn between April 20 and May 10.
She said many looking out into the fields are thinking that planting may be a bit late this year, though University of Minnesota studies show that rapid yield declines don't begin until planting is pushed back to beyond May 20.
"With the flooding and ponding that we're seeing in some Rice County fields, there is a chance that planting will be delayed because the ground will stay wet and soil temperatures will likely stay low," LaCanne said. "Planting when soil temperatures are low and moisture is high can cause seeds to rot and/or delay germination which can ultimately affect plant stand and yield."
If planting is delayed past the third week of May, LaCanne said switching from late-maturity hybrids to early maturity hybrids can help reduce the risk of plants freezing in the fall before reaching maturity.
Soybean planting occurs later in the season and has a wider window, so soybeans aren't as big of a concern as corn is this spring.
Matt Braun, a corn and soybean farmer in Dennison, said he projects planting will be about two or three weeks late for him. It could always be worse, however.
Preparing for a flood?Do this now
|Sandbagging 101
"Us farmers, we've learned to ride the roller coaster," Braun said. "Mother Nature is always in control."
Last year was perhaps as big of a roller coaster as they come. With a late blizzard in April, September tornadoes and an early fall freeze, the weather gods weren't easy on farmers.
"It wasn't fun," Braun said. "Everyone wants to forget about last year and start again. Hopefully we get a good crop."
At least technology is on farmers' side. With improved equipment and technology, planting gets done a lot faster once it begins, Braun said.
"The frost is deep now, but you get some warm days when the sun is shining and the frost is getting softer and softer," Braun said. "If it stays like this we should be rocking and rolling four to six weeks, depending on Mother Nature."
A farm is surrounded by the floodwaters of the Minnesota River in Nicollet County, northwest of New Ulm, Monday.
It is spring in Minnesota, so whether or not Mother Nature cooperates can change quickly. Some parts of the Midwest may receive a bit of snow or freezing rain this weekend, though that doesn't currently look like it will impact Rice County.
Farmers in Minnesota could use a win.
A report from the University of Minnesota Extension released on Monday stated that Minnesota farms earned the lowest median farm income in the past 23 years.
The reported median net income for farmers in 2018 was $26,055, according to the Extension service. That's down 8 percent from 2017.
"We don't have consistent numbers that go back that far, but it is very likely that 2018 was the lowest income year for Minnesota farms since the early 1980s," Dale Nordquist of the Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota said in a release.
"That said, the previous five years were not much better, so many Minnesota farms have had a string of low-income years and that has both financial and emotional impacts."
Trade issues hurt dairy, pork and crop farmers, according to Extension. The median pork producer made $27,739 in 2018, down from over $101,000 in 2017, while median crop farmers and dairy farmers earned $30,650 and less than $15,000, respectively, according to Extension. Beef producers earned just over $6,000 on average.
Dairy farms were also hurt by overproduction and crop farmers battled weather and prices.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a 2019 projection predicting farm sector profits to increase in 2019, but it's a tough market right now.
"At this point, there are way too many variables to know where we will be a year from now," Nordquist said.
"On the cropping side, costs are projected to be higher and there is no relief yet on the prices, so it is a little hard to see where that increase might come from. Hopefully, we will see some improved profitability in dairy and livestock agriculture."
— Jacob Swanson | Faribault Daily News


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Daily Tech Digest - March 26, 2017
Building a Data Governance Program with Data Modeling
A good Data Governance Program, Sandwell said, creates trust in the data, so that end-users see it as a valuable, accessible resource for decision making. The goal is to provide a program that is consistent, high quality, and understandable, making it easy for end users to derive value from the data. This, in turn, fosters transparency and accountability for data assets and their management, which is essential for "creating trust in your enterprise data," he said. ... Data Modeling allows an organization to work out a plan before offering it up to users. It's accepted that the right way to design relational databases is to take time for modeling, do the analysis, understand the challenges and risks, and work out the "what-if's" before ever showing that database or offering it up for use.
There Is No AI Without IA
AI and cognitive computing are managed in the same way as many other information and technology governance programs. They require executive sponsorship, charters, roles and responsibilities, decisionmaking protocols, escalation processes, defined agendas, and linkage to specific business objectives and processes. These initiatives are a subset of digital transformation and are linked to customer life cycles and internal value chains. Because the objective is always to affect a process outcome, all AI and cognitive computing programs are closely aligned with ongoing metrics at multiple levels of detail-from content and data quality to process effectiveness and satisfaction of business imperatives-and ultimately are linked to the organizational competitive and market strategy.
4 challenges Artificial Intelligence must address
In order to prevent things from running out of control, the tech industry has a responsibility to help the society to adapt to the major shift that is overcoming the socio-economic landscape and smoothly transition toward a future where robots will be occupying more and more jobs. Teaching new tech skills to people who are losing or might lose their jobs to AI in the future can complement the efforts. In tandem, tech companies can employ rising trends such as cognitive computing and natural language generation and processing to help break down the complexity of tasks and lower the bar for entry into tech jobs, making them available to more people. In the long run governments and corporations must consider initiatives such as Universal Basic Income (UBI), unconditional monthly or yearly payments to all citizens, as we slowly inch toward the day where all work will be carried out by robots.
Blockchain development in Australia overseen by eight regulatory bodies
ASIC said it expects the application of DLT to grow exponentially over time, but noted its existing regulatory framework is able to accommodate the DLT use cases it has come across to date. However, as DLT matures, the government body anticipates that additional regulatory considerations will arise. "Our approach to developments in the fintech sector is to work to harness opportunities and economic benefits, not stand in the way of innovation and development," ASIC's guidelines state. "At the same time, we need to mitigate any potential risks of new business models through the use of new technologies." In reinforcing its regulatory remit, ASIC has established an Innovation Hub to help fintech startups developing "innovative" financial products or services to navigate its regulatory system.
'Blockchain Revolution' Authors Launch Enterprise Research Effort
Founded as a non-profit organization and based in Toronto, Canada, the group of founding members include Accenture, IBM, SAP, Digital Asset, NASDAQ, Pepsico, the Province of Ontario and Nuco Inc. The group is expected to spend its first year studying the impact of blockchain on eight industries, or "vertical opportunities", including energy, media, technology, healthcare and government. Associate members, including Hyperledger, Enterprise Ethereum Alliance and the Chamber of Digital Commerce, are then aiming to help minimize the amount of redundant work. "We don't want to duplicate anything that's already being done," Tapscott said. Including access to monthly webinars and a private website to view published material, the membership – which Tapscott expects will reach 30 by the time the program launches next month – will receive a custom executive report based on the institute's findings and aimed specifically at the members' demands.
4 Data Governance Best Practices To Kickstart Your Data Governance Program
As the saying goes, everything is bigger in Texas, and for data governance, it was the massive landscape of different industries and geographies coming together to create something significant and sustainable for effectively managing data. For many, the focus was to prepare challenges around data and analytics, including: Establishing effective information governance for better quality, privacy, and security; Maximizing the impact of business intelligence and MDM programs; Preparing for trends such as AI, Hadoop, Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain; and Building and executing an effective, holistic data and analytics strategy. Organizations of all sizes and types were present at the conference to learn and shared about their data governance programs. It's amazing to see how these organizations have transformed the process of enterprise data governance.
How data governance is now a strategic boardroom consideration in a data-driven world
Microsoft's view is that the mindset of governance around data needs to change from being that of "data management" to "data as a strategic advantage". Once the organization understands that the use of data can strategically change the way it does business, the requirement of the governing body (typically the board of directors) to become involved is obvious. After all, it is the board that is responsible for the overall strategy of the organization. And if the organization is to transform itself to become more of a "data business" then it is the board that is accountable for the success of that transformation. The digital transformation journey for Ryman Healthcare, a leading retirement village operator in New Zealand, started two years ago precisely that way. The management team initially set out to mitigate risks of documentation errors as they felt that it was risky to depend on manual and paper-based documentation, especially when it comes to patient care.
3 Data Governance Challenges Today's Companies Face
Some organizations have mastered data governance, but they are in the minority. As data volumes continue to grow, most businesses are finding it hard to keep up. "You're going to do this one way or another," said Shannon Fuller, director of data governance at Carolinas Healthcare System. "You can do it in a controlled, methodical manner or you can do it when your hair's on fire." Poor data governance can result in lawsuits, regulatory fines, security breaches and other data-related risks that can be expensive and damaging to a company's reputation. "We don't have regulation about data lineage and reporting and all that, but it's going to come," said Fuller. "Do you want to prepare for that now or do you want to be like Bank of America and spend billions of dollars complying with the law? Most healthcare organizations don't have that kind of cash lying around."
Infographic: Hybrid IT is Becoming a Standard Enterprise Model
The research of 1,500 IT decision makers from multiple vertical industries across the US, Europe, Asia-Pacific and South Africa, reveals that hybrid IT is becoming a standard enterprise model, but there's no single playbook to get there. Looking at the top motivators to move to hybrid IT by country, Hong Kong, UK and US companies highlighted end-user demand most often, while respondents in France, Singapore and South Africa most often noted cost. Malaysian firms listed hiring challenges, and German firms mentioned limited data centre capacity as the most common motivating factors. The Success Factors for Managing Hybrid IT report points to the fact that management of the hybrid IT environment (41% of respondents) is one of the top three challenges in deployment."
Driving Improvements with Lean Pilots
The relationship between lean and agile is complex. Some agilists do not even see a direct relationship. Even those who recognize that agile mindset is based on lean principles of value delivery, reduction of waste, and system thinking, frequently have a perception that while lean is a manufacturing approach that focuses on minimizing costs by eliminating waste and improving process efficiencies, agile is just the application of lean mindset to software delivery with a set of processes around it. This is only partially accurate because agile, and specifically Scrum, bring two important concepts into lean: incremental delivery and cross-functional team-based execution. Our Lean Pilot framework implements lean six sigma DMAIC cycle at cadence using Scrum framework. DMAIC is a data-driven quality strategy used to improve processes. It is an integral part of a Six Sigma initiative, but in general can be implemented as a standalone quality improvement procedure.
"New capabilities emerge just by virtue of having smart people with access to state-of-the-art technology." -- Robert E. Kahn
Posted by Kannan Subbiah at 3:50 PM
Labels: artificial intelligence, best practices, blockchain, data governance, data model, enterprise architecture, Information Architecture, methodology, strategy

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Hopefully, you've read our advice on researching and booking holidays and other travel safely and securely. But have you thought about how to keep yourself protected online while you're away, whether it's the annual family holiday or a short break?
Whether you're basking in the sunshine or enjoying the snowy slopes, it can be easy to forget that your online safety is as important as your sunscreen or goggles. So we'd like to offer some simple advice to help ensure that when it comes to being online, you're as safe when away as when you're at home.
The great thing about smartphones and tablets is that they're small and portable. The downside to this is that they're easy to lose, and easy for someone to steal. The consequences of this happening in your own country are bad enough, but if you're abroad, you face additional inconvenience, expense and, often, upset.
When you're out and about – especially in city centres – keep your phone or tablet close to you and get it out only when you have to in a safe place, to answer a message or check the map. Don't leave it unattended in cafes, bars or public transport, and if there isn't a safe in your hotel room, we recommend you take it with you.
And remember that apartments, villas, ski lodges or caravans all make attractive targets for thieves, so take care here as well.
When you're on holiday – just like when you're at home – there's nothing easier and more convenient than being able to connect to Wi-Fi in your hotel room, the café or a bar. You can keep up with your friends, check the news, catch up on your email (uh oh, you're meant to be relaxing!) and check your bank account.
But have you considered if that hotspot is secure, and what information you might be revealing inadvertently?
If you're doing anything private online such as banking, paying for something, logging into a shopping site or confidential email – our advice is: don't do it using a Wi-Fi hotspot, but use your data (remember, roaming is cheaper these days) or a mobile dongle.
This is because with hotspots, you have no guarantee that the connection is secure, so there's a chance that it could be eavesdropped on orhijacked. Even if you need a code or your email to log on, it's not worth the risk.
Right, but the problem is, you can never be sure who's going to end up seeing what you've posted and these days, social media has become the best friend of both burglars and fraudsters.
Advertise that fact that your home is unoccupied – even if it's only for a weekend break – and you're risking having it broken into. This isn't uncommon, and even high-profile celebs have fallen victim. Insurance companies are now refusing to pay out if they find you've posted that you're away so surely this, combined with the thought that somebody could be going through all your belongings while you're away, would make you think twice.
We want to you relax and enjoy your break and be able to enjoy your online experience seamlessly and safely while you're away too. Following this practical holiday advice and the other online safety basics on our website, that shouldn't be a problem.
Is your smart home connected safely?


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Q: How to calculate the VaR of an equally weighted portfolio of 2 assets using the copula approach? The R-code procedure in the GARCH-EVT-Copula model estimation
I have been able to do the following steps in R:

*

*Fit GARCH models to each series.

*Extract standardized returns.

*Transform standardized returns to uniform marginals using the parametric IFM method by Joe.

*Fit the copulas and estimate the parameters.

*Generate 100 1-day ahead forecasts from the  copulas.

*Reverse transform the simulated values.

*Use these transformed forecasts in ugarchsim (using custom.dist)

*Extract forecasted mu and sigma.

*Calculate 95% and 99% VaR equally weighted portfolio of 2 assets with weights 1/5

My question is, how to do the 9th step?

A: Use ugarchpath instead of ugarchsim and take the empirical 5% quantile (across the different simulation runs) of the simulated return $\hat x_{t+1}$ as a forecast of the 95% VaR and the 1% quantile for 99% VaR.
Alternatively, skip steps 7. and 8. and feed in the reverse-transformed simulated values $z_{t+1}$ into the estimated model equations (first insert $z_{t+1}$ into the model for $\sigma$, thus obtain the forecasted $\hat\sigma_{t+1}$, then insert $\hat\sigma_{t+1} z_{t+1}$ in place of $\varepsilon_{t+1}$ into the conditional mean equation to obtain the forecasted return $\hat x_{t+1}$) and take the empirical 5% quantile of $\hat x_{t+1}$ as a forecast of the 95% VaR and the 1% quantile for 99% VaR.

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Home Recent Post 22 militants killed in North Waziristan air strikes: ISPR
Zarb-e-Azb Operation
22 militants killed in North Waziristan air strikes: ISPR
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan: At least 22 militants were killed in fighter jet strikes carried out in the North Waziristan tribal region, according to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).
In in a statement issued on Wednesday, the ISPR said that the precise aerial strikes were taken in an area ahead of Datta Khel in North Waziristan agency.
"22 Terrorists were killed in precise aerial strikes late last night in area ahead of Datta Khel in North Wazirastan Agency," the ISPR said.
The air strikes were conducted as part of the ongoing military operation Zarb-e-Azb in the tribal region. The armed forces launched the operation in June last year against different outlawed militant organization in a bid to end militancy from the country.
The Chinese President Xi Jinping, who recently paid a two-day official visit to Pakistan, in a meeting with services chiefs in Islamabad on Monday termed Pakistan's armed forces operation Zarb-e-Azb's remarkable results as game changer in bringing peace which will contribute to Pakistan's economic development.
Xi Jinping appreciated Pakistan's strenuous efforts in counterterrorism, and vowed to continue to support it in fight against terrorism to bring stability in the region.
READ PM Imran for more strengthened Pak-China strategic cooperative partnership
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The word "smart" has taken on a new meaning in the modern era. No longer a way to describe a person who's savvy and switched on, "smart" is now what we expect of our TVs, refrigerators, phones and increasingly, our homes. So what is a smart home? As you're no doubt aware, technology has become inseparable from our daily lives. We are dependent on technology to expedite and regulate our daily routines. Simply put, a smart home is one in which daily household tasks are similarly expedited and regulated by technology. A smart home utilizes technology or "smart products" that connect to a network, usually through Wi-Fi, giving you wireless control over different elements of your house and even automating mundane tasks like opening curtains or switching on air conditioning. From your fridge to your lights, modern technology can easily make almost any home a smart home.
Before you start your hunt for smart products for your home, you first need a way to control them. Homeowners tend to stick to their smartphones or tablets as a means to control smart products, however, a smart watch can also get the job done. A smart watch is fairly easy to use as a controller because it will always be on your wrist and you will have easy access to it, unlike the cumbersome aspects of carrying your tablet around with you at all times.
Why not start your bid for a smart home with the lighting system in your home? You can find a wide variety of light bulbs that are Wi-Fi enabled and allow you to turn them off and on with just a touch of a button on your phone. Many of them even come with features that allow you to automate the bulbs to turn on and off every day at a certain time. So as soon as the sun starts to set, you can have the porch lights turn on automatically every day. Most of these bulbs are LED, so you will actually be saving a lot of energy and money in the long run.
You no longer have to worry about keeping track of things in your fridge and when they are running out. With a smart fridge, your fridge will let you know exactly when you are low on milk or eggs. A smart fridge has become one of the most popular smart products for the kitchen. It not only tells you when you are running out of products but also gives you information about where it can easily be purchased from within your area. So no more need to check the fridge before going to the grocery store, your fridge itself will make sure you know exactly what you need.
From security cameras to smart locks, you can automate and remotely control everything you need to ensure your home is perfectly safe. A smart security camera gives you a live feed of your home directly to your smartphone or tablet, so you can constantly keep track of your home wherever you are.
Smart locks are still being perfected but there are several products in the market that work quite well. You no longer need a key to enter your home, all you need is your smartphone. As long as you have your smartphone with you when you come into range with the smart lock, it will automatically open your door.
Who wouldn't like to have their own assistant? Luckily, technology means you don't have to be a jet-setting CEO to have someone handling your affairs and managing your schedule. You actually have quite a few options with Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple's Siri being among the most popular. These assistants make controlling your smart home a lot easier. They can easily be connected to smart products and allow you to control those products remotely via the assistant. So if you want to turn the lights on in a certain room in your home, all you have to do is tell your assistant to do it and it will be done.
Make sure the network connection in your home is strong, as all the products require a network to function wirelessly. When it comes to which assistant will work best for you,research each assistant carefully to see their compatibility with your other products.
There is no limit to how smart products can improve your life and make you more efficient. We've only scratched the surface of how you canstart making your home smarter. You can get smart products for almost anything you can think of in your home. Making your home smarter just makes it much easier for you to have control over it. Plus, you never have to worry about whether you shut off the light or turned off the stove before you left the house, you can easily automate it to switch itself off. So here's to a more stress-free life, thanks to your smart home.


FOXBORO -- The Falcons haven't won a game since September.
The long wait for a win would be enough to generate unrest among players. Blowing leads in two straight losses adds to the pain, especially when the losses set up this week's Super Bowl rematch with New England and the reminders of Atlanta's huge collapse in that game.
It's all combined to generate an attitude coach Dan Quinn described as "a little bit on edge in a good way."
Linebacker DeVondre Campbell described the mood as "having a fire lit under us right now."
Since a narrow win at Detroit on Sept. 24, the Falcons (3-2) lost a halftime lead in a 23-17 home loss to Buffalo, had their bye week and then blew a 17-0 lead in last week's 20-17 home loss to Miami.
"The last three weeks, you lose one, go into a bye, and lose again," safety Ricardo Allen said. "That's not a good feeling. ... We know we're not playing our best ball. And we know we have to keep driving."
Quinn believes the edginess he sees in his players is healthy because he anticipates it being used as motivation for Sunday night's game.
"What I have been pleased with is the way we've been going at it in practice," he said. "I'd say when you have something to prove, when you have a chip on your shoulder to play better, that's not the worst thing in the world for a coach."
Allen insists players are not seeking atonement for blowing a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl loss .
"This year is hard enough within itself," Allen said.
"Yes, they did beat us last year in the Super Bowl and everybody knows that. But if you focus on that, you just let this year get away from you. You've got to focus on the now."
Atlanta's defense struggled with missed tackles in the loss to the Dolphins, but much of the focus was on an offense that hasn't played up to its 2016 standard. The Falcons' average of 24.2 points per game is almost 10 points below last season's league-leading average.
Matt Ryan, the 2016 NFL MVP, has thrown only six touchdown passes with six interceptions .
Julio Jones, the two-time All-Pro, is still looking for his first touchdown catch of the season.
Jones shrugged when asked about having only one red-zone target this season.
"No, that's not a problem for me," Jones said. "If teams are going to continuously try to take me away (other receivers) are going to score touchdowns. That's all that matters. Fans don't see things like that. But at the end of the day we're trying to win a ballgame. It's not about stats. I'm not a stats guy."
"We've got to get more possessions, more time, more plays," Quinn said. "... It's not he needs the ball more. We need more plays so he can get the ball more."


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Numeraire Price Prediction: NMR Rallies Over 100% To $20 – Time To Buy?
Numeraire (NMR) has displayed impressive performance over the last couple of days. Numeraire price has soared as much as 105% from the $10.12 swing low to reach highs above $20 on Tuesday. The AI-themed token attempted a recovery from the strong grip of the bearish market, rising 72% on December 5 alone. Its market capitalization rose from $62,818,853 on November 22 to a peak of $101,435,160 on December 5, a 61% increase according to data from CoinMarketCap.
What Is Numeraire and Why Is It Soaring?
Numerai is an Ethereum-based network designed to enable data scientists and developers to create and experiment with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) models with improved efficiency and reliability. The project's main goal is to decentralize the data science field and give developers an opportunity to compete in building reliable ML prediction models.
Established in late 2015, the San Francisco-based blockchain company claims to be the first hedge fund to develop and launch a cryptocurrency, Numeraire (NMR). Differentiating it from traditional hedge funds is Numerai's reliance on the data and predictions generated by tournament participants to engage with the stock market. It is among the first investment companies to use ML technology in its investment strategy.
Numeraire (NMR) is the native token of the platform and is used for prediction betting, using the concept of Proof-of-Intelligence (PoI). It is a pioneer token in this field and is used to reward specialists who make correct predictions.
After each expert makes a careful Analysis of the tool, they send the results to the network's smart contract. If the specialist's prediction is correct, they will receive their reward in the form of NMR tokens. The blockchain's algorithm includes the creation of 21 million tokens, which are first distributed among specialists.
Numeraire is an ERC-20 token of the computer-based hedge fund focused on predicting trends in the stock market. It is powered by a large group of crowd-sourced ML algorithms and AI models. It gives computer scientists and developers an opportunity to advance the predicting capacity of the fund.
At the time of writing, NMR was trading with a bullish bias at $14.3, 3.13% up on the day. As earlier mentioned, the Numeraire price had displayed an impressive performance over the last few days. Data from LunarCrush reveals that NMR market volume hit $250.3 million in the last 7 days, the highest point in the last 90 days.
This has left market analysts elated about the next levels the token may be headed to. Crypto analyst Miles Deutscher said that the "AI narrative running hot" with charts revealing that it "is the future." He told his over 258,000 Twitter followers that it could be the time investors paid attention to cryptocurrencies in this niche acknowledging that NMR is among the top gainers this week.
ChatGPT has made it clear that AI is the future.
With the AI narrative running hot, perhaps it's time to research some cryptos in this niche. $NMR, $FET, $ALI, $DBC are all top gainers this week.
Drop your favouroute AI projects in the comments if you know any. 👇
— Miles Deutscher (@milesdeutscher) December 7, 2022
A pseudonymous analyst 'Javon Mars' went to Twitter to register his admiration of the performance the Numeraire price has displayed in the recent past. In his December 5 Twitter post, Javon Mars observed that NMR token had "returned with momentum after what looks to have been multiple retests of an older resisting curve." According to this crypto analyst, NMR price has defied resistance from the said curve projecting a 210% upward breakout for the token targeting areas above $60.
$NMR #NMR #Numeraire's
prices have RETURNED WITH MOMENTUM after what looks to have been multiple retests of an older resisting curve.
Now as prices hold free of this resisting curve, there can still be an OVER 210% UPSIDE COMING as that means the target is at $61.96… https://t.co/tNh5jaxraz pic.twitter.com/4QIVb3aWWa
— JAVON⚡MARKS (@javonnnm) December 5, 2022
Let's now look at NMR's technical setup and understand where it could possibly be headed.
Numeraire Price Analysis: Key Levels To watch As NMR Remains Bullish
While there is not much technical Analysis to build on historically when it comes to the Numeraire cryptocurrency, the aggregating rating for the token from several analysts and traders on TradingView shows that its market sentiment is bullish.
From the chart below, it is evident that the technical oscillators such as the Relative Strength Index at 57, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator at 0.46 and the Stochastic RSI at 51 all indicate a buy sign for NMR. Similarly, moving averages such as the 10-day exponential moving average (EMA) at 13 and the 50-day simple moving average (SMA) at 13 are both bullish, adding credence to Numeraire's optimistic forecast.
Technical Analysis For NMR/USD
Source: TradingView
Looking at the NMR/USD daily chart (below), the price is trading more than 30% below the $20.72 high reached on December 6. This suggests that the bears are determined to undo all the gains made over the last two weeks.
However, aggregate Analysis shows that the token is generally bullish as discussed above. Moreover, NMR price is trading in the green at press time and sits above the 50-day SMA at $13. As such, increased buying pressure from the current level could bolster the bulls who could lift the price to confront resistance from the $14.41 and the $14.87 levels, embraced by the 100-day and 200-day SMAs respectively.
Additional barriers may be found at the $15.42 level where the 50% Fibonacci retracement level is found, the 38.2% Fibonacci level at $16.67 and the 23.6% extension level at $18.22. Above that, the Numeraire price would make a run for the $20 psychological level or the $20.72 swing high. This would bring the total gains to 47%.
NMR/USD Daily Chart
TradingView Chart: NMR/USD
NMR's positive outlook is validated by the position of the RSI in the positive region at 57 on the daily chart. This suggests that there are still more buyers than sellers in the market, adding credence to the bullish thesis.
In addition, the SuperTrend technical indicator had sent a buy signal in the recent past which was still in play. This happened when the SuperTrend indicator reversed from red to green and moved below the price on Monday, December 5 (see chart below). This index, like the moving averages, overlays the chart while tracking NMR's trend. It incorporates the average true range (ATR) in its calculations, which helps gauge market volatility. As long as the index is green and stays below the price, bulls are likely to remain in an advantageous position.
Numeraire Price Daily Chart
Another indicator validating the positive forecast for the Numeraire price was the position of the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator above the zero line in the positive region. This indicated that NMR's market sentiment was still positive. In addition, the movement of the 12-day exponential moving average (EMA) (blue line) above the 26-day EMA on November 26 was still in play and added credence to the crypto's positive outlook.
NMR Price Faces Stiff Resistance Upwards
For those seeking to place their long positions, they could wait for the price to rise back above the $14.41 and the $14.87 levels (where the 100 and 200 SMAs sit), otherwise, they might be caught in a bull trap. According to data from IntoTheBlock, a blockchain data and market Analysis firm, this area is a significant supply zone that may stifle any efforts to push the price upward.
Its In/Out of the Money Around Price (IOMAP) model reveals that the area is within the $14.34 and $14.18 price range where approximately 253,180 NMR tokens were previously bought by about 553 addresses. Any attempts to push the price above this level would be met by selling pressure from this cohort of investors who may be seeking to breakeven.
NMR IOMAP Chart
Source: IntoTheBlock
In comparison, the immediate support at $13.66, an area that provided support between October 5 and November 7, is relatively weak. It is within the $13.49 and $13.86 price range where approximately 17,030 NMR tokens were previously bought by about 84 addresses. These investors may not be strong enough to absorb selling pressure threatening to pull the price below this level.
In addition, the RSI was facing down, suggesting that the recent bullish momentum could be running out of steam. As such, the price could turn down from the current levels and drop first toward the 50-day SMA at $13 and later to the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement level at $12.6.
In highly bearish cases, the sellers may pull Numeraire below $12 to revisit the $10.12 swing low. Market participants could expect NMR to take a breather here, giving bulls the chance to regroup before kickstarting another uptrend.
As such, those seeking to make their short bets could wait for the price to close below the $13.0 zone with a take-profit target placed at the $10 level.
Tokens In Presale With Promising Returns
With the greater crypto market still struggling to recover from the FTX disaster and the possible bankruptcy of other key market players, it may be a good time to explore buying at lower prices other altcoins that haven't pumped recently or investing in lower-cap projects in presale.
Three projects that have already raised a significant amount of capital in their presales and are poised for future growth are Dash 2 Trade (D2T), RobotEra (TARO), and Calvaria (RIA) all of which have promising returns once they are listed on exchanges in the near future.
Dash 2 Trade is a decentralized exchange (DEX) built on the Ethereum blockchain that is set for launch early next year. The team behind D2T has so far raised $9 million with 99.79% of tokens in stage 3 of the presale sold. $400,000 has been raised in the presale in the past 24 hours alone. In the fourth and final stage of the presale (which is set to start in the near future), the D2T price will rise to $0.0533. It would be good to invest in the token now before the price increases.
RobotEra (TARO)
TARO is an Ethereum-based sandbox Metaverse due to launch its alpha version in Q1 2023 and will enable players to build and play as robots within a virtual world based on NFTs. RobotEra has surpassed the quarter of a million dollars milestone with approximately $391,000 raised in the ongoing presale.
Calvaria is a blockchain-based card-trading game enabling players to battle with their NFT cards and earn rewards. RIA, the platform's native token is currently in the last stage of the presale with over $2.26 million raised and only 28% of tokens left.
Dash 2 Trade Soars Past $9 million
How to Buy Calvaria (RIA) – Beginner's Guide
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Invasive pest danger closer than you think
In Australia, when crossing from one state to another, travelers may encounter a quarantine stop and may be required to forfeit recently purchased fruits and vegetables as a hedge against invasive pests. But in the U.S., crossing state lines is free wheeling, according to researchers from the U.S., Australia and New Zealand, who evaluated the threat of invasive pests to states from within the country.
"We concluded that the immediate threat from known invasive insect pests is greater from within the United States than without," the researchers reported in the current issue of Nature Communications.
"Our findings have significant implications for biosecurity policy and the need to consider security measures beyond established national borders," said Matthew Thomas, professor of entomology, Penn State.
Alien invasive species cost the U.S. economy $120 billion annually. Determining the identity and potential entry paths for these species is important for farmers and policy makers, especially in light of the increases in global trade and transport of agricultural materials internationally.
The researchers, who included Thomas; Dean R. Paini, David C. Cook and Paul J. De Barro of CSIRO Ecosystems Science, Canberra; and Susan P. Worner, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand, looked at a large database comprising details for over 850 pest species across 459 different geographic locations around the globe to determine which insect species are normally found together. Insect pests do not assemble randomly, but come together based on shared ecological and environmental features. For example, two species that feed on citrus crops in sub-tropical environments might often be found together, but they are unlikely to share many features with a pest that attacks sweet corn in temperate environments. This approach of comparing different species assemblages enabled the team to generate lists of the top 100 known insect pests most likely to establish in the U.S. and each of the 48 contiguous states.
The researchers found that, while all the top 100 known exotic insect pests for the entire U.S. already exist in the country, the top lists for each of the states included many species that are yet to establish in those states. In all cases except one, the absent pests do occur somewhere else in the U.S. and more often than not, they are found in a neighboring state. In fact, 12 states had every pest species that they were missing located just across their borders in a neighboring state. The one exception is Florida, which is one of a few states to have a relatively unique pest assemblage, perhaps because of the tropical nature of its environment.
Insect pest assemblages are not necessarily the same across neighboring states. While New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan form a cluster of similar species, so does Minnesota. However, Wisconsin does not, but shares a species assemblage more similar to Maine. The south is a solid block from Texas to Virginia, excluding Florida and including Missouri and Illinois. Farther west the Dakotas, Montana and Wyoming share pest profiles with Nevada, but Utah, Colorado and New Mexico are more like Nebraska.
The researchers used a computer approach called artificial neural networking -- a program that links information on branches like biological neurons -- to determine the interconnectivity of the pest assemblages across different sites. They searched an existing database, CABI Crop Protection Compendium, to identify the top 100 potential invasive insect pests for the entire U.S. and individual states. They then determined which species did not yet reside in these top 100 lists.
Thomas and his colleagues found that no relationship existed between the state's size and the number of potential pests still absent in the state. They also found that southern states with their increased biodiversity did not have fewer absent insect pests from their mix of potential pests. They did find significant negative relationships with both the number of incoming domestic air passengers and the gross national product of the state. States with higher gross national products had fewer missing potential insect pests and states with higher domestic air passenger traffic also had fewer absent potential insect pests.
"The fact that exotic species absent from one state were frequently found in a neighboring state implies the ease at which pests could arrive from a neighbor," said Thomas. "Fly into a U.S. airport from overseas and there are many biosecurity measures in place to reduce accidental introduction of a pest, weed or disease. Our analysis suggests the risks might be just as great flying into a domestic terminal or crossing a state boundary by car."
Australia's Cooperative Research Centres Program supported this work.
Related Species Articles from Brightsurf:
A new species of spider
During a research stay in the highlands of Colombia conducted as part of her doctorate, Charlotte Hopfe, PhD student at the University of Bayreuth, has discovered and zoologically described a new species of spider.
Two new species of parasite discovered in crabs -- discovery will help prevent infection of other marine species
Two new species of parasite, previously unknown to science, have been discovered in crabs in Swansea Bay, Wales, during a study on disease in the Celtic and Irish Seas.
Marine species are outpacing terrestrial species in the race against global warming
Global warming is causing species to search for more temperate environments in which to migrate to, but it is marine species -- according to the latest results of a Franco-American study mainly involving scientists from the CNRS, Ifremer, the Université Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier and the University of Picardy Jules Verne -- that are leading the way by moving up to six times faster towards the poles than their terrestrial congeners.
Directed species loss from species-rich forests strongly decreases productivity
At high species richness, directed loss, but not random loss, of tree species strongly decreases forest productivity.
What is an endangered species?
What makes for an endangered species classification isn't always obvious.
One species, many origins
In a paper published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, a group of researchers argue that our evolutionary past must be understood as the outcome of dynamic changes in connectivity, or gene flow, between early humans scattered across Africa.
Species on the move
A total of 55 animal species in the UK have been displaced from their natural ranges or enabled to arrive for the first time on UK shores because of climate change over the last 10 years (2008-2018) -- as revealed in a new study published today by scientists at international conservation charity ZSL (Zoological Society of London).
Chasing species' 'intactness'
In an effort to better protect the world's last ecologically intact ecosystems, researchers developed a new metric called 'The Last of the Wild in Each Ecoregion' (LWE), which aimed to quantify the most intact parts of each ecoregion.
How do species adapt to their surroundings?
Several fish species can change sex as needed. Other species adapt to their surroundings by living long lives -- or by living shorter lives and having lots of offspring.
Five new frog species from Madagascar
Scientists at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet in Munich and the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology have named five new species of frogs found across the island of Madagascar.
Read More: Species News and Species Current Events


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Category Archives: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Sea Shepherd ship films rare species of Orcas
Posted on January 7, 2015 by jtgrady
Another press release from Sea Shepherd:
SEA SHEPHERD SHIP FIRST TO FILM RARE "ECOTYPE D" ORCAS
On December 26th 2014, the Sea Shepherd ship, Bob Barker, encountered a pod of rare, "Ecotype D" Orcas while passing between the Crozet and Kerguelen archipelagos in the South Indian Ocean, in pursuit of the toothfish poaching vessel,Thunder.
The encounter was photographed and filmed, and images of the encounter were forwarded to Marine Ecologist and (Antarctic) Orca expert, Robert L. Pitman, of Southwest Fisheries Science Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra tion in the United States, for review.
Mr. Pitman examined the photographs and confirmed that these were, "definitely a Type D Killer whale," adding, "I don't think they have ever been filmed alive."
First identified in 1955 when a pod stranded on Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand, the Ecotype D Orca is characterised by large bulbous foreheads, similar to those of Pilot whales, and tiny post-ocular eye markings.
Following the 1955 stranding, this type of Orca was not seen again for almost 50 years. It is believed that there have been approximately 13 sightings to date, including the most recent sighting by the Bob Barker crew.
Bob Barker Chief Engineer, Erwin Vermeulen, was one of the crewmembers who photographed the encounter. He recounts, "The crew watched in awe as the 13 killer whales, including a small juvenile and a large male, used the six-metre swell to surf across the bow. For almost an hour the surf-show continued and was accompanied by bow riding, tail-slaps and breaches."
DNA retrieved from the 1955 stranding revealed that Ecotype D's genetic differences point at a divergence from other Orcas about 390,000 years ago. This makes Ecotype D the second oldest Orca type, and second most genetically divergent.
Determining how many species of Orcas there are is critically important to establishing conservation measures and to better understand the ecological role of this apex predator in the world's oceans.
Posted in Bob Barker, Orca, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society	| Tagged Bob Barker, Orcas, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Japan to launch "non-lethal" whaling program (wink, wink)
Japan's whaling industry seems to be stupid enough to think the entire world is stupid. In a stunningly asinine move to coverup what we all know is going on, the industry is claiming it will move its so-called research (another wink, wink) into the non-lethal area.
These people are out to sell whale meat for human consumption and product manufacturing – period. Their attempts to claim other motivations are at play are nothing more than propaganda, in the worst way.
The Japanese government and this industry are willing to send whales into extinction for noting more than profit. It is sick and disgusting.
I received the following press release today from Sea Shepherd:
SEA SHEPHERD RESPONDS TO JAPAN'S FARCICAL NON-LETHAL WHALING PROGRAM
Today, the Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR) announced that Japan's whaling fleet will depart from Japan on January 8, 2015, in order to undertake non-lethal research on the Antarctic whale population.
In response to the announcement, Captain Peter Hammarstedt of Sea Shepherd stated, "The Government of Japan's farcical, non-lethal whaling initiative must be seen in the context of a greater criminal conspiracy. The Government of Japan has already announced their plans to resume the killing of whales in 2015/2016, despite condemnation from the highest court in the world, the International Court of Justice. Therefore, the data collected during this upcoming season will be used to kill whales in as little as one year from now. Japan's non-lethal program is the equivalent of robbers casing a bank in preparation for a robbery; the heist that robs the world of its most majestic creatures."
"Sea Shepherd has at times been labelled as radical, however its these whale poachers from Japan that continue to snub their nose at the Australian Federal and International Court of Justice that are the radical ones. As these butchers depart to stake out the scene for their criminal acts against the whales in 2015, it is the Japanese whale poachers and the Governments of the world that sit idle, they are the radical ones. Sea Shepherd, the upholders of the law are the conservative ones," said Sea Shepherd Australia's Managing Director, Jeff Hansen.
Posted in Japan, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Whaling	| Tagged Institute of Cetacean Research, Japan, Japanese Whaling, Sea Shepherd, Sea Shepherd Australia, Whaling
Sea Shepherd vessel pulling another huge gillnet from southern ocean
I just received another press release from Sea Shepherd, concerning a second expansive gillnet. This effort could save countless marine animals from become trapped in these devices.
SEA SHEPHERD COMMENCES RECOVERY OF SECOND "MONSTER" GILLNET
Within two hours of successfully recovering the 25 kilometre-long illegal gillnet abandoned by the Interpol-listed poaching vessel Thunder, the Sea Shepherd ship Sam Simon reported that it has located a second, "monster" gillnet.
The second illegal gillnet was found on the December 29, 2014 at 62˚ 20′ South, 081˚ 18′ East, just a few miles from the first net, inside the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) area of management.
Using photographic evidence, Sea Shepherd has been able to confirm that the most recent gillnet is also the property of the Nigerian-flagged, Thunder, which fled from the region on December 17.
The crew of Sam Simon has commenced a recovery operation to remove the illegal gillnet from the Antarctic waters. Captain of the Sam Simon, Sid Chakravarty, said, "With more streamlined and efficient operations in round two, I am confident that we will recover the entire length of this net in just a few days. Thereafter I will move on to scout and clear the Banzare Bank of any other nets laid down by the Thunder."
Based on the the first 24 hours of the retrieval operation, it is expected that the haul of the "monster" gillnet is twice that of the previously confiscated 25 kilometre-long gillnet.
Captain Chakravarty said, "This monster net has entangled and suffocated marine life, killing them in the most undignified way imaginable. My decks look like a battlefield with many of the recovered creatures in advanced stages of decomposition. The large number of dead animals that we have documented is proof of the wide-spread destruction that the Thunder has wreaked over its decade-long onslaught on the Southern Ocean. "
Sea Shepherd has reported the second retrieval operation to the relevant law enforcement authorities, including Interpol, CCAMLR, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority and the Australian Federal Police. The confiscated equipment will serve as physical evidence of the Thunder's illegal activity and will be handed-over to authorities to aid in prosecution of the Thunder.
A known poaching vessel, the Thunder was issued with an Interpol Purple Notice following a joint effort by Norwegian, New Zealand and Australian authorities, and is currently included on CCAMLR's black-list of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing operators.
The use of gillnets has been outlawed by CCAMLR since 2004, and the Commission has specifically expressed concerns regarding the impact of this fishing method on the marine ecosystems of Antarctica.
The Sea Shepherd ship, Bob Barker, has been in pursuit of the Thunder for seventeen days and is now in the South Indian Ocean, having escorted the poachers out of the CCAMLR region on December 29. During this time the Thunder has been unable to engage in any further illegal fishing.
Posted in Marine Wildlife, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society	| Tagged Australian Fisheries Management Authority, Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, Gillnets, Sam Simon, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Sea Shepherd ship pulls huge illegal gillnet from Southern Ocean
Posted on December 30, 2014 by jtgrady
This release is from Sea Shepherd. Another great effort from this organization.
SEA SHEPHERD RETRIEVES 25 KILOMETRES OF ILLEGAL GILLNET FROM THE SOUTHERN OCEAN
In an operation that lasted for five days, the crew of the Sea Shepherd ship, Sam Simon, has successfully completed the retrieval of an illegal gillnet, abandoned by the poaching vessel, Thunder. The outlawed fishing gear was located at 62˚ 16' South 081˚ 14 East, inside the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) area of management, in the Southern Ocean.
The thirty-strong crew, made up of volunteers from fifteen nations, worked 24 hours a day to retrieve the illegal gillnet, which measured a total of 25 kilometres in length.
Over 200 targeted Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish were found dead in the gillnet, the largest approximately 1.6 meters long. Scientists on board the Sam Simon confirmed that a number of the dead toothfish were females of a reproductive age, and were carrying eggs.
Non-target species including rays, jellyfish, crabs and a staggering number of grenadiers were also found dead after being caught in illegal fishing gear. A majority of the crabs caught in the net were still alive, and were able to be released back into the Southern Ocean.
Captain of the Sam Simon, Sid Chakravarty, said, "With the confiscation of the illegally laid gillnet set combined with the pursuit of the Thunder by the Bob Barker, Operation Icefish has achieved what it had set out to do in less than a month from when it was kicked-off. The shadowlands of Antarctica, used by this wasteful and destructive industry, are being cleared of their illegal vessels, and the marine life of this pristine ecosystem is being given the protection they deserve."
He added, ""Having hauled in the illegally-set gill net continuously for 5 days, the Sam Simon crew has given the world a chance to observe first-hand the destruction caused by this fishing method. Never has any conservation movement seen the recovery, confiscation and documentation of such length of gear. The onus is now on the relevant international authorities to use this evidence to prosecute the Thunder."
Starting tomorrow, the Sam Simon will continue to scout the region around Banzare Bank on the lookout for more gillnet sets laid out by the Thunder.
Captain Chakravarty has reported the salvage operation to the relevant authorities, including Interpol, CCAMLR, the Australian Fisheries Management Authority and Australian Federal Police. The confiscated equipment will be kept as evidence of the Thunder's illegal activity, and handed-over to the relevant port authorities to aid in the prosecution of the vessel.
A known poaching vessel, the Nigerian-flagged Thunder was issued with an Interpol Purple Notice following a joint effort by Norwegian, New Zealand and Australian authorities, and is currently included on CCAMLR's black-list of IUU fishing operators.
The Sea Shepherd ship, Bob Barker, has been in pursuit of the Thunder since the vessel first fled on December 17. Yesterday, the conservation ship escorted the poachers out of the CCAMLR region.
Operation Icefish is Sea Shepherd's 11th Southern Ocean Defence Campaign, and the first to target IUU toothfish fishing operators in the waters of Antarctica Sea.
Posted in Sea Shepherd Conservation Society	| Tagged Antarctic, Bob Barker, Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, crabs, Gillnets, grenadiers, jellyfish, rays, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Sea Shepherd Sam Simon
Sea Shepherd halts another poaching ship
I received the following release from Sea Shepherd:
Wanted Poachers Try To Shake Pursuit Through Treacherous Ice Chase
Yesterday, at approximately 2300 hours AEDT, at 61˚ 32' South, 075˚ 27' East, the wanted poaching vessel, Thunder, attempted a hazardous escape from the Sea Shepherd ship, Bob Barker, by fleeing at speed through a field of pack-ice.
The Nigerian-flagged Thunder, which has been issued with and Interpol Purple Notice, and which is on the CCAMLR black-list of illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) vessels due to its poaching activities, led Captain Peter Hammarstedt and his international crew of 28 volunteers on a three-hour long chase through the ice-field.
The Bob Barker was forced to break-through ice in order to maintain the hot pursuit. Captain Hammarstedt said, "At times the ice was almost impassable. I had to use my ship as a snow plough in order to break-through and continue chase."
The incident comes two days after the Bob Barker intercepted the poaching vessel engaged in illegal fishing activities inside the CCAMLR area. Thunder is known to utilise gillnets – a method of fishing that has been outlawed by CCAMLR since 2004.
On locating the Thunder two days ago, Captain Hammarstedt notified Interpol, CCAMLR, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Fishing Management Authority of the vessel's activities. As yet, there is been no response to these reports.
Captain Hammarstedt has called on the Australian government to assist with the arrest of the illegal vessel. He said, "We have caught these poachers in blatant violation of international fishing regulations. We have documented their poaching activities, we have reported them, and we are ready to hand them over to the authorities. It is not the responsibility of Sea Shepherd to uphold CCAMLR regulations, but in the absence of legal action from Australia, we remain the only sheriff in town."
IUU (Illegal, Unregulated, Unreported) fishing of toothfish continues inside the CCAMLR region, despite the Commission's efforts to eliminate this threat to the Antarctic ecosystem. Currently six operators, including Thunder, are known to be involved in IUU fishing of toothfish inside the area.
Operation Icefish is Sea Shepherd's 11th Southern Ocean Defence Campaign, and the first to target IUU toothfish fishing operators in the waters of Antarctica.
Posted in Poaching, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society	| Tagged Bob Barker, Poaching, Sea Shepherd
Sea Shepherd Radio hits the online airways
I received the following press release today from Sea Shepherd Australia:
Sea Shepherd takes fight to the airwaves with Sea Shepherd Radio
Sydney – 16th July 2014: Sea Shepherd Australia has launched an online radio station to raise awareness about the conservation work it does for the world's oceans.
Music from artists including Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Aerosmith, Queens of the Stone Age, Robert Plant as well as Australians such as Xavier Rudd, John Butler and Missy Higgins, all previous supporters of Sea Shepherd, will play on the station. In addition, news updates on its frontline conservation work and features on ongoing Sea Shepherd operations will be broadcast.
The Sea Shepherd Radio App, which can be downloaded for free from the App Store and Google Play, is a collaboration between advertising agency The Works and audio content agency The Honourable Society.
Jeff Hansen, Sea Shepherd Australia's Managing Director said: "Sea Shepherd always had great support from musicians here and across the globe and Sea Shepherd radio features many of them and more. The station also aims to raise awareness of the plight of oceans worldwide and our work to defend them, through education, empowerment and direct action."
"With Sea Shepherd radio you can listen to some great music, hear the latest campaign news and support our work defending oceans worldwide," added Adam Burling Sea Shepherd Radio Manager. "It's a station with sounds of the sea and the sounds of musicians who care as much for the oceans as we do."
Andriod App:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=au.com.seashepherdradio
Apple App:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sea-shepherd-radio/id881417804?ls=1&mt=8
Posted in Sea Shepherd Conservation Society	| Tagged Sea Shepherd
Sea Shepherd celebrates court finding that Japan is illegally whaling
Posted on March 31, 2014 by jtgrady
Sea Shepherd sent out the following press release today, in response to the report that the International Court of Justice has ruled Japan's whaling operation is illegal.
Of course, not only is it illegal, it is also immoral.
The Independent ran a news story today concerning the ruling and the finding that Japan's whaling is not based on scientific research. Finally. We all know it isn't based on research, unless they're researching the taste of whale meat.
And the BBC reports Japan will accept the ban on whaling in the Antarctic region. This is great news and I hope the country holds to its acceptance. We can only hope bans can be implemented for all region's of the Earth's oceans.
The BBC article quoted Greenpeace UK spokesman Willie MacKenzie as saying – "The myth that this hunt was in any way scientific can now be dismissed once and for all."
March 31st , 2014 – Melbourne, Australia —
"The International Court of Justice findings that Japan's whaling is illegal vindicates a decade of courageous actions by Captain Paul Watson and his crews," Sea Shepherd Australia Chairman, Bob Brown said.
"All across Australia people will be celebrating this win due to Sea Shepherd and their huge public support for protecting whales in this country that led to the Australian Government to take this legal action," said Dr Brown.
"Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott should tell Japan, 'Never cross the equator again with a whale harpoon gun'," said Dr Brown.
"This result gives further credit to Sea Shepherd for not only upholding Australian Federal laws also International laws in defending the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary for the whales and for future generations." said Jeff Hansen, Sea Shepherd Australia Managing Director.
"In the absence of law enforcement in the Southern Ocean, Sea Shepherd has been the only organisation upholding the law in defence of the International Whale Sanctuary, while Japan has been consistently breaking the law and this ruling now proves that," said Mr Hansen.
Posted in Japan, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Whales, Whaling	| Tagged Greenpeace UK, International Court of Justice, Japanese Whaling, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Whaling
Sea Shepherd: More whales horribly slaughtered within sanctuary
Posted on March 2, 2014 by jtgrady
Sea Shepherd has some sad news to report this morning. The full media release follows:
MORE WHALES SLAUGHTERED IN WHALE SANCTUARY
Sunday March 2, 2014 – Melbourne, Australia — Today, at approximately 10:05 AEDT, Sea Shepherd located the factory vessel of the Japanese whaling fleet, the Nisshin Maru, at 74°23' S, 178°55' W inside the Ross Sea Dependency, with a dead, protected Minke Whale onboard, and blood running from the side of the ship. Slabs of whale meat were also photographed on the deck, along with the severed head of a recently butchered whale.
The factory vessel was located by The Steve Irwin's helicopter, which has found the whaling fleet on four occasions this season. The Steve Irwin and The Bob Barker are now closing in on the factory vessel.
Captain of The Bob Barker, Peter Hammarstedt, said, "Each time we have located the Nisshin Maru, the Sea Shepherd Fleet has been attacked by the whalers in night time ambushes. With darkness just a few hours away, as we close the distance to the slipway of the Nisshin Maru, we are well aware that we are soon likely to have harpoon ships crossing our bows towing steel cables, and the strong possibility that our ships could become disabled in the treacherous and frigid Antarctic waters. After sustaining two grueling assaults, we believe a third attack by the whaling fleet is imminent. We have thirty-eight Australians and three New Zealanders on board the Sea Shepherd ships. We call on the governments of Australia and New Zealand to stand up to the Japanese government and send a clear message that they will not tolerate another unprovoked attack on their citizens upholding international law."
It is the second time this whaling season that Sea Shepherd has documented the Japanese whaling fleet in the act of poaching whales within the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. On January 5, Sea Shepherd released damning images and footage of the Nisshin Maru with three dead, protected Minke Whales killed in the Sanctuary. The blood-stained decks of the factory ship were smeared with the remains of a fourth whale, including a head and spinal column.
It is the second time in six days that Sea Shepherd has located the Japanese whaling fleet. The whalers have remained outside their preferred self-allocated hunting grounds of the Ross Sea due to Sea Shepherd's relentless patrolling and monitoring of the region. Sea Shepherd believes that, at the first opportunity that the whalers have had to resume operations, they have successfully interrupted whaling once again.
In July 2013, the governments of Australia and New Zealand challenged the legality of Japan's so-called "scientific research" whaling at the International Court of Justice. A decision on case is pending.
Captain of The Steve Irwin, Siddharth Chakravarty, said, "It is not enough for the politicians, whose obligation it is to keep these whales alive and protected, to ignore their international responsibilities and the wishes of their constituents. I urge the Australian Environment Minister Greg Hunt and the New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs, Murray McCully, to look at this dead Minke Whale, brutally killed in an internationally recognised Whale Sanctuary that both Australia and New Zealand claim a commitment to uphold, and ask themselves if they truly believe that they and their governments have done everything within their power to stop this illegal slaughter."
Sea Shepherd remains the only organisation in the Southern Ocean committed to upholding the sanctity of the Whale Sanctuary, directly intervening against the illegal operations of the Japanese whaling fleet.
Posted in Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Whales, Whaling	| Tagged Australia, Bob Barker, Japanese Whaling, New Zealand, Sea Shepherd, Steve Irwin, Whales, Whaling
Today's update from Sea Shepherd: Under attack from whaling ships
Posted on February 1, 2014 by jtgrady
Sea Shepherd Australia offers another update on the effort to shut down the Japanese whaling fleet:
SEA SHEPHERD SHIPS UNDER ATTACK FROM WHALING FLEET: BOB BARKER STRUCK BY HARPOON SHIP
Sunday February 2, 2014 – Melbourne, Australia — At approximately 0650 AEDT today, The Bob Barker, was hit by the Japanese whaling fleet's harpoon vessel, the Yushin Maru No. 2 as the harpoon vessel crossed in front of the bow of the Sea Shepherd ship at 67° 29' S 164 °01' W.
The incident is a part of an attack by the Japanese whaling fleets' three harpoon vessels, the Yushin Maru, Yushin Maru No. 2 and Yushin Maru No. 3 on the Sea Shepherd ships, The Steve Irwin and The Bob Barker, which began at approximately 0001 this morning AEDT. The ships were located at approximately 68° 40' S and 163° 43' W at the time the attack began.
The assault is an attempt to deter the Sea Shepherd ships from their current position, blocking the slipway of the Nisshin Maru, preventing the whalers from loading whales poached from the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
During the attack, currently ongoing as of 0730 AEDT, the harpoon vessels overtook the Sea Shepherd ships from the stern, crossing the bow, and coming as close as three to five meters. Captain Peter Hammarstedt of The Bob Barker and Captain Siddarth Chakravarty of The Steve Irwin have thus far been able to steer out of the path of the encroaching harpoon vessels, only narrowly avoiding numerous potential collisions.
The whaling vessels have also made consecutive attempts to foul the propellers of the Sea Shepherd ships by dragging steel cable across the bow of the conservation ships. Further, the crew of the whaling vessels threw projectiles at The Steve Irwin's small boat crew and turned water cannons on The Bob Barker's small boat crew as they attempted to cut the steel cables.
This season, Sea Shepherd's direct intervention has led to a disastrous January for the illegal operations of the Japanese whaling fleet. Early interception and a persistent chase has enabled the Sea Shepherd Fleet to effectively suspend whaling operations and allowed the fleet to take up position and secure the slipway of the Nisshin Maru.
Posted in Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Whaling	| Tagged Japanese Whaling, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Whales
Sea Shepherd Whaling Update from Friday
Sea Shepherd is seeing more success in blocking Japanese whaling operations:
SEA SHEPHERD SECURES THE SLIPWAY OF THE NISSHIN MARU:
WHALING HALTED
Friday January 31, 2014 – Melbourne, Australia — As of 1700 AEDT today, the Sea Shepherd Fleet has shut down the operations of the Japanese whaling fleet for seven consecutive days. The Sea Shepherd ships now guard the slipway of the Nisshin Maru, rendering the factory vessel unable to butcher and process whale meat.
Captain of The Bob Barker, Peter Hammarstedt, said, "The primary strategy of our Antarctic Whale Defence Campaigns is to secure the slipway of the Nisshin Maru, and allow no dead whales to pass into this floating abattoir: We have achieved this goal. We will continue to block the slipway of this poaching ship, relentless in our mission to protect the whales and the sanctity of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary."
Throughout January, the Sea Shepherd Fleet has engaged the Nisshin Maru for a total of nine days and has monitored the poachers for an additional two days from The Steve Irwin's helicopter. Further, accounting for the three-day journey it would have taken the whalers to return to their self-designated killing grounds after being chased from the region, Sea Shepherd is able to say with absolute certainty that for at least 14 days of January, the Japanese whaling fleet has been unable to kill whales.
With half of the month of January accounted for, alongside the monitoring program by the Australian government and bad weather conditions that would have made whaling during this period difficult if not impossible, the whaling fleet has had a disastrous month. The whalers rely heavily upon January as their most profitable month, and Sea Shepherd is hailing January 2014 as our most successful in a decade of enforcing the 1986 international moratorium on commercial whaling.
Early interception and a persistent chase enabled the Sea Shepherd Fleet to effectively suspend whaling operations until they were able to take up position and secure the slipway of the Nisshin Maru.
Given the whalers average 25 whale kills on a good day, Sea Shepherd estimates that intervention during Operation Relentless has so far saved the lives of approximately 350 whales.
Captain of The Sam Simon, Adam Meyerson, said, "2014 has been a great year for the whales so far. Now that Sea Shepherd has a small navy, it gives us flexibility to use our ships to keep the whaling fleet on the run and out of the hunt indefinitely. We will not rest until this illegal fleet is driven from the sanctuary."
Posted in Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Whaling	| Tagged Japanese Whaling, Nisshin Maru, Sea Shepherd, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Whaling


text:
package com.blazebit.persistence.parser;

/**
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 * @author Christian Beikov
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public final class CharSequenceUtils {

    private CharSequenceUtils() {
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    public static int indexOf(CharSequence charSequence, String target, int fromIndex, int endIndex) {
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


HomeHome SexThat Pair of Asses Set Fire!
That Pair of Asses Set Fire!, And not because of the heat, precisely! And it is that this brown sperm and her friend the depraved blonde, have in front of a gifted bald man, that will take them to the ecstasy with its lock. After piercing all their holes, both open their mouths and wait anxiously for an abundant shower of sperm.


text:
Technology Ireland sets out new strategy to deliver a better future
Technology Ireland, the Ibec group that represents the technology industry, has today launched its four-year strategy for the sector. The strategy outlines the key recommendations for Government and highlights the priority areas that need to be addressed by policymakers, public sector institutions and industry. The sector has placed talent as its number one priority pillar for the forthcoming strategy.
Commenting on the new strategy Una Fitzpatrick, Director of Technology Ireland said: "Technology Ireland believes that the priorities outlined in this strategy, are central to achieving our vision of securing Ireland's place as a global technology powerhouse and maintaining that place for the years ahead. This strategy is a roadmap to our continued resilience and if supported will maintain the world-leading status of the technology industry in Ireland and create abundant opportunities."
Lorna Martyn, Ireland Regional Chair and SVP Technology, Fidelity Investments, and Chair of Technology Ireland, said: "Technology is omnipresent in our lives and talent is the lifeblood of the technology industry. A constant pipeline of talent is crucial for the continued evolution of our indigenous and multinational companies, and all stakeholders must commit to investment in attracting, developing and retaining talent to optimise the future of society and our industry."
Ireland has a unique position as the EU HQ for many international technology organisations. Technology Ireland's ambition is for Ireland to be Europe's regulatory hub, shaping clear, evidence-based regulation at home which upholds the integrity of the Digital Single Market. Ireland can enhance its influence globally by working with likeminded countries to design rules that unlock, rather than hold back, the innovations of tomorrow.
Other priority pillars for the strategy include Champion the sector; Facilitate ESG leadership; Support SMEs and entrepreneurs. The full strategy can be found here.
Planning and Development Bill welcomed by business January 26, 2023
CSO data shows strong growth in delivery of new homes January 26, 2023
Featured Events / upcoming events
KC Connect in 15 - Statutory Sick Pay Legislation January 31, 2023


text:
From the daily archives:	Thursday, April 19, 2012
Kasich's anti-crime agenda nothing but grandstanding
On April 19, 2012 By Leonidas
Back in February we highlighted Kasich's anti-crime agenda. The two key components were: stern warnings and a bill to make hidden compartments in cars illegal.
First, the signs. By now, everyone has seen them. The problem is that there is no evidence that they have led to any actual, you know, arrests.
If the signs had worked, the Highway Patrol would be bragging about it. The Highway Patrol puts out a ton of press releases highlighting major drug busts. Heck, the Highway Patrol earlier this month "invited" the public and the media to follow a new class of […]
John Kasich, less reliable than an astrologer?
On April 19, 2012 By Joseph
Kasich endorsed Romney today. No surprise there. Joe Vardon has a piece in the Dispatch today covering the announcement, but he also delves into what will likely be one of the most important campaign issues and determiners of success in November: the economy.
Vardon quotes a professor of political science from the Ohio State University who says that the improving economy helps Kasich politically, but it also helps Obama. When asked about the professor's comments, Kasich responded:
"You know why God made political scientists? So they could make astrologists look accurate."
"I would advise kids not to take their […]
2 THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW to stop the assault on women's health
On April 19, 2012 By dirtgirl
With their move to defund Planned Parenthood, Ohio Republicans have put our state on center stage in the nationwide assault on women's health. While the national party sought to quell the talk of a "war on women" and make these issues go away, the Ohio party jumped in with both feet.
We are in the national spotlight and that's a good thing. When Virginia tried to require vaginal ultrasounds for an abortion, thousands of women took action and scared politicians to change the bill. […]