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Ask her friends or mother if she has mentioned a preference for a particular type or style of engagement ring.
Is she very active or not used to wearing jewelry? If so, a setting, which will protect the diamond in her ring from rough treatment.
Give yourself plenty of time. Make sure you allow at least six weeks for engraving her ring.
It is common to discuss wedding ring and engagement ring choices with your partner. The only way to ensure you find an engagement ring and wedding band that will match her taste and style is to shop for a diamond engagement ring together. Whether you're shopping together or not, start by finding her ring size.
The origin of the diamond engagement ring: In Ancient Greece, it was a commonly held belief that diamonds originated as the tears of the Gods. Cupid (Eros), then used these to tip his arrows, as it would further enhance the love and desire of his victims for one another. This is how couples first came to exchange a diamond engagement ring; in hopes that the diamond engagement ring would heighten the love between them.
Archduke Maximillian of Austria set the standard for royalty when in 1477 he presented a diamond engagement ring to his betrothed Mary of Burgundy. The diamond engagement ring continued to be a tradition for almost exclusively the royal and wealthy until the discovery of the African mines almost three centuries later.
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Sample tubes were opened under dim red light and quartz grains extracted using standard preparation procedures [ 40 ].
Samples were graphitized and dated by AMS. The majority of samples were taken from a continuous column from the eastern profile of Square 1. Minerals[ edit ] The minerals that are measured are usually either quartz or potassium feldspar sand-sized grains, or unseparated silt-sized grains.
For quartz, blue or green excitation frequencies are normally used and the near ultra-violet emission is measured. A background has been subtracted from each sample based on long term repeat measurements of coal pretreated with ABA. However, the wind-blown origin of these sediments were ideal for OSL dating, as most of the grains would have been completely bleached by sunlight exposure during transport and burial.
Grains from Holocene-age sediments were given successive regenerative doses of 10, 20, 40, 80, 0 and 10 Gy and grains from Pleistocene-age sediments doses of 40, 80, 0 and 40 Gy.
Comparison to radiocarbon dating[ edit ] Unlike carbon datingluminescence dating methods do not require a contemporary organic component of the sediment to be dated; just quartz, potassium feldspar, or certain other mineral grains that have been fully bleached during the event being dated.
Saunders, who thought the thermoluminescence response of pottery shards could date the last incidence of heating. The dose rate is usually in the range 0. The total absorbed radiation dose is determined by exciting, with light, specific minerals usually quartz or potassium feldspar extracted from the sample, and measuring the amount of light emitted as a result.
Despite this, the 14C ages appear accurate and are generally consistent with stratigraphy Table 2. Three samples have been pretreated and dated twice as part of routine laboratory quality assurance protocols. A sample in which the mineral grains have all been exposed to sufficient daylight seconds for quartz; hundreds of seconds for potassium feldspar can be said to be of zero age; when excited it will not emit any such photons.
Quartz OSL ages can be determined typically from toyears BP, and can be reliable when suitable methods are used and proper checks are done. The photons of the emitted light must have higher energies than the excitation photons in order to avoid measurement of ordinary photoluminescence.
In a study of the chronology of arid-zone lacustrine sediments from Lake Ulaan in southern MongoliaLee et al. The older the sample is, the more light it emits, up to a saturation limit.
The results are provided in Fig 4. Lx and Tx values were estimated from the first 0.
At some sites, an ABA pretreatment is not able remove sufficient young contaminants from Pleistocene-aged charcoal to produce an accurate age estimate [ 182834 — 36 ].
A further 3 samples were taken from units not present in this column SU6 and 7 Fig 3A. For potassium feldspar or silt-sized grains, near infrared excitation IRSL is normally used and violet emissions are measured.
Each disk was examined under a microscope after measurement to check that only one grain was present in each hole. This reworked carbon changed the measured isotopic ratios, giving a false older age.
There are advantages and disadvantages to using each. Stimulating these mineral grains using either light blue or green for OSL; infrared for IRSL or heat for TL causes a luminescence signal to be emitted as the stored unstable electron energy is released, the intensity of which varies depending on the amount of radiation absorbed during burial and specific properties of the mineral.
These slowly decay over time and the ionizing radiation they produce is absorbed by mineral grains in the sediments such as quartz and potassium feldspar.
Westerly winds delivered an influx of 14 C-deficient carbon from adjacent soils and Paleozoic carbonate rocks, a process that is also active today. Most luminescence dating methods rely on the assumption that the mineral grains were sufficiently "bleached" at the time of the event being dated.
The radiation causes charge to remain within the grains in structurally unstable "electron traps". The trapped charge accumulates over time at a rate determined by the amount of background radiation at the location where the sample was buried.
A number of dose recovery tests were conducted on one sample Riwi to determine the optimum preheat temperatures.
To test whether it was appropriate to apply a more gentle treatment to charcoal from Riwi, two samples that survived the ABOx-SC treatment were also dated with an ABA protocol.
Ioannis Liritzisthe initiator of ancient buildings luminescence dating, has shown this in several cases of various monuments. Boyd, and Donald F. All measurements were made in an identical manner and with the same equipment, using the single aliquot regenerative-dose SAR procedure described elsewhere e.


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'Return of the Moose'? Why a Moustakas Royals reunion may be difficult in 2020
On Friday, the Milwaukee Brewers announced that former Royals and World Series stud Mike Moustakas declined his team option, which officially makes him a free agent this Winter.
And not surprisingly, the Royals fanbase is at odds in terms of whether or not the Royals should make a run at 31-year-old third baseman:
There is no excuse for the #Royals to not sign Mike Moustakas. It would be a start of showing the fans some goodwill after two years of tanking. Put Moose at 2B and Whit in RF. @KingsofKauffman
— Michael (@MichaelT162) November 3, 2019
It makes sense that Royals fans would like to see Moose return to Kansas City. Moose is coming off a stellar full season in Milwaukee, as he was traded to the Brewers in the summer of 2018 for outfielder Brett Phillips and pitcher Jorge Lopez. In 584 plate appearances with the Brewers, Moose put up a triple slash of .254/.329/.516 to go along with 35 home runs, a wRC+ of 113, and a WAR of 2.8. The 35 home runs was the second-highest in Moustakas' career, with his initial Royals season record of 38 in 2017 being the previous high mark.
At 31-years-old, Moustakas isn't old by any means, but he isn't young either, which puts the Royals in a peculiar situation. Should the Royals and new owner John Sherman look to sign Moose to some kind of two-to-four year deal in order to build good will with the Royals fanbase after back-to-back 100 loss seasons? Or would it be better for the Royals to pass on Moose, with the idea that he doesn't necessarily fit the long term plan in Kansas City?
Let's take a deeper look at what Moustakas would offer the Royals, and why bringing Moose back will be harder than Royals fans think.
Moose is more polished than ever at the plate
The batting average doesn't look great at .254. However, when one looks deeper into his numbers, it's amazing to see the kind of seasons Moose had with the Brewers in 2019. His .845 OPS was a career high and his 113 wRC+ was tied for the second-highest mark in his career in that category (he also posted a 113 wRC+ in 2017; his highest wRC+ was in 2015 when he posted a 123 mark).
His Statcast numbers further paint a picture of how polished Moustakas was at the plate with the Brewers. His barrel percentage at 10.3 percent was a career high, and almost two percent higher than a year ago. His hard hit percentage was 40.7 percent, which was his highest mark since 2016, which his season was cut short due to injury. And to add on, Moose didn't just hit the ball harder, he showed better plate discipline in 2019 after a couple of inconsistent seasons in a row. After posting a walk rate of 8.0 in 2016, that fell to 5.7 in 2017 and 7.7 in 2018. Last year though, his walk rate rose to 9.1 percent and his BB/K ratio also rose from 0.36 in 2017 and 0.48 in 2018 to 0.54.
The bottom line? Moose not only is a more powerful hitting corner infielder than ever before, but he also has developed a batting eye that would be sorely needed on a Royals roster that tends to be "free-swinging," which is putting it nicely. With guys in like Adalberto Mondesi and even Hunter Dozier to an extent who struggle with "swinging and missing", Moose would be a welcome addition who could rub off on the Royals' younger hitters who are still developing their batting eye.
But where does Moose play in the field?
While Moose's bat would definitely be welcomed in the Royals lineup by new manager Mike Matheny, it's his glove that would be the issue. Moustakas is a good, not amazing glove at the hot corner. He posted a Def rating of two runs above average a year ago, according to Fangraphs, meaning that he's better than the typical Four-A third-baseman in the National League. However, he has stagnated a bit the past couple of years (most likely due to him recovering from injury), as he was 4.4 runs below average according to Def in 2017, and only a run above average in 2018. Thus, while Moose is just slightly above average defensively, he tends to get a lot more love from Royals fans thanks to this memorable play at Kauffman Stadium during the ALCS against Baltimore:
Which begs Royals fans to ask the following couple of questions: should Moose bump Doz off the hot corner in KC if signed? And if not, where else would he play?
In terms of the first point, one could justify Moose being a better defensive option than Dozier. Doz posted a Def of 5.7 runs BELOW average in 2019, meaning that he's a sieve at the hot corner in comparison to Moose. However, Dozier, originally drafted as a shortstop out of college, has struggled to find a position at the big league level, and the stability of playing every day at the same position most likely contributed to his break out campaign a season ago. Furthermore, it's unlikely Doz will offer much value defensively anywhere else in the field: he's probably an average first baseman at best, and his outfield work was spotty as well, as evidenced by him being 2 outs below average in the outfield, and sporting a negative-four catch percentage added, according to Statcast.
To be frank, the Royals would be better off keeping Doz at third, have him work there all Spring, and hope that he can continue to make strides at the hot corner much like Alex Gordon did when he moved from third base to the outfield. If the Royals truly consider Doz a part of their long-term plan, they need to give him a position and let him develop there, and Moose coming in and bumping him off the hot corner would only further complicate that process.
In terms of moving Moose to another position, it's unlikely that he would offer much value anywhere else. Moose did have some experience at second base during his tenure with the Brewers. While he is a better hitter than second-baseman Nicky Lopez, Lopez is a superior glove in the middle infield (6.9 runs above average according to Def). And in addition, Lopez, who had a solid finish to 2019, could be a candidate to break out in 2020, much like Doz in 2019. Considering Lopez's youth and cost, the Royals would be better served going with the younger, cheaper, and stronger defender in Lopez rather than make Moose the Royals' second-baseman in 2020.
The Royals do not have a lot of flexibility payroll-wise to sign Moose
The biggest hurdle to signing Moose at this point may be Moustakas' value. Moose turned down a $10 million option from the Brewers, which means that he is looking for something similar price-wise, but with more years. It would not be surprising to see Moose and his team ask for a deal in the 3-4 year range with the price being $10-12 million per year, which is a perfectly reasonable ask after a solid campaign in 2019.
However, offering Moose that kind of deal may be impossible for the Royals, even with the promise of new ownership this off-season. First off, we know about the Royals' challenges to sign talent as a small-market club. However, the Royals are already strapped, and the hot stove season has barely begun. As of now, the Royals are already committed to a little over $76 million in payroll, according to Cot's Contracts. The Royals had an Opening Day payroll of over $96 million a year ago, and it's likely that new ownership will continue to try to stay under that $100 million mark, especially after attendance declined dramatically in 2019 (they ranked 26th in attendance a year ago). To have roughly around $20 million to play around with doesn't leave Dayton Moore with a whole lot of options when it comes to free agency.
And that lack of financial flexibility makes a Moose homecoming nearly impossible. The Royals do not need another third baseman. They got Doz. They need a starting pitcher. They need an arm or two in the bullpen. They maybe need a replacement for Gordo if he retires (though he may not, as he did win another Gold Glove award). Unfortunately, for Royals fans looking to get nostalgic and shout "Moose" again at the K, Moustakas is a luxury the Royals simply cannot afford at this time.
Final thoughts about Moose and Kansas City
It would be nice to see Moose come back to the Royals in 2020. It seemed like Moose fit in well in KC, even though he was a California-raised kid. He didn't have the high-profile charm of Eric Hosmer or the infectious attitude of Salvador Perez, but Moose had his legion of fans in KC. The fact that Royals fans are even discussing this idea even though it is clear that the Royals are in a rebuild just goes to show how much good will Moose has built in Kansas City. After all…nobody is clamoring for Hosmer to come back from San Diego.
But, the Royals have a third-baseman for 2020 in Doz…and Doz is good. He may not be the defensive player that Moose is now, but Doz has more power and he has more ability to grow both at the plate and in the field as long as he stays healthy. If Moose returns, he is a guy who will be a leader in the clubhouse, sure, but he won't be the main "guy". Dozier has a chance to be that "guy", that guy Royals fans can depend on in the big moments and in the clubhouse, especially after the year he had in 2019. And they can have him a bit longer than Moose as well.
Maybe down the road Moose can return to Kansas City. Maybe we can celebrate him at the 10-year anniversary of the Royals 2015 World Series championship. That would be a great moment, to see the whole gang reunited, with smiles on their faces, and Royals hats on their heads.
However, for 2020, the Royals needs to pass on Moose. He will get paid more elsewhere, and the Royals not only need to trust Doz, but their young talent in general.
Royals fans need to let go of the 2015 core and start empowering the current core that will be taking the field in 2020.
Hopefully, Royals fans can look at Whit, Mondi, Soler and Doz in 2020 and beyond as fondly as Gordo, Moose, Hosmer, and Cain back in 2014-2017.
November 4, 2019 March 28, 2020 Kevin O'BrienRoyals Stove2019, 2020, Analytics, Hot Corner, Hot Stove, Hunter Dozier, Kansas City Royals, Mike Moustakas, Milwaukee Brewers, Royals Stove, Sabermetrics, Statcast
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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This contemporary cabin blends traditional building smarts with new green ideas
By Chris Turner
Paul Orenstein
Standing at the helm of his modest wood-trimmed motorboat, Ian MacDonald navigates the route to his Georgian Bay, Ont., cottage through narrow channels and past barren rocky islands with the offhand calm of intimate familiarity. The ride takes 45 minutes, but even as we pitch and rock in the swells of an open, choppy stretch of water, he never breaks with an easy tour guide's banter, describing each landmark and highlight.
He steers the boat into a narrow inlet called Go Home Bay, where the 64-year-old Toronto architect has been a regular visitor since he was in his early twenties. He soon turns again, into the small bay at the back of the channel where his own cottage sits on a tall outcrop of Canadian Shield. What strikes you first about the cottage is how it doesn't strike you at all, how hard it is to even find in the landscape. The surroundings are quintessential Shield country, simple, stark, and breathtaking, all low, rounded rock and wind-bent pines. It looks like a Group of Seven scene, and for good reason—this location was a frequent subject of their work. Several members spent time painting landscapes while staying at one of the area's first cottages, a simple dwelling, now more than one hundred years old, on an island nearby, and several murals from that cottage are now in the National Gallery.
On our way from the marina, Ian pointed out examples of a recent cottage design trend that he calls the "Ranger Smith tower." This is an essentially ornamental second- or third-storey extension to a cottage's roofline, often less than a storey high, seemingly in homage to a forest ranger's elevated guard tower. It's a sort of exclamation point on the structure, its windows providing some light but serving no other obvious function. Ian concedes that the Ranger Smith tower has become popular simply because people like the way it looks, but its ubiquity gets him fuming. There must be a dozen of these towers between the marina and his own cottage, and his gaze across this timeless landscape is assaulted anew by each one every time he navigates his small boat along the route.
"They have this unintended consequence of collapsing the scale of the place we care about," he says. "A landscape that is extremely powerful and beautiful—but also quite fragile—is easily disrupted. Suddenly, it doesn't look wild, and it doesn't look powerful."
It's a valid argument: when he points out a Ranger Smith tower poking above the treeline in the foreground of a broad Georgian Bay horizon, the natural landscape seems diminished.
In his own designs, Ian obsesses over how a building or an addition fits into the landscape, both how it looks alongside the traditional architecture of the place and how it embraces the natural features of the site. When he gives presentations to the local cottage owners' association, the Ranger Smith towers are his go-to example of size for its own sake and design with disregard for context, however unintended it might have been. He talks about scale and future development and uses a photo of a stretch of Georgian Bay coast in its current state, but Photoshopped so that every cottage is a repeat of one of the largest new structures, a mega-cottage, to show how cluttered the bay could soon become. He contrasts this scenario with photos of typical century-old cottages. "They were modest," he says. "And they had a tradition of working in that landscape. They were generally dark in colour. They were generally monochromatic. They just didn't have a lot of presence. Now those new places are built more as objects that are glazed on the perimeter, and they reflect light, and they're illuminated at night. And they have a lot more presence in the landscape than cottages once did."
Ian's first cottage on Go Home Bay was a simple old bungalow, built in 1967. He and his wife, Diane MacDiarmid, bought the place in the early 1990s, just after the birth of their first son—when it was no longer practical to share their friends' cottages on the bay, as he had been doing since the 1970s, and as they had been doing together since the mid-'80s. The lot's lake frontage is mostly steep-faced rock, so it was one of the last lots developed, and the cottage wasn't built to last. When it came time to replace it, in 2013, Ian designed the new dwelling himself, aiming to strike just the right balance between those quaint, cozy old cabins and a thoroughly modern dwelling. "I wanted something," he says, "that didn't have enough presence to overwhelm the landscape as viewed from the water."
Ian's modest approach works. The new cottage, which sits, like the original one, on top of a tall slab of Canadian Shield rock, can barely be seen among the trees and rock and forest shadow as you approach the site from the water. The first full view of it comes when you are looking up from his dock, which is in behind the cottage. Ian calls it a "cabin" in his portfolio, but a rustic cabin it is not—the design is thoroughly contemporary. The cottage is a flat, black, modernist rectangle—"a really crisp little modern box," he calls it—which won a Design Excellence Award from the Ontario Association of Architects in 2016. "We kept it low," Ian says. "We put a green roof on it. We made it dark. It's monochromatic. There's a porch that casts shadows onto the wall. And the whole thing just sits up there as a kind of abstract dark thing in the shade of the forest. I like the idea of a cabin. We wanted to have it as small as possible."
The simple little one-storey box is just 1,400 square feet, with 400 square feet of porch space—precisely the average size of traditional cottages on Go Home Bay. The interior nevertheless feels spacious and breezy, as you'd expect from its modern lines, but also cozy and welcoming, like a traditional cottage. The main living-dining space is a broad room with a panoramic view of the water through floor-to-ceiling windows, which give it an airy vibe even as the lower-than-usual ceilings (six feet, eight inches to the beam; another foot to the joists) prevent it from feeling cold. There are three bedrooms—a master bedroom, plus one small bedroom for each of his two sons, one out of university and now working and the other recently graduated.
Every detail, from the reading nook near the front entry—with a perfectly framed view of a lone pine—to the walk-out deck that runs the length of the main room, was designed to merge as gently as possible with the surrounding wilderness. "I feel like there's a responsibility not to mess up a place like this," he explains. Ian made his reputation as an architect on more imposing structures. In addition to upscale Toronto homes and large country houses and vacation properties in places such as Mulmur Township, Caledon, and Collingwood, he designed a retrofit to a faculty building at the University of Toronto and a renovation of the Boulevard Club on the Toronto waterfront. In every case, though, not messing up the place his designs will occupy has always been central to his work. In addition to using overtly eco-conscious materials and hyper-efficient heating and cooling, Ian seeks out natural light and embraces the defining elements of the surrounding landscape. The signature feature of his cottage, for example, is the glass wall of the main room, which slides away to turn the entire living space into a screened porch.
"Most people think about buildings as objects," he says, "but they don't think about how they give structure to your occupation of a place. It's about introducing views to people, framing views in a particular way. And not just how things look, but also how things sound. When you open up all the doors and all the walls here, and it becomes a screened porch, the crickets and the loons and the whippoorwill, the waves and the wind—you're there."
Ian strives to achieve what he calls "legibility"—a clear sense of a building's place on Earth and how it came to be there. "Legibility is about reading a building as a piece of text," he explains. "You should be able to look at it and understand what it is and what its purpose is. The story should be there." He looks at nostalgic imitations of heritage architecture as an "admission of defeat—a building is a product of its time, and building methods are better now, so we should use those." His designs instead attempt to guide their visitors through the dwelling like an author tells a story. Rather than making his cottage's signature view visible in as much of the house as possible, for example, he creates drama and tension by hiding the view from the entryway and the front hallway. It reveals itself for the first time in full—a timeless Group of Seven arrangement of Shield rock, windblown trees, and black water—when you enter the cottage's living room. "The view seems more remarkable precisely because it's withheld," he says.
Though sustainability is central to Ian's design philosophy, it's mostly embedded rather than overt. Instead of filling his cottage with green energy gadgets or obsessively tracking greenhouse gas emissions, Ian has gone green simply by making the most of his cottage's location and its local resources, and by treading as lightly as possible on the stunning natural setting around it. The respect for nature's wisdom is intrinsic in every aspect of the design. The glass wall that retracts and essentially converts the space into a breezy porch, for example, saves energy by eliminating the need for fans or air conditioning. The irrigated green roof helps keep the place cool, and every room has two openings, which facilitates airflow. And Ian wisely avoids both hobbit-hole kitsch and future-tech chill in the finished product. Above all, his cozy cottage embodies the simplicity that drives us to seek out the lakeshore in the first place. "The bigger places," he says, "are at cross-purposes with the very reason people come to the cottage. I don't go to Go Home Bay to sit in a room with drywall and hear the air conditioner."
Rather than lending a feeling of sacrifice, of doing without, Ian MacDonald's cottage raises the question over and over: why would you need anything more? In an age of getaways with Ranger Smith towers and square footages that would be on the large side in most suburban developments, it's a question worth asking.
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What to do when you lose power at the cottage


Orphaned at an early age, Peter Parker (Maguire) lives in Queens, New York with his beloved Aunt May (Harris) and Uncle Ben (Robertson). Peter leads the life of a normal student, working as a photographer at the school paper, pining after the beautiful Mary Jane Watson (Dunst) and hanging out with buddy Harry Osborn (Franco).
Meanwhile, megalomaniacal businessman Norman Osborn (Dafoe), Harry's father, is undergoing some changes of his own. An experimental formula has gone awry, increasing his intelligence and strength but also driving him insane. He is now the Green Goblin, Spider-Man's arch-enemy, who will put young Peter Parker's vow to fight crime and help innocent people to the ultimate test.


I have been tweeting last week that how a client ditched me and not paid me for the work that was in process of completion. Though I have not got such clients in my recent past or when I started online working.
It was very awkward situation and the reason why I was in this awkward situation is because I was not following the basics of work.
Whenever you get some project – or you interact with client for a project – you need to follow the basic guidelines.
Get the exact information that what needs to be done.
If possible record your chat sessions – whether text or speech.
Send all requests as follow-up email and ask for the confirmation.
Always remember to take some advance before starting work.
Do some work and show to your client for approval and then get along with work.
These steps do ensure smooth working – and keep your relation intact with your client. As there are few morons around Internet who want to get their work completed for free and then never show up.
You need to be sure with clients that you get from Webmaster forums – as these points do let you keep the work and details fair.


I was in search for the best options for learning digital marketing for my career and in between I got to know about Dishaapro. It was an amazing experience. I must appreciate that all the members are so very motivating and supportive. Special thanks to Subhra Mam for being a great source of knowledge and giving all the attention and patience.
The institute not only offered us knowledge on digital marketing, but also gave us opportunities to prove ourselves in the outside world by referring us to various companies who are in search for new talents. Thankfully, I was blessed to get many offers. Dishaapro is the best institute for any fresher or a professional looking for a good career option in digital marketing.
Dishaapro is a warm and welcoming place to gain and enhance your knowledge and ability.


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By Sandeep Kumar Last updated Dec 27, 2022
Global manufacturing behemoth The development of China as the world's factory lasted four decades, ushering in an era of globalization and linked supply chains.
However, that façade began to collapse in 2018, when former President Donald Trump launched a trade war against the East Asian behemoth. As a result, investors have reassessed their geopolitical risks.
While some investors did relocate sections of their manufacturing operations out of China at the time, it was the pandemic and China's zero-COVID policy that emphasized the significance of not relying on a single nation for manufacturing needs.
"The geopolitical tensions may not have resulted in this level of supply chain realignment in and of themselves, but COVID certainly provided that extra vision, extra fillip, extra fuel to the fire," Ashutosh Sharma, a research director at market research firm Forrester, told Insider earlier in December.
And the consequences of the trade war are still being felt. President Joe Biden has not backed down from Trump's increased tariffs on China; in fact, in October, he slapped export curbs on shipping equipment to Chinese-owned manufacturers producing advanced logic circuits. This aggravated an already tense relationship.
Multinational corporations are attempting to hedge their business risks more than ever as they negotiate the tangled web of US-China trade tensions. Here are five nations where China's supply networks are instead shifting.
India is a natural alternative to China as the world's factory, with its huge plains and massive, young people. Particularly because India's population is expected to exceed China's in 2023 to become the world's most populous country, according to a July estimate from the UN's Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
Apple, for example, has already relocated some iPhone manufacturers to the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and is considering relocating iPad production to the South Asian country as well. In a September note, JP Morgan analysts predicted that Apple would shift 5% of its iPhone 14 production to India by the end of 2022. They predict that by 2025, one in every four iPhones would be manufactured in India.
India has a vast labor pool, a rich industrial history, and government encouragement for increasing industry and exports. As a result, many people are wondering whether Indian manufacturing is a viable option for China," Julie Gerdeman, CEO of supply chain risk management platform Everstream, told Insider. However, the transition is easier said than done.
Meta, Facebook's Parent Company, Has Agreed to Pay $725 Million to Resolve a Privacy Dispute!
According to government data, India's Prime Minister Modi has been seeking to attract foreign direct investments, or FDI, since he assumed office in 2014. FDI reached a record $83.6 billion in the past fiscal year.
Even if the Indian government is increasing its appeal to foreign investors, it is still more difficult to do business in India than in China, owing to bureaucracy, red tape, and various stakeholders who delay decision-making.
Sandeep Kumar778 posts 0 comments
Sandeep Kumar is a highly skilled content editor with over 8 years of experience in the field. With a sharp eye for detail and a passion for crafting engaging and informative content, he has a proven track record of improving the quality and readability of written materials.
Who Was Stephen Greif and What Was His Cause of Death?
TSMC Will Begin Mass Manufacture of Its Next-generation Cutting-edge Processors This Week
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Asian muslims celebrate Eid
Aug. 30 - Muslims around Asia celebrate the first day of Eid al-Fitr, the festival which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Nick Rowlands reports.
Muslims in Thailand celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the festival which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Here in the southern province of Narathiwat - a region plagued by sectarian violence - many Muslims go to the cemetery after morning prayers, hoping for peace. Across the border in predominantly-Muslim Malaysia, people exchange blessings with family and friends and ask forgiveness from their elders. Families go to the cemetery to pay their respects to the dead, and take advantage of the extended holiday to visit their relatives around the country. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 23-YEAR-OLD CIVIL SERVANT MOHAMMAD ASSAFRI OSMAN: "We are going to visit our relatives, starting with the nearest, in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, then we will travel all over the peninsula Malaysia to visit other family members." In India, the Muslim festival has sparked a boom in business in the northern city of Srinagar, with sales up around 50 to 70 per cent. Hindus often participate in Eid too, sharing the celebrations with their Muslim friends, and in this city in Bihar state, the vermicelli which is considered a great delicacy during Eid is made in factories owned and run by Hindus. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) AMIT KUMAR, A WORKER, SAYING: "We do good business the whole year. But, about 15 days before the onset of Ramadan, we start preparing a special kind of vermicelli. We call a lot of workers and start our preparations. The owners as well as the workers here are all Hindus. We can also consider this to be a symbol of communal harmony. " In the Philippines, where only around five per cent of the country's population of 94 million is Muslim, Eid morning prayers take place in a park in the capital Manila. The Imam presiding over the prayers called for peace around the world. (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) IMAM COUNCIL OF THE PHILIPPINES CHAIRPERSON, ALEEM SAID AHMAD BASHIER: "This Eid-al Fitr, the most important wish I want to ask for is peace, not only in the Philippines, but also for the whole world. Peace, that is what is most important." Eid al-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims around the world to mark the end of Ramadan, and means the festival of breaking the fast. Nick Rowlands, Reuters.
https://in.reuters.com/video/2011/08/30/asian-muslims-celebrate-eid?videoId=218833936&videoChannel=101


text: Q: 20.04 point release - no update yet from gb.archive? Over the past 4 years I have had 2 successful automatic updates for LTS versions. My settings are for notification for long-term support versions of Ubuntu to be available. I check for updates from gb.archive.ubuntu.com. Despite the first point release being slated for 6th August, I don't get prompted for its availability amongst my updates, today 11th August. Should I be concerned?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


If you are familiar with printing worksheets in Excel, you might be looking for a way add page breaks in Excel Online. Although the online program doesn't yet have all the printing capabilities of the Excel desktop application, you can work around the problem of getting your worksheet data to fit on a page.
Select the range of cells you want on one page.
Click File > Print, and then Print again.
In Print Options, click Current Selection > Print.
In the new browser window, click Print.
We are updating Excel Online features, keep a look out for new updates on the Microsoft Excel blog.
Since Excel Online works seamlessly with Office desktop programs, try or buy the latest version of Office now.


text:
Tor.com content by
E.D. deBirmingham
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Fiction and Excerpts [1]
The Mongoliad: Book One (Excerpt)
Neal Stephenson, Greg Bear, E.D. deBirmingham, Mark Teppo, Joseph Brassey, Erik Bear and Cooper Moo
Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:00pm
Alternate History, Fantasy || An epic-within-an-epic, taking place in 13th century, The Mongoliad follows a small band of warriors and mystics raise their swords to save Europe from a bloodthirsty Mongol invasion. Inspired by their leader (an elder of an order of warrior monks), they embark on a perilous journey and uncover the history of hidden knowledge and conflict among powerful secret societies that had been shaping world events for millennia.
Thu Apr 19, 2012 12:00pm 1 comment Favorite This
This is what happens when you lock Neal Stephenson, Greg Bear, and a host of other writers in a room: historical adventure The Mongoliad, out on April 24 from 47 North.
An epic-within-an-epic, taking place in 13th century, The Mongoliad follows a small band of warriors and mystics raise their swords to save Europe from a bloodthirsty Mongol invasion. Inspired by their leader (an elder of an order of warrior monks), they embark on a perilous journey and uncover the history of hidden knowledge and conflict among powerful secret societies that had been shaping world events for millennia.
The story was inspired by Stephenson's desire to visualize the history and original of current western martial arts. More than just a story, The Mongoliad is an sweeping narrative firmly rooted in history, taking readers back to a time when Europeans thought that the Mongol Horde was about to destroy their world — and it was up to the exploits of one small band of mystics and warriors to turn the tide of history.
Read about how the tale was constructed here or dive straight into The Mongoliad below.
[Read The Mongoliad: Book One]
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The Costa Brava has something special that will make you fall in love with this area. Known for its coves of paradise, charming towns and natural parks, this stretch of the Catalan coastline is the perfect destination for a short getaway or a holiday. This article will provide you with some places to stay on the Costa Brava, depending on what you seek from your holiday.
Perfectly connected by the AP-7, with national and international flights arriving into Girona and Barcelona airports, the Costa Brava deserves to be explored.
The Costa Brava offers holidays for all tastes. From the city of Girona to places like Figueres, there are destinations that combine the natural beauty of the coastline, with culture and medieval history. With beaches, museums, historical sites, bars and restaurants, you will not be short of things to do on the Costa Brava.
This coastline is famous for its dreamy beaches. Tossa de Mar and Cadaqués are two towns on the Costa Brava full of charm and are great destinations among those who are seeking a sun-filled beach getaway. From urban beaches with all the facilities to little bays tucked into coves you can enjoy the beauty and tranquillity of the Mediterranean sea.
For a luxury holiday on the Costa Brava, there is no better place than Empuriabrava. The unique channel system of the town means you to explore it by boat.
If you are looking for a holiday on a budget, places such as L'Estartit and L'Escala also have magnificent beaches and endless entertainment. They are good places to stay without having to spend too much money but you will not miss out on anything that the Costa Brava has to offer.
Those travelling as a family can look for the seal of "Family Tourism" granted by the Catalan Government in locations such as Rosas and Platja d'Aro. This approval takes into consideration services, activities and security systems, specifically designed for those seeking a holiday on the Costa Brava with children.
Villages like Pals are more tranquil and provide the perfect holiday for those wanting to escape the madding crowd. Located at the top of a hill above rice fields, you can explore Pals by bike or take one of the hiking trails.
Finally, those who seek a lively nightlife from their holiday can visit Lloret de Mar or Blanes, with many parties and discos that continue into the early hours of the morning.
Explore the many places to stay on the Costa Brava and pick up some ideas of what to do in these locations on your holiday.
Just a few kilometres from the Costa Brava is the second largest city in Catalonia, Girona. Here, you can enjoy aspects of history and culture free from the hustle and bustle of bigger cities. Spend the day getting lost in the labyrinth of cobblestoned streets and centenary buildings of the Jewish quarter - the best preserved in Europe and listen to the chimes of the majestic Cathedral dominating the city from above. Furthermore, wander around the old town encased by ancient Roman walls and capture the views of the Pyrenees that sit in the background.
Girona is great to visit throughout the year. However, a particularly special time is in May during "Temps de Flors" (The Festival of flowers). The city streets are full of floral charm, with flowers and floral decorations as far as the eye can see. Don't hesitate to book your holiday rental in Girona city for a memorable city break.
Another destination on the Costa Brava for a city break is Figueres. Despite being small in size, the centre is full of life, especially during the summer months when the city hosts a large number of international events. Other popular attractions of this town are the Toy Museum and the Empordà Wine Museum.
A highlight of Figueres' heritage is the Theatre-Museum of Dalí. Designed by the Catalan artist himself to display his work it is particularly recognisable due to its vibrant red exterior and striking circular domes. Take a look at our suggestions for the best holiday plans in Figueres and discover more places like the Castillo de San Fernando - the biggest fortress in Europe, explore deeper into the art of Salvador Dalí and the secrets of the Costa Brava through booking your holiday home in Figueres.
Holiday homes on the beach on the Costa Brava are perfect for enjoying good weather during your holiday in a paradisal setting. The coastline is known for its lengthy beaches with fine golden sand and great beach facilities. Enjoy eating and drinking in one of the many beach bars, lay back and relax in a sun lounger or explore the marine life by renting snorkelling equipment. Windsurfing, water skiing and kayaking are also popular activities on this coast.
Undoubtedly, the defining feature of the Costa Brava coastline the remote coves, with secluded and intimate bays protected by steep cliffs. Visit these coves in Cape of Creus, just a short distance from the towns of Roses and Cadaqués. If you are lucky, in the coves of Jugadora, Portaló and Culleró you may find a little bay all to yourself.
Much like other towns on the Costa Brava, Cadaqués has fabulous beaches. From the numerous urban beaches like Playa Grande, Es Sortell or Es Pianc where you can enjoy some stunning sunsets to the wild coves of Cape of Creus, you will discover a little bit of paradise on the Costa Brava. Find the best holiday rentals in Cadaqués, pack your suncream and enjoy the sun sea and sand.
Wherever you go on the Costa Brava you will find incredible beaches but to help you with your search here is a guide to the most picturesque and best beaches on the Costa Brava.
In Tossa de Mar you can stay in a holiday home with just a few steps to the beach. Playa Gran is one of best beaches in Tossa de Mar, lay on the sand, soak up the scenery and combine your day at the beach with a walk around the impressive medieval wall that surrounds the bay. There are many more beaches like this along the Costa Brava, some more examples are those in Cala Futadera and Cala Giverola, the perfect places for a beach stroll or even take a boat ride with a glass roof!
The Costa Brava is so varied in what it has to offer, stretching over 214 kilometres of coastline there are options for all holiday interests. Empuriabrava and Calella de Palafrugell are the ideal destinations for those seeking a luxury holiday.
As if being surrounded by incredible beaches and natural parks wasn't enough, if you rent a holiday home in Empuriabrava you can access your property directly by boat due to the unique canal system of the town. Empuriava has been called the "Venice of Spain", rent a boat and navigate through the canals or venture out onto the Mediterranean, drop anchor and sunbathe on the deck. Also a popular spot for golf, dock up at one of the parks and tee off.
Another town synonymous with luxury is Calella de Palafrugell, here you can find luxury holiday homes on the Costa Brava. With white-washed houses and intimate turquoise beaches, it depicts the classic Mediterranean image.
Aside from its incredible beaches, Calella hosts numerous events throughout the year and is renowned for its restaurants where diners enjoy a meal by candlelight overlooking the sea. Calella is home to the Botanical Garden of Cap Roig. These beautiful gardens face the Mediterranean and host exhibitions with international artists being the venue for all types of festivals. For a piece of paradise, book your holiday home in Calella de Palafrugell and be spoiled by its beauty.
If you venture away from the chiringuitos and terraces on the beach promenade you will find bars and restaurants with lower prices. You can also find many cheaper holiday rentals on the Costa Brava without feeling like you are going without. Cheaper areas to stay on the Costa Brava are L'Estartit and L'Escala with some holiday rentals in L'Estartit starting from € 27 per night. In L'Estartit, you have the option to spend time on three different urban beaches as well as more intimate beaches in small coves.
Another place for cheaper holiday rentals is L'Escala, located just 90 minutes from Barcelona and next to Girona airport. L'Escala is a popular place to practice various water sports and where visitors go admire the impressive sand dunes.
If you are travelling as a family it is often important that you find a destination with activities designed to keep children entertained. Many popular locations now specialise in family tourism making it easy to find holiday homes for families on the Costa Brava.
An option that never fails to entertain the children is a day of fun at a waterpark. Roses and Platja d'Aro have aquatic parks like Aquadiver and Aquabrava. With slides, wave pools and jacuzzis there is something for the whole family. Or visit the adventure parks like Parc Aventura in Platja d'Aro. With activities suspended in the trees including zip lines, vacuum jumps, nets and hanging bridges, find your holiday home in Platja d'Aro for an unforgettable family holiday.
One of the best family activities on the Costa Brava is the Paratge de la Tudela hiking trail in Cap de Creus. On this route, you will discover unusual geological formations, which inspired some of Dalí's work. Let your imagination run wild and see if you can spot a gorilla, a sea lion or even a camel on your way around.
In Roses, explore the surroundings and marvel at the views on board a train tour, designed especially for the little ones. Or for some action and adventure, paddle around the beaches in a kayak or canoe. If you decide to stay in Roses, your children are sure to have a fun-filled holiday full of adventure.
Alongside its medieval charm and an impressive fortress, Tossa de Mar offers numerous activities for the family such as paintballing, hiking trails and dreamy beaches.
More people are seeking rural holidays in remote destinations to disconnect from routine life back home. The best thing about rural tourism on the Costa Brava is that you can enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the villages and have the option to explore the history and culture as well as visit neighbouring bigger towns.
The small town of Pals looks like it belongs in a fairytale and is one of the favourite destinations for those seeking a romantic getaway on the Costa Brava. Located at the top of a small mountain Pals is surrounded by striking nature. Close to Montgrí Natural Park, the town is lined with cobbled streets and stone houses that have maintained their medieval charm. The staple ingredient of Pals' gastronomy is rice, grown in the wetlands that surround the town which you can visit by bike. If you want to return from your holiday full of energy and feeling refreshed don't hesitate to book a holiday home in Pals.
For another chance to disconnect on the Costa Brava stay in Begur. A small town protected by hills and a medieval castle where you can see some of the best panoramic views of the Costa Brava. Discover the "Indiano houses" of Begur, built by local inhabitants who emigrated to Cuba in the 19th century bringing with them back this style of Cuban architecture.
For more of the Costa Brava's medieval history, Calonge is a great place to stay and boasts a castle dating back to the 12th century. Divided in two, the town has the perfect balance of modernity and history.
If you choose the Costa Brava for your rural getaway you will enjoy the charm of its towns and beauty of its unspoilt beaches and coves.
Towns on the Costa Brava are fairly humble in size and with the good weather starting from the end of May they attract tourism, leading to some great nightlife on this coastline.
Lloret de Mar is without doubt one of the best party destinations on the Costa Brava. The town is only 70 kilometres from Barcelona is renowned for its nightlife. During the day you can enjoy the beach and the heritage if the town including the modernist cemetery, the church of Sant Romà and the gardens of Santa Clotilde. But, when the sun goes down you will be immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of the chiringuitos, bars and trendy clubs such as Disco Tropics, Disco Colossos and Moëf Gaga where you can dance until dawn.
Platja d'Aro, Blanes and Empuriabrava are also known for their nightlife so you will never be far from a party on the Costa Brava. If you prefer a slightly quieter evening, towns such as Cadaqués, Roses and Tossa de Mar have bars and restaurants where you can enjoy a more tranquil vibe.
There are many reasons to visit the Costa Brava. From a city break full of culture and history to a holiday on the beach where you can find your own little secluded cove. Discover everything that the Catalan coast has to offer, you will not be disappointed.


As some of you may have heard, my grandmother passed away on March 25, 2015, at 96 years young. Still full of obstinance and vigor to the very end, I can only hope that she left this world knowing just how big of an influence she was in my life … and the lives of my brother and cousins.
The statement, of course, was a joke.
The sun sets on each day.
But for our family, the universe is a bit darker without her fierce independence, stubbornness, drive, intelligence, staunch opinions and … well … her belief that she needed to be around to keep things running. If anyone ever wondered where I learned my obstinance, sarcasm, and intense irritation of the dim of wit, you had to look no further than my grandmother.
Really, my grandmother taught us all a lot. She was a firm believer that actions were far more powerful than intentions could ever be. She insisted that if you wanted something, you should work hard for it rather than ask for it. And she stressed that people should try to improve themselves every single day.
She put up with no crap.
And she never, ever allowed us to speak a sentence in her presence without correcting our grammar, if need be.
Thankfully, my friends understood and appreciated the gifts she gave me over the years.
When my friends first heard that she had passed, I received nothing but an outpouring of love. And within just a few short days, I also received a large box on my front porch. The box contained — to my surprise — a bare-root rose from wonderful friends of mine in Los Angeles. They told me that the rose was in memory of my grandmother. A constant reminder of all she taught me.
Of course, the rose was perfect, for — other than my stubbornness and sarcasm — the biggest gift grandma bestowed upon me was a love of gardening. Specifically, the careful cultivation of roses.
Thankfully, my mother and step-father came over and helped me plant the Princess Anne rose because I had never handled a bare-root plant before, and wanted to make sure I wasn't about to kill it.
This week, the first buds blossomed. The fragrance fills the air around my front door, and I can't help but think of my beautiful, stubborn grandmother every time I see the delicate pink blooms.
Thank you, Jim and Justin. I love the rose, and I know that my grandmother would love it, as well.
This past spring, a little part of Oregon became a big hit on social media. It's an area of the Mt. Hood National Forest called Lost Lake. The reason of the social media coverage is because the lake — funny enough — disappears (hmmm … is lost, perchance?) each spring, when it is too cold for the mountain snow to melt, but we start to lose our monthly rainfall.
Of course, the funniest part is how few of these sites got the story right. The lake, while relatively close to a highway, is easily 30 minutes up a windy mountain road. There is no way that drivers from the closest highway would ever be able to see it.
That said, I found the lake for the first time last fall. I was staying on the other side of the mountain range, in Welches, Oregon, and I was in search of a new place to take pictures of the super moon with Mt. Hood in the foreground. After a little searching, I found Lost Lake and decided to make the extreme, insane, backwoods trip on a mostly gravel pass called Lolo Pass Road that was barely wide enough for one car, let alone two (and traffic definitely traveled in both directions on the narrow passage).
While I made it to the lake without incident (thankfully), I barely made it in front of a bank of clouds headed our way. Within a very short period of time, the glorious view of Mt. Hood was quickly obscured before the moon could even rise.
Even a relatively rare lenticular cloud made an appearance.
It became clear very quickly that I was not going to have the chance to capture the mountain and the moon in the same image.
So, I decided that I was going to return this spring to try again. I booked two nights at the Lost Lake Lodge, determined to get an amazing sunrise photo of the mountain.
Yep, that would be the lake. All three days I was there, the surrounding mountains were blanketed in low-level clouds and fog. I awoke before 5 a.m. each morning, only to find rain falling all round. Each evening, the rain lifted, but the clouds remained.
On this day, at the end of May, I spent a good part of the evening dead heading and trimming back roses that had grown too long and gangly for the weight of their blooms.
It's not an unusual activity. Since planting my roses, I have found that it is essential to prune them back at least once a summer to keep them from falling over as they grow faster and taller than their still-spindly canes can support while reaching for the often-weak Pacific Northwest sun.
The unusual part is how early in the year that I have had to do this. Generally, I make it to the summer solstice before I have to trim back the canes. This year, not so much.
And because we had no real freeze to speak of, my rose bushes have already been plagued by pests. Aphids have come in conspicuous numbers, hopping, skipping and jumping between plants. I have also dealt with early cases of fungal infections in the forms of rust, black spot and (the heretofore unusual) powdery mildew.
Through it all, one plant has stood out.
One plant that has — both in years past and this year — remained untouched.
My beautiful Julia Child has managed to grow strong and resilient, resisting all needs for trimming spindly canes and repelling every pest, mite and fungus that has been the scourge of my other roses.
This is, to say the least, an immense surprise. After all, while I generally try to select roses that are deemed disease- and pest-resistant, I have found that many in the rose industry appear to subscribe to the "liar-liar-pants-on-fire" type of marketing practices. Abject hyperbole seems to fill every description they write for their roses (if that's not the case, I wouldn't want to encounter roses that are considered less than "disease resistant") because all of my roses that have been termed relatively free from pests and disease are filled with — surprisingly enough — pests and disease.
But not the Julia Child.
This rose, which I didn't expect much of, has grown strong and seemingly immune from all manner of illness and strife. It thrives even when I ignore it. The blooms overwhelm me every year, and this year is no exception.
My Julia Child. The purple is a sage brush that it is holding up.
A mass of flowers hiding among the top of the rose bush.
The clippings just from the Julia Child. I was completely overwhelmed.
On this day, I learned that, in addition to bread and tortillas, avocados are no longer safe on my kitchen counter.
Because my insane cats have decided they might be tasty … and fun.
I returned home from a quick trip to the grocery store and found the one below on the floor of my bedroom. And there were clearly incriminating teeth marks all over it.
While I would normally blame Zoey for this, I think that Colby is actually the culprit this time.
Because I brought home two additional avocados, and when I was unloading them on the counter, she came running up and immediately wanted to start batting them around.
Given that they are best friends, it probably shouldn't surprise me.
Yes, it has been FAR too long since I last posted. Life has been a little insane around my little world, so I have been more than a little distracted. Still, my beasties have kept me entertained, and I will be posting many pictures of the crew over the next few weeks.
In honor of the upcoming Easter holiday, I thought I'd start with the latest Cooper-humiliation photo: Bunny Boy.
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog (sorry I haven't posted much lately … lots going on, but more to come in the New Year!).


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Home Blogs This Ongoing War Egypt's Sinai Problem and Ours
This Ongoing War
Egypt's Sinai Problem and Ours
Needless to say, given its physical proximity to Israel, Sinai is not only an Egyptian challenge.
Frimet and Arnold Roth
15 Heshvan 5773 – October 30, 2012
A striking photo essay [here] from EgyptSource focuses on the stark realities of Sinai and the multiple challenges it poses to the Egyptians. EgyptSource, a project of the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East,
follows Egypt's transition and provides a platform for Egyptian perspectives on the major issues – economic, political, legal, religious and human rights – that are at stake in the post-Mubarak era…
Needless to say, given its physical proximity to Israel, Sinai is not only an Egyptian challenge. That it gets such a small degree of media attention is a puzzle.
The essay that accompanies the images, by Mosaab Elshamy and published yesterday, starts this way:
Army checkpoints on the road to Sinai are almost an indication of a region at war. The vast peninsula bordering Egypt with Gaza and Israel rose to the forefront of the new Egyptian government's troubles after an army checkpoint was attacked by unknown militants last Ramadan, killing 16 soldiers. This was not the first attack of its kind in Sinai – the region has been a hotbed of militants long before the revolution, but even more so after the fall of Mubarak. This was, however, the deadliest attack seen in Sinai, and the first under President Morsi's rule. Backed by public anger, the military launched Operation Eagle to hunt down those behind the attack. Different claims have been made regarding the outcome, but what is evident from my visit to the region is that little has changed.
All that Sinai has become notorious for – smuggling of weapons, torturing Africans and rise of militancy – remains unchanged. The army had also declared its intention to close down the tunnels connecting Sinai to the besieged Gaza strip, but in Rafah economic activity is booming with trucks full of goods coming in and out of the town almost every hour of the day.
The same lack of security along with rise of Islamist extremists led to yet another sectarian attack on the Coptic minority in Rafah, causing many to flee for their lives, almost 2 years after their church was burnt by armed militants. [More]
Sunday produced two disturbing illustrations of today's Sinai realities – again, almost no media coverage.
Gunmen attack buildings in Sinai's Dahab Maan News | Published yesterday (updated) 29/10/2012 21:34
EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma'an) — Gunmen attacked government buildings on Sunday in the Egyptian city of Dahab in the Sinai peninsula, security officials said. Bedouin gunmen attacked a checkpoint at the entrance to the popular Sinai tourist destination and also attacked local government headquarters and a hospital, Egyptian security officials told Ma'an. Disorder has spread in Sinai since former President Hosni Mubarak was ousted in a popular uprising last year, with Islamist militants stepping up attacks on security forces and the Israeli border. Egypt's president, Muhammad Mursi, has vowed to restore order.
6 hurt in shooting on children's park in south Sinai Maan News | Published Sunday 28/10/2012 (updated) 28/10/2012 23:09
SHARM AL-SHEIKH, Egypt (Ma'an) — Gunmen opened fire in a children's park in south Sinai on Saturday night, wounding six, officials said. The al-Fayrouz park in al-Tur city was packed with families celebrating the Eid al-Adha holiday when a group of Bedouin men opened fire, witnesses said. Four children, a man and woman suffered injuries, some serious, medics said. One child lost the fingers on her left hand, they said.
Then there's this additional aspect of the Sinai challenge; the op ed below from Al Arabiya provides a small window into the conflicted states of mind that characterize the Egyptian – and other Arab sub-groups' – views of the Palestinian Arabs and the multidimensional challenges they have posed for three generations.
A Palestinian state in Sinai? By AHMAD NAGUIB ROUSHDY Al Arabiya
Rumour has it, and some articles in Egyptian newspapers have stated that the increasing crossings of Palestinians to the Egyptian Sinai through the illegal tunnels between Egypt and Gaza have been taking place in accordance with a plan by the Islamist-led government of Hamas in Gaza, which has ties with the Muslim Brotherhood-led government of President Mohamed Mursiin Egypt. The aim is to settle the Palestinians in Sinai, not as refugees but as a permanent homeland for them and to declare a Palestinian state there, substituting it for the West Bank… Every Egyptian sympathizes with the Palestinian cause, and much Egyptian blood has been shed in defense of it. But if these rumors are true, the Palestinians have shown themselves to be ungrateful and could be considered to be Egypt's enemies. The Egyptian government should force any Palestinians now in Sinai to return to where they came from, since they cannot be considered refugees. The Mursi government's ties with Hamas should not compromise Egypt's security and sovereignty. When President Mursi in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in September called for the right of the Palestinians to establish an independent state, he meant in Palestine and not in Egypt. Any Egyptian who helps the Palestinians or others to plunder our land must be considered a traitor. [More here]
Good to keep in mind when simple solutions are next offered up for the complex challenges in this part of the world.
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http://thisongoingwar.blogspot.co.il/
Frimet and Arnold Roth began writing and speaking publicly soon after the murder of their fifteen year-old daughter Malki Z"L in the Jerusalem Sbarro massacre, August 9, 2001 (Chaf Av, 5761). They have both been, and are, frequently interviewed for radio, television and the print media, including CNN, BBC, New York Times, Washington Post, Al-Jazeera, and others. Their blog This Ongoing War deals with the under-appreciated price of living in a society afflicted by terrorism which, they contend, means the entire world. Frimet is a native of Queens, NY while her husband was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia. They brought their family to settle in Jerusalem in 1988. They co-founded the Malki Foundation in 2001 and are deeply involved in its work as volunteers. They can be reached at thisoingoingwar@gmail.com .
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Printed from: https://www.jewishpress.com/blogs/this-ongoing-war/egypts-sinai-problem-and-ours/2012/10/30/


Trucking Cost Per Mile Spreadsheet – The process of measuring target audience size against the cost of that audience is based on efficiency calculations, which are popularly known as cost-per-thousand (CPM), which is an estimate of the cost of exposing 1,000 audience members.
Generally, media specialists do these calculations and communicate them to the account executive or advertiser. Anyone who works in advertising must understand what a CPM represents.
Cost per thousand: It is better to use a CPM analysis to compare vehicles within a medium (one magazine with another or one television program with another). It is also important to base it only on the portion of the audience that has the characteristics of the goal, such as women between 25 and 34 years of age. This is called cost-per-thousand directed.
To calculate CPM, only two figures are needed: the cost per unit (such as television time or space in a magazine) and the estimated target audience at which the program arrives. The cost of the unit is divided between gross audience impressions to determine the advertising spend that is required to expose 1,000 target audience (because it is cost per thousand).