text:
Search LanguageEN
Results will be shown on another page
Europe in my Region
Protocol service
The State of Regions and Cities in the European Union
Political priorities 2020–2025
Conference of Presidents
CIVEX (Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External affairs)
COTER (Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget)
ECON (Commission for Economic Policy)
ENVE (Commission for Environment, Climate change and Energy)
NAT (Commission for Natural Resources)
SEDEC (Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture)
Interregional groups
Enlargement countries
Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP)
Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM)
Regional Hubs
European Week of Regions and Cities
Cohesion as an EU value
EU Councillors
European Entrepreneurial Region (EER)
Mayor Paweł Adamowicz award
CoR Mobile APP
Digital Masterclasses
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is the voice of regions and cities in the European Union (EU). It represents local and regional authorities across the European Union and advises on new laws that have an impact on regions and cities (70% of all EU legislation).
President President
Vasco Alves Cordeiro was elected President of the European Committee of the Regions in June 2022.
First Vice-President First Vice-President
Apostolos Tzitzikostas was born on September 2, 1978. He studied Government and International Relations at Georgetown University, in Washington DC. After graduating in 2000, he had his first working experience at the Office of the President of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the United States Congress. In 2002 he obtained a Masters Degree on European Public Policy and Economics from the University College of London. Following his studies, he created his own company on the field of production, processing and standardization of dairy products, based on organic standards.
Secretary-General Secretary-General
Protocol service Protocol service
Tenders Tenders
Work with us Work with us
JobsAt the CoR, you will have the opportunity to address the future challenges of the EU while thriving in a friendly work environment that respects human diversity and enhances individual creativity.
TraineeshipsThe CoR is a relatively young institution and, as such, recognizes the importance of giving voice to the ideas of newcomers and younger generations. Involving young people in the EU decision-making process is precisely the aim of the CoR traineeship programme.
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) intervenes at several stages of the EU law-making process. CoR commissions draft opinions on EU legislative proposals and members gather in plenary to vote and adopt those opinions. The CoR also works closely with national, regional and local authorities, making their voices heard and fostering political debate, not only in Brussels, but also in EU regions and cities, outside Europe and online.
The State of Regions and Cities in the European Union The State of Regions and Cities in the European Union
On 11 October 2022, the Committee of the Regions published its EU Annual Report on the State of the Regions and Cities, as a snapshot of the most pressing challenges faced by regions and cities across the Union, that helps to inform EU policy decisions.
Political priorities 2020–2025 Political priorities 2020–2025
Local and regional authorities, represented in the EU by the European Committee of the Regions, have always been the backbone of European democracy. The recent COVID-19 pandemic showed local and regional leaders as the driving force of local communities, responding during the emergency and leading the EU's recovery. Bringing Europe closer to people through its villages, cities and regions will therefore be the primary mission of our Committee achieved through three main priorities.
Plenary sessions Plenary sessions
The Bureau is a group of CoR members that can be thought of as CoR's political driving force: it draws up its political programme and oversees its implementation. The Bureau meets before each plenary session to coordinate the work of the plenary assembly and the commissions. It also gathers two times a year in extraordinary meetings in the EU country holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Conference of Presidents Conference of Presidents
The Conference of Presidents (CoP) consists of the President, the First Vice-President and the Presidents of all political groups. The CoP prepares the work and facilitates the search for political consensus on decisions to be taken by the other constitutive bodies (the Plenary Assembly, the Bureau, and the commissions).The CoP meets ahead of each Bureau meeting, usually on the same day. Extraordinary meetings are also organised in Brussels or abroad, notably twice a year in the EU country holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Opinions Opinions
The European Commission consults the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) at the earliest stage in the European legislative process on policy areas that directly affect the local and regional authorities. The CoR may also proactively adopt a position on a particular issue through an own-initiative opinion.
The legislative work of the European Committee of the Regions is carried by six thematic commissions and cover a broad range of areas which are relevant to local and regional authorities. In the commissions, Members of the CoR produce opinions on UE legislative proposals and initiatives, as well as discuss other issues relevant to the work of Europe's more than one million local politicians.
CIVEX (Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External affairs)Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs, CIVEX, constitutional issues, democracy, devolution, subsidiarity, justice, future of Europe, migration, integration, fundamental rights, enlargement, neighbourhood, development cooperation.
COTER (Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget)In addition to cohesion policy, the COTER commission closely follows the Multiannual Financial Framework and EU Budget, as well as transport policy, territorial development, cross-border cooperation, spatial planning and urban matters.
ECON (Commission for Economic Policy)The Commission for Economic Policy (ECON) coordinates ECON members' input on issues related to economic and industrial policy, such as competition and State Aid policy, public procurement, SME policy and entrepreneurship, economic governance and the European Semester, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the internal market and the digital single market. Its activities also encompass economic and monetary policy, taxation policy, international trade and tariffs (including WTO issues) and local/regional finances.
ENVE (Commission for Environment, Climate change and Energy)The Commission for the Environment, Climate Change and Energy (ENVE) is responsible for coordinating the Committee of the Regions' work in fields related to the European Green Deal, which include the environment biodiversity, circular economy and zero pollution, climate change, energy and space policies. The commission is also responsible for the Green Deal Local Working Group and other networks and platforms such as the Covenant of Mayors National Ambassadors, CoR Climate Pact Ambassadors and the Zero Pollution Stakeholder Platform. At global level, the commission plays a leading role in CoR involvement at UN conferences for climate change and biodiversity.
NAT (Commission for Natural Resources)The NAT commission brings together over 100 mayors, councillors and regional presidents and covers a wide range of topics related to rural development, health, agriculture, forestry, fishery, civil protection, consumer protection and tourism. The Rural Agenda for Europe and the public health are the leading policy themes in the current mandate.
SEDEC (Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture)The SEDEC commission is in charge of employment, social policies, education, training (including lifelong learning), sports and culture related dossiers. SEDEC is also responsible for equality, social economy and youth files, as well as research, innovation and artificial intelligence.
Interregional groups Interregional groups
Established as from February 2007, interregional groups are platforms to exchange views and create new ideas between local and regional authorities in the Member States and beyond.
Networks Networks
CoR networks enable regions and cities to contribute to the EU debate and to exchange experiences and best practice in specific EU policies.CoR networks enable regions and cities to contribute to the EU debate and to exchange experiences and best practice in specific EU policies.
International cooperation International cooperation
Enlargement countriesThe CIVEX Commission of the CoR is responsible for the institutional position on EU enlargement policy.
Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP)Set up by the CoR in 2011, the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) is the political forum of local and regional authorities from the European Union and the Eastern Partnership countries.It is the only EU platform that offers an opportunity to discuss the contribution by cities and regions in the development of the Eastern Partnership.
Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM)The Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) is an assembly of local and regional representatives from the European Union and its Mediterranean partners.
Regional Hubs Regional Hubs
The CoR launched a new generation of its Regional Hubs Network (RegHub). Its members monitor the implementation of EU policies on the ground and make sure that the voices of hundreds of regional and local stakeholders are taken into account when these policies are evaluated at European level.
National delegations National delegations
Members' portal Members' portal
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is the meeting place in Brussels for Europe's regions and cities. We welcome about 50,000 visitors a year, participating at the main CoR expert events or at one of the 200 hosted conferences organised by regions, cities or associations.
European Week of Regions and Cities European Week of Regions and Cities
The European Week of Regions and Cities is the biggest annual event dedicated to regional policy. During this annual four-day event, regions and cities showcase their capacity to create growth and jobs, implement European Union cohesion policy, and prove the importance of the local and regional level for good European governance.
Summits Summits
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) encourages participation at all levels, from regional and local authorities to fellow citizens. Find out how you can participate! Online surveys, consultations and events are open to regional and local authorities, associations, NGOs, experts and academics.
In the spotlight In the spotlight
Future of EuropeAs the European Union's body charged with engaging and representing the one million local and regional politicians across the EU, one of the key aims of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is to bring the EU and its institutions closer to its citizens. This is achieved by assisting Members of the CoR to create local dialogues with citizens on European matters, by supporting large-scale initiatives such as the Conference on the Future of Europe and the Network of EU Councillors, and collaborating with other organisations to champion the roll out of innovative methods of citizen participation and engagement.
Green Deal Going LocalGreen Deal Going Local is a flagship initiative of the European Committee of the Regions that aims to place cities and regions at the heart of the EU's transition to climate neutrality.
Cohesion as an EU valueOne of the European Committee of the Regions' main priorities for 2020 to 2025 is to demonstrate that cohesion is not (just) money, but a fundamental value of the European Union. Through its own activities and through those carried out with the #CohesionAlliance, the Committee is committed to making sure that economic, social and territorial cohesion is fostered and respected in all EU policies.
Young Elected PoliticiansThe Young Elected Politicians programme (YEPs) is a network of politicians who are no older than 40 and hold a mandate at regional or local level in the EU. A call for applications to join the programme is published each year. YEPs will have the opportunity to get in contact with other young politicians through the YEP Community, to attend trainings on EU topics, and to participate in activities organised by the CoR, including meetings with rapporteurs, events and seminars organised by the CoR, and communication activities.
EU CouncillorsThere are more than one million elected politicians in the regions and cities of the European Union. They deal with European laws, funding programmes and debates on a daily basis. The Network builds on the successful experience with national or local politicians dealing with EU affairs existing, for example, in Austria, France and Germany.
European Entrepreneurial Region (EER)The European Entrepreneurial Region (EER) is a project that identifies and rewards EU regions and cities which show an outstanding and innovative entrepreneurial policy strategy, irrespective of their size, wealth and competences.
Mayor Paweł Adamowicz awardfor courage and excellence in the promotion of freedom, solidarity and equality.
EU organic awardsThe EU organic awards are jointly organised by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC, COPA-COGECA and IFOAM Organics Europe. These awards aim to recognise excellence along the organic value chain, rewarding the best and most innovative actors in organic production in the EU.
Access to documentsThe Treaty of Amsterdam introduced a new Article 255, which provides for a right of access for citizens to documents of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission. These three institutions have adopted Regulation (EC) 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents, and subsequently, in a joint declaration, have asked the other European agencies and bodies to adopt similar rules on the matter.
ArchivesThe CoR Archives Service is responsible for organising, protecting, managing, describing and preserving the Committee's documentary resources, and providing them to the public. Once they are delivered to the Archives Service by the originating departments, the archives are repackaged, scanned and put on microfiche so as to ensure their physical preservation. A description of each file is made so that search tools (inventories) can be created.
CoR Mobile APPThe mobile app of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) brings you real-time notifications about news, events and opinions on your preferred topics. Save your favourite items and share contents as you go from meeting to meeting via social media and other channels.
Digital MasterclassesBrought to you by the CoR social media team, the Digital Masterclasses keep you up to date with the ever-changing digital media landscape. The project comprises both an academic and hands-on approach, allowing its participants to learn about new communication techniques and gain a wide range of digital skills.
Documentation centreThe Documentation centre of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is the place to be when you are looking for information about Europe from a grass roots perspective.
Consultations Consultations
You are here > Go to homepage > Our work > Opinion Factsheet
Opinion Factsheet
Implementation Assessment of the Urban Agenda for the EU
Rapporteur: MCCARTHY Kieran
Commission: COTER
The opinion evaluates the implementation of the Urban Agenda so far and makes an assessment of the findings presented by the upcoming report on this topic that the European Commission adopted by November 2017. In addition, the opinion provides concrete input on how to implement the UN New Urban Agenda and how to better consider the urban dimension of the Sustainable Development Goals established in the Agenda 2030.
• The CoR played a key role in allowing a successful start-up of two new urban partnerships on "Security in Public Spaces" and on "Culture and Culture Heritage"
• As a direct consequence of the Pact of Amsterdam, which granted the CoR the possibility to propose cities to become members of the urban partnerships, some cities and regions that the CoR had put forward, such as Mechelen, Berlin, the Canary Islands and the Silesian Voivodship were selected.
The Urban Agenda for the EU is in the middle of its implementation phase. The final Action Plans of the six remaining Partnerships (Housing, Urban Mobility, Sustainable Land Use, Jobs and Skill, Climate Adaption and Circular Economy) were adopted in 2018. The European Commission carried out an assessment study of the Urban Agenda for the EU, in order to analyse the performance of this process and to explore possible options for improvement. Against this background, the CoR anticipated the discussion on the implementation of the Urban Agenda making its own assessment with the adoption of an opinion on the matter in July 2018, thereby acknowledging the work pursued since the adoption of the Pact of Amsterdam in May 2016, calling for the continuation and further development of the Urban Agenda, and reiterating its commitment to contribute to this process.
The involvement of CoR members in the work of the partnerships has been a paradigm and allowed members to feed the CoR's position into the discussion, for instance, at a workshop on state aids and housing that was organised by the urban partnership on affordable housing within the framework of the follow-up activities of the CoR opinion on "Towards an European Agenda on Housing" at the CoR. The CoR COTER commission also produced an Urban Impact Assessment on the New United Nations Urban Agenda in order to provide input to the monitoring process carried out by the European Commission.
The COTER commission played also a key role in allowing a successful start-up of two new urban partnerships on "Security in Public Spaces" and on "Culture and Culture Heritage" launched by the Directors General responsible for urban matters in November 2018, the latter one being a topic which had already been proposed by the CoR opinion on "Concrete steps for implementing the EU Urban Agenda" in 2016. As a direct consequence of the Pact of Amsterdam, which granted the CoR the possibility to propose cities to become members of the urban partnerships, some cities and regions that the CoR had put forward, such as Mechelen, Berlin, the Canary Islands and the Silesian Voivodship were selected.
- notes the core point that the Urban Agenda for the EU seeks to mobilise the experience and expertise of urban authorities and to enable them to contribute to the development and implementation of those EU policy processes and instruments that most impact on cities;
- supports the Urban Agenda's approach and its multi-level governance working method across 12 broad policy priority themes as identified in the Pact of Amsterdam and the need to rethink approaches to the design of existing rules and regulations, enhancing the user-friendliness of the range of available urban-focussed funding resources and improve knowledge exchange and cooperation on urban issues among different stakeholders;
- points out that many of the Partnership themes are themselves closely tied into other themes and that, in the spirit of integrated thinking, these should not be treated in isolation; insists on the need for very enhanced coordination between the action plans as their activities could have significant impacts on each other;
- requests that the future of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) proposal and Cohesion policy beyond 2020 reflect the role of cities and urban areas, enhancing the integrated tools and mechanisms to empower and support cities and regions directly; highlights that it is crucial for Cohesion policy to pursue the added-value of the integrated territorial approach and, in conjunction with its strong rural support, to also have a strong urban dimension as well as "urban ownership" on the ground in cities and urban areas;
- recognises the importance of cities in the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030; calls for very strong synergies between the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and post-2020 EU policy priority-setting.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
← Fundraising for lung cancer research in Canada.
1 Partridge in a Pear Tree →
SiX Years!
To celebrate SiX years of lung cancer survivorship, we are fundraising for lung cancer research! This is such an important cause because anyone can get lung cancer, even active moms of young children.
Join Team Jill to celebrate survivorship!
Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer by far, yet in Canada it gets less than 0.1% of all cancer donations from individuals and businesses.
Join Team Jill to celebrate survivorship and change that statistic!
This year, Team Jill is entering the 2020 Lung Cancer Survivors Super Bowl Challenge, raising funds for lung cancer research. Please join in and celebrate survivorship by supporting Team Jill!
Support Team Jill by:
making a generous donation
asking friends and family to donate
inviting Jill to speak at your workplace, community group or living room gathering
asking your colleagues to donate to lung cancer research
holding a bake sale or other fundraiser
sharing on social media
brainstorming ideas and acting on one or more
talking with Jill about your ideas, and working on them together
Team Jill's page: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/2020-lung-cancer-survivors-super-bowl-challenge/jillhamer-wilson
Team Jill's page for Canadian income tax receipts: http://donate.ottawacancer.ca/goto/jill
Support Team Jill now, because this special window is only open until December 29! We are entering the Super Bowl Challenge to raise funds for lung cancer research. This unique fundraiser gives lung cancer survivor-advocates the opportunity to compete against each other to raise funds for lung cancer awareness and cutting edge research. The top three fundraisers earn trips to Florida for the Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, and Taste of the NFL, but the real winner is the people (who may not have been diagnosed yet) who will benefit from the research.
People affected by lung cancer live with a sense of urgency! Lung cancer doesn't wait. Join Team Jill now!
"This is a fight we can win, but it takes at team to tackle cancer, and we need your help," says Chris Draft (of Team Draft & the Super Bowl Challenge). Will you choose to stand up for your community?
Ottawa has a strong history of people standing up publicly to fundraise for lung cancer (many of whom are pictured above), but this is rare across Canada. I know of some and would love to hear of other efforts across Canada!
Stand up and support lung cancer research by supporting Team Jill now!
#ResearchMatters
Team Jill has chosen the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation as beneficiary for this year's Super Bowl Challenge. 90% of funds raised will go to lung cancer clinical trials through the ORCF, provided we raise a minimum of $5000. USD.
The Super Bowl Challenge is a great opportunity to raise lung cancer funds and also potentially earn the experience of a lifetime, and speak about the importance of lung cancer on one gigantic international platform. Thank you, Team Draft and the NFL for this tremendous opportunity! Team Draft is an initiative of the Chris Draft Family Foundation dedicated to increasing lung cancer awareness and research funding; more information below.
Team Draft's Press Release:
Contact: Randall Hawkins, rhawkins@chrisdraft.org
Team Draft Marks Giving Tuesday With A Call To Support Sixth Annual Lung Cancer Survivors' Super Bowl Challenge
(ATLANTA, GA) – Today is Giving Tuesday—a day designed to unleash the power of people to change their communities by supporting the organizations they care about. On this Giving Tuesday, Team Draft is challenging people to help change the face of lung cancer by supporting its 6th Annual Lung Cancer Survivors' Super Bowl Challenge. This one-of-kind fund raising challenge gives lung cancer "survivor-advocates" the opportunity to compete to against each other to raise funds for critical public awareness of this often misunderstood disease and for cutting-edge research that is giving new hope to those battling it. The top three fundraisers, announced on December 30, 2019, will earn trips to the Super Bowl in Miami, the Pro Bowl in Orlando, and the 29th Taste Of The NFL, an exclusive food and wine festival held in Miami the night before the big game where guests will savor dishes prepared by some of the top chefs in the country while rubbing shoulders with legendary players from all 32 NFL teams.
Team Draft was founded by former NFL linebacker and internationally-recognized health advocate Chris Draft and his late wife Keasha on November 27, 2011—their wedding day. At the time, Keasha, a never-smoker, was battling Stage IV Lung Cancer after being diagnosed with the disease in December 2010. Despite the diagnosis and knowing the long odds they faced, Chris and Keasha decided to fight back, and standing side-by-side, they launched Team Draft at their wedding. Keasha died one month later.
Since its founding, Team Draft has been dedicated to using its unique platform to raise lung cancer awareness and research funding through its Campaign To Change The Face Of Lung Cancer. And the centerpiece of that Campaign is Team Draft's annual Lung Cancer Survivors' Super Bowl Challenge. As Draft explains, "the Super Bowl Challenge gives us a unique opportunity to use the overwhelming media coverage surrounding the Super Bowl to raise lung cancer awareness on an international level."
Team Draft's efforts are paying off. "The Challenge achieves some amazing things in terms of public awareness and changing perceptions about lung cancer," says Dr. Ross Camidge, Director of Thoracic Oncology at Colorado University Cancer Center.
By giving survivor-advocates like Gina Hollenbeck, one of last year's Challenge winners, a world-wide platform to share their stories, Team Draft is weaving a broader narrative about the true nature of lung cancer and the hope that now exists for survivors. As Gina put it last year, "I am super excited about this opportunity to go to the Super Bowl with my husband, but I am even more excited to give lung cancer a voice"—a sentiment echoed by Jeff Meckstorth, another past winner. "In many ways," says Jeff, the Super Bowl Challenge is "a once and a lifetime opportunity to thank our community, fight for all lung cancer families, but most importantly to educate the public about the reality of lung cancer."
In addition to raising critical public awareness, the Super Bowl Challenge also raises funds for lung cancer organizations and treatment centers across North America. And because Team Draft's National Campaign has always been about "we" and not "me," just as Keasha intended, participating survivor-advocates who raise more than $5,000 during the Super Bowl Challenge may commit 90% of the funds they raise to a lung cancer organization or cancer center of their choice with the remaining 10% going to support Team Draft and its mission. Of this aspect of the Super Bowl Challenge, Dr. Camidge says, "you need somebody working on the national level. You need somebody working on the local level. Everybody wins."
As Draft points out, "anybody can get lung cancer." "The disease doesn't care where you live, but your zip code often determines the quality of care you receive," he explains. "In football, we understand the importance of the home field advantage. By allowing survivors to direct where funds go, we're giving people the opportunity to fight for better cancer treatment in their communities—to give themselves and their neighbors the home field advantage," he says.
But for the competing survivor-advocates, the Super Bowl Challenge is so much more than a fundraiser. "Team Draft has really helped boost our family's spirits during this challenging time," says Dr. Lucy Kalanithi. In 2015, Lucy and her husband, Dr. Paul Kalanithi, won Team Draft's inaugural Super Bowl Challenge and were able to join Team Draft in Phoenix for Super Bowl 49. Paul went on to write the bestselling memoir When Breath Becomes Air—a powerful and moving chronical of his life and lung cancer journey—before passing away at the age of 37.
While Team Draft hopes to have survivor-advocates from all 32 NFL cities participate in the Super Bowl Challenge, the ultimate goal is for all NCI designated cancer centers and lung cancer organizations—regardless of location—to identify and support a survivor-advocate in the Challenge every year. "We know the key to winning this fight is for everybody in the lung cancer community to support one another," says Draft, adding that "the only way a community or an organization loses is if nobody stands up."
On this #GivingTuesday, Team Draft is challenge everybody to make the choice to fight for their communities by joining the Campaign To Change The Face Of Lung Cancer by donating to the Chris Draft Family Foundation at www.chrisdraftfamilyfoundation.org or supporting a participating survivor-advocate in the Super Bowl Challenge at https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/2020-lung-cancer-survivors-super-bowl-challenge.
"This is a fight we can win, but it takes at team to tackle cancer, and we need your help," Draft says. Will you choose to stand up for your community?
About Team Draft
Team Draft is an initiative of the Chris Draft Family Foundation dedicated to increasing lung cancer awareness and research funding. To learn more or to donate, visit www.teamdraft.org.
Tagged Canada, Fundraising, Hope, Lung Cancer, Ottawa, Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation, ResearchMatters, Super Bowl, The Ottawa Hospital


An extraordinary performer, pianist and singer, Matthew Lee is a big fan of rock'n'roll who has made his own the teachings of the great masters of the genre.
Despite his young age he has already held more than 1000 concerts and played all around Europe: Italy, Belgium, UK, France, Switzerland, Slovenia, the Netherlands, Germany, as well as in the United States and Africa.
He performed at the Cincinnati Blues Festival (Ohio - USA), the Summer Jamboree Festival (Senigallia - Italy), the Musicultura Festival (Recanati - Italy), the Sao Vincente Festival (Cape Verde), the Motor Show (Bologna - Italy), the Musikmees Festival (Frankfurt - Germany), the Blues on the Farm Festival (UK), the 2005 New Year's Eve concert in Rome (in front of 150,000 people), the Linton Festival (UK), the Cornbury Festival (UK), the Hammamet International Festival (Tunisia); these are just a few of the shows Matthew Lee took part in.
The international press has defined him: "the genius of rock'n'roll".
Matthew is an impressive songwriter and an amazing performer. He has just finished recording his new studio album, PianoMan, and recently signed a contract with the record label "Carosello Records", thrilled to work with him.


text:
Beware of flood-damaged vehicles on market
Despite protections being put in place, unsuspecting buyers may end up with a flood-damaged vehicle.
Beware of flood-damaged vehicles on market Despite protections being put in place, unsuspecting buyers may end up with a flood-damaged vehicle. Check out this story on jsonline.com: https://jsonl.in/2em4Kh6
Joe Taschler, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Published 12:28 p.m. CT Aug. 31, 2017 | Updated 4:14 p.m. CT Dec. 27, 2017
Cars float in Houston floodwater this week. Auto industry and insurance industry officials say some flood damaged cars will "absolutely" make their way back into the nation's automotive fleet, and used car buyers need to be extra vigilant to avoid being stuck with one.(Photo: Associated Press)
Flood-damaged vehicles from Houston and other flooded Gulf Coast areas will eventually make their way into the nation's used car market and be offered for sale as perfectly good vehicles, according to the folks who track the auto industry.
"Absolutely guaranteed. There's no question," said Jim Tolkan, president of the Automotive Dealers Association of Mega Milwaukee and a former General Motors dealer.
Fraudsters are no doubt already putting plans in place to bring damaged cars to the market, he said.
Like Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Business on Facebook for the latest updates right in your news feed.
Visit JS Business on Facebook
"They will buy them, they will make them look OK, and sooner or later some unsuspecting party is going to buy one and it will end up being a nightmare," Tolkan said.
Tolkan isn't the only one forecasting that trouble is coming.
"Oh, absolutely. Are you kidding? No question about it," said Frank Scafidi, director of public affairs for the National Insurance Crime Bureau, a suburban Chicago-based nonprofit organization established to fight insurance fraud and crime.
The organization is made up of more than 1,100 property and casualty insurance companies, vehicle rental companies, auto auctions and vehicle finance companies among others.
"It has been a problem with every flood event that we've experienced," Scafidi said. "The vehicles that have been salvaged or junked or flooded ... a certain number of those always manage to get into the illicit commerce stream by people who are trying to make a fast buck at somebody else's expense."
Here's one scenario describing how the fraud might work:
Someone purchases a flood-damaged vehicle. The vehicle's title legitimately says the vehicle is flood-damaged. The purchaser then takes it to another state that has relatively lax titling laws and obtains a new title. In doing so, the person intentionally fails to disclose that the vehicle is flood-damaged from Texas or Louisiana.
"Now you have a bad vehicle with a good title," Scafidi said. "Now you're off to the races. You can advertise that vehicle as a totally fine used vehicle."
The problem became so prevalent after Hurricane Katrina that the NICB created VINCheck, a free database that allows prospective car buyers to check a vehicle identification number for flood or accident damage as well as whether it has been reported stolen.
Each time an insurance company that is a member of NICB declares a vehicle a total loss, whether from a collision or flood damage, the vehicle identification number is reported to the database.
"It will bounce back any vehicle that's ever been totaled or salvaged," Scafidi said.
About 85% of the insurance companies in the United States are part of the organization, including American Family, Allstate, State Farm, Geico, Farmers, Hartford, Liberty Mutual, Nationwide, Progressive and Travelers, among others.
The number of vehicles damaged from Hurricane Harvey is not yet known.
Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor whose Berkshire Hathaway company owns Geico, said he expects that 50,000 of the roughly 500,000 vehicles the company insures in the Houston area will be total losses.
Between 300,000 and 400,000 vehicles were total losses as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
Some sales are legitimate
There are some who benefit from the legitimate sale and purchase of a flooded vehicle.
"Somebody who has a moderate amount of technical ability or mechanical ability can pick up a pretty good deal for cents on a dollar and can go through and rehab a vehicle and change out whatever electronics that were exposed and make out pretty good," Scafidi said.
"That's the economic side of the salvage auto market that makes sense ... as long as people know, 'Hey, you're buying this thing as-is. It's got water damage.'"
"The person who has actually taken steps to hide the damage is committing fraud," Scafidi added. "You are selling something and representing it to be something else."
The rip-off artists seek to work very, very quickly, once they have secured a good title.
"Speed is a factor," Scafidi said. "Depending on the extent of the damage or the flooding that a vehicle has been exposed to, the vehicles can get pretty rank."
Scammers can go through a car and make it look pristine, but on a heavily flood-damaged vehicle, that shine only lasts a couple days before the signs and smells of flood damage re-emerge.
"That's their window for getting rid of something like that, and they do it pretty quickly because the price is often very attractive, and that's what buyers seize on," Scafidi said.
Say a buyer has been looking for a 2015 Chevy Tahoe. "They know that used, with a reasonable amount of miles, it is going to run them maybe $30,000 or $25,000," Scafidi said. "Now they see one for $12,500 and it's like, 'Whoa. Let me at it.' And that's usually how it happens — that quick."
Tolkan said that if a used car deal seems too good to be true, you might want to run from it.
RELATED: Harvey may have wrecked up to 1M vehicles in its wake
Car dealers employ experienced used car buyers who are experts at recognizing flood damage, Tolkan said.
But even they have to be vigilant to avoid being victimized.
"A new car dealership is not as much of a risk, but it's even a risk for them, too," he said.
Technology has lessened the risk, said Jim Griffin, president of the Griffin Automotive Group in metro Milwaukee.
"Nowadays, it's so much different with the Carfax and computers," Griffin said. "There are three or four services that do title searches.
"In the old days, you really had to have a good eye for that sort of thing," Griffin said. "You had to smell it. You had to lift up the carpet. You had to look for any rust along the seat tracks."
That doesn't mean his dealerships have let down their guard. With the hurricanes and even heavy flooding in Wisconsin and northern Illinois this year, he said his team is on alert for anything suspicious.
"Oh, absolutely," Griffin said. "We watch it all the time."
It's the same with hail storms, he added. "We watch everything."
With water rescues still taking place in Houston and many areas of the Gulf Coast still under water, the vehicle shenanigans aren't likely to begin right away.
"It's not going to be an immediate problem because there are so many cars and cleanup is going to take so long and sending all the insurance adjusters out," Tolkan said. "But they'll start seeping back as early as 120 days from now.
"Buyer beware," he added. Even Milwaukee, some 1,200 miles north of Houston, will see some flood damaged vehicles, he predicted.
"They'll get up here somehow or another," Tolkan said.
Become a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel subscriber today and get unlimited digital access and support stories like this one.
Photos: Best pictures of 2017
Eduarda Lopes, 9, holds her sister, Valentina Vitoria Lopes, April 8 at their home in Duque de Caxias, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro in southeastern Brazil. Valentina's mother was pregnant when she became infected with the Zika virus, and her daughter was born with microcephaly. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Youth football players in the peewee, age 6 to 8 division, run drills up a hill near the field. As a prerequisite to participating in youth football, players are required to have a Milwaukee Public Library card and submit a book report. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Fabiane Lopes, 33, holds her daughter, Valentina, 16 months, at their home in Duque de Caxias, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro. Lopes was pregnant when she became infected with the Zika virus, and her daughter was born with microcephaly, a congenital malformation with smaller than normal head size. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Antonio Smith looks in the public gallery as he is brought into court on Feb. 16 during his homicide trial. Smith pleaded guilty to two murders and plotting to kill a witness. He was given life without the possibility of parole. He said he plans to appeal. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Chris Holman and his wife, Maria Davis, operate a farm in Custer, near Stevens Point. They're shown here with their flock of chickens on May 4. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Desiree Brown holds her third-grade class picture at Samuel Clemens Elementary School on April 18. Her parents bought a home in 1973, and after years of struggle, Brown finally purchased a home of her own in 2015. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A chimpanzee rests at the base of a tree Jan. 18 inside Kibale National Park in Uganda. Kibale Forest boasts the highest number of primate species in the world. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Gordon Shepard plays a game of "beers-bee" in which the object of the game is to knock the beer off the pole with a frisbee July 24 during a family reunion on the northern shore of Lake Michigan near Moran, Mich. Ten miles west of this pristine beach are two oil pipelines laid in 1953 that span the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Hillary Mugai, 8, unlocks the metal gate to his family's home in the Kawangware slum. The boy and his extended family live with their grandfather and grandmother in a small house with a yard filled livestock. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka hoists the trophy after the final round at Erin Hills on June 18. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The wind blows towering nimbus clouds through the sky as spectators watch near the first hole during the final round of the 2017 U.S. Open Championship at Erin Hills June 18. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Mequon native Jordan Niebrugge climbs out of a bunker on the ninth hole during the second round of the U.S. Open on June 16 at Erin Hills. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Patrick Reed's putt on 18 barely misses, leaving him with a round of 65, second-best of the day June 17. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Steve Stricker walks off the 18th hole after finishing during the final round of the 2017 U.S. Open Championship at Erin Hills June 18. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Holy Hill during the final round of the 2017 U.S. Open Championship at Erin Hills on June 18. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Jordan Spieth signs autographs before his practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament June 13 at Erin Hills. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Brooks Koepka keeps his cool and blows on his golf ball as he prepares to tee off on the 15th tee June 18. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Tom Graham of Orlando, Fla., waits for his son under one of the few trees June 16 during the second round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Erin Hills. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Quintez Cephus (87) is in pain as he leaves the field folowing an injury during Wisconsin' 45-17 win over Indiana Nov. 4 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
UW defensive end Alec James (right) leads a pack of defenders to stuff running back John Moten IV Sept. 30 at Camp Randall Stadium. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Aaron Rodgers walks back to the bench after throwing an interception during the third quarter Sept. 10 at Lambeau Field. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Wisconsin receiver Quintez Cephus hauls in a touchdown pass over Indiana defensive back Tony Fields during the second quarter Nov 4. Cephus suffered a right-leg injury early in the third quarter during the Indiana game. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Green Bay Packers fan Walter Lusk, of Los Angeles, is shown before the Packers game against the Seattle Seahawks Sept. 10 at Lambeau Field. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Badgers fullback Alec Ingold gets a lift from center Tyler Biadasz after scoring one of his three touchdowns Nov. 4 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Aaron Rodgers is driven off the field on a cart Oct. 15 after breaking his collarbone against the Vikings. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Wisconsin offensive lineman Michael Deiter scores a four-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter Oct. 28 at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Ill. Wisconsin beat Illinois 24-10. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones celebrates his touchdown with a Lambeau Leap during the Green Bay Packers vs. New Orleans Saints game at Lambeau Field on Oct. 22. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A man walks through the snow with a suitcase across N. Van Buren Ave. along E. Wisconsin Ave on March 13. A long, slowly accumulating, late-winter snow moved into southern Wisconsin and turned the morning commute into a slow, treacherous slog. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Anissa Weier looks in the direction of her family and smiles as she is led into a Waukesha County courtroom on July 10 for a hearing. She is one of two girls charged as adults in the 2014 stabbing of their sixth-grade classmate, who survived 19 stab wounds. Michael Sears/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Aug. 21 solar eclipse captivated people from Oregon to South Carolina — and Milwaukee. At 1:18 p.m., the eclipse was at 83% totality outside the Milwaukee Public Museum downtown. Donning their protective eclipse glasses are (clockwise from upper left) Mina Mares, Amalia Baumann, James Mares, 8, and Ilary Toro, 9. Michael Sears/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
President Donald Trump greets supporters at the 128th Air Refueling Wing near General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee on June 13. President Trump returned to the Milwaukee area where he talked about health care, job apprenticeships and to raise campaign funds for Gov. Scott Walker. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
St. Marcus Lutheran School student Kennedy Bellamy (center), 4, prays as her classmates Kai-Lin Cole (left) and Kuri'Yuna Smith hold flags at a moment of silence and prayer during a ceremony to mark the 16th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Merqueesha McDonald comforts a tearful mourner during the visitation Jan. 26 for her 13-year-old daughter Na'imah McDonald. Na'imah committed suicide on Jan. 17. Michael Sears/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Throngs of people showed up to check out a mountainous ice shove Feb. 26 next to the Fond du Lac Yacht Club in Fond du Lac. Strong winds had pushed ice shoves as high as 20 feet onto the shore, and a mountain of white was pressing against the building. To save the building, a local excavator had to be called to move the ice that was pressing against the building. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
An Army honor guard stands on the tarmac Nov. 9 as the American Airlines flight carrying the remains of Army Cpl. Donald L. Baer taxis to the gate. Baer disappeared during a battle in Korea in July 1950 and he was later declared MIA and then KIA. Unidentified remains found in Korea and buried at Hawaii were recently identified as Baer. His remains were returned to Wisconsin for burial in Racine on Veterans Day. Michael Sears/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Alysia Leach (right) hugs her mother, Michelle McGee, who became emotional while talking about a 2016 house fire in the 2600 block of N. 45th St. in which McGee's 1-1/2-year-old nephew died. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Burgers at Supper Restaurant in Shorewood feature tangy red peppers. Angela Peterson/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Key lime semifriddo at Third Coast Provisions in Milwaukee. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Entrées showcase fish such as Alaskan halibut, a dish for spring with pea puree, asparagus, pickled pepper vinaigrette and fingerling potato at Third Coast Provisions in Milwaukee. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Togarashi scallops with miso beurre monte and edamame is one of the plates for sharing at dinnertime at Belfre Kitchen in Delafield. Michael Sears/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A chocolate banana foster truffle, a mini nutter butter, strawberry jelly and pumpkin crunch truffle make a dessert tray at the Ambassador Hotel. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Ribbon cake with a pecan finger crust is prepared by Corie Knopic. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Peanut Butter Jelly Thyme from the Belfre Kitchen in Delafield. Michael Sears/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Laughing Taco's nopalito, or cactus, taco is served on doubled three-inch street-style corn tortillas. Michael Sears/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A hummingbird looks for nectar in a magnolia tree in Bayside on July 25. The photo was captured using a Canon 1DX Mark II a with a 200mm lens set to ISO: 800, f/3.5 with a 1/5000 second shutter speed. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Korean War Veteran Walter Gerke of Greenfield hands over a spoon for some ice cream that he gave to Olivia Kinart of Brookfield during the first Elm Grove Memorial Day Block Party hosted by the Elm Grove Men's Club and American Legion Post 449. The Block Party followed the Elm Grove Memorial Day Parade. C.T. Kruger/Now Media Group
Pai Lor, a Hmong farmer, plants a rice seedling June 26 in a 1-acre paddy at the former Stauss farm on the Mequon Nature Preserve at 9011 W. Donges Bay Road, Mequon. The goal is to establish cold-weather commercial rice production in Wisconsin . Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Mia Rodrigues, 7, of Milwaukee exits the Clown City fun house during St. Dominic Days at St. Dominic Catholic Parish on July 13. C.T. Kruger/Now Media Group
Caleb Duda, 4, and his older brother Elijah, 10, make funny faces after his adoption while taking a selfie March 28 at the Vel Philiips Juvenile Court. Angela Peterson/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Larnese McVicker (left) and Kenadee Washington dance under a sprinkler head at Franklin Square Park July 20. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Milwaukee Art Museum near Lake Michigan as the sun sets April 16. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Evelyn Degarmo, 9, twists her way off the diving board at the Elm Grove Village Park pool on July 8. C.T. Kruger/Now Media Group
Janet Jackson appears in her long-awaited concert at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee on Oct. 22. Michael Sears/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Dierks Bentley performs at Summerfest's American Family Insurance Amphitheater on July 7. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Katy Perry performs at the BMO Harris Bradley Center December 4. Angela Peterson/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Pink performs at Summerfest's American Family Insurance Amphitheater July 2. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Dierks Bentley performs at Summerfest's American Family Insurance Amphitheater while fans hold up cans of beer in homage to his song "Grab a Beer" July 7. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats' show at the Rave May 29 is sold out, but secondhand tickets are available on resale sites. Rick Wood / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Fans cheer for Future at Summerfest's American Family Insurance Amphitheater on July 7. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers perform at Summerfest's American Family Insurance Amphitheater on July 5. Petty was a regular performer at the festival. He died in October. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A canopy of fall colors surrounds the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians, at Holy Hill near Hubertus on Oct. 19. Chelsey Lewis and Mike De Sisti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Beyond Old Main is the Wood National Cemetery at the Milwaukee VA Soldiers Home in Milwaukee, Nov. 21. Mike De Sisti and Chelsey Lewis/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Mississippi River north of St. Feriole Island in Prairie du Chien in June. Chelsey Lewis and Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
An abandon pier at Atwater Park beach in Shorewood on June 1. Chrlsey Lewis and Mike De Sisti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
An aerial photograph of the Estabrook Park dam on the Milwaukee River on Nov. 1. Chelsey Lewis and Mike De Sisti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival featured fireworks following performances and holiday treats Nov. 16. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The U.S. Bank Fireworks Show lights up the 833 East building in Milwaukee on July 3. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
On the Lake Michigan lakefront, onlookers watch the U.S. Bank Fireworks Show in downtown Milwaukee on July 3. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The U.S. Bank Fireworks Show lights up the sky over the Milwaukee Art Museum on Lake Michigan July 3. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Mukwonago's Aric Bohn flexes his muscles after beating Cole Godbout of Hudson by a 10-4 decision in the 220-pound title match in Division 1 of the WIAA state wrestling tournament Feb. 25. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A state title helps Malcolm Reed (14) smile March 18 after he endured a difficult week. His mother, Jennifer Lease, died unexpectedly four days earlier. Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Waukesha West's Reed Larson nearly intercepts a Catholic Memorial pass to Luke Fox in the second quarter Oct. 13. C.T. Kruger/Now Media Group
Brookfield Central head coach Daniel Makal gets an ice bath after his team won the WIAA Division 1 girls state soccer championship 3-0 over Bay Port at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee on June 17. Scott Ash/Now Media Group, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Arrowhead senior Marvin Marriott celebrates at the finish line with his brother, Max, close behind during the boys Special Olympics 100-meter dash at the Myrhum Invitational track and field meet in Hartland on May 6. Scott Ash/Now Media Group, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Amjed Kabashi 14, a Schroeder YMCA swim team member, prepares to launch into a backstroke at the St. Augustine School aquatic center pool July 27. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Brookfield Central's Emily Smyczek stretches for a throw but does not make the out at first at Wauwatosa East on March 28. C.T. Kruger/Now Media Group
Wisconsin Badgers football players, including injured linebacker Jack Cichy (far left), celebrate with the Paul Bunyan ax after the 31-0 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Nov. 25. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Kettle Moraine takes the field prior to the game at home against Muskego Sept. 15. The Lasers won the game 21-14. Scott Ash/Now News Group, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Milwaukee King's Sydnee Roby (left) consoles Kaye Clark in the waning moments of their loss to Appleton North in the girls basketball Division 1 state semifinal game March 10. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A young fox in South Milwaukee. Jim Belonger
A turkey struts his stuff in Madison. Nancy Meske
Sunset at St. Germain at the end of a day of fishing. Timothy J. Gramling
A ship is heading north in below zero temperatures just off Whitefish Bay. Kevin Van Kampen
A stand of red pines in Park Falls. Jody Krafsur Nolan
Fog rises to cover the U.S. Bank building as seen from the offices of Foley and Lardner in Milwaukee. Bruce Keyes
Top Headlines from Business:
Subscriber exclusive: Milwaukee's most important commercial development trends of the past decade extend beyond downtown
Independent booksellers persevere despite Amazon, rising costs
FOLLOW JS BUSINESS: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn
Read or Share this story: https://jsonl.in/2em4Kh6
Wendy's, Fazoli's franchises violated child labor laws, Department of Labor says
Milwaukee Public Market has record sales in 2019
Gamers on YouTube turn to this UW grad for help making videos
Viking adding Great Lakes cruises that will start or end in Milwaukee
What's happening with the 6 high rise towers planned for downtown Milwaukee?
New apartments still draw renters, but growth is slowing


Reservations United sent me fake itinerary for four months, gets me to my destination two days late.
Canceled / Delayed / Overbooked Electronic gift certificates cannot be used.
Canceled / Delayed / Overbooked Bumped Out of First Class & Not Refunded!
Customer Service United Strikes Again!
Poll: In-flight Issue Do not fly with united airlines anymore!
Canceled / Delayed / Overbooked United, You disappoint!!!
Baggage Problems 4 months and no action!
Canceled / Delayed / Overbooked Dropped flight - left stranded in newark!


Hacking Dead Effect 2 can easily give you a lot of money and crystals in the game for free. The biggest attraction is that you do not need to download apk mods or other programs to use these codes. Secret codes do not require root or Jailbreak, as well as entering your personal data, which guarantees you complete security when hacking.
Cheats Dead Effect 2 will give you not only free resources, but also will unlock all available resources in the store. After having a lot of money you from the first level can afford to improve your hero with the most expensive implants and buy the most powerful weapons. In the game you have full freedom of action, because that's what you want at the sight of wonderful graphics with realistic effects and hearing the voice of professional actors.
The game has its own atmosphere and will give you more than 20 hours of interesting gameplay + additional missions, which are much more interesting to pass having a lot of money on the account. Breaking Dead Effect 2 will give you even more emotions from passing, because now you can try all kinds of weapons and individualize the character. These codes are safe to use, because they are part of the game and work successfully on Androdi and IOS devices.
Unlocking all the features of the game you can enjoy the most modern weapons to defeat cyborgs. And although the game's actions take place in the near future, you can improve the body and capabilities of your character, which is especially pleasing with unlimited resources. Kill even more drones, cyborgs and zombies, earn points, raise the level using these secrets.


text:
Awards/Festivals
Daily Thrill
Noir/Hardboiled
Espionage/Thriller
Legal/Procedural
Home Articles posted by John Lellenberg
John Lellenberg
Jon Lellenberg is an American party and adviser to Great Britain's Conan Doyle Estate, and the author, editor or co-editor of five books about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's life and work, including "Dangerous Work": Diary of an Arctic Adventure (2012) and the award-winning Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters (2007). He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Revisiting The Lost World, Arthur Conan Doyle's Rollicking Adventure Novel
Inspired by H. Rider Haggard and Jules Verne, Sherlock Holmes' creator was also a pioneering science fiction writer.
January 5, 2021 By John Lellenberg
Advertisers: Contact Us
© LitHub


FORD FOCUS 1.5 TDCi 120 Titanium Navigation 5dr Hatchback. Diesel. Manual. 2018 . Frozen White.
The most popular colours for Ford Focus cars for sale in Cardiff County are black, white, blue.
There are 200 cars available immediately for Ford Focus cars for sale in Cardiff County, compared to 165 in Cardiff.


text:
Not Your Average Recreational Powder Coating Facility
Lippert Components converted the paint line at one of its facilities to a manual powder coating line. At another facility it converted to an automated system. The success of these two plants is now being felt at all of its facilities...
Lippert Components manufactures and powder coat chassis and parts for the RV market, personal watercrafts and trailers for boats.
Parts enter Lippert's automatic powder coat booth where a light curtain recognizes incoming parts, automatically triggering the guns on and off as well as moving them in and out.
Employees manually powder coat RV chassis.
Northeastern Indiana, Elkhart County, is the RV capital of the world. So, what more perfect place could there be to manufacture and powder coat chassis and parts for the RV market? And this includes not only parts for the RV market, but related items such as trailers for boats and personal water craft. Lippert Components, Inc., a Drew Industries subsidiary, headquartered in Goshen, Indiana, actually has 41 facilities across the United States and is a leading supplier to nearly all the leading producers of RVs and manufactured homes.
The conversion to powder coating from traditional liquid coating was driven by customers. Cliff Boyer, powder coating manager, spearheaded the project. Boyer knew the conversion would enable the company to achieve a better finish more cost efficiently. His powder coating system designs and knowledge of the parts helped Lippert and its suppliers develop a highly productive and efficient system with the capability to powder coat and cure a four-chassis load in 20 minutes.
Manufacturer, Powder Coater Plans $35 Million Facility in Texas, 100 jobs
FAA Proposes $3.9 Million Civil Penalty Against Boeing Over Plated Parts
Automate Your Brush Plating Operation Derek Kilgore from Sifco ASC says the brush plating operation can be mechanized, semi-automated or e...
RV chassis and trailers are built onsite at the Middlebury plant and hoisted to the powder coating line where they are hand-wiped with an alkaline cleaner solvent. The chassis and/or parts are then routed into the blast cleaning room.
Workers use ABS blast rooms equipment to blast the parts with 46 grit alumina oxide blend at 95 psi. At this pressure and grit size, all mill scale, oils, metal working fluids and lubricants are successfully removed. Aluminum oxide grit is quicker at removing mill scale, according to Boyer. The alkaline cleaner brings the oils, lubricants and fluids to the surface so they can be removed by blasting. That way, fish eyes will not develop in the final finish.
"The abrasive nature of the grit, can really tear up the system," comments Boyer. "The hoses have thick rubber IDs and the augers in the bottom of the chamber are programmed to move slowly to keep the blast media from 'eating up' the equipment." The media is recycled eight times before it is sold back to the supplier.
Following cleaning, parts move linearly to the powder coating booth where a team of six to eight powder spray gun operators manually coats the parts using ITW Gema spray guns. An automatic system would not work in this situation because of the size and complexity of the parts. Also, there are issues with Faraday Cage because of all the right angles involved in the chassis systems. Even so, 90% transfer efficiency (TE) is achieved in this spray-to-waste setup. Boyer explained that a key reason for the exceptional TE is that all parts are double grounded upon entering the booth. This ensures that powder attracts directly to the parts.
Lippert Components worked closely with Environmental Coatings, Inc. when developing the powders for both its manual and automated lines. The coating used on the manual line is an exterior grade powder that exceeds Lippert's specifications for UV stability and salt spray. During development, particle size was carefully considered since it affects TE. Also, Lippert wanted to be sure that the powder would adhere to the sharp edges of its parts and not "pull away" during the cure cycle.
Parts traverse linearly from the powder coating booth to the ovens. The oven is maintained at 450°F, even though parts cure at 350°F. The oven uses recirculating air at 20,000 cfm to achieve the necessary air turns in the oven. Twice a year, Environmental Coatings, Inc. runs an oven profiling system through the powder coating line to profile cure temperatures. Probes are attached to various areas of a part to record temperatures, ensuring that the entire part cures properly. The information from the system provides data on how hot the product became for how long, what temperature it reached and at what point.
An automated powder coating system has been installed at Lippert's Milford plant for finishing boat trailers and snowmobile towing equipment as well as dump beds for trucks. At this location, parts are assembled after coating unlike the Middlebury plant, where the chassis are preassembled.
At the Milford plant, cleaning is accomplished with a two-stage spray system with vertical riser, which apply the solution. Stage one is a spray cleaner/phosphate bath, followed by a phosphate, followed by a rinse using reverse osmosis (RO) water. RO water is used throughout the system for bath makeup and to replenish for evaporation losses. Stage one evaporates at 1- 1 ½ gpm and stage two feeds into stage one. A filtration system helps to maintain the consistency of the cleaners. Lippert also has the capability to introduce a sealer at the end of the cleaning line if they find it necessary. Following cleaning, parts run through a 400°F dry-off oven before entering the powder coating booth.
The Diamond Series powder coating booth features an ITW Gema AutoTracker™ control system. This system features a light curtain at its entrance, providing incoming part recognition data to the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), automatically adjusts optional analog powder delivery controls to optimize gun current, voltage, air mix, flow rate and other settings for each part. The system also monitors powder and booth functions to identify motor overloads, filter status, compressed air quality and powder reclamation and reprocessing factors.
ITW Gema's OptiSystem™ spray guns are used in the automated powder coating booth. The guns use an integrated cascade power supply for maximum charging at the tip of the gun. Also, the gun body is sealed to prevent powder from entering the internal cavity, eliminating potential voltage and color-change contamination problems.
Quick color change capabilities were a key factor in choosing this 20,000 cfm automated powder coating system. "We can change colors in about 10 minutes," stated Boyer. "The guns basically purge themselves with the push of a button. This leaves the operators plenty of time to change out the hopper." The Chameleon™ Color Management System from ITW Gema controls internal cleaning of suction tubes, pumps, powder hoses and spray guns.
"We are also concerned about transfer efficiency," comments Boyer. "These parts, as do the parts at the Middlebury plant, have a number of right angles, which make Faraday cage an issue. These automatic spray guns run at lower pressures that provides a softer spray pattern that helps improve transfer efficiency. Even so, we never stop working to improve transfer efficiency. We continue to work on better grounding and increasing line density."
Apparently, lighter powder coating colors pose more of a coverage challenge than the darker colors. "It has a lot to do with grounding," Boyer again notes. "We are working with the suppliers to overcome this by getting greater mil build. We don't use as many light colors though. Black is the predominant color. We use more than a million pounds of gloss black powder each year." Still, Lippert offers its customers more than 15 powder coating colors.
One stipulation Lippert had for the powder was that it have as smooth a finish as possible without jeopardizing edge coverage. Also, the powder had to meet or exceed the company's salt spray and UV specifications. The powder withstands 2,500 hrs QUV with less than a 10% gloss loss and 2,000 hrs salt spray. Working with particle size and other factors, a super-durable TGIC powder was developed that provides excellent coverage at a low cure while meeting
The booth's cartridge collector assembly uses horizontally mounted filters from outside the unit and side-draft modules that are interchangeable for quick color changes. The collector opening is at floor level for easy removal of the powder and transfer to the reclaim assembly. Lippert reclaims all the powder in one assembly. The reclaimed powder is mixed with some virgin powder and used to powder coat parts for customers that are not particularly concerned about color but simply want the high quality powder coated finish.
After coating, parts travel through a two-stage recirculating convection oven. The first several feet of the oven are baffled to contain the velocity of the hot air. Often, the two-stage oven is operated to save energy. Burners can be regulated to adjust temperature needs (depending on part size, thickness, etc.). A forced cooled-down follows. Parts are then unloaded and stored or shipped.
Lippert Components' success with both of these powder coating installations is the inspiration for converting additional facilities in the United States from liquid coating to powder coating. "It has been a lot of work to convert these facilities," notes Boyer. "But it is definitely worth it for both Lippert and our customers. The customer gets a smooth, strong, durable finish; while the company has been able to improve production with quick color changes, higher transfer efficiency and increased line density, which helps with the bottom line."
Westside Finishing Honored as 'Super 60' Winner


text:
Home / About / SECP Advisory Committee / Kento Yasuhara
Kento Yasuhara, Ph.D.
Dr. Kento Yasuhara received his B.A. in Psychology from Cornell University, worked as a post-baccalaureate research fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health, and received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in forensic psychology from Drexel University in 2012. After completing a pre-doctoral internship at Patton State Hospital in California and a post-doctoral fellowship at the Institute of Law, Psychiatry, and Public Policy at the University of Virginia, he became an Assistant Professor jointly appointed in the Department of Criminal Justice and the Department of Health Sciences at the University of New Haven. His research involves the areas where mental health and criminal justice interact, such as evaluations involving mental state at the time of the offense, violence risk, and competency. Other research interests include current practices in determining defendant's ability to understand the consequences of pleading guilty, public perception of mental illness as a risk factor for violence and criminal behavior, and training/practice of clinical and forensic psychology. Furthermore, he serves as a psychologist for CHE Behavioral Health Services and provides psychologist assessment services through his private practice. Additionally, Dr. Yasuhara currently serves on the executive committee of the American Psychology - Law Society as the website editor.


text:
Q: How many observations do I need to use Naive Bayes? My goal is to apply a Naive Bayes classifier to predict whether a user will like or dislike an item on a website based on a few attributes and his previous feedback.
The problem is that I don't have a lot of feedback from each user. Usually 10 – 30 observations.  Is that enough for the algorithm to work? Is there a minimum sample size for applying Naive Bayes?

A: There is no specific threshold, just bear in mind that the more data you have, the more accurate your predictions will be. However, as long as you are more accurate than a random prediction (or predicting the average), your model provides you some actual insight. You can verify this cross validating your model.
We can have a look at what happens though. Say $Y_j$ is the binary output like/dislike the item $j$. Call $X_1...X_k$ the like/dislike he assigned to the $k$ items he saw. Call $K$ the total number of items. Now we can try to see "when does Naive Bayes "converges" ?" (in the sense that it produces low variance predictions)
$$p(Y_j \vert X_1, \dots, X_n) = \frac{1}{Z_j} p(Y_j) \prod_{i=1}^k p(X_i \vert Y_j)$$
You don't need to worry about $Z_j$ (constant, does not affect the prediction), or $p(Y_j)$ (I will assume you have enough data to estimate it). The critical part is therefore the estimation of $p(X_i \vert Y_j)$.
You have $N$ users, who each saw $k$ items ($k$ may not be constant but we are just interested in an approximation).
On the other hand, you have $K^2$ terms to estimate : $p(X_i \vert Y_j)_{i,j\in[1,K]}$.
Therefore, a first guess would be you need to have : $Nk>>K^2$.
This quickly becomes impractical. If $K=1000,k=10$ you need $N>100 000$ !
How to circumvent this? The idea would be to lower the dimension of the $X$'s to something of dimension $l$, so that you don't need $Nk>>K^2$ but $Nk>>Kl$.
You can do it using field knowledge: group the $X$'s using the fact that they are (say) books, jewels... To reduce the possible number of attributes. You are no longer estimating "the probability to like item $A$ knowing that you liked item $B$ and $C$" but you are estimating "the probability that like item $A$ knowing that you like blue items and jewels".
Restricted Boltzmann machines allow you to do this in an unsupervised fashion. There is a good introduction here : http://blog.echen.me/2011/07/18/introduction-to-restricted-boltzmann-machines/ with movies and possible underlying features.
Once $l$ is fixed, the number $N$ needs to grow linearly if the number of items grows linearly as well.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The otter is the call of the animal that always knows how to stay afloat. The otter is able to use his body to allow the ability to be the swimmer, but also the floating island as well. He is able to walk when necessary, but always prefers the water to the land. This is because he enjoys to float through life, instead of being a wandering man in unknown lands. The otter enjoys his family and always keeps them close. He calls their hands near to him, so he can keep them close as he sleeps.
Wading the waters of life can wait a while before the answers are apparent, but the call is to be the otter; in that it is important to float and not get too caught up in the ballad of the world gone awry. The call he answers is to be the family man who loves to play the lone ranger who allows the tides to guide him, and the coasting voyager who bets only on what he knows and does not bet on the unknown path. The call of the otter also sings the song of the island who can hold hands with his loved ones to become a continent. Allow love to be your land locked call, and to feel appreciation for those who hold you together. The ballad you should sing is to love the ones you are with, and to always know that no man is an island, unless he chooses to be.
Right now you may wonder how this applies to your life. The answer is simple. The ballad you should sing is to view the otter as a mirror to your spirit, and allow his call to be the similar one to answer. Zone in to your heart, and if it is beating in tune with your truth, you will understand. If not, breathe into the heart, and ask it why there is a blockage, and allow it to be released. The call of this time of your life is to allow only what feels best and to discard what does not. If this ballad of poetic spiritual teaching does not resonate, that is OK. If it does, that is OK, too. Call upon your intuition to be your own guide, and allow the inspiration you feel is best to feed your soul.
The spirits of the familiar realm of animals are not separate from you. They are a part of this connected universe and are here to be teachers if you allow them to be. The call is always allowing, and if you allow this, you will receive a great lesson.


text:
School of Cinematic Arts Directory Profile
Todd Boyd
Katherine and Frank Price Endowed Chair for Study of Race and Popular Culture
Email: tboyd@cinema.usc.edu
Website: http://drtoddboyd.blogspot.com
Office: SCA 320
Dr. Todd Boyd is the Katherine and Frank Price Endowed Chair for the Study of Race and Popular Culture and Professor of Cinema and Media Studies in the USC School of Cinematic Arts. A media commentator, producer, author, and consultant, Dr. Boyd, a.k.a. the "Notorious Ph.D.," has been a dominant presence as an influential public intellectual, bridging the gap between the ivory tower and the world of popular culture since the early 1990s.
Dr. Boyd is especially well known for appearing as a commentator in numerous documentaries, including Twenty Feet From Stardom (2013) winner of the 2014 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. He has also appeared in The History of Comedy (CNN, 2017), Soundbreaking (PBS, 2016), Jim Brown: A Football Life (NFL Network, 2016), Trojan Wars (ESPN, "30 For 30"), Richard Pryor: Icon (PBS, 2014),The Doctor (NBA TV, 2013), Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp (Showtime, 2012), The Godfather Legacy (History Channel, 2012), Uprising: Hip Hop and the LA Riots (VH1, 2012), and The Running Rebels of UNLV (HBO, 2011), among many other titles. In addition he has been a regular contributor to media outlets such as ESPN, The Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, ESPN.com, Jim Rome on Showtime, National Public Radio, and ESPN Classic.
Dr. Boyd is Executive Producer of the Netflix documentary feature, At All Costs: Life Inside AAU Basketball (2016), Consulting Producer of the A+E Studios television pilot , The Infamous (2016), and Associate Producer/Co-Writer on the Paramount Pictures celebrated cult classic, The Wood (1999).
The author/editor of seven books and a Professor described as "legendary," by USC Trojan Family magazine, Dr. Boyd, one of the creators of the academic study of hip-hop culture, has also penned over one hundred articles, essays, reviews, and other forms of written commentary. As author his books include, The Notorious Ph.D's Guide to the Super Fly 70s (2007), Young Black Rich and Famous (2003), The New H.N.I.C(2002), and Am I Black Enough For You? (1997). In addition, Boyd is the editor of African Americans and Popular Culture: Volumes 1-3 (2008) and co-editor of both Basketball Jones (2000) and Out of Bounds (1997).
Dr. Boyd's public appearances include, being the special guest for a FaceBook livestream one-on-one "GrillChat" interview entitled "Race in Hollywood," with Sharon Waxman, Editor-in-Chief of TheWrap.com (2016), moderating the panel discussion "Race in America," with Ken Burns and Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. at SXSW (2016), hosting "An Evening with Denzel Washington: In Conversation with Dr. Todd Boyd," at the Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts in Beverly Hills (2015), and providing voice over narration for the Beats Audio Super Bowl XLVIII commercial "Richard Sherman: The Pundits" (2014).
In the realm of public speaking, Dr. Boyd has lectured to a wide range of professional organizations including, Nike, National Basketball Association (NBA), National Basketball Players Association (NBAPA), Fox Searchlight Pictures, Museum of Contemporary Art (Los Angeles), and the International Design Conference in Aspen. He has provided consultation for Home Box Office (HBO), Corporation of Public Broadcasting(CPB), and the United States Department of State (State Department).


text:
Business Featured International Local News
Soneva Fushi wins HICAP Sustainable Hotel Award
m@ldives 473 views September 21, 2017
Soneva Fushi has won the Sustainable Hotel Award by the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP).
Soneva Fushi won the award in the Sustainable Investment category, which focuses on how sustainability has been incorporated into hotel investment decisions and investment models to make sustainability financially viable and generate positive impact.
"We hope this encourages other businesses to invest more in their sustainability initiatives," Soneva said, in an announcement.
Awarding the recognition, HICAP stressed that Soneva Fushi, which is located on a remote island without access to an electric grid or potable water, has demonstrated remarkable financial ingenuity and ROI regarding its sustainability initiatives. For instance, a purchase power agreement was engineered to source electricity from a 700kW on-site solar installation, reducing annual energy spend by 20 percent with no up-front costs, it said.
HICAP also hailed the establishment of an on-site glass studio at Soneva Fushi to create innovative art from the operation's glass waste for in-house display and guest purchase. Along with onsite vegetable production with food waste composting, such initiatives generated USD 265,000 in value in 2016, it noted.
Another initiative highlighted was the introduction in 2008 of a two percent environmental levy on all room rates. HICAP stressed that the funds (USD 6 million to date) are used for a variety of social carbon projects certified with Gold Standard carbon credits, which collectively have benefitted 185,000 people, while mitigating the hotel's entire carbon footprint.
Established in 1995, Soneva Fushi is the original Soneva. The No News, No Shoes blueprint for all desert island barefoot luxury hideaways is located within the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the Maldives. Soneva Fushi inspires the imagination with 57 spacious beachfront villas, ranging in size from one to nine bedrooms, hidden amongst dense foliage.
The iconic resort has bagged several international awards for eco-friendly tourism and green initiatives, including the 2017 Green Hotelier Award for the Asia Pacific region and a spot in the Gold List compiled by Condé Nast Traveler China as the Best Hotel in the Maldives.
Soneva Fushi joins Cempedak Private Island in Indonesia (Sustainable Design), and Hong Kong-based hotel chain Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts (Positive Community Impact) as winners of this year's HICAP Sustainable Hotel Awards.
Winners will be recognised on October 20, at the closing HICAP Awards Lunch at the InterContinental Hong Kong.
The annual HICAP Sustainable Hotel Awards were launched in 2007, and are designed to recognise hotels in the Asia Pacific region creating innovative new methods, strategies and technologies to face today's sustainable development challenge, while providing tangible examples of sustainable best practices that can be replicated and adapted across the region.
Organised and hosted by Burba Hotel Network (BHN), Horwath HTL and Stiles Capital Events, HICAP is Asia's largest and longest running hotel investment event, making it the most important gathering of hotel developers, investors, lenders, operators and other industry executives for information exchange, trend spotting and deal making.
TagsAwardAwardsHICAPHotel Investment Conference Asia PacificHotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP)SonevaSoneva FushiSoneva GroupSoneva Resortssustainabilitysustainable tourismThe Soneva Group


Come along and find out more about NurseBuddy at Health Plus Care 2018, where we'll be demonstrating the benefits of software to help with care planning, care management, and how effective NurseBuddy can be at reducing costs and time. We'll be at stand A70, right next to the Home Care Theatre in the Care Section.
Book a free demo before the event, come meet us at our stand and you'll receive a special gift!


Southern Fuel & Farm Supplies Ltd, in association with Barrett's of Coppeen provide a range of nutritious high energy, high protein liquid feeds.
Barrett's of Coppeen are industry leaders in the manufacture of liquid animal feeds in Ireland. The business is in a continues phase of product development and are now at the forefront of liquid feed technology.
Barrett's Liqui Feeds are licensed with the Irish Department of Agriculture and all raw materials are UFAS accredited. Ingredients are sourced locally where possible such as condensed whey from the dairy processing industry and protein supplement from the whiskey distilling industry. Wholesome ingredients such as glycerine and molasses are also important ingredients.
Sugar Pro Liqui Feeds can help improve the profitability of livestock farming by providing a variety of benefits to your livestock through the use of our natural ingredients, supplying energy, sugar and protein.
Increasing the energy density of the overall diet.
Eating more uniformly / less sorting.
Extracting more nutrition from the overall diet.
Gaining body weight more efficiently.
SugarPro Liqui30 is designed to balance Dairy rations when Grass Silage is fed with Concentrates in indoor production or during the transition to Grazing. SugarPro Liqui30 is also used in Intensive Beef finishing diets containing quantities of Maize Silage, Wholecrop, Beet & Cereals requiring additional protein and Sugar Supplementation.
Provides a Sugar boost to intensively fed Finishers.
Ideal for Silage based Dairy diets to supplement Sugars and Protein before turnout to grass.
Improves feed utilization, allowing more extensive use of available feedstuffs.
Higher Feed Efficiency through improved intakes and digestive efficiency.
Reduces ration sorting for more consistent intake of nutrients & additives.
SugarPro Liqui20 is designed to balance Dairy rations on Grazed Grass when Maize or Wholecrop Silages are fed with Concentrates as a complement to Grazed Grass. SugarPro Liqui20 can also be fed to Beef animals and Growing stock requiring additional protein and Sugar Supplementation.
The Immediate period after an animal enters a farm is the most critical time in the feedlot. Calves experience the greatest amount of stress and disease challenge leading up to and during this period, while feed and nutrient intakes are the most depressed. Proper nutrition is important to supply the immune system with the tools to respond effectively to eliminate or lessen the severity of the disease challenge.
A 6 Tonne Carbery Plastic tank is available with a Pump.
You could also source a Steel Tank locally and place it high on walls and use gravity feed to fill your diet feeder.
"I have been looking for a sugar source and a safe source of rapidly degradable protein to help balance low sugar and high starch diets.
Sugar content of winter diets in Ireland is often too low for optimal growth of rumen microbial biomass – this is typical of some grass silages that test well on paper but feed poorly.


Founder Leonard Riggio wants to take the struggling bookseller private. The balance sheet is in shape, and there's room to improve efficiency, so it's a deal that could work on paper. The trick is finding someone in five years who wants to own it.
The exterior of a Barnes & Noble Booksellers store is seen in Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S., June 17, 2016.
Barnes & Noble said on Oct. 3 its board of directors was conducting a review of the bookseller's options, including a takeover offer from the company's chairman and founder Leonard Riggio.
It also said it would adopt a mechanism that would dilute a shareholder if they were to take a stake of 20 percent or more.
Riggio, who owns slightly less than 20 percent of the stock, has committed to support and vote his shares in favor of any transaction recommended by the special committee.


In the fight against terrorism, crazed drivers and ram raids, temporary concrete barriers have been placed in Sydney's CBD in areas such as Martin Place and between Phillip and Elizabeth Streets.
While this is a step in the right direction for protection of our public, more permanent solutions can be revised and implemented.
At Australian Bollards we pride ourselves on producing products that boast a soft approach to hard security.
Our Streetscape range has the ability to be implemented into popular city centres and landmarks, as a permanent VBIED solution.
By replacing the temporary bollards that some public members call 'ugly' with our Streetscape range it will enhance the aesthetic of environments within cities.
Brisbane City Council has also taken a step forward to fortify their streets against crime.
The BCC has placed concrete bollards along the perimeters of Adelaide and Ann St at Kings George Square and at key points at South Bank.
However, the BCC has not yet put up any barricades at Queens St Mall.
The need for protection alongside busy streets at tourist attractions and landscapes is imminent with the terrorism attacks all over the world.
Australian Bollards Streetscape range also offer a Banksia bollard.
The Banksia is an Australian plant that has a light and vibrant look that would perfectly suit any public garden, park, private garden and any green surfaces.
Their unique design would provide a natural addition to the green spaces, without compromising the look and feel of the surroundings.
The materials for the bollards include blue stone and granite to seamlessly blend into a wide range of environments making it ideal of parks, walkways and shopping strips.
The Streetscape range is proving that safety products don't have to come at the cost of lessening the look of an environment.
In fact, safety products can enhance the aesthetic of an environment as well as adding extra functionality for occupants.
By using these bollards at the likes of Martin Place, the public can have an aesthetically pleasing environment.
This environment can be enjoyed without the constant reminder of impeding terrorism threats that are exuded in the current temporary bollards.


Lady Lucia (aka "Lucy" or "Lulu") is a feisty 13 today, which makes her either 91 or 68 in human years, depending upon whether you use the old or new human-dog years age equivalency tables.
Both are irrelevant to this saucy lady, whose personality is less like a Shetland sheepdog and more like the madame of a bordello. She's mouthy, fearless, and has an aggressive, determined gait, just like Spike the Bulldog in those old Warner Bros cartoons. Forget to let her out or feed her in a timely manner and she'll march right up to you and give you a piece of her mind.
She sleeps a bit more than she used to, but when she's awake, look out... when Lucy's on the move, you know it.
Lucy's big secret... she's a snuggle bunny. When no one else is around, she'll curl up next to you, kiss you senseless, then fall asleep and snore in your ear. The perfect lady, indeed.
What so proudly we watched at the twilight's last reaming.
-Pittsburgh's own Christina Aguilera, flubbing the lyrics of the national anthem at Super Bowl 45.


I spent some time recently searching for a new set of shocks for my Thruxton. I've made a number of performance upgrades but I've kept the stock shocks in place even though they're pretty crappy. There's a lot of options for this upgrade so hopefully my experience will be useful to someone out there weighting the same decisions.
First a shot of the stock shocks before I removed them. Notice the corrosion showing on the bottom. Luckily it was from the bolt, not the mount.
First I tried used set taken of KYBs taken from a Kawasaki ZRX 1100. These are a pretty common upgrade for Thruxtons even though the ZRX is much heavier. In the end the reports I've read indicated the ride was nice if a bit stiff.
The shocks were the right size but the bottom bushings that came in the shocks were the wrong size. Not a hard fix since the stock shock bushing were easy enough to knock out with a mallet and socket. After fitting these in the KYBs they were easy enough to mount on the bike now that I've got a lift. Here's a shot of the bushings taken from the stock shocks, and the KYBs mounted. Check out the super nice dress-up bolts I got from Joker Machines too.
They look really slick but unfortunately I couldn't keep them. The coils on the KYB shocks are significantly wider than the stock Thruxton shocks. This came into play when I tried to fit my exhaust back on as the final step. I've got a set of Predators from British Customs and these cans are just too wide to fit over the ZRX shocks. Damn.
I really like these shocks and I thought about getting a new exhaust to fit over them. Then I remembered how I love the sound from the Predators so I'm still searching. I picked up a set of Icons and I'll post about that disaster next.
That is a shame that those KYB's didn't work. They look great. Do you still have them?
I had these things back up on ebay pretty quick. Lost a few bucks on them but I got back enough to cover the Icon 7614s that I bought instead. The Icons aren't bad but I really had my heart set on the KYBs mostly because the piggybacks looked cool.


As a sporting goods store owner you will need to fill your space with all kinds of shelving units and retail store displays. Due to the varied size of many of the products you offer, there is no one-size-fits-all shelving solution. Ranging from golf clubs to soccer balls, to bicycles and clothing, sporting goods stores offer a wide variety of merchandise ranging in size and weight. Having a diverse shelving strategy is important in order to properly display the products you sell in your sporting goods store... read more.
When it comes to displaying sporting goods items there is a lot of variation in the size the products. From golf balls to bicycles, clothing to kayaks, there is no one size fits all solution. Fortunately, there are a lot of sporting goods display shelving options available. Here are a few of the most commonly found fixtures: Slatwall Panels Slatwall panels can hold a variety of items due to the ability to slide in various shelves, hooks and baskets. They transform a wall into a completely new and dynamic me... read more.


DENVER (AP) -- Carmelo Anthony scored a franchise-record 33 points in the third quarter of the Denver Nuggets' game against Minnesota on Wednesday night.
Anthony broke David Thompson's record of 32 points in a quarter set April 9, 1978.
He was 12-for-15 in the period, including 4-for-5 from behind the 3-point line. At one point he made eight straight shots and scored 24 straight points for the Nuggets, turning a 56-51 deficit into a 77-74 lead.


SERVIDOR DE GUID ESTÁ ATIVO?
Searching for active CoD2 team !
SHROUD REACTS TO BATTALION 1944!
RJ Qortrijk Back from the Dead.
Chat off since yesterday ?
rikkz refused steaming on lan?
Whats up with pam 3.0?
Open League CoD2 , Some CUPS?
Call of duty 2 Lan in Munich, Germany?
Selling COD2/COD4 Clean ORG Keys.
Anyone with good PC knowledge?
Carentan jump, to allow or not to allow?
Does anybody have a cod2 server I can borrow?
Rules about Matchtime; Noshow etc.
Palinho , hack or not ?


Sand Pebbles is conveniently located to all the attractions of San Diego. Guests will enjoy the resort's outdoor pool, spa, and games rooms. Golf and tennis can be found close by. San Diego is only 21 miles to the south, where you can take in the San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Balboa Park, and the many art galleries and museums the city has to offer. Other area attractions include Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, and Tijuana, Mexico.


text:
A photo of First Cardiology Consultants, a private hospital located in Ikoyi, Lagos. [PHOTO CREDIT: Official website of First Cardiology Consultants, https://firstcardiology.org]
Coronavirus: Lagos govt speaks on hospital where Abba Kyari died
byMojeed Alabi
The Lagos State government has said the late chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari, died at First Cardiology Consultants, a private hospital located in Ikoyi.
This is a confirmation of PREMIUM TIMES' earlier exclusive report on the development. But the hospital had refuted the claim, describing it as a "false allegation."
The Lagos State commissioner for health, Akin Abayomi, on Saturday evening said the confirmation was in response to enquiries by concerned individuals and authorities on the health facility that managed the former chief of staff.
The commissioner said; "Following enquiries on the passing away of the Chief of Staff to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mallam Abba Kyari on Friday 17th April 2020, the Lagos State Government states that:
"Mallam Abba Kyari died from complications of Coronavirus infection at First Cardiology Consultants in Lagos. This hospital is a Lagos State designated high care, biosecurity-compliant, COVID-19 facility, accredited by the Health Facility Management and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) of the Lagos State Ministry of Health."
The statement added that as a basis for its accreditation, the private hospital "established a separate specialist wing with staff dedicated to the treatment of complicated cases of COVID-19, under the supervision of the Lagos State COVID-19 emergency response team."
However, this is contrary to the earlier position of the health minister, Osagie Ehanire, in his response to enquiries on whether any private hospital had been accredited for the management of Covid-19 or not.
Osagie Ehanire [PHOTO CREDIT: @TheglobalhintC]
Mr. Ehanire said there was no private hospital managing confirmed cases of Coronavirus disease in the country.
Speaking on Friday on the matter during the daily press briefing of the presidential task force on Covid-19, the minister said the management of the disease is difficult and can overwhelm private facilities due to technicalities involved in the management of the pandemic.
He said; "As at today, there is no private hospital that has been accredited to manage Covid-19 case in Nigeria. There is none in Abuja here that I know of. But I think Lagos is looking at some accredited hospitals and there is one large hospital in Lagos that has called me that it wants to become a Coronavirus treatment centre.
"Now the structure of the hospital is that they are ready to remove all the present patients they have there and do nothing but Coronavirus. That will be good because they don't stand the risk of cross-infection. But if you as a private hospital want to run Coronavirus management, you have to show that you have a doctor who is an infectious disease specialist, nurses and even cleaners who are trained. This is because handling infectious hospital is different from handling others. They need to be trained in infection prevention and protocols.
"…The facility would then be inspected by a team of accreditors who will give you the go-ahead to do it. But while it is not prohibited, there is no hospital that has met those criteria at the moment."
Speaking earlier on Thursday, the minister had threatened that any private hospital found to be treating Covid-19 patients run the risk of being shut down.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State government had also been evasive in its response on the whereabouts of the former chief of staff. The government failed to respond to enquiries by our reporter on the matter.
Abba Kyari, a friend I knew for 42 years — Buhari
Coronavirus: Wanted man in Abia taken to isolation facility — Official
Mojeed Alabi
Oromoni's Death: Founder, board members of Dowen College 'step down'
Why Boko Haram, Ansaru have not co-opted Northwest Nigerian bandits – Study
How Nigeria Police violated Nigerian laws in awarding N3 billion contracts – Audit Report
Seven UN agencies accused of tax evasion in Borno
Residents flee Ogun community after killing of monarch
Coronavirus: Wanted man in Abia taken to isolation facility -- Official
Abba Kyari burial workers identified; to be isolated - Abuja Official