text:
UCC Sports Awards announced
UCC sporting students shoot for stars
UCC's top young sports stars will be honoured by UCC at the Sports Star Awards 2014/2015, with 9 times All Ireland senior medal winner with the all-conquering Cork Ladies Gaelic Football team, Valerie Mulcahy as the Guest of Honour. Valerie is in training with the Cork team who play arch rivals Kerry in the League Semi-Final this coming weekend. The awards take place in the River Lee Hotel on Wednesday 22nd April, with personalities from the world of sport, coaches, parents, students, UCC Clubs Executive and UCC staff in attendance.
The Annual Sports Star Awards, now in their 32nd year, recognise outstanding sporting performances from UCC sports club athletes. The awards will be presented by Guest of Honour, Valerie Mulcahy, and Dr Michael Murphy, President of UCC. UCC's Director of Sport and Physical Activity Declan Kidney praised the sports stars, their coaches and the sports clubs for their performance for UCC in 2014/2015: "The students and clubs continue to wear the skull & bones with pride and have had another very successful year – with successes in Intervarsities, local & International competitions. Hosting the Sigerson Cup in the Mardyke was a tremendous event. The hockey clubs continue to progress and the women's team have qualified for the All Ireland League in 2015-16 again while the men's team were unlucky in the play-offs for the final place in the men's league. Both Hockey Clubs have had tremendous seasons with the senior teams finishing runners up in the Munster Division One Leagues.
The soccer club have had a tremendous 12 months winning the Munster Senior League for the first time in the clubs history. They had a clean sweep in the intervarsity competitions winning the Collingwood, Crowley & Harding Cups – another first for the club.
They are still in the EA Sports & FAI Cups.
They will bring League of Ireland Champions Dundalk to the Mardyke for the quarter finals of the EA Sports Cup in the coming weeks – this will be another big occasion for the club.
The Rugby Club retained their Division 2A status of the AIL finishing the season strongly by securing 16 points in their last 4 matches.
Our Sailing Club won the intervarsities for the first time in over 20 years.
The cricket club achieved the double in 2014 winning both the indoor & outdoor intervarsity titles.
All in all this has been another tremendous year for UCC sport"
The River Lee Hotel continues to be the main sponsor of this event with the Bank of Ireland as co-sponsor. The event is organised annually by Christine O' Donovan, Deputy Director of Sport & Physical Activity at UCC.
Irish Women's rugby star Alison Miller from Laois receives her 3rd award reflecting the success of the Irish Women's Rugby team in the past number of years. A final year Sports Studies student, Alison has successfully combined her full time studies with her rugby exploits. She was instrumental in helping the Irish Women's team win the Six Nations this year and was part of the team who were beaten World Cup semi-finalists & defeated New Zealand last summer. She is a current UCC Sports Scholarship recipient.
Adrian O Sullivan receives his 2nd award for Basketball. He receives his award for his performances for UCC in the intervarsity's where he was the team's top scorer and helped them reach the semi-finals. Adrian played with UCC Demons in the Superleague, National Cup & Champions Trophy competitions. He was part of this all conquering team who went through the season undefeated – creating history in the process. Having achieved a double with them last year, they went one better this year and achieved the treble!!. He is a current UCC High Performance Sports Scholarship recipient & is the Jason Foley Memorial Scholarship recipient
Kerry senior Intercounty player Paul Geaney alsoreceives his 2nd Award for Gaelic Football. Paul played a captains role in UCC's Sigerson Cup victory in Belfast in 2014 & was part of this year's UCC team who hosted the Sigerson Cup in Cork & again reached the final only to lose in the dying moments to DCU. Paul has come to the fore as a senior intercounty player with Kerry and won his first All-Ireland senior medal in September. He is now a regular on the Kerry team and hopes to remain injury free & retain his place for the upcoming championship. He helped UCC win the first round of the Cork County Senior Championship last week in defeating Carberry. He is a current UCC Sports Scholarship recipient.
Jason Abbott & Sean O Mahony receive their 1st awards for Soccer. The success of the soccer club this season sees two awardees being recognised. Jason was capped by the Irish Amateur team v Poland recently in Cork and put in a player of the match performance. He played a major role in UCC's Collingwood Cup success in Galway this year and was part of the UCC team who won the Munster Senior League in 2014. He is currently part of the senior team still hoping to retain their Munster Senior League title, are in the quarter final of the EA Sports Cup & the first round of the FAI Cup.
Sean is in his first year playing with UCC and has already tasted success with UCC in the Harding Cup (Freshers Intervarsity) & The Collingwood Cup. He was awarded Player of the Tournament at the Harding Cup. He is part of the senior team vying for Munster Senior League honours again and still in the EA Sports Cup & FAI Cup. Sean is a Roy Keane/UCC Sports Scholarship recipient while Jason is a UCC Sports Scholarship recipient.
UCC Rugby Clubs success in retaining their All Ireland Division 2A League status sees Paul Kiernan receiving an award. Paul joined UCC at the beginning of the 2014/2015 as a fresher & went straight into the senior team and has had a tremendous season. He has represented Munster at U19 and U20 levels. He was recently selected to represent the Irish U19's and had the honour of captaining them in their matches in France. He was called for Irish U20 trials last week.
Katrina Mackey, All Ireland Camogie medal winner with Cork receives her first award. Katrina along with her sister Pamela have been instrumental in the organisation & running of the UCC Club for the past number of years. Katrina receives her award for her performances with UCC in the colleges league & Ashbourne Cup – where UCC reached the semi-finals. She was part of the Cork team who won the national league & All Ireland title in September & was honoured with her first Al star Award for her performances with Cork as well. She is a current UCC Sports Scholarship recipient.
Roisin Phelan, receives her 1st award for assisting the Cork Ladies Gaelic Football team retain their All Ireland title in extraordinary fashion last September in Dublin. Roisin burst onto the Cork scene last season and played a major role in Cork's continuing success last year. She was awarded the Tesco Homegrown "Player of the Month" in June 2014 for her display for Cork in the National league Final – which Cork won. She was part of the UCC team who were narrowly beaten in the O Connor Cup semi-final hosted by CIT recently.
Jean O Driscoll receives her 1st award for the sport of Golf. Jean currently playing of a handicap of +1 is on the Irish Senior Women's Panel & has just returned from France having played in a tournament there & was in Argentina in Dec as part of an R&A women's team. Jean competed in the World Student Games as a fresher in June 2014 and finished in the top 12 & was best of the Irish. She was runner up in the Munster & Leinster Senior Ladies Championships last summer & has finished in the top 7 of the British Amateur.
Strokeplay Championship. Jean is an R&A/UCC Sports Scholarship recipient
Chris Mintern receives his first award for the sport of Triathlon. This is the first triathlon award at this function. Chris took the Triathlon Circuit by storm last season – his first year competing as a senior. He was only narrowly defeated for the overall national series winner title by a former professional triathlete and many years his senior. He won numerous events. He also won the Lee Swim in July 2014. He was going for a hat-trick of intervarsity wins recently when tragedy struck on his bike – his brakes jammed and he lost valuable time on the road and had to settle for 4th place. He is a current UCC Sports Scholarship recipient.
This year's Special Achievement Award known as "The Kieran Dowd Perpetual Award" will be presented to Mr Liam Corbett, UCC Soccer Club in recognition of his years of service to the soccer club. Liam coaches the UCC 2nd Juniors who compete in the local leagues on a weekly basis. Liam gives selflessly of his time to the club and this team and he brought silverware to the club this year when his team won the Crowley Cup at the intevarsities recently. Liam's team only participated because UCC put in 2 teams to make up an even amount of teams for the competition. They were there "to make up numbers" but nobody told Liam & his players that and they defied the odds and defeated QUB 1-0 in the final
The full list of UCC Sports Star Awards 2014-15 winners is as follows:
Adrian O Sullivan Basketball Ballincollig, Co. Cork
Katrina Mackey Camogie Douglas, Cork
Paul Geaney Gaelic Football Co. Kerry
Roisin Phelan Ladies Gaelic Football Aghada, Co. Cork
Jean O Driscoll Golf Ballincollig, Co. Cork
Paul Kiernan Rugby Rochestown, Cork
Alison Miller Women's Rugby Laois
Sean O Mahony Soccer Douglas, Cork
Jason Abbott Soccer Cobh, Co. Cork
Chris Mintern Triathlon Pouladuff Rd., Cork
Kieran Dowd Special Achievement Award: Liam Corbett, UCC Soccer Club
For further enquiries contact Christine O Donovan, Deputy Director of Sport & Physical Activity, UCC at 021 4904752, or 087 2470344. Email: codonovan@ucc.ie


text:
Supply chain issues delaying Fresno County child welfare's new office from opening
Central Valley school districts see an increase in elementary school students testing positive for COVID
Thousands protest in Prague against COVID vaccine mandate
Posted: Dec 12, 2021 / 09:26 AM PST / Updated: Dec 12, 2021 / 09:26 AM PST
PRAGUE (AP) — Several thousand people marched through the Czech capital on Sunday, protesting a COVID-19 vaccination mandate for certain groups including people age 60 and over.
The participants didn't wear face coverings or follow social distancing rules despite a request by police to do so. One person was detained.
The protesters, chanting "Freedom!" alleged their constitutional rights are being violated. They said they weren't against voluntary vaccination but opposed a vaccine mandate.
The outgoing government released an order this week, making vaccination mandatory for the 60 and over age group, as well as medical personnel, police officers, firefighters and medical students.
The order is due to take effect in March, but it might end up being overturned. Prime Minister Andrej Babis' administration will be replaced by a new government formed by five parties that won October's parliamentary election, led by Prime Minister-designate Petr Fiala.
The new coalition government is expected to be sworn in next week. The coalition opposed a vaccination mandate for older people and can cancel it. So far, 60.3% of people in the nation of 10.7 million have been fully vaccinated.
The country recently faced a record surge in new infections, but the number of new cases has been on the decline for more than a week.
Follow all AP stories on the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - Fresno County officials continue to work towards opening a new facility in Clovis for its child welfare division to move into, but Deputy Director for the Department of Social Services Tricia Gonzalez says ongoing supply chain issues has pushed that back.
"It's the supply chain, as well as the supply of workers, so it's just taking longer for them to get the construction done," explained Gonzalez.
CHP: Retail thieves found with $72K worth of stolen items following high-speed chase
FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A crew of retail thieves was arrested after stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from a store and leading officers on a high-speed chase in Southern California, according to the California Highway Patrol.
On Tuesday, Jan. 18, officials say four suspects stole an estimated $72,000 in merchandise from a Lululemon store in the neighborhood of Studio City in Los Angeles.
by Liv Johnson / Jan 19, 2022
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE) - Local health officials are reporting an increase in the number of children testing positive for COVID-19, saying the Omicron variant is spreading through the population faster than other variants.
"We have absolutely seen an increase in the number of positive cases," said Kelly Avants from the Clovis Unified School District.
Do you have a problem that you need help solving? Contact CBS47 and let us be On Your Side.
Email: OnYourSide@cbsfresno.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Make plans to stick around for the encore after each service on Sunday, June 3! We'll have circus attractions, games, activities, and treats. There will also be food trucks on-site for you to purchase snacks or lunch for the family.
Don't forget to stop by the DJ booth to submit your name into the raffle for free giveaways.
Invite your friends and neighbors, and kick off the summer at Pathways Church on June 3!


text:
namespace bc = boost::compute;

BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(inclusive_scan_int)
{
    int data[] = { 1, 2, 1, 2, 3 };
    bc::vector<int> vector(data, data + 5, queue);
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(vector.size(), size_t(5));

    bc::vector<int> result(5, context);
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(result.size(), size_t(5));

    // inclusive scan
    bc::inclusive_scan(vector.begin(), vector.end(), result.begin(), queue);
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, result, (1, 3, 4, 6, 9));

    // in-place inclusive scan
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, vector, (1, 2, 1, 2, 3));
    bc::inclusive_scan(vector.begin(), vector.end(), vector.begin(), queue);
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, vector, (1, 3, 4, 6, 9));
}

BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(exclusive_scan_int)
{
    int data[] = { 1, 2, 1, 2, 3 };
    bc::vector<int> vector(data, data + 5, queue);
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(vector.size(), size_t(5));

    bc::vector<int> result(5, context);
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(vector.size(), size_t(5));

    // exclusive scan
    bc::exclusive_scan(vector.begin(), vector.end(), result.begin(), queue);
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, result, (0, 1, 3, 4, 6));

    // in-place exclusive scan
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, vector, (1, 2, 1, 2, 3));
    bc::exclusive_scan(vector.begin(), vector.end(), vector.begin(), queue);
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, vector, (0, 1, 3, 4, 6));
}

BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(inclusive_scan_int2)
{
    using boost::compute::int2_;

    int data[] = { 1, 2,
                   3, 4,
                   5, 6,
                   7, 8,
                   9, 0 };

    boost::compute::vector<int2_> input(reinterpret_cast<int2_*>(data),
                                        reinterpret_cast<int2_*>(data) + 5,
                                        queue);
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(input.size(), size_t(5));

    boost::compute::vector<int2_> output(5, context);
    boost::compute::inclusive_scan(input.begin(), input.end(), output.begin(),
                                   queue);
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(
        int2_, 5, output,
        (int2_(1, 2), int2_(4, 6), int2_(9, 12), int2_(16, 20), int2_(25, 20))
    );
}

BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(inclusive_scan_counting_iterator)
{
    bc::vector<int> result(10, context);
    bc::inclusive_scan(bc::make_counting_iterator(1),
                       bc::make_counting_iterator(11),
                       result.begin(), queue);
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 10, result, (1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21, 28, 36, 45, 55));
}

BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(exclusive_scan_counting_iterator)
{
    bc::vector<int> result(10, context);
    bc::exclusive_scan(bc::make_counting_iterator(1),
                       bc::make_counting_iterator(11),
                       result.begin(), queue);
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 10, result, (0, 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21, 28, 36, 45));
}

BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(inclusive_scan_transform_iterator)
{
    float data[] = { 1.0f, 2.0f, 3.0f, 4.0f, 5.0f };
    bc::vector<float> input(data, data + 5, queue);
    bc::vector<float> output(5, context);

    // normal inclusive scan of the input
    bc::inclusive_scan(input.begin(), input.end(), output.begin(), queue);
    bc::system::finish();
    BOOST_CHECK_CLOSE(float(output[0]), 1.0f, 1e-4f);
    BOOST_CHECK_CLOSE(float(output[1]), 3.0f, 1e-4f);
    BOOST_CHECK_CLOSE(float(output[2]), 6.0f, 1e-4f);
    BOOST_CHECK_CLOSE(float(output[3]), 10.0f, 1e-4f);
    BOOST_CHECK_CLOSE(float(output[4]), 15.0f, 1e-4f);

    // inclusive scan of squares of the input
    using ::boost::compute::_1;

    bc::inclusive_scan(bc::make_transform_iterator(input.begin(), pown(_1, 2)),
                       bc::make_transform_iterator(input.end(), pown(_1, 2)),
                       output.begin(), queue);
    bc::system::finish();
    BOOST_CHECK_CLOSE(float(output[0]), 1.0f, 1e-4f);
    BOOST_CHECK_CLOSE(float(output[1]), 5.0f, 1e-4f);
    BOOST_CHECK_CLOSE(float(output[2]), 14.0f, 1e-4f);
    BOOST_CHECK_CLOSE(float(output[3]), 30.0f, 1e-4f);
    BOOST_CHECK_CLOSE(float(output[4]), 55.0f, 1e-4f);
}

BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(inclusive_scan_doctest)
{
//! [inclusive_scan_int]
// setup input
int data[] = { 1, 2, 3, 4 };
boost::compute::vector<int> input(data, data + 4, queue);

// setup output
boost::compute::vector<int> output(4, context);

// scan values
boost::compute::inclusive_scan(
    input.begin(), input.end(), output.begin(), queue
);

// output = [ 1, 3, 6, 10 ]
//! [inclusive_scan_int]

    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 4, output, (1, 3, 6, 10));
}

BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(exclusive_scan_doctest)
{
//! [exclusive_scan_int]
// setup input
int data[] = { 1, 2, 3, 4 };
boost::compute::vector<int> input(data, data + 4, queue);

// setup output
boost::compute::vector<int> output(4, context);

// scan values
boost::compute::exclusive_scan(
    input.begin(), input.end(), output.begin(), queue
);

// output = [ 0, 1, 3, 6 ]
//! [exclusive_scan_int]

    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 4, output, (0, 1, 3, 6));
}

BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(inclusive_scan_int_multiplies)
{
//! [inclusive_scan_int_multiplies]
// setup input
int data[] = { 1, 2, 1, 2, 3 };
boost::compute::vector<int> input(data, data + 5, queue);

// setup output
boost::compute::vector<int> output(5, context);

// inclusive scan with multiplication
boost::compute::inclusive_scan(
    input.begin(), input.end(), output.begin(),
    boost::compute::multiplies<int>(), queue
);

// output = [1, 2, 2, 4, 12]
//! [inclusive_scan_int_multiplies]

    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(input.size(), size_t(5));
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(output.size(), size_t(5));

    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, output, (1, 2, 2, 4, 12));

    // in-place inclusive scan
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, input, (1, 2, 1, 2, 3));
    boost::compute::inclusive_scan(input.begin(), input.end(), input.begin(),
                                   boost::compute::multiplies<int>(), queue);
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, input, (1, 2, 2, 4, 12));
}

BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(exclusive_scan_int_multiplies)
{
//! [exclusive_scan_int_multiplies]
// setup input
int data[] = { 1, 2, 1, 2, 3 };
boost::compute::vector<int> input(data, data + 5, queue);

// setup output
boost::compute::vector<int> output(5, context);

// exclusive_scan with multiplication
// initial value equals 10
boost::compute::exclusive_scan(
    input.begin(), input.end(), output.begin(),
    int(10), boost::compute::multiplies<int>(), queue
);

// output = [10, 10, 20, 20, 40]
//! [exclusive_scan_int_multiplies]

    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(input.size(), size_t(5));
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(output.size(), size_t(5));

    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, output, (10, 10, 20, 20, 40));

    // in-place exclusive scan
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, input, (1, 2, 1, 2, 3));
    bc::exclusive_scan(input.begin(), input.end(), input.begin(),
                       int(10), bc::multiplies<int>(), queue);
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, input, (10, 10, 20, 20, 40));
}

BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(inclusive_scan_int_multiplies_long_vector)
{
    size_t size = 1000;
    bc::vector<int> device_vector(size, int(2), queue);
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(device_vector.size(), size);
    bc::inclusive_scan(device_vector.begin(), device_vector.end(),
                       device_vector.begin(), bc::multiplies<int>(), queue);

    std::vector<int> host_vector(size, 2);
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(host_vector.size(), size);
    bc::copy(device_vector.begin(), device_vector.end(),
             host_vector.begin(), queue);

    std::vector<int> test(size, 2);
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(test.size(), size);
    std::partial_sum(test.begin(), test.end(),
                     test.begin(), std::multiplies<int>());

    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL_COLLECTIONS(host_vector.begin(), host_vector.end(),
                                  test.begin(), test.end());
}

BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(exclusive_scan_int_multiplies_long_vector)
{
    size_t size = 1000;
    bc::vector<int> device_vector(size, int(2), queue);
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(device_vector.size(), size);
    bc::exclusive_scan(device_vector.begin(), device_vector.end(),
                       device_vector.begin(), int(10), bc::multiplies<int>(),
                       queue);

    std::vector<int> host_vector(size, 2);
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(host_vector.size(), size);
    bc::copy(device_vector.begin(), device_vector.end(),
             host_vector.begin(), queue);

    std::vector<int> test(size, 2);
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(test.size(), size);
    test[0] = 10;
    std::partial_sum(test.begin(), test.end(),
                     test.begin(), std::multiplies<int>());

    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL_COLLECTIONS(host_vector.begin(), host_vector.end(),
                                  test.begin(), test.end());
}

BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(inclusive_scan_int_custom_function)
{
    BOOST_COMPUTE_FUNCTION(int, multi, (int x, int y),
    {
        return x * y * 2;
    });

    int data[] = { 1, 2, 1, 2, 3 };
    bc::vector<int> vector(data, data + 5, queue);
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(vector.size(), size_t(5));

    bc::vector<int> result(5, context);
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(result.size(), size_t(5));

    // inclusive scan
    bc::inclusive_scan(vector.begin(), vector.end(), result.begin(),
                       multi, queue);
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, result, (1, 4, 8, 32, 192));

    // in-place inclusive scan
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, vector, (1, 2, 1, 2, 3));
    bc::inclusive_scan(vector.begin(), vector.end(), vector.begin(),
                       multi, queue);
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, vector, (1, 4, 8, 32, 192));
}

BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(exclusive_scan_int_custom_function)
{
    BOOST_COMPUTE_FUNCTION(int, multi, (int x, int y),
    {
        return x * y * 2;
    });

    int data[] = { 1, 2, 1, 2, 3 };
    bc::vector<int> vector(data, data + 5, queue);
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(vector.size(), size_t(5));

    bc::vector<int> result(5, context);
    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(result.size(), size_t(5));

    // exclusive_scan
    bc::exclusive_scan(vector.begin(), vector.end(), result.begin(),
                       int(1), multi, queue);
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, result, (1, 2, 8, 16, 64));

    // in-place exclusive scan
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, vector, (1, 2, 1, 2, 3));
    bc::exclusive_scan(vector.begin(), vector.end(), vector.begin(),
                       int(1), multi, queue);
    CHECK_RANGE_EQUAL(int, 5, vector, (1, 2, 8, 16, 64));
}

BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


If you are looking for ways to monitor and measure your website performance, you're probably confused on where you should start, right? With all of the different products out there, which ones should you use and which ones should you ignore?
Over the last 6 years or so of working in the field of web analytics, and I've found the following tools to be very helpful. They run from free to very pricey, simple to complex, so there should be something here for you no matter your budget and needs.
There are several reasons why analytics are important but it boils down to this: performance. In other words, how good are your social media campaigns at generating conversations? How well is that new landing page converting? How well are your SEO efforts bringing in new traffic? What's the lifetime value of your customers? Web analytics can help you answer those questions.
Resource allocation – Whether it's loading up on people to run a massive Facebook Fan page campaign or amp up your SEO efforts, these things cost time and money, so it's important to track the results so you can plan properly.
Optimize campaigns – The intelligence you gather from your web analytics can help Marketing make better decisions about their programs.
Overall brand impact – What is the impact your campaigns are having on your brand and business from top to bottom? Web analytics can help you answer that question.
You might be tempted to shop around for different web analytic products, looking for the right one. Well, I hate to break it to you, but there isn't necessarily the right one.
Some offer real-time data while others break it down into tiny historical chunks. So, it depends on your needs. But I do recommend that you consider using two different web analytic products.
Lightweight – The load an additional analytics tool can put on your servers can slow down the speed of your site.
Low cost – The backup analytics tool shouldn't set you back another grand or two. It's not a bad idea to use one that is free.
Provide overview – This backup tool should give you an over-arching view of your analytics, something you can compare with your primary tool.
Flexible – Every website has different needs, so you'll need a solution that can fit with yours. Make sure the solution is customizable as nothing will be perfect out of the box.
Why the redundancy? Well, it's not just because if primary analytics goes down temporarily that you'll have the other one in place. But instead different analytics tools solve different problems and in most cases you won't be able to get everything you need in one tool.
Plus, you can make comparisons with the data when you have a large event like the Panda update sweep through the web. That update might affect Google Analytics differently than it would your back up analytics.
When it comes to using a primary web analytic service, Google Analytics can't be beat. For starters, it's free and includes a massive amount of the reports that paid products offer.
There are some disadvantages, like statistics are sampled and support is limited to a help center and user forum. You have to hire a certified partner for support if you really want it.
But the ability to track multiple sites, monitor social networking activity, track mobile phone users and measure video, on top of tracking typical analytic metrics like bounce rates, makes it a good tool for just about anybody.
Clicky, unlike GA, can be your primary web analytics tool because it collects data in real time. However, the robust programs for larger sites will set you back about $25 a month.
Urchin, which Google picked up in 2005, has a hefty price tag. Google released versions in 2008 and 2009, the last one incorporating AdWords. Urchin analyzes log files or does what's called a hybrid, that allows you to get more accurate web information.
Another option is Omniture. Their analytics product, Site Catalyst, will give you multiple reports for video tracking, reports on mobile phone users and social media outlet reports. It does not collect bounce rates, and it's pricey.
If your site has is built on a complete customer loop, like a sign-up process, or you need to make decisions on individual behavior then KISSmetrics is a product to consider.
KISSmetrics will take all of a person's activities on your website while they're just visiting and tie them to their email address once they become a customer. Then you'll be able to capture the actions that a customer takes on your site, as well as how they interact with your email campaigns, your banner ads, and your mobile or desktop apps. And best of all it will give you information on things like lifetime value of your customer, churn rates, and cohort reports.
Now that we've covered some primary web analytic tools, let's discuss what you should use for back up.
Reports in real time – For high traffic websites, you can choose the frequency for reports to be processed.
You own your web analytics data – Because Piwik is installed on your server, the data is stored in your own database and you can get all the statistics using the powerful Piwik Analytics API.
Built in-plugins – You can add new features and remove the ones you don't need.
Vibrant international open community – There are over 100,000 active users, making it a good community for support and answers.
Open Web Analytics is another open source product worth considering. OWA also comes with built-in support for tracking web sites made with popular content management frameworks such as WordPress.
For only $30 per single site license, Mint will allow you to self-host your website analytics. It's got a simple interface with robust metrics on visits, referrers, popular pages and searches. It's another good choice for a back up analytics tool.
Web analytics doesn't have to be confusing. As long as you understand what you need to measure, the time and frequency you need reports and how much you can spend, then you can select products that will help you improve your websites success, which is the name of the game.
What other web analytic tools do you like and recommend?


Marigold Swiss Org Bouillon Cubes L/S(Purple)72g + Vegan Powder L/SAlt 140g GWP - The Marigold Health Foods range of health-supporting vegetarian and vegan food products begins with the top selling Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon powder. The bouillon comes in regular, reduced salt and organic versions, cube and powder form, all gluten-free. This versatile, nutritious product is much loved by celebrity chefs such as Nigella Lawson and Delia Smith.


Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova renew hostilities in the Australian Open final and it's the American who is tipped to extend her long-running hoodoo over the Russian after some early troubles.
It's no secret in the women's game that the younger Williams sister and five-time winner of the Aussie Open has got inside the mind of 2008 champion Sharapova, defeating her 15 times consecutively over the past 10 years.
This iron grip over her opponent makes Serena a worthy 4/11 favourite and Sharapova a little too skinny at 9/4 as the underdog, so we've come at this contest from three different angles instead.
If the number one seed has looked vulnerable at Melbourne Park en-route to the finale, it has certainly been in the early exchanges of her matches.
Williams dropped opening sets in the third and fourth rounds to far weaker opponents and was forced into a tie-break in her semi-final clash against compatriot Madison Keys, while Sharapova, in contrast, has shot out of the blocks with real purpose.
The second seed has won all six first sets to help propel her into the final, gaining a double break in each of her last three matches to claim them 6-3; a scoreline available at 10/1 with Ladbrokes.
This bet has legs given Sharapova has broken her adversary's serve at least twice in her previous five opening sets, while Serena was nine percent down to her on 1st serve points won in her semi.
One thing above all else which marks Serena out as such a formidable champion is her powers of recovery and utter will to win when faced with adversity.
The American number one has already pulled off two comeback victories Down Under during this tournament and when she last conceded a set to her big rival Sharapova in 2013, she came back to blow the Russian away 6-3, 6-0 on hard courts.


Since its launch in 2006 as the first marketplace lender in the US, Prosper Marketplace has evolved into a personal finance company that offers products and services beyond personal loans to help people get on top of their finances. Through Prosper's flagship loan product, borrowers get low, fixed-rate loans with no hidden fees or prepayment penalties and investors can earn great returns through the platform's data-driven underwriting for personal loans. The Prosper Daily app helps people stay on top of their money, credit and identity. Prosper Marketplace is headquartered in San Francisco with offices across the country and in Tel Aviv. The Prosper lending platform is owned by Prosper Funding LLC and the Prosper Daily app is owned by BillGuard, Inc., both of which are subsidiaries of Prosper Marketplace.
Smitha Sundar is Assistant General Counsel at Prosper. Previously, Smitha held various senior legal leadership roles in the industry.


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US troop presence heading down to 2,500 in Iraq and Afghanistan
The global war on terrorism is hitting a drawdown milestone on Jan. 15, when U.S. troop levels hit 2,500 each in Iraq and Afghanistan, after nearly two decades of war in both countries.
Though it did not set another milestone for Iraq, the Trump administration has said it hopes to have all troops out of Afghanistan by May. That will ultimately be up to President-elect Joe Biden, who on the 2020 campaign trail pledged to "end the forever wars in Afghanistan and the Middle East."
"With the blessings of providence in the coming year, we will finish this generational war and bring our men and women home," Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller said during a Nov. 17 announcement. "We will protect our children from the heavy burden and toll of perpetual war. And we will honor the sacrifices made in service to peace and stability in Afghanistan, Iraq and around the world and celebrate all those who helped us secure freedom over oppression."
Miller, who replaced fired former Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Nov. 9, will oversee that draw down until he leaves office on Jan. 20. Pending Senate confirmation, he will be replaced by retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, who oversaw the 2011 withdrawal of combat troops from Iraq.
Though defense officials initially refused to comment on details of the drawdown, lawmakers have since shared that the plan is to reduce the train-advise-assist mission of local forces and focus on counterterrorism operations, notably against Islamic State affiliates in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Pentagon announces troop reduction in Afghanistan and Iraq
Pentagon to propose boosting US military presence in Iraq
10th Mountain Division troops heading to Iraq, Afghanistan
Troop withdrawal from Afghanistan leads to NUG claps
US may accelerate the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan
NATO: We stand ready to further support Afghanistan
Time to withdraw from Afghanistan


"I have been suffering from long term chronic neck and shoulder pain for as long as I can remember. So when I came to Bristol, I needed regular relief. That's exactly what I got from my chiropractic sessions at Willow. Relief and painless days follow after each session. My year at Bristol has been a joy and pain-free. My thanks to Michael and his team at Willow."


BELLEVILLE – Meyers Transport will be shutting down as of January 20, 2017. The company announced the news on Monday.
Meyers Transport has been in business for 90 years. On the company's website it says it's closing due to economic reasons. The announcement doesn't say how many employees will be out of a job as a result.


However, in a commercial lease, many of the building's carrying costs get transferred to the tenant as "Additional Rent." Additional rent consists of fees that the tenant is responsible to pay on top of their base rent. It includes fees like real estate taxes, maintenance fees, insurance fees and other miscellaneous fees. Although the landlord is technically responsible for these costs, each tenant of the building pays their proportionate share of the additional rent.
Furthermore, a tenant in a commercial building is going to be responsible for all costs and occurrences related to the interior of the rented space. This includes all utilities, the HVAC systems, floors, walls, and any construction within the rented premises. In addition to the tenant's base rent, and additional rent, the tenant will also be responsible to maintain and pay for their own personal property insurance for items such as equipment and inventory, as well as liability insurance for accidents that may occur.
Even the responsibilities for maintenance and repair in the building will be shared between a landlord and tenant. Generally, a landlord is responsible for the exterior of the building including the roof, exterior walls, and removal of all snow and debris on the sidewalks surrounding the building.
Sometimes, depending on the size of the building and number of tenants, a landlord may shift even these responsibilities onto the tenant. Landlords may even reassign their responsibilities to comply with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Department of Buildings (DOB) requirements onto tenants, which could cost upwards of $10,000 at times. It is also standard for a tenant to be responsible for removal of hazardous waste and compliance with any applicable environmental laws.
It is important for a broker to note how many other commercial tenants there are in the building, in addition to your client. This way, the broker can identify what types of things listed here the tenant will be responsible or liable and what the landlord must cover. An educated broker can give the tenant a more realistic understanding of what to expect.


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One person killed in wrong-way crash in Flagler County
Matt Leonard
POSSIBLE PERSON OF INTEREST. TONIGHT WE KNOW A DELAND MAN WAS KILLED IN AN EARLY MORNING CRASH IN FLAGLER COUNTY STATE TROOPERS. SAY THE 75 YEAR OLD MAN WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON US-1 NEAR EAGLE ROCK ROAD AND COLLIDED WITH A VEHICLE IN THE NORTHBOUND LANES. THE 75 YEAR OLD MAN DIED AT HALIFAX HOSPITAL THE OTHER DRIVER A 36 YEAR OLD WOM
FHP is investigating a wrong-way, head-on crash on US-1 in Flagler County that killed one person early Saturday morning.According to FHP, the crash happened shortly before 4 a.m. on US-1 at Eagle Rock Road. A sedan traveling south in the northbound lanes collided head-on with a sedan traveling north.The wrong-way driver was transported to Halifax Health Hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, according to FHP.The sole occupant of the other car suffered minor injuries during the crash.The section of US-1 where the crash occurred is a divided highway with a grass median and two travel lanes heading in either direction.
FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. —
FHP is investigating a wrong-way, head-on crash on US-1 in Flagler County that killed one person early Saturday morning.
According to FHP, the crash happened shortly before 4 a.m. on US-1 at Eagle Rock Road. A sedan traveling south in the northbound lanes collided head-on with a sedan traveling north.
The wrong-way driver was transported to Halifax Health Hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, according to FHP.
The sole occupant of the other car suffered minor injuries during the crash.
The section of US-1 where the crash occurred is a divided highway with a grass median and two travel lanes heading in either direction.


For more information rehearsing Boston Marathon qualifying standards and timelines, please visit the qualifying procedure page of their website.
Because the roads used for the race must be re-opened for normal traffic patterns, we are required to set course time limits that must be strictly adhered to. The course time limit for the race is based on a 15:00 minute per mile pace, which is a light jog. This equates to a 6:30 marathon and a 3:15 half marathon.
Are runners allowed to listen to music during the race?
Due to the constraints of the permits for the Mt. Hood course, participants are not allowed to run with traditional in-ear headphones on Timberline Highway or Highway 26 (the first 25.5 miles of the full marathon and miles 10-12.5 of the half marathon). Note that this restriction does NOT apply to the first 10 miles of the half marathon route. Out-of-ear headphones such as Aftershokz bone conduction headphones are allowed all along the course. Runners found wearing traditional in-year headphones on restricted portions of the course will be disqualified. Local authorities may be monitoring the course to ensure the rule is adhered to.
Please note Miles 5 to 25.5 of the Marathon and Miles 10 to 12.5 of the Half Marathon route are an open road course along Highway 26. Runners must stay in the shoulder and be vigilant of the normal flowing traffic around them. Runners are encouraged to wear bright and/or reflective gear for increased visibility and safety.
Because the mountain portion of the race is significantly downhill, the cardiovascular requirements during this portion are largely minimized. Additionally, atmospheric oxygen levels will increase as runners descend the mountain, allowing runners to benefit from increased oxygen intake as they progress in the race. Based on the experiences of runners coming from lower elevation in previous years and at other REVEL events, altitude has not been a factor and many have been able to achieve personal records by significant amounts.
The entire race is run on paved road.
All of our aid stations will be supplied with electrolyte drinks and water. Additionally, various aid stations will be supplied with energy gels, fruit, and other nutritional items to keep you running strong to the finish. Details regarding nutrition along the course (brands, flavors, locations) will be provided as the event nears on the event info page and will also be given in the race program.


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Will Smith's Personal Trainer Talks With WebMD
Healthy Beauty Guide
Healthy Nails
Skin Problems & Treatments
Psoriasis: Simple Skin Care Tips
Mercury, Feces Found in Cheap, Bogus Cosmetics
By Serena Gordon
THURSDAY, Oct. 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Stocking up on the latest beauty products can be costly. Is it possible to save money and still put your best face forward?
You may luck out and find things on sale at reputable retailers. But beware of prices that seem too good to be true on the internet or from sellers that may not be around tomorrow, like a flea market vendor.
Buy these products and you may end up with more trouble than you bargained for.
That's what happened earlier this year to a 47-year-old California woman. She was semi-comatose for weeks after using a Pond's-labeled skin cream purchased in Mexico. Turns out the product had been adulterated with mercury. The levels of mercury in her blood were 500 times the normal amount, according to published reports.
Pond's noted in a statement that it does not use mercury in its products. The company is working with authorities investigating this product-tampering.
"Illegitimate sales, product tampering and reselling are beauty industry issues that deserve close attention and consumer awareness," the statement said.
Fortunately, most incidents of cosmetic counterfeiting or product tampering aren't as serious. But if you don't buy from reputable retailers, it's hard to know exactly what's in the products you're putting on your face.
Last year, officials in Los Angeles seized $700,000 worth of counterfeit cosmetics from a well-known outdoor shopping area. The knock-off products included high-end brand names, including Urban Decay, NARS, MAC and Kylie Cosmetics.
Customers definitely didn't get the luxury products they were hoping for. In fact, lab tests of the products had some surprising results. The makeup was contaminated with high levels of bacteria and feces, according to ABC News in Los Angeles.
Asked how feces got into the makeup, Detective Rick Ishitani of the L.A. Police Department explained that counterfeit products aren't made under the same safe and hygienic conditions that real products are.
"Those feces will just basically somehow get mixed into the product they're manufacturing in their garage or in their bathroom -- wherever they're manufacturing this stuff," he told ABC News.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration urged consumers to be cautious.
"Counterfeit products, including cosmetics, are illegal and may be harmful to a consumer's health," an FDA spokesperson said.
The danger, according to the FDA, is that counterfeits may contain harmful or banned ingredients, unacceptable by-products of manufacturing or unapproved color additives.
Companies that make cosmetics and skin care products are actively fighting counterfeiting.
"Cosmetic counterfeiting has been the scourge of the industry and it's only getting worse," said Dr. Scott Wasserman, founder and CEO of Cosmetic Alchemy, maker of LiLash and LiBrow, products used on eyelashes and eyebrows.
Wasserman said Homeland Security contacted his Scottsdale, Ariz.-based company three times in one month to identify suspected counterfeit products found in shipping containers. And, it's not just bulk products coming into the country that are a problem. The internet is another source of counterfeits. When Cosmetic Alchemy submitted a product trademark to the website Alibaba, the site had to remove 465 listings that were offering fake products.
How can consumers protect themselves?
Dr. Shari Lipner, a dermatologist with NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, said it's almost impossible for the average consumer to tell the difference between a branded product and a well-done counterfeit.
Lipner said you don't have to spend a fortune to maintain healthy skin, but added, "My best advice is to buy cosmetics and skin care products from reputable sources."
The FDA cautioned consumers to be wary of products on sale at flea markets or re-sold online in channels such as auctions. It recommended checking packaging carefully for any evidence that the product might have been repackaged or relabeled. Also, make sure the product looks and smells like it should.
But what if you just couldn't pass up that $10 lipstick at the flea market that normally sells for $50, and now it's making your lips itch? Lipner said the first step is to stop using any product that irritates your skin.
"Most skin rashes are short-lived and will improve as long as you do not expose your skin to the offending product," she said.
If the rash continues to worsen, becomes painful or blisters, see a doctor, preferably a dermatologist, Lipner said.
WebMD News from HealthDay
SOURCES: Shari Lipner, M.D., dermatologist, NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City; Scott Wasserman, M.D., founder and CEO, Cosmetic Alchemy, Scottsdale, Ariz.; U.S. Food and Drug Administration spokesperson; statement, Pond's
Copyright © 2013-2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
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Phallogocentric. Fun to say. Perhaps not so fun to get your head around. All week we'll be blogging up definitions from our new book Key Terms in Literary Theory – designed to make difficult terms, concepts and theorists accessible and understandable. This is one of my favourite literary words, what's yours?
Phallogocentric refers to a combination of phallocentric and logocentric systems of thought. Jacques Derrida describes Western metaphysics as logocentric, centered on logic and on the spoken word as guarantor of presence and identity. An example of logocentrism is the Biblical account of the creation of the world: "In the Beginning was the Word." From a logocentric perspective, speech is the original form of language and writing is merely the transcription of speech; the power of speech is associated with consciousness, selfhood, and rational thought. Jacques Derrida's deconstruction is a critique of this philosophical stance. He accuses Jacques Lacan of being both phallocentric, in naming the Phallus as the center of the Symbolic Order, and logocentric, in naming the Phallus as the source and origin of language, the transcendental signified, and names this stance "phallogocentrism." Hélène Cixous and post structural feminists also critique phallogocentric Western philosophy for its subordination of the feminine to the masculine.
– the definition above is taken from Key Terms in Literary Theory by Mary Klages, now available to buy in the UK (and publishing in the US in May 2012).


Wooden Window Boxes and Window Box Brackets.
We also supply elegant window box wall brackets that complement this window box sold separately. These are supplied with screws and rawplugs.
The Buckingham Wooden Window Box is perfect for any window ledge, wall or fence. The design is taken from a picket fence will accentuate the beauty of your plants and flowers whilst looking good in its own right.
Buckingham windowboxes are made from Scandinavian red pine with holes in the base for good drainage. The windowboxes can be finished in clear, golden brown, wild sage or white preservative. We also offer a selection of Farrow & Ball paint finishes.
Growing plants in windowboxes is easy and rewarding. With food, drink and a snug windowbox, your displays will flourish from season to season.
once the plants have passed their peak. You don't need to feed plants in winter even if they still look good, because they are in active growth.
Foliar feeds are liquid fertilisers in a highly diluted form capable of absorbed through a plant's leaves; these are useful to boost performance for a for a special occasion, or as a pick me up.
For windowbox cultivation, it is best to use slow-release fertiliser, since your plants will be in the same compost for at least a season. You can mix slow-release feeds into your compost at planting time. Alternatively there are special hanging basket slow release feeds in tea bag form designed to be included when you plant.


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Mercedes unhappy: "We have to get our act together" for Singapore Grand Prix
by Nicolás Quarles van Ufford
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was left very unhappy after qualifying on Saturday evening in Singapore, as the Austrian admits his side have to "get our act together" ahead of the Grand Prix on Sunday.
Although Lewis Hamilton qualified on the front row for the Silver Arrows, it perhaps masked some of the issues with one-lap pace Mercedes showed on Saturday. After the initial run in Q3, both Hamilton, as well as teammate Valtteri Bottas, were a full second behind provisional pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel.
Somehow, Hamilton improved by eight-tenths in the final shoot-out to beat Vettel to P2 as he will line up on the front row next to in-form Charles Leclerc, although Bottas was left behind in P5. The Finn was still almost a second slower than Leclerc's pole-setting time.
After qualifying, Wolff admitting Mercedes need to improve massively if they want to walk away with a win at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on Sunday.
"This is a circuit we thought the Red Bulls and Mercedes would battle for pole," he said on Sky Sports F1's broadcast.
"Their car [Ferrari's] is fast, they did a good job and we have to get our act together tomorrow.
"They are gaining a few tenths on the strengths but also quick on the corners - quick everywhere. The statistics are against us but the race has not started. If Lewis is able to get a good start and Valtteri can get up a position then we're in a good position."
Leclerc beats Hamilton to claim third pole position in a row in Singapore!
Hamilton doesn't know where Ferrari got their pace from!
Vettel admits he "peaked too early" after missing out on pole
Read more about: Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix Mercedes AMG F1 team Toto Wolff Marina Bay Street Circuit Lewis Hamilton Valtteri Bottas
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Tag: Rajatkhare
Why entrepreneurs cannot undermine the importance of yoga and meditation
Post author By Brand Buzz
It is no secret that spirituality and entrepreneurship don't seem to be connected in any way, if you look at these terms from a general point of view.
While spirituality is all about connecting with the divine power on the back of set beliefs and distancing from thoughts that may collapse the foundation of faith, entrepreneurship is related with finding the feet in a real and practical world with regards to fulfilling the business objectives. The synonym of spirituality is meditation, whereas entrepreneurship is concerned with profit making.
However, at some point in their life, most of the entrepreneurs recognize that both the terms have something in common that could possibly create more chances for them during the course of their journey.
Those who realize the same in due timeoften end up making a huge mark in the entrepreneurial orbit, instead of solely focusing on making profit and draining themselves physically, as well as mentally.
A conscious approach to entrepreneurship, while also taking time for meditation or yoga, could prove to be a game-changer for any individual.
It may seem to be a new concept in theory, but there are many real life examples of business people turning to spiritualty to strike the right balance in their personal and professional life. The trend is certainly catching up, especially after the prevalence of yoga institutes and meditation centers all across the world.
Many leading business personalities have admitted their love-affair with Yoga to overcome the drawbacks of their monotonous lifestyle.One such Leader and an Entrepreneur, Rajat Khare, the founder of global investment firm Boundary Holding, who believes that yoga has shaped his understanding of entrepreneurship.
According to RajatKhare, yoga and meditation have had a great impact on his entrepreneurial career. The spiritual part of his journey has not only kept him focused in his professional life, but also helped in balancing the emotions, he says on his Facebook page dedicated to yoga.
On the other hand, renowned entrepreneur Russel Simmons often speaksabout the role of yoga in his life, and how it has become an integral part of his journey from the last 20 years. He credits it with nurturing the creativeside of himself to build a massive business empire. Many notable business people practice yoga to increase their focus and clarity to make better decisions in the nick of time.
Several studies have been conducted to analyze how entrepreneurs who practice yoga or meditation fare during the decisive moments in their life, over the ones who are not concerned with spirituality. The results have undoubtedly favored the spiritual entrepreneurs over their counterparts, making a case to give enough importance to meditation and yoga, instead of separating these terms from entrepreneurship.
Brand Buzz
Tags Entrepreneur, meditation, Rajatkhare, yoga
Is autonomous technology the solution to fight water pollution?
Post author By Simon Grey
The quantity of plastic waste is rapidly increasing in rivers, lakes and oceans across the world. Over 245 million tonnes of plastic wasteis floating on the surface of oceans, while tonnes of heavy waste materials are present on the floor of these oceans. The presence of plastic waste in waterways has affected all kinds of living beings, including birds, fish, humans, etc.
One of the largest patches of floating plastic and other waste materials present on the surface of oceans is spread over 1.6 million square kilometres in the pacific. There are four similar patches present in the oceans, which are relatively smaller than the one in pacific.
Undoubtedly, it is not an easy job to clean up these patches of garbage only through manpower. However, with the help of water robots, this activity can be performed rather easily. These water robots can operate independently and clean the plastic patches faster with great accuracy.
One such autonomous surface vehiclesor water robot, known as WasteShark can clean up to 200 litres of ocean waste before being emptied. Inspired by whale sharks, WasteSharkfloats through the sea just like the former with its mouth open, collecting garbage instead of fish. Developed by RanMarinetechnology, WasteShark moves gently that prevents it from posing any danger to the ocean life. It also collects data about water quality, providing insights into how fast plastic is degrading in the seas.
The products of RanMarine, including WasteShark, are designed to be used both manually and autonomously with online control and access. The company has specialized in the development of industrial autonomous surface vessels for ports, harbours and other marine and water environments. The data enablement of its products allows customers to closely monitor the environment and makeup of their water and create an accurate picture of the waters DNA over the time.
Developed in association with the German research centre for artificial intelligence, WasteShark is one of the most efficient and smart products of RanMarine. The company has been fostering the growth of green solutions to the complex problems. As a result, the Netherlands-based start-up recently managed to secure funding from Boundary Holding, a Luxembourg-based investment firm, led by Rajat Khare. RanMarine is planning to utilize the funds on the R&D of upcoming products, data and customer portal to expand the team and business development for a holistic growth.
With the advent of products like WasteShark, the prospects of ensuring clean waterways have brightened. Boasted with capabilities like 5 km range, 10 hour swim time, 15 years of operating life and 500 kg of debris clearance in a day, autonomous surface vehicles like WasteShark can certainly be the solution to fight water pollution in a comprehensive way.
Simon Grey
Simon Grey was an iconic writer known for his science-fiction and high fantasy short stories. He was raised in a household in which the exploration of article ideas and fact finding was encouraged. He became one of the most decorated writers in publishing fraternity, winning multiple awards for his excellent writting.
Tags autonomous surface vehicles, Fighting water pollution, Rajat Khare, Rajatkhare, RanMarine, Technology


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3 injured in NJ gas line explosion
BAYONNE - An explosion injured three contractors installing a new gas main on a street named to honor Korean War veterans.
Public Service Electric & Gas says the workers were testing the pipe with air, which is standard practice, when the incident took place around 9 a.m. Wednesday on Chosin Few Way in a section of Bayonne that was once a military base.
Police Lt. Robert Wizbicki says two workers were taken to Jersey City Medical Center. One worker was listed in critical condition, while the other was in serious condition.
Another worker sustained minor injuries.
Two police officers at the worksite were not injured but were taken to a hospital as a precaution.
Wizbicki says there is no additional danger to the public because there is no gas in the line.
The cause of the explosion is under investigation.


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Economics blogEconomic growth (GDP)
Britain's low-wage economy serves as a bind on the country
With no increase in borrowing or exports the UK is unable to replicate the economies of Germany and the US
Mechanical engineers in Berlin train at a centre run by Siemens, which introduced a dual degree and hands-on-work programme. Germany's industry-based economy depends on new trainees. Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Phillip Inman, economics correspondent
@phillipinman
Wed 13 Feb 2013 14.35 EST
In the US it is an article of faith among rightwing economists that falling real wages are the foundation stone of the economy's competitiveness.
For 30 years the wages of manufacturing workers from Michigan to Atlanta have failed to grow, and 10 years ago Germany decided a copycat policy was in order. How else to compete with the Chinese? German productivity soared.
In most of Europe, including the UK, real wages climbed all through the 1990s and up to the banking crash. But since 2009 that situation has swung into reverse.
The Office for National Statistics has looked back at the last 10 years and found real wages, which are based on a survey of pay packets adjusted for inflation, have fallen so steeply in the last three years that they are back to levels last seen in 2002-03.
Fantastic you might say. Now Britain's exporters can compete more keenly with foreign rivals. And you don't have to be a rightwing economist to see the wider benefits.
But driving down wages has terrible side-effects for the economy as much as it does for household incomes.
In the absence of wage rises, consumers must borrow to buy goods and services. If they don't borrow, they don't shop and if they don't shop, producers of goods and services shed jobs.
We can see from the latest US figures that wages remain fixed and borrowing is rising. Barack Obama said in his state of the union speech that he wanted to raise the minimum wage to overcome the problem. It will help, but probably not enough.
The US may be storing up the next financial bubble with extra borrowing, but, in the short-term, consumption is boosted.
And there are other things going for the US economy, which is investing in new hi-tech equipment despite the attraction of cheap labour to do the work (a robot is expensive to buy, but increases productivity).
In Germany, the success of exports negates the need for a domestic consumption rise.
The UK's coalition hoped it could follow suit. Cash pulled in from selling stuff abroad would make up for the lack of domestic demand. But alas, the UK is neither borrowing nor exporting more, and is left to flounder with a low-wage economy that simply consumes enough to maintain the UK's current productive capacity.
That means unemployment remaining at 2.5 million people and the long-term unemployed being out of work for yet longer.
The government is under pressure to increase its own borrowing to make up for the lack of household borrowing and the fall in real wages, primarily by employing more people in the private sector to build bridges, roads and railways.
The experience of the pre-crash years is that big infrastructure spending does raise wages and increase consumption. Unfortunately many of those hired are construction workers imported from eastern Europe, which has little impact on unemployment.
It shows there are no easy answers for the UK.
Economic growth (GDP)
Economics blog


In the session, we all resoundingly agreed that being "open" and using open source software that respects our freedom is a Good Thing. But we also agreed that it's an aspirational goal for most people.
I acknowledged that we live in a world dominated by "Closed-by-default" thinking. As such most of us engage with computers and the Internet through a lot of closed (proprietary) technologies. Most people use market-dominant devices by Apple, Microsoft, and Google and popular software by those same companies and others - on the desktop, device, and in the Cloud - which is definitely not open (although much of it is only a thin proprietary layer on top of an open source foundation!).
The inertia of such proprietary solutions is daunting. It's hard to shift to becoming completely "open" - it's an especially big ask for those who aren't overly tech-savvy because most professional support services focus on where most of the people currently are, i.e. closed platforms and software, because that's where the market and the money are... It's also where most of people's data is "locked up" in formats or schema that those vendors keep to themselves as a "competitive advantage".
I've personally been trying to be 100% open in my computing habits for the past 20 years, and I have the benefit of being a programmer and an IT professional (who happens to love this stuff). Even so, there're still a few niggling closed elements. But the key word in there is this: niggle. Things that needle you, that aren't as good as they could or should be.
We can't all be open overnight in a world where the suppliers of our technology, for the most part, want us to buy into their closed systems to maximise their revenue. So instead we adopt "open" opportunistically - when we're making a change anyway for instance. Ultimately, it's about picking our fights, and identifying low hanging fruit, ripe for change.
In the course of the session, we decided that while we shouldn't feel bad about continuing to use closed technology, we shouldn't be complacent in it either. We should always see the closed elements in our technology environment as niggles - an offended sensibility - to be addressed when the chance arises, or when they annoy us enough to warrant action. Some of us will move faster than others, but as long as our aesthetic and principles reflect our intent to be progressively more open then our action will follow. And we're moving in the right direction.


The Chamber provides our members with access to regular business development opportunities. These include guest speakers, training and information sessions on topics relevant to the development of our members and their businesses.
All members are encouraged to participate and make the most of the business development opportunities on offer.
If you have a particular business development need that you would like assistance with, or if you are able to offer information, training or support to other members, please contact us.


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RAF combat helicopters come to the aid of Scottish Air Ambulance services across the north and north-east
By Daniel Boal
Puma crews work with medics during the trial.
Military forces across the UK have been pitching in to aid emergency services' work to push back against coronavirus in the north and north-east.
Flying out of Kinloss Barracks in Moray, RAF helicopters had been supporting the Scottish Ambulance Services response to the pandemic last year.
Usually serving as transport for troops, weapons or extraction of frontline medical emergencies – Puma helicopters were re-tasked to shuttle patients to emergency care facilities across the country.
At critical care team bases in Aberdeen, the Puma crews worked with dozens of personnel from the Scottish Ambulance Service to streamline their joint efforts.
In addition to missions launched from bases in Moray, air based evacuations have been conducted from Shetland, Orkney and Arran in their continued joint effort with the emergency services.
It is understood that more than 5,000 UK Armed Forces personnel are currently deployed to support the response to the coronavirus across the UK, working on 70 different tasks ranging from schools testing to the rollout of vaccines.
Making the armed forces support during the Covid-19 crisis the largest homeland military operation during peacetime.
Back in summer of last year the joint effort between the NHS and armed forces also included the setting up of the NHS Louisa Jordan facility in Glasgow, to staff mobile testing units across Scotland.


Learning to swim is an important skill that should be learned at an early age. This is great for parents of eager swimmers but what do you do if your child is fearful of the water? The following tips can help ease your child into the water.
Children need empathy and support when they are facing a fearful situation, such as swimming. Listen to your child's fears about the water and make them feel understood. When a child feels like he can express his fears to you, he will become more open and explicit about what it is that scares him about swimming. Perhaps it is a fear of drowning, a fear of getting water in his ears or something that you had never even thought of, until you asked. Once you know what is scaring your child about the water, you can better work to remedy that fear.
It is perfectly acceptable to use whatever toys or equipment it takes to get over a fear, but it's important that your child practice swimming without goggles and floaties too. If a child becomes too dependent upon these devices, accidental drowning can occur if they fall in without their water aids and panic. Implement water aids when needed, but be careful not to let your child become too dependent upon them.
Meet your child where they are. If they are afraid to even get wet at all, make putting their feet in the water a goal. Once they feel comfortable sitting on the side with their feet in the water, make the next goal standing in the water up to their waist. Small, incremental goals will help your child build the confidence necessary to begin to swim.
Once your child shows disinterest in the situation, allow her to take a break. Especially for a child who is already unsure of the water, there is no reason to push it too far. This may be a good time to have a snack, take a short nap, or or play a game out of the water. By making each and every experience around the water positive, your child will likely come to love the water!
In teaching a fearful child how to swim, there are several methods you can use. First off, acknowledge their fear and let them know that you understand. Allow them to use water aids at first, but don't allow them to become dependent upon them. Create small goals and move forward, and lastly, know when it's time to take a break.