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Burgundy or Bordeaux?
Burgundy has dramatic sun-facing slopes dotted with tiny wine villages
These two wines are dramatically different, as are the two distinct areas in which they are grown. Bordeaux is masculine and bold. Burgundy is feminine and gentle. Bordeaux calls out for grilled meats. Burgundy begs for fish with a delicate sauce. Bordeaux is all about opulent chateaux and enormous vineyards. On the other hand, Burgundy is about small parcels of land that have been passed down over generations. The list of differences goes on and on.
Bordeaux is all about grand, impressive estates
Many of the differences between Bordeaux and Burgundy and are a result of the different wine grapes allowed by law within these two regions. Bordeaux's powerful wines come from the formidable Cabernet Sauvignon grape and the less muscular Merlot. Bordeaux actually allows blending of up to five red grapes to round out its power-house wines. Legally, things are very different in Burgundy. Only Pinot Noir may be used in Burgundian reds---under the area's strict rules, blending is not allowed. As Pinot Noir is much less tannic than its Bordeaux counterparts, the structure of a red Burgundy is significantly different (but equally compelling and complex), as are its flavor profiles and aromas. Pinots are about finesse, not about strength.
Bordeauxs in their youth offer dark fruit flavors such as black cherries, blackberries, black currants and plums. These fruit flavors are often mixed with herbal or spicy nuances such as cedar, licorice or black pepper. With some aging, however, Bordeaux flavors can take on leather or even cigar-box qualities.
Bordeaux's color is dark
Burgundy's color is light
Pinot Noir serves up a completely different experience. Think lighter red fruits such as strawberries, cranberries, raspberries or red cherries. Pinot can even take on slight earthy flavors such as mushrooms or wet leaves. As the tannins in this grape are much less aggressive than its Bordeaux counterparts, the mouth feel of Pinots are much softer and the wine appears more elegant.
Burgundy's monks built rock walls around each parcel of land to delineate its terroir
Hundreds of years ago (before Bordeaux was even a wine region) Burgundian monks invented the concept of terroir. These wine-making clergy separated out like a patchwork quilt every little plot of earth in the small wine region of Burgundy. They knew what parcels produced the best grapes and why. They even built rock walls (called "clos") around each vineyard and recorded their findings on intricate maps. These clos today form the basis for Burgundy's Premier Cru. The monks took into account all of the elements that produce great wines: soil, drainage, exposure to the sun, wind, topography, humidity, pests etc. These are all components of terroir.
Bordeaux's gravel soils have been washed down from the Pryenees
Burgundy's terroir differs considerably from that of Bordeaux which is located hundred of miles away on the Atlantic. For example, the soil of Burgundy is limestone based, thus Burgundian wines have their hallmark minerality in addition to fruit profile. Bordeaux, in contrast, has gravel and clay soils, hence their wines are quite different. Weather is a huge difference. Bordeaux in general can ripen its grapes which translates to full flavored, bold wines. Pinot Noir is a cool weather varietal that doesn't require as much sun to ripen in Burgundy's cold climate.
Wine-Knows will be taking their farewell group to Burgundy in June 2019. We hope that you can join us to experience the land where the concept of terroir began, and to learn about the differences between a Burgundian Pinot and a Bordeaux-based Cabernet.
Wine, Food Bordeaux red, Bordeaux wine compared to Burgundy, Burgundian red, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, soil Bordeaux, soil Burgundy, terroir Bordeaux, terroir Burgundy
Kiwi Sauv Blancs
Sauv Blanc is the star of the show in the Marlborough wine district
New Zealand has been historically a world leader when it comes to Sauvignon Blanc (SB) wines. The classical Kiwi style is easily recognizable---a kind of in-your-face pungency of grass and citrus. (One critic has even said that if you don't like New Zealand Sauv Blancs, it's because you were forced to mow the lawn as a kid).
The Sauvignon Blanc grape is native to France. The Loire Valley, known for its gigantic castles, is also famous for its SB. In Bordeaux, the grape is mixed with Semillon to create an unctuous white Bordeaux. But, it's on New Zealand's south island that the varietal morphs into something quite different from its heritage.
Some of New Zealand's most spectacular SBs come from the Marlborough wine region on the south island. Producing >75% of all of New Zealand's wines, this area's flagship grape is SB. Marlborough is a river valley that empties into the sea and its sandy-gravely soil makes for perfect drainage. The low fertility of the soil also encourages concentration of flavors via lower yields. The heavier soils produce the more herbaceous SBs, while its stonier soils left over from the river's erosion impart more lush and tropical flavors. Some scientists, however, think that a hole in the ozone layer over this region influences these bold fruit flavors.
Stony soils washed down over centuries by the river exert a strong influence
As in all wine, the weather plays a major influence. New Zealand's geography ensures that no vineyard is more than 80 miles from the coast. This means maritime climates that are moderated by the sea---never too hot, but never too cold. Such climactic factors ensure a long and steady growing season that allows grapes to ripen slowly. Also, this allows for the development in balance between acids and sugars, one of the hallmarks of a well-crafted wine.
In my opinion the best renditions of Kiwi SBs are those that have tamed the grassy profiles to merely subtle background notes. Dogpoint offers a well-made SB full of melon and passion fruit mixed with citrus and mineral flavors. Often available at our local Costco for $20, it consistently delivers big in the quality/price department. Greywacke (owned by the original winemaker at Cloudy Bay) also delivers a tremendous product in the same price range. This one offers a superb rendition of well-integrated citrus, tropical, herbal, and mineral.
Wine Knows will be visiting both of the above wineries on its 2020 harvest tour. Currently we have 7 seats available: www.WineKnowsTravel.com.
Wine, Food Dogpoint, flavor profile Sauv Blanc, Greywacke, Marlborough wine region, new zealand south island wine, New Zealand wine, Sauv Blanc Kiwi, Sauvignon Blanc, terroir New Zealand, wine profile
Vietnam's Best
Nirvana for the country's best banh mi sandwich
Anthony Bourdain is to blame. He spoiled me. I keep wanting to prove him wrong, but I've not been able to do so after attempting many times. Indeed, the best banh mi sandwich in Vietnam is in the seaside UNESCO village of Hoi Ann at Banh mi Phuong. Believe me when I say their rendition of this sandwich is the bomb. I've eaten there three times and I'm already dreaming of my return in 2020 with the next group of Wine-Knows.
Banh mi actually means bread. France controlled Vietnam for nearly 80 years and settlers brought to the colony their love for baguettes. Although the French were driven out in the 1950's, the baguette remained. A baguette is the basis for the banh mi, however, the Vietnamese version is always a single serving baguette. Rice flour is often used in conjunction with wheat flour making the Vietnamese adaptation more airy with a thinner crust. It's super crunchy and crispy.
A sampling of some of the ingredients at Banh mi Phuong
The baguette is a critical component for the Banh mi but the inside ingredients also can make or break it. The version I order at Banh mi Phuong has > 10 ingredients, all elements working in totally harmony. First, there's a thin layer of aioli, then a splash of the au jus left over from the roasting of the poultry and meats that will follow later on the sandwich. Then, a spreadable house-made pate. Last, there are tomatoes, pickled carrots and daikon, thinly sliced cucumbers, fresh cilantro, and finally a dab of fish sauce mixed with chili for the perfect kick.
The owner's daughter warms the scrumptious baguettes
At Banh mi Phuong huge baskets of baguettes are delivered every hour by bicycle from the local bakery. They are warm on arrival, but this sandwich shop warms the baguettes in a small oven briefly before preparation…making the bread even crunchier. Hundreds of baguettes are served hourly here as there's a constant parade of hungry folks night and day.
Now for the bad news: there's always a line. The coveted ten or so tables inside are always crawling with locals and tourists jockeying in concert for one of the few spots to sit. Because of this, the small sandwich shop is surrounded by a swarm of parked motorcycles whose riders devour their banh mi atop their motorbikes.
Check out the few minute clip from Bourdain's visit to Banh mi Phuong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUMlwNHNXp0
Wine, Food Anthony Bourdain, Asian cuisine, bagette Vietnam, Banh mi Phuong, banh mui, Hoi Ann, Vietnam for foodies, Vietnamese food, Vietnamese sandwich
S.O.S. (Summer of Spritz)
My first Aperol Spritz in Venice
There's no better way to ring in the arrival of summer than with an Aperol Spritz. I first was introduced to this colorful aperitif in Venice about ten years ago on a summer's evening at an outdoor swanky canal-side bar. Every single table of Italians were enjoying a bright orange-colored drink in a wine glass filled with ice. What was this popular mystery drink?
"A spritz, Signora" our waiter informed me, and he then added "It's very Venetian." Sold! All of us bravely ordered one, not knowing if we would make it past the first sip. (I was thinking of the fiasco of ordering my first Negroni cocktail 30 years earlier on the island of Capri. I wanted to spit out the first sip but couldn't as I was on the terrace of the 5 star La Quissiana Hotel). But, the spitz more than made up from my horrible earlier experience of trying a new cocktail. Like everyone else at the table, I became an instant fan of the Aperol spritz!
A spritz is made from Aperol and sparkling wine. Aperol is what gives the aperitif its unmistakable vivid orange color. You can't miss a bottle of Aperol in a bar or in a liquor store as its color commands attention. Think brilliant neon orange. Aperol is a somewhat bitter aperitif distilled from a mélange of oranges, rhubarb and plants such as cinchona (related to quinine, it is responsible for Aperol's slightly bitter taste, similar to that of tonic water).
The Venetian waiter was correct. Aperol is very Ventetian as it is actually produced in the Venice area. But, Aperol has exploded onto the American cocktail scene. In a recent Bon Appetit there was an entire article on the "spritz." According to the magazine, Aperol has created "a seismic shift." Indeed, Aperol is appearing in endless concoctions. Recently I've seen a Pimm's Cup made with Aperol, an Aperol mimosa, and even an Aperol margarita. But, Aperol has moved well beyond the US market. I've seen Aperol in one form or another in Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, and Fiji.
While I've experimented with creating my own Aperol renditions, I have to admit that the original spritz version remains my very favorite. The recipe is super easy and only involves a few ingredients: ½ Aperol and ½ sparkling wine with a splash of sparkling water…finish with a slice of orange and serve in a glass with ice.
Have a S.O.S. !
Wine, Food Aperol, aperol spritz, drink recipe, Prosecco, Spitz, summer cocktail, Venetian cocktail, Venice wine


Fridge project goes on radio! Grap a coffee and switch on SWR3 and DasDing!
Interview on TV about: Show me your fridge!
Studio SeeYa is a multidisciplinary studio. Always looking for new experiences and exciting collaborations! Feel free to contact to us! See Yaaaa!


text:
Theory & Event
Book Review Info
Abstracting & Indexing Databases
Academic Search Alumni Edition, 1/1/2005-, dropped
Academic Search Complete
Academic Search Premier, 1/1/2005-1/31/2016, dropped
Academic Search Ultimate, 1/1/2005-1/31/2016
Left Index (Online), 1/1/1997-
MLA International Bibliography (Modern Language Association), coverage dropped
Poetry & Short Story Reference Center, 1/1/2005-
Political Science Complete, 1/1/2005-
TOC Premier (Table of Contents), 1/1/2005-, dropped
ArticleFirst, vol.1, no.1, 1997-vol.14, no.4, 2011
Electronic Collections Online, vol.1, no.1, 1997-vol.14, no.4, 2011
Political Science Database, 04/01/2017-
Politics Collection
ProQuest Central, 4/1/2017-
Social Science Premium Collection, 04/01/2017-
Source: Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory.
Political Science & Policy Studies, Society
Journal of Democracy
Postmodern Culture
Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
Journal of Colonialism & Colonial History
Tang Studies
The French Review
The SAIS Review of International Affairs
Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved
Social Research: An International Quarterly
Asian Perspective
Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Videojuego de rol táctico, también conocido como TRPG (siglas en inglés de tactical role-playing game) o SRPG (siglas en inglés de strategy role playing game), es un género de videojuegos con elementos de los videojuegos de rol y de los videojuegos de estrategia.

En estos videojuegos el jugador controla un grupo de personajes (pueden variar a lo largo del juego) que deben ir superando batallas que consisten en mover a los luchadores por un escenario dividido en casillas (no siempre visibles) y atacar a los contendientes del bando contrario con armas, habilidades, hechizos, etc.

 Los luchadores obtienen experiencia y suben de nivel, haciéndose más fuertes.
 Se les puede equipar con todo tipo de objetos.
 Las batallas siguen una historia predeterminada pero que puede seguir caminos distintos según las acciones llevadas a cabo.

Ejemplos

NES
 Fire Emblem
 Fire Emblem Gaiden

SNES
 Fire Emblem: Monshō no Nazo
 Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu
 Fire Emblem: Thracia 776
 Front Mission
 Ogre Tactics

Sega Mega Drive
 Shining Force
 Shining Force II
 Langrisser
 Langrisser II

Game Boy Color
 Kakurenbo Battle Monster Tactics

Game Boy Advance
 Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
 Fire Emblem: Fūin no Tsurugi
 Fire Emblem Blazing Sword
 Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
 Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis
 Onimusha Tactics
 Yu Yu Hakusho - Ghost Files: Tournament Tactics

PlayStation
 Final Fantasy Tactics
 Hoshigami
 Front Mission 3
 Summon Night
 TearRing Saga: Utona Heroes Saga
 Vandal Hearts
 Vandal Hearts II
 Vanguard Bandits

Sega Saturn
 Shining Force III

 Nintendo GameCube
 Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance PlayStation 2
 Berwick Saga: Lazberia Chronicle Chapter 174 Breath of fire Disgaea Makai Kingdom Phantom Brave Suikoden Tactics Eternal Poison Stella Deus La Pucelle PlayStation 3
 Agarest Generations of War Agarest Generations of War Zero Agarest Generations of War 2 Disgaea 3: Absence of Justice Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten Valkyria Chronicles PSP
 Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions Tactics Ogre: Let us Cling together Jeanne d'Arc Nintendo DS
 Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon Disgaea DS Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift Luminous Arc 2 Rondo of Swords Devil Survivor Pokémon Conquest Wii
 Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn PC
 Heroes of Might and Magic Nintendo 3DS
 Fire Emblem: Awakening Fire Emblem Warriors Project X Zone Stella Glow Fire Emblem Fates''
 Project X Zone 2

Nintendo Switch
 Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Triangle Strategy

Rol táctico

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Gut distention or swelling of the abdomen is common in many top level bodybuilders.
Your abdomen could be swollen for a number of different reasons. These range from eating too much to IBS, Lactose Intolerance or from eating foods that are high in fiber leading to gas production. If you don't release this gas, it can lead to abdominal swelling. However in the case of bodybuilders the cause is usually due to other factors.
The most common theory is that a combination of Human Growth Hormone and Insulin are the main culprits. These cause Growth of the organs inside the chest and the abdomen (commonly called visceral growth). It's not surprising to see a bodybuilder with a distended stomach when his colon is actually the size of a Boa Constrictor; Now add insulin to this potent cocktail and you risk seeing growth of intra-abdominal fat (visceral growth) as well increased water retention. Knowing how popular insulin is nowadays this is no surprise our bodybuilders run into problems. Insulin makes you grow muscle, but it also makes you grow fat (including visceral fat too).
Now lets look at a bodybuilder prepping for competition. He is dehydrated and wishing to saturate his muscles with the glycogen derived from hundreds of calories of rice and potatoes. This will be difficult. Why? Because he's probably not taking in sodium and is on diuretics. This slows gastric emptying and also leaves little water to make the desired glycogen (glycogen is three parts water to one of glucose), so the whole digestive process is slowed. The carbing-up, however, is not. All that abdominal muscle is now being stretched because it's so full. It then draws fluid to it (blood), just like any other muscle being worked or stretched. This, coupled with a ton of food, should create a nice big bulge where a vacuum is supposed to be.
Distend Away contains contains a unique blend of Herbal ingredients to battle these problems from both angles. The first is its digestive hormone receptor inhibitor containing: inulin, Cinnamon extract, R-ALA, Glutathione, bitter melon extract, Grapefruit extract and pierine working to block the effects of Growth Hormone and Insulin on the digestive organs. This limits the potential growth of the stomach and intestines without effecting the effects of these compound on skeletal muscle. The second is a propriety digestive enzyme and probiotic blend which actively relieves gas and bloating.
If gut distention is an issue for you try Pro Bodybuilding Distend Away.


text:
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"Misery and Distress" – Thoughts by a Hungarian: European Parlament Civil Liberties Committee debates on Hungary's controversial laws
Posted by Laszlo Keki ⋅ January 13, 2012 ⋅ 1 Comment
Filed Under charter of fundamental rights, civil liberties committee, Commission, democratic europe, discrimination in employment, European Commission, European Parliament, European Union, european values, Frank Engel, Hungarian government, Hungary, Kinga Gál, Lisbon Treaty, Renate Weber, retirement age, Treaties of the European Union, Viktor Orbán
Interesting debate developed out yesterday in the European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee about the concerns regarding the recently applied new Hungarian fundamental and cardinal laws.
Really elevating to feel how strongly and sensitively our plural democratic Europe and its institutions guardianning and sentinelling the Grail of our European democracy, equality and freedom which are the diamond hard basements of our equal, multicultural, free and peaceful European Union. These principles are our most important basic European values.
The most inspiring thoughts I marked with bold in the bellow quote, but of course the full text of the debate is really exceptionally worth and enjoyable to read. Nice mirror of the plural European democracy.
LIBE Fundamental rights − 12-01-2012 – 21:26:
Concerns as to whether the laws implementing Hungary's new constitution are compatible with EU rules and values were raised by Civil Liberties Committee MEPs in a debate on Wednesday. Some MEPs proposed a "fundamental rights check" to determine whether there is a risk of a serious breach of EU values, while others favoured awaiting the European Commission's analysis of the laws, due on 17 January, before judging "a decision taken by a sovereign country".
The Commission's Director General for Justice, Françoise Le Bail, said that the Commission's evaluation of the compliance of the Hungarian laws with EU law was focusing on three issues: measures to retire judges and prosecutors at 62 years old, rather than 70, the independence of the judiciary and the independence of the data protection authority. Replying to MEPs' questions, Ms Le Bail explained that the retirement age measure was being checked against an EU directive on non-discrimination in employment, the independence of the judiciary one against Charter of Fundamental Rights Article 47 and the data protection authority one against the 1995 data protection directive.
Ms Le Bail said that the compatibility of some of these measures with EU law was "questionable", and promised that the Commission would complete its analysis in time for the College of Commissioners to decide on 17 January how to proceed with respect to Hungary. The Commission is prepared to make full use of its prerogatives, which could entail the launching of infringement procedures, she added.
Risk of breach of EU values?
"We don't have to wait to see what the Commission is doing. Parliament is entitled by the Lisbon Treaty to take action", said Renate Weber (ALDE, RO). She recalled issues such as the Hungarian media law, the Roma in France, upon which the Commission had begun very bluntly but lost momentum thereafter, and voiced concern over Hungary's cardinal laws, which she said "would allow legislation to be cemented for the next hundred years".
Ms Weber added that the Commission should also test Hungary's laws against EU Treaty Article 2, which states that the EU is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities.
"There is every indication that Hungary will realign its legislation according to the Commission's evaluation", said Frank Engel (EPP, LU), adding that "I don't see any reason for all this hysteria". He proposed to wait until the "regular procedure is fulfilled" before coming to any conclusion "on a decision taken by a sovereign country".
"We needed this new constitution", said Kinga Gál (EPP, HU), adding that "it can happen that there are mistakes, but I don't think this can give raise to any affirmation or rumour saying that there is a breach of democracy and the rule of law in Hungary".
"The Charter of Fundamental Rights is primarily for the EU, not necessarily legally binding in this way for Member States", said Axel Voss (EPP, DE), adding that "this should be addressed as a regular breach of the EU Treaties". On the independence of the data protection supervisor, he said that "it should be discussed, but not in an exaggerated fashion". "European law must be the cornerstone of our action", he underlined.
"Let the Commission do what it has to do", urged Ms Gál, adding that "these issues should not be politicised" and that it is "very good" that the Commission, as guardian of the treaties, "follows this and says what needs to be changed".
"This is about the risk of breach of fundamental rights", argued Sophie int'Veld (ALDE, NL), adding that activating Article 7 of the Treaty, in order to assess whether there is a risk of a serious breach of EU values, "would be justified".
"I support my group's request for the application of Article 7. These are basic rights that should be respected by all Member States in Europe", added Sonia Alfano (ALDE, IT).
"We are facing a drift that is worrying this House", said Rui Tavares (Greens/EFA, PT). "A dictatorial drift", he added. "We see again and again that citizens expect us to act on fundamental rights", he insisted, adding that "democracy means not only that majorities rule, it is also means that majorities change". "Would a candidate country with this kind of laws have any chance to join the EU?", he wondered.
Mr Tavares also advocated applying Article 7, in order to determine whether there is a clear risk of a serious breach of the values on which the EU is founded. This would be an "alert procedure" for Hungary, he said.
Media law, electoral law, church law:
Kinga Göncz (S&D, HU), asked the Commission what it expected the Hungarian authorities to do after the legal analysis is concluded, suggesting that a more political answer would be required, and not just a legal one. In the previous year, there had been "cosmetic changes" to Hungary's media law, she recalled, adding that this should be avoided now. Ms Göncz also asked the Commission to analyse Hungary's electoral law and church law.
Kyriacos Triantaphyllides (GUE/NGL, CY), asked whether the infringement of labour laws and attacks against political parties were being addressed by the Commission. Krisztina Morvai (NI, HU) also urged that the Hungarian people and workers should be heard.
Csaba Sógor (EPP, RO), defended the media and religious laws passed by the Hungarian government. "There are nine Member States which recognise fewer churches than Hungary", he said, adding that "in Hungary there is no state religion, as it happens in many other Member States". He also claimed that the Club radio was not closed in Hungary.
Ana Gomes (S&D, PT), voiced concerns about the electoral laws, which could render the main political opposition party illegal, she said, adding that this debate "is not against the Hungarian people, it is for the Hungarian people".
"What is happening in Hungary today is very serious for the European project and its universal values. This is a mutation of democracy", said Louis Michel (ALDE, BE).
József Szájer (EPP, HU), called on the European Parliament to "make an investigation before passing any judgement, as the Commission is doing". "What Fidesz inherited is something that needed to be restructured, we needed to create a new state that is functional", he stressed, noting that the Hungarian parliament had passed 230 laws and 30 cardinal laws. "If there are only these 4 or 5 mistakes that we are discussing, I think we did a very good job", he concluded.
It's not only about Hungary
We are talking about "shared principles and values" and "Parliament cannot turn a blind eye to what is happening", said Birgit Sippel (S&D, DE), stressing that "this is not a discussion between the Commission and Hungary only. As the EU we lose all our credibility if one of our Member States is not respecting fundamental rights".
"This isn't about Hungary, it is about any Member State of the EU having problems with fundamental rights. I think no other Member State would have been treated differently. The Copenhagen criteria do not disappear when a country joins the EU and Article 7 also allows the Parliament to initiate proceedings", said Alexander Alvaro (ALDE, DE).
Sophie int'Veld (ALDE, NL), observed that "Hungary took a sovereign decision to adhere to the EU treaties" and must therefore respect them. "The situation in Hungary is exceptionally serious", but there are other Member States not respecting fundamental rights, se said, citing the treatment of Roma people in France or that of migrants and asylum seekers in her own country.
Cornelia Ernst (GUE/NGL, DE), described the way in which the Roma issue had been handled as a "fiasco", and called for action to prevent the treaties from being violated.
A strictly legal issue?
"We accept that this is not only a legal issue, it is both legal and political", Ms Le Bail told MEPs after the debate. "What the Commission is expecting from Hungary is full compliance with EU laws, the wording and the spirit of the EU Treaties and with the Charter of Fundamental Rights", she concluded.
In the chair: Kinga Gál (EPP, HU)
REF. : 20120109IPR35005
Source of text : European Parlament News
I can see now that European Union is working and I can feel that I the European Citizenship I have got is usefull and the vision of Monnet became truth again: European Integration will be forced and contributed in crises. (Jean Monnet)
Hungary should not be treated as victim in satiation of a precedent. The current issues regarding Hungary bring to the surface several deep problems not only regarding Hungary but also the entire EU society. The issue is already to much politicised which is dangerous. Clear, proper, precise procedure should be fulfilled before judging and coming to any conclusion on decisions taken by a member of EU which is still a sovereign country also.
Why I remark these? Because an exaggerating process and the early judging and the too much or hard political voices might even more destroy and harm the otherwise nowadays already extremely weak financial creditability of Hungary and the big bill for the hard words at the end will be paid by us Hungarians and all the Europeans and in London and New York the esteemed credit rating "institutions" usually does not wait till the end outcomes of a proper legal procedure with their decisions.
Related texts: Statement of the European Commission on the situation in Hungary on 11 January 2012
The official translation of the new constitution of Hungary
The old one of 1949, modified in 1989 can be found here
I suggest to read carefully both.
Letter of US FS Mrs. Clinton to Hungarian PM Mr. Orban
Letter of EC President Mr. Barroso to Hungarian PM Mr. Orban
Hungary – "the Commission remains preoccupied…" (ftalphaville.ft.com)
EU gives Hungary an ultimatum on checks and balances (theglobeandmail.com)
Hungary awaits EU, IMF arguments against new laws (newsok.com)
EU threatens legal action against Hungary (independent.co.uk)
EU threatens legal action against Hungary (sfgate.com)
The EU Has Threatened Legal Action Against Hungary For That Controversial New Constitution (businessinsider.com)
The Guradian UK Ester Kinsky: This Hungarian hangover could cost the EU more credibility than a failed euro.
European Union Gives Hungary an Ultimatum (nytimes.com)
About Laszlo Keki
I am from Hungary (EU) European Journalist, Bl. Writing about today's EU political, social, economical issues, environmental challenges, climate change and environmental protection. Awards: European Journalism Centre TH!NK4: Climate Change and TH!NK5: Water blogging competition winner. Diplomas: General Chemistry Technology, Communication, Marketing. International Relations Job: international trading. I am living near Budapest in a small peaceful, green village. Love: life, garden, arts, water, forests, good climate, good food, clean water, clean air, journalism, sciences, modern technology, people, history and the social studies.
View all posts by Laszlo Keki »
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There is a line of thought out there that says everything is actually perfect. Like just as it is perfect for the grass to re-emerge from the frozen ground, just like it's perfect for the grizzly bear to scoop up honey and be stung a thousand times, just as it is perfect for a storm to invigorate the dry ground and simultaneously destroy the work of beavers or humans it is also perfect for mankind to do all that it does whether Meredith Monk makes Dolmen Music, Truffault makes the 400 Blows or Monsanto patents wheat. It is all too complex to understand as single activities. All interconnected and painted with brushes that have nothing to do with categories of right or wrong. Good and bad are inventions of people which is just another aspect of things proceeding perfectly. I wonder if after I obtain my Masters and apply for positions at a Colleges or Universities, to teach songwriting or improvisation (even creative writing, performance or media arts), if whoever interviews me and then rejects my application, will understand when I say, "Right, of course that's perfect. Thanks anyway".
the first rule of free improvisation is to stick with your idea. Don't abandon it. Where you'll end up will most definitely be unexpected, but it will definitely be a place that is you.


Click in the game area with your mouse or hit the 'S' key to start. Use your mouse to sight an approaching ship in your cross-hairs. A target box will light up when an enemy ship is in your sights, giving the craft's closing speed and range. Click the mouse button to fire.
Whenever an enemy fighter gets past you, it will fire on your ship. You will see the screen flash and shake if they score a hit. Watch your shields - when they go, so do you.
You can pause the game at any time by hitting the 'P' key. Hit again to resume. Use the 'M' key to toggle sound on and off.
You will need a fast machine to play this game, I recommend at least a 200 MHz. It helps if you use a browser with a JIT (just-in-time) compiler for Java. Internet Explorer 4.0 seems to work best. Turning off the sound effects may also increase game speed.
For best effect, you may want to maximize your browser window before loading the game. The page uses a script to set the applet's width and height to fit the available window area.


Lt. Col. (Ret.) Brian Birdwell is a survivor of the terrorist attack on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. After American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon, just yards away from his second floor office, Brian was thrown to the ground and engulfed in flames. Of the burns that consumed 60 percent of his body, nearly half were third-degree burns. After having undergone more than 30 operations and months of multiple skin grafts, burn treatments and therapy sessions, Birdwell has made a remarkable recovery. Despite some physical limitations, he testifies not only to his physical healing, but also to his spiritual healing – the ultimate miracle of grace.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Brian D. Birdwell is a native of Fort Worth, Texas, and a 1984 graduate of Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. Graduating as the Distinguished Military Graduate through the Army ROTC, he began his service in the United States Army at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. After subsequently serving in South Korea for 18 months, Brian returned to the States and met his future wife, Mel. In 1990, they traveled to their new station in Kitzingen, Germany. While in Germany, Birdwell was deployed for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm and earned the Bronze Star for action in the Gulf War. In 1996 while assigned to duty at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, he completed his master's degree at the University of Missouri. In 1998, while stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, he deployed to Central America to help lead the Joint Task Force in support of relief operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch. At the time of the attack, Brian was serving on the Department of the Army staff at the Pentagon as the Executive Officer to the Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management. He was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received on September 11, 2001.
Dennis Rainey honors Brian and Mel Birdwell for standing by their vows through trying times.
Dennis Rainey talks with 9/11 survivor Brian Birdwell and his wife, Mel.


text:
Click to copyhttps://apnews.com/074458e9dce044ddac2e13618c975bc8
Courtney Lee
Lee helps Knicks rally to 110-107 victory over Hornets
By BRIAN MAHONEYJanuary 28, 2017
Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) drives against New York Knicks center Joakim Noah (13) and guard Derrick Rose during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 27, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks know there isn't much time left to make a playoff push.
There may be less time for Carmelo Anthony and his teammates to convince management to keep them together.
Anthony shook off some boos and a rough shooting night to score 18 points, Courtney Lee added 16 against his former team and the Knicks beat the Charlotte Hornets 110-107 on Friday night.
Anthony finished 8 for 26 from the field and had just one basket in the fourth, but it was a big one, a jumper with 13 seconds left and the Knicks clinging to a two-point lead.
Lee carried the Knicks while Anthony struggled, scoring nine straight New York points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:39 left. Lee came to the Knicks in the summer after helping the Hornets to the playoffs last season.
"I think our sense of urgency is picking up and we realize that we can't keep saying it's early in the season," Lee said. "We're four or five games out of the playoffs, I think we realize now that time is running out."
The Knicks are actually only two games behind eighth-place Chicago, despite some prolonged struggles after a 16-13 start. That has put the attention squarely on Anthony's future in New York.
He has a no-trade clause and can stay in New York as long as he wants, but that hasn't stopped speculation that his time here could be nearing an end, with a few reports that the Knicks have been trying to find a deal.
If they do, it would seem to signal that President of Basketball Operations Phil Jackson is giving up on this group. Perhaps a strong stretch before the Feb. 23 trade deadline would make him think otherwise.
"I don't think we're playing out there to be convincing," Anthony said. "I think we understand what's at stake right now, and that's having an opportunity to creep back up there in one of those top eight spots."
Kemba Walker had 31 points and 10 rebounds for Charlotte a night after being chosen as an All-Star for the first time. Marvin Williams added 17 points but the Hornets made just seven baskets and had a long dry spell in the fourth quarter.
"We just missed shots," Walker said. "I thought we got great shots. Shots that we normally knock down we kind of missed them, especially me. I thought I got some great looks but just didn't drop."
Kristaps Porzingis also scored 18 points for the Knicks, getting off to a strong start but finishing the game on the bench after fouling out. Brandon Jennings, getting extra playing time after Derrick Rose was hurt, scored 15 points.
Anthony added 11 rebounds but frustrated fans with his shooting. He was booed on some misses, including some loud ones after he was way off on one attempt in the fourth quarter.
Hornets: Charlotte fell to 0-7 on the road in January. ... Jeremy Lamb was active but didn't play after missing the last seven games with an inflamed metatarsal. ... Cody Zeller sat out his second straight game with a bruised quadriceps
Knicks: Rose sprained his left ankle in the third quarter and left the game with 13 points. The Knicks said X-rays were negative.
NO-STAR
Anthony wasn't elected a starter for the All-Star Game by fans for the first time since coming to the Knicks and wasn't voted a reserve by Eastern Conference coaches.
"A little disappointed but at this point there's kind of bigger things to worry about," he said. "As a competitor you want to participate in that weekend, knowing how much fun it is, knowing the importance of kind of being down there, and just enjoying that break, that's something that I'll miss the most."
NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME
The Knicks had their game against the Lakers on Monday, Feb. 6 dropped from TNT's coverage lineup on Friday. The network will instead show Cleveland at Washington as the opener of that night's doubleheader.
MISS ME?
The Hornets liked Lee but re-signing Nicolas Batum was their priority last summer. Lee was asked if his old teammates missed him Friday.
"A couple of them said that, but they had their opportunity," he said.
Hornets: Host Sacramento on Saturday before going west for a three-game trip.
Knicks: Visit Atlanta on Sunday, the opener of a three-game trip.


text:
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This quarter's defining feature was Brexit, which caused significant price movements for both the entire market as well as our portfolio. Clearly, none of the price movements were in a good direction. Over the long-term, however, I don't expect Brexit to have a meaningful impact on the U.S. economy.
The E.U. is constructed in a manner very similar to the Articles of Confederation, which governed the U.S. in the 1780s. Just as the Articles of Confederation eventually failed because they lacked a strong central government, so too may the E.U. suffer the same fate.
As a personal example, about 15 years ago, I sold a vintage Jaguar XKE to a gentleman in Germany -- in his words, so he "could drive it very fast on the Autobahn." Hans was extremely detail-oriented and discovered that he could dodge a 20% tax by importing the car into the Netherlands and having it trucked to Germany, rather than importing it directly into Germany. This clearly was a sign of a dysfunctional system.
One area of potential concern is banking in the E.U. After the 2008-2009 mess, the U.S. forced its banks to clean up their balance sheets and reduce leverage. The E.U. still has not completely addressed that problem.
Another aspect of the Brexit is the fate of banking in London. London maintains its position as the European global banking hub because treaties allow banks to locate in London and operate throughout Europe. With Brexit many of those treaties will need to be renegotiated. If the renegotiation is not successful, London-based banks will face challenges.


I'm a novice gardener and landscaping enthusiast. I have a small yard where I love to experiment. I love to grow organic veggies and eat healthy. I love reading everything gardening related. I've recently learned about container gardening and I'm trying to do it.
New to Gardening? FREE and CHEAP ways to make your Garden Thrive!


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text:
Every Hour, This Gas Storage Station Sends Half a Ton of Methane Into the Atmosphere
PETAL, Miss.—The Petal Gas Storage Station lies halfway between the winding banks of the Leaf River and the International Checker Hall of Fame. It's a warren of pipes, wellheads and metal buildings where noisy compressors pump gas underground and then suck it back up to the surface again.
In the process, the Petal plant releases half a ton of a potent greenhouse gas into the atmosphere every hour—more than any other gas storage facility in the country.
Petal is one of hundreds of underground natural gas storage facilities across the United States, where operators pump gas into underground salt formations, aquifers or depleted oil and gas reservoirs, storing the gas until it is needed.
Underneath the Petal plant lies a vast dome of salt nearly two miles in diameter that formed millions of years ago, during the Mesozoic Era, when other layers of rock pushed down on the surrounding salt formation until it was squeezed upwards into a bulging dome.
A gas company began hollowing out the Petal Dome, creating the nation's first salt cavity specifically designed for natural gas storage in 1951. Today, eight artificial caverns carved into the Petal Dome store up to 30 billion cubic feet of natural gas, fuel that provides a critical backstop for the region's fluctuating energy needs.
The Petal storage plant is relatively small as gas storage facilities go: It ranks as the 41st largest underground gas storage facility in the country. However, its emissions of methane, the primary component of natural gas, are far and away the highest of all such facilities in the nation.
In 2020, Petal emitted 4,947 metric tons of methane, according to reports submitted by the facility's owner, Gulf South Pipeline, and its parent company, Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The emissions were three-and-a-half times higher than the methane released that year from any other U.S. gas storage facility.
The Petal facility has held onto the dubious distinction of being the largest such methane emitter for each of the last five years, according to data the companies have submitted to the EPA. In 2020, three of the seven highest emitting gas storage facilities in the country were owned by Boardwalk and its subsidiaries.
Gulf South and Boardwalk have begun to curb emissions at the Petal facility, cutting them in 2020 by nearly 50 percent of what they were in 2019, a year when Petal's emissions were more than five times larger than any other underground gas storage facility in the country. Boardwalk executives said they slashed emissions again, this time by 54 percent, in 2021.
The EPA has not yet verified Petal's 2021 emissions. If they are correct, Petal would still be the largest methane emitter among gas storage facilities in the country when compared to the most current available data for all the others.
The emissions are especially concerning because methane is an incredibly potent greenhouse gas that, unlike carbon dioxide, has an impact on climate change that is most acute in the years immediately following its release. Methane is 81 times more potent in warming the climate than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.
Over a 20-year time frame, emissions from the Petal storage station equal the annual greenhouse gas emissions of 87,000 automobiles, more vehicles than the population of Petal and its neighbor Hattiesburg, Mississippi, combined.
The Petal facility's emissions do not violate any state or federal laws, but they call into question the ability of the oil and gas industry to voluntarily curb its own climate pollution.
Emissions from the transmission and storage sector account for approximately 25 percent of the total methane emissions from the natural gas industry. A draft rule proposed by the EPA last November includes what would be the first mandatory methane emission reductions for existing gas transmission and storage facilities.
An environmental assessment by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for an expansion of one of the Petal compressor stations noted in 2019 that methane is not toxic, and that the compressors are not within 1,000 feet of any residences.
But leading health organizations, including the American Lung Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and Physicians for Social Responsibility, wrote to EPA Administrator Michael Regan in July 2021, urging more stringent measures to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas operations.
"Extraction, processing, transport and distribution of methane all contribute to emissions, both of methane and of accompanying pollution like volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and toxic gases," the letter said. "These emissions pose serious threats to human health, directly as in the case of exposure to toxic gases as well as the smog formed from VOCs, and due to methane's contribution to climate change."
In January, after the EPA published its proposed rule change that would impose stricter standards, dozens of Black Church leaders in Mississippi wrote to Regan in support of the proposed regulation, noting that their communities are heavily affected by natural gas facilities. They called the proposed regulation an "important step forward."
Gerald Steele, an alderman in Petal whose ward includes the gas storage site, expressed surprise that the Petal plant's emissions were the highest from such facilities in the nation. He said that the company is an important financial contributor to the city through its employment and tax contributions. But the news about the emissions, he said, was "really alarming."
The EPA has historically sought to partner with oil and gas companies through the Natural Gas STAR program to help the companies voluntarily reduce their emissions. An EPA and industry report published in 2006 showed how a facility like Petal could reduce compressor emissions by more than 90 percent. The capital costs for such fixes were so low—several thousand dollars per compressor—that operators could recoup their costs in as little as a month through reductions in the loss of valuable natural gas.
Boardwalk did not respond to an inquiry about the Gas STAR report. Although the company has begun to reduce its emissions, EPA documents suggest that as of 2020, the most recent year for which data is available, they had not followed recommendations made in the report.
Simple economics make the facility's outsized emissions perplexing: Natural gas released from the Petal storage facility had a wholesale value of approximately $500,000 in 2020. That would seem to represent a needless annual loss in revenue for either Boardwalk or its customers.
Boardwalk and Gulf South are gas transportation and storage service providers. They don't buy and sell natural gas, but store it and transport it for others, an arrangement that could reduce some of Boardwalk's incentive to fix leaks.
"My guess is Boardwalk Pipeline [Partners] does have financial incentives to prevent leakage because they would be liable for losing their customers' gas, although contracts often include a permitted amount of gas lost in transportation and storage," David Lyon, a senior scientist with the Environmental Defense Fund, said.
Boardwalk said Gulf South's terms for lost gas can be found in a gas tariff document held by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. However, as this article went to press, it wasn't immediately clear which document they were referring to.
Lyon, who spends his days pouring over emissions data and researching technologies and policies to reduce leaks from the natural gas industry, seemed baffled by why a company like Boardwalk would not have implemented such effective, low-cost fixes years ago.
"It doesn't make sense," he said.
Daniel Zimmerle, the director of the Methane Emissions Technology Evaluation Center at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, is an expert at quantifying and finding ways to reduce emissions from oil and gas operations similar to the Petal facility. But he, too, said he had no explanation for the facility's high methane emissions.
"It just seems really unusual," Zimmerle said.
Emissions From Leaky Valves
The reason that Petal's outsized methane emissions have persisted for so long—more than a decade after other gas companies and the EPA showed how they could be all but eliminated—might remain a mystery, but the source of the emissions is well-documented.
Geology is not to blame. Whether salt caverns or other rock formations are used, underground storage is highly effective at trapping natural gas under layers of impermeable rock that prevent the gas from escaping. A recent study found the daily volume of methane percolating through the soil near underground storage wells was 0.1 kilograms per day. That is less than the amount of methane that a cow burps in a 24-hour period.
However, at Petal, "reciprocating compressors," which use pistons to pressurize natural gas for storage or to push gas through the regional pipeline network, were responsible for 99 percent of the 4,947 metric tons of methane that the facility released in 2020.
The vast majority of these emissions came from the compressors' "isolation valves," which disconnect the compressor from both the underground storage and the regional gas network when the compressor is not in use.
Compressors in a storage facility that provides natural gas to a region only during periods of peak demand can sit idle most of the year. This is the case with the Petal storage station, where the facility's compressors sat idle for nine months on average in 2020.
But Petal's isolation valves are leaky. Instead of shutting off gas completely when closed, the isolation valves allow thousands of tons of methane to pass into the facility's idled compressors. Once inside the compressors, the gas escapes into the atmosphere through open "blowdown valves."
When Inside Climate News first inquired about the emissions from Petal in June 2021, Boardwalk Pipeline executives said the facility's outsized emissions were a reflection of the site's size and the role it played in the regional gas network. The Petal gas storage facility used a larger than usual number of compressors, not only to pump gas in and out of storage but also to push gas through the company's transmission pipelines, they said.
"When the total emissions reported for this facility are broken out on a per compressor unit basis, they are comparable with other companies listed on the same EPA report," Jillian Kirkconnell, a spokeswoman for Boardwalk Pipeline Partners said in a written statement.
But an analysis of emissions data from Petal by Inside Climate News found that the gas storage facility's emissions in 2019 and 2020 were more than three times higher on a per compressor basis than the emissions rate from individual compressors averaged across each of the nation's top 10 methane-emitting, underground gas storage facilities.
In fact, methane emissions from just one compressor at the Petal Gas Storage facility emitted more methane in 2020—2,355 metric tons—than the total methane emissions from any other gas storage facility in the United States that year.
Releases of such magnitude, Zimmerle said, typically cause frost to form on the outside of the leaking equipment as the pressurized gas escapes.
"You should see that if you're at the site," he said of the frost. "It should be pretty obvious to them."
Zimmerle said he initially questioned the magnitude of emissions from the Petal facility, noting that individuals who make the measurements and report the data at any site sometimes accidentally add an extra zero, unintentionally inflating emissions. But after seeing that the company had elevated emissions year after year and recently acknowledged its high emissions and the efforts it has begun to reduce them, Zimmerle said, he changed his mind.
Boardwalk Pipelines did not dispute the data they reported to the EPA for 2020. In fact, in a sustainability report published last year, the company highlighted compressor emissions as a problem it is now working to address.
The company also did not dispute the conclusions reached by the Inside Climate News analysis, that emissions from the Petal facility are much higher on a per-compressor basis than other similar gas storage sites.
However, the company noted its 2021 reduction of methane releases from the Petal gas storage facility and that it reported these reductions to the EPA. Taylor Gillespie, a spokeswoman for the EPA, said the agency is still verifying emissions from 2021 that Boardwalk and other companies submitted earlier this year, and so could not verify the reductions.
Even if Boardwalk reduced emissions at the Petal facility as much as they claimed from 2020 to 2021, the plant's methane emissions would still be 60 percent higher than any other underground gas storage site in the country, when compared to the most current emissions data available for other facilities.
A 'Workable Solution' Ignored
In the company's first sustainability report, released last year, Boardwalk noted that it is modifying and replacing older compressor equipment to reduce methane emissions.
"Boardwalk is continuing to take steps to reduce emissions across its systems and compressor stations," Kirkconnell said.
She added, "a number of compressor blowdown valves and isolation valves have been repaired or replaced and procedures at the facility have been modified to minimize methane losses when units are not in operation. This resulted in significant reductions in methane emissions from 2019 to 2020 to 2021."
Climate advocates say the reductions are welcome news, but they add that it's unclear why it took the company so long for those emissions reductions to begin.
The 2006 Gas STAR report emphasized as a "prudent operating practice" that operators should keep compressors pressurized when they are not in use, something the report states will reduce emissions by as much as 68 percent, at no cost, by eliminating isolation valve leaks. The report added that maintaining gas pressure on idle compressors can introduce additional safety concerns inside compressor buildings. But it also discussed precautions that could be taken to mitigate any added risk.
"There is no reason to believe it is not a workable solution," said Zimmerle, of Colorado State University.
Zimmerle said there are a number of different strategies that compressor operators can pursue to reduce emissions. For example, gas company National Fuel recently reported 95 to 99 percent emissions reductions on two of its compressors by simply replacing leaky isolation valves with new ones.
Still, nearly two decades after the EPA-industry partnership's report detailing its emission reduction strategies, Boardwalk and most other gas storage operators continue to depressurize their compressors, and report high emissions, when their compressors are not in use.
"It's been over a decade since EPA published this report and there are still these significant emissions," Lyons, the Environmental Defense Fund scientist, said.
A Proposed Rule Might Make a Difference
In its most recent annual financial report, filed to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Boardwalk noted that failing to reduce its emissions could pose a risk to its business.
"Increased attention to climate change, environmental, social and governance (ESG) matters and conservation measures may adversely impact our business," the company wrote in the report. "Companies that do not adapt to or comply with investor or other stakeholder expectations and standards, which are evolving, or that are perceived to have not responded appropriately to the growing concern regarding ESG issues, regardless of whether there is a legal requirement to do so, may suffer from reputational damage and other adverse consequences."
Boardwalk also noted that its emissions might soon be regulated under the EPA's proposed rule to establish standards of performance for methane emissions from new and existing sources within the oil and gas sector, including gas transmission and storage. The agency is expected to issue a supplemental proposal containing proposed regulations "later this summer," Joseph Goffman, the EPA's principal deputy assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation, said during a confirmation hearing last month. The agency expects to finalize the rule by the end of 2022.
"The proposed rule includes several requirements relevant to our operations, including stricter emissions limits for various facilities and equipment (including pneumatic controllers, storage tanks, reciprocating compressors, and wet seal centrifugal compressors), more frequent leak detection and monitoring of fugitive emissions from compressor stations, and deadlines for repairing fugitive emissions," Boardwalk's financial report stated.
Lyon, of the Environmental Defense Fund, said the rule will result in the reduction of methane emissions by an estimated 60,000 metric tons from reciprocating compressors—the same type of piston-driven compressors used at Petal facility—at gas storage facilities alone. When measuring the climate impact over a 20-year period, that's equivalent to taking just over 1 million automobiles off the road.
Boardwalk noted in its sustainability report that it is an "active" member of the ONE Future Coalition, a group of natural gas companies working to voluntarily lower methane emissions across the natural gas supply chain. The group's goal is to reduce methane emissions across the entire sector—from the wellheads of gas fields to the homes and businesses of end users—to less than 1 percent of total natural gas produced by 2025.
To align with this goal, Boardwalk will have to make significant additional cuts. Gas storage is a small subset of the gas industry and should make up a small fraction of the industry's total emissions. However, in 2020 Petal alone leaked approximately 0.6 percent of the natural gas it stored that year—a rate equal to 60 percent of the entire industry's targeted emissions budget—based on the emissions and storage data Boardwalk reported to EPA.
Danielle Fugere, the president and chief counsel for As You Sow, a non-profit shareholder advocacy organization, said the steps Boardwalk has taken in recent years are encouraging but that they still have a long way to go.
"You have to reduce your emissions to at least the level of other similarly situated companies, and even those companies need to do much more," she said. "The first thing we would ask Boardwalk to do is to solve its compressor problems immediately, and then continue its work to reduce emissions year on year."
This story was produced in partnership with Mississippi Today, where Alex Rozier is a Jackson, Miss.-based environment and data reporter.
Phil McKenna
Reporter, Boston
Phil McKenna is a Boston-based reporter for Inside Climate News. Before joining ICN in 2016, he was a freelance writer covering energy and the environment for publications including The New York Times, Smithsonian, Audubon and WIRED. Uprising, a story he wrote about gas leaks under U.S. cities, won the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award and the 2014 NASW Science in Society Award. Phil has a master's degree in science writing from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was an Environmental Journalism Fellow at Middlebury College.
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On 13 March 2018, the Council of the European Union reached political agreement on a Council Directive ("Directive") introducing mandatory disclosure rules for intermediaries such as lawyers, accountants and tax advisers.
Intermediaries must report potentially aggressive tax planning arrangements with a cross-border dimension as well as arrangements designed to circumvent reporting requirements like CRS and UBO reporting. EU Member States' tax authorities will exchange the information automatically within the EU through a centralized database.
The reporting obligation applies to intermediaries with residency, incorporation, professional registration or a permanent establishment in an EU Member State and only related to cross-border arrangements concerning at least one EU Member State. The Directive does not include a definition of aggressive tax planning. Instead it includes a list of features, elements and examples of arrangements that should present a strong indication of aggressive tax planning or the undermining of reporting obligations. Covered intermediaries must disclose such arrangements within 30 days after making them available to their clients.
In certain cases, for instance when no intermediary is involved, when the intermediary does not have an EU presence or in the case of client-attorney privilege, the obligation to report lies with the client.
Member States must implement the Directive in their domestic laws ultimately on 31 December 2019 and apply it as from 1 July 2020. However, it will have retroactive effect for all reportable arrangements the first step of which was implemented in the time frame between the entry into force of the Directive (likely June/July 2018 after formal approval by the Council) and 1 July 2020. This means that starting summer 2018, intermediaries and their clients should already monitor all tax advice provided with a cross-border dimension and all advice concerning reporting requirements to ensure that a future obligation to report can be properly fulfilled.
We will keep you informed on future developments. Should you have any question, please contact your trusted Loyens & Loeff adviser.


text:
Q: Java android AutocompleteView inside AsyncTask not showing dropdown I am trying to do an automcompleteView inside an asynctask and the dropdown selection is not working. If I do it the regular way inside the Oncreate method then it works such as this
// onCreate with no Async
@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.housing);

    homes = (AutoCompleteTextView) findViewById(R.id.housing);
    homes.setThreshold(1);

    String[] check= {"Rent", "House"};

    ArrayAdapter<String> adapters= new ArrayAdapter<>
  (mylist.this, android.R.layout.simple_dropdown_item_1line, check);
    homes.setAdapter(adapters);
}

The code above works perfectly so now I attempt to put it inside an AsyncTask and nothing happens no error and the dropdownList does not work as I type in the Textbox. I have looked at other examples on this website but nothing seems to work this is my Async...
// onCreate with Async
@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.housing);

    homes = (AutoCompleteTextView) findViewById(R.id.housing);
    homes.setThreshold(1);

    homes.addTextChangedListener(new TextWatcher() {

        @Override
        public void onTextChanged(CharSequence s, int start, int before, int count) {
            if (!homes.isPopupShowing()) {
                homes.showDropDown();
            }
            nemo task = new nemo();
            task.execute();
        }

        @Override
        public void beforeTextChanged(CharSequence s, int start, int count,
                                         int after) {
            // TODO Auto-generated method stub
        }

        @Override
        public void afterTextChanged(Editable s) {
            // TODO Auto-generated method stub
        }
    });
}

// Async

private class nemo extends AsyncTask<String, String, String> {
    /*
    HttpURLConnection conn;
    DataOutputStream wr;
    StringBuilder result = new StringBuilder();
    URL url;
    */
    String line,libo = "";
    @Override
    protected void onPreExecute() {
        super.onPreExecute();
    }

    @Override
    protected String  doInBackground(String[] jsonData) {
        libo = "homes";

        return libo;
    }

    protected void onPostExecute(String[] results) {
        String[] check= {"Rent", "House"};
        homes = (AutoCompleteTextView) findViewById(R.id.housing);

        ArrayAdapter<String> adapters= new ArrayAdapter<>
  (mylist.this, android.R.layout.simple_dropdown_item_1line, check);
        homes.setAdapter(adapters);
        homes.showDropDown();
    }
}

The AsyncTask will eventually get data from the database but for right now I simply want to reproduce the same results as the first example with onCreate and No Async.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


We are seeking to expand our team of dedicated and talented professionals as we continue to work on a wide range of interesting and challenging private and public sector projects. We offer a supportive working environment, with the opportunity for direct involvement in many different projects. We provide a competitive salary and benefits package, including: Medical and Dental Insurance, IRA Plan, Profit Sharing, and support for Professional Development.
Send letter of interest and resume stating professional experience and career goals to hr@mobilitygrp.com.
We are seeking experienced and motivated individuals for important mid-level and senior positions. These positions are responsible for project and task management, technical analysis and supervision, problem solving and solution development, report production, client interface, and marketing roles.
Requirements include: BS or MS in Civil, Transportation, or Planning, 7+ years experience in transportation planning and/or transportation/traffic engineering, effective verbal and written communication skills, and working knowledge of transportation software packages. TE registration preferred. PTP or AICP a plus.
We are seeking a Transportation Planner/Engineer. Duties include traffic impact analyses, traffic operations and traffic engineering studies, traffic safety studies, circulation plans, parking plans for major land development projects, corridor studies and road diets; and traffic planning and transportation engineering for General Plans and Specific Plans, and preparation of inputs to technical reports. Incidental travel.
Email resume to hr@mobilitygrp.com or mail to The Mobility Group, attn: HR, 18301 Von Karman, Ste 490, Irvine, CA 92612.


text:
Q: Difference between AOMDV and AODV tcl script Is there any other changes to the tcl file of AOMDV.tcl(the one that is given in ex/tcl) other than changing the routing protocol to AODV to create a AODV tcl script?

A:
Changing set val(rp) AOMDV to set val(rp) AODV :
"aomdv.tcl" works OK. $ ns aomdv.tcl : The files ns.trc 182.2MB, scenario.trc 1.5kB are created.
More aodv examples : aodv-examples-05.2014.tar.gz (Not all the files are the AODV protocol.)
Link https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7S255p3kFXNTGQ1QWtPenN4Mm8/view?usp=sharing

ns2 aodv


text:
Q: Calling boolean function in while loop I have a bool function with an if else statements inside it. The first 'if' returns 'false' and the else returns 'true'. I want to call this boolean function in an other function with a while loop inside it. I have tried several times and I made it work. However, when I call the function it return 'true' all the time. How can I fix that?
bool secretCheck(string P1_name, string P2_name, char secret){
    secret =  'R', 'G', 'B', 'P', 'Y', 'M';
    if (secret != 'R' && secret != 'G' && secret != 'B' && secret != 'P' && secret != 'Y' && secret != 'M' && secret > 4){
        return false;
    }
    else {
        return true;
    }
}

void secretLoop(string P1_name, string P2_name, char secret){
    while(!secretCheck(P1_name, P2_name, secret)){
        cout << "Invalid secret!"<< endl;
        cout << P1_name << ", please enter your secret: ";
        cin >> secret;
    }

    if(secretCheck(P1_name, P2_name, secret)) {
        cout << "Ok\n";
    }
}

A: I'm unsure what you're trying to do with this line:
secret =  'R', 'G', 'B', 'P', 'Y', 'M';

A char can hold one and only one value. In this case, you're using the comma operator which drops the first value and returns the second expression.
At that line, secret is always equal to 'R', since it's equivalent to say:
secret = 'R'; // now secret is equal to the character 'R'

Then, in your if statement, you got that:
secret != 'R' && /* ... */

This will always be false, since secret is always equal to 'R'.
Then, there's a boguous comparison:
secret > 4

This is also true, since comparing a char and a int will compare the ASCII value of the character.

To store multiple characters in a variable it will either have to be of type std::string or std::vector:
std::vector<char> secret_characters = {'R', 'G', 'B', 'P', 'Y', 'M'};

And if you want to check if secret is in the secret_character list, you can do that:
void is_secret(std::vector<char> const& secret_characters, char secret) {
    auto found = std::find(
        secret_characters.begin(), secret_characters.end(),
        secret
    );
    return found != secret_characters.end();
}

bool secretCheck(string P1_name, string P2_name, char secret){
    std::vector<char> secret_characters = {'R', 'G', 'B', 'P', 'Y', 'M'};
    if (is_secret(secret_characters, secret)) {
        return false;
    } else {
        return true;
    }
}

A: In your function secretCheck, you assign the value 'R' to secret, completely overwriting whatever it used to be. Then, you return false iff secret != 'R'. Thus, you will never return false, since secret will always be 'R'. It's unclear what you were trying to do in the first line of that function, especially since the meaning of the function is unclear (you never even use either string argument). I would suggest making sure your function is actually performing the task you want it to.


The Highland Park Trail Head is the northernmost trail head on the 25.5 mile long Trinity Trail.
The trail head features a large parking lot, bathroom, water, covered picnic table and white pipe perimeter fence.
About the Trail from Highland Park: Riders have the choice riding on trails in two directions from the Highland Park Trail head. The north trail is primarily in the woods. The south trail winds through a combination of woods and open country.
North Trail: If riders select the north trail, they ride toward the Sycamore Loop which has been described by many as one of the most beautiful sections of the trail.
This wooded path through the forest winds along Wilson Creek and passes by a number of large sycamore trees including the official largest Sycamore Tree in north Texas. The tree has been estimated to be over 200 years old.
Near the location of the Giant Sycamore there are hitching posts (donated by TTPA member Frank Hall) and a picnic area that is a popular gathering area for riders. Please use the hitching posts and do not tie horses to trees.
This section of the trail has more wildlife than other sections including feral hogs, some deer, coyotes, rabbits, armadillos and other creatures native to Texas. There have even been occasional sightings of mountain lion in the area so always stay alert on this section of the trail.
South Trail: The trail south from the Highland Park Trail Head is a pleasant ride through the native Texan countryside. The trail passes through several wooded areas and open fields that are popular canter spots. The trail heads eventually to the Brockdale Trail Head.
Midway along the trail is a popular watering and gathering spot that offers hitching posts, picnic tables and easy access to the White Rock Creek for watering horses. The trail does cross White Rock Creek at this picnic spot, water is normally about 6 inches deep or less at the crossing.
From Hwy. 75, exit Bethany Rd. (East) for approx 6 miles to FM 1378.
Go on FM 1378 to Stop Light and turn Left on FM 3286 at the Lucas Food Store.
Turn Left on Snider Ln. which is before the second bridge.
Drive and look for the white pipe fence on your Right.
This is the Highland Park Trail Head.


text:
Q: What is the solution for this particular integral (ODE)? The question is finding the general solution of the following ODE:
$$
x''= - \gamma -4x
$$
where $\gamma$ is just a constant, and boundary conditions are $x(0)= - \gamma/4$  and   $x'(0)=2$.
From my calculation, I got the complementary function of $A\sin(2t)+B\cos(2t)$.
I'm trying to find the the particular integral and what I normally do is for example if the function $= Ce^{kx}$, I make particular integral $= Ae^{kx}$ etc..
However, for this type, I'm not sure which ansatz I should use.
So can you tell me how to solve particular integral of this equation.

A: You have a right side of the type $−γ=Ce^{0t}$ and thus make the ansatz $Ae^{0t}$.
Or you could substitute $u=4x+γ$ to get $u''+4u=0$.


An Ontario tech company has partnered with a travel insurer to provide a travel-disruption app for its customers.
Sitata, based in Kitchener, ON, on Thursday announced it was working with Travel Insured International on the insurer's mobile application, "geared toward reducing travel anxiety throughout a traveler's trip".
The Travel Insured app will make "buying and managing your travel protection plan easier", the insurer said in a statement, and is "the perfect travel companion before, during, and after a traveler's journey".
Features in the app include health advice, such as recommended vaccinations or medications ahead of travel, as well as safety advice, hospital locations, and emergency numbers for all destinations on a traveler's itinerary.
Sitata's system, which utilises artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, also detects travel-disrupting events in almost real-time – pulling and sorting data from news sources and social media, and sending that information to app users.
"Whether it's an incoming tropical storm, the latest disease outbreak, a violent protest down the street, or something as simple as a transit strike, all of Travel Insured's policyholders will be notified if they're at risk through the application and by email", the insurer said.
Speaking to Insurance Business, Sitata CEO Adam St. John said the partnership with Travel Insured was hopefully the first of many.
"Our focus has always been on the business-to-business side, and we saw a natural fit with travel insurance. Travel insurance, these days, they [insurers] are looking to be more pro-active and accessible on demand, and they want to do more than just sitting in the background.
"Travel Insured International is the first that we've launched with – they were happy to scoop us up because they were looking for that differentiator," he said.


Today we start a new series on the Catholic Foodie: practical cooking tips.
Since summer is approaching, we are going to start with tips on grilling. And along those lines… I make a grilling confession. And we preview organic farming….
Sarah Reinhard reflects on Mary as Mommy in this week's "Mary in the Kitchen." A special thanks toL'Angelus for letting us use their Ave Maria in the show!