CHRIS HUGHTON has surveyed the task ahead of promoted Newcastle's Premier League campaign and told the Geordie hordes: Our battle is to beat the drop.
The Magpies boss has warned fans that having a tiny transfer kitty means they should not expect too many new faces before the new season.
"But you are buoyed by seeing what Birmingham and Wolves did last season.
Hughton also has a fight on his hands to fend off interest from rival clubs for hitman Andy Carroll.
Champions Chelsea have been linked with the striker, 21, who hit 19 league goals last season.


Included configuration is used to control Yaesu FT-991 transceiver using the latest free version of HamRadio Deluxe (v5.x), with some limitations.
This is a very simple to use multi-platform Java application which can be used to convert CAT commands. It can be used to allow controlling newer transceivers using old application (no more updated). The application is user configurable for different transceivers, no matter the CAT protocol used.
As an example you can work in DigiModes using the latest free version of HamRadio Deluxe Suite (5.24.0.38) with the new Yaesu FT-991 (which is not supported in that version of the application) using the Yaesu FT-950 model in HRD. Without this application, you will not be able to set or read the frequency from the radio as the number of digits used to represent the frequency is higher for FT-991 (as it covers VHF and UHF bands too) making this application almost useless for the new transceiver.
which natively supports the Yaesu FT-991 transceiver. If you are like me and you like the old free version, then go further with the reading.
Use two virtual COM ports to be the man-in-the-middle between the transceiver and CAT application.
Users can define new conversion rules based on patterns by just editing a text configuration file.
Use this application on your own risk. If you write wrong conversion rules in the configuration file, you can send commands that can brick some transceivers.
In order to use the application, you need two virtual COM ports. For this purpose, I recommend you to use the well-known open source solution named com0com.
You have now two new COM ports (COM22 and CNCB0) virtually connected. You can see the two devices in the Device Manager under "com0com – serial port emulators" as in the picture below.
The package is a zip archive containing two files: catconv.jar and catconv.cfg.
Unzip the two file in a new folder of your choice.
Select the virtual COM port previously created (named CNCB0) as the "Bridge COM Port". This will be used to connect to HamRadio Deluxe.
Select the COM port used by your transceiver CAT interface as the "Radio CAT Port". This will be used for the communication with the radio.
In my case this is COM10. In fact is the port named "Silicon Labs Dual CP210x USB to UART Bridge: Enhanced COM Port (COM10)" in Device Manager.
Select the Baudrate. Use the value configured in the radio CAT setup menu. I recommend you to use the higher available speed.
Yaesu FT-991 require to set RTS in order to control it over CAT using the USB connection. For this purpose, in the File menu verify that "RTS Power" to be checked.
All settings are saved in the configuration file and automatically used at next application start.
You are now ready to use it. Do not check "Autostart" before you are sure that everything work as expected. Click on "START" button. The window background will go green and the converter will become active.
Use the following document to configure the settings in FT-991.
Discard the section related to the HRD version 6 configuration.
Start HamRadio Deluxe. You will be prompted to define a new transceiver connection. Define the preset as in the following picture. Use the virtual COM port defined previously and FT-950 as the radio model. You don't need to check "RTS" as this line will be controlled by the java application.
Click on "Connect" button to connect to the radio through the CATconv application.
You will be able to use most of the functions in HRD 5.x with your new transceiver.
When you download the application from my web site a special configuration file is included (catconv.cfg).
Some of the parameters are self-explanatory, corresponding with the ones from the GUI.
'1xx' – conversion rule for the data passing from Radio1 to Radio2. You can have up to 99 rules.
'2xx' – conversion rule for the data passing from Radio2 to Radio1. You can have up to 99 rules.
Each rules contains two sections, separated by the '<R>' tag.
First section contains the patterns for the input data which will trigger the conversion.
Second section contains information about the conversion rule to be applied when that pattern is found in the input data.
Each section contains n comma separated elements, where n is the number of bytes for the input command (first section) or the converted command (second section).
<S…> tag contains a number of chars (>=1) following the 'S' letter.
Several String type pattern elements can be represented as a single element. For example <SF>,<SA> can be represented as <SFA>.
px – where x can be any positive decimal number representing the byte position of the original input data which will be used on the current position of the replacing data.
More tags will be added in the future if this will help extend the support for other transceivers, based on users feedback.
Version 0.1 (Jun 29,, 2016).
Version 0.2 (Jul 1, 2016).


Victoria and New South Wales are bracing for a heatwave with the mercury set to start rising today and soar to over 40C on Saturday across large swathes of the south-eastern states.
Temperatures are already rising in Victoria, where near-record temperatures are expected to sweep the state on Thursday.
A top of 38C is forecast in Melbourne, and a scorching high of 44C in Mildura - just one degree off the hottest November day ever recorded in the state.
The temperature in Melbourne was 20C at 7am (AEDT) on Thursday and the mercury is forecast to rise quickly with the high set to roll in between 3pm and 5pm.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Dean Stewart said while the forecast temperatures were a bit below record, temperatures could be higher than expected and match the records.
Victorians have been warned to take care in the heat.
Total fire bans are in place in the Mallee and Wimmera districts, with farmers in particular being warned of the extreme fire risk in the northwest of the state.
A hot and sticky night is also expected. Mr Stewart said a forecast change would not arrive until the early hours of Friday, so the temperature would remain in the 30s until then.
"It will only be a relatively weak change in that it's going to increase the humidity," he told AAP.
"The temperature will fall to about 23C in the morning following the change."
As NSW braces for extremely hot weather, police are warning motorists about the dangers of leaving children and pets unattended in cars.
The Bureau of Meteorology warns that temperatures are expected to peak in the mid 40s in western NSW on Thursday and will remain in the high 30s and low 40s through the weekend for large parts of the state.
State Emergency Operations Controller, Acting Deputy Commissioner Mark Murdoch, said not only was it dangerous to leave children or animals in cars, it could be deadly.
"There is one golden rule which should never be broken - never ever leave babies, children, the elderly or animals alone in a car even if the air-conditioner is on," he said in a statement.
"It doesn't take long for the temperature inside the car to soar, and for the effects of the heat to take hold."
Mr Murdoch urged everyone in the community to plan ahead, be prepared for the hot weather and beware of the dangers of drinking alcohol and being out in the sun all day.
Police have also urged racegoers attending this weekend's V8 Supercars event in Sydney's west to plan ahead and use public transport as big crowds and heatwave conditions are expected.
Extra police will be patrolling Sydney Olympic Park and surrounding areas for the 2012 V8 Telstra 500 at Homebush.
Assistant Commissioner Frank Mennilli said any alcohol-related offences, anti-social behaviour or illegal drug use would not be tolerated and people should be prepared for the hot weather.


text:
Q: How should I structure a Rust project for solving small coding challenges? I have been doing Project Euler problems (mathematical coding challenges) for a while.
In the past I have been coding them up in Python (where it is simple to have dozens of scripts in the same project). However, I am now redoing some of the challenges as I learn Rust. I have found it pretty awkward to work on these projects as I can't simply write a bunch of Rust programs in the same directory but it also seems very excessive to create a whole new Rust project for each program.
Can anyone recommend a good intermediary? Ideally I'm looking for something similar to the aforementioned Python project with a bunch of separate scripts.

A: I would recommend this project structure for working through coding challenges:
/src/bin/problem-101.rs
/src/bin/problem-143.rs
/src/lib.rs
/Cargo.toml

Essentially just create a project like cargo new --lib challenges, create a bin/ folder in src/, create separate source files for each problem in there, and off you go!
//! /src/bin/problem-101.rs
fn main() {
    println!("solution #101")
}

//! /src/bin/problem-143.rs
fn main() {
    println!("solution #143")
}

//! /src/lib.rs
pub fn add(left: usize, right: usize) -> usize {
    left + right
}

# Cargo.toml
[package]
name = "challenges"
version = "0.1.0"
edition = "2021"

[dependencies]
# dependencies are shared between all problems

This structure is easy to use and extend with small "scripts" because Rust source files in the /src/bin folder are automatically detected as binaries and do not need to be listed separately in Cargo.toml. You can run them directly:
> cargo run --bin problem-101
   Compiling challenges v0.1.0 (...\challenges)
    Finished dev [unoptimized + debuginfo] target(s) in 0.26s
     Running `target\debug\problem-101.exe`
solution #101
> cargo run --bin problem-143
   Compiling challenges v0.1.0 (...\challenges)
    Finished dev [unoptimized + debuginfo] target(s) in 0.32s
     Running `target\debug\problem-143.exe`
solution #143

Using a library as the root of the project allows you to share functions and logic between your problems very easily. Just import from the library like so:
use challenges::add;

The only step up from here would be to use workspaces which would give you fine-grained dependencies for each problem, but that requires separate folders, separate Cargo.tomls, separate src/ directories so you probably don't want that for simple coding challenges.

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It's been a while since I've done any book reviews. Not that I haven't gotten any books that I have loved and want to tell you all about, just have been busy! But that stops now. I have a backlog of amazing books that you NEED to know about.
The first one I want to share with you is All-American Paleo Table by Caroline Potter of Colorful Eats.
How many of you have been faced with a diagnosis which specifies that you can't have something anymore? Whether it is a particular food or foods, a way of life, a sport, etc? It's not fun, right? Well, Caroline was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 20! So young, with so much of her life in front of her. After a dark period she discovered grain-free/Paleo eating to help control her condition and has never looked back. However, she had a lot of emotional ties to special occasion food (don't we all?) and just things we do as Americans. Tailgating, Thanksgiving, fried chicken (because that's an event in itself), you name it, she was scared that she'd never be able to enjoy these things again once she realized what she needed to do to stay healthy. So she set about re-creating those favorite foods for this book.
I love a quote she uses to describe the book "When it comes to food and celebrating, no one should ever be left out". As a mom of a 3 and 6 year old, both of whom we assume are Celiac (because both my husband and I are), that really hits home. I want nothing more than for my children to feel included in everything they do, so the more Paleo recipes that come out that recreate foods everyone else celebrates with, the better. Fried Banana French Toast on the morning of a birthday? Sign us up!
This book is much more than just celebration food though. There are lots of classic American dishes from Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Crumb Cake to Chicken Pot Pie and Biscuits, to Grilled Mahi-Mahi Fish Tacos, to Hot Dogs on a Stick, to Maple Sugar Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls. Over 100 recipes and ALL are low in sugar due to Caroline's diabetes.
If you can't tell by now, I love this book, and let me take a minute to gush about the photography. The photos in the book are incredible. If you are one of those people, like me, who love to flip through a cookbook and get inspired from looking at all the beautiful photos, then this book is definitely for you. Seriously, looking through Paleo cookbooks has saved me many a time from falling off the wagon or wallowing in my sorrows that I am grain-free because I am reminded about just how gorgeous and delectable Paleo food can be. A book like this makes a PERFECT gift for that person in your life that is either Paleo or thinking about it but isn't sure they'll ever be able to eat anything fun or special again. Or that special someone who has just realized their health isn't up to par but that whole Paleo diet thing sounds way out there. This book shows that it's not. This book is exactly what I had been hoping for when I had first started my first grain-free diet over 4 years ago and was feeling hopeless and in despair that I'd never again bake a beautiful cake or have a biscuit smothered in jam with breakfast (oh man, when is my Whole30 over???).
Basically, this book makes healthy food look amazing. It makes you WANT to be Paleo. It gives you hope and inspiration that healthy eating is not a terrible sentence to endure. We can have our cake AND eat it too!
Who this book is for: Anyone wanting inspiration for what Paleo can be, desire for recipes of delicious and comforting foods, anyone who might entertain others via meals, parties, formal and informal gatherings, and people with at least a basic understanding of cooking.
Caroline generously agreed to share a recipe from the book with you, and I thought that these Buffalo Chicken Meatballs would be perfect with the football playoffs and Super Bowl coming up in the next few weeks! You could eat these as a snack or as a meal.
This Paleo and Whole30 recipe is from All-American Paleo Table by Caroline Potter and is shared here with her permission.
This is a creative twist on the classic buffalo chicken wings, made into meatballs instead! These are perfect for game-day festivities because you can wrap them in foil and keep them warm until you are ready to eat. They're packed with flavor and a bit of heat, and delicious served over a bed of arugula with blue cheese crumbles or Creamy Ranch Dressing (page 168 of the cookbook).
Preheat the oven to 350°F and warm a large nonstick skillet to medium heat.
In the bottom of a mixing bowl, sift together the almond flour, salt and garlic.
Add in the ground chicken and green onions.
Use your hands to mix together the meat, incorporating all the ingredients, but be careful not to over mix because the chicken will become gummy.
Lightly grease your hands with coconut oil, shape the chicken into small meatballs and set them aside on a plate. If the chicken becomes too difficult to work with, wash and re-grease your hands.
Drizzle the olive oil in the warm skillet, swimming around to coat all sides of the skillet. Sear the meatballs for 8 minutes, rotating every 2 minutes so that all sides are seared.
Transfer the meatballs to a baking dish, placing them close together so that all sides are touching. This is easiest if the baking dish is similar in size to the meatballs; I find that a 9 by 13 inch dish usually works well.
Pour the hot sauce over the meatballs and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes.
Serve over a bed of arugula with blue cheese crumbles or Ranch Dressing.
If you cannot find ground chicken, most butchers will freshly grind chicken thighs for you. Just ask!


text:
New Social Compact
African Renaissance
Modern Diplomacy
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Copyright © 2019 Modern Diplomacy

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


TDLAS (Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy) is a powerful tool in many sensing applications. Tunable diode lasers are powerful, narrow linewidth light sources capable of measuring the absorption of gaseous species very accurately. Using appropriate spectroscopic models the concentration of a molecular species can be calculated from the integrated absorption when scanning the laser source across a particular transition provided that the spectral region is free of background absorption from other species.
This project started as a collaboration between Dr. Robert P. Lucht (Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University) and Dr. Jerald A. Caton (Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University) and my group at TU Darmstadt.
The goal is the development of real-time sensors for species in the gas phase. We are aiming at absorption based sensors in spectral regions accessible only by non-linear frequency conversion.
As an example we discuss our NO sensor in somewhat more detail. This work aims at a realtime sensor for NO in the exhaust of large combustion engines and turbines as used for instance in power plants in order to implement combustion control schemes to optimize the efficiency of the engines while reducing the NO emission of the exhaust. The continuous absorption technique is appropriate for such a task as we are not seeking time resolved information on the exhaust process itself, but rather the information of the entire concentration of NO in the exhaust.
Another possible application for this sensor system is a stand-alone, real-time sensor for the enforcement of the future emission standards.
G. J. Ray et al., Opt. Lett., 26 (2001) 1870-1872.
Sherif F. Hanna et al., Appl. Phys. B 75 (2002) 113-117.
Th. N. Anderson et al., Appl. Opt. 44 (2005) 1491.
R. Barron-Jimenez, J et al., Applied Physics B 85 (2006) 185-197.


text:
GOP lawmaker calls Hispanic workers 'wetbacks,' apologizes
Chris Moody
·Political Reporter
During a discussion about ongoing challenges to the economy Thursday, Alaska Republican Rep. Don Young referred to Hispanic workers as "wetbacks," an ethnic slur used to describe migrant workers. He has since apologized.
"My father had a ranch; we used to have 50-60 wetbacks to pick tomatoes," Young told Alaska public radio station KRBD. "It takes two people to pick the same tomatoes now. It's all done by machine."
The term "wetback" is a pejorative term that has been used to describe workers from Latin American countries who swim across the Rio Grande to reach the United States.
Young's comments come just weeks after the Republican National Committee called for candidates and lawmakers to soften their tone when discussing Hispanic Americans and immigrants in an effort to engage Latino voters after getting only 30 percent of their vote in the 2012 presidential election. Republicans are currently working with Democrats in Congress to shape a comprehensive overhaul of the nation's immigration system, and comments like Young's could serve as a distraction from those bipartisan efforts.
After a public outcry over his remarks, Young formally apologized in a written statement Friday afternoon.
"I apologize for the insensitive term I used during an interview in Ketchikan, Alaska," Young said. "There was no malice in my heart or intent to offend; it was a poor choice of words. That word, and the negative attitudes that come with it, should be left in the 20th century, and I'm sorry that this has shifted our focus away from comprehensive immigration reform."
Before he issued his apology, several prominent Republicans rushed to condemn Young's usage of the word, including House Speaker John Boehner.
"Congressman Young's remarks were offensive and beneath the dignity of the office he holds," Boehner said in a written statement. "I don't care why he said it – there's no excuse and it warrants an immediate apology."
This article has been updated.
Russia announces exit from Open Skies treaty citing U.S. withdrawal
Russia announced on Friday it was pulling out of the Open Skies treaty, saying that the pact, which allows unarmed surveillance flights over member countries, had been seriously compromised by the withdrawal of the United States. The move, announced by Russia's foreign ministry, comes days before U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's Jan. 20 inauguration amid fears of a burgeoning arms race. Moscow's last major nuclear arms pact with Washington is set to expire next month.
Senator Ben Sasse (R., Neb.) on Friday called for the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol last week to be "prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," saying those who participated in the unrest that left five dead were "terrorists attacking this country's constitutionally-mandated transfer of power." Sasse's comments come after the Department of Justice said in court documents that the rioters breached the Capitol with the intent to "capture and assassinate elected officials." In a memo requesting that "QAnon shaman" Jacob Anthony Chansley be kept in detention, Justice Department lawyers in Arizona wrote that "strong evidence, including Chansley's own words and actions at the Capitol" show that the intent was to harm elected officials. Sasse said it would be "wrong" of "rage-peddlers" to "try to whitewash the attack on the Capitol, saying that a few bad apples got out of control." "Every American needs to understand what the Department of Justice has just made public: Investigators have strong evidence to suggest that some of the rioters who stormed the United States Capitol planned to kidnap and possibly assassinate the Vice President," he said. "These men weren't drunks who got rowdy — they were terrorists attacking this country's constitutionally-mandated transfer of power," he added. "They failed, but they came dangerously close to starting a bloody constitutional crisis." He concluded: "They must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The FBI is investigating widespread calls for violence across the country and every American has an obligation to lower the temperature." Last week, before the House impeached President Trump for a second time on an "incitement of insurrection" charge, Sasse had vowed to consider any articles of impeachment against Trump that came before the Senate. "The House, if they come together and have a process, I will definitely consider whatever articles they might move," Sasse said in an interview with CBS. "I believe the president has disregarded his oath of office…what he did was wicked."
China promised on Saturday to donate 500,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to the Philippines as the two countries signed infrastructure deals aimed at boosting post-pandemic recovery efforts, officials said. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte imposed one of the world's longest and strictest lockdowns to contain the virus in March last year - bringing one of Asia's fastest-growing economies to a standstill. "As a friend of the Philippines and your closest neighbour, we will firmly stand with the people of the Philippines until the defeat of this virus," senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi said during a meeting with the Philippines' foreign minister.
Instacart to provide $25 stipend to shoppers who get COVID-19 vaccine
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Kyrie Irving's future is now the biggest question hanging over the new super-team Nets


text:
Johnson Controls affirms strategic commitment to China with new corporate headquarters in Shanghai
New facility designed to achieve highest level of China Three Star Green Building and LEED Platinum building certifications with plans to reduce energy use by 48 percent per year
SHANGHAI, Sept. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson Controls, a diversified global industrial company in the building and automotive industries, today held a signing ceremony with Shanghai Hongqiao Linkong Economic Zone for its new China corporate headquarters. Featuring sustainable construction and state-of-the-art building technologies, the Johnson Controls corporate campus will be a symbol of the company's commitment to a strong industry leadership presence in China.
"As China continues to be one of the major growth markets for Johnson Controls, the new corporate headquarters in Shanghai will create a centralized and sustainable workplace to continue our business growth in China and the Asia Pacific region," said Alex Molinaroli, vice chairman of Johnson Controls. "This innovative, green campus reflects our commitment to China and will also demonstrate our capabilities to exceed customers' increasing expectations with our world class smart building technologies and energy efficiency solutions."
The design and construction of the new campus will achieve China's Three Star Green and LEED Platinum building certifications to become a landmark for China and the Asia region. To make this possible, Johnson Controls will employ multiple integrated building technology solutions that will reduce the building's water and energy use. Regionally manufactured materials will be used for this project and special attention will be paid to indoor and outdoor environments. All together, this will result in a 48 percent reduction in the building's energy consumption over traditional building designs per year.
Johnson Controls' new campus, conveniently located in the Changning District, is expected to be completed by late 2016. The 35,000 square meter campus will allow the company to relocate 1,200 employees and provides space for future growth.
Johnson Controls is a "Top Employer" in China with a strong people oriented philosophy. To attract and retain the best talent, the world class workspace will be equipped with multi-function event areas and flexible office environments to achieve higher operational efficiencies, comfort level, innovation and collaboration. The company will also develop convenient facilities including a fitness center, green terrace with river views, and charging stations for employees' hybrid and electric vehicles. This building is designed and will be built as a showcase environment that reflects the company's smart building capabilities while also benefiting employees' health, safety and productivity.
"The Chinese government is seeking ways to promote energy efficiency and minimize carbon emissions to create healthier environments in their cities, and we are pleased to support these efforts with our world class building technologies and solutions," added Molinaroli. "We look forward to developing Johnson Controls' new campus as a benchmark and living showcase for these sustainable construction and building management strategies in China."
Download images from our online media center here.
About Johnson Controls
Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. Our 168,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and interior systems for automobiles. Our commitment to sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through our growth strategies and by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value to shareholders and making our customers successful. In 2013, Corporate Responsibility Magazine recognized Johnson Controls as the #14 company in its annual "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list. For additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com.
About LEED
LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is redefining the way we think about the places where we live, work and learn. As an internationally recognized mark of excellence, LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. More information, please visit http://www.usgbc.org/articles/about-leed.
Fraser Engerman
Email: fraser.engerman@jci.com
Ketchum Public Relations
Frances Ma
Tel: +86-21-63532288 ext 105
Email: frances.ma@knprsh.com
SOURCE Johnson Controls
City of Beaufort SC enlists Johnson Controls for city wide infrastructure upgrades
The City of Beaufort, SC is partnering with Johnson Controls to complete a city-wide performance infrastructure and conservation project that's expected to generate $5.4 million in savings over 15 years, while reducing the city's overall carbon footprint, energy usage and water consumption.
Johnson Controls reveals GLAS thermostat
Johnson Controls today revealed GLAS—a simple-to-use, yet powerful smart thermostat.


The district Parkstadt Solln of Munich in Upper Bavaria (Bavaria) is a district located in Germany about 318 mi south of Berlin, the country's capital town.
Since you are here already, you might want to pay a visit to some of the following locations: Neuried, Grunwald, Baierbrunn, Strasslach-Dingharting and Planegg. To further explore this place, just scroll down and browse the available info. Let's start with some photos from the area.
Isar Hochwasser 2013 - Eine reissende Isar bei Pullach, Landkreis München, am 2. Juni 2013.
Lieblingsmarkt 2010 Juryfilm Kategorie Fisch Kunde: burdafood.net www.lieblingsmarkt.de Produktion: Filmtailor.


Uber momentarily flew drones over Mexico City to shame the city's drivers.
The company confirmed to Grist that it deployed drones over Mexico's capital for a few minutes in July to advertise UberPOOL, its carpooling service.
But car-based infrastructure is a major culprit for air pollution in Mexico City, which is suffering from heavy smog this year. The city government has restricted vehicles to driving six days a week.
Two professional photos from a Bloomberg story on Uber started this news wave — but you won't find any pics on Mexican Twitter accounts. The drone stunt was so brief that few saw it.
A suggestion for Uber to address smog: Maybe stop implementing surge pricing on smoggy days? The practice has made it prohibitively expensive for commuters to use Uber when air quality is bad.
Apple is having second thoughts about building electric, self-driving cars.


EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Free is able to recover deleted, formatted or otherwise inaccessible data from your hard drive. You can recover. 25 Sep - 3 min - Uploaded by App Soft EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Technician Final + Crack Download: restaurant-le-mercier.com برنامج EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard Technician برنامج EaseUS Partition Master Technician v Multilang البرنامج العملاق EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard AdvancedPE Multilingual.
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text:
Shekarau Met Tinubu On His Own-G7
Sources in the camp of a faction loyal to former governor Shekarau told Daily Trust that Shekarau went to the meet a National Leader of APC Bola Ahmed Tinubu without the blessing of other members of his camp.
Operating under the G-7, the Shekarau's camp has Senator Barau (Kano North), Rep Shaaban Sharada, Nasiru Auduwa, Tijjani Abdulkadir Jobe, Haruna Isa Dederi, among others as key members.
One of the sources said the former governor was yet to brief them on the outcome of his meeting with the APC national leader.
"As far as we are concerned, the meeting was personal and not for our group because he went there without our permission and since he returned, nobody has been briefed.
Tinubu Meets Shekarau, as Ganduje Loses Control over APC in Kano
"What I can tell you is that nobody can handover Kano to anyone come 2023. The state is bigger than anybody," one of the sources said.
He emphasized that the crisis rocking the APC in Kano was "to solely free the party and open it up to all in the state. As it is now, many people are being side-lined. They are practicing politics of exclusivity and it is not good for our democracy".
Another source said they would meet today. "There is the possibility of asking Shekarau to tell the world that he went to Lagos on his own," he said.
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APGA, Obiano Not Comfortable With Soludo's Transition Committee List
By Obiagwu Chrys
Recall that Anambra State Gov-elect, Prof Charles Soludo released a full list of Anambra State Transition Committee on Thursday with Oby Ezekwesili as the chairman, earlier reported .
This list which lacked the involvement of top politicians in Anambra was rumoured to have been a strong evidence to prove that there is a serious fight between APGA, Obiano led administration and Gov-Elect Charles Soludo.
According to Anambra Political Analyst Eneh Victor, this fight is real and not a joke.
Soludo wins Anambra Governorship Election
Eneh Victor who is the founder of AIF MEDIA used his facebook handle to give reasons why he believed that APGA and Obiano led administration are not comfortable with the Transition Committee constituted by Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo, Anambra state Gov-elect.
His post reads
Signs that both APGA and the outgoing administration are not comfortable with the list of the Transition Committee constituted by Prof Soludo and headed by Madam Due Process.
1. My friend Chinedum Onuegbu who is the SSA Media to the National Chairman of APGA did not report the list which Soludo media aide released this afternoon.
2. Machi Pius Igwe who is the chairman of Soludo TV crew but an Aguleri man attached to cabal did not also report it. When I checked his timeline, he was reporting of a pastor who was beaten to stupor by his church members.
3. Charles Ifeanyi Obi the SSA Media to Senator Victor Umeh has not also reported it. He is busy uploading pictures where Umeh was playing a table tennis.
4. My brother James Eze, the Chief Press Secretary to Gov Obiano has not praised the incoming for the list. He is in his wall uploading a picture (an art) of a lady with protruded ass.
5. Dominic Okagbue the SSA Media to Obidigwe reacted this way in his timeline. "Doing the right thing doesn't automatically bring success but compromising ethics always leads to failure."
6. Evang Chinedu Obigwe Akaekpuchionwa, the WhatsApp rabble rouser and Osodieme's mouth piece seems to be disappointed since the list came out. He suddenly went dumb.
7. Amb Izuchukwu Adichie, founder Obiano in us has logged out from social media.
8. Ifeanyi Aniagoh is in his wall mocking those who pushed him away during the campaigns and asking his Digi followers to tag them.
Tinubu's Tender And The Ordeal Of Osinbajo
By Bala Ibrahim.
It is now official that the national leader of the ruling APC and former governor of Lagos sate, chief Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Jagaba of Borgu, has formally tendered, or put himself forward as a contender with interest in the 2023 presidency.
Yesterday, Monday,10/01/2022, Tinubu told newsmen that he had visited and personally told President Muhammadu Buhari of his intention to contest the 2023 presidency. This has put paid, or effectively stopped the long time speculation about the ambition of Ahmed Tinubu, who said, "his ambition of becoming the president of Nigeria is a lifelong ambition".
Since yesterday, reactions have been pouring in response to the news, with some expressing disgust, while others are excitedly supportive. Amongst the early callers with negative comments is the critic and former minister of Education, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, who said, "the APC leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, does not have control of Alimosho, the largest local government area in Lagos State, what more of the whole of Nigeria. Tinubu is being over exaggerated". Exekwesile said, "Tinubu was only able to deliver 86,897 votes out of the 650,000 registered voters in Alimosho in the last presidential election. Tinubu is believed to wield much power in the South-West. He worked for the election of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. Tinubu and his like in #APCPDP control only as much as we let them. Alimosho for example, is the largest local government in Lagos State with over 1.2million persons resident according to official census figures. In 2015, only about 650,000 of these people registered and obtained their PVCs. We must collectively tell the likes of Mr Bola Tinubu that the season of lowest common denominator of political leaders doing "turn-by-turn" incompetent governance of Nigeria is over. But the question is, "are the citizens ready to collectively do so?".
While some disagreed with Ezekwesile on this, believing Tinubu is fit for the job, me thinks the collective wish of the citizens is not the biggest challenge at hand now. The collective challenge to face is the blow given to the speculated ambition of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who served as the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice of Lagos state, when Tinubu was the governor. Its an open secret that Osinbajo wouldn't have been where he is today if not for Tinubu's foresight and policy of inclusiveness. Osinbajo is undoubtedly interested in the Tinubu's tender.
But would that matter to the Vice President, who has been in the villa since 2015, enjoying the paraphernalia of power and listening to the whispers of the power mongers? In such capacity, he must be feeling extremely competent to continue from where his boss stopped. Confronted with such a choice, and sandwiched between it and the morals of personal loyalty to another boss, Osinbajo would be compulsorily compelled, or confused by the credo of the confidence of competence, to dare the godfather.
When asked by the press as to what he feels about the likelihood of the Vice President challenging him, Tinubu was evasive, saying that he would rather not discuss any individual now but himself. He said he has the confidence, vision and capacity to build on the foundation of the president and turn Nigeria better, just as he did with commitment and yielding zeal in Lagos State.
But that is not the speculation in town. Those rooting for the Vice President are saying it would be wrong of him to abandon his rumoured intentions to run for the president because of Tinubu, insisting that he should not allow his past to stand on his way to the future.
The biggest confusion is dependent on the body language of the President, because he holds the joker. Going by his conscious response to a question put forward to him at a recent media chat, PMB said he is not interested in who succeeds him. But if we go by his unconscious movements and postures, we can predict that the President is interested in a successor that would not become a liability to him and the country, particularly after putting a lot of efforts in the fight against the scourge of corruption.
The duo of Tinubu and Osinbajo have not been clinically cleared of the suspicions of financial wrong doings, at east in the public courts. In the periods he acted as President, news from the grapevine have indicted the Vice President of financial mismanagement and administrative recklessness; sins that have not been officially confirmed, but looking too true to be discarded, at least based on the subsequent display of disposition to such assignment by the President.
Tinubu said when he informed the President about his intention, the President asked him to go ahead, and he believes the President is a democrat who didn't tell him to stop chasing his ambition. But like Osinbajo, he has not been cleared of wrong doings, particularly in the area of cash and carry politicking.
Which is exactly where the leadership of the ruling APC needs to be upstanding. To ensure a proper checkmate against the evils of financial inducements, which Mr. President said he wants to eliminate, the party chairman and his lieutenants must be high-minded.
Fortunately, as a tested and trusted politician, whose major ambition is a second term in office, H.E. Mai Mala Buni, the Governor of Yobe state and the caretaker chairman of the APC, has been demonstrating decorum in this direction.
Ganduje won election not imposed-Garba
Kano state government has dismissed as untrue claim by the former governor of Kano state, Senator Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso that Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje did not win the 2019 gubernatorial election but imposed on the people by powerful forces.
A statement by the commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba indicated that contrary to the assertion made in an interview with a national daily, Kwankwaso managed a well-organized election rigging network, particularly in the metropolitan local governments, where youth, mostly without even voters' card were engaged to perpetrate the act.
He said it was vividly clear that barely hours into the voting, most of the ballot boxes were said have been stuffed, only for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to discover that either card readers were not used or the voters are not captured in its data and therefore had to cancel the results from many centres and declared the election inconclusive.
Malam Garba pointed out that it was unfortunate that as a leader who was severally involved in the election process, Kwankwaso is still contesting the result of an election conducted by statutory body and upheld by courts of law.
Ganduje lost 2019 election but Imposed by powerful forces -Kwankwaso
The commissioner said just some few days ago, Kwankwaso was all over the media cautioning his followers against unguarded utterances but ended up making incendiary rhetoric unbecoming a person of his caliber.
He said apparently, the interview Kwankwaso granted the national daily in which he attempted to rubbish the Ganduje administration has done him more harm than good which completely negates the spirit of a genuine peace and reconciliation he preached to his followers in the last few days to avoid derailing.
Malam Garba stated that Kwankwaso should have thank Ganduje for completing many of the projects he abandoned, saying that the people of Kano are paying the price for the unparallel policy of continuity that saw the completion of many projects in the last six years in the state.
These projects include Aminu Dantata Flyover, Yahaya Gusau Road and Prince Audu Underpass, Five kilometre roads in Dawakin Tofa, Ungogo, Warawa, Rano and Tofa local governments; Mahmoud Salga Road, Jaba-Rimin Kebe Road, Independent Power Project at Tiga and Challawa Dams, among many others.
On the issue of education, which Kwankwaso talk big, the commissioner further noted that as far as education is concern, the Ganduje administration has done a lot including payment of burden of over 15 billion backlog of scholarships to indigent students overseas left by the Kwankwaso administration.
He said so far, the sum of N3.5 billion has been paid for students in Sudan; N4.5 billion for Cyprus; N384 million for those in France, while it is in the process of paying students in Egypt and India.
Malam Garba said in addition to the implementation of the Free and Compulsory Basic and Secondary Education, the administration has been able to carry out massive infrastructure development in all its tertiary institutions and accreditation of many courses they offer.
The statement assured that despite the agitation for reconciliation that is ongoing among party leaders, the Ganduje administration would accordingly react to any attempt to rubbush the laudable achievements it has recorded and will not be distracted from carrying on with the responsibility for which it was elected into office.
MALAM MUHAMMAD GARBA
Hon. Commissioner for Information, Kano


Very few people realise just how close we came to a recession in the past 12 months, purely on an economic indicators perspective and not counting external risks such as the Fiscal Cliff debate. However, many traditional long leading indicators based on for example the yield curve and the unemployment rate, belie just how close a shave we had. This is because of deep structural changes and/or distortions brought about by the Great Recession of 2008. As it is, most long leading indicators bounced smartly off their respective troughs meaning that even if the NBER were to declare recession, it would be the shortest and mildest on record. However, should conditions have continued to deteriorate a little further for the long indicators, it is quite feasible that long leading recession models heavily reliant on yield curves, treasury spreads and unemployment rates would have completely missed the recession call due to their falsely bullish readings. Failure to make allowances for these structural changes can therefore be hazardous to your recession forecasting efforts.
RecessionALERT has conducted extensive research into long leading models and have settled on 8 diversified indicators (plus their diffusion) borrowed from various academic research methodologies in addition to those of the late Prof. Moore and new techniques and discoveries made by ourselves. These have all consistently peaked 9-18 months before the onset of recession. We have done all the normal statistical tests for data mining and revisions sensitivity as per the comprehensive testing done for our NBER Model and are satisfied we have something that is robust and can be trusted on the 9-12 month long leading side. In fact we track two models, one inclusive of Fed directly-influenced items and one without. Sensitivity tests have demonstrated that up to any combination of up to 5 of the indicators can be completely removed from the equation or suffer 25% deviations from reported figures and still not influence the outcome of the composite (only modifying the leads and introducing the odd false positive). The composite is equally weighted and is mapped out below. Even though our interpretation of the FED components have been sanitised of about 80% of their extreme manipulations on the long end of curve it still shows the model sans FED influences ("NOFED" model) being far less optimistic than the FED inclusive model.
Our long leading model issued an alert around January 2011 (when NOFED dipped below zero growth) and given its average lead time of 12 months, implied a recession by January 2012, some 3 months after ECRI issued their first "imminent recession" call (which was subsequently revised to much later over time.) It is now 2 years after that trough and we still maintain we are not in recession yet. As we follow the black line when it comes to recession calling, you can see the long leading indicator just bounced above zero, narrowly missing the recession threshold, and making strong gains thereafter.
We have deployed our own versions of a Labor market Index, a Housing Index, the Treasury Yield spread and Monetary supply all of which have suffered "structural distortions" or "extreme manipulations" since 2008. The versions of these components we have developed have been hardened against structural changes, providing near identical signalling to the standard components pre- 2008 and adequately sanitising them post 2008 from structural effects of the Great Recession (removing long-term unemployment components and compensating for labour force participation rates and manipulations by fed on long end of curve for example) The behaviour of these and other components of the model around the last recession and current expansion are shown below.
You can see that Residential Fixed Investment, Housing, GDP per unit-labour cost and corporate profits all paid a visit below the recession trigger between August 2010 and May 2011 effectively dragging their Diffusion Index (which tracks how many systems are in recession territory) into recession territory as well. However the other components kept the black line from going underwater.
We believe any long leading index should have signalled a near-miss recession 9-18 months ago. Why? Because the ultimate co-incident index, Quarterly Gross Domestic Income (in addition to our NBER model) shows we narrowly escaped recession. We prefer the GDI model since its accuracy is known going back to post war period of 1948 and quite a bit of academic research has shown it to be a superior expression of the economy than GDP. We are certain ECRI lean heavily on GDI as an expression of the economy coincident as opposed to GDP and the chart below probably had a lot to do with their "imminent" recession call in late 2011.
But if we narrowly missed recession, how come so many traditional long leading indicators didn't even come close to flagging it? The answer is structural changes. The easiest examples of these are with the Treasury spreads and the labor market. As an example of the dangers of deploying long leading models using components subject to structural distortions of the Great Recession and extreme FED manipulation, consider a simple 2-factor long leading composite constructed from real unemployment (unemployment deflated by CPI) and the spread between 10's vs. Fed Funds rate. Below are 3 versions of the model, black being the standard model and green being the model sanitised for structural unemployment changes and blue being the model additionally sanitised from extreme fed influences on the long end of the curve.
So we see that a traditional interpretation of this model, which by the way has an excellent track record in the past for providing 9-12 months lead to recession, provided a far more optimistic view on its last big trough than the blue line which indicates we actually had a narrow miss. So it is clear you have THREE MODELS that near identically signalled long leads to recession up to 2008/9 and now diverge considerably post 2008/9. They are thus mathematically and statistically ALL VALID MODELS for consideration and therefore, ignoring the reading of the less optimistic models would qualify as a huge oversight. As you can see the 2nd sanitised version signals a recession near-miss whereas the first traditional model incorrectly implies ECRI's call was way, way off mark. Now do you think someone with ECRI's reputation and stakes in the game would really have missed by such a huge margin as implied above by the black line? We think not.
Simplistic tried and tested low-order models with near perfect track records are thus subject to non-trivial risks of future missed calls unless some compensation or risk bands are included to compensate for structural changes of the Great Recession and overtly aggressive fed policies. This is why we prefer deployment of 8 diversified components plus their diffusion, hardened from distortions, to ensure any component unduly affected by said distortions do not present misleading optimistic readings. Assuming ECRI was following a model that maybe dipped below their red line for whatever reason,you can forgive them somewhat for their initial assumptions. In hindsight the call seems out of whack but on the day when the index was hovering below recession trigger on a cliff like downward trajectory and no foresight into the eventual bounce shown on above chart it becomes easier to understand the call.
As we have stated on prior occasions, 9-12 month lead times for recession are not very useful (See "Recession – Just how much warning is useful anyway?") and we prefer to rely on many other medium, short leading and co-incident models when it comes to inferring stock market actions. You can see recent sample reports from all of them over here. What we will do however is take any recession signal given by these shorter lead models and then confer with the Long Leading model to ensure things tie up.


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www.stillisstillmoving.com
I am inspired by the wonderful Willie Nelson
« Snoop Dogg, 'Medicine', with Willie Nelson
Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real (10/23/2010) »
"Being with Willie Nelson is like a dream come true" — Country Throwdown artists
See more photos from the Ontario, California show at
www.grimygoods.com
http://calcoastnews.com
by: Josh Friedman
Willie Nelson capped off a country music festival for the ages Saturday at Pozo Saloon.
Thought to be the largest single-day concert in San Luis Obispo County history, Willie Nelson's Country Throwdown featured 16 artists spanning eight hours and three different stages.
Country artists and fans from across the nation packed Pozo, arriving in tour buses, RVs and motorcycles. A military motorcycle ride from Atascadero to Pozo even included two of the performing artists, Randy Houser and Craig Campbell.
The Throwdown performers, who have now been on tour for a month, were delighted to take their talents to Pozo, a renowned setting in the world of country music.
Alabama native singer-songwriter Drake White, who kicked off the festivities with a 3 p.m. performance, raved about the Pozo Saloon.
"I love the venue," White said. "I love being in the middle of nowhere."
White also expressed great admiration for Willie Nelson and appreciation for the country legend's choice of artists accompanying him on tour.
"It's like he hand picked us, but he doesn't really know us," White said.
After White's opening act, the crowd shifted to the Blue Bird Café Tent and performances rotated between three stages for the following three hours.
Brent Cobb, part of the opening country quartet at the Bluebird Café Tent, shared White's sentiments about Nelson and the gang.
"Being with Willie, I think for everyone, is a dream come true," Cobb said. "He's the only artist that I didn't already know before the tour, so being out here is like being with a bunch of friends on the road playing music."
The main stage performance began just shy of 5:30 p.m. with up-and-coming country sensation Lee Brice, another Southerner enthused about taking the stage at Pozo Saloon.
"I got tot talk to the lady who owns this," Brice said. It's so cool she brings all these people out here to this backyard. It feels like a mixture of Texas and California."
Randy Houser and Jamey Johnson followed Brice's act, leading up to Willie Nelson finally taking the stage at 9:20 p.m.
Nelson opened with "Whiskey River" and pleased the crowd with favorites such as, "On the Road Again", "Always on My Mind" and "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys".
Willie's son, Lukas Nelson, who performed earlier in the day, joined his father mid-act.
Upon conclusion of the concert, the elder Nelson greeted select fans backstage.
Nelson, now 78, told Cal Coast News he does not know what keeps him going. But, the country legend declared, "I never stop."
This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 29th, 2011 at 10:06 am and is filed under Country Throwdown, News and Reviews.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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The new property acquisition.
Maple Ridge's North Alouette Regional Greenway expands
Metro buys 'ecologically rich piece of land'
Neil Corbett
Metro Vancouver has increased the size of the North Alouette Regional Greenway after buying 7.69 hectares of land.
The greenway, located in the northwest corner of Maple Ridge, bordering Pitt Meadows, includes a shared dike trail used for walking, cycling and horseback riding. It protects a section of the North Alouette River floodplain, including a rare lowland Sitka spruce ecosystem.
The new land parcel, acquired at a cost of $715,000 through the Metro Vancouver Regional Parks land acquisition fund, runs north from 136th Avenue and includes Cattell Brook, which provides salmon-rearing habitat and is a destination for canoeists and kayakers.
"The corridor along the North Alouette River provides park visitors many wonderful opportunities to enjoy scenic vistas of the river, mountains and agricultural areas, and it's a great place to view wildlife," said Maple Ridge Mayor Mike Morden.
"The city looks forward to continuing to work with Metro Vancouver to manage this important local and regional amenity."
The greenway follows the North Alouette River, then connects to Tim's Trail and Docksteader Trail in Silver Valley. Other connecting trails then lead to Golden Ears Provincial Park.
The greenway, together with the nearby Codd Wetlands Ecological Conservancy and Blaney Bog Regional Park Reserve, forms an assemblage of natural wetland habitats supporting several endangered species, such as Keen's long-eared bat, the southern red-backed vole, and the Pacific water shrew, said a press release from Metro.
"We are pleased and excited to have secured such an ecologically rich piece of land which complements the floodplain areas already protected by the greenway," said John McEwen, chair of Metro's parks committee.
"This property contains important fish rearing and wildlife habitat, and is a key component of the Pacific Flyway."
Read also: Metro expands Pitt River Regional Greenway
This land purchase advances Metro Vancouver Regional Parks' mandate to protect the region's important natural areas while allowing people to enjoy and learn about the natural environment, said the release.
• Metro Vancouver's Regional Parks system covers 13,557 hectares, and includes 22 regional parks, three regional park reserves, two ecological conservancy areas, and five regional greenways.In 2018, Metro Vancouver doubled its annual contribution to the Regional Park Land Acquisition Fund to $7.57 million each year.
ncorbett@mapleridgenews.com
Senate committee approves dozens of energy-industry-friendly amendments to C-69
One person dead, others injured after multi-vehicle crash on Coquihalla Highway
Maple Ridge councillor calls out province on homelessness
MLA says he has been willing to meet with the city, more addiction treatment coming


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Home / Companies / Tapping the sustainability pipeline to maintain growth
Tapping the sustainability pipeline to maintain growth
Subsidy effect: Jain Irrigation Systems managing director Anil Jain. One factor that works in the company's favour are schemes initiated by state governments promoting micro-irrigation through subsidi
3 min read . Updated: 03 Nov 2009, 12:17 AM IST Shraddha Nair
Mumbai: It claims to be the world's second biggest drip irrigation company, but Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd started as a manufacturer of pipes before diversifying into drip irrigation.
"When we were supplying pipes to the farmers (in Maharashtra) we found that they were low on productivity and also that the groundwater table was depleting," managing director Anil Jain recalls about what led the company into drip irrigation.
In 1985, after attending a drip irrigation conference in the US and seeing the benefits of the technology, the Jains brought the concept to India, where farmers depend on the monsoon to water most of their crops.
Also Read | RedBus is set to be India's biggest bus service aggregator
Subsidy effect: Jain Irrigation Systems managing director Anil Jain. One factor that works in the company's favour are schemes initiated by state governments promoting micro-irrigation through subsidies. Ashesh Shah/Mint
While Israel, a pioneer in drip irrigation technology, is already facing the worst water crisis in 80 years, 604 districts in India were gripped by drought because of scanty rainfall this year.
According to a report by the Geological Survey of Israel, the water crisis in Israel is a result of 30 years of overpumping and the lack of a clear, sustainable policy to manage water resources.
In India, around 450 million people live off rain-fed agriculture and are vulnerable to the vagaries of the monsoon.
Converting farmers to drip irrigation wasn't easy. Till the early 1980s, Indian farmers engaged in flood irrigation, which was basically flooding the entire field with water. This led to a wastage of both water and fertilizer.
"While flood irrigation did not cost money, it cost the farmers Rs40,000-45,000 per ha when they used drip irrigation," says Jain.
So, in 1988-89, the Maharashtra government encouraged the use of drip irrigation by giving 50% cash back to all the farmers who adopted drip irrigation.
The spread of drip irrigation, in turn, helped reduce government spending on water, fertilizer and energy, said Jain.
His father, Bhavarlal H. Jain, went into business in 1963 with Rs7,000 in hand, selling kerosene lamps door-to-door.
Today the Bombay Stock Exchange-listed Jain Irrigation has a market capitalization of Rs5,821 crore.
Analysts say the company has room for further growth.
"About 69 million ha of area in India is under irrigation, 3.5 million ha is under micro-irrigation and the potential to get more area under micro-irrigation is 65 million (ha) or so," says Manish Mahawar, analyst at brokerage firm Prabhudas Lilladher Pvt. Ltd.
In 2001-02, US-based private equity firm Aqua International Partners, LP, a member of the Texas Pacific Group that makes investments in companies providing water and water-related products or services to emerging market communities, bought a 49% stake in the company.
One factor that works in the company's favour are schemes initiated by state governments promoting micro-irrigation through subsidies.
In July, the Haryana government announced that it would subsidise 90% of the cost of micro-irrigation systems, from 50% earlier.
In May, the Himachal Pradesh government, awarded a Rs65.11 crore micro-irrigation project to the company; in May 2008, Jain Irrigation signed an agreement with the government of Maharashtra for two projects in Jalgaon worth Rs550 crore.
The company has got the latest micro-irrigation technology through acquisitions in the US and Israel and so far has purchased six foreign companies and six domestic companies. Prize catches include Switzerland-based Thomas Machines SA, and US-based Chapin Watermatics Inc. and Cascade Specialties Inc.
According to Jain, the key to success of acquisitions of international companies is not to try and change them. "If you try and change their DNA it will be a recipe for disaster," he says.
Jain Irrigation has diversified into other businesses. While its drip irrigation systems helped improve farm productivity, it found that some farmers were unable to sell their produce.
So the company decided to buy back farmers' produce, process and market it. That is how the company started contract farming for vegetables, bananas, mango, papaya and tomato.
It is one of the largest manufacturers of dehydrated onions and mango pulp and puree.
The company went through some rough times between 1997 and 2001 because it had diversified too much.
"We had a turnover of Rs250 crore, debt of Rs750 crore and interest (burden) of Rs90 crore. People had written us off," recalls Jain. The stock price, which was Rs460 in 1996, fell to Rs9.
In March 1998, the company needed Rs1 crore to repay a loan it had taken from State Bank of India and avoid default. When it was unable to raise the money from banks, the Jains pledged family gold.
The company shut down several peripheral businesses including granite quarrying, financial services and a multimedia venture. "I learnt that growth for the sake of growth will not be sustainable," says Jain.


Something different for the table — seltzer water cans are hammered into cubes, pierced and sprayed with gold paint.
I like they way these look like they could be made from paper – they definitely trick the eye.
I used a knife to cut the can in half.
I folded in the rim to create a more finished look.
Using a block of wood as my mold, I hammered the can into a cube shape.
With a nail and hammer, I pierced all four sides.
A quick coat of gold spray paint is the final step.
Tea lights illuminate the cubes from within.
Dark and light with a shimmer of gold make these perfect for a holiday table.
What a terrifically simple GREEN idea. Thank you.


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Kuhn, Dr Alexander (hydrology, plant collection)
Born: Date not known, Place not known.
Died: 1906, Valparaiso, Chile.
Alexander Kuhn, a German engineer, was first sent out to German South West Africa (now Namibia) in 1901 by the Syndikat fuer Bewaesserungsanlagen fuer Deutsch-Suedwestafrika, with the financial support of the German government, to re-examine a proposal by the civil engineer Theodor Rehbock* for a large dam and irrigation scheme at Hatsamas, some 80km south-east of Windhoek, and to investigate the feasibility of proposed dams at Marienthal and de Naute [not identified]. He was accompanied by the engineer Scutari. Kuhn reported his findings in Bericht ueber Bewaesserungsanlagen fuer Deutsch Suedwestafrika (Report on water schemes for German South West Africa; Berlin, 1901), which included a map on a scale of 1:500 000. He supported Rhebock's earlier findings, giving preference to the scheme at Hatsemas.
Another of his recommendations was that a detailed study should be made of the drainage system of the Fish River. This recommendation was accepted by the Deutsche Kolonialgesellschaft, which asked Kuhn to lead a second expedition to the territory for this purpose. The investigation was conducted in 1903. The resulting report, Bericht ueber die von der Deutschen Kolonialgesellschaft dem Kolonial-Wirtschaftlichen Komitee uebertragen Fischfluss-Expedition: Reisen und Arbeiten in Deutsch-Suedwestafrika im Jahre 1903, was published in Berlin in 1904 (157 p). Kuhn proposed the construction of four large dams and many farm dams in the Fish River and its tributaries, all upstream of Seeheim. He believed that the resulting retention of flood waters might turn the Fish River into a permanent stream and also increase rainfall over its catchment. However, his report has been described as consisting mainly of a narrative account of wanderings in the Fish River country between Mariental and Ais-Ais, with much personal account and little of scientific value, its many proposals for the improvement of the country being based largely on American literature (Logan, 1969). A foreword to the report was contributed by Rehbock.
Kuhn also published a report on the "native problem" in the territory, Zum Eingeborenenproblem in DSWA (Berlin, 1905, 40 p). He furthermore collected plants during his visits. The specimens went, among others, to the Botanischer Museum, Berlin-Dalheim, Germany.
After his second expedition to Namibia Kuhn visited the western United States to study large dam projects there. Upon his return he shared the American vision of the time that large desert and semi-desert regions would be turned into fertile farmland by irrigation schemes.
Hugo, P.J., Schalk, K.E.L. & Barnes, S. Bibliography of South West African/Namibian earth science. Windhoek: Geological Survey of SWA/Namibia, 1983.
Kienetz, A. Nineteenth-century South West Africa as a German settlement colony (pp. 913-917). PhD thesis in social geography, University of Minnesota, 1976. Facsimile by University Microfilms International, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1977.
Logan, R.F. Bibliography of South West African geography and related fields. Windhoek: SWA Scientific Society, 1969.
South African bibliography to the year 1925. London: Mansell, 1979.


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OTTERMAN AND ALLEN, P.C.
Vermont Attorneys at Law
click on a link or photo for more information:
Home / Directions / Practice Areas / Attorneys and Staff / Helpful Links / NEW BOOK!
The Stories of Harvey B. Otterman, Jr.
Exploding airplanes, whiskey smuggling on Harvey's Lake, stolen pigs, snipers on the hill, a brawl at the fair, jury trials on the hood of a car, and a murdered farmer…
Harvey "Bud" Otterman's stories collected in this work provide insight into the history of Bradford, Topsham and Corinth and his own personal history, including his designation as a Naval Aviator at the age of 19!
This work also contains Bud's own account, as the investigating State's Attorney, of the Orville Gibson murder.
Copies have arrived!
Pick up a copy at our office or order directly below.
1 copy $14.99 USD 2 copies $27.99 USD 3 copies $42.99 USD
Harvey B. Otterman, Jr. was born in Washington, D.C. on February 18, 1926 and became a resident of Topsham Vermont in 1946. He was educated at George Washington University, Washington, D.C. (B.A., 1948; LL.B., 1950). He was married to the former Doris Clark and together they had three sons. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1943-1946. At age 19 he was designated a naval aviator, the 12th youngest in the history of the U.S. Navy.
He served in various Topsham Town Offices for 50 years, including School Director, Moderator, Selectman, and on the Budget Committee. He practiced law for 50 years. Member of: Vermont Bar Association, President; New England Bar Association, President; Vermont Professional Conduct Board, Chairman; Vermont Judicial Conduct Board, member; Disciplinary Committee of Federal Court of Appeals - NYC, Vermont Member. He was the Orange County State's Attorney from 1952-1958 and a Member of the Vermont House of Representatives during the years 2001-2002, 2003-2004, 2005-2006, 2007-2008.
Copyright (c) 2018, Otterman and Allen, P.C. All Rights Reserved.


So, plan B is to hope that Listen Mode really does work as it should with ListenCoefRx=1. However, because I can't utilize PllLock pulses which are that brief to wake the atmega328p, I'm hoping that feeding those PllLock interrupt pulses into the atmega328p's asynchronous timer will yet catch them, and thus indirectly wake the atmega328p after a programmed number of pulses are received if atmega328p hasn't already been awoken by receiving a packet while in Listen Mode. Well, that's the theory anyway.
I think that confirms it. ListenCoefRx=2 is the shortest setting when ListenResolX is 64uSec.
OK, it wasn't missing pulses then - they just weren't there This is useful work WhiteHare.


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One of the nicest portfolio sites i've seen for a long time – Art Director / Designer based in France – Lionel Durimel. Love the homescreen – on rollover the specific project thumbnail slides in and the background fades to a complimentary colour. Enter a project and explore the details – love the absolute elegant simplicity – inline animations / video – details and full layouts. When you have reached the end of the case study the next one sides in from right and the next patch of project details appears. The minimal design and layout is lifted by the addition of small details – the transitions, progress bar at top, the awesome scroll effect that skews the type and images based on scroll velocity – (and the url). Fresh, modern, fantastic portfolio.
Created by Lionel Durimel (@lioneldurimel) and Kevin Boudot (@kevinboudot).


The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHS) announced the preliminary Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety violations for fiscal year 2016. Patrick Kapust, deputy director of OSHA's Directorate of Enforcement Programs, presented the Top 10 on the Expo floor as part of the 2016 NSC Congress & Expo, the world's largest gathering of safety professionals.
The final report on the Top 10 violations for 2016 will be published in the December edition of the Council's Safety+Health magazine.


The famous caption from The New Yorker cartoon reads, "On the Internet, no one knows you're a dog." This is most vexing for PR and marketing types who find themselves trying to reach out and understand which bloggers and social media types might be influencers, which ones have some kind of authority, and which ones might be cobblers and tinkerers. It's a complex question, and I don't pretend that I can fully answer the title of this blog post. Instead, I wanted to do two things with this post: give PR and marketing types a place to start, and also give others a chance to weigh in on their take on authority and how it's measured on the web.
If you find your comments going long, feel free to blog it, and link to the post in the comments section. Why not spread the idea out there and get your community chewing on it as well?
It would be easy to bog ourselves down in definitions of the word "authority" itself. In this case, let's agree that the working definition as it pertains to this topic is: a blog or website or even an individual person and their credibility, knowledge, and reputation on the Web. Is this close enough? How would you change this? If we agree, or are close enough, let's go on.
**Update**: Most people did NOT agree. They said that what we covered with the methods listed below dealt with web celebrity. The comments first in line all say something similar.
Great, then do you have other tools that you'd say show how the web measures authority? If the tools below measure web popularity, where are the authority tools?
Alexa ranks your site via how many people visit it based on their statistics. I've heard conflicting information over the years as to how this actually is done. Instead of Alexa, I tend to use Compete, which I feel provides better, more actionable information. Just the same, knowing that more-than-a-few people visit a site gives one a sense of whether someone values it or not.
Yahoo provides a way to see how many inbound links a website has received via their Site Explorer. This again tells you whether someone's efforts are resonating well around the web at large.
As the web splinters out and content atomizes even more, there are new ways to determine someone's reputation, potential level of influence, and more. But here's where it gets a little wishy washy, and where I'm sure there's more and more opportunity to dispute any of these ideas.
Social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn give one a relatively quick snapshot of someone's online interactivity. You can do a quick scan of a Twitter user's last few pages of tweets and see what they talk about. You can use Twitter Search and see how many people respond to that user. If nothing else, you could see how many people are connected to this individual.
I flinch a bit when I say this. It's not a numbers game. And yet, do numbers tell us anything about a person? Maybe. What's your thought on that one?
Googling someone to see just how much of a digital footprint she leaves is also one way to see if someone has a presence on the web. I did this once with a "social media expert" that I met at an event, and unless they use an interesting alias, I couldn't find barely a trace of this person either directly on several social networks, nor via Google itself.
What does this all tell you? Where do you go with this? How does an organization start to learn who's who on the web, who might have authority and influence, and get some sense of the scope of what this person is doing?
Is someone already doing something useful and powerful in this space?
And if you found the ultimate source for determining the above, would it still help you trust someone you knew solely from the web?


text:
Theatre Review: 'The Woman in Black' at Keegan Theatre
Posted By: Robert Michael Oliveron: November 06, 2013
Robert Leembruggen and Matthew Keenan. Photo by Cameron Whitman.
The ghost story, the horror movie, Fright Night! When one thinks of theatre, one does not usually turn one's mind toward theatre as a good vehicle for the spine chiller. Words can weave an airy apparition far better than the mechanics of the stage, and film—well, the filmmaker's art is the art of deception and suspense with its director's total control over what is seen and heard.
…spine tingling, tongue-in-cheek, ghostly night in the theatre
Theatre, on the other hand, has a wide lens; though light can focus our attention, it cannot dictate our gaze. And words spoken, even by the best trained actor, cannot equal the magic those words can play upon a reader's imagination.
I am happy to say that Keegan Theatre's production of The Woman in Black, a theatrical ghost story, defies those expectations. With two first rate performances by Matthew Keenan and Robert Leembruggen, and some slick stagecraft by co-director and scenic designer Colin Smith, the challenges of a theatrical horror story are overcome.
Matthew Keenan. Photo by Cameron Whitman.
You won't leave the theatre emotionally purged or intellectually stirred, even if you do rush home to your children as you are suddenly concerned for their safety.
Stephen Mallatratt based The Woman in Black on Susan Hill's contemporary Gothic novella of the same name. His play opened in London in 1987 to rave reviews and has been playing at Fortune Theatre since 1989. Although I might question the "raves," it is not hard to fathom the enjoyment.
Mr. Kipps, played with delightful energy by Mr. Leembruggen, has hired a professional actor, played vivaciously by Mr. Keenan, to help him recite his 5-hour autobiographical ghost story to his friends and family. He hopes that by retelling the story he will somehow be able to leave it behind: perhaps, his Freudian therapist suggested this treatment for "hauntings;" for it is never explained why he would think such a thing.
With a comic flare, Kipps and the actor banter back and forth about just how excruciating a 5-hour mumbled story would be. Finally, the actor convinces Kipps not only to turn the story into theatre, but also to let him, the actor, play the young Mr. Kipps of the story.
Mr. Kipps is a solicitor who has been sent to the secluded home of the recently departed Mrs. Drablow, where he will spend a few days going through her papers in preparation for finalizing her will.
Immediately, the young Kipps senses something is not quite right about Mrs. Drablow and the small town where she lived. Everyone in the town approaches her name with caution, either speaking of her cryptically or not at all.
Within hours of his arrival at the Drablow estate, however, Kipps discovers the source of the tension. He sees an emaciated young woman, cloaked in black lace, lingering around the estate's graveyard.
Although not a ghost story in the strictest sense of the genre, The Woman in Black plays on the form as it leads us into the mysteries of her haunting.
Leembruggen's older Mr. Kipps does a stellar job portraying the various characters Keenan's young Mr. Kipps encounters on his visit to the Drablow home. He gives each a unique signature, allowing us to keep the story clear.
Keenan has the challenge of transporting the audience into the scary house, but he does so fantastically. We are there with him in the spooky house.
Now, at this point you might be asking the same question that I asked when I noticed in my program that the cast for a play entitled The Woman in Black consisted of only two men. "What, are they just going to gab about this lace-draped woman, or what?" No, in keeping with the conceit of the play, no one is cast to play that wordless part because she is not really there. Get it? She is only a ghost.
That's the spirit of the show—a ghost story, yes, but one that remains a bit tongue-in-cheek, allowing those who accept the premise to enjoy gently the fright of it all.
Robert Leembruggen. Photo by Cameron Whitman.
Co-directed by Mark A. Rhea and Colin Smith, the show's pace is spot-on, with Smith's scenic design fitting appropriately into the Church Street Theater's dusty interior. Lighting designer Michael Innocenti has done an excellent job controlling the focus of the show, and designer Kelly Peacock's costumes are as Gothic as they need to be.
A special congratulations needs to go to sound designer Tony Angelini. His scary sounds and modulated voices were the real fright of the night.
The Woman in Black is definitely that theatrical rarity. For the occasionally spine tingling, tongue-in-cheek, ghostly night in the theatre, you should see this very well done production.
Running Time: 2 hours with an intermission.
Advisory: Not recommended for young children.
The Woman in Black plays at Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church Street, near Dupont Circle, Washington, DC, through November 30. For tickets, click here.
Theatre Review: 'Guys and Dolls' at Rockville Musical Theatre
Top Five Shows of The Week
Robert Michael Oliver
An educator, playwright, theatre artist, and poet, Robert Michael Oliver has lived an eclectic life since moving to Washington 30 years ago after earning his MFA in Directing from Virginia Tech. Co-founder of DC's Sanctuary Theatre, Michael served as its artistic director through the early 1990s. He then worked at The New School of Northern Virginia as High School Director and Director of its theatre program. Now, with both his children independent, young adults, and after earning his doctorate in Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Maryland in 2005, he has recommitted himself to the arts. In 2010 he began the Sanctuary's Performing Knowledge Project. Its one-man show, "Embodying Poe: Poetry in Performance," which Michael wrote and performed, premiered at the 2011 Capital Fringe Festival. A long time participant in Washington's theatre scene, he was delighted to be the Editor, DC Metro area for the Maryland Theatre Guide for a few years.


The University of Amsterdam (UvA) is to award honorary doctorates to computer scientist Shih-Fu Chang of Columbia University and epigeneticist Andrew Feinberg of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Chang is being awarded an honorary doctorate in recognition of his pioneering contribution to our understanding of the digital universe, particularly in the area of imagery, language and sound. Feinberg will be presented with an honorary doctorate for his cutting-edge research into humane epigenetics and epigenomics, and more particularly for his contribution to the unravelling of the epigenetic processes that lead to cancer and other diseases. The doctorates will be conferred during the UvA's Foundation Day on Friday, 8 January 2016.
Professor Shih-Fu Chang (1963) is one of the founders of the field of data science. Unlocking digital sources is today one of the driving forces for scientific and social innovation. Chang has played a pivotal role in this with his research on multimedia information retrieval, including computer vision, machine learning and signal processing. His goal is to develop intelligent systems that respond to the enormous amounts of visual and signal data available through the web. Many fields in the arts and sciences, including sociology, political science, the humanities and engineering, will profit from these advances in data science, which will lead to novel ways of doing research and novel results. In 1997, a period in which the importance of digital imagery was only starting to become apparent, Chang paved the way for image search engines with his VisualSEEK algorithm. In the 15 years since then, major strides have been made in image recognition and message categorisation. Chang's work spans the entire spectrum, from fundamental research in data science to the valorisation of research results in education and business (start-ups and established companies). He is a motivated lecturer and in this capacity has received several awards, including the Society of Columbia Graduates' Great Teacher Award.
Chang is senior vice dean of Columbia University's (New York, US) School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He is also Richard Dicker Chair Professor at Columbia University's departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Chang also heads the Digital Video and Multimedia Lab at Columbia University.
Honorary supervisor: Prof. Arnold Smeulders, professor of Multimedia Analysis at the UvA.
Professor Andrew P. Feinberg (1952) is an expert in the epigenetics of diseases, particularly cancer. He is one of the world's most influential researchers when it comes to understanding how diseases occur in people. In 1983 Feinberg, together with Prof. Bert Vogelstein from Johns Hopkins, became the first to show that the methylation of DNA plays an important part in the emergence of tumours, both benign and malignant. Methylation is an epigenetic process in which the structure of DNA changes and the expression of certain genes are inhibited. Feinberg's second big breakthrough came through his discovery of the role played by imprinted genes – such as the gene IGF2 – in the emergence of cancer. This not only led to greater insight in the etiology of the disease, but also to a better diagnosis and prevention of cancer worldwide. Feinberg was the first to establish a genome centre for humane epigenetics and to publish a map of normal and cancerous methylome. In recent years, Feinberg has also managed to transform humane epigenetics through his early contribution to epigenomics. Today this field of research is crucial for our knowledge about the emergence of cancer, autoimmune diseases, ageing, psychiatry and the consequences of (mal)nutrition and stress.
Feinberg is Gilman Scholar and King Fahd Professor of Medicine, Oncology and Molecular Biology and Genetics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Baltimore, US). He is also professor of Biostatistics at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In addition, he is the director of the Center for Epigenetics at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences and the chair of the Molecular Medicine division of the department of Medicine.
Honorary supervisor: Prof. Hanne Meijers-Heijboer, professor of Clinical Genetics at the AMC-UvA.


"A church without a choir is like a body without a soul."
Our Church Liturgical Choir is the soul of our church. They sing at most liturgical services the traditional Byzantine and Slavic music of the Orthodox Church. There is hope that as our Choir grows in membership, so too it will grow in its commitment to other sacramental services (such as weddings), a Christmas Concert, Conference Choir festivals and the Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers. Our choir director and members are most faithful in their love and devotion to the Church and for that we are grateful. The Church affords us other ministries in the life of its members. One of these is unique to trained singers - that of the Church Chanter. One must have a pleasing voice, be trained in Byzantine music and have the blessing of the Metropolitan and/or the parish clergy before one can become a chanter in the Church. The same holds true for a church reader. One must be properly trained in liturgical reading before one can be blessed in this ministry.