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Harry, Meghan and Archie pictured on Christmas card
Dec 23rd 2019 6:51PM
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been pictured on a Christmas card with their baby son Archie.
Captured in black and white, the festive image shows Harry and Meghan sitting by a Christmas tree smiling as the seven-month-old gazes into the camera in the foreground.
The card was not officially released through any official royal channels, and first appeared on an unverified Twitter account called The Queen's Commonwealth Trust.
Shared as a gif, with the lights on the tree twinkling, the account said: "Just sharing the sweetest Christmas Card from our President and Vice-President, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
"Very Merry Christmas, everyone!"
It is understood that copies of the image, taken by the couple's friend Janina Gavankar, were emailed to friends and staff on Monday and hard copies sent to family.
A spokeswoman for the Sussexes confirmed its authenticity with the PA News Agency.
Harry and Meghan are currently spending a six-week break over the festive period in Canada.
The duchess, a former actress, lived and worked in Toronto during her time starring in the popular US drama Suits, and the couple were famously pictured together when Meghan joined her then-boyfriend Harry at the 2017 Invictus Games in the Canadian city.
The Sussexes are likely to have spent the US Thanksgiving celebrations, which this year fell on November 28, with the duchess' mother Gloria Ragland.
It has already been announced they will not be joining the Queen and other members of the Royal Family at Sandringham on Christmas Day, as they are taking a break.
The Queen is said to be supportive of the Sussexes' plans and it follows the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's past decision to spend Christmas with Kate's parents and not with the Queen.
Harry and Meghan visit Johannesburg
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 02: (UK OUT FOR 28 DAYS) Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex visit the British High Commissioner's residence to attend an afternoon reception to celebrate the UK and South Africa's important business and investment relationship, looking ahead to the Africa Investment Summit the UK will host in 2020. This is part of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's royal tour to South Africa. on October 02, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 02: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex accompanied by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attends a reception to celebrate the UK and South Africa's important business and investment relationship at the High Commissioner's Residence during their royal tour of South Africa on October 02, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 02: (UK OUT FOR 28 DAYS) Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive to meet Graca Machel, widow of the late Nelson Mandela on October 02, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Duke last met with Mrs Machel during his visit to South Africa in 2015. (Photo by Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 02: (UK OUT FOR 28 DAYS) Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex meet Graca Machel, widow of the late Nelson Mandela on October 02, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Duke last met with Mrs Machel during his visit to South Africa in 2015. (Photo by Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 02: (UK OUT FOR 28 DAYS) Meghan, Duchess of Sussex accompanied by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex visit the Tembisa Township to learn about Youth Employment Services during their royal tour of South Africa on October 02, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 02: (UK OUT FOR 28 DAYS) Range Rovers with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex accompanied by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex arrive the Tembisa Township to learn about Youth Employment Services during their royal tour of South Africa on October 02, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
JJOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 02: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex visit the British High Commissioner's residence to attend an afternoon reception to celebrate the UK and South Africa's important business and investment relationship, looking ahead to the Africa Investment Summit the UK will host in 2020. This is part of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's royal tour to South Africa. on October 02, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 02: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex meet with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his wife Tshepo Motsepe at the Presidential Official Residence on day ten of their tour in Africa on October 2, 2019 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Toby Melville - Pool/Getty Images)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 02: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex accompanied by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex visit the Tembisa Township to learn about Youth Employment Services during their royal tour of South Africa on October 02, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 02: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, jewellery detail, accompanied by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex visit the Tembisa Township to learn about Youth Employment Services during their royal tour of South Africa on October 02, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 02: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex visit the Tembisa Township to learn about Youth Employment Services during their royal tour of South Africa on October 02, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 02: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex accompanied by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attends a reception to celebrate the UK and South Africa's important business and investment relationship at the High Commissioner's Residence during their royal tour of South Africa on October 02, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 02: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive at the Creative Industries and Business Reception at the British High Commissioners residence to meet with representatives of the British and South African business communities, including local youth entrepreneurs, on day ten of their tour in Africa on October 2, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski - Pool/Getty Images)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 02: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a Creative Industries and Business Reception on October 02, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 02: (EDITORS NOTE: This image has ben converted to black and white) Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex meet Graca Machel, widow of the late Nelson Mandela on October 02, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Duke last met with Mrs Machel during his visit to South Africa in 2015. (Photo by Chris Jackson-Pool/Getty Images)
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 02: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex visit Tembisa township to learn about Youth Employment Services (YES) on October 2, 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are on an official visit to South Africa. (Photo by Facundo Arrizabalaga - Pool/Getty Images)


New cars vs. used cars - what's the right choice and where can you get vehicle financing?
There's nothing more disheartening than the realisation that your old skidonk has gasped its last smokey gasp. With it, the dreadful knowledge that you now need to cough up for a replacement car.
The decision to buy either a new or used vehicle will be based on a number of factors – most pertinently, your vehicle financing options – especially if you have bad credit or have been blacklisted.
There's no denying the allure of a brand new car. To smell that new-car scent and see your reflection in the shiny paint.
Most new cars are known for their reliability and if anything does go wrong, chances are it's covered by the warranty.
Buying new also means that you don't have to worry about how the vehicle was maintained and treated by the previous owner.
Not only do new cars cost more than secondhand cars, but their value depreciates quickly too. Sadly, a new vehicle loses a large portion of value as it drives off the showroom floor.
Insuring a new car also costs more than used models, as replacement values are higher.
While "pre-owned vehicles" are less enchanting than new cars, they are a practical financial reality.
Realistically, a low mileage, late-model used car is essentially new. Buying a decent used vehicle is an opportunity to get the best bang for your buck.
Pre-certified dealers often offer strong warranties, sometimes even including the remaining balance of the factory warranty, and the opportunity to purchase an extended warranty.
Despite all the assurances, used cars have the stigma of unknown reliability. Because you don't know how the vehicle was taken care of before, there is always that fear of buying a lemon.
Finding a used vehicle that comes with the options and features that you want can be a time-consuming challenge.
For more information and advice on how we can help you with your car loan, contact us at Earn-a-Car via email or telephone today.
Car financing tips for Millennials!


The job is to be the sound and light technician for live shows during the evening and to entertain the guests in your Viva Hotel by organizing games, sports and other activities, either for adults or for children. You might be doing sports like volleyball, aerobics, pistol shooting or children's activities, such as; face painting, treasure hunt, creative hour, etc.
It's a very rewarding job but it's also quite demanding. Even though you will have a lot of fun and learn a lot, the days are sometimes very hot and the working days are long.
1. Be positive, flexible, energetic and love being around people.
2. Be experienced in working with/doing sound and light. Professional training/work experience is a must.
3. Speak at least two languages, English is required. The more languages you speak, the better.
4. Need to be available from end of March till November.
No travel costs; the cost of your tickets to fly to Mallorca and back will be repaid to you before you fly home, under the condition that you fulfill the contract period.
A standard European employment contract, with work insurance included.
Free entertainment training course; before the season starts you will attend a training course in Mallorca, with free food, beverage and accommodation. You will not get paid during the course but you will also not have to pay for the training you receive.
Hotels Viva is a Spanish hotel chain based in the Balearic Islands. We have got eighteen hotels, almost exclusively in the four star category. The company has made a name for itself by providing very high quality to our guests. This includes the hotel entertainment.


According to a new report released by the United Nations last week, progress against global hunger is moving backwards. That's right: The number of children and families around the world who aren't getting enough to eat every day has increased for the third year in a row.
Here are the numbers: An estimated 821 million people – approximately one of every nine people in the world – are undernourished. That's 6 million more undernourished people than in 2016 — and part of an upward trend that started in 2014, when the report put the total at 783.7 million. All in all, roughly 11 percent of the world's population is now not getting enough to eat.
Furthermore, 151 million children under the age of 5 are stunted — small for their age — because they're not getting enough nutrients. Of those, 50.5 million are suffering from "wasting," meaning that they're also severely underweight for their height.
Obviously, this is devastating. But why is it happening?
Well, for one thing, food shortages are often linked to extreme weather events that can take a toll on agriculture. And since 1990, the number of droughts, extreme heat, floods, and storms worldwide has more than doubled, according to the report.
Secondly, the report points out that events like severe droughts can contribute to increased social instability and trigger conflicts. War, violence, and conflict are major underlying causes of nutrition insecurity.
Naturally, areas in the world where both climate shocks and conflict are present often suffer from food crises. They have high rates of acute malnutrition in children under 5, like in Darfur in the Sudan (28 percent), South Sudan (23 percent), the Lake region of Chad (18 percent), Yemen (10–15 percent), the Diffa region of the Niger (11 percent), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (8–10 percent), and Afghanistan (9.5 percent). Similarly, 65.8 million people required immediate humanitarian assistance due to conflict in 2017 — and of those, 15.5 million people suffered very extreme levels of acute food insecurity that required urgent life-saving assistance.
For example, a few months ago, Gulbibi and her family of five were forced to leave their home province in Afghanistan due to hunger and drought. One of her daughters, 18-month-old Nasima, was on the verge of death when Gulbibi brought her to the World Vision mobile health clinic that serves the Internally Displaced Persons (or IDP) area. The little girl looked pale, restless, and lethargic – and she suffered from malnutrition. At the mobile clinic she was given Ready to Use Therapeutic Food. Since her visit over a month ago, Nasima's weight has increased from 8 kilograms to 8.5. "I don't know her exact weight," Gulbibi says with a smile, "but I can feel she is getting heavier day by day." World Vision Afghanistan is not only providing emergency response such as food distribution to affected families, but also works on long-term community development, such as establishing water networks in remote and inaccessible areas.
Will you join us in action today? The Farm Bill is vital to the fight against hunger: Please use the form below to contact Congress TODAY and urge them to act!
Photo: Nasima holding a RUTF packet that she just received from a World Vision Mobile Health Team. ©2018 World Vision, Narges Ghafary.


*The EXTRA SEAT for your cello will be an extension of your own seat, and it has to be booked by phone, asking for "Special Service Request".
Low cost companies often tell you to buy 2 normal seats, then go to option 2.
I choose option 2 as well when the fares offered on the phone are too expensive.
1 SEAT + 1 EXTRA-SEAT "CBBG"
Inform the Representative that you would like to book a ticket with a "Special Service Request", booking an extraseat for your cello as Cabine Baggage"
The online check-in is usually not available when you have an extra seat.
On the day of travel you will have to do your "check in" at the airport with your booking references in order to get your boarding pass. They will print your tickets.
Note: Sometimes airlines charge you a small fee for booking through the phone (Air France for example), but you won't pay the taxes of the ticket and you will not have to make any changes at the airport (not like with option2).
A lot of cellists choose this option (I often do too): you book 2 full price tickets online.
Note that the correct way is to book the seat of the cello by phone as a "SSR" special service request.
I choose this option with low cost airlines because they usually ask you to buy 2 seats in their policy.
Your cello cannot be officially a frequent flyer, see Lynn Harrel's experience with Delta , do it at your own risk... it is better to buy an extra seat by phone and ask to have the miles credited to your frequent flyer account).
"Mr./Mrs. Cello + your last name"
You need to have the CBBG code in your cello's ticket, it is something any agent will understand as an extra seat.
If you do the check-in online, put your passport / ID number for the seat of the cello, and if you can choose your seats, choose a window seat for the cello (with you next to it of course... and of course NOT the emergency exit).
A plane with 2 seats /aisle/ 2 seats : it choose A or D.
A plane with a layout 1 seat / aisle / 2 seats book the cello into the C seat and you on the B.
Always look carefully at the seating map of the plane, be careful with the emergency exit zone: no cello there!.
On the day of travel you will have to do your "check-in" at the airport with your booking references in order to get your boarding pass. They will print your tickets.
If you buy two full price tickets, it is better to do the online check-in and choose the window seat for the cello before travelling, even if you have to pay extra for choosing the seat.
You go to check-in because you have a suitcase or you prefer to do things right and let them know that you have an extra ticket for the cello.
You stop by the check-in desk because you need to check in a suitcase or because you don't have a window seat for the cello (you need to arrive a little more in advance), I choose this option most of the time (so you can try to get the taxes back later). You should choose this option is your cello doesn't have a window seat.
Have your tickets ready, and whilst they are looking at your tickets they might tell you that it is registered as a person, let them deal with it, do not argue.
If your cello doesn't have a window seat, add something like "Can you make sure that the cello seat is a windwo seat because I remember that for security reasons the cello must have a window seat".
If at that point your cello doesn't have a window seat, be super nice because if you would have booked a real extra-seat this would not have happened... go to the people at the desk before they proceed to boarding.
As soon as you get on board : After saying a happy "hello" to the flight attendant, tell them "I have a ticket for the cello, we are on row "X", I will need an extension to strap it in, thank you".
They might ask you if you need assistance, be honnest, if you are not sure they will be happy to help.
Most of the time they tell you that they will bring you the seatbelt exension to your seat so you don't block the entrance meanwhile they get it. Sometimes, it can happen that they forget because they have been busy dealing with other things.
All set? Seat in upright position? Armrest(s) down?
Why is it important to share this post?
Because if we all know the rules, it will make things easier for all of us.
If you wish to purchase a seat for your musical instrument, you will receive a 50% discount on any published fare (including the lowest available fare)* to accommodate the instrument in the same cabin you are travelling in.
Exception: If you are seated in Business Class on a flight offering Business Class pods, your musical instrument will, for safety reasons, be placed in Economy Class.
Also for safety reasons, extra seats may be purchased for musical instruments not exceeding 162.5 cm (64 in.) in height/length or 36 kg (80 lb.) in weight. The number of musical instruments that can be accommodated on each flight is limited.
4. Price the passenger normally and then make manual TST for the CBBG. Remember to add YR and/or YQ taxes.


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Marginella pseudorosea is een slakkensoort uit de familie van de Marginellidae. De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort werd voor het eerst geldig gepubliceerd in 2013 door S. G. Veldsman.

Marginellidae

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Hi, My name is Safal and this is my third year of robotics. Last year, a very memorable moment came to my team and I as we heard our team name being called at the championship to go somewhere. We didn't know where we were going, but we knew we were going somewhere. This meant a lot to my team and I because we did a lot of hard work that season. After spending so many hours in robotics class, the hours finally paid off. We thought we wouldn't go farther like we did the previous year. When they announced the Saint Louis qualifiers, we thought it was all over. None of us were sad, but we were all proud that our work got us this far into the competition. But, the person was still talking when he was on stage. He said that two more teams would be going farther in the competition. At this point, our team was just sitting back and feeling proud of what we did. But then, one sentence changed our lives. The person standing there said, "And for 3rd place, Team 684 STOBOR." At this point, I was screaming. I don't know about the rest of the team, but I was so proud of all our hard work. That one moment changed my life and I will never forget what had happened then.


The Lady Eve's Reel Life: Happy 80th Birthday, Edna May!
Edna May Wonacott, who turns 80 today, was born in the town of Willits in Northern California in 1932. She spent most of her childhood to the south, in Santa Rosa, where her father was a grocer. When she was nine years old a twist of fate occurred that changed her life forever. Edna happened to be waiting at a bus stop in downtown Santa Rosa when she encountered director Alfred Hitchcock and producer Jack Skirball. Hitchcock, who would be shooting much of his next film in town, thought there might be a part in it for the pig-tailed, bespectacled young girl whose curiosity captured his attention.
Two years ago, on Edna's 78th birthday, I posted the story she told me of her fateful "discovery." She and I had talked at length about what transpired on that day, what it was like working with Hitchcock on Shadow of a Doubt, as well as her memories of working on Leo McCarey's The Bells of St. Mary's (1945). Click here for the full interview.
We've stayed in touch since, and last January just before her 79th birthday, Edna brought me up to date on her life during the intervening year. It was a busy year - a year of letters and autograph requests from fans who'd seen our interview online or when it was published in her local paper or when it later appeared in Films of the Golden Age. She'd been active in other ways, too; in fact, she'd been a very busy lady. Click here to find out what interesting turns Edna's life took during 2010.
Today, as Edna turns 80, I'd like to wish her an especially happy birthday and wish her many, many more. Thank you, Edna, for sharing your memories.
What a great addition to Hitch history. Edna gives one of the best performances from any young actor and it's great to read how she got the part, talk about "meet cute." Thanks for sharing and happy birthday, Edna.
What an amazing journey. Happy Birthday Edna!! Have a wonderful day!
Happy Birthday, Mrs. Green/Edna May. Thank you to Lady Eve for sharing your many fond memories of working with Hitchcock, meeting Joseph Cotton and spending time with Patricia Hitchcock (from the articles posted previously). I have only seen "Shadow of a Doubt" and "Bells of St. Mary," but I always enjoy seeing Edna May in her roles. I was trying to think of a younger child actress who appeared in one of Hitchcock's films. Jerry Mathers was perhaps younger when he appeared in "The Trouble With Harry," but in her role as Ann Newton, I believe Edna May was the youngest of the Hitchcock ladies.
Edna's reaction to turning 80: "I have to admit I don't feel like 80! I haven't felt this good in years...I'm still getting fan mail. Got one the other day from Germany!"
I just loved this so much I hustled home to rewatch SHADOW and Wow, it's such a great Hitchcock! I had forgotten many of the scenes and it swept me up. Thanks for the reminder, Lady Eve...terrific! My lunchtime reading today will be the catch-up on Edna!
A belated very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Miss Edna and many more to come!
Happy Birthday, Edna! You were the smartest one in the house in "Shadow of a Doubt"!
Happy birthday to Edna! So happy TLE and Edna are in touch, which provides us with a link to the great Hitchcock.
Hope it was a great birthday, Edna!
SHADOW OF A DOUBT is one of my ultra favorite Hitchcock films.
Happy Birthday Edna! You were Super in all your roles. Why did you quit acting?


Life as an introvert is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you're perfectly content to spend time on your own, and you work well independently. However, you also find yourself struggling to thrive in social settings, especially new ones. So, a new job can bring even more pressure than, you know, starting the next phase of your career — you'll have to meet loads of new people and make friends at the office, too.
Fortunately, though, many other introverts have walked this path before you, and they found ways to not only survive in their new work environments, but thrive. Here are eight of the best tips for making work friends that will suit your personality.
Your first days of work are already going to be stressful. Adjusting to a new environment, meeting the team, training for hours … you already have a lot on your plate. So, don't push yourself to make friends during this time. Instead, observe the people around you and see how they interact.
When you take the backseat for a few days, you'll notice if your new coworkers go out to lunch together, what they chat about, etc. That will give you an idea of when — and how — to dive in.
A simple way to get to know someone at work is to simply say hello when you arrive at the office, whether you're in a brick-and-mortar building or logging onto work remotely. It's obviously a quick interaction, but it will warm you up to longer chats. Think about it — your hello could lead to a "How are you?" or "How was your weekend?" Those questions will give you a glimpse into your coworker's life, which is just what you need to bond and become friends.
It's not in your nature to talk to and entertain a large group of people, so don't attempt to do that. Instead, build your relationship with one coworker at a time. You could start your small talk with one person and, once you're comfortable with them, add a new colleague into the mix. You could also make a point to say hello to a new person each day for a week. That way, you're not overwhelmed by remembering names and conducting chat after chat — it's exhausting, whether or not you're introverted.
Many companies attempt to foster good relationships among their employees by sponsoring after-work activities. For example, intramural sports teams bring staffers together to play friendly games of softball, kickball or other team sports — and, often, they'll grab drinks after. You can see how this builds friendships quickly.
Find out if your company has any similar opportunities. Everything from volunteering to book clubs to fitness classes could be the ticket to bonding with your coworkers.
As an introvert, having the conversation come to you can make it simpler to start. One way to spark a chat with one of your colleagues is to decorate your desk. Once they see pieces of your personality shining through, they'll come over to talk.
You should decorate your workspace anyway — it makes it easier to work in a place that represents your character, even if you only add a few pictures and bring your favorite mug from home. Those little knickknacks could be enough to pique someone's interest — and inspire them to get to know you.
Great news if you're a hard worker and an extrovert — you can make friends just by doing your job. One of the best ways to forge relationships with your coworkers is to be of aid when they need it. Whether you stay late to finish a project together or you take a task of theirs to lighten their load, you'll instantly strengthen ties. Plus, you'll improve your standing around the office if everyone knows they can depend on you to step up when you're able.
No matter how open you are to making new friends, your body language may make you appear to be closed to interaction. For instance, your colleagues might get the wrong message if you're constantly crossing your arms or slipping headphones as soon as you arrive at your desk. Of course, these behaviors are instinctive, and they may make you feel comfortable. Unfortunately, they send the wrong message to your colleagues.
So, make a point to open up your body language, so you appear as friendly as you are inside. Talking with your hands will prevent you from keeping them crossed. If you're feeling stressed out or uncomfortable, try to crack a smile. Merely grinning can convince your brain you're OK — and everyone around you will see the warmth that's on your face.
This is the best way of all to make friends. Once you realize you're the wonderful person you are, you won't have any trouble making friends. So, don't be shy about sharing your interests or your quirks with new people. They'll soon realize what so many others in your life have discovered — you're worth getting to know, regardless of whether you're outgoing or ostentatious. Once you learn that lesson, you're going to find friendships easy to forge in all areas of your life.
How have you bonded with your coworkers? Share your tips in the comments sections below. Make sure you subscribe to our newsletter, so you don't miss a single one of our workplace tips and tricks!


You asked for it and now we have done it world famous Pink Lady now as a Salty Plum Powder buy single or in multiple to enjoy the amazing taste of salty and sweet on all types of cooking.
Received it today & I love it. Quick Express! Thank you so much.
Great stuff! So far I have had the Salty Plum Powder on sliced apple and kiwi fruit. My father had it on Pork chops. Loving it!
I thought it would taste the same as the leftover powder from the whole salty plums but the powder is not the same of intensity in flavor.


Home First Due Artisan Shave Soap & Aftershave Bundle Deal - A Very Epic Bundle For A Good Cause!
First Due Artisan Shave Soap & Aftershave Bundle Deal - A Very Epic Bundle For A Good Cause!
John and I have been kicking around the idea of a special soap & splash for a long time and finally the planets seemed to align. Truth be told this particular project has probably been in the works for the last 6 months and the scent was one of the hardest I have ever put together...but well worth it.
John is a huge fan of both Dapper Doc and my Sandalwood, for awhile he's been on me to combine the two, however, that's not what happened, lol. He's also a huge fan of Harvest Moon and knew he wanted elements of all 3 in our scent profile. Though the notion seems rather abstract I had a good idea what John was going for, so I went to work pushing and pulling. With the determination of a method actor who wants to understand the character he is to play I delved into the part...no shortcuts were taken.
As with all PAA & CK aftershaves, my splashes also serve as a long lasting cologne! You read right, great face saving ingredients with a staying power that would make Barry White blush!
All kidding aside, this soap was made to honor John and all the other men and women who are first on the scene and have to see through the smoke, flame and confusion. Those who have to make split second decisions that could easily mean the difference between life or death for them or their crew...kudos to you fine folk for the sacrifices you make to keep the rest of us safe.
$3.60 from each sale of this bundle deal will go to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. I really wanted to take advantage of the theme of this soap and use it to build some awareness while raising some funds for our everyday super heroes, it's truly the least we could do. I hope this will also inspire others to seek out this organization and make a donation from time to time.
"It's either late in the night or early in the morning, hard to tell as time at these times will blend together. It has been another long day training for the events you hope will never happen and running call after call to help those in need. You anxiously drift in and out of sleep trying to calm yourself from the day's events. Suddenly, there is a moment, you feel it before you hear it...the lights in the station come on with the intensity of the afternoon sun and the tones drop, there seems to be electricity in the air. This is not a drill.
In less time then it takes to yawn, you are out of bed and wrestling yourself into the uniform that only seconds before was lying purposeless and still next to your bunk. You and every other soul on your crew run for the door towards the engine bay, now wide awake and on auto pilot. On goes the fire resistant armor and into the engine you climb.
For me, it's the Officer's seat, a position of power and great responsibility. My crew, my guys, my buddies and brothers depend on me to make the calls and I depend on myself to get us all home safe. We are now enroute with lights on making the night bright and surreal. The Sirens wail and the air horns blare to let everyone know that we know and we are on our way.
I look out the windshield to see the early morning sky pulsating, glowing an unnatural orange. It is NOT the sunrise.
We have a working structure fire.
I call dispatch to inform them and let other responding units know, 'Dispatch this is Engine 1, be advised, we have large amounts of fire visible from a confirmed structure'. I turn back to my brothers and with a controlled nervous energy exclaim, 'get ready for a fight'.
We pull around the corner where more gear will get thrown on and more radio communications broadcasted. The two words that all of us engine guys live for saying will be mine this morning, for we are the first arriving company.
'Dispatch this is Engine 1. We are FIRST DUE and on scene with a confirmed structure in a residential building. Structure is a 2 story single family residence with fire showing from the AB sides. We will have command and advise of next arriving companies.' damn that feels good.
But now the work and worry begins. Life is of the utmost importance. Are the residents out and safe? We meet the family as we bail off the engine - all accounted for. We are both relieved and reenergized, now we can turn our attention to saving their entire world, their home. It is a long, arduous fight but we persevere and eventually overcome the lapping, ravenous flames with the help and aid of the other arriving companies.
Words will fail and always over simplify what transpires in these moments; The heat, the stress, the muscles screaming in resistance against fatigue, the smell and taste of the air, the sights, and the pure, white blast of adrenaline; a cocktail that wears on you for hours and sometimes days after. Two hours and three SCBA bottles later, you've experienced lost time, the weak Gatorade is warm but tastes wonderful as you mindlessly swish it around your mouth. Finally being able to sit is a welcomed relief.
We won today and can all walk away unscathed with yet another story to tell. I check on my men and congratulate them, for a job well done. I can see in each of their eyes the same wicked wear and weariness that I feel myself as my mind starts to replay and make sense of the nights events. But now it's time to clean up and head back to the station, shrug it off and prepare for the next one. I will secretly enjoy the shower up - the sweet, victorious smell of the soap as it sloshes off the stench of ash and stale flame.


text:
Category: Suffrage Movement
3 - 5 (Preschool) 15
6 - 8 (Elementary) 28
9 - 12 (Pre-Teen) 24
13+ (Teen) 14
$20.00 and above 2
C$10.00 - C$20.00 16
£0.00 - £10.00 25
£10.00 - £20.00 21
A$20.00 - A$30.00 14
Pura Belpré Award 1
Jane Addams Award 1
Votes for Women!: American Suffragists and the Battle for the Ballot
Roses and Radicals: The Epic Story of How American Women Won the Right to Vote
What Is The Women's Rights Movement?
Bold & Brave: Ten Heroes Who Won Women the Right to Vote
Rebel Voices: The Global Fight for Women's Equality and the Right to Vote
$15.99 C$24.70 A$40.36 £14.28
Alice Paul and the Fight for Women's Rights
Rightfully Ours: How Women Won The Vote: 21 Activities
A Lady Has The Floor: Belva Lockwood Speaks Out for Women's Rights
A Woman In The House (And Senate): How Women Came to Washington and Changed the Nation
Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way)
Emmeline Pankhurst (Little People, Big Dreams)
$3.00 C$17.81 A$8.00 £7.90
Who Was Susan B. Anthony?
$5.29 C$7.91 A$14.60
Chasing Freedom: The Life Journeys of Harriet Tubman and Susan B. Anthony, Inspired by Historical Facts
Elizabeth Started All The Trouble
Around America to Win the Vote: Two Suffragists, A Kitten, and 10,000 Miles
Heart on Fire: Susan B. Anthony Votes for President
Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship That Changed the World
$14.99 C$19.31 A$7.53 £4.34
With Courage and Cloth: Winning the Fight for a Woman's Right to Vote
Elizabeth Leads the Way: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Right to Vote
Born to Ride: A Story About Bicycle Face
Elizabeth Cady Stanton: Women's Rights Pioneer
Madam President: The Extraordinary, True (and Evolving) Story of Women in Politics
National Woman's Party: Fight for Suffrage
Susan B. Anthony: Champion for Voting Rights!
A Vote for Susanna: The First Woman Mayor
The Woman's Hour: Our Fight for the Right to Vote (Young Readers Edition)
Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass
How Women Won the Vote: Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, and Their Big Idea
The Feminist Revolution - A Story of the Three Most Inspiring and Empowering Women in American History: Susan B. Anthony, Margaret Sanger, and Betty Friedan
The Voice That Won The Vote: How One Woman's Words Made History
Susan B. Anthony: Her Fight for Equal Rights
Suffragette: The Battle For Equality
$22.49 C$33.66 A$9.81 £12.78
Leading the Way: Women In Power
Mary Walker Wears The Pants: The True Story of the Doctor, Reformer, and Civil War Hero
Ballots for Belva: The True Story of a Woman's Race for the Presidency

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Mercury (MER) is a cryptocurrency token and operates on the Waves platform. Mercury has a current supply of 100,000,000 MER. The last known price of Mercury is 0.049090 USD and is down 4.60% over the last 24 hours. It is currently trading on 7 active market(s) with 114,531 USD traded over the last 24 hours. More information can be found at https://www.darcr.us/.


IT IS THE HIRERS RESPONSIBILITY TO READ THESE TERMS & CONDITIONS AND TO ENSURE THAT ALL PASSENGERS ARE FULLY AWARE, UNDERSTAND THEIR IMPLICATIONS & COMPLY WITH THEM FULLY.
On booking the hire of a limousine, a minimum deposit of £40.00 will be payable, the balance will be payable, no later than 2 weeks prior to the hire date. The deposit is non returnable and will be forfeited in the event of cancellation by the hirer. If the hirer cancels or postpones the agreed hire date within 7 working days of the aforesaid hire date, the entire agreed hire sum will be payable.
Bookings made within 2 weeks of the date of hire require full payment at the time of booking (unless otherwise agreed by JJ's Limos). All outstanding accounts MUST BE SETTLED BEFORE transport begins. Transport will not begin until all accounts are settled.
JJ's Limos gives any advice on journey time in good faith but does not guarantee the completion of any journey in any specific time and will not be liable for any delay or inconvenience caused by the actual time of the journey.
Any hire that exceeds the stated time (due to hirer or guests being late) will be charged at the appropriate hourly rate. You must seek permission from head office to change any part of the hire arrangements. We will collect/return you at the confirmed booking times you have agreed to, any changes are at our discretion.
JJ's Limos will honour ONLY the carriage requirements as specified in the booking confirmation. The collection times you have given must be adhered to. Any alterations to this Confirmation must be confirmed and agreed by head office. This may lead to further charges to the original agreement.
The hirer is liable for any damage or breakages incurred inside or outside of the vehicle, which is deliberately caused by the hirer or passenger. This includes any passenger being unwell a valet fee will become payable, this includes ANY such repairs or any items that needs to be replaced. The hirer will be liable for all JJ's Limos loses and charges incurred thereafter if the limousine is unable to be used, until the said repairs are completed.
JJ's Limos accepts no responsibility for any loss or damage to any property or luggage carried in the limousine. You are asked to keep your belongings with you. Anything left within the limousine must be collected within 2 weeks. JJ's Limos will not pay for transport or postage costs of sending items back to its original owner.
Alcohol brought on board is limited, ONLY ONE case of beer (or alco-pops) or FOUR bottles of wine (or champagne) or one bottle of spirit. There is no limit on mixers or soft drinks. JJ's Limos will not supply any alcohol, being carried in the limousine it is the sole responsibility/ownership of the hirer.
The limousine will only carry the amount of passengers originally booked for. This is to a MAX.8. We will not carry any passengers not allocated as a passenger in the original booking agreement.
JJ's Limos are not responsible for any parking charges, entrance fees, bridge tolls, congestion charging etc. These are not included in the price agreed unless by prior arrangements. Any and all these costs incurred must be paid by the hirer at the time of hire.
For safety our limousines carry a strict NO SMOKING POLICY. A stop can be pre-arranged, please let us know.
Food of any description is NOT ALLOWED to be eaten inside the limousine. A stop can be pre-arranged, please let us know.
JJ's Limos WILL TERMINATE HIRE if any passenger is found to be carrying or using any illegal substance.
We can only ask that you keep your FEET OFF THE BAR AND SEAT AREAS. All passengers are to remain seated during their journey, seatbelts are provided, and you are reminded that it is THE LAW to wear them. You are not allowed to shout out the windows at passers by. You must not open the doors under any circumstance, the chauffeur will open them for you.
JJ's Limos reserves the right to terminate the hire if a hirer or passenger become abusive or use abusive language or are deemed to be intoxicated or become intoxicated or if they pose a threat to the chauffeur. Any UNDULY ROWDINESS will not be tolerated and will lead to the TERMINATION OF HIRE at any given time.
Due to the size of the limousines it maybe difficult to drop you directly outside your intended destination, but we will endeavour to get you as close as possible. Please inform us if your collection point/road/street is narrow.
JJ's Limos reserve the right to postpone or cancel the hire due to severe weather or adverse road conditions or severe traffic congestion.
It is your responsibility to ensure you have all the relevant information and that all the relevant information in the booking confirmation is correct. Any changes should be made prior to the hire commencement.
JJ's Limos cannot be held responsible for any breakdown/accident delays in the hire journey but will endeavour to either repair or send out a replacement vehicle to continue with the journey.
Please enclose a cheque (if you have NOT already done so) for your deposit made payable to MR M JATER. Please sign 1 copy of the booking confirmation and return to us at the address provided. These must be sent back to us within 7 days of receipt.
ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS ABOVE ARE LEGALLY BINDING. BY SIGNING THE CONFIRMATION YOU THE HIRER ARE LEGALLY BOUND TO UPHOLD OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND AS YOU THE HIRER WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY NON-ADHERENCE OR BREAKING OF OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS.


text:
Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010 (2010)
NR 2 hr 12 minJun 26th, 2010Music
Often credited as being one of the all-time greatest guitarists, and known amongst his peers as one of the all-time greatest collaborators. The ultimate Clapton collaboration took place on June 26, 2010 at Chicago's Toyota Park. For one day only, Clapton gathered the past, present, and future of guitar music onto one stage for an incredible all-day musical event in front of a crowd of over 27,000.
StarringEric ClaptonJeff BeckTal Wilkenfeld
Stream & Watch 'Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010' Full Movie Online
Tal Wilkenfeld
Theatrical Release:June 26th, 2010
Production Companies:Parallel 28 Equipe
Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010 on the Web:Official Website
Movie Tags:concert, live
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"He knows every scale."
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text:
Car News By Brand
Celebrity Car News
Laugh Brake
NY Auto Show
Added on October 31, 2017 The News Wheel battery charging , car battery , electric vehicle , EV Charging , extreme fast charging , fast charging
Have a Super-Fast Car Charging System? The Department of Energy and $15 Million Want to Talk to You
StoreDot EV battery pack
Photo: StoreDot
When you talk and write a lot about electric cars (and I do), the same topics crop up over and over again like cat hair on your black blazer, even though you just lint-rolled it. One of the most pervasive always comes from people who are generally for electric vehicles, but say something to effect of, "But I wouldn't get one if I have to sit at a charging station for a half hour to fill it up."
Of course, whether or not that's really valid based on how people charge their cars (mostly at home, overnight or while at work), the US Department of Energy appears to also be sick of this barrier to EV adoption, as it has announced a brand new funding initiative to speed creation of what it has dubbed "Extreme Fast Charging," or XFC, systems.
At its core, the initiative offers a sweet $15 million (in total) to the developers of extremely rapid charging systems, including both charger and batteries. More specifically, the DOE has a few stipulations.
First, the tech has to halve current fast-charging times, which is generally about a half-hour for an 80% charge from empty, though it seems the target is a 10-minute charge.
Then, developers have to do some significant legwork—identify baseline plug-in vehicles, show how the tech will improve charging times (with demonstration), use less than 400 amps of current, offer a plan for where charging locations could be located (with estimates on infrastructure impact), and show partnerships with governments and other supporters, all while offering a battery that charges by at least 50% with a "3C or greater rate of charging"—I believe that "3C" refers to current, and would mean using 300 amps of current.
Clearly, this is a big task, but that would be why the DOE has put such a high price tag on the innovation. Plus, if you were able to create a system that put electric vehicles on the map, you would think that $15 million from government grants could be just the first big check of many.
News Sources: Green Car Reports, Green Car Congress, MIT Electric Vehicle Team, US Department of Energy
About The News Wheel Contact Us Our Staff Advertising on The News Wheel Archives Privacy Policy Franchise


text:
In Light of Recent Tragedies at the Southern Border, Rosen Calls for Immediate Action on Immigration During Committee Hearing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), questioned top Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials, calling for immediate congressional action to address the humanitarian crisis at the southern border. During her remarks, Senator Rosen highlighted media coverage of the recent tragic deaths of a father and child.
"We all saw that awful, heartbreaking photo of the toddler who drowned while clutching her father's neck. I can't even begin to imagine, as a mother, what those last moments for that father and daughter were like. I do pray that this photo and what we talk about today moves this body into action," said Senator Rosen. "Nothing, nothing in my mind is more heartbreaking."
BACKGROUND: This past week, Senator Rosen joined her colleagues in sending a letter to Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) requesting a hearing on the health and safety conditions of migrant children arriving at the southern border. Earlier this month, Rosen led 17 of her colleagues in sending a letter to DHS Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan, raising concerns about a recent Office of Inspector General report detailing severe and dangerous overcrowding of migrants at El Paso Del Norte Processing Center during unannounced inspections conducted on May 8 and 9, 2019.
During a recent Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs hearing, Rosen questioned DHS Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan on deceptive statements made by DHS officials to Senator Rosen and Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24) during their 2018 visit to the US-Mexico Border. Rosen called out blatant discrepancies between DHS's public statements and its representations about the Department's ability to reunite separated children with their families, and internal agency emails that revealed the agency knew it lacked the information needed to reunite parents and relatives with their children. Rosen also asked McAleenan to commit to telling the truth regarding the Administration's immigration policies going forward.
Senator Rosen is a co-sponsor of the Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and in Emergency (SECURE) Act, which would allow qualified Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients to apply for legal permanent residency. Rosen is also a co-sponsor of the Keep Families Together Act, which would ensure that the federal government carries out immigration procedures in the best interest of detained children.


text:
Q: SystemError in Multiprocessing I am using multiprocessing to execute a function for iterative arguments.
For too lengthy arrays in the argument I get the following error message:
<multiprocessing.pool.Pool object at 0x545912490>
Exception in thread Thread-2:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File   "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
self.run()
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/threading.py", line 763, in run
self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "/System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/multiprocessing/pool.py", line 342, in _handle_tasks
put(task)
SystemError: NULL result without error in PyObject_Call

I try to compare a sample of arrays to another sample of arrays.
The code is:
import numpy as np
import multiprocessing

def func(args):
    i=args[0]
    array=args[1]
    sample=args[2]
    for j in np.arange(len(sample)):
        temp=0
        for element in array:
            temp+=len(np.where(sample[j]==element)[0])
    if temp==len(array):
        print i,j       #indices of identical arrays in the samples
    return 0

def compare_samples(a,b):
    iter=len(a)
    pool=multiprocessing.Pool()
    iter_args=[]
    for i in range(0,iter):
        iter_args.append([i,a[i],b])
    print pool
    pool.map(func,iter_args)
    return 0

N=100000000       #error if this number is too large
sample1=np.random.random_integers(0,9,size=(N,10))
sample2=np.random.random_integers(0,9,size=(N,10))

compare_samples(sample1,sample2)

I found a similar question (System error while running subprocesses using Multiprocessing), but there the solution is only for a special case, I don't see how to apply it generally.
Does anyone know how to fix the error?

A: Unfortunately, if the answer that you already referenced doesn't work for you, I don't think you're going to find another workaround that allows you to use your current approach. Here is a conversation between a couple of Python devs discussing size limitations of the multiprocessing library, and it doesn't seem like a good solution was reached. It appears that you're butting up against size limitations that don't really have a "fix" without modifying Python itself.
Even if that's changed by now, it (most likely) won't be backported to Python 2.7.
I think you have a few potential solutions:

*

*Split up your return data in your worker functions and return them in pieces over a queue. You may need to use a function more like apply_async instead map. This will allow you to control the size of your data you're trying to push between processes at any one time.

*Use the mmap library and write your results into some shared memory that was set up my the main process.

*If you want something that's as simple as can be and aren't too worried about speed, you could simply write your results out to a text file, return the file name, and read it back in, in your main process.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


· 2009. Selected for Angkor Photo Workshop in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
· 2010. Received Scholarship for Foundry Photojournalism Workshop in Istanbul, Turkey.
· 2013. Selected for Vision Image Photo Workshop with NOOR Images in Bali, Indonesia.
· 2013. Vision Image International Photo Festival, Bali.


text:
// Licensed to the .NET Foundation under one or more agreements.
// The .NET Foundation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.

using Microsoft.AspNetCore.JsonPatch.Exceptions;
using Xunit;

namespace Microsoft.AspNetCore.JsonPatch.IntegrationTests;

public class AnonymousObjectIntegrationTest
{
    [Fact]
    public void AddNewProperty_ShouldFail()
    {
        // Arrange
        var targetObject = new { };

        var patchDocument = new JsonPatchDocument();
        patchDocument.Add("NewProperty", 4);

        // Act
        var exception = Assert.Throws<JsonPatchException>(() =>
        {
            patchDocument.ApplyTo(targetObject);
        });

        // Assert
        Assert.Equal("The target location specified by path segment 'NewProperty' was not found.",
            exception.Message);
    }

    [Fact]
    public void AddNewProperty_ToNestedAnonymousObject_ShouldFail()
    {
        // Arrange
        dynamic targetObject = new
        {
            Test = 1,
            nested = new { }
        };

        var patchDocument = new JsonPatchDocument();
        patchDocument.Add("Nested/NewInt", 1);

        // Act
        var exception = Assert.Throws<JsonPatchException>(() =>
        {
            patchDocument.ApplyTo(targetObject);
        });

        // Assert
        Assert.Equal("The target location specified by path segment 'NewInt' was not found.",
            exception.Message);
    }

    [Fact]
    public void AddDoesNotReplace()
    {
        // Arrange
        var targetObject = new
        {
            StringProperty = "A"
        };

        var patchDocument = new JsonPatchDocument();
        patchDocument.Add("StringProperty", "B");

        // Act
        var exception = Assert.Throws<JsonPatchException>(() =>
        {
            patchDocument.ApplyTo(targetObject);
        });

        // Assert
        Assert.Equal("The property at path 'StringProperty' could not be updated.",
            exception.Message);
    }

    [Fact]
    public void RemoveProperty_ShouldFail()
    {
        // Arrange
        dynamic targetObject = new
        {
            Test = 1
        };

        var patchDocument = new JsonPatchDocument();
        patchDocument.Remove("Test");

        // Act
        var exception = Assert.Throws<JsonPatchException>(() =>
        {
            patchDocument.ApplyTo(targetObject);
        });

        // Assert
        Assert.Equal("The property at path 'Test' could not be updated.",
            exception.Message);
    }

    [Fact]
    public void ReplaceProperty_ShouldFail()
    {
        // Arrange
        var targetObject = new
        {
            StringProperty = "A",
            AnotherStringProperty = "B"
        };

        var patchDocument = new JsonPatchDocument();
        patchDocument.Replace("StringProperty", "AnotherStringProperty");

        // Act
        var exception = Assert.Throws<JsonPatchException>(() =>
        {
            patchDocument.ApplyTo(targetObject);
        });

        // Assert
        Assert.Equal("The property at path 'StringProperty' could not be updated.",
            exception.Message);
    }

    [Fact]
    public void MoveProperty_ShouldFail()
    {
        // Arrange
        var targetObject = new
        {
            StringProperty = "A",
            AnotherStringProperty = "B"
        };

        var patchDocument = new JsonPatchDocument();
        patchDocument.Move("StringProperty", "AnotherStringProperty");

        // Act
        var exception = Assert.Throws<JsonPatchException>(() =>
        {
            patchDocument.ApplyTo(targetObject);
        });

        // Assert
        Assert.Equal("The property at path 'StringProperty' could not be updated.",
            exception.Message);
    }

    [Fact]
    public void TestStringProperty_IsSuccessful()
    {
        // Arrange
        var targetObject = new
        {
            StringProperty = "A",
            AnotherStringProperty = "B"
        };

        var patchDocument = new JsonPatchDocument();
        patchDocument.Test("StringProperty", "A");

        // Act & Assert
        patchDocument.ApplyTo(targetObject);
    }

    [Fact]
    public void TestStringProperty_Fails()
    {
        // Arrange
        var targetObject = new
        {
            StringProperty = "A",
            AnotherStringProperty = "B"
        };

        var patchDocument = new JsonPatchDocument();
        patchDocument.Test("StringProperty", "B");

        // Act
        var exception = Assert.Throws<JsonPatchException>(() =>
        {
            patchDocument.ApplyTo(targetObject);
        });

        // Assert
        Assert.Equal("The current value 'A' at path 'StringProperty' is not equal to the test value 'B'.",
            exception.Message);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Мало Крчмаре је насеље у Србији у општини Рача у Шумадијском округу. Према попису из 2011. било је 425 становника.

Демографија
У насељу Мало Крчмаре живи 417 пунолетних становника, а просечна старост становништва износи 46,8 година (45,5 код мушкараца и 48,1 код жена). У насељу има 150 домаћинстава, а просечан број чланова по домаћинству је 3,24.

Ово насеље је великим делом насељено Србима (према попису из 2002. године), а у последња три пописа, примећен је пад у броју становника.

Референце

Спољашње везе

 Мапе, аеродроми и временска ситуација локација (-{Fallingrain}-)
 Сателитска мапа (-{Wikimapia}-)
 Гугл сателитска мапа (-{Maplandia}-)
 План насеља на мапи (-{Mapquest}-)

Насељена места у Рачи
Насељена места у Шумадијском управном округу
Википројект географија/Насеља у Србији


Mr. McBride serves as The Sulphur Institute's President and CEO. Mr. McBride joined TSI after more than 30 years with ExxonMobil. He was a member of ExxonMobil's sulphur and petroleum coke team from 2002 through 2013. Before assuming leadership of TSI, Mr. McBride was an active participant in TSI programs beginning in 2005. He has participated in its various working groups and led TSI's Sulphur Advocacy Program. He formally served as TSI's Chairman of the Board and brings a tremendous wealth of industry knowledge and management skills to TSI.


text:
Computational Portal
ERC Consolidator Grant #772873
Prof. Alejandro A. Franco
Mehdi Chouchane's PhD thesis defence (November 19, 2021, Amiens, France)
Mehdi Chouchane, PhD student of the ARTISTIC project, is defending his thesis entitled "Fabrication Process Modeling of Lithium-Ion Batteries: Mesostructure Influence on the Electrochemical Performance of the Electrode" on November 19, 2021 at 2:00 PM CEST. The evaluation committee will be composed by:
Q. Cai, Associate Professor, University of Surrey, UK
J.P. Chehab, Full Professor, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, France
P. Shearing, Full Professor, University College London, UK
S. Thielie, Full Professor, FZ Jülich, Germany
A. A. Franco, Full Professor, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, France, PhD supervisor
Follow us in social networks !
This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the grant agreement No 772873.
Copyright © 2022 ARTISTIC. All rights reserved


text:
( function() {
  'use strict';

  var fluidSvg = {
    bindings: {},
    controller: controller,
    controllerAs: 'vm',
    template: '

'
  };

  angular.module( 'ui.engineering' ).component( 'fluidSvg', fluidSvg );

  function controller( $element, $log ) {
    var vm = this;

    vm.$onInit = $onInit;

    function $onInit() {
      $log.info( 'fluidSvg', fluidSvg );

      visualizationSetup();
      demoAddRect();
    }

    function demoAddRect() {
      vm.svg.append( 'rect' )
        .classed( 'little-rect', true )
        .attr( 'x', 100 )
        .attr( 'y', 100 )
        .attr( 'width', 500 )
        .attr( 'height', 500 )
    }

    function visualizationSetup() {
      vm.container = $element[0].querySelector( '.container' );

      vm.svg = d3.select( vm.container )
        .append( 'svg' )
        .attr( 'viewBox', '0 0 3440 1440' );
    }
  }
} )();


"No one ever regretted buying quality". This age old saying applies to travel as well as anything else. Budgets vary and we can accommodate all of them.
Sit back and think about what makes a perfect holiday for you. Is it sitting on a pristine beach, driving a sports car on a winding road or wandering through ancient ruins? We can help.
We specialize in unique and special places for you to consider.


text:
https://www.nhregister.com/entertainment/article/It-s-fair-game-Guilford-Fair-Orange-Country-11324758.php
It's fair game: Guilford Fair, Orange Country Fair and Big E
Two country fairs and a really big expo in the Bay State
Published 3:00 am EDT, Thursday, September 15, 2016
A juggler attracts a crowd at last year's Guilford Fair.
Photo: Photo Courtesy Of Guilford Fair
NEW HAVEN >> Fair season is in full throttle, with two country fairs in the area and a "monsta" annual to the north.
Locally, the Guilford Fair will run Friday through Sunday at the Guilford Fairgrounds on Lovers Lane and the Orange Country Fair will take place the same days at 525 Orange Center Road. And in West Springfield, Massachusetts, of course, it's Big E time.
• Guilford's may be a country fair, but it also has a big-time feel this year with not only well-known Billy Joel tribute band Mike DelGuidice and Big Shot performing (8:30 p.m. Friday night), but "American Idol" winner and hometown favorite Nick Fradiani at the same time Saturday. Oh, and there's a parade, which will step off at Guilford Town Green at 10 a.m. Saturday.
"This year," said Guilford Agricultural Society president John Hammarlund, "I especially want to recognize Guilford High School classes of '56, '71 and '76, as well as our hometown American Idol — all returning to our event this year. ... So many generations have grown up with our fair. We want to welcome you home."
• The Orange Fair — with pig races Saturday and Sunday starting late morning — starts Friday night at 6 p.m. with a truck pull and continues Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 8 to 6. There is free parking with a free shuttle. Saturday and Sunday admission is $8 adults and $5 for seniors. Children 15 and under are free.
Pets and alcohol are not allowed on the grounds.
On the main stage gazebo, The Taxmen will perform Saturday at 3 p.m. and Jeff Byrd & Dirty Finch will play Sunday at 2 p.m.
• The 100-year-old Big E, or the Eastern States Exposition, also is known for it agricultural elements. But it's also the largest fair in the Northeast, so it has outrageous food, rides, parades, the Big E Circus Spectacular, state houses, more racing pigs, well-known entertainment acts (Blood Sweat and Tears, Elle King, Pure Prairie League) and a 5K road race. (See TheBigE.com for more information.)
The Big E gates (875 Memorial Ave.) open Friday at 8 a.m. and the fair runs through Oct. 2. Buildings and exhibits open at 10 a.m.; Storrowton Village, its Yankee Candle Shop and Avenue of States are open until 9 p.m. The Village Craft Area is open until 10. The North American Midway is open Sunday through Friday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday from 10-10.
Adult admission is $15 with children ages 6-12 at $10; Children 5 and under are free. Midway Magic Passes are $28, valid any one weekday. Gate tickets and Midway passes are sold online at TheBigE.com and at Big Y markets.
The Big E's Xfinity Arena shows take place at 7:30 p.m. and most are free with admission. Free shows on the Court of Honor Stage are at 3 and 8 p.m.


Two reasons have prevented me from communicating it to you at an earlier day. My avocations rendered it imposible for me to complete the letter till very lately, and I had had opportunities of knowing your opinion on the subject generally.
Any alterations in the plan which you may do me the honor to suggest will receive the most careful attention.
LS, in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
1. H to James McHenry, November 23, 1799.


Take Arkansas State -8.5 spread against Georgia Southern risking 3% of the bankroll.
Both Arkansas State and Georgia Southern (predictably) struggled during their non-conference slate to start the season, as both took a big step up in competition to face Power 5 teams. That being said, this is the start of conference play and Arkansas State has owned the Sun Belt Conference for the better part of a decade and are once again the favorites to win the title this season. The Red Wolves are 25-17 since 2014 and are 15-1 in Sun Belt games over the last two seasons. Arkansas State gave Nebraska all it could handle in their season opener before ultimately falling short of the upset, losing 43-36 in Lincoln.
Meanwhile, Georgia Southern comes into this contest 0-3 and while they faced some tough competition themselves, their loss to FCS New Hampshire didn't inspire much confidence in this program moving forward. Georgia Southern ranks last in the conference, averaging just 12 points per game this season. Their rushing offense, which has been the staple of this program since being introduced to the FBS level is averaging only 181.6 rushing yards per game and 3.4 yards per attempt. Their passing attack also needs some serious work as QB Shai Werts is completing less than 50% of his passes for just 230 yards and 2 touchdowns on the season. Coming into this matchup the Eagles have produced just 1 play of more than 30 yards this season.
Georgia Sothern's defense has also been lacking this season as well. They rank 11th in the conference, surrendering 259.3 yards on the ground per contest and 8th in pass efficiency defense, having already surrendered 6 scores through the air this season, despite teams not needing to throw the ball to move the chains. This is a team that is still trying to figure things out on both sides of the ball and we don't believe that will happen tonight against a team who has owned the conference for as long as the Red Wolves have.
Arkansas State's Justice Hansen is slated to start tonight which gives the Red Wolves a decisive advantage at QB. Hansen has been on fire through Arkansas State's first three games, throwing for 985 yards and 10 touchdowns to just two interceptions. Arkansas State also has a deep group of options at their disposal on the outside. Christian Booker and Omar Bayless each have 14 receptions already this season, with tight end Blake Mack catching three touchdowns and 13 passes so far this year. Arkansas transfer Kendrick Edwards (15), Justin McInnis (seven), Chris Murray (13) and steady senior Dijon Paschal (seven) round out the key weapons in the passing game. If Hansen is at full strength, this will be a tough offense for Georgia Southern to contain, especially since the Eagles have struggled to generate a pass rush, combining for just 5 sacks in their first three contests.
Arkansas State have huge advantages at the skill positions in this contest and having had a rough non-conference slate, we expect them to come into this contest and flex their conference muscle against a team that is still trying to figure out their identity. While we will likely see an improvement from the Eagles in this contest, we don't believe they will have the offense to keep up with the Red Wolves on the scoreboard. This one really shouldn't be close and unless Georgia Southern finds a way to get a late score in garbage time to narrow the gap, Arkansas State should easily win this one by double-digits and cover the spread.


As previously outlined in many of my previous blogs, I have talked about the increase in the popularity of open plan offices. There are a few reasons for this increase in popularity, the first being that companies and businesses are looking to increase the productivity, efficiency and teamwork among their staff. This is a great way to do this as there are no high screens separating people, which ultimately will encourage teamwork.
Bench systems have become the preferred choice in open plan offices. A bench system is a group of desks that are joined together by a single frame. This can be 4, 6 or 8 desks depending on your preference and some bench systems even come with desktop screens to separate the desks.
There are also disadvantages to open plan offices that I have talked about in previous blog posts. Privacy is a major disadvantage to the open plan office as studies suggests that this is actually a major cause of heightened stress levels in the work place. Another major influence is the amount of noise pollution in open plan offices. There is a product soon coming to the market that will hopefully help to alleviate these problems.
BuzziSpace is a company that manufacture office furniture that has acoustic properties that have been designed to absorb sound using their own unique 100% recyclable and up-cycled fabric. Their new product, the BuzziTemp has been designed to be folding temporary cubicles that make can be used for hot desking. The BuzziTemp not only creates a little space for you to work, but also has acoustic properties to help absorb sound so that you can work in a more peaceful and relaxed environment to help you to concentrate and get on completing your tasks each day.


Arguably the finest small professional Class A office space on upper State Street. The efficiently laid out offices enjoy ample natural light, firstclass improvements and excellent parking. Tenants in the building include Fidelity National Title, Ameriflex, and AppleOne.


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Governor Carney Authorizes Delaware National Guard Cybersecurity Squadron to Support 2020 Election
Department of Technology and Information | Governor John Carney | Office of the Governor | Date Posted: Friday, October 16, 2020
DNG to support state agencies under Executive Order #46
WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney has signed Executive Order #46, authorizing the Delaware National Guard's 166th Cyberspace Operations Squadron to assist in 2020 election security efforts. The Squadron's unique cybersecurity capabilities will assist in protecting Delaware's elections infrastructure.
"Voting is our most fundamental right as Delawareans and Americans, and we will not take for granted the right to cast a vote and to have that vote counted," said Governor Carney. "Throughout our country's history, Americans have sacrificed to secure voting rights for our fellow citizens. We have an obligation to take additional steps to protect that right from any cyber threats. This Executive Order is a proactive measure to do just that."
The Squadron is authorized to work with the Delaware Department of Elections and the Delaware Department of Technology and Information (DTI) in order to avoid the threat of cybersecurity attacks on Delaware's 2020 elections, which includes:
Providing advice to DTI to prevent, protect and defend against cyber incidents
Monitoring and analyzing risks or threats
Offering technical and architectural review support for best practices
Responding to any incidents
Training and support after the election
Click to read full text of Executive Order #46.
Under the Deputy Secretary of Defense Policy Memorandum 16-002, the Delaware National Guard may coordinate, train, advise, and assist cyber support and services. In 2018, Governor Carney approved DTI's request for the Delaware National Guard to provide similar assistance for the 2018 Primary Election and 2018 General Election. An executive order was not issued because the Governor did not activate any National Guardsmen or women to State Active Duty.
Governor Carney signed Executive Order #46 on October 15, 2020 and it took effect immediately; it will expire on December 31, 2020.
Governor Carney, 11 Governors Release Joint Statement on Threats to American Democracy
Governor Carney Signs Vote By Mail Legislation
Governor Carney Signs Early Voting Legislation
Governor Carney: Let's Remove Barriers to Voting
Related Topics: cybersecurity, Delaware National Guard, election, executive order, governor, Governor Carney


When you receive a notification on your iOS device the banner covers some of the content on your screen, thereby conflicting your view. If you happen to have a jailbroken device, then you're in luck. CoverMeNot is a jailbreak tweak that will double the size of the Status Bar when a you receive notifications in banner style.
Though CoverMeNot is not the most complex tweak, it happens to be a feature that the iOS notification system lacks. As I mentioned earlier, CoverMeNote doubles the size of the Status Bar whenever there's a notification banner. This way, the onscreen content is not disturbed as it is pulled down to let the complete banner show itself. There's no settings whatsoever and the Status Bar goes back to its normal size once the notification banner disappears. A simple tweak, yet useful. Install, respring and you're good to go.
You can download CoverMeNot from the ModMyi repo for free. It has been developed by cjori, the creator of Dashboard X, so it should work without any problems. Try it out and let us know if it was useful in the comments.
How To: Downgrade Cydia and Fix any Errors Associated with Cydia 1.1.x!


MidAmerica Auction-Las Vegas 2009. It was almost like carnival event. Lights, glitz, glamor, the buzz of the crowd, you can feel the electricity in the air. MidAmerica Auctions is one of, if not THE biggest Classic Motorcycle Auction company in the country. And they know how to put on a show!
The Las Vegas auction, held in January, is their largest event all year, out of an auction calendar that in 2010 consisted of 5 total auctions across the US. They run smaller auctions at Pebble Beach CA (in conjuntion with the amazing Pebble Beach Concourse (high-end classic cars), in St. Paul MN, Twin Cities MN & Rhinebeck NY.
The MidAmerica Auction-Las Vegas 2009, they're hosting their fourth installment there this January 2010. It's always held at the South Point Hotel & Casino at the southern end of the Vegas Strip. It's really more of a convention center than a mere hotel/casino. Its huge & ideally suited for an event of this size & magnitude. There is even an arena there which hosts everything from livestock auctions to rodeos, to concerts to, in this case, dirt track racing on Sunday, at the conclusion of the auction. Nice touch.
I was there at the MidAmerica Auction-Las Vegas 2009 because I had a bike to sell: the Yellow Bike . My wife & I arrived Wednesday, January 7th, a day before the action starts. It's check-in day. The place is buzzing with activity. Trucks & trailers with amazing motorcycles are lined up & unloading their precious cargo. People are walking rare machines around jockeying them into place on the huge display floor. We get our turn, and with the ramp they provided & lots of help from their staff, we unload Yellow Bike & roll him into position.
300 DROP DEAD GORGEOUS BIKES!
It's only then that I begin to take in the true scope of the MidAmerica Auction-Las Vegas 2009. There are already more than 300 awesome motorcycles parked on the display floor, all drop-dead gorgeous. Lots of interesting stuff besides running motorcycles too. For instance a brand-new 1957 military Triumph TRW still in the crate! Loads of rare engines, cool artwork, hard-to-find tools & parts, & more. Historic racing machines with provenance, some signed by their famous riders.
There were hundreds of gorgeous bikes of all types, brands, years, models & condition. More than you could easily take in in several hours. And it you like Classic Motorcycles as much as I do, that's a really good thing! Classic British Motorcycles were in abundance with no fewer than 58 classic Triumph Motorcycles, 17 BSA Motorcycles, 15 Norton Motorcycles, & 9 Vincent motorcycles.
But our primary mission at this MidAmerica Auction-Las Vegas 2009 was to sell my Yellow Bike. It was to run on the final day of the auction, in the late morning, an almost ideal time. I was offering the cafe-fairing I used for long rides (painted to match) & a matching Triumph leather racing jacket.
I needed to get around $6,500 for it (See what I mean? These old Brit bikes are way too cheap!) & as it rolled onto the block & the bidding started, it went fairly well at first. After all, the Yellow Bike was a stunning piece of eye candy & one well-put-together machine. But, the bidding stalled at around $5,100. I was starting to get nervous. I didn't want to let it go that cheap, I had well over twice that invested in it (you know how it is).
Just then, one of the head guys from MidAmerica spotted the jacket, put it on, zipped it up, made a big deal over it, then got on Yellow Bike to show off with it. The bidding started up again & ran quickly to $6,750 where it sold. I was both pleased & impressed. They really went all out for me on that one. And one more motorcycle sold at the MidAmerica Auction-Las Vegas 2009.
Overall, the auction was a blast! We saw more gorgeous bikes that I can possibly show you. We saw them bid up & sell (very exciting). We felt the electricity in the air. We ate, we drank, we met nice people & we had fun! After the conclusion of the auction on the final day, that evening they had a classic dirt track race that unfortunately we had to miss. But we heard them warming up & it was loud!!
MidAmerica Auctions really knows how to put on a show & a very successful auction. And they know where to hold one. Las Vegas is, of course, one of the most exciting cities in the world with 24-hour action like nowhere else. We had a blast, saw some shows, did some gambling, saw the sites, ate some amazing food.
MidAmerica Auctions has generously granted us access to their extensive library of studio-quality images of Classic Motorcycles they have sold over the years. Those are the ones that populate the rest of our site. Thank you, MidAmerica Auctions!
As auction companies go (and I have worked for two of them in my life), MidAmerica Auctions is one of the best, most professional, friendliest auction houses I have seen. They present the bikes very well, they promote the auctions aggressively to get the right buyers & sellers there, they work hard to sell the bikes for a good price. And it works!
If you have a Classic Motorcycle to sell, or you want to buy one, in particular a Classic British Motorcycle, MidAmerica Auctions is the place to be. They run 4 or 5 auctions a year across the US.
The next auction will also be there biggest. Yep. Vegas!! This January 6-8 (Thursday through Saturday), 2010 at the South Point Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. We will be there, ogling the machinery, taking lots of pictures & interviewing the auction staff for our next article on this amazing group of people.


The occasional bumps and bruises didn't slow Huerta down. He helped Sam Houston advance all the way to the state tournament.
The Texans' title hopes ended April 17 in a 2-1 loss to Katy Cinco Ranch in the state semifinal. Huerta scored the lone Sam Houston goal, an equalizer, late in the first half.
The conditions weren't ideal in the semifinal game. It was a stormy night, and Sam Houston had to fight through three lengthy weather delays.
Aarstein Halderaker of Cinco Ranch scored the deciding goal late in the second half.
Before the Texans could get to state, they first had to weather strong efforts by Grand Prairie and Amarillo in the Region 1 tournament. Sam Houston outlasted the Gophers 3-2 in the regional semifinal.
The Texans then earned the school's first 6A regional title by surviving Amarillo 1-0 in penalty kicks following a scoreless regulation and two overtimes.
The Texans made all four penalty kicks to just two by Amarillo. Both Sam Houston keepers — starter Rene Benitez and backup Oscar Castillo — saved a shot during the game-deciding shootout.
Sam Houston finished just two wins shy of bringing home a state title. Making it to soccer's final four became a realistic goal for the Texans after they knocked off then-state No. 1 McKinney Boyd in the second game of the season.
"I think at the time we kind of believed in ourselves and believed in what we were doing and it gave us some confidence that what we were doing was the right thing," said Rodriguez, who was named district coach of the year.
Kevin Ozee, Arlington school district athletic director, watched his district's varsity programs excel at the highest level during his time as the athletic director for Southlake Carroll. And what Sam Houston boys soccer accomplished is one of the top feats he's witnessed.
Ozee said all of Arlington realizes how special Sam Houston's soccer feat was.
With the program Rodriguez has built, it's not hard to imagine a bright future. Huerta and his fellow seniors won two district titles, including an undefeated run through district in 2013.
And in 2014, a rather young Sam Houston squad advanced all the way to the third round of the playoffs before losing to district rival Arlington.
This year, his team stopped playing like a young team and matured before his eyes into a team capable of making a playoff run for the ages.


The series 12 selected compositions for the pianoforte by American composers from "The universal library of music." represents a set of related resources, especially of a specified kind, found in Boston University Libraries.
The Resource 12 selected compositions for the pianoforte by American composers from "The universal library of music."
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Context of 12 selected compositions for the pianoforte by American composers from "The universal library of music."
Data Citation of the Series 12 selected compositions for the pianoforte by American composers from "The universal library of music."


text:
…On the planned sale of 36 national properties
By Jide Ojo
Last Thursday, February 18, 2021, Premium Times, an online newspaper in Nigeria, published an exclusive story on the Federal Government's planned sale of 36 properties in order to partly fund this year's budget. According to the newspaper, the Nigerian government is proposing to sell or concession no fewer than 36 of its properties to raise funds, largely to finance the 2021 budget. These properties cut across energy, industries, communication and infrastructural sectors. They are expected to be sold or concessioned between January 2021 and November 2022, it is reported.
The document was reportedly submitted to the National Assembly by the federal executive arm and titled, "NCP Approved 2021 Work Plan." It shows the names of the "projects" (as described by the document), the sale strategy, the duration of the process as well as the cost of the properties. Top among the properties are the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, the Abuja International Conference Centre, some unnamed refineries, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Abuja Water Board, Nigerian Film Corporation, among others.
As stated earlier, the decision to sell or concession these properties is to help fund the Federal Government's N13.58 trillion 2021 budget signed by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on December 31, 2020. There are however, different sale strategies for the properties. While some are 'core investor sales', a few others are for 'share sales'. Some are for 'concessioning' and others are for 'full or partial commercialisation'. Some properties have been enlisted to be sold to a 'willing buyer'. The newspaper went on to give a breakdown of the properties and their prices. They were categorised into five departments, namely; energy with nine projects, industries and communications department with eight projects and development institutions and natural resources with six projects. A total of N3.3bn is expected to be earned from the sale of the properties.
The proposal earned the support of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar. In a statement titled, 'Privatisation of Refineries and Other Assets: Better Late Than Never,' Atiku expressed delight that the privatisation of public assets which he once championed and was scorned for by the All Progressives Congress-led regime is now being embraced by the same regime. He was quoted as saying, "As chairman of the National Council on Privatisation, I advanced these policies which saw our economy achieve six per cent GDP growth and created jobs for the masses of our people and amass the national wealth that enabled us exit the debt trap, and secure our financial independence."
On the other hand, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has expressed its fierce opposition to the plan. SERAP wrote to the National Assembly asking it to stop the President from selling off national properties – an act which it said would amount to a fundamental breach of constitutional and fiduciary duties. Rather than sell national properties or borrow, SERAP proposed a cut in the cost of governance in areas like lawmakers' salaries, constituency allowance, wardrobe allowance, recess allowance and entertainment allowance – to help generate revenue. Describing the sale plan as counter-productive, the organisation said the process would be vulnerable to corruption and mismanagement, undermine the social contract with Nigerians, leave the government worse off and hurt the country in the long run.
I am of the considered view that the time has come for government to offload or sell off some of these properties which have ceased to be asset as they have turned liabilities. Take the refineries for instance, Nigeria's four refineries located in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna have been a drainpipe for several decades now. I dare say since the 1990s when Nigeria started importation of refined petroleum products and payment of subsidies on them, the refineries have ceased to be productive. Millions of dollars have been spent on their turnaround maintenance without nothing much to show for it. I believe none of the four refineries have produced anything beyond 20 per cent of their capacity utilisation in over 20 years. Yet, there are workers being paid fat salaries without doing anything at these refineries. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo did sell Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries off to Dangote's Bluestar Consortium in 2007 but labour unions and a section of the civil society pressured the late President Umaru Yar'Adua to rescind that decision. I do hope the labour unions have learnt their lessons and will not mount another opposition to the sale of these 36 Federal Government properties this term around.
I believe that what every well-meaning Nigerians should do is to follow through the privatisation process to ensure that they are transparently done and the proceeds from the sales are judiciously spent. Two things are to be achieved with these planned sales: One, revenue will accrue to the Federal Government's treasury. Two, budgetary allocation to these companies will stop, thereby saving the country some more money. I am here talking of ideal situation which again is uncommon in Nigeria. The reason some people are against privatisation and commercialisation is the way previous ones have been handled. In time past, some of these assets were sold off or concessioned to cronies of people in government who lack the technical, financial and managerial abilities to turn around the dwindling fortunes of these public corporations. That's the more reason government must act like Ceaser's wife, be above board, in the sale and concessioning of this round of privatisation and commersialisation exercise.
I have been an advocate of the implementation of the Oronsaye report on merger and acquisition of the Federal Government enterprises and agencies. Incidentally, the President ordered the implementation of that report last April. News reports have it that he approved the implementation of a report submitted by the presidential committee on restructuring and rationalisation of Federal Government parastatals, commissions and agencies during the Goodluck Jonathan administration. Commonly called the Oransaye report, the 800-page report had recommended the abolishment and merging of 102 government agencies and parastatals. Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, told Channels TV on Wednesday, April 29, 2020 that the President's approval has been forwarded to the head of civil service and secretary to the government of the federation. The planned sale of the aforementioned 36 properties may be one of the steps to be taken in implementing the Oronsaye report.
My take however is that while the sale of the 36 properties is a step in the right direction, it is not far-reaching enough. There are thousands of other abandoned project many of which are mere white elephants that also need to be auctioned off. Recall that a presidential committee in 2011 reported that the number of abandoned Federal Government projects in Nigeria were 11,886. The 20-man Ibrahim Bunu-led projects assessment committee put an estimated cost of N7.78 trillion on the abandoned projects. The central government was reported to have paid N2.696 trillion to contractors for the projects, leaving a balance of about N5tn. Without mincing words, the situation has worsened over the last decade as several other projects have been abandoned. I am therefore advocating that the Federal Government should update the Bunu report, categorise the abandoned projects into those that are likely to be assets or liabilities when completed. The liabilities should be sold off and the proceeds used to complete the ones that will add value to the economy and governance.
A lasting solution to the problem of cash crunch in government is to reduce the cost of governance. I have said time and again that there is a need to reduce the number of planes in the President's air fleet. More importantly, Nigeria does not need and cannot afford the luxury of having at least one minister per state as prescribed in Section 147 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended. Each of the six geopolitical zones can be made to have three ministers each. The Federal Capital Territory should produce one making a total of 19 ministers. What are we doing with the present 43? I have also said that there is a need to review the constitution to reduce the number of senators per state to two instead of the current three, reduce the number of members of House of Representatives from the present 360 to 240. Also, Section 91 of the Constitution which stipulates that members of the state House of Assembly shall consist of not less than 24 and not more than 40 members should be amended to a minimum of 16 and maximum of 30. All these are cost-saving measures that can help to drastically reduce the cost of governance. On top of everything is the need to vigorously fight corruption as revenue leakages and theft accounts for significant increase in the cost of governance.
– Follow me on Twitter @jideojong
Tags : FG ASSETS GOVERNMENT PROPERTIES PRO
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Author: Liz O'Brien
Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty Named Director of Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
Liz O'Brien
The Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is pleased to announce Tamar Evangelestia-Dougherty as our new director, effective November 6. An expert in the stewardship, interpretation, and acquisition of collections, Evangelestia-Dougherty brings more »
Four New Members Join Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advisory Board
The Smithsonian Institution's Board of Regents appointed John Chickering, Christopher Clark, Christopher Lee and Nick Santhanam to the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Advisory Board. They join 13 prominent community and more »
Introducing Smithsonian Libraries and Archives
The Smithsonian Libraries and Smithsonian Institution Archives have merged to become Smithsonian Libraries and Archives. "We are excited to combine the collaborative and innovative work of the Smithsonian's archives and more »
National Library Week: Accessing the Smithsonian Libraries from Anywhere
It's National Library Week 2020! This year's theme is "Find your place at the library." While the Smithsonian Libraries has closed its 21 physical branches during the COVID-19 outbreak, our more »
Smithsonian Libraries Announces Two Advisory Board Appointments
The Smithsonian Institution's Board of Regents voted Oct. 21 to appoint Carmen Agra Deedy and Brandon Neal to the Smithsonian Libraries Advisory Board in 2020. They will join 17 community more »
Game Change: An Interview with Cheryl Braunstein
Cheryl Braunstein, curator of Game Change: Elephants from Prey to Preservation, is the former manager of exhibit planning and development at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. In this role, Braunstein oversaw more »
Bon Voyage, Mary Augusta!
Mary Augusta Thomas, deputy director of Smithsonian Libraries, retires at the end of September 2019. As deputy director, Mary Augusta directed the operations of 21 libraries located in each of more »
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