text:
E-Financial
Nigerian CommunicationWeek
Smile Telecoms Appoints Farroukh as Group Chief Executive Officer
Other-Business
Chike Onwuegbuchi
Smile Telecoms, a Pan-African telecommunications group with operations in Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, today announces the appointments of Mr. Ahmad Farroukh as Group Chief Executive Officer and Ms. Irene Charnley as Deputy Chairman, respectively, effective 1 June 2019.
Ahmad Farroukh, who currently serves as Smile's Group Executive Director Operations, is a seasoned and experienced telecoms executive with a distinguished record of commercial and operational success.
Mr. Farroukh's vast experience extends to executive management positions at Investcom Holdings and the MTN Group (where he served as CEO of MTN Nigeria, MTN South Africa and Group Chief Operating Executive, responsible for 19 countries) and immediately prior to joining Smile, as CEO of Mobily, Saudi Arabia's second largest telecommunications operator. Given the extent of the opportunity and the significance to Smile, Ahmad will spend the majority of his executive time in Nigeria.
Hailed as one of Africa's most successful business leaders, Smile Telecoms founder and shareholder, Irene Charnley has led the Company's innovation and pioneering of Africa's first 4G LTE network infrastructure, using low band spectrum in 800MHz band. thereby revolutionizing the way people in Africa accessed high speed internet. After 12 years at the helm, Ms. Charnley will now serve as Deputy Chairman for the Company and will fulfil a strategic role.
Commenting on the announcement, Mohammed H. Sharbatly, Smile's Co-Chairman and Group CEO of Smile's majority shareholder, Al Nahla Group of KSA, said "The Africa telecoms market is as dynamic as it is challenging, and Ahmad is suited to lead Smile's next exciting phase of growth, as we have transitioned from a spectrum rich upstart to the fastest, most reliable data gigabyte factory in Sub-Sahara Africa.
"We are equally delighted that Irene will continue to serve the company she founded as Deputy Chair, and we look forward to her ongoing strategic direction and guidance."
"The next phase for Smile will focus on delivering excellent operational returns, achieving profitability and creating value for all stakeholders, and I believe that Ahmed is best suited to lead the Company forward in this regard", added Irene Charnley.
"Africa is experiencing explosive data growth, and I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead the operations of one of the continent's best 4G LTE networks at this exciting time.
It has also been a revelation after over 20 years in the industry to witness the power and versatility of Smile's proprietary technology applications platform, which was developed in-house and provides a huge competitive and cost advantage," concluded Ahmad Farroukh.
Related Topics:Ahmad FarroukhMTN NigeriaSmile Telecoms
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GSMA says Youth Population to Drive Strong Subscriber Growth Across Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa will remain the world's fastest-growing mobile region over the coming years as millions of young African consumers become mobile users for the first time, according to a new GSMA study.
It reveals that more than 160 million new unique mobile subscribers1 will be added across the region by 2025, bringing the total to 623 million, representing around half of the region's population, up from 456 million (44 per cent) in 2018. Subscriber additions will be concentrated in high-growth markets such as Nigeria and Ethiopia, the report says.
"A new generation of youthful 'digital natives' across Sub-Saharan Africa are set to fuel customer growth and drive adoption of new mobile services that are empowering lives and transforming businesses," said Akinwale Goodluck, Head of Sub-Saharan Africa, GSMA. "With mobile technology at the heart of Sub-Saharan Africa's digital journey, it is essential for policymakers in the region to implement policies and best practices that ensure sustainable growth in the mobile industry, and enable the transition to next-generation mobile networks."
The study calculates that the mobile ecosystem across Sub-Saharan Africa generated almost $150 billion in economic value last year – equivalent to 8.6 per cent of the region's GDP. It is forecast to generate almost $185 billion (9.1 per cent of GDP) by 2023.
The 2019 Sub-Saharan Africa edition of the GSMA's Mobile Economy report series is being published at the 'Mobile 360 – Africa' event being held this week in Kigali, Rwanda. The new report also reveals that:
– Around 239 million people, equivalent to 23 per cent of the region's population, use the mobile internet on a regular basis.
– Smartphones accounted for 39 per cent of mobile connections2 in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2018, forecast to increase to two thirds of connections by 2025.
-3G will overtake 2G to become the leading mobile technology in Sub-Saharan Africa this year.
– 4G will account for almost one in four connections by 2025. However, 4G uptake is being dampened in some markets by the high cost of 4G devices and delays in assigning 4G spectrum.
-The region's mobile operators are increasing investment in their networks and are expected to spend $60 billion (capex) on network infrastructure and services between 2018 and 2025 – almost a fifth of this total being invested in new 5G networks.
– Sub-Saharan Africa's mobile ecosystem supports around 3.5 million jobs, directly and indirectly, and last year contributed almost $15.6 billion to the funding of the public sector through consumer and operator taxes.
NCC moves to ensure MNOs networks are LTE Compatible
Ugo Onwuaso
Ismail Adedigba, Head, Information and Reference Consumer Affairs Bureau, NCC at the 5th edition of ICTEL EXPO 2019, holding at the Landmark Event Center, Lagos.
In line with Nigerian Communications Commission's(NCC) resolve that Nigeria is not left behind in the advancement of new technology in Information and communications technology (ICT) service delivery the Commission has begun move to ensure that all mobile network operators (MNOs) network in the country are Long Term Evolution (LTE)-compatible.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reports that Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is a standard for wireless broadband communication for mobile devices and data terminals, based on the GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA technologies. It increases the capacity and speed using a different radio interface together with core network improvements.
Also LTE is the upgrade path for carriers with both GSM/UMTS networks and CDMA2000 networks. The different LTE frequencies and bands used in different countries mean that only multi-band phones are able to use LTE in all countries where it is supported.
Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), who was represented by Ismail Adedigba, Head, Information and Reference Consumer Affairs Bureau stated this at the ongoing 5th edition of ICTEL EXPO 2019, holding at the Landmark Event Center, Lagos.
According to him, "we are ensuring that all new sites to be built by the mobile network operators (MNOs) are Long Term Evolution (LTE)-compatible.
"We also strive to ensure implementation of harmonised Right of Way (RoW) charges on state and federal government highways at the cost of N145 per linear meter to encourage faster rollout of telecoms infrastructure.
"We are also working with relevant stakeholders to ensure elimination of multiple taxation and regulations; encourage spread of 3G coverage to, atleast 80 per cent of the Nigerian population over the current 56.4%of the population covered with 3G networks.
"Furthermore, the Commission is encouraging the operators' upgrade of their 2G base transceiver stations (BTSs) to 3G; spread of Fifth Generation (5G) to, at least five per cent of the population; spread of 4G/LTE services to 100 per cent of the population with a minimum broadband speed of 1.5 megabit per second (Mbps); and finally, deployment of at least one Access Point of fiber with a 10 gigabyte per second (Gbps) capacity in all the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the Federation through the INFRACO."
L-R: Representative of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Technology, Mr Chima Igwe, Immediate past president, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, (LCCI), Dr Nike Akande, Director of Information Communication Technology (ICT), Ministry of Communications, Mrs Moni Udoh , President, LCCI, Mr Babatunde Ruwase and Chairman, trade promotion board, Gabriel Idahosa, at the Opening ceremony of the LCCI 5th edition of ICTEL EXPO 2019, in Lagos, on Tuesday
He noted also that fourth industrial revolution will have the capacity to enhance every facet of our lives, and not just the workforce alone.
The NCC boss revealed that the technologies of the fourth industrial revolution have the potential to connect everything into one giant communicating network.
Danbatta said "the Fourth Industrial Revolution's technologies, such as AI, augmented reality, robotics, Cloud computing, Big data, Over-the-Top (OTT), Block-chain technology, advanced security systems and 3-D printing, etc., are rapidly changing the way humans create, exchange, and distribute value.
"As with previous revolutions, this will profoundly transform institutions, industries, and individuals.
"More importantly, this revolution will be guided by the choices that people make today: the world in 50 to 100 years from now will owe a lot of its character to how we think about, invest in, and deploy these powerful new technologies.
"Suffice it to state that the Fourth Industrial Revolution involves a systemic change across many sectors and aspects of human life and as such, the crosscutting impacts of emerging technologies are even more important than the exciting capabilities they represent.
Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, President of Assocation of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria said that every industrial revolutions we have witnessed in the time past was associated with one form of technical innovation or the other, noting that these technical innovations were protected by the government before it thrived
He added however, that in Nigeria, the case is not the same, that government is not doing enough to protect stakeholders in the industry.
Adebayo who was represented by Mr Aremu Olajide said every revolution started with an innovation, an enabler and they complement each other but unfortunately in Nigeria the challenges that exist does not encourage for the right infrastructure to be provided.
He noted that if the challenges in the information and Communications Technology sector is not addressed the quest to be part of the fourth industrial revolution will be a mirage.
He explained that every enabler in the sector should complement each other, adding that if we don't get it correct at any stage, we cannot move to another stage.
He reiterated that for us to get it, infrastructure must be provided at all level of the economy.
According to him, "Government should declare these enablers a national critical infrastructure, create an environment for the youth to be innovative, create a smart city initiative, find lasting solutions to protecting infrastructure.
"All these put in place will ensure a conducive environment for 4IR to thrive," he said
One Charge, 4 Days on, TECNO 5000mAh Big Battery Smartphone Pouvoir 3 is now Available
Global premier mobile phone brand TECNO Mobile under TRANSSION HOLDINGS, launched the another powerful smartphone device from their Pouvoir serieswhich is known for its huge battery capacity.
This new TECNO smartphone is dubbed the Pouvoir 3 and it comes fully equipped with a powerful battery that solves all your battery problems.
A lot of our everyday experiences are closely tied to our smartphones therefore the most heartbreaking experience in recent times has to be the loss of battery power and the ultimate demise of a smartphone device in times of need. With TECNO Pouvoir 3,
you can use the Wi-fi, GPS, Bluetooth, or any connectivity feature all at once for more than 20 hours
you can turn your backlight on to the brightest for more than 24hours
you can make calls for up to 43 hours—that's almost two days
you can experience the magic of more than 120 hours of music playback
you can watch videos for up to 22 hours– which means you can comfortably watch 10 movies in a row
you can enjoy the game for up to 13 hours non-stop !
"Being from the stables of the Pouvoir series that is known for its incredible battery capacity and performance, the Pouvoir 3 proudly delivers on battery life, with 4 days uninterrupted stand-by performance. With its 5000mAh battery being the focal point, the Pouvoir 3 device takes you from a meager battery percentage at the end of the day to an impressive battery charge that can last for an extremely long time without the need to recharge."said by Stephen HA, Vice President of TRANSSION HOLDINGS and Managing Director of TECNO Mobile.
Besides to the long-standby battery, TECNO Pouvoir 3 also delivers a non-aging battery performance that stands the test of time and in turn leads to a revolutionary smartphone experience.
The new powerful addition to the Pouvoir family comes with a high performing glossy design that is lighter, thinner and sleeker than its predecessors, and comes equipped with a new technology that gives way to a whole new function. The device also comes with a 6.2-inch notch screen and super full view that projects images in a better fashion- which is a substantial improvement from its predecessor – The Pouvoir 2.
Pouvoir 3 dons an array of new features such as: Face Unlock and fingerprint sensor for optimized security, AR emoji, FM radio that doesn't necessarily need earphones to work and so much more.
And on the camera angle, the new TECNO Pouvoir 3 device is not a slouch as it dons a 13MP front camera and 13MP rear camera, has a large internal storage of 32GB ROM+ 2GB RAM and runs on Android 8.1 OS based on HiOS 4.1, which will deliver a fluid performance.
TECNO Pouvoir 3 will comes in 3 distinct colours: Midnight Black, Champagne Gold and Aqua Blue.
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Copyright © 2017 Communication Week Media Limited.


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Dating Site Where Gamers Pay to Play with Girls Opens for Business
By Ben Parr 2010-09-29 00:09:37 UTC
What happens when you mix male gamers, pretty girls, and a social platform where girls that connects the two for a price? The answer is GameCrush, which has just opened to the public.
GameCrush first made headlines in March when it entered public beta. The site hooks up "Players" (mostly nerdy males) with "PlayDates" (mostly young females) to play everything from Call of Duty to simple arcade games. Players can choose to play either Xbox 360 games or just a simple browser-based game.
Users of GameCrush have four basic options for making connections with PlayDates. The Arcade is for casual gaming, The Arena is for serious gaming, The Academy is for learning "tips and tricks" from PlayDates and The Edge is this service's version of a red-light district.
There is a catch, of course. PlayDates don't crush their controllers for free; it costs $0.60 per minute to have a pretty girl sniping with (or at) you.
The result is a growing list of paying users and PlayDates earning $20+ per hour playing video games with curious or lonesome guys. And before you ask, yes, you'll find girls that are willing to do more than just play games if you ask nicely. Part of the reason for this is the service's points system. Players are expected to tip points to PlayDates, who can then trade them to get real cash. Simply put, there's a big incentive for PlayDates to "do more" to earn more points.
As part of today's launch, GameCrush has added support for a wide variety of online and console games, as well as advanced social features and profile tools. The company has raised $700,000 in angel funding from the likes of Anthem Venture Partners, Zivity founders Cyan and Scott Banister and angel investor Paige Craig.
Topics: dating, gamecrush, Gaming, Media, paige craig, Startups

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Shown here with an example of the engraving area, this beautifully simple award is perfect as a corporate award.
The edges taper upwards gently with slick bevelled edges, offering a multitude of colours when viewed in different lights.
The clear crystal runs down to a blue crystal base which sets off this award exquisitely.
Standing at 9" tall and at the great price point it is an exceptionally good value award.


text:
Q: firefox, jQuery ajax calls firing twice and never triggering success or error functions I am developing with the .NET framework, using jQuery 1.4.2 client side.
When developing in Firefox version 3.6, every so often an one of the many ajax calls I make on the page will fire twice, the second will return successfully but will not trigger the success handler of the ajax call and the first never returns anything. So basically the data is all sent to the server and response is sent down but nothing happens with the response.
Here is an example of the call I am making. It happens to any of the ajax calls, so there is not one particular that is causing the problem:
$.ajax({
    type:"POST",
    contentType : "application/json; charset=utf-8",
    data:"{}",
    dataType:"json",
    success:function(){
      alert('success');
    },
    error:function(){
      alert('error');
    },
    url:'/services.aspx/somemethod'
 });

})
From firebug, here are the headers of the first call which in firebug shows as never completely responding, meaning i see no response code and the loader gif in the firebug never goes away.
Note:In firebug it usually says Response Header but for the first call this space is blank
Server             ASP.NET Development Server/9.0.0.0
X-AspNet-Version    2.0.50727
Content-Type      application/json; charset=utf-8
Connection           Close

Request Headers
Host              mydomain.com
User-Agent        Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2.3)
                  Gecko/20100401Firefox/3.6.3 ( .NET CLR 3.5.30729)
Accept        application/json, text/javascript, */*
Accept-Language   en-us,en;q=0.5
Accept-Encoding   gzip,deflate
Accept-Charset    ISO-8859-1,utf-8;q=0.7,*;q=0.7
Keep-Alive        115
Connection        keep-alive
Content-Type      application/json; charset=utf-8
X-Requested-With  XMLHttpRequest
Referer       http://mydomain.com/mypage.aspx

Here is the header from the second request which just appear to complete in firebug (i.e response is 200):
Response Header
Server  ASP.NET Development Server/9.0.0.0
X-AspNet-Version    2.0.50727
Content-Type    application/json; charset=utf-8
Connection  Close

Request Headers
Host        mydomain.com
User-Agent      Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2.3)
                Gecko/20100401 Firefox/3.6.3 ( .NET CLR 3.5.30729)
Accept      text/html,application/xhtml+xml,application/xml;q=0.9,*/*;q=0.8
Accept-Language en-us,en;q=0.5
Accept-Encoding gzip,deflate
Accept-Charset  ISO-8859-1,utf-8;q=0.7,*;q=0.7
Keep-Alive      115
Connection      keep-alive
Content-Type    application/json; charset=utf-8
Referer     http://mydomain.com/mypage.aspx

To summarize my question, why are two requests being made and why are neither of them triggering a success or error handler in the ajax call.
I have seen this article about firefox 3.5+ and preflighted requests
https://developer.mozilla.org/En/HTTP_access_control#Preflighted_requests
In the article is says if a "POST" is made with any other content type than
"application/x-www-form-urlencoded, multipart/form-data, or text/plain" than the request is pre-flighted. If this is the case, this should happen to all of my calls.
Thanks

A: This isn't an answer as much as a proposed temporary workaround. Make the call synchronous with async:false and see if things work again.
I've been tearing my hair out over a similar-sounding bug recently.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


1-1/2 lb. density expanded polystyrene core, 3" thick std.
Superior load carrying capability. You can actually walk on it!
The NorseStar Roof can be used in new home construction, room additions, screen rooms, patio covers, carports covers, insulated enclosures for both residential and commercial applications.
The NorseStar is virtually weatherproof from hailstorms and other extreme weather conditions.
The expanded polystyrene core will not deteriorate from moisture, is lightweight waterproof and virtually soundproof. This the same core used in refrigeration units such as freezers, refrigerators, and coolers. The core is factory laminated to two aluminum outer skins, top and bottom of the panel. Why use cardboard, when you can have what the refrigeration professional use to insulate with.
NorseStar Panels almost completely eliminate mildew, and as well, condensation under the roof. This system is leak proof when installed properly.
NorseStar panels meet loading and wind load requirements, ICBO approved, most building codes and is hurricane code approved.
The NorseStar panel is truly the roof system of the 21st Century.


If you are looking for one of the most excellent ways to relax and feel more energetic as well, then it is highly recommended to go for hot tub baths. Instead of going to the spa, you should purchase a unit like this and use it at home as many times as you want, with all the privacy you need. Therefore, in order to make the right choice, in case you decide to buy one, have a look at the following top inflatable hot tubs for outdoor use.
According to the Popular.Reviews ratings, this is a great choice you could make when it comes to inflatable hot tubs for outdoor use because it's affordable and of a higher quality than other more expensive models. This unit is a spacious one, very durable, and with a classy design as well. It can accommodate up to 4 people, and it provides a water range from 68 degrees to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. The inner diameter is 57 inches, and the outer diameter is 77 inches, with a height of 28 inches. The Intex PureSpa comes equipped with a control panel that is very easy to use, a built-in hard water system, an insulated cover, replaceable filter cartridges, 3-ply laminated material, and a carry bag.
If you have a garden and you actually want to bring the spa to your home, then it is highly recommended to choose this hot tub. The Coleman Lay-Z is very easy to deflate, and you can do this whenever it is necessary so that you can save space. The outer wall is very durable thanks to the fabric coated material. Furthermore, a great comfort will be provided, due to the cushioned floor with pool liner. By using the drain valve, you will be able to easily drain the water. The digital control panel that this unit has, will allow you to set the desired temperature. All in all, with the Coleman Lay-Z you will be able to improve your overall health, and highly relax after a long and stressful day of work.
If you are looking for the top inflatable hot tubs for outdoor use, then you must certainly take this model into consideration. This unit is excellent for 4 people, and a wonderful feature that will definitely be to your liking is that it heats the water rapidly. It is made of TriTech, which is a very durable material. This puncture-resistant hot tub also features a DVD, that gives you the necessary information about the maintenance and spa setup. The inflatable cover will protect the water from dirt and dust.


text:
Pope Domain Donated To Charity
The computer-book author who registered the Pope BenedictXVI.com Internet address days before Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected to the position has donated the URL to a New York charity.
The computer-book author who registered the Pope BenedictXVI.com Internet address days before Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected to the position has donated the address to a New York charity.
Florida-based Rogers Cadenhead donated the domain to Modest Needs, a charity dedicated to assisting low-income families cover unexpected expenses. "I was more excited at the prospect of being right about the name than getting the domain," Cadenhead told the Washington Post.
After the new Pope revealed his new name, Cadenhead said his server was flooded with hits, rising at times to more than 1,000 hits a minute. He said he has been determined not to offend his Catholic grandmother and never had money-making in mind when he registered the domain name.
Cadenhead has said he put a stipulation on the domain name that it would be transferred to the Vatican if it wants it.
While Cadenhead's experience with the Pope address has generated a lot of publicity, the experience hasn't been completely positive. On his blog, Cadenhead said he was interviewed by an "AV" site thinking the acronym stood for "audiovisual." In reality "AV" meant "adult video" so his comments ended up on a porn site inadvertently.
Cadenhead pointed out that holders of some other Pope sites weren't as generous as he's been. He quoted the holder of one unspecified site, who was offering his address for sale to the highest bidder, as stating: "I'll be keeping every red cent of this dough, thinking about blowing it on horse races."
Several Pope sites have been registered using variations of the Benedict title.
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The Colonial Athletic Association had another extremely underrated season last year. A year after getting two NCAA bids and George Mason to the Final Four, the CAA had four teams very capable of making postseason noise. VCU won the league at 16-2, but Old Dominion was only one game back of them, and Hofstra and Drexel finished two and three games back, respectively. In the conference tournament, VCU knocked off upstart George Mason in the title game, and then went on to beat Duke in the NCAA Tournament before losing in overtime to Pittsburgh. Old Dominion reached the Big Dance, but lost to Butler in the first round, while Drexel was one of the last teams left out. The Dragons went to the NIT along with Hofstra. This year, the CAA has another group of solid mid-major teams.
Favorites: VCU loses two of its best players from last season in B.A. Walker and Jesse Pellot-Rosa, but still has the best talent in the conference. Anthony Grant and the Rams are led by, of course, sensational point guard Eric Maynor. Maynor became an overnight sensation last year with his heroics against both George Mason in the CAA title game and Duke in the NCAA Tournament, but people who had been following the conference all year knew Maynor was a fearless penetrator who could get to the basket on anyone. He will be partnered with Jamal Shuler, a very good three-point shooter, and all-rookie selection T.J. Gwynn. Inside, Wil Fameni is a solid scorer and rebounder with a nice touch, while Michael Anderson is a tremendous athlete who is very long and can jump out of the gym. Off the bench, Franck Ndongo will fight for a starting job, while Joey Rodriguez is an impact freshman. George Mason struggled during the regular season last year, but built up some momentum from its nice CAA Tournament run to the title game. The Patriots return five starters, including one of the better inside-outside combos in the conference in guard Folarin Campbell and big man Will Thomas. Campbell is a good all-around player, while Thomas has a variety of post moves and is a solid rebounder and passer. Starting next to Thomas will be Darryl Monroe, an efficient finisher around the basket. Andre Smith is a very good shooter in the backcourt, while Jordan Carter is a good defender. John Vaughan could be a potential go-to-guy on the perimeter.
Contenders: Old Dominion loses three starters from last season's NCAA Tournament team, but will still be in the hunt. The backcourt of Brandon Johnson and Brian Henderson is one of the best in the conference. Johnson can do it all on the court, and is a very good defender, while Brian Henderson can score and shoot with efficiency. Abdi Lidonde and Marsharee Neely will fight for the other starting spot, but Neely might be redshirted. Gerald Lee and Jonathan Adams are the top returnees up front, while Sam Harris brings his 7-3 size to the paint. Drexel is still feeling the sting of last year's NCAA Tournament snub, but will try to bounce back. Frank Elegar leads the way down low; he is one of the best big men in the country. Randy Oveneke will likely start next to him, although Boston College transfer Evan Neisler will fight for time. On the perimeter, Scott Rodgers is the main returnee, with Tramayne Hawthorne also returns as a player with extended experience. The point guard will be manned by New York City natives Gerald Colds and Jamie Harris, both freshmen. Hofstra won at least 20 games for the third straight season last year, but the Pride lose guards Loren Stokes, the CAA Player of the Year, and Carlos Rivera. However, Antoine Agudio returns. He is a lights-out shooter who is one of the best guards in the nation. Greg "Playstation" Johnson is very quick, but needs to become a team leader. Freshmen Nathaniel Lester and Devon Peterson, as well as redshirt freshman Charles Jenkins, will fight for minutes. Zygis Sestokas, the team's second-leading returning scorer, will start on the wing. Up front, Mike Davis-Saab and Arminas Urbutis need to improve, while Greg Washington might be the difference-maker Hofstra needs in the frontcourt.
Sleepers: William & Mary jumped from eight wins to fifteen last season, and returns four starters from that group. The backcourt returns both starters in Nathan Mann, a good three-point shooter, and David Schneider, a good distributor at the point. Up front, Laimis Kisielius is back. He can score in a variety of ways. Peter Stein and Alex Smith will also start in the frontcourt. UNC-Wilmington finished next-to-last in the league last year, only one year after winning 25 games and a league title. However, with the return of T.J. Carter from injury, the Seahawks have a chance to make some noise again. Carter is one of the best players in the conference. UNCW also returns a very good frontcourt duo in Vladimir Kuljanin and Todd Hendley. Kuljanin is an extremely efficient finisher inside, while Hendley is a good inside-outside option. Double-figure scorer Daniel Fountain and solid scorer Montez Downey return on the wings, with newcomers Marlo Davis and Chad Tomko battling for the point guard spot. Northeastern finished .500 in the league last year, and lose three starters, but could have the weapons to move up in the standings. It is led by Rookie of the Year Matt Janning, one of the CAA's best guards. He will be joined in the backcourt by freshmen Chaisson Allen and Allen Aragbaye. Up front, Manny Adako and Eugene Spates return, along with Dayton transfer Chris Alvarez, a solid rebounder. James Madison has won only 25 games in the past four seasons, but could make a major push for the upper division of the league. It all starts with the return of four double-figure scorers, led by Juwann James and Terrance Carter. The two form one of the best forward duos in the conference. Kyle Swanston and Gabriel Chami also are back in the frontcourt. Pierre Curtis and Joe Posey return in the backcourt. Curtis is an all-conference candidate, while Posey is a very good long-range shooter. The reason for the optimism, though, is the arrival of St. Joseph's transfer Abdulai Jalloh, an All-Atlantic-10 guard who can light up the scoreboard. Texas Tech transfer Dazzmond Thornton will also make an impact.
Rounding out the Pack: Delaware struggled mightily last season, finishing last in the conference and finishing the year with just seven players on the roster. The Blue Hens do return four starters, though, despite Darrell Johnson's decision in September to transfer. They are led by forward Herb Courtney, an all-conference performer who can carry the team offensively. He is joined in the frontcourt by returnee Sam McMahon, a good inside-outside option, and Georgetown transfer Marc Egerson. Egerson should make an immediate impact. Nebraska transfer Jim Ledsome and returnee Henry Olawoye provide depth. Point guard Brian Johnson is the leader in the backcourt, but someone needs to step up on the wing. Towson loses leading scorer Gary Neal, but still has a solid core of players. C.C. Williams is a good all-around guard, while Georgetown transfer Josh Thornton will make an impact. Tim Crossin returns as a starter. Up front, Jonathan Pease and College of Charleston transfer Junior Hairston will fight for minutes, while Tommy Breaux starts down low. Georgia State returns three starters from last year's 5-13 CAA campaign, led by all-conference candidate Leonard Mendez. He can do a little of everything, and is a very good all-around player. Wing Rashad Chase is another solid scorer for the Panthers. Trae Goldston will start on the perimeter. Up front, Justin Billingslea and Deven Dickerson are the leading returnees.
Prediction: The CAA will not feature a team as good as George Mason of two years ago or VCU of last year, but it still has two very good teams at the top and a group of solid contenders in the middle of the pack. Even the teams in the lower tier have a chance to be decent, especially James Madison. The title will come down to the March darlings of the 2006 and 2007, George Mason and VCU, respectively. Eric Maynor gives VCU a huge advantage off the bat, but GMU has experience and balance on its side with Will Thomas and Folarin Campbell. In the end, though, I'm going with VCU because of coach Anthony Grant and the momentum the Rams have from last season. It will be a great race.


Be it the planning and design of residential communities, urban centers or the large-scaled new towns and cities, this is all about being visionary in all aspects of the process above anything else.
Master planning and urban design is a comparatively complex process which requires a correspondingly well-structured and organized approach.
Good architecture has always been apprehended more as with Avant-garde than with style. Embracing the principal importance of synthesizing good design is vital to amplify the costs, resources and function of the energy and space.
Architectural design itself has to fit in with the setting of the topology, surrounding buildings, regional architectural language and use of materials. Depending on the type of facility and its location, creativity in architecture via interior and landscape design are key factors to a successfully nurtured development.
Greenery advocates pristine nature of aesthetics and environmental sustainability.
As harmony indicates the balance between the hard and soft, the existence of green landscape accommodates to and also complements with the austere development or townships, enhancing the overall well-being and restores 'life' back to both the existing and new ecology.
Preserving old heritage buildings (depending on the type of buildings) is a tedious, most often mundane and sometimes meaningless architectural pursuit that is best left to pure conservators or museologists. It gets a bit more exciting and meaningful when the approach is of adaptive re-use.
Fortunately, there is still a strong interest to re-enact the heritage of the past.
The focus for interior design would substantially be as important as the exterior architecture that proceeds to unfold the entire niche of the development.
Though dependent on the level of service to a certain extent, the overall experience of visitors and users are crucial and has a huge bearing on the design of the facilities. Hence, unique ideas and concepts seen especially in public buildings, hospitality and domestic building design may be realized within the confines of a budget and our approach has also been to conceptualise design proposals from our own in-house team of interior designers.


text:
Singapore beats UK to title of world's most AI-ready government
Written by Beckie Smith on 21 May 2019 in News
UK a close second as ranking authors warn of global "inequality of access to AI"
SIngapore. Photo: PA
The UK has been knocked from the top spot of a global ranking of countries whose governments are ready to capitalise on artificial intelligence technologies in public services.
The UK was narrowly beaten to the number one position by Singapore in this year's Government AI Readiness Index, which the ranking's authors described as a "timely reminder of the ongoing inequality of access to AI". This is the second time the ranking has been produced, with the UK hgaving topped the leaderboard in the first iteration in 2017.
Technology consultancy Oxford Insights and the Canadian government-sponsored International Development Research Centre said the 2019 Government AI Readiness Index should prompt governments to "act to ensure that global inequalities are not further entrenched or exacerbated by AI".
Public standards watchdog to probe use of artificial intelligence
Government data ethics body to focus on bias and micro-targeting
Whitehall can 'curb power of tech giants by giving AI companies access to public data'
Unsurprisingly, the upper echelons of the ranking were dominated by higher-income countries with strong economies. Singapore and the UK were followed by Germany, the United States and Finland, with Sweden, Canada, France, Denmark and Japan making up the rest of the top 10.
The index scored governments across 11 metrics, divided into four broad categories: governance; infrastructure and data; skills and education; and government and public services.
"Emerging technologies offer a unique opportunity to improve the governments of the future, and citizens' experience of government. As we enter the age of automation, governments must ensure that they are ready to capitalise on the potential power of AI," the ranking's authors said.
However, they warned that governments should adopt AI technologies with caution.
"If it is implemented without due care for ethics and safety, AI in public services could be at best ineffective, and at worst, very dangerous," they wrote in a report accompanying the results.
"The purpose of assessing and scoring governments' AI readiness is not to create or fuel a global race for AI. Rather, it is to help policymakers everywhere see where they are performing well, and in which areas they may wish to target their attention going forward."
The UK's position ahead of other European countries has been "cemented in part through a concerted policy effort around AI over the last year", the report said, citing the AI sector deal, funding being made available for AI R&D, and last years House of Lords committee report on AI.
Each of these developments "emphasise the importance of robust thinking and policy around AI ethics", it said.
The ranking was published a few days after the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport announced the members of its AI Council, which digital minister Margot James said today would "boost the growth and use of AI in the UK".
The independent expert panel is intended to draw expertise from industry, academia and the public sector together to promote the adoption and ethical use of AI technologies.
Its members, announced last Thursday, include Ocado chief technology officer Paul Clarke, Alan Turing Institute chief executive Adrian Smith, UK Research and Innovation chief executive Sir Mark Walport and Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation board member Dame Patricia Hodgson.
Commenting on the ranking, James added: "AI is already having a positive impact across society – from detecting fraud and diagnosing medical conditions to helping us discover new music, and we're working hard to make the most of its vast opportunities while managing and mitigating the potential risks."
The overall leader, Singapore, ranked highly because it was "paying heed to managing community concerns around AI", according to the report.
In particular, the report's authors were impressed by the government's establishment of an AI ethics advisory council as part of its AI strategy, to "assist the government to develop ethics standards and reference governance frameworks, issue advisory guidelines, practical guidance and codes of practice for voluntary adoption by businesses".
The ranking scores governments across 11 metrics, divided into four broad categories: governance; infrastructure and data; skills and education; and government and public services.
The index published today builds on the 2017 ranking, which examined 35 OECD countries. The 2019 ranking looked at 194 countries and used a wider range of source data for the exercise, its authors said.
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We are very proud of our school and the people who help to make it such a warm and welcoming community.
These pages try to introduce those people, and some of the things that help to create that atmoshere. Information about admissions can also be found here, along with some of the documents that need to be shared on our website.
If you cannot find what you are looking for, please check other pages or contact us via the school office.


"It's Very Intuitive and Easy to Use"
"The Netblaze software is very intuitive and easy to use. Its nice to know I have someone in the background checking that I'm not making major mistakes for SEO and citations.
As a small business owner, I wear so many hats, and it is so easy for the technical stuff to slip through the cracks while I'm busy paying attention to something else.
I love that Netblaze is working on my citations with just a click!
I'm loving having the reminders to post to Facebook on a regular basis.
"Being a small-business owner, I have been able to manage all aspects of keeping my company viable.
The one area lacking has always been its presence on the web.
Along came Netblaze which is helping me add, fix and correct everything that I was doing wrong while I was busy doing everything else.
The Netblaze team is fantastic with communication, creativity and speed, helping me understand the ins and outs of social marketing.
With Netblaze, everything is all there – I don't have to go to ten different sites to obtain all of the info.
"NetBlaze has helped me with my overall marketing strategy"
"I love that I get one on one time with your gurus to go over my marketing strategies and that Netblaze is giving me the tools to make it happen easier.
I don't have time to figure out all of this on my own so having it all in one spot makes it convenient.
"A Game Changer For My Company"
"I can spend more time doing the things I am passionate about"
"I don't dread working on the marketing aspect of my business"
"Local retail is in a crisis right now..."
"Local retail is in a crisis right now and virtually the only way to stand out among local competitors and fight the superstores is the Internet. We stay so busy at our bike shop that it's hard to keep up with what needs to be done with online marketing and it's not my specialty.


Divergent forgoes the simpler pleasures of movies like a reasonable runtime for its content and coherency during action scenes, and leaves us with a dull result – occasionally interesting and with enough talent but far from enough plusses to warrant a recommendation. This is definitely a case of a movie where the whole is far less than the sum of its parts. It's the latest set of movie adaptations based on a bestselling young adult book series (this one is from the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth), and suffers from a lot of "First Movie Trip-Ups" – events that occur in the inaugural entry that show that everything is still trying to find the proper footing, although they (hopefully) are resolved later.
Abnegation – The selfless folks that run the government.
Amity – The optimistic farmers.
Candor – The judges, keepers of honesty and truth.
Dauntless – The intense and incredibly athletic soldiers.
Erudite – The serious intellectuals, who want to overthrow the Abnegations.
You are tested towards the end of your teenage years to see which sector you are suited for. While great importance is placed on the outcome, you're free to choose differently when the time comes, although you won't be able to switch when your final decision has been made. Take the case of Beatrice "Tris" (Shailene Woodley) and Caleb Prior (Ansel Elgort), brother and sister. Both of their parents are Abnegations. Caleb chooses Erudite without a second's hesitation, but things aren't so simple for Tris. Her test results were inconclusive. She belongs in more than one group, and these are known as Divergents. Everyone is afraid of the potential of those with multiple talents, so known Divergents are stigmatized and regulated to slums. Tris' test administrator (Maggie Q), attempts to cover up the data so she does not meet this fate, and on the big day, Tris chooses to be a Dauntless, as they have always interested her. She is entered into the grueling training required, and from the beginning, it looks as if she might not make it. It will take the work of both her and a Dauntless leader that goes by the name of Four (Theo James) to ensure that she can pass the tests and not rouse suspicion of who she really is.
Divergent's basic setup is more or less like a clear-cut satire of the clique mentality – you must belong in a group, and you are defined largely (or even solely) by that group. It's not as if we haven't seen the mechanical and unquestioned sorting process in stories before, like the Sorting Hat in Harry Potter, but most haven't used it as the end-all-be-all of the setup of both the universe in which it takes place and the story's own narrative. To its credit, Divergent shows promise in how this will have a huge impact, beyond the inherent stupidity of classifying humans into groomed categories, and does spark some basic wonder towards the end over how this will play into future installments. The best things in Divergent happen towards the end, where the film abandons its ream of gloomy, gray training scenes for a cathartic, fast, and generally entertaining finale. However, since it takes over two hours to get there, I can't say that it's worth the wait. The script lumbers for 140 minutes, occasionally touching upon a well constructed action or story-developing scene, but all it consistently does is drag on and on, generating little interest for itself.
Other problems include camera work and editing. Sometimes it frames big, sweeping shots beautifully and shows the slick production design, but during action scenes, and devolves into a mess of quick cuts and close ups. There are problems with character development, like a forced romance between Four and Tris, which seems to be birthed out of the concept that any professional pairing of a man and a woman must become personal – it doesn't always need to exist (Maybe it makes more sense in the book or as the story goes on, I don't know, but here, it was introduced haphazardly). However, whatever problems the movie has, none can be attributed to the actors. Shailene Woodley is solid, fierce, and likeable as Tris, Theo James provides a brooding but complex male co-star, Jai Courtney is suitably despicable as Eric, a soulless trainer and Four's colleague, and Kate Winslet chews the scenery away as an Erudite leader bent on overthrowing the system and killing the Divergents.
Divergent has good qualities and bad ones, and it makes the mistake of letting the bad ones rule over. The good bits, like the acting and visual design, are lost under terrible pacing problems, poorly defined character development, bad editing/cinematography, and general dullness. A star rating is based on how much I would recommend a movie to other people, and despite the positives on display in Neil Burger's film, they were massively overweighed in my eyes by the negatives that kept cropping up.


Cooking set for large groups with practical measuring scale on the inside of the saucepans.
Large stainless steel mug with folding handles, volume scale on inside and 600 ml capacity.
Camping mug with 0,85 liter capacity, practical fold-down handles and a volume scale on the inside.


This video explains how to make Vincent Valentine's arm guards in under 20mins. The supplies needed to complete this task include card paper, tape, gold spray, pencil and scissors. A ruler must be used to measure the length of your hand and fingers so you can correctly size the arm guards. Card paper is the cut into many small circles and placed around all of the fingers and then painted with gold spray. The hand portion is created by wrapping your hand with card paper and pulling tight before taping into place. The last step is to paint the entire arm guard with gold spray to finish.


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State Elections Board: Athens-Clarke County Must Resume Using New Voting Machines
Emil Moffatt | WABE
About 500 votes were cast in the county using the new touchscreens in the first two days of early voting before the board voted to change, said Athens-Clarke elections director Charlotte Sosebee.
Emil Moffatt / WABE
The Georgia Board of Elections has voted unanimously that Athens-Clarke County violated state law when it switched to hand-marked paper ballots in the ongoing presidential primary. It ordered them to resume using the state's new voting machines, pay $2,500 in state administrative costs, and will face a $5,000 per day fine until electronic voting machines are back in place.
The county's Board of Elections voted last week to stop using the state's new voting machines over concerns that the 21-inch touchscreens were too big to maintain voter privacy. The decision came two days into early voting in the state's presidential primary. Part of their argument involves the state law requiring a certain number of voting machines for each registered voter and the challenge of finding space for that number of machines while still protecting voters' privacy.
The state argued that the hand-marked paper ballot back up option is only meant to be used in emergency situations.
About 500 votes were cast in the county using the new touchscreens in the first two days of early voting before the board voted to change, said Athens-Clarke elections director Charlotte Sosebee. She said they received no complaints from voters about privacy during that time.
But Laura Camacho, a Clarke County resident who voted using the state's new machines on March 2 before the county switched to hand-marked paper ballots testified Wednesday that her privacy was compromised because of the arrangement of the machines. Another voter, Anne Marie Zimeri, echoed Camacho. Both, however, acknowledged under questioning from the state's attorney, that no one saw their ballot because there were no other voters nearby.
There's currently just one precinct open for early voting in the county. More locations are scheduled to be added as Election Day approaches.
Lawyers representing the Athens-Clarke Board of Elections asked state elections director Chris Harvey about training and guidance that the Secretary of State's office had provided to counties with regards to ballot privacy in the months leading up to the March primary.
Harvey says counties were given advice during conference calls and meetings about positioning the machines so that privacy could be protected. But the first time the guidance appeared in writing came in the form of a diagram shared with counties on Feb. 13. That's before about 10 percent of counties had received their full complement of voting equipment and only two weeks before early voting began across the state.
Attorneys for the state of Georgia argued that poll workers need to be able to observe the machines to prevent tampering, while still giving voters privacy. This is best accomplished, they argue, by positioning the screens, so they face away from awaiting voters and poll workers.
The discussion about voter privacy and the new machines began in late January between the county elections board and Sosebee. Emails displayed during the hearing showed that the county was exploring the possibility of using hand-marked paper ballots as Cobb County did last November. The emails revealed concern not only about privacy but also about having enough electricity to power the new voting equipment, which now includes the touchscreen, poll pad, ballot printer and scanner.
Athens-Clarke Board of Elections chair Jesse Evans testified that the board requested floorplans for early voting locations in an email on January 30. Evans said he and the board wanted to find a way to use the new machines, but only if voter privacy was protected. Evans said he was assured by the county's election staff that there were no privacy issues at early voting sites.
He showed up a polling place on March 2 and said he was able to stand in an adjacent office and clearly see the voting screens through a window and while walking past voting stations. He described that as a violation of voter privacy.
"We need to stop it from happening here and in other locations," Evans said.
On March 3, Sosebee told the board that room layouts were possible to protect voter privacy. But the board still voted to switch to hand-marked paper ballots.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger presided over the hearing in his role as chairman of the Board of Elections as lawyers who work closely with Raffensperger in the Secretary of State's office were arguing the state's side in the hearing.
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Brian Kemp
Kemp says $3B budget boost will bring 'a lot of good things'


text:
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About Statkraft Ireland
Our history in Ireland
Our narrative
Our values and principles
Coole wind farm
Derrykillew wind farm
Drehid wind farm
Kilathmoy wind farm
Moanvane wind farm
Market activities
Grid Services and Batteries
Corporate PPAs
Renewable generation PPAs
Renewable certificates trading
Why Statkraft
Statkraft's logo
Low Emissions Scenario
About the Statkraft Group
Low emissions scenario 2021
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Statkraft confirms acquisition of five solar farms
Deal reached with Lightsource bp for 275MW of solar energy
Press release Ireland Solar power Power Plants
Statkraft Ireland has confirmed that it has completed the acquisition of five fully permitted solar projects with a combined capacity of 275MWdc from Lightsource bp, a global leader in the development and management of solar energy projects.
The projects are located in counties Meath, Laois, Tipperary and Cork. The acquisition is the latest in a series of transactions which Statkraft Ireland has made in the renewable energy sector since 2018.
Statkraft Ireland Managing Director, Kevin O'Donovan stated:
"One of the projects which we have acquired from Lightsource, namely Blundelstown in Meath, was actually successful just last month, in RESS-1. The outcome of that particular auction was hugely encouraging and has given us at Statkraft, the platform we need to increase the rollout of green energy projects in Ireland thereby decarbonising the grid and playing our part in helping to meet critical Climate Change targets. We are already quite advanced in developing the construction programme to deliver these RESS-1 projects.
We are very pleased to be adding to our rapidly-expanding portfolio with this suite of projects which dovetail perfectly with our ongoing efforts to reduce Ireland's dependence on fossil fuels. Lightsource bp has an established track record and as such, the high quality of each development rendered this bundle of solar farms, an extremely attractive proposition for us."
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney shares his vision of the Irish renewable sector with Statkraft Ireland Managing Director, Kevin O'Donovan at company's Irish headquarters in Cork
In Ireland's first competitive auction under the Government's new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS-1) last month, Statkraft secured contracts for over 330MWs of renewable power including two wind projects (57MW) and two solar projects (276MWp). Since Statkraft entered the Irish market exactly two years ago, it has placed great emphasis on developing a diverse portfolio of renewable energy including onshore wind energy, battery storage, solar energy, offshore wind energy and grid service solutions. Acquisitions have been funded exclusively from Statkraft's own financial reserves.
The company expects to be making an investment decision in the coming months to construct the Blundelstown project. As is the case with all its other ventures in the Irish market, the company will develop, establish a route to market and build this project providing the necessary finance from its own resources.
Lightsource bp CEO for Europe and International, Kareen Boutonnat said:
"We have been active across the island of Ireland for many years, having developed and connected the first utility scale solar projects in the North some years ago and have been progressing projects in the Republic since 2015. We are delighted to enter into this agreement with a company of the calibre and profile of Statkraft. We continue to be fully committed to developing Ireland's utility scale solar market and assessing future opportunities."
The portfolio comprises:
Blundelstown Solar Farm, Meath
Harristown Solar Farm, Meath
Ballymacadam Solar Farm, Tipperary
Loughteague Solar Farm, Laois
Monatooreen Solar Farm, Cork
Note to editor:
With 4,000 employees in 17 countries, Statkraft is Europe's largest generator of renewable energy. The group produces hydropower, wind power, solar power, as well as being a global player in trading energy and the roll out of EV charging networks. In Ireland, Statkraft develops, owns and operates renewable production facilities having constructed its first wind and battery projects in 2019. Employing 55 people here, the company is involved in the trading and origination of power from its own projects and those of third parties.
The company's global ambition is to increase its portfolio of wind power assets to 6,000 MW and solar power assets to 2,000 MW by 2025. This includes an ambitious pipeline of projects in the UK as well as Ireland.
Seán Perry
Keating & Associates
sean@keating.ie
Providing pure energy
Statkraft is a leading company in hydropower internationally and Europe's largest generator of renewable energy. The Group produces hydropower, wind power, solar power, gas-fired power and supplies district heating. Statkraft is a global company in energy market operations. Statkraft has 4,600 employees in 18 countries.
Statkraft Ireland Ltd.
Cork Airport Business Park
Cork T12 D23C, Ireland
Tel.: +353 21 2427786
Email: InfoIreland@statkraft.com
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Distribution of Insurance Products
The AIDA Distribution of Insurance Products Working Party was formed in 2006 following the decision adopted in Buenos Aires in October 2006 during the XII AIDA World Congress, upon the proposal of Prof. Ioannis Rokas. At that time, the distribution of insurance products, as a particular sub-sector of insurance, had numerous open questions regarding the rights and obligations of distributors, the protection of consumers, including important conflict of interest issues. In addition, EU Member States had recently to comply with the minimum harmonisation Directive 2002/92/EC on insurance mediation.
The possibility to engage representatives from several countries of the world participating in AIDA in a vital legal discussion on comparative law on intermediaries, which would be communicated through presentations and papers, was challenging. It also gave a promise for successful attendance of interested participants, which turned out to be true.
Since that time meetings have been held at least twice yearly with an ever-growing number of active participants from many countries actively involved in the Working Party's activities.
In November 2014 during the XIV AIDA World Congress in Rome, Prof. Ioannis Rokas resigned from the Chairmanship and Prof. Pierpaolo Marano, who was previously Vice-Chair, has been appointed as Chairperson. The last meetings of the Working Party were organized together with the AIDA Consumer Protection Working Party, which was then renamed General Principles of Insurance law, in order to investigate the business conduct rules on insurance distributors, which affect their relationship with customers.
Attached the cover page, table of contents and introduction of the Distribution of Insurance Products' publication, which includes the papers, speeches and comments (comparative study) produced under the chairmanship of Professor Ioannis Rokas.
To view the questionnaire of the Distribution of Insurance Products Working Party, click here
Prof. Dr Pierpaolo Marano Chair
pierpaolo.marano@unicatt.it
+39 02 72341
Officers & Committee
Prof. Dr Pierpaolo Marano
Ms Alkistis Christofilou
Dr Kyriaki Noussia
em. Prof. Dr Ioannis Rokas
Civil Liability Insurance
Climate and Catastrophic Events
Financial Lines and Cyber
General Principles of Insurance Law
New Technologies, Prevention and Insurance
Personal Insurance and Pensions
State Supervision of Insurance
Credit Insurance and Surety
Transport and Marine Insurance
PAST EVENTS & MEETINGS
October 3, 2019 Breakout Session 2 - Distribution of Insurance Products Working Party Meeting Lisbon, Portugal
August 20, 2019 Distribution of Insurance Products Working Party Meeting Lima, Peru
April 24, 2019 Joint Meeting General Principles of Insurance Law/Motor Insurance and Distribution of Insurance Products Working Parties Marrakesh, Morocco
October 13, 2018 Joint Meeting Distribution of Insurance Products and General Principles of Insurance Law Working Parties Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
April 13, 2018 Joint Meeting - Distribution of Insurance Products and General Principles of Insurance Law Working Parties Warsaw, Poland


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Musa al-Hula (arab. موسى الحوله) – miejscowość w Syrii, w muhafazie Hama. W 2004 roku liczyła 1781 mieszkańców.

Przypisy

Miejscowości w muhafazie Hama

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Global Microwave SST Update for April, 2013: -0.04 deg. C
May 7th, 2013 by Roy W. Spencer, Ph. D.
The satellite-based microwave global average sea surface temperature (SST) update for April 2013 is -0.04 deg. C, relative to the 2003-2006 average (click for large version):
The anomalies are computed relative to only 2003-2006 because those years were relatively free of El Nino and La Nina activity, which if included would cause temperature anomaly artifacts in other years. Thus, these anomalies cannot be directly compared to, say, the Reynolds anomalies which extend back to the early 1980s. Nevertheless, they should be useful for monitoring signs of recent ocean surface warming, which appears to have stalled since at least the early 2000's. (For those who also track our lower tropospheric temperature ["LT"] anomalies, these SST anomalies average about 0.20 deg. C cooler than LT since mid-2002).
The SST retrievals come from Remote Sensing Systems (RSS), and are based upon passive microwave observations of the ocean surface from AMSR-E on NASA's Aqua satellite, the TRMM satellite Microwave Imager (TMI), and WindSat. While TMI has operated continuously through the time period (but only over the tropics and subtropics), AMSR-E stopped nominal operation in October 2011, after which Remote Sensing Systems patched in SST data from WindSat. These various satellite SST datasets have been carefully intercalibrated by RSS.
Despite the relatively short period of record, I consider this dataset to be the most accurate depiction of SST variability over the last 10+ years due to these instruments' relative insensitivity to contamination by clouds and aerosols at 6.9 GHz and 10.7 GHz.
35 Responses to "Global Microwave SST Update for April, 2013: -0.04 deg. C"
Very useful data.
Are you able to post updated ocean heat content info. similar to this chart you just posted? thanks
Scott Scarborough says:
What about ARGO? Does that system show similar results? Why do you think satillites are better?
I don't routinely monitor ocean heat content, check Bob Tisdale's stuff. I think it's updated every 3 months.
Bob Tisdale says:
Hi Roy. I used to provide quarterly updates of the NODC ocean heat content data, but I stopped. The dataset has too many problems. I discussed them in detail in the following post. It's long but it's full of information:
http://bobtisdale.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/is-ocean-heat-content-data-all-its-stacked-up-to-be/
Thanks, Bob.
AnsgarJohn says:
Does this make sense to you? http://twitpic.com/co166j Sun -> temp going down.
John if solar conditions get to the quiet levels i think for the balance of this decade I feel the temp. trend downward will be much more substancial then that forecasted on that chart.
Dan Pangburn says:
Mixing causes the top 110 meters or so of the oceans to participate in average global temperature change. This results in a time constant of about 5 years. Thus the rapid temperature changes of the SST measurements are unphysical as a contributor to true global temperature change. They must be artifacts of the measurement process. Several web sites such as http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/Products/ocean/sst/anomaly/anim.html have animations showing the roiling. Non-homogeneity also exists for 'land' measurements. The trend, including both SST and land, averages the random fluctuations and reveals the flat to declining average global temperatures since before 2002.
Ned Nikolov says:
Yes, the hiatus of SST since early 2000s is in agreement with the leveling-off of the global near-surface air temperature. These two trends are fully explainable by the increase in low-level clouds that occurred sharply (over a period of 7 months) in year 2000. Low-level clouds remained relatively high compared to 1990s ever since 2001…
The real reason for the moderate warming of 0.7 C during the 20th Century is the overall decrease of cloud albedo due to increasing solar magnetic activity over this period. The Sun is now going quite (after 350 years of rising activity!), and this will increase cloud cover and cloud albedo leading to a gradual cooling at the surface. The long-term warming trend is over and will not likely return at least for 100 years. A negative temperature trend will become evident over the next 10 years ….
The interest in albedo change is obvious but misleading. Albedo doesn't change much in the long haul (average over decades).
Often overlooked is that clouds consist of bits of liquid or solid water and thus radiate per SB. Average emissivity for clouds is about 0.5.
A rather simple heat-transfer analysis for the planet shows that an increase in average cloud altitude of about 100 meters equates to a decrease in average cloud temperature and associated decrease in SB radiation to space that would account for half of the temperature increase (0.74 °C) that has been mistakenly attributed by many to CO2 increase.
An entirely different analysis, which uses a corrected version of the Trenberth graphic is at http://tallbloke.wordpress.com/2011/06/29/dan-pangburn-cloud-altitude-change-causes-global-temperature-change/
This analysis corroborates the 100 meter determination.
Further analysis reveals that an albedo increase of 1.2% would reduce the surface temperature by the same amount as a 93 meter decrease in average cloud altitude. Both of these result from an increase in low altitude clouds caused by decrease in sunspots, reduced solar magnetic shielding from cosmic rays, increased low altitude clouds. Thus some, as yet undetermined, combination of the two is indicated.
The determining proxy metric is the time-integral of sunspot numbers (properly reduced by radiation from the planet. This is employed in a simple equation that calculates average global temperature anomalies since before 1900 with an R2 of 0.9 with or without considering the influence of CO2. The equation and resulting graph are presented at http://climatechange90.blogspot.com/2013/05/natural-climate-change-has-been.html
Douglas J. Cotton says:
Dan, Roy and others
The reason why climate is determined by natural variations in effective insolation (which is itself affected by albedo variations) is explained in my paper linked in the articles mentioned in this comment on the previous thread.
Although back radiation does slow that component of radiative cooling which is itself by radiation, the non-radiative cooling processes account for about two-thirds of all cooling. These non-radiative processes are slowed by mostly oxygen and nitrogen because it is well known in physics that the rates of evaporation and conduction are reduced as the temperature gap narrows. At the boundary of the surface and the atmosphere this temperature gap is usually less than 3 degrees.
Furthermore, it is obvious from observations that the rate of cooling slows down in the early pre-dawn hours, at least in calm conditions. This is because there is an underlying supporting thermal plot which runs fairly steadily upwards from the tropopause to the surface, then more steeply in the outer crust and much less steeply by the time it gets to the inner mantle.
At every point along this plot the thermal gradient (aka lapse rate) may be determined from the quotient of the acceleration due to gravity and the mean specific heat -g/Cp.
A minor reduction in the magnitude of the gradient of up to about a third is thought to be due to inter-molecular radiation. For example, the moist rate is about 6.5C/Km in the atmosphere, compared with the -g/Cp value which is about 9.8C/Km. Climatologists think this is due to the release of latent heat, but physics does not support that, especially in the crust and mantle of course, or in the atmospheres of Venus or Uranus.
The -g/Cp gradient can be determined with just two lines of computations based on the same Kinetic Theory used by Einstein and physicists ever since. Pressure does not enter into the calculations, because we are talking about something which happens at the molecular level, due to gravity acting upon molecules in free flight between collisions. It does not require convection for this diffusion of kinetic energy, which can happen even in still air.
Now, this is all based on the maximum entropy conditions of the thermodynamic equilibrium which must result in accord with the Second Law of Thermodynamic. If you read my paper "Planetary Core and Surface Temperatures" on the Principia Scientific International website (PROM menu) you will learn about the consequent "heat creep" which then results when the thermodynamic equilibrium is disturbed by the absorption of new thermal energy, such as when night becomes day.
The fact that this hypothesis appears to provide the only feasible explanation for the temperatures of 320K at the gaseous base of the troposphere of Uranus, and over 720K at the solid surface of Venus, even at its poles, I suggest strongly supports the very valid physics used to derive the hypothesis. Surface temperatures on all planets are predetermined by effective insolation warming the atmosphere, and then thermal energy "creeping" towards the surface in keeping with the Second law of Thermodynamics.
Roy,
I would be very interested to hear your take on the rather conspicuous disparity, especially post 2007/08, shown here:
http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/r565/Keyell/RSSSSTvsOIv2SST_zpsbeb1364f.png
between this dataset and the also satellite-based NOAA (Reynolds) OI.v2 dataset. Is it all about the cloud/aerosol issue that you mentioned? As I understand it, the OI.v2 incorporates both microwave and infrared readings.
That IS a rather large disparity, I agree. Assuming you recomputed anomalies relative to the 2003-2006 period, I would guess it's thin cirrus cloud contamination in the IR measurements, since the disparity is greatest during warm periods, which have more deep convection.
"Assuming you recomputed anomalies relative to the 2003-2006 period (…)"
Whoops! No, I didn't actually. I also realised that my OI.v2 curve represented 90N-90S, not 60N-60S. A bit too quick off the mark there …
Well, here's the apple/apple comparison:
http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/r565/Keyell/RSSSSTvsOIv2SSTb_zpsce4c99f8.png
Looks a lot better, actually, the divergence now mainly occurring around (before and after) the big 2009/10 El Niño. So you might be right in your suspicions …
There still seems to be a trend issue, though, between 2006 and 2013 comparing the two datasets. The mean microwave SSTa level i 2006/07 is distinctly higher than the one in 2012/13, while the OI.v2 SSTa shows (almost) the opposite.
Well, we might simply need more time to see if they will once again converge.
Further relating to clouds and SST measurements, Roy,
Do you still update your 'AMSR-E Estimate of Global Oceanic Reflected Sunlight (SW) Anomaly' data?
http://www.drroyspencer.com/2011/07/global-sst-update-still-no-sign-of-resumed-warming/
It would be interesting to have that presented as well …
Doug and others that don't want to accept the fact that a GHG effect exist really hurt the cause for those of us who believe global cooling is now taking place and don't believe in global man made warming due to the GHG EFFECT having a bigger role in the climate system of the earth going forward from this point in time.
No Salvatore.
I don't think long term global cooling is taking place. There will be net natural warming for up to another 200 years, raising temperatures by up to 1 degree more, before 500 years of natural cooling sets in. What I don't just think, but know from physics, is that carbon dioxide actually cools by about 0.002 degree, and water vapour also cools as my study of real world data reveals.
Where's your study of real world data that shows, as the IPCC claims, that water vapour warms? Where's Roy's study that shows the exact opposite of mine, which is now being extended to many more cities and locations?
Non-radiative processes dominate radiative processes. The whole atmosphere (not just GHG) provides a net blanket effect by night and a net umbrella effect by day, and neither sets the level of surface temperatures. The Sun does that, in combination with the autonomous thermal gradient which the Second Law of Thermodynamics makes essential for thermodynamic equilibrium in a gravitational field. If you sleep under a greenhouse, then fine, call it that – but only at night. Sure we don't get as cold as the Moon at night, or as hot by day. But it's the whole atmosphere (mostly nitrogen and oxygen) which protects us.
It is those who perpetuate the hoax that carbon dioxide has any warming effect whatsoever who are effectively killing people in developing companies by digging into aid money which, rather than being totally wasted on carbon dioxide aid, could have built hospitals, provided clean water supplies, treated blindness and a host of other things for the benefit of mankind. Even those in developed countries are suffering financially with unknown consequences.
Do you, or Roy, want to continue to be a part of this killing of people by propagating a conjecture which has absolutely no foundation in valid physics, just because you think it might, and the wishy-washy arguments of IPCC et al "sound OK" to your physically-untrained ears? Think!
Brian D says:
Write up in American Thinker concerning you Dr. Spencer.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/05/is_roy_spencer_the_worlds_most_important_scientist.html
Yes, Brian and you'll find some comments of mine there. It's interesting to note how many commenters on "American Thinker" are saying the whole thing is a hoax, which of course I agree with, though I appreciate that many like Roy have been misled to the point that they believe it. I give solid physics and empirical evidence as to why there is no warming due to carbon dioxide in this paper.
doug as usual we disagree.
doug your studies your coclusions make no sense. zero sense.
When are you going to stop talking in the Royal plural, Salvatore, or give any sound physics that supports your mere opinion? It is people like you who spread wild opinions on blogs like this who are so far removed from appropriate scientific method that it would be laughable, if it weren't so serious.
I produce empirical evidence for what I write. My physics explains temperatures at the base of the tropospheres of not only Earth, but Uranus and Venus – does any GHE? No. My physics explains why we observe that more moist cities have lower daily maximum and minimum temperatures? The GHE conjecture expects the opposite. My physics also explains temperatures in Earth's crust and mantle. Climatologists wouldn't even delve that deep, or have any idea why it is important to do so.
doug the temp. projections will go a long way into proving who is correct and who is not in all aspects of this debate. let us see who is most correct. take care
I have been saying for nearly two years now that the 60 year cycle is acting against the long-term cycle and thus the net effect is level or very slight net cooling until about 2028. Then 30 years of warming should eventuate, but unless the advanced supplements that I take which slow aging work even better than I expect, being now at age 67 I may not be around to see much of that warming.
Mack says:
There might also be a few folk around here who wished those supplements didn't work so damn well Doug. 😉
Below is a copy of my projections on a copy of a page on my website which was archived on 22 August 2011, even though I knew that 2010 has been particularly hot:
From 2003 the effect of El Niño had passed and a slightly declining trend has been observed. This is the net effect of the 60-year cycle starting to decline whilst the 934 year cycle is still rising. By 2014 the decline should be steeper and continue until at least 2027. (This statement was archived 22 August 2011 here)
I wonder why it never occurs to GH advocates that their conjecture says that water vapour (the main GHG) causes the surface and lower troposphere to be warmer. Hence, in order to maintain radiative equilibrium with the Sun, the upper troposphere would have to be cooler.
So the GHE conjecture implies the lapse rate would be steeper due to water vapour. Strange don't you think?
Thanks, Dr. Spencer. Much better graphic.
I think that global SST will prove useful to have.
Find out at http://lowaltitudeclouds.blogspot.com/ what caused the warming that ended over a decade ago.
A link is included to a site that presents a simple science-based equation that calculates temperatures since before 1900 with an R2 of 0.9 using only one widely available variable.
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Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy
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Darius Ornston
Darius Ornston (on sabbatical 2020-2021) is an Assistant Professor at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, where he specializes in the political economy of Western Europe.
Dr. Ornston's first book, When Small States Make Big Leaps (Cornell University Press), examines how Denmark, Finland and Ireland leveraged private-public, industry-labour and inter-firm cooperation to assume surprisingly competitive positions in emerging, high-technology markets. His research on Nordic Europe and the politics of high-technology competition has also been published by Comparative Political Studies, Governance, Review of Policy Research, West European Politics, the World Bank and the OECD.
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High-flying art: Using technology to pre-visualize drone images
By Sally French February 2020 issue
The best drone artists steal their ideas right from satellite imagery—and improve on them. That's the strategy of artists J.P. and Mike Andrews, two U.K.-born brothers known for their incredible aerial images. They're some of the world's best drone photographers, but the time they spend flying drones is minuscule compared to the time they spend researching their shots.
© Abstract Aerial Art
The two brothers will drive for hours to remote corners of the earth to photograph bizarre anomalies in the landscape. While one is driving, the other is browsing satellite images, generally from Google Earth or Google Maps. Once they find a spot on the map that looks interesting, they recreate it with a drone. The Google Earth program allows users to explore the globe by entering addresses or coordinates or simply by moving a curser. This allows the Andrews brothers to, in effect, pre-visualize their drone shots.
"We go as far as composing the same shot we're about to take within Google Earth," Mike says.
Some drone photographers will go to a spot they think could be photogenic, like a park or beach, and fly their drones around until they've spotted something interesting. But not the Andrews brothers. They already know what they're looking for before they've even arrived.
"It saves us a lot of time and prevents wasted trips," JP said. "We already have the image before we've actually taken it."
What kind of landscapes make the best drone subjects? Anything that catches his eye, says JP. "Interesting patterns, unique textures—those typically make a good shot. Look for symmetry or something that doesn't look natural, like it's not supposed to be there."
Some of the patterns are by human construction; others are all natural.
The Andrews' favorite spots are places like rail yards and garbage dumps—places most people would consider eyesores. Seemingly mundane parking lots and city blocks are places most people don't pay attention to. But when photographed by the Andrews brothers, they're infused with elegance.
"Our favorite things are the things most people call ugly or useless," says Mike. "People drive by these places and have no idea what it looks like from the air. But from the air, they're beautiful and bizarre."
Sometimes the Andrews improve their composition by adding props, typically to infuse a pop of color or to create perspective. A human resting on a long dock shows scale. A yellow umbrella amid a sea of red flowers builds contrast.
"People like perspective, so we're building that in more and more," J.P. says. "We're adding in cars or umbrellas to help you realize how high the drone is. When you have something your eye recognizes, you can better understand what you're looking at."
The brothers' penchant for offbeat photo locations has another perk: fewer run-ins with the law. Many drone photographers have lamented crackdowns on drone flying near popular locations. In the United States, it's illegal to take off and land drones in any national park without permission, making it nearly impossible for drone photographers to fly over Yosemite's Half Dome, South Dakota's Mount Rushmore, or even San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. Drones are banned from flying near popular international tourist attractions, too, like the Eiffel Tower. Private property owners can ban drones from taking off or landing at their own discretion, meaning no drones at many golf courses, lakes, or college campuses.
But that's not a problem for the Andrews brothers.
"We rarely go to the famous spots, and the majority of our shots are not taken in well-known locations at all," J.P. says. "Everyone has a camera nowadays, which means those photos, like the Eiffel Tower, have been done a million times. There's a lot more out there than just the big landmarks. Shoot something that's different. There's so much beauty out there."
Sally French (aka the Drone Girl) is a world-renowned expert on drones.
RELATED: See more of the Andrews' images.
Tags: drone photography, drones, landscape photography
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An all-volunteer organization, FCA is the voice of the residents of Fairlington before Arlington County and the City of Alexandria on issues that affect our community and serves as an umbrella group for Fairlington's seven different neighborhoods and condominium homeowners associations: Fairlington Villages and Fairlington Court in north Fairlington (north of the I-395 bridge) and the six neighborhoods in south Fairlington—the Arbor, Commons, Glen, Green, Meadows, and Mews.
So what does the FCA do? The FCA represents the concerns of Fairlington to local governments about the larger community's health, welfare, and safety. FCA is consulted by Arlington County and the City of Alexandria on issues affecting the entire community, and it represents Fairlington to the Arlington County Civic Federation and the Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations, where representatives from all local neighborhood citizens associations gather monthly to discuss local issues.
Issues that FCA has addressed for residents in years past include HOT Lanes, BRAC, and Abingdon Elementary School.
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CPM and Congress have again resorted to violence and verbal abuse against BJP candidates in Kerala. There were two attacks against the convoy of vehicles belonging to the election campaign of Ms Shobha Surendran, NDA candidate and national executive member of BJP. The first attack was at Pallikkavil, Varkkala in Tiruvananathapuram district. The convoy was stopped by CPM goons led by their local leaders. They threatened Shobha Surendran and stopped her from delivering her speech. The police who arrived at the spot after 45 minutes, remained as mute spectators. BJP state committee member Alangkodd Danasheelan was injured in the attack.
It was evident that the CPM goons were getting the support of Congress-led UDF. At last when the convoy moved to the next place Mootala, it was the goons of Congress and UDF who took over the fascist attack. On both occasions the attackers showered the candidate with filthy abuses. By the time the BJP campaign party was able to avoid the attack and move on, the EC's deadline for using public address system was over. Shobhaji and her colleagues went ahead with a campaign and public speeches without the use of loud speakers.
K. Surendran's campaign was also attacked and stopped. In this attack, both CPM and Congress leaders were hand-in-glove. They tried to provoke the BJP workers and get them arrested so that the election campaign would be adversely affected. During the wee hours of April 15, an election committee office of Suresh Gopi MP (RS), BJP/NDA candidate in Thrissur constituency was vandalized.
The state official machinery has almost been working as a group committed to create impediments for the NDA candidates. In Tiruvananthapuram, the office of the district collector removed the posters of the apolitical Shabarimala Karma Samiti. Since the LDF and CPM leaders are aware of the people's wrath against their anti-Shabarimala actions against the devotees, they are now using the bureaucracy to stop the Hindu votes from going in NDA's favour. Hence they have resorted to removing the Samiti's posters. VHP and Hindu Aikyavedi workers are protesting in the capital city against the anti-Hindutwa acts of the collector. It has also come to light that an election officer himself removed the BJP posters in Attingal constituency.
CPM-Congress nexus to stop NDA candidates is very clear in Kerala now. Rahul Gandhi who addressed a public meeting in Kerala on April 16, did not utter a single word against CPM. While addressing the media after filing his nomination in Wayanad during the first week of April, he said that 'they would not get a single word from him against CPM'.
CPM workers congregated in Muslim populated Poonthura area and showered abuses on defence minister Nirmala Sitaraman and BJP candidate Kummanam Rajasekharan while they were returning from a road show on the night of April 15. But both leaders greeted them with folded hands. BJP workers ignored the provocation of the CPM goons. Apparently CPM and Congress train their guns against those candidates who are highly likely to win as per the survey reports.


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