It is well-known that this site has been the target of liberal-left vandalism, at several levels.
One method is to write up false, but superficially-plausible entries. If this sort of thing is done right, and sparingly, then we can salute the skill of the prankster, and have a laugh at ourselves. (And, of course, correct the entry.) Such was the case with the entry on cacti.
However, crude attempts at this sort of thing only reveal the intellectual poverty of the perpetrators, and the entry on the Contras, obviously a fake, is one such. Of course Leftists are angry at Ronald Reagan, the destroyer of so many of their dreams.
And his great crime in the subject under discussion was in forcing the Nicaraguan government to hold free elections, with the usual results.
I'll come back and edit it sometime. The fact is the Commandos of the Nicaraguan Resistance enjoyed overwhelming campesino support in every region of Nicaragua except for the big cities where we never got anything going thanks to murderous State Security gestapo. Contras had the Piricuacos (Ejercito Unpopular Sandinista) army on the run after Reagan's $100 mil aid package which included red-eyes to shoot down the Russian Hind-D helicopters. Fear of another lethal aid package had the Piris("Mad Dog" the only term I ever heard used by campesinos for the "Sandinistas") running to Jimmmy Carter, Oscar Arias and George Bush to negotiate themselves out of military defeat. Following the sellout of the Nicaraguan Resistance, Violetta Chamorro, the Contra candidate, won the 1990 election by biggest margin in history of presidential elections. 55-41% even though refugees outside Nicaragua, all pro-UNO were not allowed to vote and campesinos were only given 24 hourse to register. Else Contras would have won vote by 70-30% no doubt.
CONCLUSION: The majority had to be campesinos. Somoza only had 6k guardia at peak. By any ONUCA or UN count, there were 10 times as many ex Sandinista as ex Guardia members in Contra ranks. The Contras were campesinos. Period.
FACT: By 1987 Contras operated in absolutely every corner of Nicaragua except for the big cities.
CONCLUSION: They couldn't have operated in all corners from Zelaya Sur, Rio San Juan, through Chontales, Matagalpa, Jinotega east to Atlantic Coast and north to Rio Coco and recieved undetected air drops from loud DC-6 cargo planes without OVERWHELMING campesino support.
FACT: The Sandinistas resorted to "Relocation Camps" for the campesinos. The forced relocation, often accompanied by destruction of homes, happened both in the North  and the South  and occurred over multiple years. Sometimes the "Relocation" was accompanied by wholesale slaughter,torture and aerial bombardment as happened during the razing of Miskito villages along the Rio Coco.
INESCAPABLE CONCLUSION: The Sandinistas were getting their butts kicked militarily and were desperately scrounging for bullet catchers. The overwhelming majority of Nicaraguans had had enough of the Sandinistas authoritarian regime by 1988. Imagine how the anti-Resistance posters on this page would have treated prospects for military success if George Bush had done this for Iraq or Afghan wars. Facts are facts. This fact is great starting point when subject of Contras military momentum in 1987 & early 88 comes up.
FACT: Witness For Peace and similar organizations to this day require indoctrination of their "witnesses" before, during and after visiting Nicaragua according to their own current web page.
I still don't see why convictions in the US, overturned or not, are significant to the Nicaraguan Contras. How are the affair's legal repercussions in the US relevant to this article?
This page was last modified on 1 December 2009, at 15:45.


text:
Battles in Italy
Release Date: 25 MAY 2005
Strategic Studies Group
Turn Scale: 1 day
Resolution: 1280x1024 or 1024x768 Game Requirements
Windows 98 / 2000 / XP / Vista / 7/10 (Runs in Compatibility Mode Windows XP )
Pentium II 600 MHz CPU
8 MB Video Card 16bit color
Sound Card (DirectX 8 comp.)
8x CD-ROM
600 MB free Hard Disk space
Battles in Italy covers three pivotal battles from the Italian Campaign.
The invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, the landings at Salerno, codenamed Operation Avalanche and the landings at Anzio, codenamed Operation Shingle. While the invasion of Sicily went more or less to plan, the result in the two subsequent amphibious operations was less certain, with the safety of the beachheads at both Salerno and Anzio in considerable doubt for some time. Neither side has sufficient resources to do the job properly, and improvisation and desperation are the order of the day, and as a result all three battles are tense and exciting affairs.
In Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, the Axis player must plan carefully in order to extract the best possible performance from some less than committed Italian troops, while the Allied player must somehow find a way around or through the many natural defensive obstacles in their way.
In Operation Avalanche, the invasion of the Italian mainland, the Germans can exert severe pressure on the Salerno beachhead, but must defend against Allied forces coming to the relief of the amphibious forces. The Allies must hold fast to their bridgeheads and their vulnerable supply sources, while speeding other formations to the rescue.
Operation Shingle, the Anzio landing, was a bold Allied move to break the stalemate caused by the strength of German defensive lines. The Germans have a real chance to crush the Anzio bridgehead, especially if they transfer troops from their main defensive line. However, if the Allies can break through the weakened lines while avoiding disaster at Anzio then a truly decisive victory is possible.
Three complete battles, Sicily, Salerno and Anzio
New rules for Surrender and Political Units
New rules for co-operation between countries
Improved User Interface
Maximum map size increased by 12 times
New Defensive AI routines
Increased variability for country based variables
New capacity for Naval Transport
New features for Merging Units
Gamers Temple: 80%
Battles in Italy provides veteran war gamers with a detailed and challenging look at the invasion of Italy, but it's not for the casual gamer
Out of Eight - 7/8 (88%)
The pinnacle of hex-based wargames.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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A plane carrying 189 people from Jakarta to another Indonesian city crashed into the sea on Monday, prompting a desperate search for survivors and questions about why the aircraft went down despite clear skies. Lion Air Flight JT-610 had been flying north from the capital, Jakarta, to the city of Pangkal Pinang on the island of Bangka when it went missing.
The Boeing 737 Max 8 was carrying 181 passengers, including one child and two infants, as well as six crew members and two pilots, The national search and rescue agency, said a tugboat crew saw the plane crash in Karawang Bay northeast of Jakarta, officials said.
A search and rescue effort was underway for the Boeing 737-800. The plane took off from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Greater Jakarta at 6.21 a.m. local time and had been due to land at around 7:30 a.m. in Pangkal Pinang, the largest city on the Indonesian island of Bangka.


Payment Banks is the concluding part of the series. As a prelude, may I suggest, to read part one of this series, 'How wallet helps in Last Mile Banking'.
There has been a surge in the number of digital wallet service providers which have started offering their own Payment banks. It is the right pursuit for India to bring around 300 million unbanked individuals to the mainstream monetary flow. Being hailed as a major push for financial inclusion in the country, the RBI granted 'in-principle' approval of setting up Payment Banks.
"This expands the horizon of financial inclusion in the country. The chain reaction is visible now and the habit of dealing only in cash is gradually changing. We are all nudged into a system where convenience and security require switchover".
These are the new entities formed by the RBI keeping in mind the needs of small-scale businesses, low-income households, and vast migrant labor population. They are mostly like the traditional banks, with few key differences. The main difference is that they have a current deposit limit of 1 lakh per customer, unlike normal banking which holds no limit on deposits. Payment Banks caters to the customer's banking needs through mobile/SmartPhones rather than traditional 'brick and mortar' branches.
One can avail services such as net banking, mobile banking or getting an ATM or a debit card. They cannot, however, provide their users with credit cards or give loans.
'Banking on each other' these payment banks have collaborations with large-scale banks, allowing their users to make transactions via their ATMs and offer other financial services. They also offer interest on the deposits made in the savings account, with the mandatory minimum being 4% as per RBI guidelines.
RBI issued licenses for opening these payment banks to only 11 out of 41 applicants. Bharti Airtel was the first one to open live payment bank in March 2017 followed by PayTM and India Post. RBI ensured that this initiative serves it's intended purpose by making a rule that 25% of the total branches of payment banks must be in rural, unbanked areas.
Why are Payment Banks in vogue?
Despite the strict guidelines issued by RBI and the limit on earning model due to no lending, payment bank's licenses are still being sought out by the biggest names in the industry. With India being on the verge of being a digital country, payment banks offer the reach that traditional banks cannot.
Almost everyone keeps a Smartphone nowadays, which are becoming a one-stop solution to all needs of a person, this was bound to happen. Payment banks are taking further what digital wallets started, i.e., cashless economy.
Why should you welcome Payment Banks?
Ever since mobile set and data became affordable and the government started taking up more initiatives for providing financial inclusion to the last mile, the way people handle their financial transactions has started to evolve. With Payment Bank entities giving a further boost to ensure better financial inclusion, it's a step forward to include 'one and all'.
Providing more than 'core services' anytime – anyplace, payment banks are hailed as a much-needed step in the direction of financial inclusion for the last mile.
Each of the Payment Banks had a distinguished advantage prior to opening their respective payment banks. They are now, trying to make it to the top in this race by drawing the best out of their already established resources, and reach amongst people.
The first to open its payment bank, Bharti Airtel was also the one to provide the largest interest rate on deposits in its initial days. Airtel has about 1.5 million retailers across the country which can serve as banking points too, in future. At present, there are about 4 lakhs of such banking points which is more than the number of total ATMs in India.
It has UPI transfer feature in it for transfer of funds between various bank accounts.
Along with a MasterCard, it also provides a digital debit card without any charges.
Opening an account is very easy and happens almost instantly. You can do so with the help of your Aadhaar card and fingerprints only.
It provides free accidental insurance of 1 lakh to all its account holders and 5.5% interest rate per annum.
When you open an account with Airtel Payment Bank, your mobile number becomes your account number.
PayTM has the largest customer base for digital banking via its wallet. It gives an interest rate of 4% and targets having 1 lakh outlets all over the country by the end of 2018.
With PayTM payment bank, you can open a zero balance account.
It also provides fixed deposit facility along with a free digital Rupay debit card.
You can also get a physical card for an applying fee of 125/- with 100/- maintenance per year afterward.
With PayTM Payment Bank, you get a free insurance cover of 2 lakhs when you open an account.
You can open an account by simply downloading the app. But to be able to use all the features completely, you have to get your KYC done.
India has more than 1.5 million post offices all over the country, about 90% of which are in the rural areas. This puts India Post payment banks at an upfront as compared to others. It is also most capable of achieving the goals of RBI with the payment banks initiative. Right now, it is in beta testing phase at 650 post offices only, but the government is planning to make it available at all the post offices in the near future.
Provides a variable interest rate from 4.5% to 5.5% depending on the deposit amount.
It also provides a zero balance account opening feature.
If you have a savings account with the post office, then you can convert it to a payment bank savings account making you further eligible for the better interest rate on your savings.
Another feature that will be there in future is the ability to make cash deposits and withdrawals from the comfort of your home. The government might double up the role of postmen and charge for this service.
Fino is not focusing much on advertising but makes up for it by providing more services and features than all of its competitors. They have 410 branches, 25,000 banking points, and are also present at BPCL petrol pumps in India, the first, to go live with all of the branches and banking points, on day one.
Requires a minimum balance of INR 1000/- in the account.
Its main focus feature is remittance for which it charges 1% fees.
Likewise, Paytm it provides an interest rate of 4% per annum.
It provides various other features & services like business correspondent loans, life and general insurance, bill payments, along with term deposit, auto loan, personal loan, and home loan via ICICI bank.
Has the partnership with various banks to provide gold loans too.
The Customer is KING. With the emergence of new players in this market, competition is only bound to increase. With an increase in competition, the customers will enjoy the benefits of it. Each of them is trying to be better than their competitors by offering their customers various features and services which users can avail from the comfort of their homes.
The unbanked population has remained outside the periphery of participating in the economic system to reap the benefits of growth and economic prosperity. Always mobile, hard working and eternally caring for the families, this workforce needs recognition. This is not about financial inclusion but about the financial legitimacy of the recognition for the efforts. The banking system is the second step in this journey, with employment being the first.
Payments banks can strategically use technology and smart segmentation as disruption tools and tactically leverage their existing customer base and distribution channels to quickly acquire critical mass. This calls for quick collaborations with new age disruptors, optimization of resources, continual pivoting and regular engagement with RBI to evolve the rules.
Rightly said, Payments banks will alter the way transactions take place and they will complement banks, not compete with them.


text:
Ilex rotunda, commonly called the Kurogane holly, is an evergreen tree in the holly family (Aquifoliaceae). It is native to east Asia, where it is found in China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is in evergreen broadleaf forests, often in sunny areas such forest edges or on mountain slopes.

It has spineless leathery leaves and clusters of bright-red berries. It reaches 18 m at maturity (although 20 m is also reported). The tree blooms from May to June, and the seeds become ripe from October to December. The plants are dioecious. The fruits contain flavonols.

Kurogane holly was first described in 1784 by Carl Peter Thunberg, from species growing in Japan.

In Japan, it is commonly planted garden and street tree. It was first introduced to gardens of the New World through collections sent by Robert Fortune. In Japan, kurogane holly is one of the hibakujumoku trees. It is also the official tree of several Japanese municipalities.

References

rotunda
Plants described in 1784
Flora of China
Flora of Eastern Asia
Flora of Vietnam

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Former President John Agyekum Kufuor, would address the Second Danquah Institute's Liberty Lecture.
According to a statement released Sunday, the lecture will be on the theme: "Development in Freedom: Empowering the People to Develop the Nation".
The venue of the lecture is the Accra International Conference Centre on Thursday, August 16.
The event which would start at 6PM will be chaired by Madam Ama Busia.


text:
Gray Clan
Clan Story
Events/Links
Though shrouded by the mists of time, the early records of Scotland reveal that the name Gray is of Norman origin, introduced to the region after the Norman conquest of England in the 11th century. Our historians consulted such ancient manuscripts as the Domesday Book (compiled in 1086 by William the Conqueror), tax records, baptismals, family genealogies, and local parish and church records in search of early records of the name. Gray was first found in Northumberland, Fulbert de Gray had a daughter Arlotta who was the Mother of William the Conqueror. Anschatel Groy of Haute Saone Normandy, as well as other members of the Gray family fought with William the Conqueror to defeat the Brittish at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 AD. After the conquest, Anschatel Groy settled in Chillingham, Northumberland. He was from the department of Haute Saone called Gray, sometimes Groy, or Croy, in Normandy. From this house sprang the Grays of Suffolk, Kent, Tankerville, and Stamford. John de Gray (died 1214) was Bishop of Norwich in Norfolk, and later became Archbishop of Canterbury, but was never confirmed.
Many alternate spellings of the name occurred in the manuscripts researched. The name Gray was found in many references, but the records also included variations such as Gray, Grey, Groy, Croy and Graye, and others. Scribes recorded and spelled the name as it sounded; so it was not unlikely, for a person to be born with one spelling, married with another, and buried with yet another written on his or her headstone
The Normans were descended from the Vikings that raided Northern France in the late 9th and early 10th centuries. The French King, Charles the Simple, achieved peace in 911 by creating the Duchy of Normandy, named after the Norsemen, and granting it to Rollo, their chief, who ruled as a vassal of the French King. However, rather than transforming that portion of France into another Scandinavia the Viking settlers adopted the culture of the natives and merged with them. So though they had Viking roots, it was French speaking, Christian people that invaded England, and not Norsemen.
From England the Normans spread north to Scotland. The Scottish King, Malcolm Canmore was established as a vassal of William's and Norman influence gradually worked its way into Scotland. In 1128, the Earl of Huntingdon, who later became King David I of Scotland, invited his noble Norman friends to the north to strengthen his royal court, granting them larger estates than they had in England. Having spent part of his youth at the English court, King David was particularly influenced by the Normans and adopted many of their institutions and ideas. The surname Gray emerged as a notable Scottish family name in Northumberland where they were recorded as a family of great antiquity seated with manor and estates in that shire. The first bearer of the name on record in Scotland is Hugo de Gray, who was listed as a witness in a charter in the year 1248. In that same year, the Chillingham branch moved north. Hugh Gray settled in Berwickshire and John Gray became the Mayor of Berwick in 1250. Henry Gray rendered homage to King Edward I of England on his brief conquest of Scotland in 1296. Sir Thomas Gray of Lanarkshire was an important historian of early border life. The Grays became more prominent in Scottish life and became a fully fledged Scottish Clan of great dignity.
It was Sir Andrew Gray who scaled the rock of Edinburgh Castle to recapture it from the English in 1312, and he was rewarded with lands at Longforgan in Perthshire. In 1377, the lands of Fowlis also passed to the Gray family through marriage to a daughter of the powerful de Maule family, and in 1444, Sir Andrew's descendant, also Sir Andrew, and a loyal supporter of James I and II, was created 1st Lord Gray. Thereafter the Grays remained close to the ruling House of Stewart. Patrick, son of the 2nd Lord Gray, was a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to James II. The 3rd Lord Gray was Lord Justice General of Scotland in 1506. Patrick, 5th Lord Gray, was taken prisoner at the Battle of Solway Moss in 1542 and ransomed for £500 sterling, a princely sum at the time. Patrick, 6th Lord Gray, was caught up in the intrigues surrounding the fall of Mary Queen of Scots and although tried for treason, was released and exiled. Andrew, 7th Lord Gray, followed the Marquis of Montrose. In 1639, he resigned his honours to obtain a new patent in favour of his daughter Ann who had married her kinsman William Gray, younger of Pittendrum. William was killed in a dual with the Earl of Southesk in 1660 and the title passed to the earls of Moray, but on the death of the 14th Earl of Moray passed to his niece who became Baroness Gray in her own right. David Gray (1838-61), born in Kirkintilloch, was a prominent Scottish poet.
Early Notables
Notable among the family at this time was Andrew Gray, 1st Lord Gray (c.1390–1469), a Scottish nobleman, politician and diplomat; Sir Andrew Gray (d. 1445) of Fowlis, Perthshire; Sir John Grey KG (c.1387-1439), English nobleman and soldier; and Edmund Grey (1416-1490), English nobleman.
Huntly Castle, Longforgan, Perthshire was built in 1452 for Lord Gray of Foulis. Broughty Castle, Dundee, Perthshire. Five storey tower built by Lord Gray of Foulis in 1490. Owned by Historic Scotland.


This week I stopped by Haven to help my friend Brigitte Andrade celebrate the 13th Anniversary of her comic book, The Adventures of Bibi & Friends, which I act as the occasional editor. Haven is a beautiful nightspot and images from Bibi's comics were shown on the LED walls. Among those there were Merle Weiss, Brigitte Grosjean, Willard Scott, Maryel Epps, Mamushka, Char Libov, and Anastasia the Great.
It was a fabulous show and that is a great photo!


It was through an Amazon delivery that I received a week ago Sheryl Sandberg's book Lean In. I was in a very nice Café on the Gendarmenmarkt when I finished it. The setting and the great concoction of mint-lemon-honey-ginger flavors of the home-made tea I was enjoying, would have been more proper for a Pride and Prejudice moment. It was however during lunch break, so all the black dressed workers eventually created the business atmosphere.
I later investigated what this book was all about and I found the leanin.org community. The great collection of diverse stories struck me as I could read about famous women who made it to the top and about other women stories. They all had something in common, a fantastic testimony.
An ambitious girl who never thought of becoming a model one day, expressed it this way: "I didn't end up going the route I had intended, but I did wind up exactly where I wanted to be." That very bright woman is the very successful businesswoman Tyra Banks.
Isn't eventually the dream that we want to achieve more important than 'doing it our way'? – I think so. In fact, I always knew I wanted to write and blogging came to my mind a long time ago. However, it was exactly when I tried to be a person I wasn't that it became the toughest challenge about how I was going to manage it. Writing wasn't a problem, but crafting, mothering, giving cooking advice or organizing a birthday party, were the problems! Every woman's blog I could find were about those things that I was incapable of doing.
It was only recently, years later, that I could again see bigger than just big! It was exactly at the same moment that I added leaning in into my vocabulary.
A couple of days ago I enjoyed a great lunch and Starbucks break with two friends of mine. One is an engineer from Brazil who recently attended a conference at Harvard and later came to Germany for another conference. The other is a German student in pharmacy with Vietnamese background. We talked about our cultures and the role of women in a company. Later, as I exposed business ideas that I had, the Brazilian engineer simply asked "which problem are you trying to solve?" – As soon as I found the answer to that question about blogging, I knew that it was in fact the right thing to do and that I would help a great number by just being myself.
We all have the same questions, and we wish someone had given us the answers before. The number of people leaving their families and communities to move abroad for different reasons is increasing every year. The struggle of finding a proper job when you're a business graduate because you don't speak the language well enough is an issue for many people. Being a good partner, a good worker, a good parent and for many also being involved in a community, looks like a gigantic mountain. However, it is possible to do it all.
We all have different lives with our own routines and choices. We love where we are but it seems at times overwhelming. We wish we had the right person who could cheer us up and tell us the truth: this is momentary, it is going to be okay!
It is because it's not all-about-me, but all about the others, that we have to learn to lean in to bring the world a word that is needed at the right time.


text:
What is China's present stage of economic development?
posted 29 Apr 2011, 05:02 by Admin uk [ updated 29 Apr 2011, 05:15 ]
Accurately assessing China's present stage of economic development is important. It determines what can realistically be expected from its economy and provides a yardstick for international comparisons.
The aim of this article is to provide this yardstick not in abstract statistics but in comparison to the development of Asia's two large industrialised economies – Japan and South Korea. Such comparison vindicates the Chinese government's realism, provides encouraging indicators of China's company development, and clears away confusions introduced by some commentators.
To assess China's stage of economic development it is important not to confuse the size of its total GDP with the best indicator of an economy's productivity – its GDP per person. The latter, not the former, determines how developed an economy is.
It is officially recognized that China will overtake the US to become the world's largest economy within 10 years. At market exchange rates this will take place around 2019. On the IMF's latest calculations it is likely in 2016, if the comparison is made taking into account different prices in differing countries.
China overtaking the US to become the world's largest economy will certainly be a turning point in world history – ending 140 years of the US holding that position. But China's huge GDP growth has led some non-Chinese commentators to mistakenly claim that China is no longer a developing country. For example Gideon Rachman, the Financial Times chief foreign affairs columnist, claimed earlier this year: "Anybody who talks regularly to Chinese officials will be familiar with the mantra that 'China is a developing country'. But Shanghai, which I visited last week, mocks this modest description."
The claim that China is a developed, and no longer a developing, country is also used to spread a myth that China's economy is not "creative" – allegedly proved because China has not yet created brands as world famous as Apple or Google. According to British economist Will Hutton, for example, not only China but all of Asia outside Japan is unable to achieve this "creativity". He claims: "The reason why so few Britons can name a great Chinese brand or company… is that there aren't any." And: "Asia, except Japan, remains in essence a subcontractor to the West... China's... is an economy that does not innovate – it is the great copier and counterfeiter of Western technology. This may change over the next 200 years, but not during the lifetime of most of the people reading this column.... Not one of this century's general-purpose technologies will be made outside the West and Japan, which have held a monopoly for 300 years. Their lead will widen rather than narrow."
Actually the reality is China's government is entirely accurate in insisting that China is still a developing country. Even when China's GDP is as big as the US, given that China's population is more than four times that of the US, China's GDP per capita will still only be 23 percent of that of the US. China's very large GDP is important, for example in military defence, but even when China's GDP is the same as that of the US it will still be less developed than the US.
To make a real comparison of the present stage of economic development of China it is useful to take its present GDP per capita and see in which year other countries achieved that level. Taking internationally recognised statistics produced by the University of Pennsylvania, China's GDP per capita today has reached the same as Japan's in 1966 or South Korea's in 1986.
These are illuminating comparisons. Japan in 1966 and South Korea in 1986 were no longer primarily agricultural. But the glory days of the international impact of Japanese and South Korean industrialisation still lay ahead. By 1966 Japan's Toyota, protected by tariff barriers and restrictions on inward investment in a way China's car companies are not, was a significant force in the domestic car market but not yet a large scale exporter. South Korea's Samsung in 1986 was entering the high tech market, becoming a leading manufacturer of memory chips, but it was a decade before it became the style leader it is now.
By the mid-1960s and 1980s, the sectors Japan and South Korea had built themselves on were heavy industry, steel and shipbuilding, and domestically competitive motor cars. In short they precisely resembled China's economy today!
A significant difference to 1966 or 1986 is that the world's leading economy, the US, was less developed than today. The gap between the US and China now is bigger than that between the US and Japan and South Korea in 1966 or 1986.
To put numbers on this, in 1966 Japan's GDP per capita was 50 percent that of the US, and in 1986 South Korea's GDP was 30 percent that of the US. China's GDP per capita today is however only 19 percent that of the US. China today faces much more advanced competition from the US than Japan or South Korea did.
What, therefore, would we expect from this comparison? First, in terms of the industries in which China is strong you would expect it to look more or less as it does today – at its present stage of development you would not expect China to have brand names with the global recognition of Apple or Google. At this stage of their development Japan or South Korea didn't have them either. But within two decades Japan and South Korea did achieve them in Toyota, Honda, Sony, and Samsung.
Today, China's Haier is the world's largest domestic appliance manufacturer, Huawei is likely to overtake Ericson as the world's largest telecoms equipment producer in the next two years, and China is already the world's largest manufacturer of high speed trains.
In short, China's development today is entirely equivalent to Japan or South Korea at a similar stage of their economic growth. And in the following two decades of their economic development Japan and South Korea's brands stormed the world.
The author is a columnist with China.org.cn.
John Ross is Visiting Professor at Antai College, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. From 2000 to 2008 he was Director of Economic and Business Policy in the administration of the Mayor of London Ken Livingstone, a post equivalent to the current position of Deputy Mayor. He was previously an adviser to major international mining, finance and equipment manufacturing companies.
Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn


At one stage I thought about just having a wardrobe with the same clothes but I realised that clothing can affect my mood. I'm not a fashion person so clothes aren't my thing, but doing this project showed me certain clothes make me smile. Leggings with skirts, in particular. It was good to learn what I actually liked.
Sounds great! I am also discovering what I like to wear and what I though I like but I don't wear so often. This is a very good challenge to find your style right? I´m glad it worked for you :).


Who is a "Young Carer"?
Young carers are children or young people up to 25 years of age, who help care in families where someone has an illness, a disability, a mental health issue or who has an alcohol/drug problem.
.. a comprehensive website offering information for young people, parents & families and professionals about mental illness. Includes a number of books to read to young children to help explain mental illness.
...is dedicated to advancing the mental health and emotional wellbeing of Australian infants, children, adolescents and their families.
1800 55 1800 - telephone support line available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. For children and young adults up to 25.
An informative website about dealing with mental illness run by SANE Australia. It offers lots of information that's easy to understand as well as some "fun stuff".
........ is not just for kids. This excellent website is all about explaining health issues in a way that is easy to understand.


Thank You Brianne at Hachette Book Group for allowing me to host this giveaway.I will be giving away 5 copies of Cobain Unseen by Charles R. Cross.
An unparalleled look inside the brilliant mind of one of America's most revered rock legends, Cobain Unseen collects previously unseen artifacts and photographs from the estate's archives to form a fascinating portrait of the creativity, madness, and genius of Kurt Cobain. Personal items and photographs take readers deeper inside Cobain's life than they've ever been before, and interactive features, such as Kurt's handwritten sticker-sheet of Nirvana name tags, facsimiles of unseen journal pages, and gatefolds of his graffiti-embellished guitars make this an essential keepsake. An audio CD showcasing spoken-word material by Cobain, some of it never before released, will be included. Accompanying the previously unpublished images and memorabilia is a compelling biographical narrative by New York Times -bestselling author Charles R. Cross.
1-This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only,and closes on August 16th 2009. I will pick FIVE lucky winners and will do a post announcing the winners here and will also e mail the winners individually.
I just have to share this with you.I had a massive crush on Kurt Cobain for years.I dreamt of finding him.I just wanted to get to Seattle.He would fall madly in love with me as I was with him.I was going to show what real love was all about.He would then walk away from that horrible Courtney Love and be mine forever.Then he died...(I still want to see Seattle especially after Sleepless in Seattle-(which I hoped to be after meeting Kurt)and despite all the true crime books written by Ann Rule I am still willing to take my chances.)Anyway after an acceptable period of mourning I then developed a crush on Edward Norton (another seemingly tortured soul) and then shortly afterwards I hear Courtney Love is seeing him and my first thought was "Does this woman want to destroy every man I love?"
I truly truly adored Kurt Cobain.Life is so bearable when you can retreat into dreamland and I only wish with all my heart that celebrities would realise the impact they have on some of our lives before they take their own lives so lightly and irresponsibly.And Frances Bean looks exactly like her dad and I wonder about her and whether she's ok.
BTW Although Cobain's death was officially ruled a suicide, certain aspects about his death have led to speculation that he was murdered: - He had entirely too much heroin in his system at the time of his death to have been able to operate a shotgun. He would have been incapacitated within seconds of injecting it. - The so-called "suicide note" may have been a letter to his fans expressing his desire to quit both Nirvana and the music business altogether. - One of Cobain's credit cards was being used a few days before AND AFTER his death.
I've always wondered about his death-such a waste.
I'm a follower and a subscriber of your blog.
I think the bands music really left an impression on a lot of people, I would love to read this book!
Thanks for hosting the giveaway, Yvette.
I am a new follower, entry #1!
I am a new follower, entry #2!
I remember being so stunned by the announcement of his death. Much more so than MJs.
My best friend love Nirvana. I would love to be able to read this book and then pass it on to him.
I was in Seattle when he died & remember it so vividly. Such an enormous tragedy. My husband is a musician who was playing out in Seattle during the '90's & also remembers it all in a visceral way. I'd love to win this! I'm also a follower.
I am not eligeble to enter..
Part of that incident unfolded not too far from where I live. I never did accept the explanations, so I'm anxious to read this book and find out what the author turned up.
His death is very interesting. I've seen this book around and I really really want to read it. Kurt Cobain fascinates me. I hope his daughther is okay too.
Oh wow, I'd love to win this book. Kurt was my guy in high school. Found out on the school bus that he died...awful.
What the hey, enter me. :) (Look for lots of comments from me today, I am going to go through and look at all of your reviews you have done. I like true crime books.
Kurt Cobain was a very talented musician and is very much missed.
I listed this giveaway under my current giveaways.
PS I want to visit Seattle too -- great music, coffee, cool bookstores sounds like my kind of city!
I would very much enjoy reading this book. Cobain had so much talent.
Nirvana is a favorite band of mine. I'd like to know more about Curt Cobain.
Wow - I would sure love to win!
I grew my hair out and bleached it blonde and wore Nirvana shirts every day for about 6 months after he died. I was a big fan. This book sounds very interesting. Thanks for the chance.
I read a synopsis on this book and thought it sounded really interesting. I'd heard before that Cobain's death might not have been suicide. I wonder if we'll ever know for sure.
plus 3 for being a current subscriber.
This would be an interesting book and seems to go into better detail than some of the other sensationalization books.
+1 blogged about the contest in my sidebar.
why can't I copy and paste???
This looks like a really interesting book, that I'd like to read. Please enter me in the giveaway.
Enter me please. My email is in my blogger profile.
My daughter would so love this -- her era of music!
Oh yes, please drop my name in the magic hat!!! I hop you had a great night and have a wonderful tomorrow!
my best friend loves him!
What a nice memorial to Kurt!!
Huge Nirvana fan! Thanks for the opportunity.
True Crime is such an interesting genre, and I love Kurt Cobain.
Do not enter me-I just wanted to let you know that 10 long days later I posted my Heartfelt Award with my nominees. Thank you again for the award.
I would like to read this book. I am a Kurt Cobain fan. His death was so tragic. My email is in my profile.
I'd like to read this, please count me in, thanks.
Nirvana was one of my favorite all-time groups and like heatherzilla said, he death was definitely tragic. But their music still lives on.
Enter me please. I'd love to read this.
I have wanted this book for SO LONG! I can't find it anywhere!
I'm also a new Blogger/Google follower.
I missed your last giveaway...oops.
+1 I have posted about this giveaway on my blog.
Great Post!! This is my first time hearing about Cobain Unseen and i am looking forward to adding it to our collection. I am one of the people that has a hard time believing that Kurt commited suicide. I think that the truth"was"out there,but in the end its' about the music too!!
Sounds interesting - thanks for the giveaway!
I'm a huge Courtney Love & Kurt Cobain buff. I'd love to be a winner of the book, been reading about them for years.
I remain fascinated by this descent into addiction and despair.
I really would like to read this book.
I have always been a fan of Kurt Cobain's music and would love to read more about him!
One of my all time favorite bands! Thanks for the giveaway.
I am still in love with Edward Norton, Yvette, I would love to read this book. What is it that Courtney Cox has?
I was kind of young when this happened, so this would be a great read for me since it's such a big part of entertainment history.
What a tragedy indeed! So young, talented, and adorable! Such a loss to the world!
I'd love to read the book.
I just subscribed to your blog. (I'm not sure if that's +1 or +2.
I'd like to read this book. Please count me in.
Wow! Has it been this long? I remember when he died, I was in the Army stationed at Ft. Ord, CA.
looking forward to seeing this book.
This book sounds great- I love Nirvana!
This man was so capptivating!
I enjoy reading true crime books.
Love Nirvana. Great music! I would love to read this book. I have read books on other famous musicians who have killed themselves.
I love True Crime novels .
Great music that reminds me my teenage years. I loved Nirvana.
My son would absolutely love to read this. He is a big fan. I am curious, too. Thanks!
Thanks for the contest. I would love to read the book. He was a graeat talent. garrettsambo (at) aol (dot) com.
big fan of Nirvana's music and play their music to this day.I would love to read this book.
I was only seventeen when he died and Nirvana made such a huge impact on my high school years.


text:
Millennials Set Their Sights on Education as Interest in Cars, Homes Wanes
August 27, 2012 Mikhail Zinshteyn
Millennials are forsaking new cars and large homes, but the generation of 20- and 30-somethings still has tremendous purchasing power—dollars that can be used to expand their knowledge base.
That's at least part of the takeway in an illuminating piece by Derek Thompson and Jordan Weissmann that appeared in The Atlantic this month. After crunching the numbers and demonstrating this new generation is less interested in consuming the big-ticket goods—like homes and cars—that made past post-recession economies roar back, the piece considers what will this shoal of young spenders that makes up 23 percent of the population buy.
Education is the "obvious outlet for the money Millennials can spend," Perry Wong, the director of research at the Milken Institute, told us, noting that if young people invest less in physical things like houses, they'll have more to invest in themselves. "In the past, housing was the main vehicle for investment, but education is also a vehicle." In an ideas economy, up-to-date knowledge could be a more nimble and valuable asset than a house.
The recession has been a boon to the education sector, but will it last? A March article in The Chronicle of Higher Education suggests the tea leaves point to the affirmative: In the last decade, investments in education start-ups tripled from $146 million to $429 million, with the expansion revving up most dramatically after 2009—when the economy was still reeling.
Millennials' purchasing habits are possibly better geared for a knowledge economy, as denser urban areas and rideshares more and more supplant suburban homes with longer commutes. The Atlantic piece reports that economists see a 6 to 28 percent jump in productivity as a community doubles, and that density goes a long way toward explaining worker output. As the writers put it, "there's a lot to be gained by increasing the odds that smart people might bump against each other."
What do your beats suggest? Are Millennials swapping square footage and horse power for coding, design, and welding courses to have a leg up in this knowledge economy?
Widening the Focus on Adult Education
Five Questions For … Western Governors University President Robert Mendenhall
Housing Policy and the Digital Frontier of Higher Learning


text:
Obama says US will walk away from Iran talks if deal not reached
WASHINGTON Mar 08, 2015 - 12:00 am GMT+3
by Anadolu Agency Mar 08, 2015 12:00 am
President Barack Obama said Sunday that if world powers and Iran cannot agree to a verifiable deal, the U.S. will walk away from talks.
"If we cannot verify that they are not going to obtain a nuclear weapon, that there's a breakout period so that even if they cheated we would be able to have enough time to take action - if we don't have that kind of deal, then we're not going to take it," Obama said during an exclusive interview with American broadcaster CBS.
The U.S. and its partners in the P5+1, which includes France, the U.S., the U.K., Russia and China plus Germany, have until the end of the month to agree to a political framework agreement with Iran on its nuclear program.
"Over the next month or so, we're going to be able to determine whether or not their system is able to accept what would be an extraordinarily reasonable deal, if in fact, as they say, they are only interested in peaceful nuclear programs," Obama said.
"If there is no deal then we walk away," he added.
A final deadline for a comprehensive accord is set for the end of June.
Negotiators have reportedly been attempting to limit Iran's nuclear enrichment program to create a situation in which it would take the country roughly a year for it to develop enough fuel to build a nuclear weapon if it violated an agreement.
Obama stressed on Sunday that "we're not losing anything through these talks," which have been governed by an interim agreement since January 2014 that places restrictions on Iran's enrichment activities in exchange for limited sanctions relief.
But others have disagreed, most prominently Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who addressed a joint session of Congress last week to rally opposition to any prospective deal.
He said that a deal "doesn't block Iran's path to a bomb, it paves Iran's path to a bomb."
In photos: World's biggest wetland Pantanal engulfed by flames


text:
<?php
namespace Isign\Tests\Login;

use Isign\Login\SmartId;
use Isign\QueryInterface;
use Isign\Tests\TestCase;

class SmartIdTest extends TestCase
{
    public function testGetFields()
    {
        $method = new SmartId('xxxxxxxxxxx', 'LT');

        $result = $method->getFields();

        $this->assertArrayHasKey('code', $result);
        $this->assertArrayHasKey('country', $result);
        $this->assertSame('xxxxxxxxxxx', $result['code']);
        $this->assertSame('LT', $result['country']);
    }

    public function testGetAction()
    {
        $method = new SmartId('', '');
        $this->assertSame('smartid/login', $method->getAction());
    }

    public function testGetMethod()
    {
        $method = new SmartId('', '');
        $this->assertSame(QueryInterface::POST, $method->getMethod());
    }

    public function testCreateResult()
    {
        $method = new SmartId('', '');
        $this->assertInstanceOf('Isign\Login\SmartIdResult', $method->createResult());
    }

    public function testHasValidationConstraints()
    {
        $method = new SmartId('', '');
        $collection = $method->getValidationConstraints();

        $this->assertInstanceOf(
            'Symfony\Component\Validator\Constraints\Collection',
            $collection
        );
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


MySQL Seems to be crashing quite often, I'd say every hour or so.
The only thing running on this server that is using MySQL is a Drupal installation that I'm working on, there's only one person that's using it and it literally has around three pages - from what I can gather this seems to be a memory issue with innoDB? I'm not great at this stuff so I'm unsure.
140216 14:20:01 [Note] Plugin 'FEDERATED' is disabled.
140216 14:20:01 [ERROR] Plugin 'InnoDB' init function returned error.
140216 14:20:01 [ERROR] Plugin 'InnoDB' registration as a STORAGE ENGINE failed.
140216 14:20:02 [Note] Plugin 'FEDERATED' is disabled.
140216 14:20:02 [ERROR] Plugin 'InnoDB' init function returned error.
140216 14:20:02 [ERROR] Plugin 'InnoDB' registration as a STORAGE ENGINE failed.
The server is the lowest-spec DigitalOcean Droplet with 512MB RAM. This particular Droplet is running NodeJS, MySQL and Apache. There's a low-traffic static site, a Ghost blog and this Drupal site I'm developing.
Should I just upgrade the RAM, or is there something I can do to fix this?
MySQL doesn't start because it cannot allocate 128M for the InnoDB buffer pool.
Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged mysql innodb server-crashes federated or ask your own question.


Unique blend of 10 conditioning oils, botanical extracts and Vitamin E deeply penetrates to moisturize and soothe dry cuticles, nails and hands. Helps prevent splitting and peeling of cuticles while caring for brittle nails. Nails look stronger and healthier.
Directions: Before first application, soften bristles by rolling the brush between thumb and forefinger. Dab a small amount to cuticles and massage.


Better suited for an afterschool special, "23 Blast" isn't bad so much as it isn't very good.
Each year we are provided with a number of true sport stories that are meant to lift up and inspire. The characters always overcome hardships, sometimes race-related, sometimes chronic bad luck. In "23 Blast", a highschool student, Travis Freeman (Mark Hapka), continues to play football after an unusual virus (or botched small town surgery?) causes him to unexpectedly go blind.
While the script is almost cringe-worthy at times, it actually feels very sincere and good natured. The cheesy humor is always uplifting in nature, and most of the characters are likable, if not a bit cartoonish. This film will appeal to a small demographic, but most others would do best to avoid it.
Note: The film is rated PG-13 for "teenage drinking" which is a bit of a shame considering how good natured the movie is. The rating may prevent some younger audiences from seeing it who are probably the ones who would enjoy it most.


This paper deals with the preparation and the characterization of ceramic porous filters whose pores were deposited with a γ-Al2O3 layer via the so-called "urea method", in order to increase their specific surface area. Once activated with a suitable catalytic principle, these filters can find a potential application in flue gas cleaning according to a combined action: mechanical particulate removal + catalytic abatement of chemical pollutants (nitrogen oxides volatile organic compounds, etc.). Both the obtained filters and the bulk γ-Al2O3 powder synthesized through the above method, were characterized from either a structural (BET surface area measurement Hg porosimetry, differential thermal analysis-thermal gravimetry analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron miscroscopy (SEM) observation, gas permeation) or a catalytic viewpoint in this last context, isopropyl alcohol dehydration was chosen as a model reaction since it is directly catalyzed by γ-Al2O3 (thanks to its acidic properties) with no need of further catalytic activation. A reaction mechanism is proposed for the test reaction, based on the existence of two types of active sites (A and B). On A-sites isopropyl alcohol gives an intermediate adsorbate and decomposes provided vicinal B-sites are available for water adsorption. A kinetic rate expression is worked out on the basis of experimental runs performed on a batch-operated differential reactor. The knowledge of this rate expression and of the structural characterization parameters are of major importance for the interpretation and the modeling of the results of a pilot-plant study on the above filters, performed using the same model reaction and presented in part 2 of this series. The urea method is demonstrated to be a reliable tool to deposit a γ-Al2O3 layer all over the pore walls of the filter, markedly increasing its specific surface area. Drawbacks of the procedure employed are though the occurrence of pore blocking after a few deposition cycles and the occasional presence of cracks in the deposited layer.


We are excited to join forces with one of the world's best known football clubs, launching Arsenal's 'gift cards for business' website.
Businesses looking to put a smile on a fan's face with Arsenal gift cards and digital codes need look no further. Offer lucky recipients the chance to spend their reward in store and online on a huge range of Arsenal merchandise including clothing, accessories and gifts. Not available on match day tickets or memberships.
Available in British pounds and euros (plastic and digital), and US and Australian dollars (digital only), all in a range of denominations. Recipients just need to visit Arsenal's website or stores to purchase their merchandise.
Arsenal's new site makes it easy to purchase rewards in bulk, or you can use NGC Direct. To incorporate Arsenal gift cards or digital codes into an Individual Fulfilment or API service please contact us.


text:
Camas Days
Great Getaways
Passionate Pursuits
Must Clicks
Camas urges state to vaccinate teachers
Camas school reopenings
COVID-19 Closures
Time to shift our 'small town' thinking in Camas
August 2, 2018 5:30 am | comments
The phrase "small town" gets thrown around a lot in this increasingly urban neck of the Southwest Washington woods.
The theme of the Aug. 3 First Friday celebration in downtown Camas, for instance, is "Small Town Summer Fun — Downtown Goes Flamingo!" and media coverage of the annual Camas Days festival, which attracts thousands to the city's historic downtown streets each July, nearly always includes descriptors like "tree-lined streets" and "small-town charm."
Most people use the phrase as a compliment.
To them, calling Camas a small town means the place is friendly and welcoming — the type of town where people still say "hi" to each other.
Unfortunately, some people use the phrase as more of a weapon, as a way of letting newcomers or outsiders know they don't quite fit in or, sometimes, that they are acting outside the very narrow definition of what is acceptable in a "small town" and will be shunned if they keep it up.
We experienced this recently at The Post-Record, after letting local community leaders know we had implemented a security change. Instead of allowing people to come into our office and walk around the reception area, often marching straight up to reporters while they're working, we now ask visitors to stop at our reception desk, wait for an employee to greet them and to, hopefully, have an appointment before asking to meet with a reporter.
This policy isn't exactly unique. In fact, it's unlikely any business manager would be happy having members of the public waltz into their office, blow past the front desk and head straight toward their employees' work spaces.
We didn't think the change was even remotely provocative. And after the recent slaying of five community journalists at a small Maryland newspaper office, we certainly didn't expect anyone to question why we were thinking about the safety of our staff members.
But when we informed one community leader of our new safety policies, their short email response was that it was "not very small town" of us.
As disheartening as that message was, it got us thinking: What does it mean to be "small town," and does Camas even qualify anymore?
The first part of that question is subjective. To those who grew up in actual small towns with populations hovering around 5,000 and no large city in sight, the phrase might mean something totally different than it does to someone who has grown up in a place like Camas, which shares a border with the state's fourth-largest city and where Portland, one of the biggest, fastest-growing places on the West Coast, is literally just a morning commute away.
The second half of that question, however, is more straightforward: Though many people don't yet realize it, Camas is no longer a "small town." With nearly 24,000 people, Camas is among the top 25 percent biggest Washington towns.
If the city continues to grow at its current rate, Camas will tip over the 25,000 population mark in just a couple years. According to the most recent United States Census data, 92 percent of towns in this country have fewer than 25,000 people. This means Camas is on the verge of being in the top 8 percent of the nation's largest towns.
Does this mean Camas can no longer claim "small town charm"? Of course not. But it does mean people who are in charge of this city's politics, nonprofits, school districts and business organizations must start to realize Camas has shifted from a tiny mill town far removed from "the big city," to a thriving urban area home to thousands of people who might not have deep "papermaker" roots, but who will still fight fiercely to protect the tree-lined streets, small businesses, natural areas and strong schools that make Camas such a special place to live and work.
Unlike many small mill towns scattered across the country, Camas has not shriveled up and morphed into a one-Walmart town with an empty downtown core. Small businesses and restaurants thrive here. Housing prices in Camas are some of the highest in the entire Portland-Vancouver metro area. The city is still growing, still evolving.
And the town's leaders need to evolve with it. They must start seeing Camas for what it is today — a thriving urban center where people still want to feel the close connections of a much smaller community — instead of dwelling on what Camas used to be.
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The doctrine of the Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith. But as much as it seems like the idea of one God existing forever as three divine Persons is just philosophical gymnastics, it's really about the question of how our broken world, and our broken lives, can be made right again. Isaiah 6:1-8 and Romans 8:12-17 provide the biblical background for the three big deals coming out of the one truth of the Trinity.


text:
Komodo Takes Two Big Steps Towards Mass Adoption
Daniel - August 2, 2018
For Komodo Platform, 2018 is the year of mass adoption. Over the last 8 months, Komodo has already had two major developments in this regard.
First, Komodo was listed on Bitpanda, a European crypto exchange that provides a direct fiat gateway to KMD. Users can buy KMD with fiat using SEPA or a Mastercard. Bitpanda also allows users to buy KMD with cash at over 400 post office locations throughout Austria.
Second, Komodo established a partnership with Netcoins, providing several major benefits. The partnership allows users to purchase KMD with fiat at over 21,000 physical locations across 3 continents. It also gives users to option to sell their KMD tokens for fiat currency with Netcoins' over-the-counter trading desks.
Now, Komodo is taking two more huge strides towards the mass adoption of KMD!
Buy KMD With Fiat On Cred App
Komodo is one of the first coins to be integrated into Cred, a micro-investing platform specifically focused on cryptocurrency. Cred is launching in the US states of California, Missouri, Massachusetts, and Montana, with more states being introduced in the coming months. The app is available for download now via the Apple app store and Google Play store.
"I'm thrilled to finally offer a non-intimidating space for consumers to get involved in cryptocurrency." said Brendon McQueen, Founder & CEO of Cred. "There's an obvious gap in the market: people aren't investing in cryptocurrency because they think it's too complicated and complex. Cred creates a tangible space for people to take advantage of cryptocurrency at any level of experience without having to be an expert."
The Komodo Platform team is equally delighted about KMD being one of the first coins on the Cred app.
"We are super excited to be partnering with Cred as they offer a unique micro-savings and micro-investment platform that will help onboard a whole new segment of cryptocurrency users," said Steve Lee, Chief Marketing Officer at Komodo.
Steve continued: "Komodo has long been committed to the global adoption of blockchain technologies and enabling real world usage. Through our partnership, Komodo and Cred will be able to lower the barrier-to-entry into cryptocurrency for the mass market and offer a fiat gateway for KMD in the US."
With yet another fiat gateway, KMD is priming itself for mass adoption.
Spend KMD With A Peer2krd Prepaid Debit Card
In addition to a new way to purchase KMD using fiat, there is also a new way to spend KMD coins as if it were fiat.
A Komodo ecosystem related business, Peer2Group, has set up a service called Peer2krd that loads prepaid debit cards with fiat currency in exchange for KMD tokens. Peer2krd was founded by Kimmel, a long-time member of the Komodo community and notary node operator.
The process works as follow. First, users sign up for a free prepaid Mastercard on the Peer2krd website. Once the Mastercard arrives in the mail, users activate the card on the card issuer's website.
Then, users simply go back to the Peer2krd website and choose how much money they would like to top up the card with. Users may choose either BTC or KMD. After the crypto is sent, Peer2krd loads the Mastercard with the agreed amount of fiat (in Euros only).
Currently, Peer2krd services are only available to legal residents of the EU. The first 100 prepaid cards have been sent out and users are beginning to receive them.
While the project is still in a test phase, Peer2krd founder Kimmel noted that they "sold out the cards in about 4 days and have quite a big waiting list." If the test phase is successful, more cards will be issued in September.
Komodo Continues To Work Towards Mass Adoption
Komodo Platform is committed to advancing the mass adoption of cryptocurrencies, in general, and KMD, in particular. In fact, it is a central tenet of Komodo's mission.
But this is not just a lofty vision or abstract ideal. Komodo is continuously working to make mass adoption a reality. With integration to the Cred micro-investing app and support for prepaid debit cards from Peer2krd, Komodo is taking two huge steps towards realizing this goal.
However, mass adoption requires much more than just fiat gateways and methods for using crypto to purchase goods and services. Mass adoption requires true scalability.
Komodo Platform is also making mass adoption possible with a new scaling solution known as Multi-Chain Syncing technology.
To put it briefly, Komodo's scaling solution allows multiple blockchains to work in unison and function as a single chain. If one blockchain is no longer providing adequate performance, simply add another chain. If two isn't sufficient, add a third. With Komodo Platform, every project can scale on demand.
At the same time, Komodo Platform offers unparalleled blockchain interoperability features that allow an arbitrary number of chains to cooperate and process transactions simultaneously. As a result, Komodo's tech has already achieved processing power of more than 20,000 transactions per second.
With the ability to add as many blockchains as hardware will allow, Komodo's scalability is virtually limitless. Plans are being made to run a public scaling test that demonstrates Komodo Platform's ability to process more than 1 million transactions per second.
Scalability of this magnitude is a prerequisite for the mass adoption of blockchain technology. As the world's most secure, scalable, and interoperable blockchain ecosystem, Komodo is prepared to lead the charge.
To get all the latest updates from Komodo, join the monthly email list. On the first Friday of every month, you'll receive a newsletter with information about all of the most important developments from the previous month. You can also join the Komodo Discord server to chat with other community members and the Komodo team.
Join us as we continue to promote the mass adoption of crypto and accelerate the global integration of blockchain technology.


text:
Le Mitsubishi B2M était un bombardier-torpilleur embarqué japonais des années 1920-30. Il fut construit par Mitsubishi sur une conception du britannique Blackburn Aircraft et fut utilisé par la Marine impériale japonaise.

Étude et développement
En 1927, la compagnie japonaise Mitsubishi commissionna l'avionneur britannique Blackburn Aircraft de l'étude d'un avion qui serait construit sous licence par Mitsubishi pour répondre à l'appel d'offres de la marine impériale japonaise pour un avion embarqué de reconnaissance et bombardier-torpilleur devant remplacer ses B1M. Blackburn produisit le Blackburn T.7B, version agrandie de son Ripon, qui était en cours d'étude pour la Fleet Air Arm britannique.

Le T.7B était un biplan de trois places, construit en tubes d'acier avec les ailes hautes équipées de becs de bord d'attaque Handley Page, propulsé par un moteur Hispano-Suiza 12Lbr de 625 ch ().

L'étude remporta la compétition et un prototype (désigné 3MR4) commandé à Blackburn. Il effectua son premier vol le  à l'usine de Blackburn à Brough, dans le Yorkshire et fut embarqué pour le Japon en .

Trois prototypes furent construits par Mitsubishi au Japon avant que l'avion ne soit approuvé sous le nom Navy Type 89-1 Model 1 Carrier Attack Plane ou Mitsubishi B2M1.

Histoire opérationnelle
Le B2M1 est entré en service dans la marine impériale japonaise en , à bord des porte-avions Akagi, Kaga et Hōshō. Des modifications pour améliorer la maintenance donnèrent le B2M2 ou Navy Type 89-2 Carrier Attack Plane, puis le B2M1 avec quelques progrès en performances. 204 appareils des deux versions furent produits.

Les B2M furent beaucoup utilisés pour des bombardements à haute et basse altitude contre la Chine au début de la seconde guerre sino-japonaise en 1937.

Variantes

Blackburn T.7B
Prototype construit par Blackburn Aircraft.
Mitsubishi 3MR4
Trois prototypes construits au Japon.
Misubishi B2M1
Premiers avions de production.
Mitsubishi B2M2
Version améliorée voilure réduite et queue modifiée.

Opérateurs

 Marine impériale japonaise

voir aussi

Références

Bibliographie

Liens externes
 Wings Pallete - Profiles of B2M

Avion militaire de l'entre-deux-guerres
Avion militaire japonais
Bombardier-torpilleur
Avion embarqué
Avion à hélices
Avion monomoteur
Avion biplan
B02M
Premier vol en 1929


If you are of a certain age, you probably remember the old TV commercial for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups where two people, one enjoying a chocolate bar and the other enjoying peanut butter, bump into each other on a street corner. The chocolate bar ends up in the peanut butter and one of the tastiest flavor combos was born. This is not really how it happened.
According to information available on Hershey Community Archive, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups were invented in 1928 by Pennsylvania native Harry Burnett ("H.B.") Reese. Mr. Reese founded his candy company in Hershey, Pennsylvania in order to support his family. Mr. Reese's company made many different kinds of chocolates in addition to the peanut butter cup. However, World War II made obtaining various ingredients very difficult. So Mr. Reese made the decision to produce only one product - the peanut butter cup. Mr. Reese died suddenly in 1956 while a new manufacturing facility was under construction. In 1963, Mr. Reese's company was sold to the Hershey Chocolate Corporation which continues to produce the beloved Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.
I have always been a fan of the chocolate and peanut butter combination. Confession: Reese's cups are always the last candy into the Halloween treat basket (sorry kids) simply because I want to keep them for myself. Anyway, I have two cookie recipes which celebrate this flavor combo that I want to share with you today.
Both of these cookie recipes are available on King Arthur Flour's website. I have them both bookmarked in my online recipe box. The first cookie is a chocolate peanut butter cookie which is studded with mini peanut butter cups. The mini cups used in these cookies are quite small indeed; a little larger than a standard chocolate chip. The chocolate coating on the mini cup melts into the cookie and the peanut butter center left behind holds its shape and give the finished cookie delightful peanut butter pockets. Yum!
The second cookie is a flourless peanut butter cookie with chocolate chips. Yes flourless! So people who are following a gluten free life style rejoice! Here's a peanut butter cookie that you can enjoy! These cookies are super easy to mix up with just a few ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.
Thank you Harry B. Reese for inventing the peanut butter cup!!


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Listen to Kid Cudi's "The Frequency"
ByEric Diep
E. Diep is a contributing writer at Complex.
More info: Twitter / linkedin / Facebook
Image via Complex Original
Could this be what Kid Cudi, Plain Pat and Mike Dean cooked up in the studio last month?
Cudder, who was featured on Kanye West's The Life of Pablo, surprises his fans tonight with "The Frequency." Produced by him, it also features co-production by Plain Pat and Mike Dean. It's a return to form after establishing a new direction on Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven, where he's back to rapping and delivering his signature croons. "Couple girls, couple stories and a couple shrooms…"
Wicked, wicked awesome vibes. Stream it below.
NewsKid Cudi


What do I do with an out-of-control preschooler?
Q: My 4-year-old daughter does not listen. Period. She's combative and aggressive (I've been bitten 4 times this week alone); she lies and screams instead of speaking in a normal tone. Timeouts have failed. Taking items (toys, upcoming vacations, etc.) away failed. Yelling back failed. I'm at my wit's end. I always stay in control and don't lose my cool. I don't spank. And I do not know what to do to remedy this situation. Help, please!
A: One of the best ways to decrease undesired behaviors is to increase the opposite, positive ones, because a child can't be acting good and bad at the same time. And keep in mind that kids generally do want to do well, but the world is a complicated and frustrating place for them, so they don't always know the best way to handle situations, and it is probably just as frustrating to them as it is to us.
As behaviors that are rewarded or praised tend to increase, parents should "catch" a child being good and really praise it, and use a sticker chart where each time she engages in a specific "good" behavior a sticker is placed on the chart, and after a certain number of stickers she gets a reward, such as getting to play with a special toy. Also, teach, praise and practice positive, alternate skills. For example, parents can practice with a child on learning how to ask nicely for something; what to tell herself if they can't get what they want (e.g., "That's okay; maybe next time"); and how to wait on things (e.g., finding something else to do to occupy your time). Then, right before a situation is about to arise, the parent should remind the child of the skills to use and practice them. Learning to do this is a skill like anything else: The more she practices, the better she should get at it. But again, keep in mind a child's age, and remember that skills like this will likely be learned over time.
There are also ways of saying "no" that will possibly lead to less conflict, such as by adding in a choice ("Well, those pants don't match this shirt, but you can choose one of these three shirts?") or by telling a child when she can do something ("First we have to clean the room and then you can watch television."). Additionally, avoid situations, when possible, that lead to bad behavior. If, for example, tantrums arise because she doesn't want to stop playing a game to take a bath, set a rule that bath always is taken before playing any games; if every time you go to the store she gets upset if you don't buy her something, consider going to the store when she is at school; if it is when she is tired or hungry, try asking her to clean up, for example, after her nap and her snack. Finally, make sure that bad behavior doesn't "work." If, for example, tantrums get her out of doing something that she doesn't want to do, or get her something that she wants, she is more likely to continue to do them.
What can I do when my child repeats bad words from siblings?


The cream of the crop of the contemporary Moroccan Amazigh music scene will pay tribute to Mohamed Rouicha, the master lute player. This talented musician taught himself to play and connected the country from north to south, with his own unique music language, combining vocals with the lute or oud.
In a sense, Mohamed Rouicha is the Toots Thielemans of North Africa. The Moroccan philosopher and lute player inspired a revolution in traditional Berber or Amazigh music with his out-of-the-box approach. The self-taught musical genius created his own unique musical language, combining instrumental music for the lute and the bendir (a North African percussion instrument) with choral traditions. The simplicity of these instruments combines beautifully with the falsetto voices, creating a magical blend of melancholy and upbeat music, in which you can almost hear the echo of the imposing, rugged ridges of the Atlas Mountains.
The cream of the crop of the contemporary Moroccan Amazigh music scene will pay tribute to the master lute player, who succeeded in connecting the country from north to south and who will always have a place in Amazigh minds and cultures. Before you know it, Ahmed Allah Rouicha – the son and musical heir of the popular Rif artist Mimoun Rafroua – and a slew of other artists will put you into a trance!
It's our treat! Listen to BOZAR's "World" playlist on Spotify for free and discover BOZAR MUSIC season '18-'19.


Lebanon passes a law making domestic violence a criminal offense, days after man sentenced to death over killing his wife.
Lebanon's parliament on Tuesday passed a law making domestic violence a criminal offense, reported AFP.
The move comes after a years-long campaign by civil society groups in a sectarian Arab country steeped in conservativism.
Large sectors of Lebanese society have traditionally regarded beatings of women and children as religiously and socially acceptable.
New York-based Human Rights Watch described the bill as "historic," but pointed to gaps which did not ensure full protection for women.
For its part, leading Lebanese women's rights organization Kafa was critical of the law in its current form.
The law fails to specifically enshrine protection for women, said Kafa, adding that the law used religious terminology in place of rights-based terms.
"It's not the ideal text, but it's a first step," Mkhayber said, while stressing that the law must now be enforced.
The new law was passed just days after a Lebanese judge handed down a death sentence to a man accused of beating his wife to death with a pressure cooker, in an unprecedented verdict that was hailed as a breakthrough in Lebanon's struggle with domestic violence.
Mohammed Adnan al-Nhaily was accused of premeditated murder in "violently and viciously" beating his 34-year-old schoolteacher wife Manal Assi to death on February 8.
AFP noted that the law passed after a Kafa-led campaign which saw thousands of demonstrators take to the streets of Beirut on March 8, International Women's Day.
The demonstration came after several women died allegedly from beatings by their husbands.
Another Arab country notorious for its violations of human rights and specifically those of women is Saudi Arabia.
The kingdom employs religious police whose job is to enforce Islamic Sharia law, and women are forbidden from driving in the kingdom.
Even the Saudi king has been accused of violating the rights of his own daughters, as allegations recently submitted to the UN human rights office claimed that several of his daughters have been held for the past 13 years in the royal compound in Jeddah.


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Luke Bryan Earns 23rd No. 1 Hit With "Knockin' Boots"
Country Daypop
Luke Bryan has earned his 23rd No. 1 with "Knockin' Boots." The track is at the top of both the Billboard Country Airplay chart and the Mediabase chart this week.
"Knockin' Boots" is the lead single from Luke's upcoming seventh studio album, which is tentatively slated to drop before the end of the year.
Luke said via Twitter: "Huge thank you to fans, radio and my team for this #1. I think this song is so fun and it's such a blast singing it. Again thank you to everyone who supports me and allows me to do what I love. Shout out to writers @Gordie_Sampson, Hillary Lindsey, and Jon Nite. Love y'all."
Luke Bryan's 'Knockin' Boots' Scoots To No. 1 On Country Airplay
Via www.billboard.com
Plus, Sheryl Crow and Trisha Yearwood debut in the Top Country Albums Top 10. Luke Bryan banks…
Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com
Casanova And Fabolous Drop Video For 'So Brooklyn'
Listen To Florida Georgia Line's New Single "Blessings"
7f83c471cf750c59c9aca39ccd2bf8e518411e83


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USA Cycling Names 2018 Pan American Continental Cross Country Mountain Bike Championships Team
(March 4, 2018) – USA Cycling announced today the 4 athletes that will represent the United States in Cross Country Mountain Bike at the 2018 Pan American Championships in Pereira, Colombia on April 4, 2018. The Pan American Championships are held annually for member nations of the Pan American Cycling Confederation. Riders competing in the Pan American Cycling Championships are selected by their respective national governing bodies and provide another avenue for athletes to qualify for World Championships.
"We have a very strong team headed to the Pan Am Continental Championships this year. Erin Huck will be defending her title in the Elite Women's Cross-Country race and Keegan Swenson will try to improve on his 5th place from last year in the Elite Men's Cross-Country race. I'm looking forward to a great event from all of our riders," said Marc Gullickson, Performance Director of USA Cycling's Mountain Bike Program.
The Team USA roster is as follows:
Erin Huck*
Boulder, Colo.; Construction Zone-SCOTT
Kalispell, Mont.; Stan's-Pivot Pro Team p/b Maxxis
Keegan Swenson
Herber City, Utah; Stan's-Pivot Pro Team p/b Maxxis
Chloe Woodruff
Prescott, Ariz.; Stan's-Pivot Pro Team p/b Maxxis
Automatic qualifiers are noted with an asterisk (*).
Haley Batten, Christopher Blevins, Kate Courtney and Lea Davidson also automatically qualified for the event; however, the athletes declined the invitation.
The USA Cycling 2018 Pan American Continental XCO MTB Championships selection criteria are available here.
Please contact Kelly Fox with questions at apalermo@usacycling.org
To cheer for Team USA at the 2018 Pan American Games, please follow @USACyclingLIVE on Twitter. The Olympic Channel will provide broadcast and webcast coverage. Please check the schedule at olympicchannel.com and your local listings.
USA Cycling Names 2018 UCI Cyclocross World Championships Team


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Home / news / Kohlberg & Company Announces Agreement to Acquire EN Engineering
By bonanno 18 Jul 2019 July 18, 2019
Kohlberg & Company Announces Agreement to Acquire EN Engineering
Warrenville, IL – July 18, 2019 – EN Engineering (or the "Company"), a leading utility services firm, and Kohlberg & Company, LLC ("Kohlberg"), a private equity firm headquartered in New York, today announced that they have signed a definitive agreement whereby Kohlberg will acquire a majority stake in EN Engineering from General Atlantic.
Headquartered in Warrenville, Illinois, EN Engineering provides comprehensive design, engineering, and consulting services to gas and electric utilities as well as other energy and industrial end-markets. With over 1,500 professionals in 30 offices nationwide, EN Engineering offers customers an unparalleled spectrum of services with expertise in gas distribution, electric power generation and distribution, natural gas and oil pipeline infrastructure, automation systems, integrity management, and industrial and refinery solutions.
"The EN Engineering team is highly enthusiastic to partner with Kohlberg for our next phase of growth," said Steve Knowles, Chief Executive Officer of EN Engineering. "Kohlberg's track record of success working with utility services companies will provide us with meaningful support as we look to expand our footprint and enhance our ability to meet customers' needs."
"We are delighted to partner with Steve and his team. EN Engineering has established itself as a premier utility services platform and, paired with Kohlberg's infrastructure services background, we believe the Company is well-positioned to drive accelerated growth," said Benjamin Mao, Partner of Kohlberg.
"We are pleased that our partnership with Steve and the team at EN Engineering has helped the Company accelerate its growth trajectory and execution of its long-term strategic plan," commented Peter Munzig, Managing Director at General Atlantic. "We look forward to the continued growth and success of EN Engineering in partnership with Kohlberg."
Ropes & Gray LLP served as legal counsel to Kohlberg. Houlihan Lokey served as financial advisor and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as legal counsel to EN Engineering.
About EN Engineering
EN Engineering provides comprehensive design, engineering, consulting, and automation services to utilities, pipeline companies, and industrial customers. With first-hand experience operating and maintaining utility infrastructure, the Company's engineering professionals provide expertise in pipeline engineering, integrity services, automation integration, electrical design, industrial solutions, and process safety management. For more information visit: www.enengineering.com
About Kohlberg & Company, LLC
Kohlberg & Company, LLC ("Kohlberg") is a leading private equity firm headquartered in Mount Kisco, New York. Since its inception in 1987, Kohlberg has organized eight private equity funds, through which it has raised over $7.5 billion of committed equity capital. Over its 32-year history, Kohlberg has completed 79 platform investments and nearly 200 add-on acquisitions, with an aggregate transaction value of over $20 billion. For more information visit: www.kohlberg.com.
About General Atlantic
General Atlantic is a leading global growth equity firm providing capital and strategic support for growth companies. Established in 1980, General Atlantic combines a collaborative global approach, sector specific expertise, a long-term investment horizon and a deep understanding of growth drivers to partner with great entrepreneurs and management teams to build exceptional businesses worldwide. General Atlantic has more than 150 investment professionals based in New York, Amsterdam, Beijing, Greenwich, Hong Kong, Jakarta, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Munich, Palo Alto, São Paulo, Shanghai, and Singapore. For more information on General Atlantic, please visit the website: www.generalatlantic.com


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Q: Determine the value of $\cos(2)$ I'm trying to prove that the function $f(x)=\cos(x)$ has an $x$-intercept in the interval $[0,2]$. To do that I showed that $f(0)=\cos(0)=1>0$. Then I would have to show that $\cos(2)<0$, however how would I workout the value of $\cos(2)$? My professor mentioned something about using the Taylor Polynomial but I'm not sure.

A: Curiously, in my Analysis I class, $\pi/2$ was defined as the first positive zero of the $\cos$ function, so the existence of such a zero had to be first shown. $\cos$ was defined as the even part of the exponential function, which was defined using a Taylor series.
On the off chance you're in a similar scenario where you can only use the Taylor expansion and no properties of $\pi$:
$$\begin{align}\cos x= \sum_{n=0}^\infty \frac{(-1)^n}{(2n)!} x^{2n}&=1-\frac{x^2}{2!}+\frac{x^4}{4!}-\dots \\
\cos x &< 1-\frac{x^2}{2!}+\frac{x^4}{4!} \\
\cos 2 &< 1-\frac{4}{2!}+\frac{16}{4!}=-\frac{1}{3}<0\end{align}$$
as required.
As David C. Ullrich states in the comments, it's not immediately clear that the inequality I've written above holds. However, using arguments about alternating series, it's not difficult to show true for $x^2 < 30$, which is all that's required here.

A: $\newcommand{\bbx}[1]{\,\bbox[15px,border:1px groove navy]{\displaystyle{#1}}\,}
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\begin{align}
\cos\pars{2} & = \cos\pars{{2\pi \over 3} + \bracks{2 - {2\pi \over 3}}}
\\[5mm] & =
\overbrace{\cos\pars{2\pi \over 3}}^{\ds{-\,{1 \over 2}}}\
\overbrace{\cos\pars{6 - 2\pi \over 3}}^{\ds{\approx\ 1}}\ -\
\overbrace{\sin\pars{2\pi \over 3}}^{\ds{\root{3} \over 2}}\
\overbrace{\sin\pars{6 - 2\pi \over 3}}^{\ds{\approx\ {6 - 2\pi \over 3}}}
\\[5mm] & \approx
\bbx{{2\root{3}\pi - 6\root{3} - 3 \over 6} \approx -0.4183}\label{1}\tag{1}
\end{align}

A calculator yields $\ds{\cos\pars{2} = -0.416146836547142\ldots}$.
  The \eqref{1} relative error is $\ds{\color{red}{\large0.5057\ \%}}$.

A: $2$ is between $\frac{\pi}{2}$ and $\pi$, so $\cos(2)$ is certainly negative. For a numerical determination of such constant, one may invoke
$$ \forall x\in\mathbb{R},\qquad \cos(x)=\sum_{n\geq 0}\frac{(-1)^n x^{2n}}{(2n)!}.\tag{A}$$
By evaluating the RHS at $x=2$ and truncating at $n=3$, we get $\cos(2)\approx -\frac{19}{45}$.
There are more efficient methods, however. For instance,
$$\cos(2)=2\cos^2(1)-1=8\cos^4\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)-8\cos^2\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)+1$$
and by $(A)$ the constant $\cos\frac{1}{2}$ is pretty simple to approximate: it is about $\frac{337}{384}$.

A: Simply notice that $$ \frac{\pi}{2} < \frac{3.2}{2} = 1.6 < 2 < \pi$$
Since $\cos$ is stricly decreasing on the interval $[\frac{\pi}{2}, \pi]$, we conclude $\cos(2) < \cos(\frac{\pi}{2})$.
Alternatively, if you want to use the power series, recall that $\cos(x) = \sum\limits_{n=0}^\infty \frac{(-1)^n (x)^{2n}}{(2n)!} $.
Now, notice that $\frac{-(2)^{4k-2}}{(4k-2)!} + \frac{(2)^{4k}}{(4k)!} < 0$ for $ k \in \mathbb{N}$.
Thus $\cos(2) < \sum\limits_{n=0}^2 \frac{(-1)^n (2)^{2n}}{(2n)!} = 1 - \frac{4}{2} + \frac{16}{24} < 0$.

A: Just for the fun of it.
Using the same idea as Felix Marin, let us build the $[n,n]$ Padé approximant of $\cos \left(x+\frac{2\pi }{3}\right)$ around $x=0$ and evaluate it for $x=2-\frac{2\pi }{3}$.
For $n=1$
$$-\frac{\frac{1}{2}+\frac{7 }{4 \sqrt{3}} x}{1+\frac{1}{2 \sqrt{3}}x }\implies \cos(2)\approx -\frac{9+21 \sqrt{3}-7 \sqrt{3} \pi }{18+6 \sqrt{3}-2 \sqrt{3} \pi }\approx -0.415961$$ which corresponds to a relative error of $\color{red}{\text{0.04455 %}}$.
For $n=2$
$$-\frac{\frac{1}{2}+\frac{17 }{12 \sqrt{3}}x-\frac{19 }{72}x^2 } { 1-\frac{1}{6 \sqrt{3}}x+\frac{5 }{36}x^2}\implies \cos(2)\approx \frac{90-153 \sqrt{3}-114 \pi +51 \sqrt{3} \pi +19 \pi ^2}{252-18 \sqrt{3}-60 \pi
   +6 \sqrt{3} \pi +10 \pi ^2}\approx -0.416147$$ which corresponds to a relative error of $\color{red}{\text{0.00003 %}}$.

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