A still of 'Mission: Impossible—Fallout'.
The Mission: Impossible franchise has been around for six films now, one more than the Antoine Doinel series, in which Jean-Pierre Léaud grew from a young boy to a 30-something man. Mapping out a similar progression with Tom Cruise, who's played Ethan Hunt in all six films, would be largely pointless. He's the Dorian Grey of cinema, his face practically unlined at 56, his feet pumping like pistons whenever he launches into the busiest sprint in modern film. A portrait might grow hideous in an attic somewhere, but on screen, Cruise ages only infinitesimally.
Still, it's understandable that Mission: Impossible—Fallout would, in the scattered moments of calm between its expert, undulating action sequences, turn a little nostalgic. Old characters show up, earlier films in the franchise are referenced. Hunt's ability to deliver just in the nick of time is brought up several times, both as a source of humour and comfort. Ving Rhames, whose Luther has been the other constant over six films, gets more lines to intone in that unhurried baritone of his than he did in the last few outings. This isn't a psychologically rich series, but that doesn't mean these characters haven't grown on us.
Mission: Impossible films were always twisty and spectacular, but something special happened on the fourth, Brad Bird's Ghost Protocol (2011), in particular with the Burj Khalifa sequence. In an era where Hollywood action choreography has become simultaneously more extravagant and less involving, here was a man hanging off the side of a very tall building, like Harold Lloyd in Safety Last. Suddenly, Mission: Impossible wasn't just the best action money could buy, it was also the most fun you could have at the movies (the addition, with that film, of Simon Pegg to the IMF team helped). This was true of the next film, Rogue Nation (2015), and the latest, both directed by Christopher McQuarrie (who did an uncredited rewrite on Ghost Protocol).
Fallout is so convoluted that I gave up after a while and just accepted each reveal and double-double cross as it came. Hunt loses three plutonium cores sought by a group of terrorists known as The Apostles, led by the shadowy John Lark. There's a "broker" (Vanessa Kirby, in a witty cameo), a sort of go-between for covert agencies and terror cells, and a minder—in the impossibly buff, incomparably square-jawed form of Henry Cavill—attached to the IMF team by the CIA. And Hunt's rival/ally from the last film, Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), is back to kill some and confuse the rest. These pieces are endlessly realigned as we move from Belfast to Paris to London to Kashmir, but the central reveal is half-hearted, as if it doesn't really matter who John Lark is as long as it isn't Hunt.
Thankfully, all the clarity missing in the plot can be found in the pounding set-pieces. It's become increasingly rare to see well-cut, non-deceptive action in a Hollywood film, so there is some satisfaction in how Fallout keeps us close to Cruise, whether he's skydiving or flying a helicopter, but not so close that we can't make out if it's a stunt double. There's a close combat scene in a men's room, with a lithe Asian man (Liang Yang) almost taking out Cavill and Cruise, which is reminiscent of the John Wick films. But the rest is pure M:I, especially the breathless car/boat/foot chase through Paris, and another on the rooftops of London, a signature frantic Hunt run made funny by his receiving instruction from Benji (Pegg), who's reading the terrain all wrong on his laptop.
Leave aside the fact that he's a 56-year-old carrying multiple action franchises, there's something about Tom Cruise that still gets younger viewers excited in a way they aren't for Dwayne Johnson or Jason Statham. I think it's because he's an analog movie star in a digital age. Audiences are fed so much CGI in their films now that the sight of someone performing real feats, making an honest effort, goes a lot further than it used to.


These Nutella cupcakes make me want to grab a big ol' fistfull of Benadryl and dig right in.
Okay. Maybe not so much. But there is something so irresistibly delicious about Nutella that makes me almost want to take the risk.
Then I remember that rogue cashew last Christmas. Or that accidental coconut last week. And all the swelling and the wheezing and the general mayhem that comes along with it all, and my mind says to put down the effing cupcake and walk away (something my general health says frequently, but no one listens).
My mom and I have been testing recipes for Chocolate Hazelnut cupcakes for an upcoming wedding, and although I don't know first hand, I've heard this one might be the winner. An almost brownie-like texture, it's rich, dense, and full of the Nutella flavour I miss so dearly.
In the bowl of a large mixer, whip butter and nutella until creamy. Gradually add in icing sugar until desired consistency is reached. Add cream if needed.


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J.C. Penney names temporary CFO
J. C. Penney Company Inc. (JCP) is bringing in former Walmart official Michael Fung is temporarily joining the company as interim chief financial officer effective Oct. 30, succeeding Jerry Murray who will resume his responsibilities as senior vice president of finance.
Fung is an executive with over 40 years of broad finance experience, including corporate finance, strategy, financial planning and analysis, across multiple consumer and retail organizations. He recently served as interim chief financial officer for Neiman Marcus Group and 99 Cents Only Stores following his retirement from Walmart Stores.
"We welcome Michael`s CFO experience and guidance as we continue our search for a permanent chief financial officer. As I continue to assess the opportunities surrounding the company`s business, his appointment helps JCPenney benefit from the expertise of a seasoned retail CFO who has supported other retailers during a pivotal time in their evolution and helped deliver meaningful progress. His knowledge and contributions will be a valuable addition to our senior leadership team as we work together to develop solutions and drive decisions that are in the best interest of our customers and shareholders," said Jill Soltau, who was recently appointed as CFO of JCPenney. "Additionally, I want to thank Jerry for his dedication and support over the past several weeks. His servant leadership enabled a seamless transition following the departure of the Company`s former CFO."
Fung brings more than 23 years of experience in value-oriented retail and finance operations, having served for more than a decade in senior financial roles at Walmart Stores, including most recently as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Walmart Stores U.S. from 2006 to 2012. Prior to Walmart, he served in the top finance positions at several large corporations, including vice president and chief financial officer for Sensient Technologies Corporation, senior vice president and chief financial officer for Vanstar Corporation, and vice president and chief financial officer for Bass Pro Shops, Inc.
Fung received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago`s Booth School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in accounting from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We have heard some people wonder, "since Arctic® apples are nonbrowning, won't that mean older and lower quality fruit can look better than it really is?" The answer is that not only will Arctic® apples rot just like other apples, they also don't show superficial damage which makes it much easier to tell when an apple really has gone bad.
As discussed before, we have silenced the gene sequence that controls the production of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), which initiates enzymatic browning in apples. Enzymatic browning (a.k.a. primary browning) occurs when an apple's cells are damaged, such as through cutting, bruising or biting the fruit. For example, if someone were to grip an apple a bit too hard while picking it, there might be no signs of damage at first, but the slightly damaged cells on the apple's fresh surface will brown due to this enzymatic reaction.
By preventing enzymatic browning, Arctic® apples stop the flesh of the apple from going brown due to superficial damage, but this is quite separate from tissue breakdown from rotting. The decomposition that renders an apple unsightly and inedible primarily occurs due to fungi and bacteria, and this secondary browning or decomposition will happen with Arctic® apples, too.
In fact, since Arctic® apples don't show superficial damage, when you do see discoloration or damage, you know it's not just a minor surface issue and the eating quality of the apple has probably been compromised. Far from allowing older or lower quality fruit from being sold, Arctic® apples actually make it easier to tell if an apple is still in good condition!
Am I missing something, but how else are we to determine if an Artic apple is 2 days old; 2 weeks old; or 2 decades old?
If that Artic apple is in "good condition", how will I be able to tell if it is of any nutritional value to my body!
I'm sorry, but I'll stick to the tried and true.
As the article explains, the decomposition that comes from rotting when an apple is too old and/or is being broken down by fungi and bacteria WILL show on an Arctic apple. So an Arctic apple will certainly not last two years.
For an apple that is still fresh, though, you wouldn't have the bruises or brown flesh that comes from being exposed to oxygen. This type of browning is called enzymatic browning and does not indicate the quality (or lack thereof) of the fruit.
Arctic apples will have the same nutritional content as their conventional counterparts – in fact, they likely retain their antioxidant and vitamin C levels better since these healthful components are partially burned up in the browning process.
Yeah, it is obvious that a doubt like this can easily arise in the mind of common people. Because it is said not prone to browning like other apples, so even i had a doubt like this. But your explanation was good enough to clear them. Thanks.
In my experiences browned apples taste different (like when cut and put in the fridge for a little while). Is this caused by the browing and won't be present in these apples? or will it have this taste despite not browning?
Also, any plans to do this with pears?
Hi Steve – thanks for your questions!
When the enzymatic browning reaction occurs, the chemical makeup of an apple's damaged/exposed surface is altered. This not only results in cosmetic differences, but also affects the taste and texture of the fruit. Because Arctic apples do not contain enough of the enzyme that initiates this browning reaction (polyphenol oxidase). They will not suffer from the less-than-ideal taste and texture of a bruised/browned apple.
In fact, we recently shared the results of a taste-taste comparison that numerous consumers participated in, and they definitely saw significant advantage in terms of taste/texture in sliced Arctic apples compared to their conventional counterparts.
Regarding pears, their browning is also initiatiated by polyphenol oxidase, and nonbrowning pears are a product currently in our development pipeline, though currently we are primarily focused on Arctic apples.


Bring your family and friends out for some holiday fun and meet our staff!
Bring the family for a photo with Santa. We will email you the photo file so you can share on social media or print for family members!
DEC. 13th – 5:30 P.M. TO 7 P.M.


After months of brainstorming and technical research, you could definitely say we had been eagerly anticipating the Make My Day Wedding Expo! After all, it was only our second bridal expo since Black Tie & Co started in 2013. This year's MMD expo was held at The Museum and Gardens in Jacksonville.
This show appealed to us because it was going to be different than your average bridal show. Fewer vendors and visitors meant that we could spend quality time getting to know potential brides, grooms, moms & best friends! We were also really looking forward to the VIP party after the show.
Because our goal is always to get to know a couple personally before we ever snap a photo, we arranged our booth to feel like we were having you over in our living room! A few all time favorite photos were on display and some of our highlight videos were looping on the tv. We even got to display our brand new albums! So many brides loved flipping through them and pointing out things they planned to do on their big day. Some were even planning to use venues we had already been to-and they appreciated seeing what their day could look like.
Our booth was next to the ladies of Glam Brush & Blush, Relish Catering, and Coastal Occasions. In between guests, we had such a nice time talking with fellow wedding professionals, and we definitely loved sampling the steak Relish was serving up. The smell lured several brides down to our section, so we are grateful to them nearby! With so much build up, the event felt like it was over in a flash.
Arguably the part we were most looking forward to was the VIP party! The special guest of the event was Desiree Hartstock, former star of ABC's The Bachelorette, Author and Gown designer! The VIP party included a special fashion show featuring Desiree's Dreamcatcher collection of wedding dresses.
Sitting under the oak trees, drinking our cocktails from The Perfect Pour, and being mesmerized by the beautiful gowns was the perfect way to relax after working so hard before and during the event.
Overall, we had a great time participating in the Make My Day Wedding Expo, and we can't wait till next year! A big thank you to Tatum for putting everything together and to all of the brides and other vendors who made our day so much fun!
Oh my goodness! I love this blog post!!! Photos are so pretty – send some over my way, I would love to share them! Thank you so much for participating, we loved having you guys there. Such talented and sweet people!!


For instance, a PPC (pay per click) campaign can bring instant traffic to your website from internet adds. Examples of campaigns such as this include Google, Youtube and Facebook adds. However, such results will not last. You will see a decrease in traffic once the campaign is over.
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and SM (Social Media) campaigns on the other hand may take many months to materialise. In contrast to PPC, this work will translate into higher search results and a loyal brand following. These forms of marketing require continuous work and will not show instant results but in time will generate brand awareness and loyalty the likes of which PPC campaigns simply can not.
Obviously, how intense and aggressive any type of online marketing campaign is will play a part in how quickly you will see results.
To summarise, the best way to get your business out there is by using all the means at your disposal.


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On this day in Yorkshire: 16th August 1860 Former Yorkshire cricket captain, Lord Hawke is born
Martin Bladen Hawke 7th Baron Hawke to give him his full title captained Yorkshire between 1883-1910. Although he was an adopted Yorkshireman, Hawke had a major impact on the fortunes of the county's cricket team in the late Victorian/Edwardian period. His inheritance and title would see him live at Wighill Park near Tadcaster.
In the 1880s it was a tradition that an amateur player, such as Lord Hawke would, regardless of ability, take on the role of captain. While this structure may have upset the balance of most teams, it seemed to work in Yorkshire. Through his captaincy he took the White rose to eight County Championship titles, making him one of the most successful captains ever. Although he was not the greatest player himself and finished his career with a first class average of just 20.15, as a middle-order batsman, it was his leadership and man-management skills which was the basis of his success. Hawke's captaincy was famous for his financial innovations, such as a £2 winter pay allowance to his team and a bonus system which was based on their performances throughout the season.
In his latter years Hawke became President of the MCC through the First World War and then Honourary Treaurer in the 1930s. He was known for his outspoken views on the issues of employing a professional captain, something which became a huge issue in the Yorkshire team of the 1920s and 30s.
He died at the age of aged 78 in 1938, but remains a much celebrated character in the history of Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
On this Day in Yorkshire 15th August 1908- Huddersfield Town FC are formed	What Leeds looked like before the Industrial Revolution


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Lenski Elected to the American Philosophical Society
Evolutionary biologist Richard Lenski was inducted into the American Philosophical Society — the oldest "learned society" in the United States — on Nov. 9, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The society was founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1743 for the promotion of useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications, library resources and community outreach, with 2018 marking the society's 275th anniversary. Lenski, along with 34 others, was elected to the society in April 2018.
"It's amazing to be a part of the American Philosophical Society and to think of its impressive history, starting with Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington," Richard said. "My own first meeting was terrific, with talks by experts that spanned the spectrum from the humanities and social justice to engineering and science."
Richard, the John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor of Microbial Ecology at MSU, is renowned for his experimental studies of the evolutionary process including his Long-Term Evolution Experiment with E. coli bacteria. He is also a founding member of the BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, which brings together biologists, computer scientists and engineers to illuminate and harness the power of evolution.
Richard takes an experimental approach to evolution research: watching the process in action. In an on-going experiment that he started in 1988 — known as the Long-Term Evolution Experiment or LTEE — Richard Lenski and his team have been monitoring and analyzing 12 populations of E. coli bacteria as they evolve in a controlled environment more than 70,000 generations. His work has provided fundamental insights into the process of microbial adaptation, the dynamics of genome evolution and the origin of new functions.
"Richard is eminently qualified to take his place in this society along with great thought leaders, from Franklin and Jefferson to contemporary winners of Nobel prizes," said Erik Goodman, BEACON Center director. "He has made enormous contributions to our understanding of evolution through his Long-Term Evolution Experiment.
"Induction into the American Philosophical Society will give Richard additional opportunities to interact with some of the world's leading thinkers from all fields, and he will bring to that distinguished group his unrivaled understanding of evolutionary processes going on in the world around us," Goodman added. "We at Michigan State, and particularly in the BEACON Center, are proud of his many accomplishments and grateful for his many contributions to our understanding of evolutionary processes."
Richard holds joint appointments in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and in the Department of Integative Biology, both in the College of Natural Science, and in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Ecology in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. He is one of seven scholars honored in the APS biological sciences category this year and the second faculty member at MSU honored by induction into the APS. The first MSU faculty member elected to the APS was Jack Liu, who was inducted in 2015.
In addition to this honor, Richard has received fellowships from the Guggenheim and MacArthur Foundations, holds an honorary degree from Wageningen University and is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the European Molecular Biology Organization and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.


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CHALCO, Mexico – The teenage girls hobbled into a prayer meeting at their Catholic boarding school, their knees buckling with every step. For months, a mysterious illness had swept through their school, afflicting hundreds of girls, and they were there to ask for recovery.
The first isolated cases of the illness, which affected the girls' walking and made them feverish and nauseated, appeared in November and December. After the girls came back from Christmas break, the illness spread. By February, the school's director, Sister Margie Cheong, had become alarmed and alerted the authorities.
At the Wednesday prayer meeting, Sister Michaela Shim handed out cookies and began to tell a story in her Korean-accented Spanish. The girls laughed and shouted as her improvised parable unfolded. It was the story of a boy who lies to get attention.
What may be happening here is far more complex. After batteries of tests, doctors now believe the illness that has struck 600 of the 3,600 girls at this charity-run school is psychological.
In medical terms, Mexico's public health authorities have concluded the girls at the Children's Village School are suffering from a mass psychogenic disorder. In layman's language, they have a collective hysteria.
It is a diagnosis doctors are usually hesitant to make, concerned they might miss any other cause and uncomfortable with 19th-century images of screaming girls, trances or collective delusions.
But Dr. Victor Manuel Torres Meza, the director of epidemiology for the Mexico state health department, said there were some 80 documented cases from around the world. They are usually in closed communities, like schools and factories, and they tend to occur more frequently among adolescents and among girls.
About 20 psychiatrists and psychologists from federal hospitals have begun private interviews with the girls who are still sick or have been sick, he said, adding he hoped to have a preliminary report by the end of the month.
When the scale of the illness became clear, the school allowed parents to take their daughters out for a week. The sick ones promptly recovered, and they have been trickling back to school, somewhat to the surprise of reporters and television crews outside the gates who have crowded the girls and their families to look for evidence of mistreatment inside.
"We need support, not scandal," Sister Cheong said in an interview at the school. She seemed visibly exhausted by the news media attention and clearly concerned it might scare away some of the donations she needed for the school's $4 million operating budget.
The school, founded in 1990, is one of 10 in Asia and Latin America operated by a charity called World Villages for Children. It is run by nuns from the Sisters of Mary, an order founded in South Korea in 1964 by an American priest, Monsignor Aloysius Schwartz.
The school here offers three years of middle school and two years of technical high school to girls ages 12 to 17.
The expansive campus is at the dust-veiled edge of Chalco, this vast working-class suburb of Mexico City. With a population of as many as half a million, Chalco is a watchword in Mexico for urban poverty. An unplanned settlement of concrete-block houses the owners can never afford to finish, Chalco has mushroomed over the past 30 years as migrants have moved from the countryside to look for work in the capital.
But within the school's metal gates are trimmed hedges and well-tended lawns, sports fields, a swimming pool and a gymnasium that holds 4,000. In a bizarre touch, an ostrich, the school mascot, wanders through a corner garden.
The girls, from some of Mexico's poorest regions, race from computer classes, to choir rehearsal, to tae kwan do classes. Dorms are spotless and Spartan: Donated toys are displayed untouched above the closets, and the girls sleep 40 to a dorm in three-story bunks.
Officials said they had found no evidence of mistreatment, although they acknowledged the girls were tightly disciplined and very isolated. The girls see their parents at most three times a year: two weeks in July, 10 days at Christmas and on parents' day, usually in May. There are no phone calls and few letters.
The school justifies its policy as being fair to those girls whose families live far away and cannot visit them regularly.
The parents who returned their cured daughters seemed grateful for what they considered an opportunity for an education. And many advanced their own explanation, a longing for home.
"Maybe if we could talk on the phone once a month," suggested Efren Contreras Garcia, a peasant farmer from Oaxaca.
The girls themselves say they do not know what has caused their illness. "Maybe it's because of the problems at home," said Alma Delia Avendano, 15, on her first day back at school after a week at home, where she had recovered. She said her parents were separated.
Sister Cheong pointed out that many of the girls come from Indian families or regions of the country where superstitions run very deep.
"In talking to the parents, many of them believe that God lives most where evil is most active," she said.
Or they may believe their illness is a blessing.


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Art exhibition brings Hongkongers' attention to the unattended cracks in the city
By: TUNG Yi WunEdited by: LI Chak Ho Samuel
Local artist Yeung Tong-lung showcases his artwork which reminds Hong Kong people of the neglected parts of the city while COVID-19 has won all attention.
Presented by Blindspot Gallery, in collaboration with a local independent bookstore -- Art and Culture Outreach, the Daily Practice is a solo art exhibition showing Mr Yeung's artwork which was completed during 2015 - 2020. Amongst all pieces, Mount Davis, which illustrates the Yangge Dance Incident that happened in June 1950, is the featured artwork.
Holding an art exhibition amid the fourth wave, though fewer visitors were expected, they believed that it was the right timing to make it happen.
"In the past few months, Hong Kong people have been stressed over the pandemic," said Wong Man-ying, one of the visitors. "Everyone seems to have their complete focus on getting themselves away from any possibility of being infected. To some extent, we became selfish. But in fact, there are people who really need help."
One of the paintings illustrating ethnic minorities
Although none of the art pieces demonstrates individuals being affected by the pandemic, or any pandemic-related scenes, showing the daily life of the minorities in Hong Kong could give visitors a heads up of the existence of these vulnerable groups, and that they could be suffering at this critical time, said Ms Wong.
"It is rare for [Yeung] Tong-lung to hold a solo art exhibition or to display his work in any other exhibitions," said Wong Cheng-yan, manager of Mr Yeung and gallery manager of Blindspot Gallery.
My Yeung's last exhibition was in early 2019. Thus, even though the exhibition rolled out as the pandemic was prevailing, a lot of Mr Yeung's friends and special guests still attended the opening reception.
Blindspot Gallery was packed with visitors on the opening reception of the exhibition
Daily Practice's opening reception was held on Jan. 19 at Blindspot Gallery in Wong Chuk Hang. The exhibition period will be from Jan. 19 to Mar. 6, every Tuesday to Saturday from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm.
Mr Yeung was born in Fujian in 1956. He then moved to Hong Kong in 1973 and started painting two years later. In 1990, Mr Yeung and his friends founded the Quart Society, which is the first independent art space in Hong Kong. His last exhibition, titled "Cuts In Synchronicity: Paintings by Yeung Tong Lung", which was held in 2019, was also in collaboration with the Art and Culture Outreach.
Mr Yeung's paintings are known as giving spotlights to the often-overlooked groups in Hong Kong, for example, the working class and ethnic minorities, by illustrating their everyday life and typical behaviors with special use and combinations of colors and structures.
Art and Culture Outreach is an independent bookstore that was founded in 2008. They began with selling English publications that were art and culture related. Later they also started letting the bookstore out for holding events and organizing collaborative activities.
artCOVID19pandemicsociety
Unhygienic Masks Sold Online Despite Ban
Hong Kong Trump supporters urge US to be harsh on China as Biden takes office
Millinery trailblazer
HK Alliance booted out of Companies Registry by gov't to "reduce risk against national security"
Imported Delta strain spreads to 15 provinces and municipalities


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EUROPEAN COMMISSION DAILY NEWS – 16 DECEMBER
EUROPEAN COMMISSION DAILY NEWS - 16 DECEMBER
Ministers agree on fishing catch limits for 2016
EU ministers have reached an agreement on fishing opportunities for 2016 in the Atlantic, North Sea and Black Sea, following discussions at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 14 and 15 December. Karmenu Vella, the EU's Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, had presented the Commission's proposals to the Council and participated in the negotiations. Reacting to the outcome of the Council, Commissioner Vella said: "Our responsibility to our citizens and to the sector is to deliver on the objectives and ambitions of the Common Fisheries Policy. One of the fundamental objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy is that stocks are fished at a level that can keep them at maximum sustainable yield. We cannot jeopardise the longer term sustainability for the shorter term considerations. With this said, I am happy to announce that we have made good progress together with the Member States." The Commission's goal, and one of the pillars of the EU's reformed Common Fisheries Policy(CFP), is to have all stocks fished at sustainable levels by 2020 at the latest. Fishing at Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) levels allows the fishing industry to take the highest amount of fish from the sea while keeping fish stocks healthy. Europe started in 2009 with only 5 Total Allowable Catches of stocks to MSY. Yesterday's agreement will bring 36 stocks to MSY in the North Sea, the Atlantic and the Baltic Sea and sets the foundation so that all stocks are fished at sustainable levels in the next two years. The CFP also aims to eliminate the wasteful practice of discards in EU fisheries by gradually introducing an obligation to land all catches. The agreement therefore includes so-called quota "top-ups" for some fisheries that will come under the landing obligation in 2016. Full remarks by Commissioner Vella at press conference can be found here.
Making progress on better regulation: Commission endorses better law-making deal and appoints REFIT Platform members
On 15 December, the Commission endorsed a new Inter-institutional Agreement (IIA) on Better Law-Making with the European Parliament and Council to improve the quality and the results of European legislation. The agreement will enter into force once approved by all three institutions. The Commission has also approved today the appointment of the 18 members of the stakeholder group of the new REFIT Platform, an important tool to identify how existing laws might be improved with the help of those that have to comply with and benefit from them every day. These are important steps in implementing the Better Regulation for Better Results Communication that the Commission adopted in May 2015. First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: "The Commission is committed to change how we do business in Brussels, and these are two important steps. The three institutions are agreeing to focus their energy on joint priorities where European action is clearly needed, and to give just as much attention to reviewing and improving existing rules. The REFIT Platform's expertise will also help us to have an open, transparent and inclusive dialogue on how to best remove any unnecessary burdens and improve the quality of our laws." A press release and memo are available.
EU welcomes Liberia to the World Trade Organisation at the 10th Ministerial Conference in Nairobi
The European Commission welcomes the decision of the Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to approve the accession of Liberia to the WTO. Once it will have ratified this decision, Liberia will become the 163rd Member of the WTO. EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, who is present at the 10th Ministerial Conference of the WTO in Nairobi this week greeted the news saying: "The EU is very pleased to welcome Liberia – our partner in the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific group – as a new member of the WTO. This is a clear and tangible demonstration of our joint commitment to integrate the world's least developed countries into the global trading system." More background information on Liberia's accession is available here. In her statement at the plenary of the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference, Commissioner Malmström reminded that the EU has worked hard to make this conference a success and that a substantially different approach is needed if the WTO is to regain the central role it deserves in trade negotiations: "For the last two years we have worked intensively to set the stage for this Ministerial Conference. The European Union, as a strong and dedicated supporter of the multilateral system, is clearly worried by this situation. We have to deliver for the world's Least Developed Countries. The time has come to conclude this deal and there is no better place than Nairobi to do it." The full speech as well as photo and video footage of Commissioner Malmström at the plenary is available online.
EUROSTAT: Euro area international trade in goods surplus €24.1 billion
Record EU humanitarian budget adopted for 2016
Commission confirms and welcomes the participation of Ireland in the EU relocation scheme
Agreement on Commission's EU data protection reform will boost Digital Single Market
Read today's edition in full: Daily News 16 – 12 – 2015


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Nova Scotia > Sports
Argentine fans find faith again after Messi leads World Cup revival against Poland
Miguel Lo Bianco , Ramiro Scandolo | Posted: Nov. 30, 2022, 8:11 p.m. | Updated: Nov. 30, 2022, 8:11 p.m. | 2 Min Read
By Ramiro Scandolo and Miguel Lo Bianco
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentines renewed their hopes in the country's national soccer team after it defeated Poland 2-0 on Wednesday, booking a place for the team led by star Lionel Messi in the knockout stages of the World Cup.
A sense of euphoria was in the air in the country, particularly in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo, where thousands of jubilant fans crowded to watch the match on a giant screen in the park.
"I have a lot of faith in this group. Since the Copa America they have been fired up, so I have a lot of faith in them," said Nadir Cabrera, 25, referring to the country's 2021 regional tournament win.
Argentina needed a win to ensure progress to the knockout stages after a shock opening game defeat against Saudi Arabia was followed by a more convincing 2-0 win over Mexico.
"We recovered from Arabia and after these two great games, we got excited again!" Uriel Vieitez, 19, told Reuters as he celebrated on the streets of the capital Buenos Aires wearing an Argentina shirt and hat minutes after Argentina's victory.
Schools suspended classes early and offices suspended work for two hours in the South American country to watch the "albiceleste" team guaranteeing their place in the knockout stage.
The Argentine team is looking to be crowned world champion again after 36 years since its last World Cup victory when Diego Maradona was the country's star.
After sealing first place in Group C, Argentina will play on Saturday against Australia in the first knockout round. The winner of that match will then play the winner between the Netherlands and the United States in the quarter finals.
Messi, who shone in the game against the team led by Polish star Robert Lewandowski, asked once again to the Argentine fans, just like a week ago, to have faith.
"To the people: the same as at the beginning, when we started badly and with a defeat, that we go calmly, that the group is going to continue in this way and hopefully we can continue demonstrating like today," he said after the match.
(Reporting by Miguel Lobianco, Horacio Soria and Ramiro Scandolo; Editing by Stephen Coates)
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NFL-'Blown away': Hamlin thanks medical team, fans for support
KOSHAN: 'Tremendous honour' as Maple Leafs captain John Tavares set to reach 1,000 NHL games
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Ice hockey-Rangers back right to 'beliefs' after Pride Night jerseys absent from warm-ups


When your pet has a neurological condition you need to ensure that they are kept pain free and that an appropriate rehabilitation program has been tailored to their individual needs and problem. This will help to prevent further injury, stop/slow any deterioration in their condition and prevent other parts of their body from becoming affected.
Neurological conditions are not uncommon in dogs, cats and rabbits and can be acquired, idiopathic (no known cause) or inherited such as syringomyelia in the King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. Some neurological problems are specific to a particular type of animal – for example, Wobbler's Syndrome (cervical spondylomyelopathy) is mostly seen in large breed and giant dogs – while other problems are typically found in certain breeds, such as disc disease in Daschunds and CDRM (chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy) in German Shepherd dogs.
Neurological disorders can sometimes be painful, so it is important to take this into consideration when planning a rehabilitation program for them. Often secondary pain can arise as your pet tries to compensate for their neurological problem. An example of this is cauda equina syndrome in dogs and cats where we often find sore areas in the gluteal, spinal and shoulder muscles as your pet changes their posture in order to avoid causing pain in the lumbosacral region. There are lots of different ways that we can ensure your dog, cat or rabbit is kept pain free, ranging from veterinary acupuncture through to massage and medication.
Neurological disorders often lead to muscle wastage and this can happen very quickly. When your dog or cat has a neurological problem it is important to prevent muscle wastage and to prevent other muscles getting sore as they try to compensate. We employ a range of methods to treat your pet, including specific exercises, passive and active range of motion and hydrotherapy to ensure that we prevent muscle wastage occurring as sometimes it is not possible to get the muscle back once it has been lost.
We will ensure that you have an individual plan for your pet and we will discuss with you the range of treatments that are available and tailor the exercises as your pet progresses.


What does the term 'Primary Resistance' mean in relation to a Type C basement waterproofing system?
When using cavity drainage (Type C) systems the fabric of the building MUST offer "Primary Resistance". Specific guidance can be located in BS8102:2009 - Section 10.1, page 31. In some cases, localised repairs or tanking may be necessary to improve the primary resistance of the basement wall.


text:
namespace jnc {
namespace ct {

//..............................................................................

class Cast_PropertyPtr_FromDataPtr: public CastOperator {
public:
	virtual
	CastKind
	getCastKind(
		const Value& opValue,
		Type* type
	);

	virtual
	bool
	llvmCast(
		const Value& opValue,
		Type* type,
		Value* resultValue
	);

protected:
	bool
	llvmCast_DirectThunk(
		Variable* variable,
		PropertyPtrType* dstPtrType,
		Value* resultValue
	);

	bool
	llvmCast_FullClosure(
		const Value& opValue,
		PropertyPtrType* dstPtrType,
		Value* resultValue
	);
};

//..............................................................................

class Cast_PropertyPtr_Base: public CastOperator {
public:
	virtual
	CastKind
	getCastKind(
		const Value& opValue,
		Type* type
	);
};

// . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

class Cast_PropertyPtr_FromFat: public Cast_PropertyPtr_Base {
public:
	virtual
	bool
	llvmCast(
		const Value& opValue,
		Type* type,
		Value* resultValue
	);
};

// . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

class Cast_PropertyPtr_Thin2Fat: public Cast_PropertyPtr_Base {
public:
	virtual
	bool
	llvmCast(
		const Value& opValue,
		Type* type,
		Value* resultValue
	);

protected:
	bool
	llvmCast_NoThunkSimpleClosure(
		const Value& opValue,
		const Value& simpleClosureObjValue,
		PropertyType* srcPropertyType,
		PropertyPtrType* dstPtrType,
		Value* resultValue
	);

	bool
	llvmCast_DirectThunkNoClosure(
		Property* prop,
		PropertyPtrType* dstPtrType,
		Value* resultValue
	);

	bool
	llvmCast_DirectThunkSimpleClosure(
		Property* prop,
		const Value& simpleClosureObjValue,
		PropertyPtrType* dstPtrType,
		Value* resultValue
	);

	bool
	llvmCast_FullClosure(
		const Value& opValue,
		PropertyType* srcPropertyType,
		PropertyPtrType* dstPtrType,
		Value* resultValue
	);

	bool
	createClosurePropertyPtr(
		Property* prop,
		const Value& closureValue,
		PropertyPtrType* ptrType,
		Value* resultValue
	);
};

// . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

class Cast_PropertyPtr_Weak2Normal: public Cast_PropertyPtr_Base {
public:
	virtual
	bool
	llvmCast(
		const Value& opValue,
		Type* type,
		Value* resultValue
	);
};

// . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

class Cast_PropertyPtr_Thin2Thin: public Cast_PropertyPtr_Base {
public:
	virtual
	bool
	llvmCast(
		const Value& opValue,
		Type* type,
		Value* resultValue
	);
};

//..............................................................................

// safe / unsafe fn pointer -> safe fn pointer

class Cast_PropertyPtr: public Cast_Master {
protected:
	Cast_PropertyPtr_FromDataPtr m_fromDataPtr;
	Cast_PropertyPtr_FromFat m_fromFat;
	Cast_PropertyPtr_Weak2Normal m_weak2Normal;
	Cast_PropertyPtr_Thin2Fat m_thin2Fat;
	Cast_PropertyPtr_Thin2Thin m_thin2Thin;

	CastOperator* m_operatorTable[PropertyPtrTypeKind__Count][PropertyPtrTypeKind__Count];

public:
	Cast_PropertyPtr();

	virtual
	bool
	constCast(
		const Value& opValue,
		Type* type,
		void* dst
	);

	virtual
	CastOperator*
	getCastOperator(
		const Value& opValue,
		Type* type
	);
};

//..............................................................................

// data ref (UnOpKind_Indir => data ptr cast => UnOpKind_Addr)

class Cast_PropertyRef: public CastOperator {
public:
	Cast_PropertyRef() {
		m_opFlags = OpFlag_KeepRef;
	}

	virtual
	CastKind
	getCastKind(
		const Value& opValue,
		Type* type
	);

	virtual
	bool
	llvmCast(
		const Value& opValue,
		Type* type,
		Value* resultValue
	);
};

//..............................................................................

} // namespace ct
} // namespace jnc


Colourtones are opaque finishes similar in appearance to paint. The coatings are pigmented conversion varnish that is catalyzed prior to application. Specific species and grades are available with Colourtone finishes including Paint Grade Hard Maple. Colourtones are not available for use over species where excessive grain patterns or characteristics are present. These species include Cherry, Hickory, Red Birch, Walnut and Mahogany.


World temperature is rising. Ice sheets at the poles are contracting, leading to fears of rivers disappearing from the world map. We are aware of these consequences. But, are we prepared to face and resist them? Yes, global warming could lead to a significant increase in disease across Asia and Pacific Island nations. As its aftermath, conflict may take birth leaving hundreds of millions of people displaced, according to a report.
By the next 95 years, global warming may hit the earth with droughts, deluges and typhoons. Such irreversible natural crisis will engulf the world with malaria, dengue fever and cholera, the report into the health impact of rising temperatures found. As a consequence, crop yield is also likely to decrease in countries in Southern Asia. In Australia, it has been estimated that up to 15,000 people could die each year due to heat stress by 2100 with dengue fever and other mosquito-borne diseases spreading as far south as Sydney. Studies have predicted that by 2100 average temperatures will rise by between 1 degree Celsius (1.8 Fahrenheit) and 6 degrees.
← Wolf Number Rising in the Rockies… Is Livestock in Jeopardy?


text:
Preparing Patent Analytics Projects and Patent Landscape Reports — Hands-On Lessons
This series of webinars provides details on some of the stages required for performing patent analytics, and for the preparation of a Patent Landscape Report (PLR). Patent analytics and PLRs support informed decision-making and are designed to efficiently address the concerns associated with making high stakes decisions in technologically advanced areas with a maximum degree of confidence. For many years' decision-makers operated based on personal networks and intuition. With the institution of patent analytics, and PLRs, it is possible for these critical decisions to be made with data-driven approaches that deliver informed choices, and lower risk profiles. Working with patent data can be complicated due to the nature of the subject matter, and the lack of standard in the way it is delivered from the offices that generate it. In this series of webinars specific steps for the production of patent analysis projects and PLRs will be covered with step-by-step instructions for performing these operations.
The Webinar series began on January 24, 2019 and is available as a series of recording using the link below the introductory video. For those individuals who are only interested in individual webinars, they are also still available.
Introductory Video Describing the Webinars Series
Webinars listed below are on-demand, pre-recorded seminars which may be downloaded and then viewed at a time which is convenient to you.
Complete Webinar Series -#1 - #4
Recordings Available for the Complete Webinar Series, episodes 1 — 4
For more information and to Register for the complete recorded Series at a discounted price, click HERE
The Linear Law of Patent Analysis, Patent Family Reductions and Assignee Cleanups
For more information and to Register for recorded Webinar 1, click HERE.
Using Pivot Tables and MS Excel to Generate Simple Charts, Graphs and Tables
Generating Spatial Concept Maps
Producing Patent Landscape Reports that will be Read and Used by Senior Management


Kim Maxwell Studio officially opened its doors in September 2013 after a wildly successful IndieGoGo campaign that raised $35,000 towards our startup and first-year costs. Our mission is to teach people to launch their stories loudly and unapologetically into the world: to laugh more, risk more, and have bigger lives.
In every country, every state, every province, every territory, there are people that are just like us. People that have crushes and to-do lists and fears and bad qualities and good ones and laughs that make us laugh, and yet... we find ourselves separated. Stories are what make us realize that we are not all so different. "I fell in love." "I dropped my phone in the toilet." "I got my heart broken." "I was made to feel that I don't matter." This understanding that strangers are maybe not so strange after all, is what creates empathy and pushes us towards social justice and change.
We at Kim Maxwell Studio believe that when we stop thinking in the abstract about the people that pass us on the street and the struggles they face every day, things will get better for everyone. We may not all have the same story, but we have stories all the same.
Stories are what connect us. And it is our mission to teach people to launch their stories, loudly and unapologetically into the world: to laugh more, risk more, and have bigger lives. So that we might find ourselves a little less divided from the joys and woes of the wonderful people around us.
Kim Maxwell is the Founder/Executive Director of The Townies, Inc. She is a producer, director, writer, mother, teacher, wife, Founder/Principal at Kim Maxwell Studio and Creator/Producer of The Townies Podcast. She is Co-Founder of the Ojai Playwrights Conference, serving as Board Member and Director of its Youth Program for 20-years. Kim is also Co-Founder and served as co-Artistic Director of Theater 150 for 11-years.
Kim's transformative style of teaching has inspired absolute beginners and professional actors alike. With her compassionate guidance, students undertake the fulfilling and transformative process of discovering, developing and performing their own stories. From preteens to senior citizens, Kim's students, over a thousand in number, have gathered in living rooms, theaters, and even detention centers throughout Los Angeles and Ventura Counties to share their stories and have their voices heard.
In 30 years of serving her community, Kim Maxwell has produced three successful theater companies, 32 stage productions, 28 fundraisers, 82 readings, 12 educational outreach programs, and more than 3,500 individual pieces of original material produced in over 150 workshop productions. In the last year she has raised thousands of dollars in scholarship money to "ensure a classroom that represents the great diversity of economic status, sexual orientation, race, and background that we see in our beloved 805 community." Kim has also volunteered hundreds of hours to community organizations ranging from public and private schools, to multiple local non-profits, such as the Mixteco/Indigenous Community Organizing Project, MICOP.
Kim received a Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award from the City of Ojai in 2013 and, most recently, was named the 2018 Visionary of the Year by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).
Lily Brown is an actress, writer and director with a degree in Spanish, Drama and Political Science from Bennington College. She serves as the Producing Director at Kim Maxwell Studio, Co-Producer of The Townies Podcast and Associate Producer at Greenway Court Theatre. She was a staff writer and video content creator at the Bennington Free Press for four years. Since graduating, she has been in numerous productions at Kim Maxwell Studio and starred in the world premiere reading of "Dry Land" by Ruby Rae Spiegel at the Ojai Playwrights Conference. In 2017 Lily attended THREAD at Yale, a highly selective multimedia storytelling program offered each summer at Yale University.
Molly laughs too easily at poor jokes, is extremely prone to injury, is a farmers market junkie and a Townie herself. A UC Santa Barbara Environmental Studies grad, she miiiiight talk a little too much about the importance of sustainable fishing practices. Molly attributes her best qualities to her twin brother, Robin, a theoretical mathematics smarty-pants and all around good soul. She has a great appreciation for people who can laugh at themselves and can get others to do the same, which has led her to Kim Maxwell Studio.
Amaury is a French-native, embedded systems engineer who loves to skate. With a Master's Degree from ESIEE Paris, Amaury is ready to take the American tech industry by storm with his beautiful wife by his side.


Ludacris received some training from an unexpected source during the filming of his video for "Undisputed". The video, filmed at the Las Vegas Gym of boxing champion Floyd Mayweather, features Mayweather and 6 year old boxing sensation, Pretty Boy Bam Bam.
Click here to check out a few flix from the shoot.


Over 30,000 people are expected to attend Brigham City's Peach Days Festival this weekend. It features a classic car show, motorcycle show, carnival, parades, and of course a wide variety of delightful peach dishes to eat. Most festivities are available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The other big event taking place this weekend is LOTOJA. Now in its 36th year, the Logan to Jackson Hole bike race is the biggest in Cache Valley. Cyclists begin their trek Saturday morning at 6 a.m. through Cache Valley, over to Montpelier, Idaho then all the way to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Best of luck to the riders and their support crews.
Celebrate the completion of the 400th home in the owner-builder program from Neighborhood Housing Solutions. The recognition ceremony is Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Hyrum Civic Center and will feature Utah Lt. Governor Spencer Cox who will be the keynote speaker. An open house with free food will follow at the Mountain View subdivision at 1330 East 600 South in Hyrum from 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Enjoy a gala dinner and auction at Beaver Mountain Thursday starting at 5:30 p.m. at Canvas Under the Stars. It's an opportunity to raise money for adaptive outdoor recreation and celebrate Common Ground Outdoor Adventure's 25th anniversary. Lt. Governor Spencer Cox will also make an appearance at this event.
The Elite Hall Restoration Committee is hosting the Fall Harvest Festival Saturday. It's a dinner and dance at Hyrum's Elite Hall with dinner at 5:30, and Harvest Hoedown starting at 7:30.
The Cache Valley Gardener's Market hosts their annual Farm to Table banquet this Saturday. This year the catered meal, with locally-sourced food, will be at the new Cache County Events Center and it starts at 6 p.m.
Or cap off your weekend with the Utah State football home opener as the Aggies host New Mexico State. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. on Saturday.


Delightful book about encouraging a young daughter's love of nature.
A nice book book, particularly if you are the parent of a young child. In it, conservationist John Lister-Kaye describes his exploits in the wild with his young daughter, encouraging the love she already had for the natural world. There are a couple of hair-raising moments, particularly one involving a seal. The only downer: my paperback version was printed on extremely crappy paper, with extremely miserly margins, which made reading the book surprisingly difficult. I am fed up of poorly produced books. Had I known in advance, I would have bought the Kindle version.
Actually, no, that wasn't the only downer. Very early on in the book, Lister-Kaye repeats the tired (and totally incorrect) observation that 'there is little place for wonder in science'. I do wish people wouldn't spout such nonsense. What do they think makes people decide to become scientists in the first place?
But don't let that put you off: Nature's Child is still a very nice book.


Dean Williams, acclaimed Executive Coach and author, shares his coaching diary - offering insights that will benefit existing and developing coaches, as well as leaders and managers that want to develop their conversational style and impact. Essentially this book is a replay of 100 actual coaching sessions that were conducted through a calendar year. The book provides a record and reflection of significant and memorable interventions during each session; be it questions (from a `pure coaching' approach), challenge or implants of wisdom - an Executive Coach's voice!
Want to know when VOICE : The Little Book of an Executive Coach's Wisdom - nzgameshop.com drops below a certain price? Enter your email address and price below and we'll let you know when it drops below that price!


text:
Q: Serialize/deserialize without external library in c# How do i serialize/de serialize JSON data in c# without using any library or nugget package
i tried this
it allways shows me error!
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Deserialize an from json string
    /// </summary>
    public static T Deserialize<T>(string body)
    {
        using (var stream = new MemoryStream())
        using (var writer = new StreamWriter(stream))
        {
            writer.Write(body);
            writer.Flush();
            stream.Position = 0;
            return (T)new DataContractJsonSerializer(typeof(T)).ReadObject(stream);
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Serialize an object to json
    /// </summary>
    public static string Serialize<T>(T item)
    {
        using (MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream())
        {
            new DataContractJsonSerializer(typeof(T)).WriteObject(ms, item);
            return Encoding.Default.GetString(ms.ToArray());
        }
    }
}```

A: System.Text.Json as a library from Microsoft and Newtonsoft.Json, an external serializer friend.

A: Dotnet has a library for your request Source page
string jsonString = JsonSerializer.Serialize(weatherForecast);

var weatherForecast = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<WeatherForecast>(jsonString);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Feuerwerkerstrasse 39,
3602 Thun, Switzerland
Alemnis Standard Assembly (ASA)
ASA: The world's most versatile indentation system
In-SEM
Micro-CT
X-ray beamline
Liquid Cell
Bio-Indenter
Strain-Rate Control
VHS-1-1
UHS-1-1
Scratch Testing Stage
Gripper Systems
Standard Enclosures
Replacement Grippers
CONSUMABLES and spare parts
Indenters
Sample Materials
Mask Aligner System (MAS)
Micropillar Compression
Ultra High Strain Rate Testing
Tensile Testing
Beam Bending
Fatigue Testing
Stress Relaxation
Scratch Testing
Combined Analysis
Digital Image Correlation
Synchrotron/X-Ray
Recorded Module Testing
How to find Alemnis
Alemnis Blog
Thin Films & Coatings
1.1 Our General Terms and Conditions stated below shall apply exclusively for all sales, deliveries and services performed.
1.2 The buyer's General Terms and Conditions shall be effective only if agreed upon separately and acknowledged by Alemnis AG in writing.
1.3 Any order and any acceptance of deliveries shall be deemed acceptance of these General Terms and Conditions by the buyer. The General Terms and Conditions shall apply for the duration of the business relationship between the parties.
2. Offer and contract conclusion
2.1 Our offers are without obligation and not binding in terms of prices or delivery periods. Drawings, illustrations and measurements or other specifications are only binding if this has explicitly been agreed in writing between the parties. Alemnis AG shall be entitled to adapt the products to the latest state-of-the-art without having to notify the buyer of this or obtain the buyer's permission.
2.2 Based on these General Terms and Conditions, orders placed with Alemnis AG shall only be deemed contractual after they have been confirmed in writing. If the buyer does not object within 48 hours to an order confirmation sent by Alemnis AG, the contents shall be deemed to have been approved, even if said confirmation of order should deviate from prior offers. Additional agreements or assurances that go beyond the scope of the written contract, as well as any subsequent amendments and additions to the contract shall require written confirmation in order to have legal validity.
2.3 Alemnis AG reserves the right to declare the withdrawal from the contract at any time or refuse further deliveries in the case of items made to order and orders with special conditions made by the buyer. Should the parties agree on a part delivery or subsequent delivery and Alemnis AG is not able to comply with the desired quality or delivery dates, Alemnis AG provides the buyer as soon as possible with information about the delay and/or the expected delivery date. A late delivery does not give the buyer any right to raise any claims for damages.
3. Prices and terms of payment
3.1 Prices are "ex-works" and exclude namely costs for packaging, freight, customs, import, ancillary charges, bank charges and statutory value-added tax.
3.2 Should economic factors such as the prices of raw materials and auxiliary materials, wages, or other economic factors have a significant effect (10 % of the purchase price) on prices between conclusion of the contract and delivery, Alemnis AG reserves the right to adjust prices in line with such changes.
3.3 Invoices are due within 30 calendar days net after receipt and without any deductions.
3.4 In case of any delay, Alemnis AG is entitled to charge interest at the rate of 5% per annum. In addition, Alemnis AG is authorized to withdraw from the contract or to claim damages for non-performance of the contract.
3.5 Alemnis AG has the right to issue invoices for part deliveries and part performances by instalments. In the event of part deliveries and default in payment, Alemnis AG shall be entitled (even in contradiction to prior payment agreements) to make subsequent deliveries only against cash in advance.
4. Delivery dates
Delivery dates are stated to the best of our knowledge and capacity, they are, however, non- committal. Delivery by instalments is admissible.
5. Transfert of benefits and risks
The benefit and risk of the purchase object(s) pass to the buyer on conclusion of the contract. If the goods are shipped, the benefit and risk pass on to the buyer when the object is handed over for dispatch to the shipping company. Upon explicit request of the buyer, a transport insurance covering all usual risks is made at the buyer's own expenses.
6. Warranty of quality and fitness
6.1 The warranty period is one year except in cases in which separate warranty periods were agreed for individual items delivered. The warranty period shall begin as of the time of passage of benefits and risks pursuant to section 5. Defects that are obvious or recognizable following a due and proper examination shall be reported by the buyer in writing immediately without undue delay — latest within seven days — after receipt of the goods. Defects that could not have been detected within such a period, even in the case of due and proper examination shall be reported immediately after their detection. All notices of defects must be made in writing with an accurate description of the defect to be valid.
6.2 Warranty for defective products is given at Alemnis AG's discretion by performing rework or by substitute delivery. In case of rework or substitute delivery fail, the buyer has the choice to request the purchase price to be reduced or to withdraw from the contract. No other claims in connection with defects — in particular claims for damages — on the part of the buyer will be considered.
6.3 All warranty claims shall expire if the delivered goods are modified or processed.
6.4 Alemnis AG does not guarantee for the unsuitable or improper usage, defective erection and/or initial operation by the buyer or third parties, natural wearing, defective or negligent handling, chemical, electro-chemical or electrical influences.
7. Reservation of ownership
7.1 Alemnis AG retains all ownership rights of the goods until the purchase price is fully paid.
7.2 As long as this reservation of ownership is in effect, the buyer may not assign the goods or transfer these by way of security.
7.3 In case of seizures or other dispositions or infringement into property rights by third parties, the buyer will immediately inform Alemnis AG of such action.
7.4 In case the buyer violates any of his duties, especially in case of delayed payment, Alemnis AG is entitled to withdraw from the contract and to recall the delivery after an appropriate grace period to fulfil the contract has been given without success. The buyer is obligated to surrender possession.
8.1 Liability for loss or damage beyond the area of applicability of the law on product liability is assumed insofar as it has been proved that Alemnis AG acted with premeditation or gross negligence within the meaning of the statutory provisions of law.
8.2 Alemnis AG shall be liable for loss of prospective profits, loss of interest, plant interruption, production shutdown and other consequential damages only in case of intent or gross negligence.
8.3 The above made exclusions and limitations of liability shall not apply in cases of liability without fault, especially as defined in the product liability law, in cases of liability for initial inability to perform, in case of physical injury or loss of life and in cases of liability due to lack of qualities which have been promised.
9. Applicable law and legal venue
Legal venue is Thun (Switzerland). The contractual relationship between Alemnis AG and the buyer shall be exclusively governed by Swiss law with the exclusion of UN purchasing law (CISG).
Alemnis offers state-of-the-art nanoindentation technology for academia and industry.
Alemnis was founded in 2008 as a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Material Science & Technology (EMPA) in Thun.
Feuerwerkerstrasse 39
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Copyright © 2019 Alemnis | All rights reserved


With the help of real-time traffic forecasting, the city of Erfurt significantly reduced environmental damage.
Cutting CO2 emissions in road traffic? eCoMove shows how it is done!
Road transport is one of the biggest sources of air pollution. Therefore, this is an important area with considerable leverage for CO2reduction and climate protection.


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Download free "Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse)" mp3. This really is merely a partial assessment study course, please buy the cd / cassette orginal music Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse) for getting the highest quality with the track, or use as NSP, RBT, I-ring on your own cell phone as a tribute into the singer / musician so that you can hold Functioning. Engage in right before downloading to make certain that music Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse) it can be real that you simply are searching for. We don't retailer documents on our web hosting and we also weren't add it, we only hyperlink to them. If there is a damaged hyperlink we are not in command of it. All the legal rights within the music are classified as the home in their respective homeowners. Obtain mp3 Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse) free of charge now !!


text:
Singapore shares rise at Friday's open; STI up 0.5% to 3,302.85
The Singapore Exchange Centre in Shenton Way. PHOTO: ST FILE
http://str.sg/odXj
Kenneth Lim
kenlim@sph.com.sg
SINGAPORE - Singapore stocks opened stronger on Friday (Aug 3), with the Straits Times Index rising 0.5 per cent or 16.53 points to 3,302.85 as at 9.01am, after mixed overnight markets in the United States.
Gainers outnumbered losers 57 to 46, or about five stocks up for every four down, after 45.9 million shares worth $108.2 million changed hands.
Among the most heavily traded by volume, Thomson Medical Group rose 1.3 per cent or 0.1 cent to $0.08 with 3.4 million shares traded. Sembcorp Industries gained 1.9 per cent or $0.05 to $2.67 with about 800,000 shares traded.
Active index stocks included United Overseas Bank, up 1.7 per cent or $0.45 to $27.15; and DBS Group Holdings, up 0.4 per cent or $0.11 to $26.61.


text:
Trail Mix — 10.11.12
By Ted S. McGregor Jr.
Old-School Campaigning
Like the swallows returning to Capistrano, it's an annual rite of passage when our candidates trudge through the neighborhoods to knock on doors and introduce themselves to voters. Last year both David Condon and Ben Stuckart made great use of good old shoe leather as they came back from weak primary showings to win. This year, 3rd District State Senate candidate Andy Billig tells us he had visited more than 7,000 homes as of last week.
So if one stops by your house, take a minute to let them know what's on your mind. They won't be back until the next election season.
The Real Romney
If like most of America, you're trying to get to know Mitt Romney better as Election Day approaches, check this out: On Oct. 1, The New Yorker published a comprehensive look at the man of many facets. In "Transaction Man," Nicholas Lemann delves into Romney's mission in France, his Bain business career, his time as governor of Massachusetts and his Mormon roots. It's an even-handed, great read.
America's great Western writer Wallace Stegner was a noted Mormon admirer; he authored two mostly sympathetic books about them. "They were the most systematic, organized, disciplined and successful pioneers in our history," he wrote in the introduction of The Gathering of Zion.
That's a story we aren't hearing much about. For example, when Romney was asked about his religion by Oprah Winfrey in O magazine, he quickly answered that he gives 10 percent of his income to the church. That's kind of missing the point.
The Mormon story is fascinating, as Lemann finds in his research.
"There is within us, as a people, a drive to get all the education you can, to conquer the wilderness…" Henry J. Eyring tells Lemann, articulating an inspiring sense of mission his relative Mitt Romney may also possess.
"We must become all we can be," Eyring adds. "We must master our circumstances — we as a family."
Survey Says!
The most recent KING-TV/SurveyUSA statewide polls for issues in Washington state show both R-74 (gay marriage) and I-502 (legalizing marijuana) leading, with 55 percent and 57 percent support respectively. The tax restrictions of I-885 is leading with 56 percent, while the charter school measure, I-1240, is at 49 percent, with a 4.3 percent margin of error.
While those numbers have tightened a bit over time, the poll, taken between Sept. 28-30, shows the presidential race getting less competitive here, with Barack Obama showing a 20-point lead.
With strong leadership from all corners, a new coordinated initiative to improve our region's homeless response system is coming into focus
As 2023 kicks off, here are five books that can help you connect better to the land, people and challenges facing the American West
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North Dakota not among the 36 states with major tax changes in 2020
By North Dakota Business Daily reports | Jan 18, 2020
North Dakota was not included in a new analysis from the Tax Foundation identifying 36 states that have major changes to their tax codes taking effect this year.
North Dakota job growth this year projected at 0.4%
Job growth in North Dakota is expected to reach 0.4 percent by the end of 2020, down from the state's 2019 job growth of 0.6 percent, according to a new study by Kiplinger that assessed state economic outlooks.
North Dakota has adequate funds to weather moderate recession
North Dakota would have adequate revenues to manage a moderate economic downturn without raising taxes or cutting services, according to a new analysis from Moody's Analytics.
North Dakota ranks 16th in annual tax climate ranking
North Dakota finished 16th in a new study by the Tax Foundation showing which states are best at structuring their tax systems
School superintendent is highest-paid public employee in North Dakota
By North Dakota Business Daily reports | Jan 4, 2020
Larry P. Nybladh, superintendent of schools in Grand Forks County, earned $231,210 in 2018, making Nybladh the highest-paid public employee in North Dakota last year, according to a ranking by the website GOBankingRates.
Funding for arts agencies in North Dakota to reach $803,102 in FY2020
Legislative appropriations for North Dakota arts agencies are projected to reach $803,102 for fiscal year 2020, which equates to $1.06 per capita in the state, according to a report from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA).
North Dakota levies a total tax on lodging of 5%
By North Dakota Business Daily reports | Dec 27, 2019
Hotel room bills in North Dakota tack on a total state lodging tax of 5 percent, the 36th highest lodging tax rate in the nation, according to a study by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
No counties in North Dakota are now 2nd Amendment sanctuaries
No counties in the state are now under a Second Amendment sanctuary law or ordinance, according to updates from the website Gunrightswatch.com and media reports.
266 borrowers in North Dakota filed for student loan forgiveness in 2nd quarter
Borrowers in North Dakota who sought forgiveness of their student loans in the second quarter of 2019 numbered 266, according to a new state-by-state analysis by the U.S. Department of Education.
$38.4 million in federal research dollars flowed to North Dakota in FY 2018
Federal agency research dollars going to North Dakota totaled $38.4 million in fiscal year 2018, according to a new analysis by the Research!America alliance.
Rep. Larry Bellew Pledges To Support Congressional Term Limits
By Press release submission | Dec 19, 2019
North Dakota Rep. Larry Bellew (district 38), has committed support for term limits on Congress by signing the Term Limits Convention pledge.
North Dakota received nearly $1.9 million in public broadcasting funds last year
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting allocated $1,885,819 in fiscal-year 2018 to support public television and radio in North Dakota, the seventh lowest amount among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, CPB reported.
North Dakota 2-year college students pay $4,830 in tuition and fees
By North Dakota Business Daily reports | Dec 7, 2019
North Dakota two-year colleges charged students $4,830 in tuition and fees during the 2018-19 academic year, the 35th lowest cost among 49 states examined, the College Board said in a new report.
The one U.S. House member from North Dakota makes $174,000 annually
The single U.S. House of Representatives member representing North Dakota draws an annual salary of $174,000, according to the Congressional Research Service.
North Dakota 4-year university tuitions jumped 48.9% over 15 years
By North Dakota Business Daily reports | Nov 29, 2019
North Dakota four-year public university tuition and fees went from $6,240 in 2004-05 to $9,289 in 2019-20, the 31st largest increase among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the College Board said in a new report.
North Dakota legislators make base salary of $495 per month
State lawmakers in North Dakota now draw a base salary of $495 per month, in addition to travel outlays of 54 cents per mile (one round trip per week), according to a recent study by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
North Dakota community college tuitions jumped 22.8% over 15 years
North Dakota two-year college tuition and fees at public institutions went from $4,064 in 2004-05 to $4,989 in 2019-20, the eighth smallest increase among 49 states studied, the College Board said in a new report.
North Dakota governor makes annual salary of $129,096
The governor of North Dakota now draws a yearly salary of $129,096, the 35th highest salary among the governors of the 50 states, according to recently reported financial data and media reports.
NEA estimates North Dakota K-12 schools spent $1.9 billion in 2018-19
Public schools in North Dakota spent an estimated $1.9 billion during the 2018-19 academic year, a 4 percent increase in expenditures over the previous year, according to a National Education Association report.
North Dakota children in foster care numbered 1,576 last year
The number of youths in foster care in North Dakota at the end of fiscal year 2018 stood at 1,576, a 5.4 percent increase over the previous fiscal year, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).


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Exhibit and attraction staff
Alec Peters
Birth name:
Alec Peters, Jr.
New York City, New York, USA
Alec Peters, Jr. (born 3 September 1960; age 58) was founder of Propworx, which contracted with CBS Consumer Products in from 2010-2012 to auction off Star Trek memorabilia, and was subsequently employed by CBS Consumer Products from 2011-2012 as archivist for their Star Trek archive.
He is executive producer of the controversial fan film projects Star Trek: Prelude to Axanar and Axanar, which notably raised over half a million dollars in crowdfunding between 2014 and 2016. In December 2015, Axanar Productions and Peters personally were jointly sued by CBS Studios and Paramount Pictures for copyright infringement.
An attorney by training at the University of North Carolina School of Law, he began coaching men's volleyball at USC, where he was assistant coach on the 1990 NCAA Championship team. He also coached with the USA National Team until starting his first business, AMG, a sports management company. [1] Yet, afterwards, after his 2006 experience, he made collecting science fiction memorabilia collecting and trading his primary occupation.
Collecting & Auctions
Peters' memorabilia blog, The Star Trek Prop, Costume & Auction Blog and accompanying forum became a nexus for original screen-used prop and costume collectors of the Star Trek franchise. Peters was sought out to facilitate the auctioning-off of the production assets of the revamped 2003 Battlestar Galactica franchise.
In 2008, Peters founded his own auction company, Propworx, which held multiple auctions, selling off production materials from several science fiction franchises, including four that involved the Star Trek franchise. Peters was contracted by former Star Trek staffers Doug Drexler, Michael Okuda, and Rick Sternbach to auction off their personal collections in his official Star Trek auctions. Peters appeared in a 2 May 2012 episode of the television series Auction Kings, where he was called in to authenticate the Steve Diamond-worn, screen-used Star Trek Generations command uniform.
Propworx went bankrupt in 2012, owing consignors and creditors hundreds of thousands of dollars. [2]
Peters' expertise led to various (albeit sometimes begrudgingly) adjustments in various Profiles in History auction listings, as he pointed out inaccuracies, but this eventually led to his appointment as CBS's Star Trek archivist. As archivist, Peters worked on the various Star Trek exhibition tours, the last one being the 2012 "Pacific National Exhibition", Vancouver, Canada leg of the Star Trek The Exhibition tour exhibit. His responsibilities were the care of the screen-used props and studio models that were still in the possession of the studio and which were featured in the tours exhibits from 2006 onward.
Peters assisted in the restoration of the original Galileo Class F shuttle full scale mock-up. The Galileo was acquired by noted collector Adam Schneider, who restored the Galileo and then donated the mock-up to the NASA Johnson Spaceflight Center visitor center in Houston, where it became a major attraction, linking science fiction visions of space travel to the actual space program. [3]
In 2013, Peters portrayed Garth of Izar in the fan series Star Trek: Phase II and was to reprise the role in the fan film Star Trek: Axanar (co-written and produced by Peters), which chronicled the engagement that made Garth famous. The introductory twenty-minute teaser featurette to the movie, Prelude to Axanar (featuring a host of Star Trek alumni such as J.G. Hertzler, Tony Todd, Gary Graham, Kate Vernon, as well as friend and former Battlestar Galactica performer Richard Hatch), premiered in 2014.
In late 2015, CBS and Paramount Pictures filed a joint lawsuit suit against Peters and the Axanar production alleging copyright infringement. [4] Star Trek Beyond director Justin Lin and producer J.J. Abrams expressed support for Axanar and stated in May 2016 that the lawsuit would be "going away" in a few weeks [5], though litigation continued through summer without resolution. [6]
Propworx's specialized Star Trek auctions
"STAR TREK: THE EXPERIENCE Warehouse Sale" – 10 April 2010, sale of assets from the Las Vegas Star Trek: The Experience exhibition
"The official STAR TREK prop and costume auction" – 8 August 2010, sale of assets from former Star Trek production staffers
"STAR TREK auction" – 4 June 2011, sale of assets partly originating from former Star Trek production staffers
"STAR TREK auction III" – 24 March 2012, sale of assets partly originating from former Star Trek production staffers
Star Trek interview
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Blu-ray) special feature, "Collecting Star Trek's Movie Relics" (2009)
Propworx.com – official site
The Star Trek Prop, Costume and Auction Blog – Alec Peter's blog
Alec Peters at IMDb
Anaxar – official Star Trek: Axanar site
Alec Peters at Stage32.com
2010 Interview with Peters at GateWorld.net
Retrieved from "https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Alec_Peters?oldid=2338950"


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Campus News • Society & Culture
UGA students show record levels of interest in research
by Sara Freeland
Austin Garner
Twenty percent more students participating in CURO program
Athens, Ga. – Fall enrollment numbers for courses in the University of Georgia's Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities are the largest in the history of the program. This semester, almost 20 percent more students are requesting CURO courses for individualized research opportunities.
A record 234 UGA students are participating in fall semester research projects. This continues the trend in increased CURO participation. In the 2012-2013 academic year, 449 students took 536 CURO courses—an all-time high and the first year with more than 500 total courses offered. And the number of non-Honors Program students participating has more than doubled from last fall, from 28 to 69 students.
The CURO courses offer undergraduates the opportunity to do one-on-one research with faculty mentors. Courses range from research projects on the effects of music on male aggression to range shifts in alligator populations due to changes in sea level.
"The increased participation in CURO we are seeing is very exciting," said David Williams, associate provost and director of the Honors Program. "UGA is one of only a handful of institutions in the country that offers the opportunity to conduct undergraduate research for a full four years in any academic discipline. This gives students extensive and sustained contact with faculty mentors, who are able to open doors for students throughout their undergraduate experience."
More students are working on independent research projects, more students are getting one-on-one time with faculty earlier in their careers and more students are exposed to research.
"This leads to high levels of student achievement," said Williams. "More thorough letters of recommendations from faculty mentors to graduate and professional schools, more students making informed decisions about careers in research and more research coming out of the University of Georgia."
CURO has gateway seminars, research courses, summer fellowships and presentation and publishing opportunities. Students conduct guided research in labs, write papers and even work up to running their own projects and writing a thesis on their findings—all typically at a level equivalent to what a graduate student might do.
CURO students are writing computer code, studying Chinese investments in U.S. companies, analyzing water samples from the North Pacific, conducting interviews with immigrant populations and tagging songbirds.
There's not only more student interest, but more faculty interest in mentoring undergraduates. This fall, 172 faculty members are teaching CURO courses—30 more than last year.
Mugdha Joshi, a sophomore studying cellular biology, describes CURO as a "one-on-one relationship where the faculty member is invested in your growth.
"It's just cultivating this cool relationship with faculty members and this cool culture on campus that glorifies doing undergraduate research," she said.
The increase in CURO participants is due partially because of the CURO program's expansion to include all students—not just Honors Program students. Currently, about 29 percent of CURO students are non-Honors Program students—double the percentage from last fall and the largest percentage of non-Honors participants since CURO was opened up to all students in 2010.
"Increasingly, students know before they even arrive on campus that they want to conduct undergraduate research, and they understand that they can do that here with full support through CURO," said Williams.
Meg Adams is a second-year chemistry major who came to UGA for exactly that reason—research with the CURO program. Adams has already taken two CURO courses and said it's confirmed her interest in becoming a researcher in the field of marine science.
Many students aren't just doing one CURO project and moving on. They're continuing their research projects for multiple semesters—almost half of fall CURO students had a previous semester of research.
Austin Garner is a senior genetics major with an anthropology minor from Douglasville who's on the CURO thesis path. He's taken two CURO courses and is planning to write his thesis in the spring.
"CURO is great for the fact that it offers an in to labs for people who didn't previously have the opportunity," Garner said. "I am definitely able to learn more (in the CURO course) than I would have learned doing general grunt work in a lab or sitting in a lecture hall. Running your own research forces you to learn and apply what you have learned to real immediate problems.
Garner runs his own project investigating genetics in Mimulus flowers and hybrid crosses. Along with his faculty adviser, Andrea Sweigart, an assistant professor in genetics, he plans to publish the final results of the work and present at the 2014 CURO Symposium, 2013 Southeastern Population Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics Conference this September and the National 2014 Evolution conference.
"CURO also has acted as a great stepping stone for my future career in scientific research, elevating me to a position in which I know that I am competitive for entry into a doctoral program," he said.
For more information on CURO, see http://curo.uga.edu.
Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) Education News Release
Student starts SPIA student mentor program


A Southwest Virginia woman has been sentenced in federal court in Abingdon. Authorities say 38-year-old Jada Ratliff broke into Post Office boxes and stole bank cards and other items. She has been ordered to 28 months in prison and will have to pay restitution after pleading guilty to theft of mail and aggravated identity theft. Ratliff used a screwdriver to open the boxes at various Post Offices.