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December 7, 2022—ZESTAs (Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association) has been granted International Maritime Organization Consultative Status by IMO Council on provisional status for two years, after which time it will be reviewed for its contributions to standards. ZESTA is invited to send observers to attend IMO meetings of interest to the organization with immediate effect.
"We are honoured to share our knowledge and insights on current commercial zero-emission technology and future development with the IMO" stated Jogchum Bruinsma, ZESTAs Chair and Chief Commercial Officer for Nedstack Fuel Cell Technology. "To fulfil the IMO targets on decarbonization, it is vital to cooperate throughout the full shipping value chain and go for zero where possible. At ZESTAs we have the technology and the spirit to make zero-emission happen today."
ZESTAs work to revolutionize the shipping industry through the promotion of rapid and large-scale uptake of zero-emissions technology and fuel. By combining zero emission technologies, it is possible to achieve zero emissions at the shipboard level faster. With today's technologies, the shipping industry can achieve fully zero emissions now, particularly on smaller return to base vessels, as well as drastically reduce emissions on larger, ocean-going vessels with more complicated operational profiles.
The purpose of IMO Consultative Status is to enable IMO to obtain information or expert advice from non-governmental international organizations with special knowledge in a particular sector of IMO's activities and to enable such non-governmental international organizations representing large groups whose activities have an important and direct bearing on the work of IMO to express their points of view to it.
IMO has worked to lower shipping's emission for over 20 years. As recently as 2018, IMO issued a goal of a 40% reduction in emissions by 2030 over 2008 levels and a 50% reduction by 2050. In recent years, however, pressure has built for IMO to be more ambitious and look towards zero emissions by 2050.
Madadh MacLaine, ZESTAs Secretary General, observed "We cannot underestimate the importance of the work being undertaken currently at the IMO. The technologies exist to keep shipping in line with 1.5 degrees of warming and we look forward to working closely with the IMO to achieve the high level of ambition required to assure a fair and just transition and secure a safe future for all. "
Shipping is considered a "hard to abate" sector for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, recently there is tremendous momentum in innovation and willingness to uptake zero-emission solutions. ZESTAs is well positioned to provide input on these solutions and has held a series of "ShipZERO" events bringing together change-makers and innovators from across the entire maritime value chain from shipowners and manufacturers to financiers and regulators. The next will be held during London International Shipping Week 2023.
To learn more about the organization, go to ZESTAs
Photo: Jogchum Bruinsma, ZESTAs Chair and Chief Commercial Officer for Nedstack Fuel Cell Technology
Media contact: Carleen Lyden Walker +203 260 0480 or c.walker@morganmarketcomm.com
Celebrating 50 Years of Protecting the Marine Environment January 9, 2023— This year marks 50…
January 5, 2023 - Students in grades K–12 are invited to participate in the annual…


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Amanda Vickery gives first annual lecture for Centre for Studies of Home
There's no place like home, particularly when it comes to cutting-edge research, as Queen Mary, University of London is proving with a new centre dedicated to its study, partnered by the Geffrye Museum in east London.
The Centre for Studies of Home aims to lead the field internationally, bringing together academics, museum curators and educators with a shared interest and expertise in house and home, past and present.
Amanda Vickery, Professor of Early Modern History at Queen Mary, is to give her inaugural lecture to mark the Centre launch on Tuesday 22 November. Entitled 'Family life makes Tories of us all', the lecture explores the home as the state in miniature and a problem that has preoccupied Professor Vickery for her whole career – "what is the interplay of love and power?"
"After 1688, new ideas on political authority and social manners came to the fore, but the household hierarchy endured regardless. Husbands were to govern wives, masters and mistresses to rule servants, and parents to discipline children," explains Professor Vickery.
"By the eighteenth century, new ideals of politeness revolutionised domestic manners and interactions among the middle classes. Meanwhile the vogue for sensibility in novels and paintings inflated expectations about affection and happiness at home."
Professor Vickery will go on to discuss the balance of love and power in eighteenth-century marriage and family life, and how dependents lived with the contradictions. "'Family life', it was observed in 1779, 'makes Tories of us all… see if any Whig wishes to see the beautiful Utopian expansion of power within his own walls'," Professor Vickery adds.
The Centre for Studies of Home is co-directed by Professor Alison Blunt, of the School of Geography, and Eleanor John, Head of Collections and Exhibitions at the Geffrye Museum, which focuses on homes in England over the past 400 years.
"The Centre offers exciting opportunities to explore diverse themes such as architecture; interior design; the relationship between home, household and identity; the diversity of home-making on a global scale, and privacy and security," says Professor Blunt, who specialises in themes of home and migration.
At present, some 15 academics at the university are researching the home in a range of disciplines including geography, history, English and psychiatry. Those experts include historian Amanda Vickery who specialises in English domestic life from the 1600s to today; Professor Markman Ellis, from the School of English and Drama, who studies tea-table culture in eighteenth-century England; and Dr Alasdair King, of the School of Languages, Linguistics and Film, who researches depictions of 'home' and 'homeland' in contemporary European cinema.
The Geffrye Museum uses its rich collections to explore ideas around the meaning of objects and the ways in which homes have been used and furnished over four centuries, reflecting changes in society and patterns of behaviour, as well as style, fashion and taste.
"A key part of the Geffrye's contribution will be its expertise in making cutting-edge research accessible to diverse, often non-academic, audiences," says David Dewing, Director of the Geffrye Museum.
The Centre convenes a seminar series on 'Histories of Home' at the Institute of Historical Research, postgraduate study days, and a range of workshops. Research projects affiliated with the Centre include an AHRC project on 'Living with the past at home: domestic prehabitation and inheritance' (Catherine Nash, Principal Investigator).
For more information on the Centre, visit: www.studiesofhome@qmul.ac.uk
Event: 'Family life makes Tories of us all'
Venue: Cocktails and live jazz band in the Octagon, Queens' Building, Mile End Road, E1 4NS. The lecture will follow on from this in the Arts2 building on the same campus.
To reserve seats, please book via: /qmpublic/events/items/2011/56718.html
News story: Good connections key to startup success
News story: Scientists fear impact of deep-sea mining on microbial ecosystems
Paul Jordan
Faculty Communications Manager (HSS)
email: p.jordan@qmul.ac.uk

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY PRICE – AFN Clarke's bestselling and controversial book CONTACT is reduced from $3.99 to $0.99 for a limited time from March 1, 2013. This new expanded edition is a raw, visceral, "no-holds-barred" account of combat from one of the men we paid to kill. When first published it caused a furor for its devastating honesty and chilling revelations.
Clarke vividly recounts his experiences of two tours in Northern Ireland (in Belfast and Crossmaglen) as a Platoon Commander with Britain's elite Parachute Regiment during the blood soaked 1970's. The dangers, political agendas and religious roots underlying the conflict are eerily and heartbreakingly similar to Iraq, and Afghanistan today.
".. its honesty and passion cannot be denied .. Mr. Clarke has sent out a powerful and disturbing early warning signal." Maurice Leitch Daily Telegraph.


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Chris Nicak - UC Study on the effects of the losing commuter taxes
Topic: The cost of losing the commuter tax.
Previously, the city estimated it would collect $311 million in earnings taxes for fiscal year 2022, which starts on July 1. Now, it believes it will only collect $277 million because of private sector employees who will not return to work at locations inside of the city.
UC's Economics Center predicts a 16% to 24% drop in the city's earnings tax revenue because of the shift. That's a $45.5 million to $66.6 million hit to the city's general fund budget in FY2022.
The administration also remains concerned about court challenges in Hamilton and Franklin counties to earnings taxes collected during the pandemic. A Franklin County judge recently tossed one of the challenges, but it could be revived by an appellate court. If Ohio cities and state government eventually lose those cases, the city could have to refund $137 million to $173 million.
As a result, the city is recommending $67.5 million be reserved from the American Recovery Plan Act for FY2022's budget deficit, up from $49.5 million. The city is now set to receive $311 million from ARPA, up from $291 million.


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Please, please, please, could somebody bring the Korean band Fellas to Montreal?
By Liz Ferguson on August 16, 2015 • ( Leave a comment )
Cho Dong-ho (aka Mobetteradio), left, and Lee Dong-wook, are the two singers of the Korean R&B band Fellas.
Okay my friends, it's goosebump time! Take two soulful guys (in suits!) sharing lead vocal duties, add wah-wah guitar, electric piano, and a cello for that classical touch (and additional melancholy) and the result is the stunning, addictive video below. I like it a lot; I hope you do, too! Give it a listen – can you resist the urge to sing along? I can't.
The song is called Aftereffect (후유증) and the band is called Fellas (펠라스). Actually, the group often writes its name in this weird way – FEllAS. I don't know why. (I'm going to write Fellas because it's easier to read.)
After listening to Aftereffect a dozen times or so, I looked for more videos by the group and easily found more than 20. They were recorded indoors at clubs and TV studios, and outdoors at music festivals. Image and sound quality vary – some were obviously made by fans using their cellphones (and I'm sure Fellas must have many fans) while others were professionally done and even include info about the camera used, lenses and apertures, etc. The sound is not always perfect in the amateur videos, but the performances are always compelling.
I spent hours deciding which videos to share with you, but it didn't feel like work– far from it! I could listen to these guys all day, and that's pretty much what I've been doing lately. I like all their tunes so far, but there aren't any that I like MORE than Aftereffect.
Even the sad songs from Fellas put a smile on my face, but for those who feel otherwise, here's a bouncy, cheery tune called 1,2,3,4. If both guys were wearing suits and sunglasses there'd be Blues Brothers thing happening here.
I couldn't find much in English about the group's history, beyond the fact that they've been playing together since 2004, they often perform in the Hongdae neighbourhood in Seoul, and in 2012 they appeared on the Korean TV show Top Band 2, which probably increased their fan base enormously.
There are 19 songs by Fellas available for purchase on iTunes, and I did buy some. Sad to say, though, many of them sound rather calm and sedate to my ears, compared to the intensity caught in the live-performance videos. The energy and enthusiam coming from their fans takes the band up to another level altogether.
This next song below, 화풀어, doesn't seem to have an English name. An Internet search told me the hangul translates to "don't be mad," and even showed me a cute emoticon.
On the other hand, the guys sing "Don't Cry," several times, so that could be a good "unofficial" title. They also sing "You're the Only One," which could work too. (Since first writing this, I watched the video again, and the site that took me there that time made an automatic translation of the song title, calling it "Calm Down." Sounds a bit bossy and insensitive!) Whatever the name, the song sounds great to me.
There's another cheerful song, below, which was shot outdoors on a sunny day, appropriately enough. It's called More Good. At the beginning, the drums sound a bit Brazilian to me.
Speaking of Brazilian sounds, Fellas did participate in Rapercussion, a Samba Day at SangSang Madang Live Hall in Seoul. They sang Treasure and Runaway Baby, by Bruno Mars, backed by a troupe of drummers. Those drums sound a bit muffled on the video below, but the voices sound fine, and everybody seems to be having a fantastic time. Wish I could have seen that in person, or better still, been a part of it somehow, maybe playing some drums? The singing does not start until 2:50, so non-Korean speakers might want to fast forward to that spot.
I would really, really, really like to see Fellas live. One more reason to go back to Korea some day! If I were filthy rich, I'd pay them to do a Canadian tour so music fans here could enjoy them, too – assuming that they'd be willing to do such a thing, of course. I can imagine them playing at Montreal's International Jazz Festival, or the Rialto, Sala Rossa, maybe even Metropolis? And where's the Spectrum when we need it, huh?
If you've enjoyed these videos and you just happen to know a music promoter, why not tell him or her about Fellas?
Readers of this blog probably know that it's supported by the Embassy of Korea to Canada. Too bad the embassy doesn't put on musical tours! (Hint, hint. . .)
You can listen to more music from Fellas on this Cyworld page, which has continuous streaming. There are videos on the Facebook page for Fellas Band, and lots more on YouTube. As mentioned above, there are 19 songs by Fellas on iTunes.
Fellas are on Twitter; if you like their music, you might want to let them know!
There is a Fellas page on Naver, too, but I know so little Korean that I couldn't figure out what to DO once on that page. I clicked on various links, but not much happened. Some of you might have better luck!
Do musicians welcome song suggestions, or do they find them annoying? (I hope not, but who knows?)Assuming for the moment that the guys MIGHT actually see this post, here are some tunes I'd like to hear them do (in no particular order.) From my fellow Canadians: Still Believe in Love by Jacksoul, and Rocksteady by Remy Shand. I Just Want to Hang Around You by La India, Let's Stay Together by Al Green; We're In This Love Together, by Al Jarreau; She's Gone, by Hall & Oates; What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted, originally performed by Jimmy Ruffin, and since interpreted by many; If You Don't Know Me By Now, (Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Simply Red, etc.); Loan Me a Dime by Boz Scaggs; blues classic Stormy Monday. Maybe Testify, by Parliament? The original version, from way back in 1967. These are off the top of my head, I could probably think of lots more. But then I'd never get this post up!
Are songs you'd like to see re-interpreted by Fellas? Tell the world in the comment box below. Thanks!
Note: Music by Fellas has been described as R&B, Soul, and Neo Soul; I don't think anyone would call them K-Pop. I just clicked on that category to make this post more visible to readers of this blog.
Tagged as: Fellas, 펠라스, korea, Mobetteradio, music, Musicians, Neo Soul, r&b, Soul
National Liberation Day Celebrations to be Held Across the Country
Enjoy a Drink From a Toilet at the Poop Cafe


Alright, friend. We think it's time to have a conversation about whether or not we should completely do away with daylight saving time in Maine and Western New Brunswick once and for all!
Many people think that the Germans and Austrians were the first to implement daylight saving time in 1916. The truth is, in Port Arthur, Ontario, on July 1, 1908, a group of residents got together and turned their clocks forward to begin the world's first DLT.
Later on, other Canadian Provinces followed suit.
Many credit Benjamin Franklin as the 'father' of DLT. Actually, when he suggested it to Parisians, around 1784, it didn't even involve turning the clocks.
Franklin wrote a letter to the editor of the Journal of Paris, called "An Economical Project for Diminishing the Cost of Light" and suggested that Parisians could economize candle usage by getting out of bed earlier in the morning.
He meant this as a joke.
Actually, the modern day DLT has New Zealand scientist, George Vernon Hudson, and British builder William Willett to thank. History has it that in 1895, Mr. Hudson presented a paper to the Wellington Philosophical Society proposing a 2-hour shift in October and shifting it back again in March.
Should we continue on with Day Light Saving Time or should we can it once and for all? Take a moment and take the quick poll below and tell us what you think.
We'll see if you're peers agree with you.


Did you know that Mexico owns more than 10% of the world's biodiversity? Think of any kind of landscape and you will likely find it Mexico.
Focusing on four sectors considered key to conserving the environment (agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism), the conference was also the setting for the launch of Mexico Tourism Board's new campaign focused on the country's biodiversity and its wealth in terms of nature, culture and gastronomy.
In attendance at the Conference were ministers of economy, chief executive officers of socially responsible multi-national companies in the public and private sector, international banks that promote sustainable business and international financial institutions.
Participants were tasked with finding long-term solutions and proposals for encouraging businesses that are respectful of biodiversity.
At the conclusion of this December 2016 meeting, Mexico reiterated its continued active engagement in finding significant solutions to protect its biodiversity. Mexico values its importance and, drawing from this natural abundance, has created a unique and varied cuisine, as well as tourist experiences such as whale and bird-watching. It also offers ecotourism excursions to communities who share their traditions and their co-existence with local wildlife.
Ready to Go On a Wild Mexcapade?
Within Mexico's territory, visitors can encounter 564 species of mammals, more than 1,000 species of birds, 864 reptile species and 376 amphibians, in addition to over 23,000 types of plants.
The richest states in terms of flora and fauna are Michoacan, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Veracruz and Chiapas. Oaxaca has the largest number of combined flora and fauna species; however, Chiapas is home to the greatest plant diversity with 8,248 registered species and shelters 35% of the country's vertebrates. As a result, all of these destinations offer ecotourism and adventure tourism experiences.
In the northern part of the country, Baja California and Baja California Sur are the states with the largest number of endemic plant species in Mexico.
Additionally, more than 140 different species of marine life have been recorded in the Gulf of California, which is why thousands of visitors come from around the world each year to witness the arrival of the whales. A similar wealth of diversity can be found in the coral reefs of the Caribbean, which stretch over 120 miles.
Se encuentra ubicado a casi 4 kilómetros de Tulum, en dirección de los yacimientos de Cobá, es el cenote más famoso de esta parte del país.


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Q: Django: Is it efficient to save queryset items in loop? Is it efficient to obtain a queryset, and iterate over it in a conventional loop, saving the changes to each item using save()? e.g.
for mod in mymodel.objects.all():

    # modify
    mod.name = 'new name or whatever'

    # Save
    mod.save()

If not, is there a better way? The docs state that calling save() hits the database which is why I ask. I'm a relative newbie to Django (and Python). In the real case, I will not be iterating over the entire database.

A: Not efficient, but sometimes you have to. However you can use .update() especially if it's the same value you want to put in, or if there's an easy way to predict them
so for your example: MyModel.objects.all().update(name='new name'), this won't loop over the entire table, it pretty much translates to UPDATE my_model SET name = 'new name'
You can do a multiple update following a filter too, ref: https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.7/topics/db/queries/#updating-multiple-objects-at-once

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Kelly condemns latest attack on constituency office
22 March, 2021 - by Gerry Kelly
Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly has condemned the latest attack on his North Belfast constituency office.
The North Belfast MLA said:
"The futile intimidation campaign targeting Sinn Fein representatives in North Belfast will not succeed."The latest attack on my constituency office on the upper Antrim Road overnight will not stop me or any Sinn Fein elected representative working on behalf of the whole community.
"This is the second time those involved have daubed far-right and neo-Nazi graffiti on the office and these anti-democratic and fascist actions have no place in our society and community.
"While the cowards involved in the attacks on my office and family home continue to lurk in the shadows, I will continue to advance the needs of all the citizens of this constituency."


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Pamela Anderson Reveals The Moment She Knew Kid Rock Wasn't For Her – Hollywood Life
Pamela Anderson55, is looking back on her marriage to Kid Rock, 52, and admitted she knew he wasn't right for her immediately after they got married. The former Baywatch star, who is releasing a documentary about her life and a memoir at the end of the month, appeared on SiriusXM's The Howard Stern Show on Jan. 25 and opened up about the ups and downs of her love life over the years. Howard asked about the moment she knew she shouldn't have been romantically with the singer, and she didn't hesitate to answer.
More AboutPamela Anderson
"Right when I got married," she said with a laugh, before mentioning her first husband Tommy Lee, in the video above. "I just jumped into something because, you know, Tommy and I did, and we had this incredible connection. But then you jump into something and it's like, 'Oh, it's not this incredible connection, it's just something else. Then I slowly try to make my way out."
Pamela and Kid Rock at an event. (Matt Baron/BEI)
"This last year I've been alone, and it's been a really incredible year for me," she added. "Just kind of going through, looking back, and reflecting on everything… it's been good. I mean, like you have to be able to be alone too before you can be with somebody else, so I feel like I'm just kind of growing up right now. It's taken a long time."
Pamela and Kid Rock were married from 2006 until 2007. Before that, she was married to Tommy, with whom she shares sons Brandon26, and Dylan, 25, from 1995 until 1998. The former Playboy star also went on to marry after Kid Rock. She was married to Rick Salomon from 2007 until 2008 and again from 2014 until 2015. She also married Jon Peters in 2020 but the marriage was short-lived. Finally, she married her bodyguard, Dan Hayhurst in 2020 but filed for divorce in 2022.
Pamela and Kid Rock were married in 2006. (Reed Saxon/AP/Shutterstock)
Pamela's documentary, Pamela, A Love Story, will air on Netflix and will feature her side of the story about many public relationships and moments in her life. Her memoir, Love, Pamela, is set to do the same. Both of them will be released on Jan. 31.
Pamela Anderson & Tommy Lee's Relationship Timeline: From Marriage To Divorce & Where They Stand Today
Jury deliberations in NYC bike path killings hit early snag
RHOSLC's Heather Gay Finally Comes Clean About Her Black Eye
Ian Somerhalder & Paul Wesley Mourn Annie Wersching – Hollywood Life


Rotterdam (NL), January 22, 2019: In A Fisherman's Tale, the mind-bending VR adventure game that launches onto PlayStation VR, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Windows Mixed Reality headsets today, you will work with infinite, ever smaller and bigger replications of yourself to find your way out of a world where physics are utterly broken.
What does it mean to be trapped inside a replica in an elusive virtual world? A Fisherman's Tale is a journey of both introspection and extrospection, asking players to both reach inside and outside of themselves for answers.
Break more than a couple laws of physics in mind-bending VR puzzles!
Team up with yourself in revolutionary multi-dimensional single player co-op!
Use your hands to pick up, throw, combine, and use all kinds of things in glorious fully immersive virtual reality!
Toy around with your tiny little model lighthouse, inside a lighthouse, inside a... is that another lighthouse?
A Fisherman's Tale is now available at a SRP of $14.99/€14.99 for PlayStation VR, HTC VIVE, Oculus Rift and Windows Mixed Reality.
For more information, visit http://afishermanstale-game.com.


September is Healthy Aging Month® an annual health observance that focuses attention on the positive aspects of aging and creates awareness about the importance of starting healthy routines, habits, and treatments that will help you be a younger you.
According to the National Eye Health Education Program created by the NIH, more than 41 million Americans are currently age 65 or older, and this number is expected to grow over the next 30 years to more than 88 million, as well as the number of older adults with age-related eye diseases is expected to double.
While vision loss is not always caused by growing old, certain eye diseases resulting in vision issues are more common in older adults. These diseases include age-related macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy (DR), glaucoma, dry eye, and other ischemic eye diseases.
Losing focus, making it harder to focus vision up close.
If you recognize and see one or some of these symptoms in yourself, or any over 50 individual, it might be the right time to visit an eye doctor.
At LKC Technologies, our mission is to assist eyecare professionals preserve sight, utilizing the latest in technology to perform painless, objective and effective diagnostic tests.
LKC's RETeval® can perform a full-field flash electroretinogram (ERG) test, which measures the retina's electrical response to light. Retinal responses are impacted in the strength and the timing of the response providing the healthcare professional with significant information on the function of the various cellular layers of the retina.
An ERG obtained by using the RETeval® device provides professionals with an immediate objective measurement of retinal function and can aid in monitoring the success and evolution of the treatment in older adults being treated with anti-VEGF injections, which are commonly used by professionals to treat AMD, DR, DME, and other ischemic diseases such as vein occlusions of the eye.
According to the American Society of Retinal Specialists (ASRS), anti-VEGF drugs are being used to treat almost every retinal condition as these drugs help to arrest or slow the progression of many eye diseases.
Adults over the age of 50, who are experiencing any of these symptoms should have a comprehensive eye examination.


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Police warn drug-fuelled motorists are on the rise as arrests in the Highlands and Islands soar to record-worst levels
By Alasdair Fraser
- alasdair.fraser@hnmedia.co.uk
Officer with a roadside drugs test.
Drug-driving arrests in the Highlands and Islands soared to record-worst levels just three weeks into this year's festive crackdown by police.
The number of illegal substance abuse detections among motorists up to December 22 surpassed last year's entire campaign total.
The worrying statistic prompted a senior north police officer leading the fight against dangers on our roads to issue a fresh warning on the devastating consequences drink and drug-driving convictions can have on the lives of victims, offenders and families.
Inspector Donnie Mackinnon, from Police Scotland's Highland and Islands road policing unit, described the arrests as "of great concern" and warned: "Those who are misusing substances will be detected if they drive on our roads.
"It is for individuals to think about the consequences of that."
From December 1, 2020 to January 1, 2021, 24 drink-drivers and 27 drug-drivers were detected across the Highlands and Islands.
This year, from December 1-22, 15 drink-drivers and 28 drug-drivers were arrested, with figures for the remainder of the month set to be significantly higher.
The worrying statistics mirror a surge in drug-driving detections across Scotland since new legislation in October 2019 gave police a road-side drugs testing capability.
Saliva wipes from drivers stopped routinely or under suspicion enable officers to obtain a positive or negative roadside reading for cannabis or cocaine within eight minutes.
Suspects are then transported to a police station for blood tests that can also detect other illegal substances.
Inspector Mackinnon stressed that drug-driving was just as dangerous as drink-driving and highlighted how, as well as risking lives, those convicted could lose employment with catastrophic effects on livelihoods and family life.
He said: "Unfortunately, I can report that we exceeded the number of drug-drivers a few days before Christmas. This represents a massive rise in the number of detections across the area.
"Since the current festive campaign started, drug-drivers have vastly exceeded drink-drivers which is obviously of great concern.
"To have 15 drink-drivers in the area detected already is, in itself, a worrying figure with the campaign not ending until January. We're only nine off last year as it stands, which is a matter of concern.
"The drug-driving figure probably highlights a problem that has existed for years, but the difference is we now have the full toolkit to deal with it.
"Statistics like these are always worrying, but in one sense it might reassure our communities to know we're out there detecting offenders and taking them off the roads.
"That's certainly a great positive from our perspective."
Offenders face a minimum 12-month driving ban, up to six months in prison and a large fine, as well as three to 11 points on their driving licence and possible loss of their vehicle.
Causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drugs carries a maximum 14-year jail sentence and a minimum driving ban of two years.
Inspector Mackinnon added: "There is obviously the catastrophic impact drug-driving can have in terms of lives lost, but it is important to remember the personal consequences.
"Those convicted can lose their job, with a devastating impact on their family, the potential loss of homes and mortgages, or rent arrears.
"Whatever your personal circumstances, there can be long-lasting repercussions if convicted."
• Call police on 101 if you suspect someone has taken drugs or had too much to drink before getting behind the wheel.
Crime Latest News Alasdair Fraser


What. A. Drawl. Oh how I do enjoy getting a juicy bit of Dead Pretties in my ears and rocking out in the morning before anyone else has arrived at the office. Get yourself pumped up for some, raw energetic music that's more addictive than a box full of free Freddos. Come on, they're 30p now – you've got to make the most of the freebies when you can.
These guitars are ramped up, vocalist Jacob Slater is amped up and the overall sound is thicker than that 'thick' cut of bread you can buy. Who on earth buys that? It just throws off the bread to filling ratio of a sandwich, disgraceful. With a punky spirit – and plenty of it – the trio capture an essence of rage that's so often lacking in music and they use it to create a sound that's far too real for anyone up in an ivory tower to even begin to comprehend. It's never rushed yet you still feel as though it's making the blood pump faster, the toes tap relentlessly and your head begin to throw itself around as if you still had those flowing locks that once adorned it, back in the day.
Let Dead Pretties look after your weary head as you soldier on through the day – it might be loud but it's going to perk you right up and put you in a fighting mood. In the end, that's all you're after – right?


A twin ladle furnace of similar design for the precise control of the chemical composition and temperature of the liquid steel and slag.
Bokaro Steel Plant (SAIL - Steel Authority of India), located in Bokaro Steel City in the Indian state of Jharkhand, has placed an order with SMS group for the supply of a 130-ton twin ladle furnace. The order comprises the engineering and the turnkey supply, including erection and commissioning. The supply scope includes not only the mechanical equipment, the X-Pact® electrical and automation package (level 1 and level 2) but also the civil engineering and building construction work. Commissioning is scheduled for summer 2018.
The twin ladle furnace allows to precisely control the chemical composition and temperature of the liquid steel and slag. The ladle furnace thus satisfies an important basic requirement for further process steps aimed at producing high-quality steel grades and it also functions as a buffer for the molten metal upstream of the remaining processing stations.
With this order, Bokaro Steel is the first company of the SAIL Group in India to install a twin ladle furnace from SMS group. Altogether, since the year 2000, SMS group has supplied around 170 ladle furnaces worldwide.


text:
import os
import sys

# Add root dir to PATH env var
CWD = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
sys.path.insert(0, CWD)
sys.path.insert(0, os.path.normpath(os.path.join(CWD, '..')))

import tests
import shmaplib

shmaplib.setuplog()

if __name__ == '__main__':
    tests.main()

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


A recent survey found that only 15% of gun owners secure their weapons so children wouldn't have access to them.
In Warren, Ohio a 44 year old man named Robin Garlock said that there were some kids coming over to the house, so his first thought was that he needed to put his gun somewhere safe so the kids didn't get hurt. He decided to put the loaded gun in his Maytag oven. Without knowing Robin's girlfriend turned on the oven and started to heat it up. After a while of the oven being on the gun inside got to hot, in fact it was so hot that the bullets that were loaded in it exploded. Two of the bullets went right through the oven door and struck Robin, one in each shoulder. While at the hospital the police did question Robin about what happened, but ended up believing his story when the saw the bullet holes in the oven door.
at floor level secure it from inquisitive children?
somewhere near the front of it.
handgun in the microwave or baby's crib.
is just not compatible with a Maytag.
He should have stored his pistol in the Glock Pot.
This is why God gave men grills.
can often be very, very deadly.
He then heard bang, bang, and bang.
It was Roasted lead with a light cream sauce.
repair man who was shot in the kitchen.
The police investigated why the gun fired.
They found the oven had been sprayed with Easy Off.
his Kevlar apron and Kevlar oven mitts.
a lot of talk about oven control.
Constitutional right to keep and bake arms.
need to be loaded and armed.
could have stopped the gunslining oven.
people will get them somehow, so do nothing.
was Islamic or an illegal immigrant.
the obviously poor construction of the oven.
but we are NOT to talk about the gun.
and are allowed to play video games.
and prayers out of kitchens.
The police questioned everyone in the kitchen.
and the waffle iron had waffled about what to do.
and oven knew the heat was on.
was licensed to Conceal Carry.
So if we were playing a game of clue.
with the revolver in the kitchen.
and said it tried to fix stupid but failed.
but you can't make him use it.
guns owners are the problem.
his toaster in the bathtub.
He was not charged with any crime.
and been injured he would be cited for reckless driving.
Owning a gun only requires cash.


text:
Legal library offers help with forms
Anna Del Savio
Free program at county law library helps local residents navigate legal paperwork
For those outside the legal profession, trying to navigate the court system can be intimidating and confusing. That's why the Columbia County Law Library started the Legal Forms Clinic earlier this year.
In February, the library started offering the public assistance with filling out various legal forms.
"It's really set up to help the low-income community and help the pro se litigation community," meaning people who represent themselves in court, explained Pam Schultz Davis, the law librarian.
Difficulties with filling out legal forms for issues like divorce, custody, parenting plans, small claims or restraining orders have long been an issue in the court system.
"From talking with people at the courthouse, the people in the Trial Court Administrator's office, and the judges, we knew that there was a real need in Columbia County for helping people find the right forms and helping them fill them out," Davis said.
The clinic doesn't provide legal advice, but can help people find out which forms they need and guide them through a maze of legal paperwork.
Community members can sign up in advance for appointments each Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. The clinic has been full almost every time, according to Davis.
"Sometimes people come in here and they're terrified because they've never had any contact with a lawyer or a law library or a court," Davis said. "We help guide them but we don't actually fill out the forms for them. We just try to make them at ease and help them feel as comfortable as they can."
The clinic is staffed by two paralegals, one of whom is an intern from Portland Community College, and Davis, who worked as an attorney for almost 30 years.
The clinic is one step in a years-long process to rejuvenate the Columbia County Law Library. A few years ago, the Columbia County Bar Association recognized that the county's law library needed revitalization, so Davis and another librarian began studying law libraries and crafting recommendations.
"Whereas traditionally law libraries have served the legal community (lawyers and judges), we were looking at expanding the services to become a welcoming resource for the entire community," Davis explained.
Columbia County's small size is an advantage.
"The bigger counties have a harder time. Smaller counties, we're a block away from the courthouse, we know the judges on a first name basis, we work easily with the judges here," Davis said.
Some visitors have fairly straightforward needs, but others have more complex legal situations that require more legal assistance.
"We try to just have a good ear to whatever the problem is, and try to guide them to the resources that we know are available in this community," Davis said. "We are a new program, we're learning as we go. With each person that comes in, we're learning something about their case and we're learning something about how to most effectively help them."
We're definitely learning, but the people that come
in here learn from us," she added.
The law library also hosts free legal clinics where lawyers give presentations and take questions on topics like custody, special education law, and knowing your rights in criminal procedures.
For more information, visit www.columbiacll.org.


How Many Holiday Lights Are Too Many?
Not a lamp or plug's working, not even your mouse.
In hope the electrician soon will be there.
Not exactly how you were planning to spend a holiday evening? You might be surprised to learn that a little simple math can avoid the power outages that are common when holiday lighting causes breakers to trip, fuses to blow, and circuits to overheat.
Most household circuits are rated to carry either 15 or 20 amps of current, so the first thing to check is your panel. Breakers and fuses are marked with their ratings, so it's easy to determine the load they will take. A properly installed panel will be clearly marked with what that breaker or fuse controls.
Let's look at a 15-amp circuit (the principle's the same for a 20-amp circuit—the math's just different).
First, know that you should keep the load to no more than 80% of the circuit's rating for safety's sake and to avoid knocking it out if there's a surge, such as when you turn on an appliance or string of lights. 15 x 80% (0.8) = 12, so keep the load to 12 amps or less.
Next, add up the draw of all the things you plan to put on that circuit. Be aware that one circuit may serve more than one room and that all outlets and fixtures in a room may not be on the same circuit. This is especially true in kitchens.
Then look at the draw of the lights you plan to add. They should have a tag listing either the amps or watts they will draw. That information is probably on the box they came in, too. If you need to convert watts to amps, it's simple: Amps = watts/volts. So using the standard U.S. residential voltage of 120, 60 watts/120 volts = 0.5 amps. Take away the TV, ceiling lights and table lamps from the 12-amp capacity, and that's what you have left to work with.
The good news is you'll probably have room for plenty of lights for the tree. But what if you want to go Full-Griswold with your outdoor lighting? That can become trickier, because you probably have a fairly limited amount of capacity at your outdoor outlets, especially if they're on a shared circuit with indoor service, and you probably will want a fair number of light strands to wrap around trees or decorate the house. Here's an example.
Your 25-foot string of incandescent lights says it pulls 185 watts of power. You need 12 strands to cover all the things you want to light up. Well, 12 x 185 = 2,220 watts / 120 volts = 18.5 amps. That's way over 15 amps and even past the 16-amp safety limit of a 20-amp circuit. You'll need at least two circuits, depending on how much reserve power they have left.
Or you could say "out with the old and in with the new" and switch to LED lights, both indoors and out. That same 25 feet of lighting using LED bulbs will only draw about 3.6 watts of power or less than 40 watts for all 12 strands. Yes. LED lights cost more, but when you consider they'll use over $50 less electricity every season in our example, and can last up to 40 times longer, it seems like a pretty smart investment.
LED lighting is the future, both for holiday lighting and everyday use. And with adaptability growing and prices coming down every month, there's little reason to put off switching.
Learn more about the differences among incandescent, compact fluorescent and LED lighting here.
Whatever direction you choose to go, the pros at Allstar Electrical Services are ready to help with your home's electrical needs. Besides seasonal lighting needs, short days and cold nights can add stress to a weakened or inadequate electrical system.
For more information about holiday lighting issues, read: ChristmasLightsEtc.com.
All of us at Allstar Electrical Services wish you a happy holiday season and a healthy, prosperous year to come!


Hofstra Career Center: What's Your Story?
There may come a time when you will be asked to write a personal statement about yourself. I often times find that students write what they "think" I/we want to hear. I am here to tell you DO NOT do that. Submit an essay that tells a story about you. Think of it in terms of writing your own eulogy. Only your story can best be told by you. If you find you are struggling about what to write, ask three friends "what should people know about me?" This will start to give you ideas on what you should write. Be yourself, tell a story and step outside the box. You are unique and you need to show what makes you stand out!


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