YEMISI MAKINDE is the Managing Director/ Lead Consultant Quant Hub Insights Services Limited. She has over 20 years Post Graduate Work Experience: (6 years Market Research Supplier + 16 years in Knowledge & Insights Application). Yemisi is also highly skilled in deriving and delivering actionable consumer and customer insights to drive sustainable business growth.
We would like to know where you have worked before.
I graduated from University of Ibadan (UI) with a B.Sc. degree in Economics and hold a Masters of Business Administration degree from University of Ilorin. I started my market research career with Research and Marketing Services (RMS) now TNS Nigeria in 1996 as a Trainee Research Executive and rose up the ladder to become the Group Head of the Quantitative Unit at RMS in 2001. In May 2002, I left RMS to join Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited as Knowledge and Insights manager. My role covered West Africa, including Franco-speaking West African countries. In July 2012, I left Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, having spent 10 years to join Cadbury Nigeria Plc. as Marketing Services Manager. I had expanded responsibilities to oversee both Consumer Insight and Media units, and the two units were reporting to me. Later, Kraft was split into two business entities – Kraft with focus on groceries and a new company that was formed – Mondelez International with focus on snacking. I had varied roles but left Mondelez International as Consumer Insights Manager for Cocoa Beverage (Asia, Middle East & Africa) AMEA in 2017 to start my own company – QuantHub Insights Services Limited.
How do you feel leaving the multinationals to managing your own firm now?
I think it is a rest period for me, even the Bible says it's not wise to labor and eat the bread of sorrow. I mean there should be a time that you work, which is like the sowing time and there's also harvest time. I think I have sown. Life is not designed to be a grind that you will have to keep working continually at another person's pace. I now use my time and energy to drive my own goals and at my own pace.
What are the unique things you have discovered about the Nigerian consumer?
The Nigerian consumer is very discerning. They know what they want. They want quality whether young or old, and even those aspiring for quality products. There are some consumers who cannot afford expensive items but that does not mean they would go for low quality products. In addition, because of the poor economy they prefer to satisfy immediate needs. They usually do not have enough cash to tie down on one particular item. When we were growing up our parents used to stock groceries for future consumption, they would buy groceries in bulk, but now people only buy when they require them. So, it's more about immediate consumption; when they need it they will go and buy, and as such when you look across different categories, it is the portion packs that are performing very well. For example, milk and cocoa beverages are available in 20-gram sachets, and they are the ones driving the different categories. Same pattern can be found across cereals, detergents and vegetable oil. By this, consumers are able to meet all their needs across different categories. Another thing I noticed about the Nigerian consumer is the use of digital technology – many people now use various digital platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram to connect and also transact business, such as using the status option of these apps to upload different items for sale with the prices for anyone interested in any of the items. So that is the new trend. A lot of digital media is being consumed and it is beneficial for both the entrepreneurs and consumers, even if you are not interested, you get to know what is for sale. The point is, apart from providing information and connecting people, some Nigerians now make money via digital technology.
I feel fulfilled. I think gender discrimination doesn't come into market research though there is the issue of low female participation at several leadership positions but it's not only specific to market research, it cuts across different sectors. I just finished a survey on reasons for low female participation in boardrooms. I spoke to working class women, across all sectors (not only in market research) and at all levels – both senior and middle managerial levels, trying to understand what challenges they are going through in this regard. It was observed that women are well suited to be at the board without any limitations. However, the key factors limiting female participation at boardrooms are mainly discrimination against appointment and promotion. Men know how to lobby, through various out-of-office meeting/relaxation places and talk things over, but women believe that their expertise, intellect, capabilities or quality should speak for them. Therefore, it's needless lobbying anybody before they can get into any leadership position. Interestingly, it is inconsequential to the clients we work for whether you are a male or female. Clients want quality – what are you bringing to the table? Can they beat their chest and say yes this person is well established in what she is doing and she knows what she is saying and she is able to provide actionable insights. That is what they are looking for, gender issue doesn't come in.
In many African countries, university departments and research institutes are often led by men who also occupy key leadership positions of responsibility. What do you think is responsible for this?
Like I said, it's not only peculiar to the market research industry where you have men dominating, it cuts across all sectors. It is a trend that we see even in the private and public sectors. In fact, in the research world, when you consider the gender of the people in boards, you'll notice that out of nine people there will be an average of three women, meaning that there is still a gap in terms of gender equality at the board level. I think it's a journey. I know some companies are working to close this gap, especially the multinationals. They are mandated, as part of their key result areas to ensure that they recruit a certain number of qualified women in senior roles. However, I don't think it's the same thing with the private companies because the private companies need to work and sweat a lot, they want people that work like jackals and you know men only have one role – go to the office and come back, but females have dual roles – we have the home responsibility and the office one. So one of the factors apart from the discriminatory appointments and promotions that I have mentioned to you is that we have family responsibilities limiting women especially young working mothers. This is usually challenging, so for some, after trying to juggle between work and family, and if job performance drops, they may have to resign because to them, family comes first. Ironically, such may be more intelligent and of more value to where they work than their male colleagues free from such pressures. In some cases, men ask their wives to leave their jobs while undertaking to provide solely for the family. An example in the public sector is the National Assembly where the number of men outstrips that of women. So it cuts across all sectors like I said. I think the government needs to take responsibility by legislating to ensure equal opportunities for women across all sectors. To some, it has to be a deliberate effort but I am not saying because it's a deliberate effort, women should not build themselves to increase capability. This means that women should be ready when the opportunity comes, not because you are a woman is the reason for getting a role but because you are qualified. Women need to work for it and this was the talk I gave on the International Women's Day organized by Nielsen for women in the market research industry. The fact that you are a woman doesn't mean that everything has to come to you on a platter of gold, you need to learn and re-learn, to build capability. So you can't use the excuse that you juggle home with office work and you don't want to develop yourself. It is not an excuse, we all want the MD role but you need to be qualified and to work for it.
It's cultural and religious as well. The two go together so we have the cultural thing that when men are talking women are not expected to talk and it's more prominent in the North but not like that in the South East and South West where we have more women that are working. You will see a woman that graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering, she is Hausa but she stays at home and doesn't go out to work. So she is not contributing to the development of herself, the family and the community at large. They depend largely on their husbands to provide everything but as for me, it's not fulfilling. Culture is there but you have to try to understand that you sent this lady to school and she has things to offer to improve herself, her family and the community at large. There was a day they talked about empowerment of women at the House of Representatives and one member from the north was saying that if they give equal rights to women, the women will become their husbands. So there is that fear, lack of security among the men that the women could perform better.
At this time is there any organized movement in Nigeria for women empowerment?
I am not sure except when we are celebrating International Women's Day. We try to encourage more women to come out and be the best they can be and live their dreams.
How do you feel working in a sector that is perceived to be dominated by men?
I don't know whether it's really dominated by men but I know many women in key positions that are in the industry and they're doing well. I don't think they are intimidated. They are few but are they fewer than men? I am not intimidated and I worked with female leaders when I started my career.
How would they cope with deadlines?
Technology helps to improve our work load with a mix of some ingenuity. For example, as you are about executing the research, you try to figure out the report template – what it is going to be like, so the template is already there and when the data is obtained, you just plug it in. It saves time. I think it's about time management as well and the fact that you are not committing unrealistic timeline to your client. Let me give you an example, you commissioned me to do a project and I have sent you the questionnaire and you approved it. The next is to know whether I should move ahead and you are sitting on the questionnaire for one week and I am chasing you around. The moment I start field work you are pushing me and you want the result delivered. Unfortunately what most agencies do is just try to please their clients by agreeing that they would deliver when they know that they won't be able to do so. The next thing they would do is to keep apologizing for their inability to meet up with the deadline. But if you agree on a very realistic timeline, then there will be a peace of mind. You won't be in a pressure cooker 24/7, 365 days. So, it's about time management skills and how to juggle so many things at the same time. Don't over commit because if you get one project commissioned and you don't meet up with the deadline, and all you do is to apologize when it was obvious that you won't be able to meet the deadline, and it is recurrent, you are projecting a wrong image of yourself/company to the client. So I think we should step back as market researchers and look at how we can commit to more realistic timing. Therefore, it's very important that we learn how to manage our time and clients so that it doesn't result in serious health issues from unnecessary pressures, which may end up in spending money in the hospitals to take care of yourself, then what is the gain?
So, what are the personality traits that have kept you going in research all this while?
Number one is integrity. I value integrity a lot and I would not want anything that could tarnish my name because I have worked for that name over the years. I have built a name on integrity and that's my number one value apart from God. I don't like to compromise on any situation looking like it. I hold my integrity dearly. Throughout the time I worked as a research user at Coca-Cola, or Cadbury I didn't request for kickback. All I was after was quality job. I don't like shoddy jobs or trying to cut corners, it doesn't work for me and I think based on my platform of integrity because I want quality and quality is not only on project even in my life style, I go for quality . So for me it's a strong value. Another personality trait that kept me going while I was at the client side was my strong connection with my key stakeholders. I actually identified my key stakeholders – the marketing director and the brand team, and I was able to connect with them. I became the go-to person for them when it came to insights and information. So, I think I am approachable and that's one of the traits that I have. I love to connect with people and those are some of the key values that my company is projecting. We are ethical, we are responsive and we want to give them 100% satisfaction.
Is there anything you feel that can be done differently in the industry?
All the companies especially the research agencies need come to the recognition of the demanding nature of market research especially for women. Women have dual roles, like I said we are juggling two jobs – family and career, and you don't want any to suffer. You need to recognize women have family commitments at home. Sometimes you come home from work Monday to Friday and your kids are asleep. You only see them in the morning when they are about to go to school, then you ask yourself what kind of life is that. We need to find a way to help women balance career and family responsibilities. We need to be deliberate on this and not just leave it to chance. In fact for a working mother that is a qualitative researcher, it's usually a challenge. The reason being that they travel a lot from one location to the other to conduct research. So if companies can help them to have flexible working conditions such that when they don't have demanding jobs, they can work from home or maybe come to the office three times in a week. Also, companies can make arrangement with service support providers to help them look for good housemaids.
Is there anything you will want to be done differently in this industry?
The number one thing I will like to see done differently in the industry is to discourage/prevent companies giving out research jobs to those that are not professionals. You can find a one-man portfolio with a research brief from a multinational company that is aware he's not a research professional, yet they gave him a brief to execute, which he couldn't and he goes looking for professionals to help do the work. Sometimes companies give out research jobs to advertising or media agencies who now subcontract the job to market research companies but they need to recognize us and deal with us one on one rather than going through an unprofessional third party. Let me give you an example, as an accountant if you have accounting need, do you first go through market research person when you know it's an accounting job? It is not done, so you go directly and engage an accountant to do the work. The same thing is what I will like to see in the market research industry. We need to get to a stage that companies should not just think anybody can do market research. No, they should be engaging the professionals directly. That is something I will like to see happening in the near future. The second issue is that I will like to see improvement in agencies saying no to those that are demanding for gratification. I have heard stories in the industry about demand for gratification to the extent that they even tell you the percentage you should give on a project before they commission the project to you!
What do you have to say to the women in market research industry?
For the women in research, I will say they should keep their heads up high. What a man can do a woman can do even much better. All they need to learn is time management, how to juggle the ball so that one ball will not drop for another. Above all, whether you are a man or a woman, develop yourself, nobody will develop you and when you develop yourself it gives you an edge and no employer will take it away from you when you are leaving.
Lastly, I will like to implore the research agencies to please try to develop their people. It is not only about the salary being paid. The workforce should be developed. Most of the founders of market research agencies in Nigeria are an offshoot of RMS and they passed through this same tutelage. Uncle Tej will not go alone to any conference without taking one or two people along. Some other MDs will attend with their wives that do not have any business in market research and not with any member of staff.


Poker PLAY! (Free) by WildTangent, Inc. is a fun little puzzle game with a challenging poker theme that will appeal to anyone, even if you don't like poker. If you enjoyed games like TwoDots and JELLIES!, then you will like Poker PLAY.
When it comes to iOS games, I am a sucker for the puzzles. It doesn't matter what kind of puzzle it is — I just love them all. They're my favorite type of game because of the simple gameplay mechanics, but they're always stimulating, which is a great thing. However, I'm not a big fan of poker, or most card games, but I know the basics like what makes a good hand in the game and such. So when I stumbled upon Poker PLAY! in the App Store last week, I was intrigued by the combination. After giving it a try for the past few days, it's a great way to pass some spare moments throughout the day.
The visuals in the game are bright and colorful, representing what you would find at a poker table. So it still has a bit of skeuomorphism going on, but I find it acceptable, as it's just part of the theme. The colors are bright and vibrant, so it's fairly appealing and looks great on Retina screens. The animations you see as you make matches and clear cards off the table are smooth and fluid. There's no background music, but the sound effects are quirky and fun.
There's only one game mode in Poker PLAY!, and that is to get as many points as you can. You only have a certain number of moves to make in the game, so you have to make sure to make them count. However, there is a point goal, and if you reach it, you will be awarded more moves depending on how good of a hand (five cards) you just played. The number of points you earn from each hand is conditional on what you played — the better the hand, the better. Of course, sometimes you will need to play a bad hand to set up the board for an amazing one — you have to be risky!
The controls in the game are simple — to make a hand, just swipe your finger over the cards you want to play. You can start from any card and connect adjacent ones to form your hand. A yellow outline on a card will appear as you're deciding, but when you have the five cards required, it will turn green so you know that you can submit it by releasing your finger. If you are stuck, you can use on of the three shuffles available every game to try and get a better card arrangement. Sometimes a card can be worth double the points, which is applied to the entire hand, so make sure to take advantage of those when they show up.
If you're unfamiliar with poker terms, you will be able to see what your hand was called (at the bottom of the screen) after you submit your move. Royal flushes, full houses, two pairs, and all of the rest — they're all here in this game. Given the limited number of moves, you'd better make them all count if you want to be on the top of the Game Center leaderboards.
Poker PLAY! is a free game, so there are occasional ad banners. However, I found that they were not obtrusive with the gameplay so they don't bother me much. I'm a bit surprised that there is no in-app purchase for getting rid of the ads altogether, though. There are no power-ups, so no other in-app purchases are in the game either.
Normally, I'm not a big fan of free games because they can get obnoxious with IAPs. But Poker PLAY! is completely free from all that nonsense, and it's enjoyable with the colorful graphics and simple gameplay. I wasn't sure how a puzzle game with a poker theme would be, but it's been delightful. Plus, you don't have to lose any actual money while playing this.
I highly recommend checking out Poker PLAY! if you like puzzle games that make you think. Being a fan of poker is just a bonus. You can find Poker PLAY! on the App Store as a universal download for free.


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JDA and RedPrairie Complete Merger
Home » JDA and RedPrairie Complete Merger
Transaction creates leader in end-to-end global supply chain management solutions and services – Combined company will operate as JDA Software Group
December 21, 2012, Atlanta, GA and Scottsdale, AZ – RedPrairie and JDA Software Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: JDAS) ("JDA") today announced the completion of the previously announced merger between the two companies. The merger positions the combined company as the leader in global supply chain management, offering a broad portfolio of integrated planning and execution solutions and services to help global firms manage their supply chains – from raw materials to finished products and into the hands of consumers – through any channel.
The transaction creates one of the largest global software companies with combined revenues of over $1 billion. The new combined company will adopt the JDA brand identity and be headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Since the merger agreement was announced on November 1, 2012, the two companies have been preparing an integration plan designed to rapidly combine the operations of the two companies into one. The plan is now substantially complete, and the integration process will begin early in the new year and will be rapidly followed up with an integrated product roadmap in the second quarter, in time for the combined user group conference on May 5, 2013.
JDA President and CEO Hamish Brewer, who will lead the new company, said that the combination of the two companies represents a new force in global supply chain management, multi-channel commerce, merchandising and store operations.
"Among our shared customers, over 300 have already chosen solutions from both firms, underscoring the potential of our highly complementary product suites. We are committed to building on our best-in-class solutions portfolio to create the most compelling and comprehensive offering for both current and new customers seeking global supply chain solutions and services," Brewer commented. "Supported by the broadest and deepest pool of supply chain experts in existence today, our customers will enjoy industry leading return on investment, particularly when they take full advantage of our cloud deployment capability."
"Companies are looking for ways to meet the evolving needs of today's consumer, who is always connected," said Alok Singh, Chairman of the Board of the combined company. "With unparalleled domain expertise, global reach and market-leading, front-to-back supply chain management solutions, the new JDA is perfectly positioned to deliver best-of-breed software products for manufacturers and retailers around the globe. The completion of this merger is a significant step forward and enables us to execute on our long-term vision of adding value to our customers as both a strategic and operating partner."
Greenhill & Co. served as financial advisor to RedPrairie and dealer manager for the tender offer, and Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP acted as legal counsel. Credit Suisse also served as a financial advisor to RedPrairie.
J.P. Morgan acted as financial advisor to JDA. DLA Piper LLP acted as legal counsel for JDA, and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP represented the independent directors of the Board of Directors of JDA.
RedPrairie Contact Information:
Brunswick Group
Shahed Larson / Charlotte McCrum
MacKenzie Partners
JDA Contact Information:
Beth Elkin
beth.elkin@jda.com
Mike Burnett
mike.burnett@jda.com
About RedPrairie
For more than 35 years, RedPrairie's best-of-breed supply chain, workforce and all-channel retail solutions have put commerce in motion for the world's leading companies. Installed in over 60,000 customer sites across more than 50 countries, RedPrairie solutions adapt to help ensure visibility and collaboration between manufacturers, distributors, retailers and consumers. RedPrairie is prepared to meet its customers' current and future demands with multiple delivery options, flexible architecture and 24/7 technical and customer support. For a world in motion, RedPrairie is commerce in motion.
To learn more about how RedPrairie solutions can optimize your inventory, improve employee productivity or increase sales, visit RedPrairie.com or email info@redprairie.com.
RedPrairie is a registered trademark of RedPrairie Corporation. © 2012 RedPrairie Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Other product and service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.
About JDA Software Group
JDA® Software Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: JDAS), The Supply Chain Company®, is the leading provider of innovative supply chain management, merchandising and pricing excellence solutions worldwide. JDA empowers more than 2,700 companies of all sizes to make optimal decisions that improve profitability and achieve real results in the manufacturing, wholesale distribution, transportation, retail and services industries. With an integrated solutions offering that spans the entire supply chain from materials to the consumer, JDA leverages the powerful heritage and knowledge capital of acquired market leaders including i2 Technologies®, Manugistics®, E3®, Intactix® and Arthur®. JDA's robust services offering, including complete solution lifecycle management via JDA Cloud Services, provides customers with leading-edge industry practices and supply chain expertise, lower total cost of ownership, long-term business value, and 24/7 functional and technical support. To learn more, visit jda.com or email info@jda.com.
Extended Retail Supply Chain Collaboration
Want to Know All About Logistics and Supply Chain?
Logistics in the News – Week 9
Megatrends, Strategic Technology Trends, Robots, and Autonomous Vehicles

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Fancy a football holiday in Borneo but the dates for Malaysia Borneo Football Cup does not suit your schedule? No problem! We are pleased to announce that individual football tours and/or mini tournaments are available for both males and females upon request.
We can organize tours of the highest quality for you in Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong & Thailand. Also, a combination of 2 different locations are also available upon request.


Go racing & entertain your clients with one of our business corporate hospitality horse racing packages. Hospitality deals at all the top UK horse racing venues, with stable tours, quality food and entertainment.
"A day at the races will never be the same after you have been with SportsDays.co.uk"
Horseracing has been closely chronicled for longer than any other sport and, more than 450 years after the first recorded race meeting, it still provides one of the most glittering and colourful spectacles in any arena. All around the world, the legacy of the 17th century British aristocrats who shaped modern racing in Britain is a global industry with a thrilling shop window. From the ruggedness of the winter game, to the happy informality of a summer afternoon, to the upmarket elegance of the major international festivals, racing moves with the seasons and although it is today the sport of Sheikhs rather than Kings the fascination remains the same. The magnificence and beauty of the Thoroughbred horse, the excitement of a winning bet, the skill of top riders and the historic and often beautiful settings make for an occasion where hoofbeats and heartbeats are intertwined.
Sportsdays.co.uk director is a renowned Newmarket trainer. Conrad Allen has ridden and trained successfully in Newmarket for over 25 years. He still trains a small string of horses from his Hamilton Road base and combines his daily routine of exercising and training horses on Newmarket's famous Heath - with entertaining guests who wish to sample a "real behind the scenes experience" with a horse racing professional.
Fresh from his success at The Dubai International Carnival with Prince Aaron (Ire) he is looking forward to sharing his this experience with his guests again this year. While you are with him you feel as if you are an owner and you are likely to mix with the racing people that you have previously only read about in the papers. Many guests are so impressed with their experience they come back time and time again.
Top Jockeys and Trainers with runners on the day to visit your facility.
Sponsor a race from £500.
Name a Racehorse after your company, a product or even a loved one.
If you are interested in finding out more about any of the above CLICK HERE or call 01638-666660.


September 8, 2012 (Washington, D.C.)—A review article published September in the Annals of Internal Medicine confirms that consuming organic foods reduces consumers' exposure to pesticide residues and to bacteria resistant to antibiotics, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) notes. These are among the top reasons consumers cite for choosing to buy organic products.
June 19, 2009 (Escondido) – La Milpa Organica Farm invites the public to join in a potluck that also features freshly-made wood-fired pizzas and a family-friendly film showing outdoors beneath oak trees after dark. The event will be held at 9928 Protea Gardens Road, Escondido from 3 to 10 p.m.
Guests are asked to "bring something tasty to share"; organic food is encouraged, along with a dish description (organic, vegetarian, vegan, etc.). Learn why La Milpa Organica serves as a model for a soon-to-be created Sustainable Farm & Education Center for San Diego Roots.


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Review - Monster Breaks
Artist: DJ Mot
On his debut full-length recording "Monster Breaks," Orlando-based DJ Mot has produced a tweaked-out mix compilation of "big beat" artists (think pounding techno meets hip-hop and rock). For the most part, Mot's block-rocking mix of international big-beat artists like Fatboy Slim, Hardknox and JDS is smooth and imaginative, and his track selection is right-on.
One major exception is Basco's "Rock The Funky Beat," which has a boorish, centerpiece sample that has appeared on far too many records as of late. Redemption comes with Mekon's "Skool's Out," which features a classic hip-hop sample that takes over and rides the mix into the fade-out. Mot's mellower side is represented by the serendipity of Howie B's "Angels Go Bald, Too." His own track, "Bugs, Rocks, and Vampires," makes use of several cool samples, including a funky guitar loop lifted from the underground sexploitation film "Vampyros Lesbos."
Mot's techno-mix "Monster" is a study in the science of breakbeats that will explode current perceptions of the funky-break scene.


WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. lawmakers late on Wednesday completed writing a border security bill that was expected to deny President Donald Trump's request for $5.7 billion to help build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, with the Senate and House of Representatives expected to vote on the bill Thursday.
A House Democratic aide said the final draft of the legislation was circulating among a group of 17 negotiators and was expected to be made public soon.
The aide added that the Senate would first vote on the bill sometime on Thursday. If it passes there, the House would then vote on final approval that evening, which would clear it for signing into law by Trump by a Friday deadline.
Without the legislation, about one-quarter of federal government agencies would be forced into a partial shutdown for lack of operating funds.
Trump has not yet said that he would embrace the measure but on Wednesday appeared to be edging toward backing the deal once he saw final details.
Trump, widely blamed for a five-week shutdown that ended in January, said he did not want to see federal agencies close again because of fighting over funds for the wall, one of his signature campaign promises in the 2016 election.
The Republican president did not commit himself to backing the government funding agreement struck between Democratic and Republican lawmakers this week. But two sources and a Republican senator close to the White House said he would likely sign off on it.
Graham told reporters that Trump would then look elsewhere to find more money to build a wall along the U.S. southern border and was "very inclined" to declare a national emergency to secure the funds.
With a Friday night deadline looming before a shutdown, there is little time for the White House and the political parties in Congress to agree on funding.
Funding is due to expire for the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department and several other federal agencies.
The outline of a congressional agreement reached on Monday falls far short of giving Trump all the money he wants to help build the wall. Instead, congressional sources say, it includes $1.37 billion for new barriers – about the same as last year – along 55 miles (90 km) of the border.
Like Trump, congressional Republicans have little appetite for a repeat of the 35-day partial shutdown in December and January – the longest in U.S. history – which closed about a quarter of federal agencies and left some 800,000 federal workers without pay.
A White House spokeswoman, Mercedes Schlapp, told CNN that lawyers were reviewing the administration's options should Congress not provide Trump's demanded money for the wall.
A variety of sources close to the White House said Trump was likely to explore using his executive power to reallocate other federal funds for barrier projects along the southern border. He was weighing the use of an executive order, among other options, the sources told Reuters.
Trump previously threatened to declare a "national emergency" if Congress did not provide money specifically for the wall – a move that would almost certainly draw opposition in Congress and in the courts.
"We think the president would be on very weak legal ground to proceed," said Hoyer, the No. 2 Democrat in the House.
Speaking to sheriffs and police chiefs of major cities, Trump said later on Wednesday he was determined to "fully and completely" secure the U.S. border, including providing more law enforcement, closing legal loopholes and finishing the border wall.
Trump has come in for criticism from the right for wavering on support for the wall, which the administration says will cut illegal immigration and drug smuggling.
"Trump talks a good game on the border wall, but it's increasingly clear he's afraid to fight for it," right-wing commentator Ann Coulter tweeted on Tuesday.
Trump abandoned a planned compromise on funding for the wall in December after similar criticism.
Read the division-by-division summary of the 1,159 page compromise bill here.
Read the full bill here, if you dare.
WASHINGTON, Feb 13 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday edged toward backing a deal in Congress on funding for a barrier on the Mexican border, but left open the possibility that disputes over the wall could still cause a partial government shutdown by the weekend.
But the Republican president fell short of committing himself to backing the congressional deal, which would keep the government open but not give Trump the $5.7 billion he seeks for the wall.
"I don't want to see a shutdown. A shutdown would be a terrible thing. I think a point was made with the last shutdown. People realized how bad the border is, how unsafe the border is, and I think a lot of good points were made," Trump told reporters.
Two sources said Trump will likely approve the funding agreement, but the president said he would hold off on a decision until he sees actual legislation about the issue. He warned lawmakers against "land mines," or parts of the bill he may not like.
"We haven't gotten it (the legislation) yet. We'll be getting it. We'll be looking for land mines," Trump said.
With a Friday night deadline looming before a shutdown, that leaves little time for the White House and the political parties in Congress to agree on funding.
The congressional agreement, reached by negotiators on Monday night, falls far short of giving Trump all the money he wants to help build the wall. Instead, congressional sources say, it includes $1.37 billion for new barriers – about the same as last year – along 55 miles (90 km) of the border.
Details of the legislation were still being written, but the full bill could be made public as early as Wednesday evening, according to lawmakers and congressional aides.
The accord must be passed by the House of Representatives, dominated by Democrats, and the Republican-controlled Senate, then signed by Trump by midnight on Friday to prevent a shutdown.
The measure's fate in the House was far from certain given the risk that some conservatives and liberals will oppose the compromise for different reasons.
"It's time to get this done," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor on Wednesday, in reference to voting on the compromise.
Democrats in the House are aiming to schedule a vote on Thursday evening, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Democrat, told reporters. If passed, it would then go to the Senate on Friday.
The Washington Post, citing a White House official, said Trump was likely to explore using his executive power to reallocate other federal funds for barrier projects along the southern border. CNN, citing the White House, also said Trump was weighing the use of an executive order, among other options.
"We think the president would be on very weak legal ground to proceed," said Hoyer, the No.2 Democrat in the House.
Trump has come in for criticism from the right for wavering on support for the border wall, which the administration says will cut illegal immigration and drug smuggling.
If lawmakers don't act, hundreds of thousands of federal workers will be furloughed for a second time this year.
If bargainers don't reach an agreement and get President Donald Trump's signature by then, hundreds of thousands of federal workers will be furloughed for a second time this year.
Border security negotiations stalled over the weekend over Democratic demands to limit the number of migrants whom federal authorities can detain. The two sides also remain separated over how much to spend on Trump's border wall.
The top Republican negotiator for the House says talks on nettlesome border security issues are in "better shape today" and she's optimistic that negotiations can produce a deal in time to meet a deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown.
She says the battle over capping detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement as demanded by top Democrats was one of those issues that "pop up" in negotiations.
Ahead of a campaign rally in El Paso, Texas, President Donald Trump's campaign has issued a new video calling for a border wall.
The video posted Monday offers testimonials from residents of the city advocating for the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. They say the wall is needed for public safety, arguing that El Paso's border fence has helped the city.
The video concludes with the slogan "Finish the Wall," an update on the "Build the Wall" chants that defined Trump's 2016 campaign.
Trump's Monday night rally is to take place just a few hundred yards from El Paso's border fence. Trump has repeatedly exaggerated the impact of El Paso's fencing on the city's crime rate, as well as statistics about crime committed by people who have entered the U.S. illegally.
McConnell complained Monday that Democrats are asking for too much from Republicans in the negotiations over President Donald Trump's demand for money to build a wall on the Mexican border, his premier campaign promise.
In exchange for some funding for border barriers, Democrats want limits on the number of immigrants whom Immigration and Customs Enforcement can detain for illegal crossings and other violations. It's a way to slow the Trump administration's aggressive deportation policies.
Chief budget negotiators are meeting again Monday to resume talks that sputtered over the weekend. They face Friday's deadline to fund the government or risk another partial shutdown.
With a Friday deadline approaching, the two sides remain separated over how much to spend on President Donald Trump's promised border wall.


text:
You are here: Home › EnviroIngenuity Announces Plans for Hydroponic Vertical Farm Demonstration Center in Laguna Beach
EnviroIngenuity Announces Plans for Hydroponic Vertical Farm Demonstration Center in Laguna Beach
By Send2Press Newswire on May 29, 2012 in Agriculture and Farming, California, Energy, Entertainment, Press Releases
LAGUNA BEACH, Calif., May 29, 2012 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — EnviroIngenuity's urban hydroponic vertical farming division today announced plans to develop a hydroponic vertical farming demonstration center in Laguna Beach. The Verti-Gro® system, featured at the Epcot® theme park at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida for the last 16 years, will be employed at the new demonstration facility.
"This will be the first urban demonstration center on the west coast featuring the Verti-Gro system, a surprisingly simple and cost-effective food production process which has been featured at the Living with the Land attraction at Epcot theme park for 16 years," said Erik Cutter, Managing Director of EnviroIngenuity. "As the Southern California distributor of Verti-Gro products, we took a trip to Florida to see the attraction and it became immediately clear to me that Southern California needs to get more involved in high-yield, resource efficient local food production and be able to see a working model in action. The Verti-Gro system used throughout the East Coast for the last 16 years represents the ultimate in simple-to-use, high-tech growing of fruits, vegetables and flowers."
The Living With the Land attraction is a boat ride focused on the history of U.S. agriculture and showcases many new sustainable technologies and ideas designed to make food production more resource efficient and environmentally friendly. Numerous Verti-Gro hydroponic towers are featured in the exhibit's main greenhouse, which demonstrates leading-edge concepts about the future of agriculture. It is situated next to other futuristic growing systems, including aeroponic systems, which spray a nutrient mist onto the exposed roots of the plant, and aquaponic systems, in which fish and plants thrive together in a symbiotic, closed-loop system that mimics the natural environment.
"In Laguna Beach, we have many discriminating foodies who demand locally-grown, clean, natural food, rich in essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements," said Cutter. "I am certainly one of them! And knowing where your food comes from and consuming it fresh greatly reduces disease-triggering processes and strengthens the body's immune system."
According to Cutter, the Verti-Gro system has been proven to grow high-quality, great tasting food faster and more efficiently than any other system on the market he has researched and tested.
EnviroIngenuity's Verti-Gro® hydroponic commercial and home garden systems dramatically increases affordable access to locally grown, natural produce while reducing water use by over 85 percent, land use by 70 percent and fertilizer consumption by 50 percent and completely eliminating pesticide use. High-yield vertical home gardens eliminate the need to transport food from the field to the store and then to the home, cutting greenhouse gas emissions over 90 percent. Commercial Verti-Gro® hydroponic vertical farms enjoy the same resource efficiencies.
About EnviroIngenuity:
EnviroIngenuity was founded in 2009 by Erik Cutter. The company is comprised of forward-thinking professionals, whose goal is to take advantage of the growing demand for more efficient, cost effective sustainable energy solutions, employing solar PV, hi-efficiency LED lighting, green building and hydroponic vertical food production technologies. EnviroIngenuity's mission is "advancingreenergy" and reducing waste, thus better utilizing limited natural resources. As we invest in a lower carbon future, the EnviroIngenuity team is focused on helping organizations move forward to deploy sustainable energy solutions using disruptive technologies. Information: http://www.EnviroIngenuity.com.
News Source: EnviroIngenuity :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source by Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®. View all current news at: http://Send2PressNewswire.com .
EnviroIngenuity, hydroponic vertical farms, Laguna Beach, LAGUNA BEACH, Calif., NYSE:DIS, Verti-Gro
Young Marines Youth Organization Announces 17-year-old McCall Behringer of Baltimore is National Young Marine of the Year
OxBlue Offers Upgrade Incentives to Existing Customers


The Arlington Lady Tigers beat Bolton 61-54 Monday night in the Region 7-AAA seminfinals. Karlee Bates had 13 points and Lanetta Williams chipped in 11 for Arlington. The Lady Tigers cruised to a 82-60 win over Brighton Friday night in the first round of the Region 7-AAA tournament. Caitlyn Wilson had 23 points and Williams had 16 for the Tigers. Arlington (23-8) was scheduled to play Munford Wednesday night in the regional finals. Munford is coming off of a 49-27 win over Hardin County. PICTURED: Williams drives past two defenders for the easy score. Photo by Theron Malone.


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Home/Politics/Falkland Islands Company awarded the joint venture housing contract
Falkland Islands Company awarded the joint venture housing contract
Wednesday, November 24th 2021 – 09:19 UTC
Drawings of the housing project
Following the request for tenders from local and international companies, the Falkland Islands Government (FIG) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed that on Wednesday 17 November 2021 the Falkland Islands Company (FIC) successfully signed a joint venture housing contract.
In order to continue the long-standing joint working between FIG and the MoD, the contract agrees to the construction of 70 houses in total in the Falkland Islands. 40 of those properties will be for FIG and based in Stanley and 30 properties will be for the MoD and based at the Mount Pleasant Complex.
Houses have been designed to high standards and will be suited to the environment of the Falkland Islands. Some properties at both Stanley and MPC will include new, environmental innovations which have been previously tested in some current FIG housing. This will help to future-proof the new properties and provide the groundwork for more environmentally friendly houses in the long term.
Chief Executive for the Falkland Islands Government, Andy Keeling, said: "I am delighted that FIC were successful in their tender to carry out this major work for FIG and the MoD. As we both support the largest communities in the Islands it seemed only natural for us to work together to build these new and urgently required properties. I am looking forward to our continued joint working and to seeing these new properties enter the FIG housing pool in the future, providing more homes for local and contract families."
Commander British Forces, Jonathan Lett, added: "I am pleased to hear of the signing of the joint venture housing project contract which represents a significant milestone in providing environmentally friendly accommodation at both MPC and Stanley for the benefit of the wider Falkland Islands community, as well as demonstrating our close relationship and continued cooperation with FIG."
FIC Managing Director in Stanley, Kevin Ironside, said: "We are delighted to have been selected to undertake such an important contract for our valued clients in the Falklands Government and in the UK military and look forward to meeting and exceeding their expectations over the next four years."
It is anticipated that the construction of all 70 houses will be complete by 2025.
Bi-Oceanic Corridor to bring Mercosur closer to Asia, Paraguay's FM says
Kast with better chances in the December 19 runoff, political analyst
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Spirited Meditation
Watchdog finds Pentagon appropriately sidelined Trump appointee to key National Security Agency job after alleged security incidents
Uruguay and Argentina to allow crowds back at stadiums for football World Cup qualifiers
Opinion: Why boycotting the Beijing Winter Olympics could backfire
House votes to avert government shutdown and default. Senate Republicans are united in opposition
Energy crisis could force more UK factories to close
Jury says private prison profiteer GEO Group must properly pay detained immigrants for their work
Morning Digest: A big battle looms for Montana's first brand-new congressional district in decades
Analysis: Sing a song of freedom with 'Diana: The Musical' and more
Masks and Omicron Q&A: What kind of mask should you wear and for how long? An expert explains
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YG Attends Slim 400's Funeral As Pall Bearer


Congratulations as you have made the decision to give your life to Jesus Christ. We beseech you to read the following and follow the steps as advised therein.
The Kingdom of God has come to me this day through the word of the Living God and through the testimony of His wonder-working name. In accordance with the word of God in John 3:16-19 " For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God".
For this reason, I am giving my life to Jesus Christ the son of God today in appreciation of His love for me.
Lord I am sorry for not living my life fully for you but for myself alone. I believe I am a sinner and that you have sent your Son Jesus Christ to die for all my sins on the cross of Calvary. I ask therefore for forgiveness of all my sins in the name of Jesus Christ and I also ask that you cleanse me with the blood of your precious son to make clean. Lord I need you in my life, please come and take your rightful place in my life today in Jesus name. Amen!
After you have done this, believe that you are born again and avoid sins. Most importantly, please look for a Bible-believing church in your area and speak to the Pastor for further guidance. If you are resident in Leeds, feel free to contact us and we shall pray with you.


text:
Education and earnings, a New Zealand update Publications
This report draws together the latest New Zealand information on education's role in people's earnings. It aims to provide a resource to inform decisions involving education, and to contribute to the evidence base on education's role in wider wellbeing.
Author(s): David Scott, Tertiary Sector Performance Analysis, Ministry of Education.
Date Published: June 2020
One of most commonly cited benefits of education is that it will improve your earnings. A formal qualification is a signal to employers that you are likely to have knowledge, skills and traits that they want. This report pulls together some of the latest New Zealand information on the relationship between education and earnings, and summarises the earnings benefits people might expect for different types of education. It includes:
the latest data on what can school leavers can expect to earn for different levels of school achievement
how much tertiary education adds to this, for different levels of qualification, and different fields of study
how long it takes to make up the cost of foregone earnings for tertiary study
how the earnings benefits of education differ between younger and older adults, men and women, and for Māori and Pacific peoples
the extent and significance of distributional differences, for example, well-qualified people with low earnings, or high earners with no qualifications
how earnings benefits have changed over time, and whether an increasingly qualified population has resulted in reduced earnings benefits
how labour market and business cycles affect earnings
what international comparisons say about the value of education and earnings in New Zealand
are the costs worth the return on investment in education.
School qualifications
Getting a school qualification makes a difference to how much you will earn. If you left school with NCEA Level 2, you can to expect to be earning twice as much, nine years later, as someone who left school when you did, but who had no qualifications.
Staying on at school an extra year and entering the workforce with University Entrance (UE) gives you 25% more earnings, on average, than leaving school with just NCEA Level 2.
Non-degree tertiary qualifications
So long as your tertiary qualification is higher than your school qualification, you can expect, on average, to have higher earnings. A Level 1 or 2 post-school certificate has the same earnings benefits as NCEA Level 1, on average, but 60% to 70% more benefit than no school qualification, 20% less benefit than NCEA Level 2, and 10% less benefit than a Level 3 post-school certificate.
Completing a Level 4 certificate makes a difference. Nine years after leaving school, you can expect to earn 10% to 15% more than someone of your age with NCEA Level 2 as their highest qualification. Only those who completed a degree will be earning more per year. A large proportion of Level 4 qualifications are trade-oriented, and demand for trade-related skills and services has been high over the period covered by these results.
Degree qualifications
Degree and higher-level education gives you higher annual earnings as well as higher earnings growth. Nine years after leaving school, you'll expect to be earning 15% to 20% more than someone of your age who finished their education with UE, and 40% to 50% more than someone who finished with NCEA Level 2.
But having spent less time in the workforce, the total cumulative earnings of people with degrees will still be catching up with those who finished their education with NCEA Level 2, UE, or a Level 4 certificate. The recent data – i.e. during a period of good labour market conditions – suggests it might take 12 years for the cumulative earnings of those that did degrees to overtake those of their peers who did a Level 4 certificate, and 10 or 11 years to overtake those who finished their education with NCEA Level 2 or UE.
Other messages
Education contributes more to earnings through its ability to obtain and sustain employment over time. Lower employment accounts for much of the earnings disadvantage of people with no qualifications. But even when comparing just people in employment, there is still a benefit for higher qualifications. For example, those in employment with a degree, nine years after leaving school still earn 25% to 30% more than those in employment with NCEA Level 2 as their highest qualification.
Field of study has a big influence on earnings. Average annual earnings benefits five years after graduation for a young degree graduate can vary by 30% or more (or around $20,000), depending on their field of study.
These average benefits of education don't tell the whole story. There is a large overlap in earnings between the least and most qualified. One in three degree holders, and around one in four doctorate holders, earn less than the median income of those with only school qualifications. One in five 30 to 34 year-olds with no qualifications earn more than the median income for those with a degree.
All Tertiary Education
Full Report (PDF, 3.1 MB)
Beyond Study
For more information about the content on this webpage, please email the: Tertiary Mailbox


Working with a licensed real estate agent guarantees that you are working with someone with a close awareness of the Delray Beach region, including the current marketing conditions, and especially what prices properties are being bought for and how long they are require to sell in the Delray Beach area.
Your selected Delray Beach real estate professional will function as a shield in order to only identify properties that you might be interested in, alternatively, if you're a home seller, he or she will make sure that only serious prospective purchasers look at your property and that they are in a good position to make an offer.
Our listing of local, licensed Delray Beach real estate brokers & agents will enable you to search for a real estate agent who will be able to provide you with trustworthy direction when it involves purchasing or selling a house or apartment. Well before signing a contract with any real estate agent be sure to get all of the details in written format in order to be 100% certain of any fees you are liable for and know any contractual obligations on your part and agree to satisfy them. If time permits, make certain you seek out and get in touch with all references that are passed to you to make certain your chosen real estate agent is reliable and has an excellent performance history.
Begin by inserting your information in the above form to find a licensed real estate agent in the Delray Beach area.
When you're purchasing or selling a home, you'll probably reach out for expert assistance from a real estate agent But how you can pick? Generally there are Realtors and merely common realty brokers, part-time and full-time agents, family buddies who are in the business, perhaps even neighbors down the road. What one is right for you?
Ray and Shirley Oldham of Orlando, Florida, discovered just what they presumed was the most ideal house. So they talked to a handy real estate link.
Lesson learned – Oldham mentions the next time around, he'll look for a professional broker, one who's not really terrified to negotiate and whom is a lot more concerned with obtaining a fantastic deal than with sealing merely any kind of offer.
"The days are gone from where a real estate broker just positions a sign in the lawn, adds it into (the Multiple List Service) and sits about their office waiting for it to sell," says Clive Brown, a realty broker in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Even, find an agent that has some social-media advertising and marketing strength. "It's terrifying just how much Facebook alone knows about its users, but additionally it's pure gold for those people hoping to put a product– or in our situation, a home listing – in front of the buyer likely to purchase the house," he points out.
On the flip side of the financial transaction, Robert Palmer, a Real Estate Agent in Jacksonville, Florida, points out there's a little something to be stated for a purchaser's broker with a sound history of sealing deals.
He claims a regular buyer's real estate agent will simply search the MLS for houses, but good representatives will pursue homes that aren't actually on the market yet. These realtors talk to house owners in the chosen area or debut a direct-mail advertising initiative in the intended region with specifics on the buyers and their family members.
"In no way all real estate professionals are Realtors," says Kellie Tinnin of Albuquerque, New Mexico, that has been in realty for eight years. "The word Realtor® is a registered label of the National Association of Realtors." NAR members vow to abide by the group's code of ethics.
Needless to say, similar honorable levels are enforced as a matter of federal government and state regulation, no matter if you work with a Realtor or merely a real estate agent.
Question each representative you're looking at the way they plan to help you locate the most ideal home (for buyers) or market your house (for sellers).
Take note how an agent reacts to your inquiry. Boscas states if an agent answers your initial request for information with a swift, thorough and helpful answer, there is a good chance that agent will give that type of service all throughout the deal.
Ask the representatives you're taking into account to present a listing of their current sales, not only a general quantity of sales or sales quantity.


11. Quality assurance in health care: lessons for others.
International journal for quality in health care : journal of the International Society for Quality in Health Care / ISQua.
12. The socio-economic impact of human Salmonella enteritidis infection.
13. First-person plural: community and method in ethics consultation.
14. Ethics consultation is not therapy.
15. Ethics committees and family ghosts: case studies.
16. Some prices of epiphany and the occasional need to stigmatize patients to offset them.
17. Pain and symptom control in paediatric palliative care.
18. Medical behavior that shortens life: current developments in the Netherlands.


The 8-ft non-lit scorers table is the most flexible scorers table available. The product can be upgraded after the sale to a rear-lit or LED scorers table, and can be locked together with other Nevco scorer tables (non-lit, rear-lit or LED) to make a longer seamless custom scorers table.
8 ft. x 3 ft. x 34 in.


text:
<?php

/**
 * @runTestsInSeparateProcesses
 */
class AppTest extends BearFrameworkTestCase
{

    /**
     *
     */
    public function testConstructor1()
    {
        $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] = '/';
        $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] = 'GET';
        $_SERVER['REQUEST_SCHEME'] = 'http';
        $_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'] = 'example.com';
        $_SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME'] = '/index.php';
        $_SERVER['HTTP_X_CUSTOM_HEADER'] = '123';
        $_COOKIE['cookie1'] = 'value1';
        $_POST['name1'] = 'value1';
        $_POST['name2'] = [];
        $_POST['name2']['nameA'] = 'valueA';
        $_POST['name2']['nameB'] = 'valueB';
        $_GET['var1'] = '1';
        $_GET['var2'] = [];
        $_GET['var2']['varA'] = 'A';
        $_GET['var2']['varB'] = 'B';
        $app = new \BearFramework\App();
        $this->assertTrue($app instanceof \BearFramework\App);
        $this->assertTrue(\BearFramework\App::get() instanceof \BearFramework\App);
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->method === 'GET');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->scheme === 'http');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->host === 'example.com');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->base === 'http://example.com');
        $this->assertTrue((string) $app->request->path === '/');
        $this->assertTrue((string) $app->request->query === 'var1=1&var2%5BvarA%5D=A&var2%5BvarB%5D=B');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->query->getValue('var1') === '1');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->query->getValue('var2[varA]') === 'A');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->query->getValue('var2[varB]') === 'B');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->headers->getValue('X-Custom-Header') === '123');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->cookies->getValue('cookie1') === 'value1');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->formData->getValue('name1') === 'value1');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->formData->getValue('name2[nameA]') === 'valueA');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->formData->getValue('name2[nameB]') === 'valueB');
    }

    /**
     *
     */
    public function testConstructor2()
    {
        $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] = '/www/';
        $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] = 'POST';
        $_SERVER['REQUEST_SCHEME'] = 'https';
        $_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'] = 'example.com';
        $_SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME'] = '/www/index.php';
        $_GET['var1'] = '1';
        $app = new \BearFramework\App();
        $this->assertTrue($app instanceof \BearFramework\App);
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->method === 'POST');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->scheme === 'https');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->host === 'example.com');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->base === 'https://example.com/www');
        $this->assertTrue((string) $app->request->path === '/');
        $this->assertTrue((string) $app->request->query === 'var1=1');
    }

    /**
     *
     */
    public function testConstructor3()
    {
        $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] = '/www/%D0%BF%D1%8A%D1%821/%D0%BF%D1%8A%D1%822/';
        $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] = 'GET';
        $_SERVER['REQUEST_SCHEME'] = 'https';
        $_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'] = 'example.com';
        $_SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME'] = '/www/index.php';
        $app = new \BearFramework\App();
        $this->assertTrue($app instanceof \BearFramework\App);
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->method === 'GET');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->scheme === 'https');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->host === 'example.com');
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->base === 'https://example.com/www');
        $this->assertTrue((string) $app->request->path === '/път1/път2/');
        $this->assertTrue((string) $app->request->path->getSegment(0) === 'път1');
        $this->assertTrue((string) $app->request->path->getSegment(1) === 'път2');
    }

    /**
     *
     */
    public function testUglyURLs()
    {
        $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] = '/www/index.php/path1/';
        $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] = 'GET';
        $_SERVER['REQUEST_SCHEME'] = 'http';
        $_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'] = 'example.com';
        $_SERVER['SCRIPT_NAME'] = '/www/index.php';
        $app = $this->getApp();
        $this->assertTrue($app instanceof \BearFramework\App);
        $this->assertTrue($app->request->base === 'http://example.com/www');
        $this->assertTrue((string) $app->request->path === '/path1/');
    }

    /**
     *
     */
    public function testAutoload()
    {
        $this->assertTrue(class_exists('\BearFramework\App\Response'));
        $this->assertFalse(class_exists('\BearFramework\App\MissingClass'));
    }

    /**
     *
     */
    public function testAppIndex()
    {
        $app = $this->getApp([
            'appIndexContent' => '<?php
$app = \BearFramework\App::get();
$app->routes->add(\'/\', function() {
    return new \BearFramework\App\Response(\'content\');
});
'
        ]);
        $app->run();
        $this->expectOutputString('content');
    }

    /**
     *
     */
    public function testRunNotFound()
    {
        $app = $this->getApp();
        $app->run();
        $this->assertEquals(http_response_code(), 404);
    }

    /**
     *
     */
    public function testSendResponse()
    {
        $app = $this->getApp();
        $app->send(new \BearFramework\App\Response('The end'));
        $this->expectOutputString('The end');
    }

    /**
     *
     */
    function testMultipleApps()
    {
        $app = $this->makeApp();
        $this->expectException('Exception');
        $app = $this->makeApp();
    }

    /**
     *
     */
    function testClone()
    {
        $app = $this->getApp();
        $this->expectException('Exception');
        clone ($app);
    }

    /**
     * Disabled due to error in HHVM
     */
    //    function testUnserialize()
    //    {
    //        $app = $this->getApp();
    //        $this->expectException('Exception');
    //        unserialize(serialize($app));
    //    }

    /**
     *
     */
    public function testNotCreatedApp()
    {
        $this->expectException('Exception');
        \BearFramework\App::get();
    }

    /**
     *
     */
    function testBeforeSendResponseEvent()
    {
        $app = $this->getApp();
        $app->addEventListener('beforeSendResponse', function (\BearFramework\App\BeforeSendResponseEventDetails $details) {
            $details->response->content .= '2';
        });
        $this->expectOutputString('Hi2');
        $app->send(new \BearFramework\App\Response('Hi'));
    }

    /**
     *
     */
    function testSendResponseEvent()
    {
        $app = $this->getApp();
        $app->addEventListener('sendResponse', function (\BearFramework\App\SendResponseEventDetails $details) {
            $details->response->content .= '2';
        });
        $this->expectOutputString('Hi');
        $response = new \BearFramework\App\Response('Hi');
        $app->send($response);
        $this->assertEquals($response->content, 'Hi2');
    }

    /**
     *
     */
    public function testRangeRequest1()
    {
        $_SERVER['HTTP_RANGE'] = 'bytes=2-8';
        $app = new \BearFramework\App();
        $this->expectOutputString('2345678');
        $content = '0123456789';
        $response = new \BearFramework\App\Response($content);
        $response->headers->set($response->headers->make('Accept-Ranges', 'bytes'));
        $app->send($response);
    }

    /**
     *
     */
    public function testRangeRequest2()
    {
        $_SERVER['HTTP_RANGE'] = 'bytes=5-';
        $app = new \BearFramework\App();
        $this->expectOutputString('56789');
        $content = '0123456789';
        $response = new \BearFramework\App\Response($content);
        $response->headers->set($response->headers->make('Accept-Ranges', 'bytes'));
        $app->send($response);
    }

    /**
     *
     */
    public function testRangeRequest3()
    {
        $_SERVER['HTTP_RANGE'] = 'bytes=-4';
        $app = new \BearFramework\App();
        $this->expectOutputString('6789');
        $content = '0123456789';
        $response = new \BearFramework\App\Response($content);
        $response->headers->set($response->headers->make('Accept-Ranges', 'bytes'));
        $app->send($response);
    }

    /**
     *
     */
    public function testRangeRequest4()
    {
        $_SERVER['HTTP_RANGE'] = 'bytes=3-8';
        $app = new \BearFramework\App();
        $this->expectOutputString('345678');
        $content = '0123456789';
        $filename = $this->getTempDir() . '/file';
        $this->makeFile($filename, $content);
        $response = new \BearFramework\App\Response\FileReader($filename);
        $response->headers->set($response->headers->make('Accept-Ranges', 'bytes'));
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Texas Plastic Pollution Symposium
Posters and Presentations
Distinguished Speaker
Greening the Meeting
Past Tx Plastic Pollution Symposiums
2023 Texas Plastic Pollution Symposium Registration
The purpose of this meeting is to bring scientists together to discuss plastic research being conducted in the state of Texas, and to bring awareness to plastics in the environment. This meeting consists of oral research presentations and posters, time for collaboration about new projects, and meeting new partners to fill the gap on what we do and don't know about impacts of plastics.
Previous Texas Plastic Pollution Symposiums: Corpus Christi in 2018, Galveston in 2019, South Padre Island in 2021, and Port Aransas in 2022. The next symposium is being held in Houston on April 5, 2023 at the Bayou Theater at the University of Houston-Clear Lake campus. A copy of the meeting program booklet will be available here. Additional information about the schedule of presentations and events will be added to the "Program" page as they become available.
University of Houston-Clear Lake Address: 2700 Bay Area Blvd., Houston, TX 77058
Abstract Submission for the 2023 TxPP Symposium
Thanks to the Matagorda Bay Mitigation Trust and the NOAA Marine Debris Program for sponsoring the event through grants to Nurdle Patrol. We would also like to thank the University of Houston-Clear Lake, UHCL Institute for Human and Planetary Sustainability, and UHCL Cultural Arts for sponsoring the venue and thanks to the planning committee: American Bird Conservancy, Black Cat GIS and Biological Services, Galveston Bay Foundation, the Galveston Bay Estuary Program, Houston Advanced Research Center, the Port of Houston, the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Galveston Bay Area- Texas Master Naturalists, Turtle Island Restoration Network, and the University of Texas Marine Science Institute for making the event possible.
Interested in participating in the next symposium as a presenter, on the planning committee, or a sponsor? Contact us at GBEP@tceq.texas.gov or Jace Tunnell at jace.tunnell@austin.utexas.edu.


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In Louisiana's petrochemical corridor, COVID-19 spreads like cancer
by Drew Hawkins December 18, 2020 December 18, 2020
The Zion Travelers Cemetery in Reserve, Louisiana, in the heart of Cancer Alley. Next to the cemetery is the Marathon Refinery. All photos by Julie Dermansky.
Ryan Ealy and Yolanda Freeman can't forget the night of February 11, 2020. The Exxon refinery a few blocks from their homes in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the largest petrochemical plant in their region and the fifth-largest oil refinery in the U.S., caught fire.
"My wife comes running in, telling me, 'Baby get up, get up, we might have to evacuate.'" Ealy recalls.
His neighbor, Yolanda Freeman, thought it was an explosion.
"I have little whatnots on my shelf in my room," she said. "We heard something explode and some stuff fell. Actually, we thought something had hit the house, like a vehicle."
Yolanda and her husband got up from their bed and went outside to investigate. Like Ealy and his wife, they stood transfixed on their lawn, watching the fire rage.
"You can just see the brightness in the sky at Exxon. It burned a couple of days."
What they were witnessing neither surprised nor shocked them. For the neighborhoods surrounding the refinery, fires, leaks, and chemical spills are an all too common occurrence. The newspapers referred to it as another release or an accident. The couples knew people from environmental groups and law firms would soon be canvassing their streets, asking questions, filling out surveys, and taking contact information.
Christmas lights on a house next to Murphy Oil Corporation in Meraux, Louisiana. Located just south of the stretch between Baton Rouge and New Orleans along the river, Meraux is part of a large concentration of chemical and oil companies known as "Cancer Alley."
But there were no evacuations, special precautions, or even warnings. In the end, they all went back into their homes to get more sleep before work the next morning.
"They fire off a horn and do an emergency test every Wednesday at 12 o'clock," Ryan said. "Why didn't they fire off their horn?"
The Exxon refinery is just one of over 140 petrochemical plants in the 85-mile corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans called Cancer Alley. An iconic and grim moniker, Cancer Alley stretches along the Mississippi River and includes the parishes of St. Charles, St. James, and St. John the Baptist, known locally as the River Parishes. Residents there are at a higher risk of cancer from air pollution than 95 percent of other Americans. But the Mardi Gras celebrations two weeks after February's Exxon fire marked the beginning of a new disaster for Cancer Alley: The COVID-19 pandemic.
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See also: For Black North Birmingham residents fighting toxic pollution, staying home isn't safe
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the Carnival season, with its parades and revelry, directly contributed to the spread of COVID-19. Louisiana quickly became one of the pandemic's hot spots.
"So many sites you have to have a doctor's orders. In this area, a lot of people probably don't even go to doctors."
In Jefferson Parish, which borders New Orleans, in the weeks following the first positive COVID-19 test on March 9, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Louisiana grew at a rate of 67.8 percent—faster than anywhere else in the world. Mardi Gras is celebrated everywhere in Louisiana, including Baton Rouge. Almost 265,000 Louisianans have contracted the virus, with nearly 7,000 deaths.
For people like Ryan Ealy, whose entire family lives in Cancer Alley, these statistics are personal tragedies.
"My sister got corona and passed," he said. "I know several people that passed away. My in-laws had the [virus]—momma, the daddy, three of the sisters, and two of the brothers. All of them died from the corona."
In the neighborhoods surrounding the refinery, the true numbers of residents who contracted and spread COVID-19 will likely never be known, in part because of difficulties accessing testing sites. Yolanda Freeman had to get a doctor's order to get tested so she could return to work.
"In our neighborhood, I don't think the people have the ability to be tested," she said. "So many sites you have to have a doctor's orders. In this area, a lot of people probably don't even go to doctors."
There were physical and economic barriers to accessing testing sites, too. "Most of them are drive-thru," Yolanda said. "If you don't have a car you can't get tested."
The U.S. COVID-19 experience, like nearly everything else in this country, is shaped by race. The pandemic disproportionately affects and kills Black Americans at more than twice the rate of white and Asian Americans.
The parishes with the highest per capita COVID-19 death rates are all contained within Cancer Alley. It makes sense—air pollution damages the lungs and lung damage causes a greater risk of death from the virus.
An indiscriminate, but opportunistic killer, COVID-19 seized on inequities in the health of our nation. Underlying medical conditions like high blood pressure, heart and lung disease, and diabetes—all of which plague Black Americans disproportionately—weaponized and served the virus as comorbid mercenaries.
The air isn't equal either. In Cancer Alley, the pollution from plants and refineries has been shown to disproportionately affect the predominantly Black residents like Freeman and Ealy, causing greater rates of cancer and respiratory issues related to exposure to toxic chemicals.
See also: Breathing while Black in Mossville, Louisiana
In the midst of the pandemic, a Harvard study linked long-term exposure to air pollution with higher COVID-19 death rates across the country. The Tulane Environmental Law Clinic used data from the Harvard study, long-term pollution data from atmospheric scientists at Dalhousie University, COVID-19 data from the Louisiana Department of Health, and local health data from the CDC that included comorbidities such as obesity and diabetes to extrapolate the effects of air pollution on COVID-19 rates in Louisiana.
The results are as unsurprising as they are intuitive. The parishes with the highest per capita COVID-19 death rates are all contained within Cancer Alley. It makes sense—air pollution damages the lungs and lung damage causes a greater risk of death from the virus.
According to EPA models, the people who live in the heart of Louisiana's petrochemical corridor breathe some of the most dangerous air in America.
Exxon Mobile refinery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Scenic Highway located in Cancer Alley. The refinery caught fire in February 2020.
From Baton Rouge down to Plaquemines Parish that extends into the Gulf of Mexico, there are over 200 plants emitting toxic and hazardous pollutants at levels that require state reporting to the EPA. Among these air pollutants are particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, which are especially harmful to the respiratory system.
Fine particulate matter is an especially deadly pollutant that lodges itself deep in the lungs, even infiltrating the bloodstream. It triggers asthma and heart problems and causes about 100,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. But 2020 is no ordinary year. With the coronavirus still running essentially unchecked, particulate matter is playing a much more sinister role in the pandemic.
Cancer Alley doesn't neatly begin and end in one area or another. Rather, its industries create a vast swath of toxic air that can affect people differently based on a variety of conditions, including their levels of exposure. Exposure rates are directly related to how close someone lives to a petrochemical plant.
Both Ealy and Freeman live in the mostly Black and low-income neighborhood of Standard Heights, nestled against the fence of the Exxon refinery. It satisfies every exposure criteria, and then some. The area was originally developed to house workers for the Standard Oil refinery in 1909. The name it bears to this day is a testament to how deeply ingrained the industry is in the daily lives of the people who live there.
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Faced with such a staggering and immediate loss of life, many residents in the area choose the simplest solution: isolating themselves in their homes. With businesses reopened and few restrictions in Baton Rouge outside of the statewide mandates imposed by Governor Edwards, there isn't much more they can do to protect themselves and their families.
"I couldn't tell you [that] I'm quarantining," Ealy said. He goes to work and goes home. He doesn't hang out with friends or go to bars like he used to. For families like his, who have lost so many people, he doesn't have a choice.
But while social distancing measures, self-quarantining, and #SaferAtHome may be effective strategies for avoiding exposure to the virus, they don't offer any relief for people breathing in the air around the Exxon refinery. Sitting in her own home, Freeman still suffers from some of the classic symptoms of chemical exposure such as lung and sinus irritation and a persistent sore throat that she treats with over-the-counter medication. Still, she doesn't feel like it's safe enough to leave her home.
"I don't have anywhere else to go," Freeman said. "It's not safe with the coronavirus still going around. This is my home and I'll just have to deal with it."
Tagged: COVID-19, Environmental Justice, Health & Healthcare, Louisiana
Drew Hawkins
Drew Hawkins is a writer from South Louisiana.
More by Drew Hawkins
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Car Makers Use Pressure Tactics To Clear Inventories
Oct 01,2012 Swaraj Baggonkar Read News PRINT
Oct 01,2012 Swaraj Baggonkar Read News
Faced with a steep drop in sales, car manufacturers have found a novel way to clear the stock: offer heavy discounts and at the same time announce plans to raise prices in due course.
According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) figures, car sales plunged 19 per cent in August, compared to the same period last year. Siam has also indicated a possible revision in growth forecast for the year.
As vehicle makers stare at one of their worst festive seasons, which usually contributes to 30-40 per cent of yearly sales, major players such as Maruti Suzuki and General Motors have said they are planning to raise prices to offset cost pressures.
While both the companies have claimed that high input costs and adverse currency fluctuations are forcing them to hike prices, the car makers have not disclosed how much will be the increase in prices.
Honda Car India, which has been offering discounts of up to Rs 50,000 on its all petrol line-up (excluding dealer offerings), has gone a step further and already announced an increase in the range of 0.2-2.6 per cent on the Brio, City and Jazz, effective October 1.
"The prices have been revised due to rising input costs, inflationary pressures and increase in freight as a result of the increase in diesel prices," the company said in a statement. Absence in the diesel segment has impacted Honda the most amongst all companies.
"We have decided to increase price of all models with effect from October 1 due to high input costs, currency fluctuations and freight. We are still evaluating quantum of price increase," said P Balendran, vice-president (corporate affairs), General Motors.
However, South Korean car brand Hyundai, one of the few high-volume companies that has posted growth this year, will not increase prices for now.
Tata Motors, which posted the biggest growth amongst volume car makers, has also so far not raised prices. The company, however, has refused to give any guidance on the same.
Market watchers say that such price hike announcements were also made during the later part of 2008 by car makers, but were not enforced until the end of that financial year due to continued weakness in demand.
At present, between 12.5 per cent and 15 per cent of the value of the vehicle is offered as discount, which many in the industry consider to be steep. Most car makers had raised prices about six months ago when standard excise duty was raised from 10 to 12 per cent and the excise duty for certain car models from 24 to 27 per cent.
The price hike this time around, analysts say, is more of a tactic to pull would-be car buyers to the showroom. Bhaumik Bhatia, analyst, IDBI Capital, said: "Car makers usually resort to such means to get their inventory moving. They say that they are raising prices now, but could revise their plans later. This is done to get the consumers make the purchase, because nothing else explains the strange phenomenon of discounts and price hikes at the same time. This could work for a week, but not more than that. Things will be back to normal after that."
According to an executive with a Delhi-based car maker, several dealers in urban centres are currently sitting on extended inventories. "If these stocks don't get liquidated through discounts and other offers, companies would go for other means including news of price hikes," he said.
Indian automobile industry


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Opposition Profile: AFC Wimbledon
A new feature where we take a closer look at who Rovers will face in League One next season.
Nickname: The Dons
Formed in May 2002 by supporters who strongly opposed The FA's decision to allow Wimbledon FC to relocate to Milton Keynes, where they felt it would no longer represent the club's legacy and traditions.
Having entered the Premier Division of the Combined Counties League – the ninth tier of English football – upon its formation, AFC Wimbledon has been extremely successful in its short history, winning promotion six times in 13 seasons, most recently via the League Two play-offs in 2015-16.
AFC Wimbledon hold the record of the longest unbeaten run of league matches in English football, having gone 78 games without defeat between February 2003 and December 2004, and they also hold the distinction of being the first club formed in the 21st century to make it into the Football League.
The Manager: Neal Ardley
A former England Under-21 international midfielder, Neal Ardley spent much of his playing career at Wimbledon, where he made over 300 appearances, the majority of which came in the Premier League, after making his debut for the club as an 18-year-old in April 1991.
A move to First Division rivals Watford followed in August 2002, where Ardley would play over 125 games, including appearances in an FA Cup semi-final in 2003 and League Cup semi-final in 2005.
Spells with Cardiff City and Millwall followed, before Ardley announced his retirement from football in August 2007 – on the same day he was appointed manager of the Cardiff City Academy.
He took over as manager of AFC Wimbledon in October 2012 and secured the club's League Two status with successive 20th-place finishes in his first two seasons in charge. 2014-15 would prove to be a more memorable, as Ardley guided The Dons to a 15th-place finish, a first ever victory over MK Dons, as well as the third round of the FA Cup, where they were knocked out by Liverpool.
In May 2016, Ardley achieved his first managerial trophy after beating Plymouth Argyle 2-0 in the League Two play-off-final at Wembley, earning AFC Wimbledon a place in League One for the first time in their history.
The Ground: Kingsmeadow (Cherry Red Records Stadium)
With a capacity of just 4,850, which includes 2,265 seats, Kingsmeadow will be the smallest stadium Rovers visit in League One next season.
The ground, which was opened in 1989, is situated in Norbiton, Kingston upon Thames, in south west London. Until April 2017, it was also the home of Kingstonian FC.
In November 2015, Dons supporters backed a proposal to sell the ground to Chelsea, whose Ladies team will use the stadium for the 2017-18 Women's Super League season.
AFC Wimbledon hope to move into a new ground by 2019 near Plough Lane, which was Wimbledon FC's ground until 1991. The new stadium will be built on the site of Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium.
The 2016-17 season saw AFC Wimbledon compete in League One for the first time in their history. They remained unbeaten in the south London derby fixtures, recording two draws against Millwall and a home draw and a 2-1 away win against Charlton Athletic.
They suffered a 1-0 defeat away to rivals MK Dons in December, but recorded a memorable 2-0 victory at home in March. They ended their debut campaign in the third tier in 15th place after winning just five of their last 22 league games since the turn of the year.
In the cup competitions, Neal Ardley's side were knocked out of the EFL Cup at the first hurdle by Peterborough United, they lost 3-1 to Sutton United in an FA Cup third round replay, having overcome Bury and Curzon Ashton in the previous rounds, and they lost 2-1 to Brighton in the knockout stage of the Checkatrade Trophy.
This will be the first meeting between the two teams in the club's history.
Opposition Profile
Opposition Profile: Northampton Town
Opposition Profile: Rotherham United
Opposition Profile: Oxford United
Opposition Profile: Rochdale


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The Road from Glencassley – the last horse to win a UK race
5/5/2020 Mike Smithson Comments 0 Comment
Stodge ponders the restart of horse racing
As we all know, Glen Cassley is about eight miles west of Lairg in the Highlands. Glencassley is also the name of the horse that won the 5.25 at Wetherby on March 17th, the last horse race run in the United Kingdom.
You can keep your football, cricket, rugby (both codes) and even motor sport – my sport of choice is the Sport of Kings and I miss it and I miss my daily non-political read known as the Racing Post.
As the world entered lockdown, horse racing fans and punters were faced with thin gruel – two meetings a week in Hong Kong and restricted fare from the United States. I know I have come to have a fondness for Will Rogers Downs and Fonner Park on a Monday evening but it's not Windsor or even Wolverhampton.
This isn't about the past or even the present but the future and the potential resumption of horse racing.
All jurisdictions realise racing behind closed doors is inevitable in the short and even medium term but plans have been made – South Africa due to return on May 1st, Germany on May 4th, France on May 11th and both Britain and Ireland looking at mid-May resumptions.
Yet neither South Africa nor Germany has resumed, and the French resumption isn't certain – the horse racing authorities are waiting for permission to resume from Governments under huge pressure in other, arguably more important, areas.
Leo Varadkar, when setting out Ireland's road map from lock down, said that in phase 1 (from May 18th): "Some outdoor sporting activities, in small groups with a maximum of four people, will also be allowed" while in phase 3 (from June 29th): "behind closed doors" sporting activities events where arrangements are in place to enable participants to maintain social distancing.
This has thrown the Irish racing industry which employs 15,000 people and brings some 2 billion euros to the economy into confusion. Most had assumed a resumption was possible on May 18th but a delay until June 29th would be catastrophic for the whole industry.
In the UK, the BHA is ready for a mid-May resumption but so much depends on the direction set by the Government and following the criticism levelled at the staging of the Cheltenham Festival, the BHA will be sensitive not to be seen to be doing too much too soon especially if other sports aren't happening.
Another key element will be whether betting shops will be able to re-open.
Whether Britain is going to follow anything approaching the Irish road map remains to be seen – I do expect Boris Johnson to offer a pre-Bank Holiday gift of some easing of restrictions next Thursday.
As we saw when Britain moved into lock down from the middle of March, confusion was the order of the day. As an example, no one seemed to know if construction sites should be open or not.
The same confusion needs to be avoided when leaving lock down – clarity and transparency needs to be provided to all in terms of the easing of restrictions – for example, will the wearing of face masks be mandatory on public transport? If so, where will people who don't currently have face masks be able to obtain them and will those who choose not to wear then be taken off trains and tubes?
In any case, if there is a mass return to work, will London's public transport system be in position to cope?
Much of the criticism levelled at Boris Johnson's Government relates to the imposition of the lock down – it may be valid and there will hopefully be an opportunity for a thorough examination of the decisions taken and the bases on which those decisions were taken.
In the grand scheme of things, horse racing, indeed most sport, isn't hugely important but a resumption, even if without spectators in attendance, would provide entertainment for the stuck-at-home audience.
It would also show some degree of normality returning – the journey from Glen Cassley would be far from complete but we would be on the road again.
Stodge
A longstanding PBer
Now partisan politics is getting back to normal and looks even crazier
Mawkish nursery games. It's time to leave the Second World War in the history books


How can Osirium's PxM Platform help with MS SQL?
From 4.1 Osirium now supports Single Sign On for Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio to MS SQL 2005, 2008 and 2012 servers.
Privileged access to databases is the most worrying of insider threats.
Databases embody the state of a business so any changes here can misappropriate both goods and money. Osirium enables you to safely change your crucial MSSQL passwords, limit who gets Management Studio access to the databases and session record what happens to them.
With the support of the Osirium solution, database managers can use their own copy of Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio, which means that all their preferences and bookmarks remain in place and there's no need to go through a jump box.
The MSSQL Single Sign-On module is part of the Osirium Privileged User Management Solution. Osirium's Privileged Task Solution can be used to run stored procedures against MSSQL and the results returned to an Osirium stored file.
These two features allow organisations to develop MSSQL applications with credential security and allow database tasks to be delegated to appropriate non-privileged users within the organisation.
Password Known The credentials of an existing account are provisioned into Osirium and not changed. Users in profiles can be granted access via these credentials.
Password Managed The credentials of an existing account are provisioned into Osirium, once verified the password is changed to the highest complexity and thereafter periodically changed based on compliance. Users in profiles can be granted access via these credentials.
Osirium Managed The credentials of an existing account are used to provision the database, from this point Osirium creates its own control account. When a user is placed in the appropriate profile Osirium either creates a role based account, or allows access through a known account.


Join us as we celebrate International Women's Day with a panel discussion exploring how architecture can help to create inclusive, liveable, and socially aware cities that embrace the full gender spectrum in an age of robotisation.
The effects of automation are rarely limited to economics or issues around the division of labour. Changes to production and the service industries that are a result of increased automation are actively shaping our cities and how we interact with them. Architecture's engagement with the futures that come with these processes are manifold and embrace both the positive and negative potential of automation. From additional leisure time and a focus on individual agency and creativity, to dystopian visions where unemployment and inequality run rampant, it is without question that the built environment can affect the shape of things to come.
Automated environments may have eliminated certain gender associations ascribed to specific jobs, but they have also reinforced gender roles and inequalities. Technology and the direction it takes is influenced by prevalent social tensions and disparity; as such, if we are to reduce inequality and gender stereotyping, we must aim to avoid replicating existing pernicious social dynamics and, instead, unearth architecture's potential to facilitate change. Can architecture and the design of spaces allow both men and women, humans and non-humans, to express their full potential and provide a working alternative to the status quo?
Join us as we discuss whether automation can lead to a feminist utopia and, if it does, what those spaces might look like.
Supported by the Embassy of Spain in London.