text:
Title 22. FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE
Chapter 32. FOREIGN ASSISTANCE
Subchapter I. INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Part I. Declaration of Policy; Development Assistance Authorizations
Section 2151v. Aid to relatively least developed countries
22 U.S. Code § 2151v. Aid to relatively least developed countries
(a) Characterization of least developed countries
Relatively least developed countries (as determined on the basis of criteria comparable to those used for the United Nations General Assembly list of "least developed countries") are characterized by extreme poverty, very limited infrastructure, and limited administrative capacity to implement basic human needs growth strategies. In such countries special measures may be necessary to insure the full effectiveness of assistance furnished under subchapter I of this chapter.
(b) Assistance on grant basis
For the purpose of promoting economic growth in these countries, the President is authorized and encouraged to make assistance under this part available on a grant basis to the maximum extent that is consistent with the attainment of United States development objectives.
(c) Waiver of principal and interest on prior liability
(1) The Congress recognizes that the relatively least developed countries have virtually no access to private international capital markets. Insofar as possible, prior assistance terms should be consistent with present grant assistance terms for relatively least developed countries. Therefore, notwithstanding section 2370(r) of this title and section 321 of the International Development and Food Assistance Act of 1975 but subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, the President on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the needs of the country for financial resources and the commitment of the country to the development objectives set forth in sections 2151 and 2151–1 of this title—
may permit a relatively least developed country to place amounts, which would otherwise be paid to the United States as payments on principal or interest on liability incurred by that country under subchapter I of this chapter (or any predecessor legislation) into local currency accounts (in equivalent amounts of local currencies as determined by the official exchange rate for United States dollars) for use by the relatively least developed country, with the concurrence of the Administrator of the agency primarily responsible for administering subchapter I of this chapter, for activities which are consistent with section 2151–1 of this title; and
may waive interest payments on liability incurred by a relatively least developed country under subchapter I of this chapter (or any predecessor legislation) if the President determines that that country would be unable to use for development purposes the equivalent amounts of local currencies which could be made available under subparagraph (A).
The aggregate amount of interest waived and interest and principal paid into local currency accounts under this subsection in any fiscal year may not exceed the amount approved for such purpose in an Act appropriating funds to carry out this part for that fiscal year, which amount may not exceed the amount authorized to be so approved by the annual authorizing legislation for development assistance programs. Amounts due and payable during fiscal year 1981 to the United States from relatively least developed countries on loans made under this subchapter (or any predecessor legislation) are authorized to be approved for use, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection, in an amount not to exceed $10,845,000.
In exercising the authority granted by this subsection, the President should act in concert with other creditor countries.
(d) Waiver of requirement of contribution
The President may on a case-by-case basis waive the requirement of section 2151h(a) of this title for financial or "in kind" contributions in the case of programs, projects, or activities in relatively least developed countries.
(e) Waiver of time limitations on aid
Section 2151h(b) of this title shall not apply with respect to grants to relatively least developed countries.
(Pub. L. 87–195, pt. I, § 124, as added Pub. L. 95–424, title I, § 112(a)(1), Oct. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 948; amended Pub. L. 96–53, title I, § 109, Aug. 14, 1979, 93 Stat. 363; Pub. L. 96–533, title III, § 308, Oct. 16, 1980, 94 Stat. 3147.)
Section 321 of the International Development and Food Assistance Act of 1975, referred to in subsec. (c)(1), is section 321 of Pub. L. 94–161, Dec. 20, 1975, 89 Stat. 868, which is set out as a note under section 2220a of this title.
References to Subchapter I Deemed To Include Certain Parts of Subchapter II
References to subchapter I of this chapter are deemed to include parts IV (§ 2346 et seq.), VI (§ 2348 et seq.), and VIII (§ 2349aa et seq.) of subchapter II of this chapter, and references to subchapter II are deemed to exclude such parts. See section 202(b) of Pub. L. 92–226, set out as a note under section 2346 of this title, and sections 2348c and 2349aa–5 of this title.
1980—Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 96–533 substituted "fiscal year 1981" and "$10,845,000" for "fiscal year 1980" and "$18,800,000", respectively.
1979—Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 96–53 inserted provisions respecting use of funds due and payable during fiscal year 1980 to the United States.
Amendment by Pub. L. 96–53 effective Oct. 1, 1979, see section 512(a) of Pub. L. 96–53, set out as a note under section 2151 of this title.
Pub. L. 95–424, title I, § 112(a)(2), Oct. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 949, provided that:
"The authority granted by section 124(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 [subsec. (c) of this section] shall not become effective until October 1, 1979."
Section effective Oct. 1, 1978, see section 605 of Pub. L. 95–424, set out as an Effective Date of 1978 Amendment note under section 2151 of this title.
Delegation of Functions
For delegation of functions of President under this section, see Ex. Ord. No. 12163, Sept. 29, 1979, 44 F.R. 56673, as amended, set out as a note under section 2381 of this title.
Presidential Authority During Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991
Pub. L. 100–461, title V, § 572, Oct. 1, 1988, 102 Stat. 2268–44, provided that during fiscal years 1990 and 1991, President could use authority of paragraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (c)(1) of this section with respect to such aggregate amounts of principal and interest payable during each of those fiscal years as President determined, or at any time after Sept. 30, 1989, President could, if he determined it was in national interest to do so, use authority of those paragraphs with respect to such aggregate amounts of outstanding principal and interest payable at any time after that date, and that such authority could be exercised with respect to specified countries, and be exercised notwithstanding subsection (c)(2) of this section.


Weaving on a traditional punch-card jacquard loom set up for weaving silk velvet was captivating. Spent 3 weeks in July learning this process and how to manipulate the same cards and loom to achieve a variety of effects in the velvet images. Enjoyed glitching material in a pre-digital process. Hope to return next summer to complete a series.


text:
August 24, 2014by Hao NguyenNo CommentsGems
Hip-Hop Gem: "Slow Motion" Was Juvenile's First Number 1 Hit
Hip-hop heads, did you know that his 2004 single, "Slow Motion," was Juvenile's first number one hit of his career?
While the Cash Money rapper had already achieved massive success with previous and arguably better known singles like "Ha" and "Back That Azz Up," those two singles only managed to hit number 18 and 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.
It wasn't until Juvenile dropped "Slow Motion" off his sixth album, Juve the Great, that he got the number one hit he had been looking for so long.
Produced by Danny Kartel and featuring Soulja Slim, who was killed a few months before the song was released, "Slow Motion" would become the seventh song to hit number one for a posthumous artist.
"Slow Motion" also happened to be the first number one hit for Cash Money Records, a few years before Lil Wayne, Drake and Nicki Minaj would take over the mantle.
Hip-Hop Gem: "Doo Wop (That Thing)" Was Lauryn Hill's First Number 1 Hit
Hip-Hop Gem: Jay-Z's First Appearance Was On High Potent's "H.P. Gets Busy"
Hip-Hop Gem: NWA's Niggaz4Life Hit Number 1 Without A Hit Single

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
March 4, 2021 March 9, 2021 by albanthika, posted in Uncategorized
We at NOVARIC® INT, believe that through technology people are empowered to respond quickly and intuitively
to changing market dynamics. By assessing their ability to harness the right technology, we guide them to become more competitive.
Nowadays, NOVARIC® has a presence in five countries and three continents.
NOVARIC® offices are in Malta, Albania, India, Brazil, Germany, Colombia, France.
More from our offices
Cases: 107.167
Deaths: 1.796
Recovered: 69.773
For 8 years the economy in Albania has suffered a severe blow, where businesses, as the main unit of any economy has not recognized any support from government programs, immersed in taxes businesses have not known anything else. Not to mention the support and assistance to the innovative ideas of young people, non-existent these 8 years of misery. Like any other sector, the Economy has been merely part of the propaganda platform and countless lies of the "Rilindas" Pilot program. The economy in the eyes of young people shows the unfiltered reflection of the truth that Business faces today in Vlora. The presentation of the economic platform of the Democratic Party to young entrepreneurs in Vlora filled them with hope for the future, because the program of the Democratic Party is the program that thinks about every Albanian, thinks about their future, thinks about the youth, thinks about Albania. Strengthening the Economy is the biggest project and commitment of the Democratic Party for the next 4 years.
The COVID-19 pandemic last year boosted the country's public debt by 11.6%. The Ministry of Finance reports that the stock at the end of December was 77.8% from 66.2% at the end of 2019. Last year, when almost every decision was dictated by the pandemic, the public debt increased by 906.4 million euros. In total the debt stock has exceeded 9.9 billion euros from about 9 billion that was. In this significant increase of this indicator, the decrease of the Gross Domestic Product by more than 867.9 million euros had an impact. The increase in expenditures and the budget deficit due to the funds needed to meet the needs left by the COVID-19 pandemic also played a role. The loans taken by the internationals for the pandemic as well as the Eurobond of 650 million Euros that was issued in June 2020 have also had an effect on its growth.
Minister of Education, Sports and Youth Mrs. Evis Kushi has introduced through a video Kristi Isaku, who contributes to the General Directorate of Pre-University Education (DPAP) and is one of 210 young people employed on a 1-year contract thanks to "Call V" of the National Internship Program. Working. Being already an integral part of the "Pact for the University", Minister Kushi underlines that this program is "a very good opportunity for the integration of young people in the central and local administration, as well as independent institutions or various companies." To date, 5 calls have been made from the National Internship Program, which serves as a very good opportunity for those young people between the ages of 21-26 who have not actually excelled with an average above 9 during their studies and are given the opportunity to integrate into central administration, local administration, independent institutions or various commercial companies.
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text:
@interface OSCQuickReplyC ()<OSCEmotionDelegate>
@property (nonatomic, strong) UIView* containerView;
@property (nonatomic, strong) UIButton* emojiBtn;
@property (nonatomic, strong) UIButton* sendBtn;
@end

@implementation OSCQuickReplyC

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
#pragma mark - UIViewController

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
- (id)initWithTopicId:(NSString *)topicId catalogType:(OSCCatalogType)catalogType
{
    self = [self initWithNibName:nil bundle:nil];
    if (self) {
        self.topicId = topicId;
        self.catalogType = catalogType;
    }
    return self;
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
- (id)initWithNibName:(NSString *)nibNameOrNil bundle:(NSBundle *)nibBundleOrNil
{
    self = [super initWithNibName:nibNameOrNil bundle:nibBundleOrNil];
    if (self) {

    }
    return self;
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
- (void)viewDidLoad
{
    [super viewDidLoad];

    UIView* containerView = [[UIView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectZero];
    containerView.backgroundColor = [UIColor grayColor];
    self.containerView = containerView;

    UIButton* emojiBtn = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeCustom];
	[emojiBtn setTitle:BTN_TITLE_EMOJI forState:UIControlStateNormal];
    [emojiBtn.titleLabel setFont:[UIFont boldSystemFontOfSize:20.0f]];
    [emojiBtn.titleLabel setTextAlignment:NSTextAlignmentCenter];
    [emojiBtn setTitleColor:[UIColor whiteColor] forState:UIControlStateNormal];
	[emojiBtn addTarget:self action:@selector(showEmojiViewAction) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
    self.emojiBtn = emojiBtn;

	HPGrowingTextView* textView = [[HPGrowingTextView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectZero];
    textView.isScrollable = YES;
    textView.contentInset = UIEdgeInsetsMake(0, 5, 0, 5);
	textView.minNumberOfLines = 1;
	textView.returnKeyType = UIReturnKeyDefault;
	textView.font = [UIFont systemFontOfSize:20.0f];
	textView.delegate = self;
    textView.internalTextView.scrollIndicatorInsets = UIEdgeInsetsMake(5, 0, 5, 0);
    textView.backgroundColor = [UIColor whiteColor];
    textView.placeholder = @"我也说几句...";
    self.textView = textView;

	UIButton* sendBtn = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeCustom];
	[sendBtn setTitle:BTN_TITLE_CANCEL forState:UIControlStateNormal];
    [sendBtn.titleLabel setFont:[UIFont boldSystemFontOfSize:20.0f]];
    [sendBtn.titleLabel setTextAlignment:NSTextAlignmentCenter];
    [sendBtn setTitleColor:[UIColor whiteColor] forState:UIControlStateNormal];
	[sendBtn addTarget:self action:@selector(replyAction) forControlEvents:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
    self.sendBtn = sendBtn;

    // view
    [self.view addSubview:self.containerView];
    [self.containerView addSubview:emojiBtn];
    [self.containerView addSubview:self.textView];
	[self.containerView addSubview:sendBtn];

    // layout
    CGFloat kViewWidth = [UIScreen mainScreen].bounds.size.width;
    CGFloat kViewHeight = TTToolbarHeightForOrientation(self.interfaceOrientation);

    CGFloat kBtnWidth = 40.f;
    CGFloat KBtnHeight = 20.f;
    CGFloat kBtnSideMargin = CELL_PADDING_4;
    CGFloat kBtnTopMargin = (kViewHeight - KBtnHeight) / 2;

    CGFloat kTextViewWidth = kViewWidth - kBtnSideMargin * 4 - kBtnWidth * 2;
    CGFloat kTextViewMaxHeight = [UIScreen mainScreen].bounds.size.height
    - TTKeyboardHeightForOrientation(self.interfaceOrientation)
    - NIStatusBarHeight() - NIToolbarHeightForOrientation(self.interfaceOrientation) * 2;

    self.view.frame = CGRectMake(0, 0, kViewWidth, kViewHeight);
    self.containerView.frame = self.view.bounds;
	self.emojiBtn.frame = CGRectMake(kBtnSideMargin, kBtnTopMargin, kBtnWidth, KBtnHeight);
    self.textView.frame = CGRectMake(emojiBtn.right + kBtnSideMargin, 0.f, kTextViewWidth, kViewHeight);
    self.textView.maxHeight = kTextViewMaxHeight;
    self.sendBtn.frame = CGRectMake(self.textView.right + kBtnSideMargin, kBtnTopMargin, kBtnWidth, KBtnHeight);

    //self.textView.autoresizingMask = UIViewAutoresizingFlexibleWidth;
    self.sendBtn.autoresizingMask = UIViewAutoresizingFlexibleTopMargin | UIViewAutoresizingFlexibleLeftMargin;
    self.emojiBtn.autoresizingMask = UIViewAutoresizingFlexibleTopMargin | UIViewAutoresizingFlexibleLeftMargin;
    self.containerView.autoresizingMask = UIViewAutoresizingFlexibleWidth | UIViewAutoresizingFlexibleTopMargin;
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
- (void)didReceiveMemoryWarning
{
    [super didReceiveMemoryWarning];
    // Dispose of any resources that can be recreated.
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
#pragma mark - Private

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
- (void)showEmojiViewAction
{
    if (!_emojiView) {
        _emojiView = [[OSCEmotionMainView alloc]
                      initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, self.view.frame.size.height - TTKeyboardHeightForOrientation(self.interfaceOrientation),
                                               self.view.width, TTKeyboardHeightForOrientation(self.interfaceOrientation))];
        _emojiView.emotionDelegate = self;
    }
    if (!self.textView.internalTextView.inputView) {
        // show emoji view
        [self.emojiBtn setTitle:BTN_TITLE_KEYBOARD forState:UIControlStateNormal];
        [self.textView.internalTextView resignFirstResponder];
        self.textView.internalTextView.inputView = self.emojiView;
        [self.textView.internalTextView becomeFirstResponder];

        // by default, inputAccessoryView is in front of inputView,
        // when touch first row of emoji view, emoji's TSEmojiViewLayer is coverd by inputAccessoryView
        // after do hack, know that inputView's superview is the same to inputAccessoryView 's superview。
        // it is UIPeripheralHostView, so i can bring front inputView, make emoji's TSEmojiViewLayer show well!
#ifdef DEBUG
        UIView* s1 = self.textView.internalTextView.inputView.superview;
        NSLog(@"inputView.superview = %@", s1);
        UIView* s2 = self.textView.internalTextView.inputAccessoryView.superview;
        NSLog(@"inputAccessoryView.superview = %@", s2);
#endif
        if (self.textView.internalTextView.inputView.superview) {
            [self.textView.internalTextView.inputView.superview bringSubviewToFront:self.textView.internalTextView.inputView];
        }
    }
    else {
        // show keyboard
        [self.emojiBtn setTitle:BTN_TITLE_EMOJI forState:UIControlStateNormal];
        [self.textView.internalTextView resignFirstResponder];
        self.textView.internalTextView.inputView = nil;
        [self.textView.internalTextView becomeFirstResponder];
    }
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// TODO: will move this method it util
- (NSString*)stringByReplaceEmojiUnicodeWithTextCodeForSourceText:(NSString*)sourceText
{
//    NSLog(@"before source Text:%@", sourceText);
//    for (NSString* key in [OSCGlobalConfig emojiReverseAliases]) {
//        sourceText = [sourceText stringByReplacingOccurrencesOfString:key withString:[OSCGlobalConfig emojiReverseAliases][key]];
//    }
//    NSLog(@"after source Text:%@", sourceText);
    return sourceText;
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-(void)replyAction
{
    if (self.textView.text.length) {
        OSCReplyModel* replyModel = [[OSCReplyModel alloc] init];
        // replace emoji unicode to text code
        NSString* bodyText = [self.textView.text copy];
        NSString* pureBodyText = [self stringByReplaceEmojiUnicodeWithTextCodeForSourceText:bodyText];
        [[MTStatusBarOverlay sharedOverlay] postMessage:@"回复中..."];
        [replyModel replyContentId:self.topicId
                       catalogType:self.catalogType
                            body:pureBodyText //self.textView.text
                         success:^(OSCCommentEntity* replyEntity){
                             self.textView.text = @"";
                             [self.textView resignFirstResponder];

                             if ([self.replyDelegate respondsToSelector:@selector(didReplySuccessWithMyReply:)]) {
                                 [self.replyDelegate didReplySuccessWithMyReply:replyEntity];
                                 [[MTStatusBarOverlay sharedOverlay] postImmediateFinishMessage:@"回复成功" duration:2.0f animated:YES];
                             }
                         } failure:^(OSCErrorEntity* errorEntity) {
                             [OSCGlobalConfig HUDShowMessage:@"回复失败!" addedToView:self.view];
                             if ([self.replyDelegate respondsToSelector:@selector(didReplyFailure)]) {
                                 [self.replyDelegate didReplyFailure];
                                 [[MTStatusBarOverlay sharedOverlay] postImmediateErrorMessage:@"回复失败,请重新发送" duration:2.0f animated:YES];
                             }
                         }];
    }
    else {
        [self.textView resignFirstResponder];
        if ([self.replyDelegate respondsToSelector:@selector(didReplyCancel)]) {
            [self.replyDelegate didReplyCancel];
        }
    }
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
#pragma mark - Public

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
- (void)appendString:(NSString*)string
{
    if (self.textView.text.length) {
        self.textView.text = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@ %@", self.textView.text, string];
    }
    else {
        self.textView.text = string;
    }
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
#pragma mark - ZDEmotionDelegate

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
- (void)emotionSelectedWithCode:(NSString*)code
{
    self.textView.text = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@%@", self.textView.text, code];
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
#pragma mark - HPGrowingTextViewDelegate

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
- (void)growingTextViewDidChange:(HPGrowingTextView *)growingTextView
{
    if (0 == growingTextView.text.length) {
        [self.sendBtn setTitle:BTN_TITLE_CANCEL forState:UIControlStateNormal];
    }
    else {
        [self.sendBtn setTitle:BTN_TITLE_REPLY forState:UIControlStateNormal];
    }
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
- (void)growingTextView:(HPGrowingTextView *)growingTextView willChangeHeight:(float)height
{
    float diff = (growingTextView.frame.size.height - height);

	CGRect r = self.containerView.frame;
    r.size.height -= diff;
    r.origin.y += diff;
	self.containerView.frame = r;
}

@end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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text:
Funeral directors make urgent request to be classified essential workers
17 Feb 2021 | Auckland news
The Funeral Directors Association has urgently requested that the government grant the sector's workers essential health worker status, RNZ reports. An estimated 80 funerals were postponed in Auckland yesterday, as a result of the city's move to Alert Level 3. Funeral directors are classified as essential services, but not as essential health workers – a big difference according to Funeral Directors Association president Gary Taylor. "We are currently using our own PPE…" Taylor said. "And at the moment the cost of that is being borne by funeral directors… We are on that front line, dealing with families. We can't be sure of their movements, and it would be good for the ministry to view us… as they do those people that are dealing with families in the DHB or the health service."


text:
info@thewhiteroomsband.com 0800 564 2240
To enquire about availability and prices for The White Rooms, complete this form and we will get back to you shortly!
The White Rooms
info@thewhiteroomsband.com
thewhiteroomsband.com
Beat It & Somebody Told Me
Don't You Worry Child & Livin' On A Prayer
Live At Occombe Beer Festival
Wedding, High Grosvenor, Shropshire
The band were absolutely awesome on our wedding night! We had practised a first dance to one of their set list tracks which they faithfully re-created and then immediately got the party going! We would go and see them again and would certainly recommend to friends and family. We got lots of compliments from friends on the band, and party atmosphere they created. In addition, the venue were slow to clear tables, and we wanted to get the party started, so the band made every effort to set up as quickly as possible!
Bethany & Thomas Harrington
Wedding, Letcombe Regis Village Hall, Wantage
I cannot praise The White Rooms or the Tailored Entertainment staff enough. The whole process from booking to the wedding day itself was seamless. The communication throughout was prompt and made me feel totally at ease with all the planning. A friendly voice at the end of every email and query I had stopped any unnecessary fretting. The band was incredible! I had every family member and friend who attended the wedding tell me how amazing and talented the band were. They were friendly an approachable and worked with the vibe of the room reading all the guests and interacting in a way that was totally unique. Everyone was up dancing from my husbands 90 year old grandmother to my 18 year old cousin. There really was something for everyone. A very talented band who really felt like friends turning up to ensure we all had a good time. I cannot recommend them enough...it really was the perfect ending to our wedding day!
Ryan Donoghue
Wedding, Carlton Towers, Goole
We booked The White Rooms to play at the evening reception of our wedding. They were absolutely fantastic! In particular, we were absolutely delighted with how well the band played our first dance songs and it made the day such much more personal by having the songs sung live, rather than played from a recording. The rest of the repertoire was exactly as expected and, once we had finally managed to persuade some guests to get up and dance with us, everybody really enjoyed the set. The band's recommendations as to set timings etc all worked out perfectly! All the band were really helpful and pleasant but I will give a special mention to the lead singer (whose name I cannot remember!), who was a pleasure to deal with. All in all, they helped make the wedding day the best day of our lives and one that will live in the memory forever.
Neil Quinn
Wedding, The Grand Hotel, Eastbourne
"The band were absolutely brilliant; the dance floor was literally bouncing all night! The production was also fantastic, especially when the stage curtains opened to reveal the band with all the lights and fog machines going.We had a few slight delays during the day, but the band adjusted their timings without any issues or complaint. Thank you for a great night!
Azra Husain
Wedding, Preston Court, Kent
They were amazing and we were grateful they sang all our favourite songs. All top blokes!
© 2017 The White Rooms, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


text:
Youth Voices Acting to End the Stigma of Homelessness and Menstruation in Africa
Posted on 22 Jan 2019 22 Jan 2019 Author All African Youth PlatformCategories EconomyTags Africa, Cape Town, Fit4Wings, Homelessness and Menstruation, Johannesburg, Ms. Baloyi, UNFPA, Youth, Youth Voices
By Cleopatra Okumu
Imagine, on a day when you had your period, if you had to choose between buying food or pads. What would your priority be? This difficult decision is a reality for homeless women each and every month.
The routine tasks of managing personal hygiene and basic needs present them with a tough choice.
An organization based in Cape Town is tackling this dilemma by providing homeless and underprivileged girls and women with menstrual products. Since 2016, Girls with Wiings has been assisting 250 girls and women in 11 locations with sanitary products every month.
"Our most powerful tool when it comes to menstrual health management is action. It's the power of getting involved, speaking up and taking action," says Koinonia Baloyi, 28, founder of Girls With Wiings.
Using fitness as a platform to raise resources
True to her words, in 2017 she completed the London Marathon and raised R21,000 (about $1500) for her organization. She uses fitness and well-being as one of her platforms to mobilize funds to provide menstrual health products to girls and women.
"We are giving women a safer and more hygienic alternative to using cloth material and napkins, as well as restoring their dignity," she says.
Ms. Baloyi initiated the Fitness for a Cause Campaign, which hosted a public outdoor fitness camp in in 2018. She was motivated to do so by commitments made at the first East and Southern African Regional Symposium on Menstrual Health Management, which was organized by UNFPA East and Southern Africa Regional Office and the Department of Women in the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa, in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2018.
The #Fit4Wings event, which was conducted by local celebrity fitness instructors, saw Girls With Wings raise R50,000 (about $3650). The money purchased 1000 bags containing reusable sanitary pads, soap, a face cloth and underwear.
"This campaign has contributed significantly towards the advocacy of menstrual health management," says Ms. Baloyi. "We have seen an increase in both awareness and participation in menstrual heath issues by large corporates, as well as men, through active partnerships, sponsorships and participation in these events."
Inspiring continuous action
With their aspirational name, Girls With Wiings is about inspiring continuous action and not allowing homeless and underprivileged girls, women and other people who menstruate to be alienated from society because of their inability to manage their menstrual health.
"Menstrual health management is something we need to keep talking about until it is a normal part of our everyday conversation, until it is something we don't shy away from," she says.
Ms. Baloyi is one of 400 practitioners who have joined the African Coalition for Menstrual Health, the aim of which is to strengthen the voices of its members. She believes her involvement will amplify the voices of practitioners and activists who have come together to address the menstrual health challenges of those who are so often left behind – including girls, women and other people who menstruate, the homeless, and those in prison or fleeing a humanitarian crisis.
Source UNFPA
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MS Dhoni-led team Chennai Super Kings (CSK) bagged their third Indian Premier League title after beating Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a one-sided battle at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday night.
Opener Shane Watson led from the front as he smashed an unbeaten century to guide his team to a memorable victory.
Watson, who started CSK's chase with 6 dot balls during the first over, scored an unbeaten 117 off just 57 balls, including 11 fours and 8 sixes.
Chasing 179 for a win, CSK reached the target with 9 balls to spare.
"Hats off to Shane Watson. He comes and gets 117 not out in the final. It's frustrating, but CSK were deserved winners. They certainly showed their experience," losing captain Kane Williamson said after the match.


text:
A 28ª edição da Vuelta decorreu entre 26 de abril a 13 de Maio de 1973 entre as localidades de Calpe e San Sebastián. A corrida foi composta por 17 etapas, num total de mais de 3061 km, com uma média de 36,098 km/h.

Equipas participantes

Etapas

Classificações

1973
1973 no ciclismo
Desporto na Espanha em 1973

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


I've been introduced to this website recently, BookUp.my which triggered my interest as it works to resolve the current dilemma that the majority of students in Malaysia are facing in recent times. In fact, a decade ago I was already feeling the heat of expensive university textbooks, and the only workaround that time was to source from outgoing seniors and sometimes that's hard to come by.
Textbooks are actually pretty expensive and at the end of every semester, students may have no use of it. This is not applicable to all though, some may want to keep it for future reference, but that's another story all together. Some of us give it to juniors, but most of us kept the unused textbooks at home collecting dust. We need a better way to clear the textbooks, so that they can be in good use for others who need it. This is actually a win-win situation for both parties, juniors getting their textbooks at a discount, while you get to clear off your old textbooks.
BookUp is the project brainchild of two everyday Malaysians that wants to make a difference in the society, more specifically, the students society. What is BookUp exactly? BookUp is a website which sells textbooks as well as books for up to 70% cheaper. Not only that, for those of you who have too many books lying around and have no idea where to sell them, BookUp will handle that for you.
To buy books: Once buyer identified the books that they wanted to buy, they just have to complete the payment. Books will then be sent to them.
BookUp is currently based in Ipoh, Perak and still in the process of expansion to other states. Starting from January 2014, BookUp will be going around to universities and colleges to engage with students. They can be contacted at mybookup@gmail.com , so do check out their website, which I feel is a pretty good effort to help the students in Malaysia.
Sounds great ! Cheaper option to purchase textbooks.


Do you feel like you're missing out because you can't vote during election season? If you're 16 or 17 and live in Massachusetts, you are in luck because you can pre-register to vote so you can cast a ballot when you turn 18! Now you might ask why voting is important, which is a completely valid question, so let me explain why. Our government is run by elected officials who focus on important issues such as health care and education. However, people like you and I need to get involved so we have a voice in how we want our government to function. Once you're registered, there's so much you can vote for, other than a president, such your stance on gun control, political term limits, abortion, welfare drug testing, and other issues that affect our society today. The more people that vote, the more our democracy is represented!
Back in 2014, Governor Deval Patrick signed the election reform law (that became effective in 2016,) designed to make voting more accessible and easier for people to register to vote. While signing the bill, he stated "Whenever we have a law that expands access to the ballot and makes it easier for people to register and to vote, it makes our democracy better." In addition to address early voting, the law also granted 16 and 17 year-olds the opportunity to pre-register to vote. Now, let's get you pre-registered!
To pre-register online you must have a driver's license or a state ID to confirm your age. You can also print a voter registration form and fill it out accordingly. Stick a postage stamp on it then mail it to your local election office. You can even go to our local election office and fill out the form there so you don't have to even worry about a stamp. They'll mail it for you!
Some questions that appear on the voter registration form pertain to your political party (but if you are unsure, you can leave that blank), your social security number (make sure you have that handy), and your current address. It doesn't take a long time to fill out the form and it will save you the trouble when you turn 18. Pre registering to vote is available in the following 14 states: California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Utah! Please refer to your own state's ruling for more information. This is your world, shape it or someone else will!


Browse our classified ad listings of new and used limo golf carts for sale and choose from a selection of multi-passenger vehicles that can transport four or more people.
If you need to transport several passengers around a retirement facility, industrial plant, airport or residential estate, a limo golf cart is the perfect solution for your requirements. A limo cart is classed as a custom build which starts off as a standard gas model that has had its frame extended to accommodate 4, 6 or even 8 passengers. Custom golf car seats are then added to provide the capability to transport several passengers at a time.
Gas golf carts is ideal for the basis of a 4, 6 or 8 passenger limo as it provides the extra power needed from its gasoline engine in order to be able to carry all of the passengers and their luggage. Gas limos are ideally suited to outdoor facilities or where large gradients are likely to be encountered. Where the terrain or operating range is not suitable for an electric vehicle then limo gas powered carts should be utilized.
If your environment requires quiet operation or is indoors, say in an airport or conference facility, then an electric limo may be the better choice.


Thanks for the info, I will take Lenny on Monday /Tuesday next week, he seems healthy and lively enough, though I do wonder about the crickets outgrowing Lenny... I set up a 2' X 1' x 1' box with fine mesh for vents with hay, egg boxes and fresh fruit and veg everday in the greenhouse, some of the 8-10mm crickets are now 15-18mm, should I seperate them for breeding? They were from 2 different sources.
If they are still smaller than the space between his eyes he will be ok to eat them. breeding crickets (from what I hear) is very hard to do so if you manage it then please let us know how you did it!
Just thought i'd add to this link. There is an exotics/reptile vet specialist in the east yorkshire/hull area as I know there are a few new people to the forum i've noticed that are from around this area. Swanbridge veterinary group have a specialist reptile vet that is based in Patrington but does clinics in Swanland. Very good but this vets is quite expensive. Paul their exotics vet though is brilliant and definatley knows his stuff. As far as i'm aware he is the only one in east yorkshire. I know the reputable breeders and reptile shops use him too. They also have 'reptile hospital' at the main Swanland site if your beardie is unfortunate to need it.
I can highly recommend a vets in Doncaster, Arundell @ hall villa lane toll bar. Ask for Steve he is really good with all Lizzards and very reasonable price.
If anyones interested and lives in the somerset area, this is the vet i use, he's very nice and seems very knowledgeable.
This is the vets i took Lizzy to , it is in Brentwood,Essex (yes where they shoot TOWIE ) The receptionist was very nice and the vet himself was extremley helpful and gave Lizzy a very good going over and explained lots to me , prices are very reasonable aswell.
If u live near RIchmond I recently used C J Hall in East Sheen. He was very knowledgable and is an exotic pet specialist vet. He is the vet used by my local reptile shop.
I use this vets. Ian Fraiser is amazing with reptiles. I travel from wigan to see him.


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Analysis: Too many players making mockery of All-Star voting
By TIM REYNOLDS
Jan 24, 2020 7:00 AM - Too many NBA players once again have made a mockery of their vote to decide which colleagues should start the league's annual showcase
Mavs sensation Doncic shares rare air with James as All-Star
By SCHUYLER DIXON
Jan 24, 2020 5:08 PM - Dallas Mavericks sensation Luka Doncic is set to be the youngest All-Star starter since LeBron James 15 years ago
Jan 24, 2020 7:00 AM - Australia midfielder Aaron Mooy has completed a permanent transfer to Brighton from second-tier team Huddersfield after impressing during a loan spell this season
AP Source: Warriors close to trading Cauley-Stein to Dallas
By SCHUYLER DIXON and JANIE McCAULEY
Jan 24, 2020 7:56 PM - The Golden State Warriors were working to finalize a trade that sends center Willie Cauley-Stein to the Dallas Mavericks for a second-round draft pick this summer
Jan 24, 2020 7:43 AM - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's future is back under scrutiny at Manchester United and the pressure will ratchet up if his team is eliminated from the FA Cup by a third-tier opponent
How the 49ers and the Chiefs match up in the Super Bowl
By BARRY WILNER
Jan 24, 2020 2:51 PM - It has been a while since a Super Bowl has appeared to be such a toss-up
Keuchel apologizes for Astros' sign-stealing scandal
By Scot Gregor
Jan 24, 2020 7:05 PM - New Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel was with the Houston Astros in 2017 and he is "personally" sorry for being involved in the sign-stealing scandal that has rocked major-league baseball.
Soccer union FIFPro distances itself from link to Platini
Jan 24, 2020 9:10 AM - Soccer players' union FIFPro has distanced itself from reports Michel Platini will be advising the organization's president
Royals star Pérez becomes US Citizen at team's fan event
Jan 24, 2020 7:21 PM - Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Pérez took the oath of U.S. citizenship during the team's annual FanFest on Friday
Hield scores 21, Kings beat Bulls 98-81 to snap 6-game skid
Jan 24, 2020 10:46 PM - Buddy Hield scored 21 points, Harrison Barnes added 19 and the Sacramento Kings beat the Chicago Bulls 98-81 to snap a six-game losing streak


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Q: Конкатенация элементов многомерного массива php Столкнулась с проблемой... Помогите пожалуйста решить.
Ситуация такая
Есть отдельная таблица (momental) в ней значения id товаров, кол-во, цена, валюта и т. д
Есть 2 массива городов, а могут быть и 10, мне нужно все перебрать и соединить все momental_city
Вывод из БД
Код вывода:
$all = getAll("SELECT * FROM uni_momental WHERE momental_tovar_id= { $array_data["tovar"]['ads_id'] } ");
print_r($all);
Изначально массив заносила в JSON. Что бы легче было работать
Задача нужно сложить эти массивы в один большой массив этих значений
Мне в конце нужен такой результат:
["1133","1134","1142","1143","1144"]
Конкатенация многомерного массива php это где то близко, но не совсем помогла...
Для управления массивом momental_city (добавить/удаленить/обновить) в таблице MySQL
Скриншот прилагаю

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Fears new medical aid law changes may cause 'doctor drain'
Stefni Herbert
The Medical Schemes Amendment Bill is now in Parliament.
Concerns have been raised about the proposed Medical Schemes Amendment Bill, one of many health-related bills which have been going through various motions in Parliament.
Recently, the cabinet approved the Bill to regulate medical schemes, and it will now be published and made available for public comment.
Among the concerns raised is the impact of a proposed uniform tariff for healthcare services, leading to a possible exodus of doctors and other healthcare professionals to countries where they can get "full value" for their services by charging tariffs they see as reasonable.
Uniform tariffs
Head of Healthcare at financial service company GTC, Jill Larken, told Health24 that a uniform tariff was introduced into the pharmaceutical industry some time ago with a standard single exit price set for each medicine.
"Although there was substantial pushback, this was eventually adopted and has seen the effective management of medicine prices.
"To extend this concept into the pricing of services paid to some of the rarest professionals in our country would surely cause those professionals to seek employment elsewhere in the world.
"This 'brain drain' is not a new concept to South Africa, but we cannot continue to suffer the loss of doctors and an increase in population. We don't currently have enough doctors to cater for our existing population, which currently means that those who do decide to stay, will forever be overworked," said Larken.
Managing Director for the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF), Dr Katlego Mothudi, told Health24 that the Bill needs to be amended. "There are many sections that need to be aligned to good health policy and remove barriers that impede access to affordable care."
Mothudi added that healthcare expenses have been increasing at rates of 4% to 5% above inflation over the past years.
"There are inadequate controls to manage the increasing costs of healthcare, so the proposed uniform tariff would help address this problem to some extent. The implementation of uniform tariffs would avoid co-payments as medical schemes would reimburse providers at the prescribed tariffs," said Mothudi.
But tariffs aren't the only issue
The proposed Amendment Bill addresses doing away with prescribed minimum benefits (PMB) and replacing it with basic benefits.
The Council for Medical Schemes describes PMBs as a list of benefits that members of medical aids, regardless of the package they're on, have access to. The website adds that PMBs form part of the Medical Schemes Act and states that medical aids are obliged to cover the costs related to the diagnoses, care and treatment of any emergency medical condition, 270 medical conditions and 25 chronic conditions.
The Amended Bill aims to replace PMBs with something called basic benefits.
Mothudi said that the major weakness with PMBs is that they are "hospi-centric" and it would be more efficient to provide primary care and prevent avoidable hospitalisations.
Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, or the Department of Health is yet to let medical aids know more about the basic benefits, according to Larken.
"We have been informed that basic benefits would replace PMBs at some point in the future. We have not been supplied with a list of these basic benefits, neither have the medical aids, who will be expected to make adjustments to their minimum benefits and premiums as and when this list is released," said Larken.
Effect of removal of co-payments
Larken added that with this comes the eradication of co-payments, and without co-payments every member would be asked to pay much higher premiums.
"Via the introduction and charging of co-payments, medical aids have been able to manage the annual premium increases experienced by their whole membership, and transfer some of the risk back onto those members which require the co-payment procedures.
"The only tie in between the basic minimum benefits, uniform tariffs and co-payments would be if, and here it is a very big if, these elements were all released at the same time.
"The effect of the introduction of basic minimum benefits, uniform tariffs and co-payments would be to reduce premiums for medical aid members, whereas the effect of the removal of co-payments would be to increase premiums for medical aid members," said Larken.
When the amendment to the bill was announced in 2015, rights organisation Section27 released a statement saying that regulation eight (8) is unreasonable.
The organisation listed several reasons behind why the legislation is unreasonable, one of them being that the proposed amendment undermines the important purpose of the Act, which includes to "protect the interests of medical scheme members".
Stop talking and start delivering, say medical aid CEOs about NHI
No more tax breaks for medical aid members?
Make your medical aid work for you
Looking for medical aid gap cover? These are the top options


The DEH-X9500BHS CD receiver features Pioneer's MIXTRAX™ technology, built-in Bluetooth® for hands-free calling and audio streaming, an HD Radio™ tuner, is SiriusXM Ready, is Pandora® radio ready for iPhone® and Android™, and offers direct control of an iPod®/iPhone. The full-dot LCD display is customizable with several backgrounds and animations to choose from. Further customize the receiver with your choice of key and display colors. Dual rear USB ports make it possible for multiple USB music storage devices to be connected and charged and allow for that clean installed look. Fine tune your sound with the 5-band graphic equalizer, high-pass and low-pass filter settings, and subwoofer control. Take your system to the limit and expand using the 3 hi-volt RCA preouts.


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TRANSJAKARTA, THE OLDEST BRT SYSTEM IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
Busworld South East Asia 2019 will be held in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia. But also Jakarta is home of the world's longest BRT system, Transjakarta. A Bus Rapid Transit system of 251 km long. The service set a record in 2018 when it carried 730,000 passengers per day. There for during Busworld South East Asia on Thursday 21 March 2019 a panel discussion titled "Development of Mass Transportation, BRT Systems and Supporting Infrastructure" is chaired by Ir. Karlo Manik, Director of Greater Jakarta Transport Authority under MoT.
The panel discussion will be held under the wings of Busworld Academy and Global Expo Management, the organizer for international specialized trade exhibitions in Indonesia. Global Expo Management is hosting Busworld South East Asia.
Transjakarta is the first and only Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Indonesia. It started in 2004, by cooperating with a consortium of 5 bus companies that had at that time a crossing route with Transjakarta corridor 1. Now it consists of 155 routes. The last three years it dramatically expanded from 41 routes in 2015 with 605 buses. In 2017 this number was increased up to 1500 buses. Plans are to double the bus fleet up to 3000 vehicles. The fare has remained Rp 3,500 (22 Euro cents) per passenger since operations began. The service set a record in 2018 when it carried 730,000 passengers per day. Over the years on average Transjakarta carried 663.000 passengers per day. About 189,8 million passengers used the service of Transjakarta in 2018. The target is one million passengers daily.
Since it was decided to start operating in Jakarta on January 15 in 2004, Transjakarta has become a new cultural symbol of transportation in Indonesia. Transjakarta is also the first public transportation system subsidized by the city government in Indonesia. In the past few years, Transjakarta has become the BRT system benchmark for cities in Indonesia, such as Semarang and Medan, and a symbol of road-based public transportation renewal in and outside Indonesia, by implementing a system that was more humane for the citizens.
A fully updated programme of the Busworld Academy Conference is available on the Busworld Academy website.
Transjakarta - PT. Transportasi Jakarta:
Busworld Southeast Asia


text:
After summit, State TV shows President Trump…
After summit, North Korea shows Trump in new light
By The Associated Press |
PUBLISHED: June 14, 2018 at 7:11 am | UPDATED: June 14, 2018 at 7:12 am
North Korean TV has aired its first footage of the #TrumpKimSummit. Look out for the handshake/salute confusion 55 seconds in. pic.twitter.com/JS5yEUprgz
— BBC Monitoring (@BBCMonitoring) June 14, 2018
By ERIC TALMADGE | The Associated Press
PYONGYANG, North Korea — North Koreans are getting a new look at U.S. President Donald Trump now that his summit with leader Kim Jong Un is over and it's a far cry from the "dotard" label their government slapped on him last year.
Previously, even on a good day, the best he might get was "Trump." No honorifics. No signs of respect. Now, he's being called "the president of the United States of America." Or "President Donald J. Trump."
Even "supreme leader."
The post-summit transformation of North Korea's official version of Trump, who's now being shown by state media looking serious and almost regal, underscores the carefully choreographed reality show the government has had to perform to keep its people, taught from childhood to hate and distrust the "American imperialists," ideologically on board with the tectonic shifts underway in their country's relationship with Washington.
With a time lag that suggests a great deal of care and thought went into the final product, the North's state-run television aired its first videos and photos of the summit on Thursday, two days after the event and a full day after Kim returned home to Pyongyang, the capital.
To be sure, the star of the show was Kim. Trump's first appearance and the now famous handshake didn't come until almost 20 minutes into the 42-minute program.
To the dramatic, almost song-like intonations of the nation's most famous newscaster, the program depicted Kim as statesmanlike beyond his years, confident and polite, quick to smile and firmly in control. He was shown allowing the older American — Trump, in his seventies, is more than twice Kim's age — to lean in toward him to shake hands, or give a thumbs up, then walking a few steps ahead to a working lunch.
The program also showed an awkward moment of Trump reaching out to shake the hand of a North Korean military officer, who instead saluted the American president. Trump saluted the officer in return, and the two then shook hands. In another scene, he moved a chair with his foot instead of his hands. Both elicited giggles from some of the more observant North Koreans watching the program.
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Before showing Trump and Kim signing their joint statement, the newscaster said Trump made a point of giving Kim a look at his armored Cadillac limousine, and noted that it is known to Americans as "the Beast." She also at one point called them the "two supreme leaders" of their countries.
The image-heavy news of Kim's trip to Singapore was presented like a chronological documentary, starting with the red-carpet send off at the Pyongyang airport on, interestingly enough, a chartered Air China flight. That was followed by video of his motorcade making its way to the St. Regis Hotel in Singapore as throngs of well-wishers waved as though awaiting a rock star, and Kim's night tour of the city-state on the summit's eve.
The state media's representation of the summit and Trump is extremely important because it gives the North Korean population, which has only limited access to other news sources, an idea not just of what's going on but also of how the government expects them to respond.
For the average North Korean, the state media's coverage of Kim's diplomatic blitz this year must seem nothing short of astonishing.
After sending a top-level delegation that included his own sister to the Winter Olympics in South Korea in February, Kim has met twice each with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Chinese President Xi Jinping and the state media have splashed all of the meetings across its front pages and newscasts — though generally a day after the fact to allow time to make sure the ideological tone is right and the images as powerful as possible.
In the run-up to the summit, the North's media softened its rhetoric so as not to spoil the atmosphere as Kim prepared to sit down with the leader of the country North Korea has maligned and lambasted for decades as the most evil place on Earth, other than perhaps Japan, its former colonial ruler.
It fired a few barrages against hard-line comments by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and National Security Adviser John Bolton and has stood ever critical of "capitalist values," but has kept direct references to Trump to a minimum. Bolton, who has been a target of Pyongyang's ire since his service in the George W. Bush administration, was introduced in the Thursday program dead-pan and shown shaking Kim's hand.
What this all means for the future is a complicated matter.
North Korea has presented Kim's diplomatic strategy as a logical next step following what he has said is the completion of his plan to develop a credible nuclear deterrent to what Pyongyang has long claimed is a policy of hostility and "nuclear blackmail" by Washington.
That was its message through the news on Thursday, which stressed that the talks with Trump would be focused on forging a relationship that is more in tune with what it called changing times — most likely meaning North Korea's new status as a nuclear weapons state — and its desire for a mechanism to ensure a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and, finally, denuclearization.
Despite the respectful tone, there remains a clear undercurrent of caution.
Kim remains the hero in the official Pyongyang narrative. Whether Trump will be his co-star, or once again the villain, is fodder for another episode.
Talmadge is the AP's Pyongyang bureau chief. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram: @EricTalmadge.
Morning Wire


text:
Home | About CDC | Press Room | A-Z Index | Contact Us
Pregnancy Information Center
Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental and social wellbeing in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. (WHO working definition, 2002)
Basic information on HIV and AIDS, as well as resources on HIV prevention
National HIV Testing Database
Find an HIV test site near you from the National HIV Testing Database, a CDC-sponsored service available 24 hours a day
Up-to-date information about STDs and
answers to personal health questions
Sexual violence affects people, particularly women, at all stages of life
Hepatitis B in Adults
Learn more about CDC's new immunization strategy to eliminate transmission of hepatitis B in adults
Promoting Health for Women Before, During, and After Pregnancy
Preconception Care
Working with public health partners to provide health promotion, screening and interventions for women of reproductive age to reduce risk factors that might affect future pregnancies
Pregnancy and HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and STD Prevention
Learn more about these infections and prevention for your baby
Last Reviewed: 3/27/2007
Content Source: National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
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E-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov
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and Human Services


Whether you are single, a couple, family or a business owner, you might prefer to have the support of regular financial advice.
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As a business owner or employee, you might have set objectives in mind, such as retirement plans or providing for your family. Our holistic advice can help you minimise the effects of any changes, and maximise the chances of you achieving your objectives.
Regular reviews help keep your finances on track, giving you or your family increased peace of mind. Furthermore, in the event of an urgent query, all our clients know that we are only ever a phone call away.
As your circumstances change, you can count on Always Independent to be there for you with regular advice, reviews and support.
If you have a question regarding your general financial plans, or a specific issue, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would be happy to answer your questions at a free initial meeting.
Our alternative dispute resolution provider is the Financial Ombudsman Service. Their website is financial-ombudsman.org.uk and you can find out more information via this link.
What are cookies? Cookies are small text files, stored by the computer's browser which enable personalised web pages such as checkouts, login areas, enable targeted advertising or track viewing.


We have a full program this season with the Creative Arts Institute offering courses during the days, Arts Club meetings in the late afternoons and of course The Arts Club Arts; An Entertainment Event in the evenings. Every week has its reason at The Arts Club so plan some time to come and indulge your passions.
So Click on the image on the right and find plenty of reasons to get off the couch. This months Arts Festival Schedule has over 50 local Arts and Entertainment Events. At The Arts Club in Brighton the members are planning to have an amazing season full of memorable events, activities and courses for all of us to enjoy. So here are some reasons to go out and enjoy some great events with some great people!
We are haveing a nostagic celebration of the good old 50's and 60's to raise funds for a special dance floor for local dance groups. The event will not only feature those amazing wheels from the 50' and 60's but also the music and dance that made that era so dear to so many of our hearts. So enjoy a blast from the past and help local dance groups get the facilities they deserve. Tickets are $20 and available at The Arts Club.
British recording star Katey Brooks paid a suprise visit to The Arts Club this June and put on an amazing 3 hour concert for our members. A film crew from Media Arts filmed the concert which may be available online soon. You never know what performers will be coming to our studios for a concert taping so stay in touch. Studio Audience tickets are $20 and available at The Arts Club.
We hold benefit video dances for local non profits and charities at the Arts Club every month. Our last one was to commemorate our vetrans who served in the first and second world wars. But every month we make a difference to local organizations. So Stay tuned for details on some amazing events. Video dance tickets are $20 and are available at The Arts Club.
We hold benefit concerts featureing local live entertainment. The Next benefit event will be for Victory For Animals which is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection animals. Its International adoption and rescue center based in Brighton, Ontario is fighting animal cruelty around the world and helps find homes for unwanted animals and provide them with medical care when needed. So if you can make it expect great music, good food, beverages, dancing and door prizes and a special gift just for coming out! A lot of entertainment for your $20 admission!
We are holding film screenings to raize funds for local community organizations. So enjoy some really great films at The Arts Club and support local community programs. At The Arts Club portion of revenue from every film screening goes to support local organizations. Ticket for the Screening Room are $10 and are available at The Arts Club.
ability to tell stories with your voice and body language.
This is the perfect quick training session for anyone looking to learn the fundamentals of photography. Whether you are a new photographer needing to learn the basics or a seasoned shooter wanting to brush up on the world of digital, this class puts all students on firm ground for advancing their photography.This course will introduce the creative and technical possibilities available to the photographer using the single lens reflex (SLR) digital camera. See more on our course page.
A special workshop series for small businesses called "Result Focused Marketing" is designed to support the evolving marketing needs of small and medium sized organizations. Our marketing gurus lead an in-depth look at optimizing the effectiveness of a different media each month. The focus of this series is developing marketing strategies that yield tangible results and offer step by step implementation plans that are both outcome and cost effective. This 12 month workshop series is a complete introduction to modern marketing methods that work . Workshops may be attended subject to seat availability at $20 per workshop. These meetings are held weekly, Call for dates and times and to reserve your seat. Visit our course page for more info on courses.
A JAM with the areas's best Jazz Musicians If you like JAZZ you will love THE JAM The Jam is a club for jazz musicians to gather, listen and perform every Tuesday evening at the Arts Club in Brighton. The Jam takes place in The Arts Club Back Stage Theatre, a special sound stage which is often used for recording sessions and music videos. Its acoustics and atmosphere emulates a cross between the intimate Jazz clubs of New Orleans, and a Greenich Village Club. An awesome venue to listen to live music. The Jam brings talented musicians together to create Jazz that will keep your toes a tapping. There is a different jazz theme every event so check our monthly program for details, but do join us for an evening of hot Jazz . So find "your groove" at The Arts Club at the next JAM.
As part of the The Film Club film review program they are screening a series of classic films on our big screen and superb sound system. We use this opportunity to hold a film course that explores the worlds best classic films. This course is offered as a credit at The Creative Arts Institute. The Film Club classic film commitee reviews each film in its search for the best classic films of all time. A full lisitng is in The Arts Festival Shedule and on the Film program page.
The Wordsmiths Writers Workshops were created for both established and emerging writers to develop their craft. Each session will involve a group discussion of challenges for writers, readings, and peer feedback. Whether you write short stories, books, articles, or film scripts; these meetings can help you to refine your approach to your projects. Each meeting explores another discipline that is a characteristic of highly successful writers. It provides a step by step approach to developing a successful career in writing. Each session involves a workshop, readings, and coaching. Call for date and times and to reserve your place.
The Film Clubs Film Review Night is a film based meet-up focused on watching, then discussing reviewing films in detail. As part of the The Film Club documentary commitee review program they are screening a series of classic films on our big screen and superb sound system. Discussions take place after the screening and centre around the direction, acting, cinematography, screenplay, sound and how all the pieces either fit together or don't fit together. This is a group for anyone that enjoys watching a film and discussing its merit as art as well as its impact on the social, economic, environmental and political landscape of our world. Lots of food for thought! We love film and love learning more about film. If you also have a passion for film, you will want to join us on our film nights! Anyone is welcome. It's an evening out that can add a great deal to your experience of this big screen media. Some of upcoming screenings can be seen on the Film Club page.
On the Film Clubs Film Review Night they screen outstanding films that have garnered recognition from the film industry. Great Films, Great Directors, Great Actors are reviewed in this series of popular films. This is a group for anyone that enjoys watching great films and if so inclined, staying to discuss its merits with other film fans. If you also have a passion for big budget films, you will want to join The Film Club for its screening nights. A partial listing can be seen on the FILM Club page.
The Comedy Club puts an entertaining evening once a month with comedic performances on screen and stage. The Comedy Club programming is a multi media mix of video performances and live entertainment with an open mic featuring a varied mix of stand up, improv , magic and some times a little storytelling. As part of the The Film Club comedy film commitee review program they will screening a series of films about some of the funniest people alive. If you have a passion for funny, you will want to join The Comedy Club for these highly entertaining nights! A partial listing can be seen on the FILM CLUB page. You never know what to expect from our Comedy Club nights but you can count on some solid comic relief. The evening often finishes with a chance to see some of the funniest flicks ever made on our 20-foot screen and concert sound system! So Laugh it up at The Arts Club!
The Members from photo groups from Trenton, Brighton, Campbellford, and Cobourg get together once a month for exhibitions, talks, films, workshops, or demonstrations that show what goes into crafting works of photographic art.
10:00 am IMAGE MAKING FUNDIMENTALS - Digital Photography Primer presentation at The Arts Club 8 Loyalist Drive Brighton. This introductory presentation at The Arts will explore the ins and outs of digital photography and how to get the most out of your digital cameras and techniques for capturing great photos. We explore how to manage the artistic controls even newbies can use including exposure, focus, shutter speed and ISO settings and of course composition to make great photos. This session will generally included a Q & A to help people with particular points of interest.
2:00-4:00 PHOTO TREK - Informal Photo Shoot - Destination to be determined .
please call The Arts Club at 613-661-0104 for details and to book your attendance.
Enjoy one workshop or the whole day Addmission $15 Book Your Place ahead. Take a look at the FOTO FEST page for details.
The Arts Club turns into a "night club" for teens one Saturday per month at 7pm with hot dance music, videos, contests and more.
- A Dance Party Every Month!
The Back Stage Theatre tranforms into a NIGHT CLUB on a Saturday night. It comes alive around 8:30 pm with good company gathering for tasty snacks, thirst quenching drinks, danceable music, good conversation with a few games and door prizes thrown in just for fun. So join us on a Saturday night at Brighton's only night club! Check our program or call for details on our next Gotta Dance.
If Your Are Single ...Get Ready To Meet. Mix & Mingle and make new friends! Celebrate Single Life with snacks, drinks, ice breaking games, music, dance and lots of fun.
Don't Miss This! Call for info on our next Singles Mingle.
Today Belly Dance is known for being the best dance for women's bodies. The moves accentuate and make women beautiful, and can be performed beautifully by woman of all ages and sizes.
Dance Line is Brightons Line Dancing Club. It is creating a whole new contemporary approach to line dancing. A line dance is a choreographed dance with a repeated sequence of steps in which a group of people dance in one or more lines or rows and has recently been credited with many health benefits as a form of exercise.
DANCE LINE is a club that takes line dancing beyond just the country-western genre at its root to variants of the waltz, polka and swing. At a DANCE LINE event; Line dances are now accompanied by many popular music styles including pop, swing, rock and roll, disco, Latin, rhythm & blues, and jazz. DANCE LINE grew out of the Codderington Line Dance club which was started in 2009 by Bonnie Browne and now holds dances at The Arts Club in Brighton and also visits live music events across the region. Like a flash mob; these dancers can show up at any event and showcase this new kind of dancing that works with so many kinds of music. So have a workout and some fun and join us at DANCE LINE. Enjoy Great Dancing ,Great Excersize, Great Music, Great Coffee, and most importantly Great Company! Come Join In The Fun!
OPEN MIC CLUB - We invite local musicians to organize a fun event when you can let your hair down, get on stage and enjoy entertaining each other. The Arts Club Open Mic Events provide a special opportuity for performers. An Open Mic Event is an opportunity for musicians, comedians, poets, song writers and philosophers to try thier new ideas out on a live and friendly crowd. The Club tranforms the Back Stage Theatre to stage two types of open mic events every Sunday.
SHOWCASE OPEN STAGE - We have on open stage that provides up and coming talent an opportunity to explore performance by showing thier stuff in front of a friendly audience. This open mic event not only showcases local talent but there are often donated prizes for performers at this open mic. This event also serves as an audition for this years Talent Contest.
SONG CIRCLE - Here musicians can participate in this workshop for songwriters and performers to explore playing and creating together. Our song circle is an event developed by and for musicians to give everyone an opportunity to share, learn and play new songs. This open circle encourages participatory collaboration.
In both cases it is variety at its best as you never know what to expect from the next one up to the mic. For Performers the Open Mic Night is an opportunity to enjoy entertaining in front of a friendly crowd looking for new experiences. For the audience its an opportunity to appreciate the amazing talents that live in our own community.
This Years TALENT CONTEST - We are are also looking for entrants for the TAC Talent Contest. So when someone with talent performs at one of our open mics it is also an audition for The Arts Club Annual Talent Contest which will feature over $1000 in prizes for the winning acts.
We are always impressed with all the amazing local talent from this area so come enjoy a musical celebration.
NOTE: all events planned are subject to minimum and maximum participation levels so please remember to register with our office in advance.
MAKE THE ARTS CLUB YOUR CLUB! Created by community members for community members. The Arts Club was always intended to be an arts and entertainment oasis in this part of Ontario. So help us make it your club. Tell us what you would like to see us consider for programming. If you communicate with us about your interests, your preferences then it can have an impact on future programming at The Arts Club. So please fill out the questionaire below and let us know what you would like to see on our stage, on our screen or on our walls.
What do you want on The Arts Club Stage?
We have a lot to celebrate in this amazing country and in our small part of it. Celebrating that fact is one of the reasons that The Arts Club was created.
Our Event Management Team has a history of producing succesful live entertainmant productions that has spaned four decades.
Our team has years of experiance staging everything from concerts and comedy shows to corporate events, conferances, and trade shows.
We create very special events whether its a party, a wedding or a reunion we know how to plan and produce memerable moments.
We have an abundance of talent in our community and The Arts Club books the best entertainment for our events.
We like all our events to be fun and the key to fun for almost every event is the entertainment.
We pride ourselves on finding and showcasing exceptional Canadian talent and our team is looking forward to filling The Arts Club stage with an ongoing series of exciting events.
We have variety shows in the works for The Arts Club that will include everything from music and comedy to magic and mentalists.
We all need to take time to enjoy ourselves, to share time with friends and to laugh at life.


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Understanding the Quad-Play Business Model
Service providers continue to invest heavily to build quad-play bundles, many with high hopes for lower churn and better margins. The value of these bundles to customers and service providers is yet to be proven. However, with an increasing share of the market, quad-play bundles cannot be ignored.
The Quad-Play Balancing Act: Understanding the Business Model
By Michael Dargue and Jennifer Lin
Quad-play bundles have been available since the mid-2000s, although their presence was limited to relatively few countries. Since these early bundles, the landscape in both fixed and mobile markets has been transformed by the proliferation of smartphones, increasing product substitution with over-the-top (OTT) content delivery options, and operator consolidation. With global quad-play subscription growth at a CAGR of 25% between 2014 and 2019, hesitant service providers must reevaluate their strategic position towards bundling. [1]
Quad-play bundles combine fixed broadband, fixed voice, and paid TV services with mobile voice and data services. Like dual-play and triple-play predecessors, the quad-play bundle is a calculated effort on the part of service providers to reduce churn, increase revenue, and claim greater market share. This report illustrates the key factors that service providers must consider to address this nascent market.
Today's Quad-Play Market
Based on the experience of selected Western European markets, consumer demand for quad-play bundles not only exists, but can also redefine a broadband market. In 2014, over 30% of wireline broadband subscriptions in Portugal and Spain were quad-play bundles (see Figure 1), a percentage that is expected to increase to approximately 60% over five years. [2]
High levels of quad-play adoption, however, are not universal. In 2014, the five largest quad-play markets in Western Europe accounted for approximately 60% of all quad-play subscriptions; France alone comprised over 25% of global quad-play subscriptions. Neighboring operators in the UK and Germany also offer quad-play bundles but have yet to see the level of penetration among quad-play leaders. In the US, where quad-play bundles have been offered for almost a decade, penetration is just 1.5%.
Sources: Ovum, Ofcom
The success of a quad-play bundle, however, relies on more than high consumer uptake. That uptake must be primarily driven by untapped consumer demand for connectivity solutions at a different price point, rather than by consumers simply seeking lower prices for the services they already purchase separately. French and Spanish households often save upwards of 20% through bundling; the US, by contrast, offers savings closer to 2%. [3] The business decision to discount, and to what degree, remains an open question.
Challenges to the Quad-Play Bundle
Although marketed as the next step in the bundling evolution from triple-play, the quad-play bundle challenges how service providers coordinate, package, sell, and enable services. Fixed service providers offer households all-you-can-eat subscriptions, but mobile operators often charge individuals based on usage. Operators must effectively segment customers according to both their fixed and mobile preferences. Customers expect consistent service and standard billing, but inter-operator agreements that provide a quad-play service are subject to revision, putting margins at risk.
Furthermore, these providers still face the inherent risks of product bundling, including the cannibalization of existing revenue streams, particularly that of the still growing triple-play market.
Does the Business Case for Bundling Stack Up?
The value of quad-play bundles has been a source of controversy. Some service providers suggest that quad-play bundles are only relevant to "high-end" markets with sufficient wealth, where upsell and cross-sell opportunities are more lucrative. Others question quad-play bundles more fundamentally.
Tele2's CEO, Mats Granryd, has argued, "The buying patterns [for fixed and mobile services] are completely different…in places we have launched 4G, the mobile service is in fact a great replacement for the fixed service." [4] Ronan Dunne, the CEO of O2, shares a similar skepticism of quad-play bundles, stating that price cuts and a quad-play bundle is neither a value-add nor a potential source of differentiation among quad-play providers. [5]
These disagreements reflect the difficulty in quantifying the long-term returns on a quad-play investment. Reduced rates of churn may be indicative of high cannibalization, as loyal customers receive discounts on services they would have already purchased separately. The gains may also be temporary as more operators develop their quad-play products.
For some service providers, interest in quad-play bundles is likely to go beyond a desire to lessen inter-operator churn. The traditional fixed and mobile value chain is already under threat from a new wave of competitors.
Alternative OTT content providers can be used as a cheaper substitute to Pay-TV services, and in July 2014, over 40% of American homes did not have a landline. [6] These developments challenge the value of the bundled components, but it is also an opportunity: the quad-play market may be a way to segment customers effectively so that the cross-selling and up-selling of products can combat these declines.
Quad-Play Value Propositions
The structure of a quad-play bundle can discount prices relative to purchasing the core services on their own, include extra services or products, or provide a combination of discounts and extras. At its core, the choice of structure will determine the bundle's ability to price differentiate among customers, reducing threats such as cannibalization or product substitution, and achieve economies of scale.
Effective bundle design must be able to mediate the costs and benefits of cannibalization, changes in churn, the amount of upsell, the costs of integration, and economies of scale. The number of moving components requires detailed analysis to achieve a deeper level of insight into the market.
For long-term success, bundles must be able to adjust for evolving consumer habits and preferences, new services, and a changing competitive landscape. Today's customers may look to premium TV content and superfast broadband capabilities as fundamental sources of differentiation among quad-play bundles; tomorrow's customers may not.
Identifying Quad-Play Opportunities
The development of a quad-play bundle is a significant investment. A service provider may need to pursue acquisitions and partnerships to provide all four services, integrate technologies and systems, coordinate marketing, and develop new models to understand consumer behavior.
Given that latecomers to the quad-play market may lose access to the resources necessary to provide a quad-play bundle, the ability to identify when and where quad-play opportunities will emerge is key to success in this space. In our experience, factors that service providers can use to identify the quad-play opportunities have included:
Availability of network access through acquisition, leasing, or wholesale purchases.
The wealth of the region, where upsell and cross-sell may have a larger impact.
The degree of competition for market share, where mature markets may have seen aggressive competition among service providers.
The availability and cost of premium content and potential value-add perks.
The ability to segment customers efficiently, such that bundling may be better able to price differentiate among consumers.
Past Market Experiences: Churn and Margins
Reported reductions in churn in the quad-play market have been substantial: in France, Orange reported 3% less churn among its quad-play customers, relative to its other broadband customers; in the UK, Virgin Media has a quad-play churn rate that is half of that of its triple-play products. [7] While impressive, these reductions in churn may not be causal: quad-play may simply attract pre-existing low-churn customers. Furthermore, competition within the quad-play market is still growing and initial churn reduction may disappear as more operators enter the market.
Not all of the quad-play bundle is good news either. While 1% of those who purchased digital TV as a standalone service switched providers, 3% of subscribers of digital TV bundles switched. [8] A UK consumer survey found greater customer satisfaction with quad-play bundles, yet a future propensity to switch roughly equivalent to that of triple-play bundles. [9] Another UK data point is TalkTalk's recent quad-play bundle, which has found considerable success in attracting new customers, but at an implementation cost of over £10M ($15M USD) more than expected. [10]
Churn and margin benefits, therefore, deserve considerable scrutiny by any operator looking to launch a quad-play service. Quad-play business cases are often finely balanced, and miscalculation can be costly.
In conclusion, while the ability of quad-play to deliver lower churn and better margins remains unclear, there is no doubt that quad-play bundles have the capability to disrupt fixed and mobile markets. Because of this, they cannot be ignored – their impact will be felt across both fixed and mobile markets. Winners in this space must continuously monitor the market, assess where and when quad-play emerge, and develop the optimal propositions ahead of time. Service providers must strategize far in advance to be ready to attack or respond when quad-play opportunities arise.<>
1. Ovum
3. Ofcom
4. MobileWorldLive
5. London Evening Standard
6. TIME
7. Mobile News, Wall Street Journal
9. Ernst and Young (2014)
10. FierceWireless


Prospector is a local favorite, known for its affordability, vibrant energy, easy Rail Trail access and convenience to shops, restaurants, trails and parks. Victorian-style architecture, level streets and mature trees lend the area a traditional neighborhood feel. Many local families love Prospector for its proximity to elementary, middle and high schools, as well as neighborhood parks and playgrounds. Area residents can directly access the Rail Trail and the Aerie trail system for both hiking and biking in summer, and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter. There are plenty of neighborhood restaurants, shops, hotels and even a Health Club all within easy access. Main Street is a short pedal or free-bus ride away.
Looking for NEW homes in the Prospector Area? Be sure to check out PARK CITY HEIGHTS, a new community in Park City adjacent Prospector and on the "rail trail." It is being developed by Ivory Homes. New Park City Heights available soon.
Search all available Prospector Square homes, townhomes and lots for sale or CONTACT local Park City Realtor Tim Gaebe at 435.602.0657 for more information about Prospector Square, Chatham Hills and Park City Real Estate.


iPod Dock Extender Lets You Dock With Your Skin On | OhGizmo!
If you've decided to protect your iPod with a skin that's any thicker than a thin sheet of paper, you've undoubtedly found out that docking your music player can become quite a pain. If it's wearing leather, or something equally thick, it's pretty much impossible without peeling the skin off first. So, leave it to the Sendstation guys to come up with an elegant solution. The Dock Extender simply connects to your iPod on one end, and to any dock on the other via an included standard size Dock Insert. There's even a removable metal support for added stability. And, no need to remove your akin anymore.
It's a simple gadget, but one that promises to make your life marginally more comfortable; at least, your music-listenin', iPod-totin' pampered life, that is. There's no word on price or availability, though we don't expect this to be too far away.
This is useless for anything that has a deep cradle like the inMotion IM7 or any other thing that uses a deep cradle. Not to sure why they created an extender with such limited use for most of us in need of one.


I'm fairly new to the term Code Kata; I haven't read any books on the subject. Over the past few years I've seen them mentioned around the internet, but with the overuse of the martial arts terminology in coding – everyone's a ninja – I chose to ignore it for the most part. When I did look into it, the 'katas' I saw seemed like a gimmick to sell mere coding exercises.
Kata is Japanese for 'form.' In martial arts, a kata is a collection of moves that are brought together for the purpose of raising and maintaining a student (or any practitioner) to a base level of competence. Sometimes a kata embodies an entire style of martial arts, so it's far more than that simply a collection of moves, but I won't get into that here.
Robert C. Martin (Uncle Bob) author of the seminal paper bringing together the SOLID principles, has a video series on his site – Clean Coders – aimed at educating developers towards writing better code.
In the "extras" for episode 4 Martin does the "Stack Kata" to demonstrate how Test Driven Development (TDD) can be implemented for most anything.
Watching the show feels like you're watching Good Eats, but for coders. There are multiple personalities – all played by Martin – who argue with each other over the best way to accomplish something, there are backdrops from around the universe, his family take part. It's endearing, and sometimes distracts from the content. Overall I would say that the content has helped me grow as a developer by leaps and bounds.
Having practiced martial arts, for years, the idea of the "Stack Kata" speaks to me. There are fundamental concepts, patterns, and principles that developers should go back to, that will improve the way they think about everything they do. With each iteration they understand the coding principles on a deeper level, which then resonates throughout the rest of their code.
The experience of performing a "basic" kata and then experiencing it on a completely different level of competence, is powerful. For that matter, when watching a master perform that same "basic" kata – you can see their mastery clearly.
According to Wikipedia the term 'code kata' was probably first coined by Dave Thomas, co-author of the book The Pragmatic Programmer. While I highly applaud the concept, I disagree with what he puts forward as what code katas should be.
In his intro to the concept, Thomas explains "A kata is an exercise in karate where you repeat a form many, many times, making little improvements in each." But katas, really, are more fundamental than a mere exercise. A Kata is a 'form' or 'pattern' in Japanese – not an exercise. He states in that same intro that "Sometimes 'kata' isn't quite the right word." I think that might be because many of the 'katas' he suggests on that page are simply exercises, not foundational concepts.
I'm not opposed to exercises, but they don't need to be practiced again and again. It's very possible that Thomas suggests katas that are far more fundamental elsewhere. I personally think data structures and design patterns are prime candidates to be excellent code katas. Maybe I'm just a purist.
What are Test Driven Code Katas? Well, they're code katas done TDD style. Given the tests, you perform the kata.
What makes Test Driven Code Katas powerful are that they lay out the path to take when practicing without giving away what how exactly the code should look.
Probably the most important part of developing tests first is writing the right tests. If you are given the tests, it detracts from the practice. However, at least for starting out, there is no better guide – even better than specs – then following a proper set of tests.
I've been exploring fundamental computer science terminology, concepts I missed as a self-taught developer. As I go through them, I'll be posting my katas for all to enjoy and explore.


Bianca Sams play reading at Nashville Rep this May!
Recent graduate, Bianca Sams, has a new play Simply Bess having a reading at Nashville Repertory Theater this May!
Simply Bess follows a young African American actress trying to make a name for herself. We see her backstage trials and tribulations on the 1950s European tour of Porgy and Bess, sponsored by the States Department as a way to combat communist propaganda about American racial problems.
As we gear up for our annual Ingram New Works Festival (happening May 6-16, don't miss it!), we want to introduce you to our three 2014-15 Lab Playwrights: Bianca Sams, Gabrielle Sinclair and Tori Keenan-Zelt. Since October, our lab playwrights have gathered here in Nashville each month with our Resident Playwright Nate Eppler to create, critique, read and write… and rewrite. Mainly to rewrite.
And now the final product is almost here! Their months of hard work will be realized with our fabulous Nashville actors giving staged readings of their new plays for you, our wonderful audience. So before you come to the Festival, we want you to get to know our 2014-15 Lab Playwrights.


do not work. Sites who are on cloudflare work fine.
Reinstalled bind, did not work. Some time ago had similar problems. Any advice, help?
@Sandeep, maybe you can help me on this once again?
Nameserver ns2.centos-webpanel.com has an IP address (167.114.21.225) without PTR configured.
All nameservers in the delegation have IPv4 addresses in the same AS (16276).
All nameservers in the delegation are in the same AS (16276).
Parent has nameserver(s) not listed at the child (ns3.centos-webpanel.com; ns4.centos-webpanel.com; ns5.centos-webpanel.com).
Found the reason why that was happening, my works IP was blacklisted in Firewall, remove it and restart did help.


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Q: Some apps are not working with double VPN tunnel Im using 2 VPN app simultaneously on my Macbook Air m1, one (OpenVPN) for my job (several corporate services) and second (ProtonVPN) - for my personal purposes (some of music services are not working in my country). It is strange but thats works fine for Google Chrome web-sites surfing, but when Im trying to connect to Zoom call or execute curl command with any site it looks like I have no access to web. I'm curious what can cause this problem? Intuitively the problem is with DNS resolving, but why it is works fine with web surfing using Google Chrome? Is there any workarounds?
Here is the comparison of routing tables with different configs. Im a little bit confused which row relate to (for example) Zoom calls?