text:
16 new Exemption to Pvt Companies-Limit of 20 Companies on Auditor also relaxed
0 0 RAJ KUMARI Sunday, June 7, 2015 Edit this post
Ministry of Corporate Affairs has issued a notification under section 462 of companies act ,2013 dated 05.06.2015 under which various exemptions has been given to private companies.
One of these exemptions are related to appointment of auditor under companies act-2013.
Present Provision :Chapter X, Clause (g) of sub-section (3) of section 141.- Eligibility, qualifications and disqualifications of auditors
The following persons shall not be eligible for appointment as an auditor of a company, namely:—
(g) a person who is in full time employment elsewhere or a person or a partner of a firm holding appointment as its auditor, if such persons or partner is at the date of such appointment or reappointment holding appointment as auditor of more than twenty companies;
Amendment :Shall apply with the modification that the words "other than one person companies, dormant companies, small companies, and private companies having paid-up share capital less than one hundred crore rupees" shall be inserted after the words "twenty companies"
Final Provision after amendment :Section 141 (3) (g) shall be read as follows:
(g) a person who is in full time employment elsewhere or a person or a partner of a firm holding
appointment as its auditor, if such persons or partner is at the date of such appointment or reappointment holding appointment as auditor of more than twenty companies other than
one person companies,
dormant companies,
small companies, and
private companies having paid-up share capital less than one hundred crore rupees ;
Chapter V, clauses (a) to (e) of subsection (2) of section 73- Prohibition on acceptance of deposits from public.
Present Provision
(1) On and after the commencement of this Act, no company shall invite, accept or renew deposits under this Act from the public except in a manner provided under this Chapter:
Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall apply to a banking company and nonbanking financial
company as defined in the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 and to such other company as the Central
Government may, after consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, specify in this behalf.
(2) A company may, subject to the passing of a resolution in general meeting and subject to such rules as may be prescribed in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, accept deposits from its members on such terms and conditions, including the provision of security, if any, or for the repayment of such deposits with interest, as may be agreed upon between the company and its members, subject to the fulfilment of the following conditions, namely:—
(a) issuance of a circular to its members including therein a statement showing the financial position of the company, the credit rating obtained, the total number of depositors and the amount due towards deposits in respect of any previous deposits accepted by the company and such other particulars in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed;
(b) filing a copy of the circular along with such statement with the Registrar within thirty days before the date of issue of the circular;
(c) depositing such sum which shall not be less than fifteen per cent. of the amount of its deposits maturing during a financial year and the financial year next following, and kept in a scheduled bank in a separate bank account to be called as deposit repayment reserve account;
(d) providing such deposit insurance in such manner and to such extent as may be prescribed;
(e) certifying that the company has not committed any default in the repayment of deposits accepted either before or after the commencement of this Act or payment of interest on such deposits; and
(f) providing security, if any for the due repayment of the amount of deposit or the interest thereon including the creation of such charge on the property or assets of the company:
Provided that in case where a company does not secure the deposits or secures such deposits partially, then, the deposits shall be termed as ''unsecured deposits'' and shall be so quoted in every circular, form, advertisement or in any document related to invitation or acceptance of deposits.
(3) Every deposit accepted by a company under subsection (2) shall be repaid with interest in accordance with the terms and conditions of the agreement referred to in that sub-section.
(4) Where a company fails to repay the deposit or part thereof or any interest thereon under sub-section (3), the depositor concerned may apply to the Tribunal for an order directing the company to pay the sum due or for any loss or damage incurred by him as a result of such non-payment and for such other orders as the Tribunal may deem fit.
(5) The deposit repayment reserve account referred to in clause (c) of sub-section (2) shall not be used by the company for any purpose other than repayment of deposits.
Amendment /Exemption to private companies given now
Shall not apply to a private company which accepts from its members monies not exceeding one hundred percent of aggregate of the paid up share capital and free reserves, and such company shall file the details of monies so accepted to the Registrar in such manner as may be specified.
Analysis /Impact :A threshold limit has been provided for acceptance of money from members which is not exceeding 100 % of aggregate of the paid up share capital and free reserves, and Such company shall file the details of monies so accepted to the Registrar in such manner as may be specified.
Other Major Exemptions
Chapter I, Subclause (viii) of clause (76) of section 2- Definition of Related Party -
Amendment :Shall not apply with respect to section 188 (Related Party Transactions).
Impact/analysis : For private companies the transactions between any company which is—
(A) a holding, subsidiary or an associate company of such company; or
(B) a subsidiary of a holding company to which it is also a subsidiary;
Shall not be treated as Related Party Transactions
Chapter IV, Section 43- Kinds of Share Capital-
The provisions related to kinds of share capital shall not apply to a private company except when memorandum or articles or association of the private company so provides.
Chapter IV, Section 47- Voting Rights -
The provisions related to Voting Rights shall no apply to a private company except when memorandum or articles or association of the private company so provides.
Chapter IV, sub clause (i) of clause (a) of sub-section (1) and sub-section (2) of section 62.-
Further Issue of Share Capital-
(1) Where at any time, company having a share capital proposes to increase its subscribed capital by the issue of further shares, such shares shall be offered—
(a) to persons who, at the date of the offer, are holders of equity shares of the company in proportion, as nearly as circumstances admit, to the paid-up share capital on those shares by sending a letter of offer subject to the following conditions namely:—
(i) the offer shall be made by notice specifying the number of shares offered and limiting a time not being less than fifteen days and not exceeding thirty days from the date of the offer within which the offer, if not accepted, shall be deemed to have been declined;
Provided that notwithstanding anything contained in this sub clause and sub-section
(2) of this section, in case ninety percent, of the members of a private company have given their consents in writing or in electronic mode, the periods lesser than those specified in the said sub-clause or subsection shall apply.
Chapter IV, clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 62-
Further Issue of Share Capital -(b) to employees under a scheme of employees' stock option, subject to special resolution ordinary resolution passed by company and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed;
Chapter IV, Section 67- Restrictions on purchase by company or giving of loans by it for purchase of its shares.
Shall not apply to private companies in whose share capital another body corporate has invested any money and if the borrowings of such a company from banks or financial institutions or anybody corporate is less than twice its paid up share capital or fifty crore rupees, whichever is lower; and such a company is not in default in repayment of such borrowings subsisting at the time of making transactions under this section.
Download 16 new exemption Notification issued by MCA
Download Analysis and Impact of Exemptions allowed to Pvt Companies issued By MCA
audit limit enhanced The companies act 2013 The companies rules
SIMPLE TAX INDIA: 16 new Exemption to Pvt Companies-Limit of 20 Companies on Auditor also relaxed
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-llfCUsq4tpo/VXO8zal4FKI/AAAAAAAALZo/NxsUS9Y74jo/s1600/exemption%2Bto%2Bpvt%2Bcompanies%2Bsection%2B462.png
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https://www.simpletaxindia.net/2015/06/16-new-exemption-to-pvt-companies-limit.html


text:
The party's over: New-look Boracay will be a 'haven of peace'
August 22, 2018 By M G Martin 3 Comments
A pristine white-sand beach in a quiet corner of Boracay
Tourism chiefs have announced that the newly reopened Boracay will be a haven of peace, rather than a place to party.
Speaking today (Wednesday, August 22) Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the rehabilitated resort should be known as a "peaceful" and "sustainable" destination rather than a party island.
"Definitely it won't be like a really party place anymore, it will be more," the tourism chief said. She added that the government wanted Boracay "as it is and more peaceful. We want to promote sustainable tourism."
Despite the white-sand island having been closed since April for 'environmental rehabilitation', Romulo-Puyat was optimistic that the upward trend of tourist arrivals in the Philippines would continue. She also said that the closure had become a "blessing in disguise" because visitors were discovering other destinations across the archipelago.
She added that in June this year, tourist arrivals increased by 11.35 per cent compared to the same month in 2017.
"That was a surprise for me because I thought that it would dip because of the closure of Boracay," she said.
ALSO READ: Police monitor theft gangs on Boracay as tourist fined for sandcastle
"Now, the tourists know that aside from Boracay we have all these other beautiful beaches in the country."
The interagency group overseeing the work on Boracay — the departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Interior and Local Government and tourism — are considering placing a cap on the number of tourists allowed on the island at any given time.
When asked if any new resorts will be built on Boracay, Romulo-Puyat said she did not see the need to have more, but did not rule out the possibility.
"As it is, there are already enough resorts. With the carrying capacity, we will be limiting the number of tourists entering so it doesn't really make sense to put up more resorts," she added.
As we reported on Monday, when Boracay reopens on October 27, it may be a "haven of peace" by default. Recent inspections have found that fewer than one in six tourist establishments are currently compliant with strict new regulations.
ALSO READ: Estonian kitesurfing instructor found dead in Boracay house
Filed Under: News, Travel Tagged With: Boracay, Boracay casino, Boracay rehabilitation
gary schafer says
I just think this is all policy on the run. Whatever the president dreams up or comes into his head, he just says do it. No thought for the long term effects.I see this repeatedly, not just with Boracay. I am not a drinker, am trying to quit smoking and not an investor in Boracay or the Philippines. I have been a tourist to PI many times and 3 times in Boracay. But if I were an owner on Bora I would be ready to give up now. First an unplanned forced closure for 6 months and right at the end there are new rules making the party island an excellent venue for AA meetings. There are interest payments on million dollar hotels, bars etc. no income for 6 months and now the biggest "party island" in the Philippines is a smoke free environment where you can hide under the hotel bed to drink with the devil. Well bang goes that foreign exchange cash cow. But the knock on effects to investor confidence will scare the hell out of the nation. Investors won't be game to develop anywhere because they have no guarantees they will be permitted to carry on with their business without new rules next week sending them broke.
AnotherJuan says
Boracay wont open in October. Theyve torn up the roads, failed to develop sewage infrastructure. ECC permits have been unilaterally revoked and wont be issued even to venues with no violations. The government fucked things up royally and want to shift the blame off themselves. Theyre building discharge lines right on the beach and pumping the outlet directly into the water. Literally nothing has been done except fucking over the thousands of people whose livelihood depends on Boracay tourism. Duterte owns this failure.
Imelda Marcos says
Interesting. No mention of the government officials who looked the other way or blatantly accepted bribes to ignore building/ sewage violations.. Government officials are responsible for this mess. No one else..
Tributes to last living Czech survivor of Bataan Death March
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New Zealand beauty queen flees Philippines due to safety concerns
Scotsman shot hours before his wedding in Talisay City finally ties the knot
You report, or we deport! Immigration chief lays down law to foreigners

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Maslow Media Group
Intelligent Quality Solutions
NICK TSAHALIS
Nick Tsahalis is President of Reliability, Inc. and a member of the Board of Directors. He has served in such capacity since October 29, 2019. Prior to joining Reliability, Inc., Mr. Tsahalis served as Chief Executive Officer of Maslow, and has served in such capacity since July 2017. Mr. Tsahalis joined Maslow in 2015 as its Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Maslow, from June 2011 to July 2015, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Recycled Green Industries, a land clearing and wholesale organics recycling company that processed food, yard and wood waste into composted materials, soil mixes and mulches with commercial applications. Prior to that, he served as Chief Financial Officer of Atlantic Video, Inc., which had studios and post-production facilities in both New York City and Washington, DC. In each position as CFO, he was responsible for managing the company's operations, human resources, information technology functions, treasury and company financial requirements (including financial planning), management of financial risks, record-keeping, and financial reporting. He received his degree in Accounting from the University of Maryland, Robert H. Smith School of Business.
MARK SPECK
Mark Speck is Chief Financial Officer and Secretary. He has served in such capacity since October 29, 2019. Mr. Speck is an executive who leverages technology, business intelligence, innovation, enterprise-wide synergies, M&A opportunities, team development, and smart risk to capture opportunities for aggressive growth. Mr. Speck has over 25 years of business experience and has held executive and senior leadership roles in the areas of finance, audit, business development, operations, and compliance across a range of technology, software, legal and professional service, staffing, telecommunications, consulting, non-profit, and government contracting industries for a variety of public, private, and private equity held firms. Mr. Speck has served as Chief Financial Officer for Maslow since April 2019. Prior to this, Mr. Speck was COO and CFO of Specktrum, Inc., a finance, accounting and compliance services firm he founded. In that capacity, he raised capital, led sales, marketing, operations, and finance. He served in this capacity from August 2017 to March 31, 2019 prior to joining Maslow.
Previously, from February 2010 to June 2011, Mr. Speck was CFO of CPA Global North America, an intellectual property lifecycle management firm with US headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia and Chief Compliance Officer and Head of Internal Audit of CPA Global corporate based out of St. Hellier, Jersey, Channel Islands from June 2011 to August 2017. As CFO he presided over financial management of half of the firm's $3.1B customer portfolio. There, he facilitated double digit growth by establishing fiscal discipline (in terms of internal controls and policies), installed improved cash conversion facilities, implemented KPI's for 5 separate lines of business, including its sales pipeline, and upgraded the region's financial reporting requirements which were later employed as global group reporting standards. Mr. Speck also introduced a revenue enhancement program that generated a multi-million annuitized impact. In 2011, Mr. Speck was asked to set up and lead CPA Global's regulatory compliance program which was required to complete a capital event. At that time he was named the firm's global Chief Compliance Officer and Head of Internal Audit, a post he presided over for 6 years. In this capacity he was responsible for global compliance covering regulations in 14 countries on 5 continents. As head of internal audit his team added value by driving organizational and operating optimization and detected revenue and cost savings opportunities that often had a financial impact exceeding his organizational budget. He also led the formal creation of both a data protection and anti-bribery and corruption programs.
TERRY MCKENZIE, SHRM-SCP, SPHR
Ms. McKenzie joined Reliability, Inc as Vice President, Human Resources in November of 2019. As VP, HR she provides leadership and oversight of all Human Resources and Staffing activities including building a best-in-class, scalable HR function and designing an organization poised for growth and success. Ms. McKenzie has over 20 years' experience in Human Resources and Shared Services primarily with technology, telecom and professional services companies. Her areas of expertise include talent acquisition, HR transformation, payroll, mergers & acquisitions and shared services. Prior to Reliability, she was with Accenture, consulting at large, global organizations and providing expertise on HR transformation and shared services projects. Prior to Accenture, Ms. McKenzie led the development and design of a payroll shared services center at AES and was Senior Manager, HR & Finance Shared Services at Sprint Nextel, where she played an integral role in the merger between Nextel and Sprint. During her tenure, the shared services organization saved the newly combined company $7 million and designed a scalable organization built upon best practice principles. In addition, Ms. McKenzie's background includes building a HR and Recruiting function from scratch for a start-up technology company and building a finance consulting practice for Bearingpoint. She started her career at a staffing firm placing administrative, accounting and technology professionals in temporary and direct hire positions. Ms. McKenzie holds two HR certifications, SHRM-SCP and SPHR, and has a bachelor's degree from Shepherd College.
HANNAH M. BIBLE
Hannah M. Bible is a member of Reliability, Inc.'s Board of Directors and has served in such capacity since April 25, 2014. Ms. Bible is currently Vice President of Legal at Digirad Corporation ("DRAD") since October 2019. She has also served the subsidiaries of DRAD as Chief Financial Officer and in-house counsel to Lone Star Value Management, LLC ("Lone Star Value Mgmt."), and VP-Finance to ATRM Holdings, Inc. since April 2019. Ms. Bible has over 15 years of combined legal and accounting experience across a variety of industries. From May 2016 through August 2017 Ms. Bible served on the board of Crossroads Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRDS, now OTC: CRSS), a data storage company. Prior to joining Lone Star Value Mgmt. in June 2014, Ms. Bible was the Director of Finance/CFO at Trinity Church in Greenwich, CT. From October 2011 to December 2012, Ms. Bible served as a legal advisor to RRMS Advisors, a company providing advisory and due diligence services to banking and other institutions with high risk assets. From June 2009 to December 2013, Ms. Bible advised family fund and institutional clients of International Consulting Group, Inc., and its affiliates within the Middle East on matters of security, corporate governance, and U.S. legal compliance. From 2006 to 2008, Ms. Bible served within the U.N. General Assembly as a diplomatic advisor to the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization, a permanent observer mission to the United Nations. Ms. Bible has also taught as an Adjunct Professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, within the International Tax and Financial Services program. Prior to this Ms. Bible held various accounting positions with Samaritan's Purse, a large $300MM+ 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to emergency relief and serving the poor worldwide. Previously, Ms. Bible served as a director of AMRH Holdings, Inc. (formerly Spatializer Audio Laboratories). Ms. Bible earned an LLM in Tax from New York University School of Law, a JD with honors from St. Thomas University School of Law, and a BBA in Accounting from Middle Tennessee State University.
LOUIS A. PARKS
Louis A. Parks is Managing Member at Tyro Capital Management LLC, serving as the firm's COO, CFO and CCO. Mr. Parks has spent over 30 years on Wall Street in various capacities of senior management. In addition, he is an investor who focuses on providing capital and expertise to small companies. Mr. Parks was previously Senior Managing Director, Head of Equities at CL King & Associates as well as Senior Managing Director, Head of Equity Trading at Raymond James Financial. Mr. Parks began his career as an institutional equity sales trader covering both domestic and international accounts for Morgan Stanley & Company and Sanford C. Bernstein & Company. Mr. Parks holds Master of Business Administration and Master of Arts degrees from Columbia University, as well as Bachelor of Arts degrees from Columbia University, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa and New York University, cum laude. He serves on several not-for-profit boards and was the recipient of Columbia University's 2018 Alumni Medal.
JOHN CHANAUD
John Chanaud is Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The Bernstein Companies where his primary responsibility is financial oversight and planning for the Company along with budgeting, reporting and financial controls of Bernstein's hotel and commercial office group. This includes financial and tax planning, treasury management, and financial statement preparation as well as working closely with outside auditors and accounting firms. Additionally, John oversees the asset management and servicing of the Company's structured finance group. He is a 1986 graduate of Towson University with a BS degree in Accounting. Prior to joining Bernstein in 1997, Mr. Chanaud was a Senior Manager for a regional public accounting and consulting firm. Mr. Chanaud is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Maryland Association of CPAs.
Reliability, Inc.
© 2022 Reliability, Inc.
design and build by digital builders
info@rlby.com


text:
'People Can Achieve Extraordinary Things When They Believe It Is Possible'
Stockdale.
In 1996, I became an Arctic explorer, and the first British woman to ski to the Magnetic North Pole.
Prior to that I had never been further north than Scotland – never done any cross-country skiing – and never come face to face with a polar bear before.
It made me realise that we are all capable of so much, yet we often don't maximise the potential we have. So rather than those expedition memories remaining as photographs in an album, I wanted to use that life-changing experience to inspire others to explore their potential too.
I walk my talk. I'm an executive coach, motivational speaker, author, and podcaster whose personal achievements in business and adventure have inspired 1000s of leaders worldwide to step out of their comfort zone and achieve extraordinary results. Using a unique combination of knowledge and experience gained from elite sport, polar adventures and the world of business, I bring a professional approach, enthusiasm, and a global outlook to my work.
Since 1997, I've worked with over 400 organisations and 15,000 leaders worldwide and have thousands of hours of coaching experience. Clients include CEO's, board level executives, Fortune 500 and FTSE 250 companies, academic institutions, leaders in high-performance sport, ambitious entrepreneurs, charities, and non-profit organisations worldwide.
My story is unusual and inspiring. My career began in a UK energy company where I quickly rose to become one of the youngest senior managers in the business. During this 11-year period, I took part in an Operation Raleigh expedition to Kenya, which included trekking with camels and community projects. Having realised I was capable of more, I left corporate life and embarked on a period working with the United Nations in a war zone, as part of the civilian mission.
The ultimate challenge.
Then in 1995 I spotted an advert in the newspaper which stated "Wanted – 10 novice arctic explorers". Having sent for more details, the brochure arrived with the caption "Are you man enough for the Ultimate Challenge?" This made me determined to win a place in the team and was eventually selected from over 500 applicants to join the expedition led by renowned explorer David Hempleman-Adams. After a 30-day journey in one of the most extreme environments in the world, I became the first British woman to ski to the Magnetic North Pole. This was followed up with expeditions to Chile, Antarctica, Geographical North Pole and Greenland, and in 2005 I was recognised as a Pioneer to the Nation by HM the Queen.
I'm also an accomplished athlete, having represented Scotland in athletics in 1989 and 1991. This taught me about the importance of determination, focus and never giving up. On an academic level I have an MBA in Entrepreneurship; MSc in Quality Management and I'm a certified Master Executive Coach, and accredited Coaching Supervisor.
My desire to inspire others is also evidenced in my work as a podcaster. I'm co-founder and host of the Access to Inspiration podcast, ranked in the top 10% most popular shows globally, by Listen Notes, as well as hosting and producing several podcast series for clients including Coaching in the Workplace, The Sports2000 Podcast, The Conscious Leader and Clusters.
Want to find out more? Get in Touch + 44(0)7780 670664 or info@suestockdale.com
Talking about my adventures.
British journalist and broadcaster, Anne Diamond interviews me for Viking TV.
I talk to Harry Duran, host of Podcast Junkies about my adventures, podcasting and what I've learned.


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Cappataggle Pipework, Cappataggle, Co Galway
Cappataggle GWS, Cappataggle, Co Galway
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text:
from rdkit import Geometry
from rdkit import Chem
from rdkit.Chem import ChemicalFeatures
from rdkit.Chem.FeatMaps.FeatMapPoint import FeatMapPoint
import math

class FeatMapScoreMode(object):
  All=0
  """ score each feature in the probe against every matching
      feature in the FeatMap.
  """

  Closest=1
  """ score each feature in the probe against the closest
      matching feature in the FeatMap.
  """

  Best=2
  """ score each feature in the probe against the matching
      feature in the FeatMap that leads to the highest score
  """

class FeatDirScoreMode(object):
  Ignore=0
  """ ignore feature directions
  """

  DotFullRange=1
  """ Use the dot product and allow negative contributions when
      directions are anti-parallel.
      e.g. score = dot(f1Dir,f2Dir)
  """

  DotPosRange=2
  """ Use the dot product and scale contributions to lie between
      zero and one.
      e.g. score = ( dot(f1Dir,f2Dir) + 1 ) / 2
  """

class FeatMapParams(object):
  """ one of these should be instantiated for each
  feature type in the feature map
  """
  radius=2.5
  " cutoff radius "

  width=1.0
  " width parameter (e.g. the gaussian sigma) "

  class FeatProfile(object):
    " scoring profile of the feature "
    Gaussian=0
    Triangle=1
    Box=2

  featProfile=FeatProfile.Gaussian

class FeatMap(object):
  dirScoreMode = FeatDirScoreMode.Ignore
  scoreMode=FeatMapScoreMode.All
  params = {}
  def __init__(self,params=None,feats=None,
               weights=None):
    if params:
      self.params = params
    self._initializeFeats(feats,weights)

  def _initializeFeats(self,feats,weights):
    self._feats = []
    if feats:
      if len(feats)!=len(weights):
        raise ValueError,'feats and weights lists must be the same length'
      for feat,weight in zip(feats,weights):
        self.AddFeature(feat,weight)

  def AddFeature(self,feat,weight=None):
    if self.params and not self.params.has_key(feat.GetFamily()):
      raise ValueError,'feature family %s not found in params'%feat.GetFamily()

    newFeat = FeatMapPoint()
    newFeat.initFromFeat(feat)
    newFeat.weight = weight

    self.AddFeatPoint(newFeat)

  def AddFeatPoint(self,featPt):
    if not isinstance(featPt,FeatMapPoint):
      raise ValueError,'addFeatPoint() must be called with a FeatMapPoint instance'
    if self.params and not self.params.has_key(featPt.GetFamily()):
      raise ValueError,'feature family %s not found in params'%featPt.GetFamily()
    self._feats.append(featPt)

  def GetFeatures(self):
    return self._feats

  def GetNumFeatures(self):
    return len(self._feats)

  def GetFeature(self, i):
    return self._feats[i]

  def DropFeature(self,i):
    del self._feats[i]

  def _loopOverMatchingFeats(self,oFeat):
    for sIdx,sFeat in enumerate(self._feats):
      if sFeat.GetFamily()==oFeat.GetFamily():
        yield sIdx,sFeat

  def GetFeatFeatScore(self,feat1,feat2,typeMatch=True):
    """ feat1 is one of our feats
        feat2 is any Feature

    """
    if typeMatch and feat1.GetFamily()!=feat2.GetFamily():
      return 0.0
    d2 = feat1.GetDist2(feat2)
    params = self.params[feat1.GetFamily()]
    if d2>params.radius*params.radius:
      return 0.0

    if params.featProfile==FeatMapParams.FeatProfile.Gaussian:
      score = math.exp(-d2/params.width)
    elif params.featProfile==FeatMapParams.FeatProfile.Triangle:
      d = math.sqrt(d2)
      if d<params.width:
        score = 1.-d/params.width
      else:
        score=0.0
    elif params.featProfile==FeatMapParams.FeatProfile.Box:
      score = 1.0
    weight = feat1.weight
    score *= weight

    if self.dirScoreMode != FeatDirScoreMode.Ignore:
      dirScore = feat1.GetDirMatch(feat2)
      if self.dirScoreMode==FeatDirScoreMode.DotPosRange:
        dirScore = (dirScore + 1.0)/2.0
      elif self.dirScoreMode!=FeatDirScoreMode.DotFullRange:
        raise NotImplementedError,'bad feature dir score mode'
      score *= dirScore

    return score

  def ScoreFeats(self,featsToScore,mapScoreVect=[],featsScoreVect=[],
                 featsToFeatMapIdx=[]):
    nFeats = len(self._feats)
    if mapScoreVect and len(mapScoreVect)!=nFeats:
      raise ValueError,'if provided, len(mapScoreVect) should equal numFeats'
    nToScore = len(featsToScore)
    if featsScoreVect and len(featsScoreVect)!=nToScore:
      raise ValueError,'if provided, len(featsScoreVect) should equal len(featsToScore)'
    if featsToFeatMapIdx and len(featsToFeatMapIdx)!=nToScore:
      raise ValueError,'if provided, len(featsToFeatMapIdx) should equal len(featsToScore)'

    if mapScoreVect:
      for i in range(nFeats): mapScoreVect[i]=0.0
    else:
      mapScoreVect = [0.0]*nFeats

    if self.scoreMode==FeatMapScoreMode.Closest:
      defScore=1000.0
    else:
      defScore=0.0
    if featsScoreVect:
      for i in range(nToScore): featsScoreVect[i]=defScore
    else:
      featsScoreVect = [defScore]*nToScore

    if not featsToFeatMapIdx:
      featsToFeatMapIdx = [None]*nToScore

    for i in range(nToScore):
      if self.scoreMode != FeatMapScoreMode.All:
        featsToFeatMapIdx[i]=[-1]
      else:
        featsToFeatMapIdx[i]=[]

    for oIdx,oFeat in enumerate(featsToScore):
      for sIdx,sFeat in self._loopOverMatchingFeats(oFeat):
        if self.scoreMode == FeatMapScoreMode.Closest:
          d = sFeat.GetDist2(oFeat)
          if d<featsScoreVect[oIdx]:
            featsScoreVect[oIdx]=d
            featsToFeatMapIdx[oIdx][0]=sIdx
        else:
          lScore = self.GetFeatFeatScore(sFeat,oFeat,typeMatch=False)
          if self.scoreMode == FeatMapScoreMode.Best:
            if lScore>featsScoreVect[oIdx]:
              featsScoreVect[oIdx]=lScore
              featsToFeatMapIdx[oIdx][0]=sIdx
          elif self.scoreMode == FeatMapScoreMode.All:
            featsScoreVect[oIdx] += lScore
            mapScoreVect[sIdx] += lScore
            featsToFeatMapIdx[oIdx].append(sIdx)
          else:
            raise ValueError,'bad score mode'

    totScore = 0.0
    if self.scoreMode == FeatMapScoreMode.Closest:
      for oIdx,oFeat in enumerate(featsToScore):
        sIdx = featsToFeatMapIdx[oIdx][0]
        if sIdx>-1:
          lScore = self.GetFeatFeatScore(sFeat,oFeat,typeMatch=False)
          featsScoreVect[oIdx] = lScore
          mapScoreVect[sIdx] = lScore
          totScore += lScore
        else:
          featsScoreVect[oIdx] = 0

    else:
      totScore = sum(featsScoreVect)
      if self.scoreMode == FeatMapScoreMode.Best:
        for oIdx,lScore in enumerate(featsScoreVect):
          sIdx = featsToFeatMapIdx[oIdx][0]
          if sIdx>-1:
            mapScoreVect[sIdx]=lScore

    # replace placeholders:
    if self.scoreMode != FeatMapScoreMode.All:
      for elem in featsToFeatMapIdx:
        if elem==[-1]:
          elem.pop()
    return totScore

  def __str__(self):
    res = ''
    for i,feat in enumerate(self._feats):
      weight = feat.weight
      pos = feat.GetPos()
      res += '% 3d % 12s % 6.4f % 6.4f % 6.4f % 6.4f\n'%(i+1,
                                                         feat.GetFamily(),
                                                         pos.x,pos.y,pos.z,weight)
    return res

#------------------------------------
#
#  doctest boilerplate
#
def _test():
  import doctest,sys
  return doctest.testmod(sys.modules["__main__"])

if __name__ == '__main__':
  import sys
  failed,tried = _test()
  sys.exit(failed)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


[inem-l] INEM session at ASSA 2020 (3-5 January 2020, San Diego).
INEM session at ASSA 2020 (3-5 January 2020, San Diego): call for session proposals.
As a cognate society INEM (http://www.econmethodology.org<http://www.econmethodology.org/>) will organise two sessions at the ASSA Annual Meeting in San Diego,  3-5 January 2020 (https://www.aeaweb.org/conference/).
INEM invites session proposals on any topic in philosophy and methodology of economics to fill in the sessions.
If you are interested in organising a session, please send a proposal by 10 June 2019 to INEM.ASSA2020 at gmail.com<mailto:INEM.ASSA2020 at gmail.com>.
The decision will be communicated by 20 June 2019. The deadline for submission to ASSA is 26 June 2019.
(A)  Paper session – Paper sessions usually contain 3-4 papers, with no more than 6 papers, and most always have discussants.  Authors are listed with each paper.
(B)   Panel session -- Panel sessions do not have paper titles, authors, and discussants. This format is for presentations by speakers. These should include the speaker and topic title, but these sessions do not include papers with authors presenting.
- For paper sessions: Titles and abstracts of all the papers (max 300 words for each abstract) and the list of discussants.
- For panel sessions: An explanation of the importance of the topic and of the choice of the panel format (max 500 words).
I look forward to receiving your proposal for an INEM session at ASSA 2020.
In the meantime please do not hesitate to contact me at caterina.marchionni at helsinki.fi<mailto:caterina.marchionni at helsinki.fi> if you have any questions.


text:
Not Zen 20: What Love Is
art by Luna Gale
"Who can tell me what love is?" the master called to his class.
"It is a lure into samsara," said his brightest student. "It is an invitation to desire and pain, a thing we must escape to achieve enlightenment."
"No, wait. It's more than that!" said a young woman. "The Buddha had love for all people. Can anyone deny that? Therefore, it must be possible to love but be enlightened."
"Yes, I can't see it as a snare," said a third student.
The discussion continued. But one of the youngest, lowest-ranked members of the class, Nathan, had gotten out of his chair when the master asked his question. He eyed the collection of Buddha figures along the class window sills. They had been gifts to the master. Although the master deemed them to be of no importance, mere material things, he nevertheless displayed affection for the statues from time to time.
At the front of the classroom, Nathan offered to his master the figure of the Buddha he had been carving. It was almost finished. The master eyed it with a gentle smile.
"Thank you, Nathan." The master nodded for his student to put the gift down on the floor next to him. "You may be excused from today's class. You already know what love is."
The rest of the students spent all day in debate.
Not Zen 19: Reflexes
A young man studied Daoism and martial arts with the same instructor. At his martial arts lesson, he stopped in the middle of his drill.
"How is this natural?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" his instructor replied. "This is not a time for you to relax. This is a time for discipline."
"But you said earlier today that I should behave naturally."
"That was in meditation class. And anyway you will find this physical discipline to be natural, in time. Self defense will become part of your being."
"This is learning," the student insisted. "All learning goes against our nature. That's what you said."
"I said we must learn to forget our learning. That is different. Anyway, monks have studied both disciplines together for centuries. In time, you will learn enough martial arts to forget your learning of it."
"Why bother to learn it at all, then?"
"Let's not misunderstand nature," said the instructor. He dropped his stance and walked over to the student. "Dying is natural. Those monks centuries ago could have died in their travels. But they strove to fight bandits, to defend themselves, to live. All things strive to live. That is natural, too. In studying defense, we commit ourselves to life."
The instructor aimed a long, over-handed blow at his student's head. The student blocked it without thinking.
"You see? Defense is in your true nature. But of course your true nature has been shaped by your parents, by the environment of your childhood, and by your spiritual essence."
He struck again, from the side. The student blocked him again.
"It can be shaped by others. We are demonstrating that now."
He bowed. The student bowed in response.
"You see? Your nature has been, and can always be, shaped by you. The next step is to use that to your advantage."
Not Zen 18: The Heavy Staff
During springtime in the mountains, travelers hiked through the narrow trails from valley to valley. Following one such trail, an elderly hiker crested a rise near the top of a high hill. There he saw a younger hiker deep in the practice of a kata. The kata employed many strikes with a staff.
The elder stopped to watch. After a while, the dedicated fury of the younger man disturbed him. In particular, he was troubled by the potentially deadly staff.
"Your hiking rod looks hard and heavy," he said after the young man finished a kata. "It is the same size and weight as my walking stick and yet it is so different."
"Do you not practice martial arts?" asked the young man.
"I do. There is nothing wrong with preparation. But what is your purpose, I wonder? The land is at peace. Why do you practice your physical skills so furiously?"
"Because wherever I go with my trusty staff, I find strife."
The elder narrowed his eyes.
"Wherever I go with my humble walking stick," he replied, "I find only peace."
Not Zen 17: Seeking, Finding
A guru was visited by his friend, a university professor. After the professor hung up his coat, he said, "I heard you tell one of your yoga students that seeking enlightenment gets in the way of enlightenment. How absurd! In order to find something, you start by seeking."
"Speaking of seeking things," the master said as he patted his pockets. "I believe my yoga robes are in this trunk with the lock on it. Please help me find the key."
The guru's friend searched for a few impatient minutes. Finally, he found the key on a night stand. As he approached the brown trunk, however, he slumped.
"The trunk is unlocked. Like I fool, I went looking for the key without noticing."
"Yes. I apologize for misleading you. But it was to show this point: when you were looking for that key, you were occupied by the task and so did not notice that the trunk was open. Likewise, when you are seeking so earnestly for enlightenment, which involves intense awareness of the present moment, you blind yourself to the present moment."
"It was unlocked all the time!" His friend lifted the lid.
"Yes," said the guru sadly. "It is never locked."


The past week was dominated by travelling and lots of sleeping (afterwards). As some of you may have read on Instagram, I went to Copenhagen for one day to attend a theatre show by my favourite performance collective.
Unfortunately, I chose the coldest and rainiest day of the week – and I was not at all prepared for it, wearing no more than a light blouse and a short denim jacket. This ended up in freezing like ***! When I came back home the following day, I immediately put my heating on the highest level and slept for about 16 hours (unintentionally). But, all in all, it was an eventful day in always beautiful København.
I also managed to visit Statens Museum for Kunst again. Their collection is so well put together that I usually go there at least twice a year in order to look at the same paintings and hangings again and again. It just never gets boring and I always notice some new details in my favourite paintings.


Our Steepletone SMC595 record player is more than just a good analogue record player. It also includes a fully functional CD player (2 players in fact), an FM/MW radio, and a cassette player. What's more it also allows you to digitize your music collection in a very easy and simple way. Unlike other record players that can be used to transfer vinyl to digital audio files, this product does really make life easier. You don't even need to connect to your PC and run complicated software to do it - you just put in a recordable CD and transfer the music directly onto the CD.


text:
Q: Defining a XML element for all nodes I am using XSD to define a XML schema and I need to have the following element as a possible child element of any other element in the document.
<include path="include1.xml"/>

Is there an elegant way of defining this? I don't want to define include as a child element for each of the elements already defined within the XSD.

A: I decided to use XML processing instructions for this purpose, since using a XML element would violate the Unique Particle Attribution rule. I replaced XML element <include path="include1.xml"> with the following processing instruction.
<?include include1.xml?>

The two related posts can help resolve similar issues:

*

*XSD: Allow any unknown element in any order

*XSD: Allow elements from different namespace anywhere in a sequence

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Home / Movie Posters / 2020 March 21 - 22 Movie Posters Signature Auction - Dallas Auction #7219 / Lot #86430
Creature from the Black Lagoon (Universal International, 1954). Fine/Very Fine on Linen. One Sheet (27.25" X 41"). Albert Ka...
Creature from the Black Lagoon (Universal International, 1954). Fine/Very Fine on Linen. One Sheet (27.25" X 41"). Albert Kallis Artwork.
While Frankenstein, Dracula, and The Wolf Man were based on literature or legend, Universal's Creature from the Black Lagoon was a wholly original creation, and the last "classic" monster to be considered part of the pantheon. The monster suit was certainly one of the best ever created for film -- largely the work of Universal staffer Millicent Patrick -- and still holds up over fifty years after its original release. Richard Carlson and Julia Adams star in this timeless Universal horror tale of an expedition to the dark waters of the Amazon; an expedition which uncovers the existence of a half-human, half-amphibian Gill Man. Since the initial release of this film, the Creature has become one of the most popular monsters in the Universal stable, rivaling the studio's literary supernatural villains. Professionally restored, this poster no longer shows fold wear and separations, pinholes, a few tears, and small chips. There was also a tear in the lower left image and the poster has had some color enhancement to the red printing.
Please see full-color, enlargeable images above for more details.
View movie details on IMDB
View movie details on AllMovie
2020 March 21 - 22 Movie Posters Signature Auction - Dallas #7219 (go to Auction Home page)
21st-22nd Saturday-Sunday
Page Views: 2,000
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms | Movie Posters Grading Tutorial


Horns on a boat are a saftey factor and well worth an investment.
While horns are required by law, we believe most under-estimate their importance. The investment in horns, that can really be heard, is well worth it.
These are Buell triple horns. When you need to be heard, Buell comes through. When that sailboat on your port side starts to change tack, for no apparent reason other than to cut in-front of your bow, blow these. He will think a freighter is on him and change course. You can wave at him as you power by.
When I was a kid, my uncle had a set of these on his boat. He had obtained his set off of a large yacht that had sunk. When Uncle Melbourne blew his horns, the entire marina was in awe. Patrons of the marina would get him to blow his horns for their friends who had not heard them before. Everyone knew how great the horns were but few knew that they were Buell Trumpets. I did!
Now we have a set of our own, for our dream boat. These horns provide a lot of "Bling" for the buck. I will give these to Pat so he can mount them and insure a special place on the custom mast.
Final installation of the Buell horns on the mast. We love these horns!


The box is ebony with inlaid brass & gold accents. Everything is all original and in mint condition with the best attention to detail however one of the crystal bottles has at some point been replaced. However it could have came this way.


text:
Police freed three hostages from a bus in Lutsk
The police managed to release three of the hostages taken in the luck of the bus, wrote on Twitter, the Minister of internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov.
He said that the people brought the first Deputy Chairman of the National police of Ukraine Yevhen Koval.
In the office of President Vladimir Zelensky said that they managed to release after the attacker has personally spoken to the head of state.
Earlier the terrorist in the air Lviv TV channel NTA said that one of the hostages is wounded, people are in a bad state, among them one pregnant woman and one child.
He promised to let them go when you fulfill the requirements.
On the morning of 21 July, the man was captured about 20 hostages in a bus in the center of Lutsk. It is noted that he got explosives and weapons. The police introduced the plan "Hostage".
Deputy Minister of internal Affairs of Ukraine Anton Gerashchenko said that the attacker himself called the police and introduced himself as Maxim the Bad. Later found that it is a native of Russia, Maxim Compressor, twice convicted for serious crimes.
The man said that in a public place installed explosive device with a remote control and he's willing to undermine it and the bus in the event of a storm.
As noted by the head of national police in Volyn region Yuri Krochko, the attacker has put forward the General requirements and expressed dissatisfaction with the system.
Originally brought a criminal case under article "hostage-taking", but then the SBU described the attacker as a terrorist attack.
#The taking of hostages in luck
#The situation in Ukraine
#MIA


Rage PR works with a diverse range of bands and artists to deliver unique promotional strategies that are designed to increase their exposure. We are always interested in hearing from bands of all flavours, while out main focus is on rock & metal music promotion we also have services that aren't genre specific. See our Services page for more details.


text:
/**
 * @file oc_interface_details.h
 *
 * @brief This file provides OIC definded interfaces and thier supported method types.
 */

#ifndef SIMULATOR_INTERFACE_DETAILS_H__
#define SIMULATOR_INTERFACE_DETAILS_H__

#include <iostream>
#include <unordered_map>
#include <vector>

#include "OCApi.h"

namespace OC
{
    // Read-Only interface
    const std::string READ_INTERFACE = "oic.if.r";

    // Read-Write Interface
    const std::string READWRITE_INTERFACE = "oic.if.rw";

    // Actuator Interface
    const std::string ACTUATOR_INTERFACE = "oic.if.a";

    // Sensor Interface
    const std::string SENSOR_INTERFACE = "oic.if.s";
}

class OCInterfaceDetails
{
    public:
        static OCInterfaceDetails *getInstance();
        bool isInterface(const std::string &interfaceType);
        bool isRequestSupported(const std::string &interfaceType, const std::string &requestType);

    private:
        OCInterfaceDetails();
        ~OCInterfaceDetails() = default;

        std::unordered_map<std::string, std::vector<std::string>> m_interfaces;
};

#endif


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The partners of Brindley Twist Tafft & James Solicitors are Simon Grindlay, David Hawley, Samantha Wright, John Ward, Tom Barnes (FCILEx) and John Chadaway. The partners are all solicitors of the Law Society of England & Wales unless otherwise stated.
We maintain professional indemnity insurance in accordance with the rules of the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Details of our insurers and the territorial coverage of our policy are available at our offices.
We are not regulated by the Financial Services Authority in respect of regulated activities.
The use of any of our interactive services by a minor is prohibited. By using the interactive services you hereby warrant that you are over 18 years old.


text:
Subscribe to Arbitration clause
Ninth Circuit Holds Collective Claims Made on Behalf of ERISA Plans Survive Motion to Compel Arbitration
By The Editors on July 25, 2018
Posted in Motions Practice, Strategy
In a published decision issued yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that collective claims for alleged breaches of fiduciary duty under ERISA were not subject to the arbitration agreements in plaintiff employees' employment contracts. Instead, since those claims were brought for the benefit of the ERISA plans in which the plaintiffs participated as a whole, they were outside the scope of the employees' individual arbitration agreements, and could be litigated in court on a collective basis.
Qui Tam Claims Guided the Court's Analysis, and May Guide Plaintiffs' Counsel Going Forward
The Ninth Circuit's decision may … Continue Reading
Supreme Court Upholds Employee Class-/Collective-Action Waivers under Federal Arbitration Act
By The Editors on May 29, 2018
We've been monitoring the appellate battles over the enforceability of class- and collective-action waivers in the employment context since September 2016, when we pondered whether circuit splits would land the issue in the Supreme Court. Since then, our colleagues in the Labor and Employment practice at McGuireWoods have supplied interim reports on the Supreme Court's grant of certiorari in not one, not two, but three such cases, and on oral argument in those cases last fall. Click here to read our colleagues' succinct analysis of last week's 5-4 decision upholding employee class- and collective-action waivers under the Federal Arbitration … Continue Reading
Everyone is talking about the future of class-action waivers in employment arbitration agreements after the Supreme Court launched its new term this month with oral argument in three closely-watched cases—National Labor Relations Board v. Murphy Oil USA, Inc. (5th Circuit), Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis (7th Circuit), and Ernst & Young LLP v. Morris (9th Circuit). In its impending decision, … Continue Reading
Do Good Things Come in Threes? Supreme Court Grants Cert in Three Collective Action Waiver Cases
By The Editors on January 27, 2017
As recently reported by our colleague Brennan Bolt in one of our sister blogs, Labor Relations Today, the Supreme Court has answered a question I posed a few months ago by granting cert in not one, not two, but three cases involving the enforceability of class/collective action waivers in employment agreements. These decisions pit the National Labor Relations Board's position that class/collective action waivers are inconsistent with the rights granted by the National Labor Relations Act, and therefore unenforceable, against the Federal Arbitration Act's strong and long-standing policy favoring arbitration. We'll be watching these cases closely as … Continue Reading
Will Collective Arbitration Waivers Land in the Supreme Court Again?
By The Editors on September 16, 2016
The long-running battle over collective action waivers in the arbitration clauses of employment agreements continues to rage in the Courts of Appeals. Two recent decisions (and the cert petitions filed in their wake) may well lead the Supreme Court to consider once again the thorny relationship between the class/collective action mechanism and federal arbitration law.
Just weeks ago, a divided panel of the Ninth Circuit delivered its opinion in Morris v. Ernst & Young, LLP, vacating an order by the N.D. Cal. that would have compelled individual arbitration of claims that the defendant misclassified employees in order to deny … Continue Reading
CFPB's Proposed Arbitration Rule Prompts Thousands of Comments
By The Editors on August 23, 2016
Charlotte litigation and regulatory partner Joshua Davey provides an update on the many varied comments submitted to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in response to the new rule it proposed in May prohibiting class action waivers in arbitration clauses.
Hat tip to our sibling blog, Subject to Inquiry, for such timely coverage.… Continue Reading
CFPB Proposes New Rule Against Mandatory Arbitration Clauses That Preclude Participation in Class Action Suits
By The Editors on May 5, 2016
Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced that it is issuing and seeking public comment on new proposed regulations that would prohibit providers of certain consumer financial products and services from including mandatory arbitration clauses that preclude class-action lawsuits in their consumer contracts.
The proposed rules, which were authorized by Section 1028 of the Dodd-Frank Act, come a little over a year after the CFPB released a lengthy study on the use of such arbitration clauses, and a little over six months after the CFPB issued a press release criticizing their use and announcing its intent to consider such … Continue Reading


Volcanoes assembled in 2005. TWO THOUSAND AND FIVE!!!!!!
The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Music, Kings of Leon, The Coral, Pete Doherty, Midlake, Sparks, Stone Roses, Crowded House, Hot Club de Paris, The Maccabees, Nick Cave, Arctic Monkeys, Future Heads, Maximo Park, The Bee Gees, The Strokes, Fleet Foxes, Mudhoney, Queen.
We just think we sound like Volcanoes.


Not enough people used them.
Microsoft has a bunch of content aggregator apps under the MSN brand (and before that, the Bing brand): News, Weather, Sports, Money, Health & Fitness, Food & Drink, and Travel. These apps run on Windows 8, Windows Phone, iOS, and Android.
Three of the apps are being shut down later this year: Travel, Food & Drink, and Health & Fitness. In a statement, Microsoft said that it would continue to work on the apps with "broad consumer appeal," indicating that the problem with these three is that they simply weren't used enough. The company says that nobody will be losing their jobs.
The Food & Drink and Travel apps will be discontinued on September 28. Oddly, Health & Fitness will be discontinued a little later; it lives on until November 1.
These decisions will have some knock-on consequences. Currently, Microsoft's Cortana digital assistant will link to the Travel app to give you details about upcoming flights and trips. The information Cortana links to may not be something you use every day, but it's certainly handy when you're travelling. It's possible that the service will just link to equivalent content from a different source in the future; after all, some of the information that the apps aggregated will continue to exist on the Web.
Ending development of the Health & Fitness app is also a little strange. This app wasn't just a news aggregator—it could also track workouts and diets, and it had a few other bits and pieces. Microsoft has been trying to expand its "health platform"—the online HealthVault service, the Band to collect fitness data, apps to tie them all together—and the Health app feels like it should, or at least could, be a part of this broader push. The company has a separate Health app that works with the Band; rolling some of the Health & Fitness app's capabilities into this app would also seem sensible.
In tandem with this, Neowin reports that Microsoft is withdrawing its Photosynth photo-stitching app. The online service will continue, but users of the app are advised to upload their images if they want to be able to use them in the future.


The G.O.A.T. Whisperer10 (10)Took the G.O.A.T.
The Power of the Atom23 (20)Completed "The Power of the Atom"
Now-removed Amazon placeholder listings seem to hint that something is on the way from Bethesda with an accompanying video hinting that it could be Fallout-related.
While the relative merits and disadvantages of substantial extra content can be debated, there's certainly been a few expansions that are near-essential to the main game's narrative. Here are some of the most significant.


Plastic bottles, discarded chairs, lone flip flops, food wrappers and cigarette butts — these are the type of items that volunteers picked up from 5.6 miles of Lake Tahoe beaches on July 5 following the busy holiday weekend. The final tally was 1,676 pounds of litter.
More than 320 volunteers joined the League to Save Lake Tahoe for the annual Keep Tahoe Red, White and Blue cleanups that look place around the lake at Commons Beach, Kings Beach, Kiva Beach, Nevada Beach and Regan Beach.
"Over the weekend, Lake Tahoe hit its high water mark for the first time in years, leaving many of Tahoe's beaches partly or fully underwater," said Marilee Movius, the League's community engagement manager. "With July Fourth celebrations crowded onto the remaining patches of dry ground, our volunteers collected litter that could have been harmful to wildlife and Lake Tahoe's water quality."
Trash-ridden beaches are a yearly consequence of a jam-packed holiday weekend in Lake Tahoe.
"We hope that someday we'll discover that every Tahoe beachgoer has packed out their litter, but we're not there yet," said Jesse Patterson, the League's deputy director. "Until then, we're heartened to see so many community members pitch in to make a difference in protecting Tahoe's shoreline."
At Nevada Beach on the South Shore, Round Hill resident Charna Silver picked up trash for her second year as a volunteer.
"It's our community service. We have this beautiful place that we call home, and we have to keep it beautiful," said Silver.
Farther down the beach, James Reeves used a metal detector to search the shoreline. He drove up from Carson City and started combing the beach at 4 a.m.
"I find all the dangerous stuff," said Reeves, reaching into his bag and holding up a handful of different-sized metal tent stakes. "Every now and then you get a ring."
This year the top trash items were cigarette butts (5,242) and plastic pieces (6,357), according to the League, which asks volunteers to fill out an itemized sheet as they collect trash. Volunteers also picked up over 1,100 food wrappers.
For the first time this year the League will be shipping the cigarette butts and pieces of hard plastic to TerraCycle to be repurposed in the U.S. into new products.
Last year, 1,596 pounds of trash were collected on July 5.
Despite the best efforts of staff at the beaches in Lake Tahoe, trash remains an issue after busy weekends in the summer.
"We hand out trash bags all day long to everybody that comes in. Thankfully a lot of bags actually ended up near the trash bins," said Bob Becker, who works at Nevada Beach for the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. "We're making improvements, but we still need this cleanup."
On the Fourth of July, the rangers and sheriff's department are focused on keeping people safe and managing traffic flow for the crowds that come to watch fireworks.
"People were in line at 10:30 the night before. When I got here yesterday at 6 a.m. the line was all the way up Elks Point Road and twisted and turned around onto Highway 50," said Becker on July 5. "The parking lot was full by 8:20 a.m. and Douglas County Sheriff had Elks Point Road closed by about 9 o'clock."
"It really takes a community to pull this whole thing off," added Becker.


text:
N-CoDe Lab
Saloni wins the BPS Neil O'Connor prize!
n-code
Saloni Krishnan 10th March 2021
Saloni has been awarded the 2021 BPS Developmental Section Neil O'Connor prize, for her recent publication titled 'Functional organisation for verb generation in children with developmental language disorder', which appeared in the journal NeuroImage in 2021 [read it here]. The Neil O'Connor prize is awarded annually for an excellent piece of published research on cognitive disorders that appear in development and persist throughout life. Saloni has been invited to give an award talk at the BPS Developmental Section annual conference in September 2021 about this work.
THE article: What to expect when building your lab as a new lecturer
Amrita takes part in "I'm a Scientist: Get me out of here!"
Save my name, e-mail, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
BBC Tiny Happy People
Amrita speaks at the University of York
Language Neuroscience podcast
AMS Springboard Award
Arba WordPress Theme by XstreamThemes.


text:
Open Letter to Bashar Al-Assad regarding Haitham Al-Maleh #almaleh #alkarama
Alkarama is increasingly alarmed at the state of health of Haitham al-Maleh and has issued the following appeal to the Syrian President:
Posted in human rights, international, politics, syria | Tagged haitham al-maleh, human rights, international, politics, syria, syrian opposition | Leave a comment
Protestors call for the release of Syria's prisoners of conscience #labwani #syria
To mark Syria's National Day, 17th April, friends and supporters of Syria's wrongly incarcerated prisoners of conscience protested outside the Syrian Embassy at 8 Belgrave Square, in London. Between 70 and 80 people were in attendance, many of them signing a letter to the President that was delivered via Embassy officials.
Simultaneous protests mounted in Berlin, Bern, Brussels, Canberra, London, Montreal, Paris, Stockholm and Washington.
There is always a danger that in the tumult of an election we forget about those who would wish to be doing exactly as we will be able to do on May 6th: vote for those we want to represent us.
Don't forget our friends: Kamal al-Labwani, Anwar al-Bunni, Haitham al-Maleh and Muhannad al-Hassani amongst the many, many others. We must do what they cannot and speak up for their right to be heard.
Pictures from the demonstration are below.
Posted in current affairs, human rights, international, politics, syria | Tagged al-bunni, al-hassani, anwar al-bunni, haitham al-maleh, human rights, international, kamal labwani, maleh, syria, syrian opposition | Leave a comment
April 3, 2010 by bpwilliams72
Iyas Maleh and Kamal Labwani's friends urge support for Syrian Independence Day demo, April 17th #syria #labwani
As Syria prepares to celebrate 64 years of independence, the European Union continues to work towards cementing relations with Syria through its EU-Syria Mediterranean Association Agreement. Maureen Thomas, however, has alerted me to a demonstration outside the Syrian Embassy to remind the world that despite its reformist rhetoric, peaceful and democratic reformers such as Kamal Labwani, Anwar Bunni, Haithem Maleh and Muhannad Hassani are still locked up on trumped-up charges in defiance of Syria's commitments on civil and political rights.
In an email to Maureen, Iyas al-Maleh, son of imprisoned human rights champion Haitham al-Maleh, thanked her for mobilising support for the demonstration, to be held at 3pm on Saturday 17 April, 8 Belgrave Square, London, SW1X 8PH. Similar demonstrations are already planned for Brussels and Washington, with work ongoing to organise similar protests in Berlin, Geneva and Paris.
If you are a friend and supporter of Kamal, and his fellow prisoners, please see if you are free and visit the sign-up page to register:
http://sites.google.com/site/syriademo/
News of the proposed demonstration comes at the same time as the UNHCR reports that the Syrian regime continues to harass its political internees. It makes for upsetting reading and you are left wondering at the strength of men who still find the courage to defy the authorities even in Adra prison, preferring to surrender their visiting rights instead of succumbing to the indignity of being forced to meet family in prison garb.
So please see if you are free on 17 April and make a standard for freedom of conscience and human rights.
And our friends.
Kamal, in prison uniform
Posted in human rights, international, politics, syria | Tagged al-bunni, amnesty, haitham al-maleh, human rights, international, kamal labwani, politics, syria, syrian opposition | Leave a comment
Letter from Kamal's family about the conditions in Adra Prison #syria #kamal
Kamal Labwani's family have written to Maureen Thomas, describing the latest humiliations in Adra Prison, Damascus. Maureen's covering comment is a timely reminder of the human frailty of our friends who have been imprisoned in Damascus: "One can only admire the prisoners' pride, determination and courage but I worry for Haytham, Muhannad, Anwar and Kamal who still have a long time to go with no money or medication to help keep them healthy."
The letter from Kamal's family speaks for itself:
"We are ok actually and our father but now we are not visiting him because he asked us not to.
Him and all the prisoners of conscious in Adra prison reject to be visited because the authorities want them to wear prison pajamas during the visit and not civilian clothes or even sports pajamas as they say they want them to be equal like other prisoners.
So the prisoners of conscience rise up claiming that they should be also equal to other prisoners in other rights like their visit is not being watched and have the right to visit for two hours rather than only half an hour and other fair requests. They say if you want us to be equal let us be equal in every single right. It is really not a matter of wearing prison pajamas or not, they want to be treated like other prisoners. If the authority wants them to be equal with civil prisoners they wish to be really equal.
And so now we cannot visit him because if we go he will refuse to come out and see us. We cannot give him money and provide him with medication. Not just us but the other prisoners' families.
I would not be accurate if I called what the prisoners of conscience are doing as a strike because I really don't know if they will end it or keep doing this until their demands are accomplished. We really don't know what the circumstances will bring but until now it seems that they insist to go on.
I'm sorry for this long letter. We all hope the new days will bring good news."
Posted in human rights, international, politics, syria | Tagged al-bunni, haitham al-maleh, human rights, international, kamal labwani, politics, syria, syrian opposition | 1 Comment
EU-Syria Mediterranean Agreement – correspondence
I meant to post this correspondence with Liz Lynne MEP before now. It provides some interesting information, not least of all the link to the EU's delegation to Syria which would appear to be a useful way of staying up to date with news regarding the EU's engagement with Syria.
Dear Liz,
We've corresponded previously about the EU/Syria agreement (I used my personal address).
I'd be grateful if you or your office could briefly explain what the preparatory phase described in the attached link is – and what opportunity there is to raise pertinent human and civil rights concerns. The stock response when anyone in the EU is questioned about this is that engagement with Syria will promote human rights. However, no-one has yet pointed me to an example where that sort of engagement with other countries has produced a measurable improvement.
In addition, the Syrians have even indicated a readiness to sign yet. (There was also something very galling about the very earnest discussions around "civil society" at the recent Damascus conference, right at the time the Syrians are continuing to "disappear" journalists, human rights lawyers and opposition activists.)
Your advice would be much appreciated – together with contact details for anyone you think I might appropriately contact.
(Writing in a personal capacity, rather than as Secretary to the Parliamentary Party)
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/FindByProcnum.do?lang=2&procnum=AVC/2008/0248
Liz Lynne
Dear Ben,
Thank you for your further correspondence regarding the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement with Syria. The preparatory phase is part of the conciliation procedure which is used in the formulation of this Agreement This process, in part, requires consent from the European Parliament, which currently has not been given.
The provisions of the European Union's Association Agreement with Syria are the prerequisite for full European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) status, but signature and full participation only come about once a number of steps have been adhered to. The aim of the agreement with Syria is to support economic and political reforms in the region. This process requires dialogue on human rights, democracy, terrorism and nuclear non-proliferation. The EU advocates engagement and diplomacy as the best way to do this, particularly in relation to reforming human rights.
However, the EU can also deny engagement and put on hold its support to instigate human rights reformation. For example, the EU's decision to suspend the upgrading of its Association Agreement with Israel means that the expansion of trade and economic relations in the region have been delayed. Consequently an upgrade to the Agreement, thus further engagement, is unlikely to occur until Israel increases its efforts to abide by international law.
In order to stay up to date with the latest bilateral and regional developments in EU-Syrian relations I suggest viewing the website of the Delegation of the European Union to Syria. A link to the site can be found here:
http://www.delsyr.ec.europa.eu/en/index.asp.
You can also contact the Delegation directly via email on
delegation-syria@ec.europa.eu.
Thank you again for your correspondence and I hope this information is useful to you.
Liz Lynne MEP
Posted in current affairs, human rights, international, syria | Tagged haitham al-maleh, human rights, international, kamal labwani, politics, syria, syrian opposition | 1 Comment
"They fear an old man" – the disappearing of Haitham al-Maleh #almaleh #syria
One of the country's leading champions of those imprisoned in Syria for human rights abuses is Maureen Thomas. The journalist Christiane Schlötzer recently sent her a copy of her article about the disappearance of Haitham al-Maleh that first appeared in the Süddeutsche Zeitung last weekend. Geoff Williams has translated that article.
"They fear an old man"
How a 72 yr old lawyer disappeared in Damascus
Haiham Maleh, Süddeutsche Zeitung
After lawyer Haitham Maleh gave his last interview he received a telephone call. He was to report the next day to an office of the secret service. Maleh didn't. A day later three men in civilian clothes were waiting for the 78-yr-old when he arrived to unlock his car, at midday, in the middle of Damascus. The three strangers overpowered him and forced him into a car. Now the Syrian lawyer gives no more interviews. Instead, his son Iyas Maleh is giving them, and this week in Berlin he has been recalling his father's fate.
It was the week in which the USA appointed an ambassador to Syria for the first time in five years of diplomatic ice-age. President Obama sees Syria as a signficant player in the Middle East and would like to release the country from its close alliance with Iran. Iyas Maleh regards the approach to Damascus by the West with scepticism. "The offer to improve relations must be linked to conditions" is his demand. "Syria has to show that it respects human rights." Europe cannot simply "turn away" Maleh told the Süddeutsche Zeitung . He didn't understand that both the Union (CDU/CSU) and the FDP stressed in Parliament (Bundestag) recently that deportations to Syria should remain possible. The opposition had demanded a stop to them.
Iyas Maleh did not know where his father was for eight days after his kidnap in Damascus on 14th October 2009. When he then appeared before a military court it became clear to the son that it would be a long time until his father was freed. The charge against him is one of "spreading false information and so undermining national morale", an accusation frequnetly used "when they want to throw someone in prison. Punishment is 3 to 15 yrs imprisonment". Haitham Maleh has already served six years in jail. He was chairman of a prohibited "human rights organisation" in Syria. Most recently, in written articles and an interview with the London-based Arabic TV company Barada TV he insisted on the rule of law within the state and criticised state corruption.
Thanks to a letter smuggled out of prison Iyas knows that his father has to sleep on the floor of an overcrowded cell. Iyas Maleh was also once arrested, in 1980, after which he fled to the USA. The 49-year-old computer engineer has not returned to Syria since. He has three siblings also living abroad. Their father remained in Syria.
"This allegedly so powerful Syrian government is afraid of an old man," he says bitterly.
Translated by Geoff Williams
Posted in current affairs, human rights, international, politics, syria | Tagged haitham al-maleh, human rights, international, politics, syria, syrian opposition | Leave a comment
Urgent: Amnesty appeal as Haitham al-Maleh's health fails #syria #amnesty #almaleh #labwani
Very worrying news from Amnesty International regarding the health of Hytham al-Maleh.
Haitham al-Maleh was born in Damascus, in 1931 holds a degree in Law from Damascus University and a diploma in public international law. He is an award-winning human rights activist and lawyer. On 7 December 2004 he received an award from the National Advisory Committee (French) for Human Rights for his research on torture. He received his award from the French ambassador in Damascus in a special ceremony because the authorities prevented him from travelling to Paris. On 11 March 2006 he was awarded a Dutch medal in recognition of his courageous struggle for human rights.
The text of Amnesty's recent press release is reproduced below.
Please write as requested by Amnesty.
URGENT ACTION
Haitham al-Maleh's health failing
Prisoner of conscience Haitham al-Maleh is very ill, and he has not taken any of the medication he needs since 11 February.
Since 11 February, the authorities have not allowed detainees in 'Adra prison to obtain medication from anywhere but the prison pharmacy. Haitham al-Maleh will only take medication provided by his family, because he believes the prison pharmacy's medicine is of poor quality.
He was brought before a military judge in Damascus on 22 February to face new charges of "insulting the president" and "slandering a governmental body", in a public hearing. These charges were based on information from a prisoner detained for a non-political offence. Haitham al-Maleh said the information consisted of "lies and acts of provocation" by the prisoner.
Diplomats and two Italian lawyers representing the International Federation for Human Rights, an international non-governmental organization that aims at improving human rights protection, who had come to observe the trial session, were not allowed to attend. Haitham al-Maleh's wife, who was present in court, was not allowed to shake his hand or talk to him. On his way out, security officers dragged him away from her when they embraced.
According to those who did attend the hearing, Haitham al-Maleh was so frail that his voice was weak. He had passed out during the week before the hearing, because he had not received his medication. The day after the hearing, the new charges were dropped under a presidential amnesty for prisoners convicted of minor offences, but the charges brought against him on 3 November still stand.
Conditions in 'Adra prison are poor. Haytham al-Maleh sleeps on a mattress on the floor in an overcrowded cell. He has diabetes and an overactive thyroid gland and has not had any medication since 11 February, although he needs to take regular medication to treat both conditions. His health is deteriorating. Individuals suffering from diabetes and an overactive thyroid gland who do not take medication are at risk of severe weight loss, falling into a coma, and even heart and kidney failure. Unlike other detainees in 'Adra prison, Haytham al-Maleh is usually accompanied by a prison officer when meeting with the prison doctor.
PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Arabic, English, French or your own language:
Urging the authorities to release Haytham al-Maleh immediately and unconditionally, as he is a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression.
al-Rashid Street
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic
Salutation: Your Excellency
Minister of Interior
His Excellency Major Sa'id Mohamed Samour
'Abd al-Rahman Shahbandar Street
Copies to: Minister of Foreign Affairs
His Excellency Walid al-Mu'allim
Abu Rummaneh
Haitham al-Maleh was charged by a military judge on 3 November with "conveying false news", "weakening national sentiment" and "slandering a governmental body". These charges relate to his public criticism of human rights violations and corruption by Syrian officials, which included a phone interview in September with a Europe-based satellite channel, Baradda TV.
Kamal al-Labwani
Prison authorities often encourage prisoners charged with or convicted of non-political offences to inform on political prisoners and prisoners of conscience. On 23 April, Kamal al-Labwani, a prisoner of conscience was given an additional term of three years in prison by the First Criminal Military Court in Damascus for "broadcasting false or exaggerated news which would affect the morale of the country" under article 286 of the Penal Code. This sentence was added to the 12-year term he was already serving on account of his work advocating peaceful reform in the country. This new sentence was based on the testimony of a prisoner in his cell in 'Adra prison that Kamal al-Labwani had returned from one of the hearings of his previous trial and spoken disparagingly of the government. Kamal al-Labwani denied the charge and said prisoners detained for non-political offences were working in conjunction with the prison authorities, who had ignored his complaints that he had been assaulted twice in the prison.
Walid al-Bunni
Another prisoner of conscience, Walid al-Bunni, is serving a 30-month sentence for his involvement in the Damascus Declaration for Democratic National Change, a coalition of unauthorized political parties, human rights organizations and pro-democracy activists from across the political spectrum. He was brought before Damascus Criminal Court on a new charge of "conveying false news" on 4 May 2009, based on the testimony of another prisoner. The new charge was finally dropped on 17 June 2009 and Walid al-Bunni was acquitted.
Posted in human rights, international, politics, syria | Tagged al-labwani, amnesty, free speech, haitham al-maleh, human rights, international, politics, syria, syrian opposition | 2 Comments
Syria: Koki, Aqil and other journalists freed by regime – a glimmer of hope for Kamal, Hytham, Anwar and colleagues? #labwani #syria
Alkarama have reported that Ma'an Aqil and Abdul Rahman Koki have been freed by the Syrian government within days of each other.
Aqil, a journalist in Damascus, was arrested on 22 November 2009 and was detained arbitrarily for three months (I blogged about his detention in December). Alkarama report that he was released Tuesday 23 February 2010.
Yesterday, Alkarama reported that Abdul Rahman Koki was released on Tuesday 16 February 2010, following a presidential pardon.
In both cases Alkarama had referred the cases to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
Reporters Sans Frontières also report that two other journalists, Ali Taha and Ali Ahmed, have also been released after weeks of arbitrary detention.
Whilst being cautious not to overstate the significance of these releases, they offer a faint glimmer of hope in so far as the Syrian regime appears willing to free individuals who have clearly been prepared to challenge the government domestically and, in Koki's case, be directly critical of it. As Alkarama notes, we must take this opportunity to remind the Syrian authorities of their responsibility towards international human rights law and urge them to release all prisoners of conscience, including Kamal al-Labwani, Hytham al-Maleh and Anwar al-Bunni.
Posted in comment, current affairs, human rights, international, politics, syria | Tagged al-bunni, al-labwani, haitham al-maleh, human rights, kamal labwani, koki, maan aqil, syria, syrian opposition | 1 Comment
Kamal Labwani: parliamentary archives page #labwani
Since Kamal was illegally imprisoned by the Syrian regime in Adra Prison, in 2005, numerous of our democratically elected representatives have raised his plight in our national and international parliaments. I have trawled through the websites of the UK Parliament and the European Parliament to consolidate the various representations in one place. I have also linked again to the petition running on the Number 10 website.
Some of you may wonder why I bother.
To some, Kamal is just one more unfortunate political progressive caught on the wrong side of an unreconstructed Middle Eastern dictator.
Not to me.
I bother because he is an artist, a philosopher, a radical and a Liberal.
Most of all, though, I bother because he is my friend.
Please take a look at this parliamentary archives page and be grateful for our own freedoms and democracy.
Posted in current affairs, human rights, international, politics, syria | Tagged arts, free speech, human rights, international, kamal labwani, labwani, politics, syria | 2 Comments
Syria and Human Rights in the European Parliament, September 2009 #eu #syria# labwani
I don't suppose I am alone in not paying much attention to what our representatives say in the European Parliament.
It is a mistake not to. Trawling through the archives I found the text of a debate from September last year in which the cases of Muhannad Al-Hassani, Kamal Al-Labwani and Anwar Al-Bunni are all referenced.
Take a moment to read it and realise that there is a point to what these people do – and we should be supporting them in their efforts.
Kamal, Anwar and Muhannad need us to.
Posted in comment, current affairs, human rights, international, politics, syria | Tagged al-bunni, al-hassani, al-labwani, human rights, international, kamal labwani, labwani, politics, syria, syrian opposition | Leave a comment


15,000 Per Annum Exclusive V.A.T.: All figures are exclusive of, but will be liable to VAT Comments: New lease for a term of years to be agreed. Legal Fees: Each party is to be responsible for its own legal fees.


You are no doubt familiar with the daily walking services offered by most pet sitting services that provide a way for your dogs to get out for some regular exercise and a midday break.
But did you know that some pet sitters also offer fun dog adventures such as hikes and swimming excursions. These type of trips usually last 2-3 hours and give dogs a strenuous work out – in fact some services even provide these activities as part of a fitness training program for your dog!
Socialization – adventure trips usually involve several dogs that are taken together so your dog gets to spend some quality to with canine companions.
Fun – your dog gets to explore new places and get involved in activities that normally they may not be exposed to.
Mental stimulation – many of these trips also engage the dogs in training such as agility or water games so that your dog comes home mentally and physically tired. This may aid in combatting any behavior issues arising from boredom in your home.
Quick: When you hear the term 'boarding a dog' what comes to mind?
Most likely, you'll think of a kennel, boarding house, vet's office or other caged environment that watches many dogs at once.
Did you know that boarding a dog can be more personal, humane and attentive than it once was?
It's true. Many dog owners may not realize that professional pet sitters offer cage-free dog boarding in their home while you are away.
So, picture this: Instead of leaving your dog in a caged or otherwise stressful environment, consider calling your local professional pet sitter who will take your furry family member into their home.
Overnight pet sitting can be a real treat for any dog or cat. Think about it: No animal likes to be left alone for an extended period of time – even if their food and water dish are filled to the brim.
Pets are social animals and overnight pet sitting provides real comfort to your dog or cat through the night when you are away.
As APSE member Pamela Ranheim puts it, the benefits of overnight service is that the pets will have someone with them all night. This really allows them to stay as close to their routine as when the owners are home.
There will also be someone in the home which adds a level of added security. For dogs that have separation issues, elderly pets or pets with health issues it really makes a big difference.
How Much Should I Pay A Dog Sitter?
"How much should I pay a dog sitter?" is a very common question, and one we have the answer to!
Even though the amount you should pay someone to care for your pets is a tough question to answer.
You have many options when it comes to hiring a dog sitter.
Or place them in the care of a pet sitting professional.
It's important to note that just like everything in life, when you hire someone to care for your furry family members you often get what you pay for.
Most pet owners can attest to the fact that a professional pet sitter is much more than someone who pops over every now and again to let Sparky out the back door, or change Fluffy's water.
Look beyond the responsibility to the pet and you see the great need for a competent house pet sitter.
A pet sitter's responsibility is vast. She is hired to not only look after your furry loved ones, but is also responsible for keeping your house, property and belongings safe, secure and in tact.
Want to get more familiar with a pet sitting service before you decide who to trust with the care of your pets?
Who could blame you – we all worry about leaving our pets and need to know as much as we can about the people we are entrusting to their care.
These days, most pet sitters are online and there are many easy ways to get to know them, understand how they run their business, and build trust before you pick up the phone to contact the pet sitter about their services.
Pet daycare is not unlike child daycare. In its most common definition it's a place a pet owner can drop their furry friend off for the day while at work.
There are usually two options when it comes to pet daycare.
Both have their pros and cons and you'll need to consider a variety of factors when choosing which option is best for your pet.
When you hire a pet sitter to visit your home to care for your pets, the more information you can give them about your pets routine and habits the better they are able to care for your pets!
A professional pet sitter will always visit your home for an initial interview before the first pet sitting visit is scheduled to meet your pets, learn about their regular routines, collect keys and familiarize themselves with home security, and find out where the food, toys, cleaning supplies, and other pet supply necessities are kept.
At this visit the pet sitter will fill out a pet sitting contract where this information is documented and that tells you about the policies and terms of the pet sitting service.
Cat Sitting | Who Is Really Running the Show?
Cat sitting is a tricky business. I've been on plenty of cat sitting jobs where the beautiful kitten seems to have been anticipating my arrival and follows my every step around the house.
I've also had plenty of cat sitting visits where we seemed to be playing hide and go seek the entire time. And guess which one of us is always winning.
Funny enough, the cats usually are in on the conversation and avoid those listed places when the owner heads out of town.
Walking Dogs | Are You Being Fair to Your Dog?
Walking dogs for a living is something many pet lovers would aspire to do.
As simple as the concept may sound, walking dogs as a profession takes a considerable amount of skill, training and knowledge.
As a responsible pet owner, you should do plenty of research regarding the best practices of proper dog walking.
The goal is to keep yourself as the pack leader (the one in control) during the entire walk.


text:
Right to Heal
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From IVAW's...
PFC LaVena Johnson - Murdered in Iraq
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A Plea for Justice - Maurice Copeland goes to the GSA
The May 1, 2012 edition of Tell Somebody featured former Kansas City nuclear weapons parts plant worker and current Bannister Federal Complex (BFC) Community Advisory Panel member Maurice Copeland who called for a Plea for Justice Rally at the BFC on April 25. Copeland spoke to supporters and met with General...