text:
Kin of gov't troops slain in Inabanga clash to get P.5M
The families of the policeman and three soldiers who were killed in the encounter between government security forces and Abu Sayyaf bandits in Inabanga in April will be given P500,000 each.
This is after the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) approved a P2-million fund as financial assistance to the fallen government troops' families.
The appeal to extend the amount to the families was made by the Cebu City government through Mayor Tomas Osmeña while PAGCOR made the approval during a board members' meeting on May 26.
According to PAGCOR, the fund will be released after the mayor and the Cebu City Council will also formally sign an approval.
Osmeña had announced the city government's plan to extend financial aid a few days after the four government security personnel were killed in Inabanga on April 11.
"It's to encourage the others, [during the] battle in Bohol they risk their lives to save lives not just in Bohol but to save our lives. So this is our way of contributing, nadisgrasya sila, atoa silang tabangan," Osmeña earlier said.
The mayor had also previously expressed optimism that the Cebu City Council including opposition members will support the move.
The government security forces killed during the Inabanga in mid-April were P02 Rey Anthony Nazareno, a Calape resident, 2nd Lt. Estilito Saldua Jr., Corporal Miljune Cajaban and Sgt. John Dexter Duero. (A. Doydora)
'Dealer,' father, brother nabbed in Tagbilaran anti-drug op; P102k shabu seized
An alleged drug dealer, along with his father and brother, was arrested by police during an anti-drug operation in Tagbilaran…
Father, son nabbed for death of fisherman in Talibon
A 70-year-old man and his son were arrested by police after they allegedly beat and stabbed a fisherman who later…
Outgoing prov'l officials honored during Chatto admin's last convocation
Governor Edgar Chatto, Vice Governor Dionisio Balite and other incumbent provincial officials who will be leaving their current posts on…
Ex-seaman shoots dead mother-in-law, brother-in-law in Inabanga
A former seaman allegedly shot his mother-in-law and brother-in-law dead in Inabanga in an apparent financial dispute on Monday night,…
Alburquerque vice mayor dies, 57
Re-elected Alburquerque Vice Mayor Cayetano Doria, Jr., 57, passed away in the wee hours of Monday. He reportedly died from…
Drug-linked man killed in daylight shooting in Tagbilaran
A man who was previously arrested for a drug charge was shot and killed in broad daylight and in front…


An Albanian national with U.S. citizenship was arrested after he told a federal informant that he wanted to join ISIS and plan a terror attack on one of several possible locations, including a synagogue.
Fabjan Alameti, 21, of New York, was arrested in Montana last week.
Beginning in January, Alameti spoke with a federal informant about fighting with ISIS and plotting an attack in the U.S. against a military facility, recruitment center, government building, "gay club," or Jewish temple, FBI Special Agent Matthew Duermeier said in a sworn statement filed with the U.S. Magistrate's Court in Helena, Montana, The Associated Press reported.
He later said he would not carry out an attack in the U.S. because the country had granted him citizenship, the statement also said.
Last month he moved to Montana due to family issues, and because it is easier to buy a gun in the state, he told the informant.
After he heard about the attacks on two mosques in New Zealand he was inspired to "attack random people" out of revenge.
Alameti was arrested in Montana on Wednesday for being in possession of a weapon, an air rifle, while using drugs, in this case marijuana.
He was ordered held for continued judicial proceedings.


My Creative Time: MCT 62nd Edition Release Blog Hop & Sale!
GOOD MORNING MY SWEET FRIENDS & welcome to our 62nd Edition Release Blog Hop & SALE!!!
Everything we showcased this week is available for purchase HERE! Don't forget to use the code DEC2016 to get a discount off of your entire purchase! Special discount applies to in-stock items only!
Even though this is a HEART release, I just wanted to show you that you can really use these sets for ANY occasion your little hearts desire! :) ENJOY my friends!
Look how ADORABLE these new "Mini Tag Dies 2" look!!! LOVE!!!
Starting this Friday, December 16, 2016 @ 8am PST, our FREEBIE for this month is this FABULOUS new DIE set called "MINI TAG DIES 2" This set will be given to the first 100 shoppers! If YOU are one of the first 100 shoppers it will be automatically added to your packages at the time of packaging/shipping. Once 100 shoppers come through, this die set will be available for purchase. So, if it's for sale in the store, you are not one of the 100. No exceptions will be made. This FREEBIE is not part of the "bundle" and will be sold separately!
Don't forget our sale starts NOW! Head on over to my store HERE to pick up YOUR favorites & don't forget to use the code DEC2016 at checkout to receive a discount off your entire purchase! This sale applies to "In-Stock" items ONLY. This sale will end on Friday, DECEMBER 23, 2016 at midnight PST.
Your tags are adorable, Emma! Love the colors you used!
beautiful tags!!! and beautifully done up, love the colors!!!
This whole release has been awesome!! I love all your tags Miss Emma. I think the snow man is my favorite! Thank you for all your creative talent!
Emma your tags are so adorable love them all, what a wonderful release!
Good Afternoon Miss Emma!!! OMG Loving the Release!! Can't wait for it to arrive in the mail. I am so loving all your tags...OMG they are Spectacular and I was so excited too that your have the "HI Sweetie" set in...YAY!!! Thanks for all of your clever and creative ideas using your new goodies....Gosh now the hard part is to wait for it!!! Thanks again for all you do and the way you do it bringing me/us all this Fabulousness!! Oh Today is a Good Day for a Good Day....thanks to you and your DT!! YOU SO ROCK!!
Wonderful tags Emma! I like that this set can be used at anytime for any theme! Have a great Weekend!
Love all of these new sets Emma! Can't wait to get my order, the sentiments are all so cool. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your family. Thank you for another year of amazing inspiration from you and your very talented design team.
Love your wonderful ideas today. The dark blue, red and white looks awesome and I love the little snowman on the heart.
Everything is so sweet here, what a lovely release party!
I love your new stamps! So cute to make Valentines!!
Your tags are so adorable!!
Your tags are super cute.
Just delightful! A very fun tag!
What a CUTE release. Thanks for sharing all your sweet projects this week.
Sadly with my new job responsibilities and focusing on getting healthier I haven't had time or energy to craft or blog much. The GOOD NEWS is I have LOST 25 pounds so it is working.
Have a wonderful holiday season and enjoy all of your precious family time!
Awesome release! Love all the hearts and the cute Mini Tag Dies 2 also! Darling project with that sweet snowman!
Great release. My favorite is the Chalkboard Valentines.
Your tags are beautiful in the red, white and blue. How fun they are. So much cleverness and inspiration hopping all week. Everyone did a wonderful job showcasing this sweet new release. I love how well it can be used with older sets.
I love these sweet tags!


BRECKENRIDGE COMMONS is a care facility for older adults in Sullivan County, IN in the 47882 zip code area that provides senior care to up to 52 elderly individuals.
BRECKENRIDGE HEALTH & REHABILITATION is an assisted living facility in Sullivan County, IN in the 47882 zip code area that provides assisted senior living to a maximum of 77 older adults.
MILLER'S MERRY MANOR is an assisted senior living facility in Sullivan County, IN in the 47882 zip code area that provides senior assisted living to a total of 93 older adults.
If you are searching for senior housing in Sullivan County, please see Senior Apartments in Sullivan County, IN for a full list of both assisted and independent living options.
If you are in need of a nursing home in Sullivan County, you may want to check Nursing Homes in Sullivan County, IN for a list of the best skilled nursing facilities.
Does your loved one have dementia or Alzheimer's disease? If so, please see memory care facilities in Sullivan County, IN and explore all dementia and Alzheimer's care housing and service options.


text:
9am - 5pm AEST/AEDT weekdays
Members 1300 565 562
Basic Search Fields Search Term
Our Ombudsmen
Our Senior Leadership Group
Feedback about our service
Independent Assessor
FOS declares Hobart floods a significant event
FOS declares Tropical Cyclone Marcus a significant event
FOS declares the NSW and VIC bushfires significant events
FOS declares North Queensland storms and flooding a significant event
FOS declares Victorian severe weather a significant event
Record dispute number in final year of FOS
AFCA welcomes ASIC's approval of the AFCA Rules and AFCA's Independent Assessor Terms of Reference
New Chief Ombudsman-CEO appointed to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority
AFCA consults on draft Rules to enhance dispute resolution
The FOS Circular
Comparative Tables
Before you lodge a dispute
Our process and how to lodge a dispute
Our dispute resolution process in detail
Guide to conciliation conferences
Help us to help you
Significant event response plan
AFCA information for consumers
Financial difficulty
Statement of Financial Position
Postcards and profiles
Authorised representatives
Credit listing
Our jurisdiction
Merchant chargebacks
AFCA information for members
Annual assessment
Circular Home
Issue 19 - November 2014
Unpaid determinations update
In recent editions of The Circular and submissions to public inquiries we have discussed the issue of some consumers not receiving compensation from financial services providers (FSPs) following FOS determinations. This article provides an update on the number of unpaid FOS determinations for the period 1 January 2010 to 30 September 2014 (the period for which FOS's Terms of Reference has been operating).
Since 1 January 2010:
25 FSPs have been unwilling or unable to comply with 114 FOS determinations made in favour of consumers.
The value of the outstanding amounts awarded by these determinations was $10,912,507.73 plus interest (interest accrues at approximately 5% per annum) as at 30 September 2014.
Four unpaid determinations relate to disputes that are now the subject of legal proceedings commenced by FOS.
This issue affects approximately 165 individuals whose claims FOS upheld, but who have not been paid the compensation awarded to them.
Only a very small percentage of all FOS members are involved, and these figures represent only a small proportion of all the awards we issue across all our jurisdictions in banking, insurance, life insurance and investments. However, unpaid determinations represent 26.89% of all determinations issued in the Investments, Life Insurance and Superannuation (ILIS) area, and 68% of these relate to disputes in the financial planning and advisory sector. This is despite the small number of FSPs involved.
Possible actions to address uncompensated losses
The FOS submission to the interim report of the Financial System Inquiry provides more information on this issue in response to the report's canvassing of the concerns expressed by FOS and others that current compensation arrangements are not adequate to provide redress to consumers who have suffered financial loss.
In addition, the submission also provides information on the problems of relying on professional indemnity insurance as a compensation mechanism, and offers further information in response to the question: Given the limitations of professional indemnity (PI) insurance, what options, if any, exist for addressing the issue of consumer loss?
PI Insurance is just not effective. Awards of compensation are not paid to consumers. The FSI interim report identified a clear gap in this area of consumer loss and sought views on how to address this.
FOS remains an advocate of some form of limited compensation scheme of last resort as the most effective way to deal with the issue of consumer losses.
In our submission FOS provided some illustrative costing for a funding of such a last resort scheme, showing that such a scheme can be implemented at relatively low cost.
One way to think about the proposal for a last resort compensation scheme is as a risk sharing mechanism to assist PI work more effectively.
A last resort scheme is designed to directly address difficult to assess ex ante low probability, but high impact event of an insured advisor firm failing and going into administration or liquidation.
A PI firm can seek to cover itself against such events by increasing the cost of insurance cover to all advice firms, using broad indicators to segregate firms into different risk buckets for pricing purposes or limit its risk exposure by the type of exclusions on cover that now exist, or some combination of these.
The benefit of a last resort compensation scheme is that it is designed to directly address this risk in a cost-effective way. By doing so it can support the availability of cost effective PI cover for the types of risks PI is better able to assess, price and address relating to financial advice. Similar, tiered risk-sharing style insurance arrangements are common in other risk and insurance areas.
There have been some who claim that it is unfair or inappropriate that the adviser bears responsibility (and the liability for compensation) for their advice to its client, and that this is sometimes seen as 'excusing' consumers from taking responsibility for their own poor decision making or product manufacturers from ensuring that their products are "fit for purpose".
In addition to the Financial System Inquiry, we will be providing a submission to the Senate Economics References Committee inquiry: Scrutiny of Financial Advice, particularly in response to the question: whether existing mechanisms are appropriate in any compensation process relating to unethical or misleading financial advice and instances where these mechanisms may have failed.
We will continue to explore more appropriate mechanisms for a limited last resort compensation scheme for consumers with ASIC, industry, consumers and policy-makers to ensure that when decisions of compensation in favour of consumers are made, these are able to be paid. We look forward to working with the industry to develop a workable scheme.
You can read more details on unpaid determinations here.
Circular Home | All Issues
Home | Contact Us | Accessibility | Feedback | Privacy | Site Map | Glossary | Disclaimer © 2019 Financial Ombudsman Service Limited ABN 67 131 124 448

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Hummingbird Ltd., a provider of integrated enterprise content management (ECM) and network connectivity solutions, has unveiled Exceed onDemand 6 with an X11 remote access application solution for Linux desktops. A provider of X Window technologies, Hummingbird has built the new version of Exceed onDemand to allow Windows and Linux users to access X11 applications and data across any type of network connection.
A component of the Hummingbird Connectivity family of products, Exceed onDemand is a multi-tiered X server. While sharing the same roots as Hummingbird Exceed, the PC X server from Hummingbird, Exceed onDemand 6 delivers performances for X11 application display over LAN and WAN as a result of Hummingbird's Thin X Protocol on Windows and Linux desktops. Exceed onDemand also provides security and productivity gains for remote application displays including: authentication with simplified firewall traversal and end-to-end communication encryption over SSL and Secure Shell; the ability to suspend and resume sessions, and automatic session recovery in case of communication failure; shared sessions designed to facilitate collaborative work; and central administration. Exceed onDemand 6 will ship in Q1 2007.
Hummingbird has also announced the immediate availability of Hummingbird Connectivity 2007, a suite of technologies designed to help organizations integrate heterogeneous legacy infrastructures, such as UNIX or Mainframe, with Windows desktops. Hummingbird Connectivity includes Exceed, NFS Maestro, HostExplorer, and Hummingbird Security product families and supports 32-bit and 64-bit Windows operating systems such as Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003. Additionally, all products in the suite support Windows Terminal Server Edition and Citrix Presentation Server. Features of the suite, include: support for X11 standard; an Event Monitoring Server, designed to help administrators gather information about their Connectivity infrastructure; Delegation and SECINFO Support, where NFS Maestro supports advanced NFSv4 features such as Delegation, aggressive client caching allows the NFS server to delegate particular operations to NFS clients and reduce over-the-wire network traffic; and SECINFO, a mechanism that allows an NFS client to discover what security flavor is required in order to connect to a shared file system on a remote NFS server; a Central Repository with Multiple Profile Space, which allows organizations to set up one or multiple central repositories to store Exceed and HostExplorer connection settings including local drives, remote file systems, or LDAP directories. User access rights are enforced through integration with Microsoft Windows ACLs or LDAP ACLs; and Xinerama and X Video Support, an extension that allows X applications and window managers to recognize multiple physical monitors and adjust the behavior of the application accordingly; and X Video, an extension that utilizes hardware capacities to speed up video playback.
Security enhancements, include: X.509 Certificate Authentication for SSH, where the Connectivity Secure Shell offers support for the draft RFC of the SSH public key authentication based on a user X.509 certificate; Integrated SOCKS Support, SOCKS is a networking proxy protocol that enables hosts on one side of a SOCKS server to gain full access to hosts on the other side of the SOCKS server without requiring direct IP-reachability. Often used as a network firewall, this feature allows users to configure sessions to use a SOCKS server; LIPKEY Support, where NFS Maestro 2007 introduces support for Low Infrastructure Public Key (LIPKEY) as an alternative GSS provider for RPCSEC_GSS authentication. Hummingbird Connectivity 2007 is available immediately.
The company has also announced the global availability of RedDot LiveServer 3.0, the latest release of its Content Delivery and Web Application Integration software from RedDot Solutions, a Hummingbird company. RedDot LiveServer delivers personalization, contextual delivery, extended search, and application integration to help organizations deliver content in context. RedDot LiveServer 3.0 features: integrated web analytics, provided with Hummingbird BI Query technology, to allow organizations to understand how the content of their site is being used to update their website and online campaigns based on that knowledge; reports with analytic options, which give marketers information on content and campaign performance to optimize site performance; extended integration options to access existing documents from other document management systems. LiveServer's 'Content Integrator' module provides check-in/check-out and write access to all document repositories to allow users to create, change, and delete information, as well as read documents; and an improved search engine functionality for complex and personalized search queries enabling capabilities such as faceted searching.


When living abroad, don't think about the future. Here's why.
I DID IT RIGHT. At first. I moved to Barcelona, Spain for four months my junior year of college and had the "true study abroad experience." Partying, "studying," traveling on the weekends — I basically did all the things that people who regret not studying abroad wish they had. So, the year after college, I made the decision to teach English in Madrid, Spain with the Auxiliares de Conversación program through the Spanish government. It was the perfect way to support myself abroad. And support myself I did. I worked 14-hour days, 4 days a week to make enough money to be able to travel on weekends. I was even able to save up some extra money to travel around Europe for the summer after the program.
The only problem was my constant worries about the future: falling behind in the business world, having a gap in my resume, not knowing what I want to do with my life when I got back — sometimes the list seemed endless. The first few months of the program, I was questioning all of this on a daily basis.
The auxiliaries program offered an option to do a second year. Yet even as I fell in love with Spain, I never really considered extending my contract. I did stay for the summer and travelled around with the money I had made from teaching, and with no concrete plan — just visions of where I wanted to visit next. That summer was the greatest of my life.
I came home to California at the end of August with dreams of pursuing acting, so I started taking classes and auditioning for roles. Teaching abroad had given me the confidence to take risks and pursue something that I hadn't really considered before — because I wasn't a supermodel and didn't have the natural ability to cry on command. I worked day in and day out in order to be cast in roles, and I did find success getting hired for short films, web series, and independent features. Then my doubts started to creep in once again and waiting for auditions finally got the better of me. I decided it was time to get a job with a prestigious title at a respectable company because that's how I would know I was "succeeding" in life.
One month and a few interviews later, I finally entered the corporate world, but the routine that works so well for some people was not the best way of life for me. Here I am 5 years later still trying to figure things out and maybe learning a few I can share here.
So, if you decide to move abroad and teach English, or work at a hostel, or bartend, I urge you to live in the moment and enjoy your time abroad. Nothing had changed when I got back. My friends still remembered who I was and still did the exact same things they did before I left. Living abroad as a recent college graduate is something that you just can't quite do the same way as you get older. So, go ahead and move abroad. Live in the moment. Don't feel obligated to fall into someone else's narrative of success.


text:
Boarded-up Blount Street property set for facelift as SE Raleigh transformation continues
The beige-brick building at 515 S. Blount St. has sat boarded up for years, one of a couple such empty buildings on that block.
But soon, its new tenant hopes, it will be part of a reactivation of a block in a part of town known as the Prince Hall Historic District, a historically African American community that grew up around Shaw University southeast of downtown.
The area has seen millions of dollars in investments in recent years — geared toward both residential homes and commercial space — fueling claims of gentrification and displacement in the area, most notably in a recent New York Times article.
But Valerie Fields, the owner of Raleigh-based public relations agency VK Fields & Co., is hoping her investment can highlight the history of the neighborhood.
Fields, who is black, is planning to put $100,000 worth of repairs and renovations into the South Blount Street building when she moves her firm's office from West Hargett Street to the area just north of Shaw University.
"Here is another story," she said referencing the New York Times article about white homebuyers flocking to the historically black neighborhood. "It's important just to know something else is going on here, even if it looks like there is an overwhelming trend one way."
It's not a simple renovation. The building, once a photography studio, needs a lot of work to accommodate her full-time team of four professionals and about a dozen subcontractors that sometime use the space.
(Raleigh News and Observer, 5/14/19)


The item that you are viewing is a ERTL / AMT #8782 Star Wars STAR DESTROYER Model Kit with Fiber Optic Lighting. This item is brand new and sealed. The item "ERTL / AMT #8782 Star Wars STAR DESTROYER Model Kit with Fiber Optic Lighting" is in sale since Thursday, May 17, 2018. This item is in the category "Toys & Hobbies\Models & Kits\Science Fiction\Star Wars". The seller is "thetoypit" and is located in Indianapolis, Indiana.


Abstract Name	: Refi Julaini Student No	: 1106102020050 Study Program	: English Language Education Title : Teaching Reading Comprehension Skill by Using Reciprocal Teaching (An Experimental Research at Second Grade Students of SMAN 1 Ingin Jaya) Keyword: Reading Comprehension & Reciprocal Teaching This research is intended to find out whether Reciprocal Teaching improvedstudents' reading comprehension. This research was conducted at SMAN 1 Ingin Jaya. The sample was taken by random the students of class XI-IA2 (Science Class). The framework undertaken is promoted by Blazer, 2007. The researcherused one group pre-test and post-test design. The technique of data collection, the researcher administered pre-test, treatment, and post-test. The technique of data analysis, the researcher used statistical formula. The mean score of pre-test was 45 and the post-test was 77.08. The finding shows that the improvement of the mean was 32.08. Futhermore, the result of calculation of t-test was 4.563, while the critical value of 0.05 significant level was 2.069 and degree of freedom is 23. T-test (4.563) was higher than t-score table (2.069). In short, Reciprocal Teaching can improve the students' reading comprehension particularly at the second year students of SMAN 1 Ingin Jaya. Thus, this research suggests that Reciprocal Teaching might be one of an alternative technique to teach reading skill at school.


text:
Da Vinci Audio Labs' AAS Gabriel/Da Vinci MK II Turntable with Da Vinci Grand Reference Tonearm Grandezza
Jonathan Valin
| Apr 20th, 2011
Da Vinci Audio Labs AAS Gabriel
Almost every time we do an Analog Buyer's Guide we feature a picture of the AAS Gabriel/Da Vinci turntable on the "cover." The reason should be obvious to anyone with eyes: It's among the most beautiful hi-fi components in the world. Happily, in this case beauty is more than skin-deep, for the latest iteration of this design gem is also one of the best turntables and tonearms in the world. I'll be reviewing Da Vinci's Mk II 'table (a Mk II tonearm is also in the works) in our upcoming Analog Issue of TAS, so consider this a preview.<o p="">
</o>
A good deal has changed between the "original" and Mk II versions of the AAS/Gabriel turntable, and, judging from the sonic results, every change has been for the better. Among other things, I'm told that the center of gravity of the massive base, into which the equally massive platter fits, has been recalculated; the constrained-layer materials of which the base is made are new and the way they are joined together is more precise; and the spindle of the magnetic bearing, fixed to the inside bottom of the base and on top of which the platter floats, is completely new. Likewise, the magnetic ring embedded in the bottom of the platter has been redesigned; the platter itself now uses specially fabricated copper cylinders inlaid into dense aluminum alloy; and the whole she-bang has been optimized for a superior flywheel effect. Additionally, Da Vinci's massive, expensive, constrained-layer feet use new bronze vertical bearings.<o p="">
Those of you who've read my review of the "original" Gabriel/Da Vinci (reprinted in our 2011 Guide to Vinyl Playback, p. 50, downloadable for free at http://media.avguide.com/vinyl_buyers_guide_2011.pdf) will recall that I thought the Swiss 'table and arm set new standards of transparency and low-level resolution in vinyl playback, extending dynamic range on the p-to-pppp side in the same way that the great Walker Black Diamond record player extended dynamic range on the f-to-ffff side of the dynamic spectrum. Indeed, I compared the Da Vinci to the MartinLogan CLXes—those models of delicacy and detail at low levels—and the Walker to MBL X-Tremes—those dynamic dynamos at loud levels.<o p="">
Since then both turntables, the Walker and the Da Vinci, have been improved mightily and, ironically, both have extended their dynamic reach into the other's "territory." The Walker Black Diamond Mk II now has much of the delicacy and resolution at low levels of the Da Vinci, while the Da Vinci now has much of the clout of the Walker at higher volumes. In other words, both record players now encompass more of the dynamic range of real music, greatly reducing the differences between them (although there are still differences) and greatly lowering the "character" (which is to say, the characteristic colorations) of each.<o p="">
As you will have gathered from what I just wrote, the big news about the Gabriel Mk II is dynamics. And, brother, is this news good! As has been the case with speakers and electronics I've recently reviewed, noise, which was already very low in this magnetic-bearing, belt-driven 'table, is now audibly lower. As a result, details, both musical and engineering-related, are clearer than ever. (This honey is a sonic vacuum cleaner when it comes to transparency to sources.) But where before the original Da Vinci couldn't bring quite the same energy to timbres at loud levels that it did at softer ones, the Da Vinci Mk II has phenomenal transient response, bespeaking overall cleaner, clearer, faster, less colored, wider-ranging, higher-fidelity response. Provided that you have speakers capable of reproducing transients clearly (such as the Magico Q5s) and electronics that are equally transparent (such as those from Technical Brain), you will be amazed by the incredibly lifelike way the Da Vinci front end sorts out violinst Gidon Kremer's different types of pizzicatos or hangs onto the pitches and harmonics of pianist Andrei Gavrilov's thunderous sforzandos throughout the Schnittke Second Sonata [EMI]. If, like me, you used to think that digital owned dynamic range, once you hear plucked strings or sharply struck timps through the Da Vinci Mk II you will think differently. The thing isn't just faster and more clearly focused than analog usually sounds; it's also more complete. For instance, with percussion instruments the Da Vinci Mk II doesn't just give you the thwack of the mallet on the drumhead followed by a phasey blur of tone color; it gives you the trampoline-like rebound of the calfskin, along with the resonant tone of the copper bowl. And it give you these things with a clarity that lets you better understand how the instrument itself works and how it is being played.<o p="">
As I tried to say in my Technical Brain review, when a source, a speaker, or a piece of electronics gets timing right—the sequence of events, fine and coarse, that go into the sounding of a note—it also gets spatiality right. You not only hear what's happening more clearly; you "see" each instrument and performer imaged more clearly. For fidelity-to-mastertapes and absolute sound listeners, this is a huge advantage, like having not just a window on the orchestra but also a window on the individual performers and on the score. The music is easier to take in, the performance easier to appreciate, the orchestration or instrumentation easier to "decode." When such neutrality, resolution, and transparency are joined, as they are in the Da Vinci Mk II, to unstinting energy at very low levels and very loud ones, you get (with the best sources) a leap in fidelity and realism.<o p="">
I will have more to say about the Da Vinci Mk II—about its low noise, its transparency to sources, its superb bass, its overall realism—in my upcoming review. But for the nonce, suffice it to say that, in combination with the superb 12" Da Vinci Grand Reference Grandezza tonearm, this is one of the two highest-fidelity record players I've heard. (The other is the Walker Black Diamond Mk II.) Though the Da Vinci costs a lot of money ($66,900 for the 'table, motor, and one tonearm base in Aston-Martin Black Onyx finish, plus another $12,070 for the tonearm), if you have a lot of money, an eye for beauty, an ear for lifelike sound, and a large record collection, you owe it to yourself to audition this gorgeous Swiss masterpiece.


text:
Taxpayers can claim standard deduction on pensions from former employers, says CBDT
The Central Board of Direct Taxes said it was issuing the clarification after taxpayers asked for clarity about who is eligible for standard deduction.
Apr 05, 2018 · 03:49 pm Updated Apr 05, 2018 · 06:16 pm
The Central Board of Direct Taxes on Thursday clarified that pensions from former employers are taxable under the salaries head.
The board said the Finance Act, 2018, has amended Section 16 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, and according to this, taxpayers with income chargeable under the "salaries" head are entitled to claim the standard deduction of Rs 40,000.
Standard deduction allows for a flat deduction from a salary income, to make up for expenses an employee may incur during his employment. The CBDT said it was issuing a clarification after getting representations about whether a taxpayer, who receives pension from his former employer, is also be eligible to claim this deduction.
"Any taxpayer who is in receipt of pension from his former employer shall be entitled to claim a deduction of Rs 40,000, or the amount of pension, whichever is less, under Section 16 of the Act," CBDT said on Thursday.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley introduced the standard deduction during the 2018 Budget, The Times of India reported.
Report on global pension system not based on 'reliable comparable international data', says Centre


This is a placeholder page for Loren Baumann, which means this person is not currently on this site. We do suggest using the tools below to find Loren Baumann.
You are visiting the placeholder page for Loren Baumann. This page is here because someone used our placeholder utility to look for Loren Baumann. We created this page automatically in hopes Loren Baumann would find it. If you are not Loren Baumann, but are an alumni of Kennewick High School, register on this site for free now.


Universal Apparel & Textile Company (OTCMKTS: DKGR) is making a highly explosive move up the charts in recent weeks off its $0.0002 lows to recent highs near a penny. The stock has quickly attracted a huge shareholder base which has transformed DKGR into one of the top most traded stocks on the OTC.
DKGR is a really exciting that loves to run; the company is already booking significant revenues and announcing large purchase orders.
Universal Apparel & Textile Company is a vertical marketer, manufacturer, and distributor of high quality branded and private label activewear apparel. We specialize in selling a variety of casual and athletic wear tops and bottoms, embellished and unembellished T-shirts, and fleece products for the ever-changing apparel market. The company is focused on broad distribution of apparel products to specialty and boutique stores, high-end and mid-tier retail stores, sporting goods stores, screen printers, and private label accounts. In addition, certain products are sold in college bookstores and to the hospitality industry.
On December 10 DKGR announced it has received additional large purchase orders for the upcoming spring and summer season. Some of the items include, but are not limited to: 100% cotton men's t-shirts, men's denim long & short pants as well as men's cotton underwear garments. These orders primarily originated from the company's long term clients such as "Source of Apparel" of Morton Grove, IL., a large wholesaler and distributor of men's clothing.
Furthermore, the company is receiving constant inquires for new product development from both our existing clients as well as new ones who want access to our factories in Bangladesh. As the cost of working in China is rising rapidly, more U.S. companies are finding Bangladesh a safe manufacturing alternative. Updates will be forthcoming.
Currently trading at a $1.5 million market valuation DKGR has little assets, is virtually debt free and reported $1,142,594 in sales for the 9 months ended September 30, 2018. DKGR is an exciting story developing in small caps; DKGR is already booking significant revenues and announcing large purchase orders and the stock has runner in its blood, a tight float and massive liquidity. We will be updating on DKGR when more details emerge so make sure you are subscribed to Microcapdaily so you know what's going on with DKGR.
Disclosure: we hold no position in DKGR either long or short and we have not been compensated for this article.


text:
Romford Recorder > News > Education
Eight out of 10 pupils in Havering get first school choice
Chloe Farand
Published: 3:53 PM March 3, 2016 Updated: 5:41 PM November 27, 2020
More than 80 per cent of Havering children will go to their preferred school. Picture: David Davis/PA Images - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
More than 80 per cent of pupils were told they would attend their first choice of secondary school this week.
Across Havering 94 per cent of pupils were accepted into one of their top three preferences – more than any other London borough.
School admission decisions were announced on Tuesday, but an email blunder by The London Grid for Learning Trust, which distributes news on behalf of London councils, meant some parents were not alerted until later.
Just 2.54pc of applicants were placed in their fourth, fifth or sixth preference school while 3.13pc were allocated schools having not expressed preferences.
Deputy leader of the council Cllr Damian White praised the school admissions team who had visited primary and junior schools to speak to parents about the application process.
Only Waltham Forest awarded a higher percentage of parents their first preference.
Last year, the Recorder reported that in a sample of 100, nine secondary school applications were found to be fraudulent and a quarter deemed suspicious.
This year, out of all the applications 42 were deemed suspicious and investigated, with six withdrawn from the allocation process.
There were no prosecutions.
The most popular schools with parents were The Coopers' Company and Coborn School, St Mary's Lane, Upminster; Hall Mead School, Marlborough Gardens, Upminster and Emerson Park School, Wingletye Lane, Hornchurch, which together received 3,259 applications for 591 places.
Coopers' received 1,191 applications – 300 of which were from outside the borough – for only 189 places.
Headteacher Dr David Parry said parents were attracted by its broad education and large number of extra curricular activities.
He praised the council for having tackled fraud "head-on" and made this year's process much smoother.
"When we have our open night in September, there are loads of fantastic kids and parents, but you know that a significant number are not going to be able to join us and that is sad," he said.
Have you encountered difficulties with the admission results? Email chloe.farand@archant.co.uk


As you can see two of the biggest buzzwords in the cloud are computational proteomics and precision medicine. I am obviously quite happy to see that, considering that I currently have an open postdoc position in proteome bioinformatics and is involved in work on data mining of electronic health records.
This entry was posted in Update and tagged computational proteomics, precision medicine, proteomics on December 19, 2014 by Lars Juhl Jensen.
I currently have an opening for a two-year postdoc position in my group Cellular Network Biology at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research.
The project primarily relates to on computational analysis of mass-spectrometry-based proteomics data. This includes developing new, improved methods for analyzing spectra, optimization of analysis protocols, and application of these to specific datasets. The focus will be on improving the identification of post-translationally modified peptides, which arise in cellular signaling processes and through chemical modification, in particular in ancient samples, which may also consist of mixtures of species. The work will involve close collaboration with the Proteomics Program.
The closing date for applications is December 31, 2014. For further details refer to the job advert.
This entry was posted in Live and tagged paleoproteomics, phosphoproteomics, proteomics on December 17, 2014 by Lars Juhl Jensen.
Two years ago, I was one of the organizers of the 2nd Copenhagen Bioscience Conference entitled PTMs in Cell Signaling. I think it is fair to describe it as a highly successful meeting, and it is my great pleasure to announce that we will be organizing a second meeting on the topic September 14-18, 2014.
Alfonso Valencia, Chris Sander, David Komander, Gary Nolan, Genevieve Almouzni, Guillermo Montoya, Hanno Steen, Henrik Daub, John Blenis, John Diffley, John Tainer, Karolin Luger, Marcus Bantscheff, Margaret Goodell, Matthias Mann, Michael Yaffe, Natalie Ahn, Pedro Beltrao, Stephen Elledge, Tanya Paull, Tony Hunter, Yang Shi, Yehudit Bergman, and Yosef Shiloh.
All conference expenses are covered, which means that there will be no registration fee and no expenses for accommodation or food. You will have to cover your own travel expenses, though.
Participants will be selected based on abstract submission, which is open until June 9, 2014. For more information please see the conference website.
This entry was posted in Announcement and tagged cell cycle, phosphorylation, protein complexes, proteomics on March 11, 2014 by Lars Juhl Jensen.
It is my great pleasure to announce the 2nd Copenhagen Bioscience conference "PTMs In Cell Signaling", which will take place in Helsingør, Denmark on December 3-5, 2012.
The conference will feature a truly excellent lineup of speakers: Philippe Bastiaens, Søren Brunak, Ivan Dikic, Gerald Hart, Tim Hunt, Steve Jackson, Doug Lauffenburger, Jiri Lukas, Matthias Mann, Andre Nussenzweig, Brenda Schulman, Henrik Semb, Eric Verdin, Forest White, Michael Yaffe, and Juleen Zierath.
The conferences is limited to 220 participants. It is fully sponsored by the Novo Nordisk Foundation who covers the conference fee, hotel, transport and meals during the conference. Participants cover their own travel expenses.
To find out more, please check the conference web site.
This entry was posted in Announcement and tagged cancer, cell cycle, networks, proteomics, regulation on March 28, 2012 by Lars Juhl Jensen.
Global analysis of Cdk1 substrate phosphorylation sites provides insights into evolution.
To explore the mechanisms and evolution of cell-cycle control, we analyzed the position and conservation of large numbers of phosphorylation sites for the cyclin-dependent kinase Cdk1 in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We combined specific chemical inhibition of Cdk1 with quantitative mass spectrometry to identify the positions of 547 phosphorylation sites on 308 Cdk1 substrates in vivo. Comparisons of these substrates with orthologs throughout the ascomycete lineage revealed that the position of most phosphorylation sites is not conserved in evolution; instead, clusters of sites shift position in rapidly evolving disordered regions. We propose that the regulation of protein function by phosphorylation often depends on simple nonspecific mechanisms that disrupt or enhance protein-protein interactions. The gain or loss of phosphorylation sites in rapidly evolving regions could facilitate the evolution of kinase-signaling circuits.
Phosphorylation of Cdk1 consensus sites was observed on 67% (122 of 181) of proteins previously identified as Cdk1 substrates in vitro (4). Sixty-six percent (80 of 122) of these proteins contained sites at which phosphorylation decreased (log2 H/L < –1) after inhibition of Cdk1 (only 45 of 122 are expected if there is no correlation between the experiments in vitro and in vivo; χ2 test, P < 10-10).
It is notoriously difficult to identify peptides from low-abundance proteins in mass spectrometry. In the new mass spectrometry study, the authors were able to map 8710 precise phosphorylation sites on 1957 proteins. However, budding yeast is estimated to express in the order of 4500 distinct proteins during exponential growth (Gavin et al., 2006). Assuming that the majority of these proteins contain sites that are phosphorylated during at least part of the mitotic cell cycle, it is likely that a considerable number of low-abundance Cdc28p substrates identified in the old study have been missed in the new study.
When doing phosphoproteomics, it is necessary to first enrich for phosphopeptides to improve the coverage. To this end, Holt et al. used immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC). In 2007, the Aebersold group at ETH published a paper showing that different purification methods lead to isolation of different, partially overlapping segments of the phosphoproteome. Specifically, they showed that IMAC enrichment biases the data towards isolation of multiply phosphorylated peptides. Given that only a single purification method was used, it is likely that in vivo Cdc28p substrates may have been missed in the new study, in particular if the peptides contain only a single phosphorylation site.
The old study by Ubersax et al. was done performed on cell lysate, which is an in vitro strategy (although all other proteins expressed during the cell cycle are present). It is thus likely that some of the proteins that are phosphorylated by Cdc28p under these conditions are nonetheless not in vivo Cdc28p substrates.
As always, it is easy to point out potential flaws in other people's data sets; however, it is much more constructive to do something about the problems. The challenge is thus to construct a larger and more reliable set of Cdc28p substrates by combining the data from the two studies.
The fold changes are clearly skewed towards larger negative values for the Cdc28p substrates also identified by the old study relative to the proteins that were not previously identified as Cdc28p substrates. This difference is statistically significant at P < 1% according to the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. This suggests that the observed fold changes in the new mass spectrometry study correlates with the likelihood that the proteins are true Cdc28p substrates.
In this case, no obvious trend is seen and a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test indeed reveals no statistically significant difference between the two distributions. Surprisingly, the P-scores do thus not appear to be useful quality scores for the putative Cdc28p substrates.
Given the two sets of putative Cdc28 substrates, only one of which can be ranked by reliability, how can we create a better combined set? If one aims for the high accuracy at the price of low coverage, one could obviously choose to trust only the substrates identified by both screens. However, given the caveats regarding depth of mass spectrometry and biases arising from the enrichment procedure, I would be hesitant to use this approach. Alternatively, one could aim for maximal coverage at the price of accuracy by trusting all sites identified by either study. However, seeing the large fraction of novel substrates identified by Holt et al. with a log2-ratio only slightly below -1, I would personally tend to apply a more stringent threshold to the data from the new study by Holt et al., for example requiring log2-ratio below -2, before merging the sets of substrates from the two studies.
This entry was posted in Analysis and tagged cell cycle, phosphorylation, proteomics on November 3, 2009 by Lars Juhl Jensen.


text:
The Risks Associated With Using Facebook Login
By Edmund Ruan
With over 2.7 billion monthly active users and counting, Facebook has become the go-to online social networking platform. Ever since Mark Zuckerberg launched the site in 2004, friends and family have been able to stay in touch with each other more digitally than never before. In fact, 88% of users are on the social networking site to keep in touch with loved ones. Friends and family members have instant access to each other's life updates through news feed posts. Through the built-in instant messaging software Facebook Messenger, people can stay connected even over long distances. In more ways than one, relationships have only grown stronger because of Facebook.
With a significant portion of the worldwide population having Facebook accounts, the company capitalized on its investment into the single sign-on industry through the creation of the service Facebook Login. A single sign-on is an authentication method that allows its users to securely access multiple applications and third-party websites using one set of credentials. Basically, only one set of username and password is needed to login to any site that provides the Facebook Login service. humanID is a variation of such service. You can see how ubiquitous it really is. From Spotify to Strava, one has the option to use Facebook's sign-on service to login. Without even using the social media platform, Facebook is ever-present in daily life.
Facebook's single sign-on boasts benefits for both developers and users. Facebook says that it has seen dramatic increases in usage and higher levels of engagement for websites that implement the service. According to Facebook themselves, the company Skyscanner, an app for finding the best deal on flights, hotels, and car rentals has seen a doubling of the people who use the login service on their app. Clearly, businesses and customers alike enjoy the convenience of not having to remember multiple passwords, and they have a right to.
So why should you care about the login service? Facebook, like all other social media platforms, is a business. According to CNN, "your personal information is Facebook's currency. It's bought and sold every day." In simple terms, you are the product and advertisers are their customers. By using Facebook Login, you are feeding a business that has the intention of making a profit off of you. For social media companies, your likes, contacts, location, and interactions with people and groups are all highly cherished. Even the process of logging in is manipulative, and here's how. Facebook and their third-party platforms show your profile picture when logging in to create a more personalized experience and as a result unconsciously forces you to feel a stronger connection to the apps. According to Facebook, they are "more engaging and lead to higher retention." When all of your data is on the web, can you really feel safe using Facebook Login? And just how vulnerable are you when you use Facebook?
Facebook is not immune to security breaches. It's estimated that up to 600,000 accounts get hacked daily. Occurrences of massive hacks, such as one 2018 that involved 50 million accounts, are happening more often than ever. The market operates on a supply and demand algorithm. As long as there are those looking to rob you of your personal information, there is always potential for you to have your identity stolen. According to Business Insider, "compromised Gmail and Facebook accounts are among the priciest stolen logins, possibly because they could be leveraged to gain broader access or trick other people into handing over information." On average, a hacked Facebook account goes for $74.50 on the digital black market. The 21st century gave way to a new form of identity theft.
New methods of data breaching are being created everyday by those with malicious intent, so adapting security measures is a never-ending task on Facebook's part. Of the various ways your account could get hacked, which include phishing, keylogging, and sidejacking, using a service that stores your password is most precarious. It may make life easier at the moment, but it only takes one intrusion into an app to completely derail your internet identification. Because the login system is so centralized, a compromised Facebook account means everything you use Facebook Login for is compromised as well! An applicable example is having one key that can unlock all the rooms in your house. The login credentials represent the key and the third-party applications you use to login to these sites are the doors.
There are steps that you could take to better safeguard your internet identity. Best practices to avoid your account from getting trespassed upon include:
Creating a new account for each app you use. Although more work is put in, your risk of getting everything stolen significantly decreases by having different keys for different doors.
Use logins that don't store your personal information, like humanID.
Review all third-party apps you use Facebook Login on. Go on Apps and Websites in Facebook's settings to review all the third-party apps associated with your login information. Here, you have the option to revoke permissions on apps you don't interact with anymore.
Personal information is highly valued on the data black market nowadays. See more about how your data is being monetized here. For now, make sure to always log out of applications and take the necessary precautions to ensure that it is only you who uses your accounts!


text:
163rd Infantry Regiment landing on Wakde Island, New Guinea, 18 May 1944. (WWIIDatabase)
My late father-in-law Jim Evans fought with the 163rd Infantry Regiment in this campaign. Discussions with him and his comrade Jim Jackson inspired the chapter on the battle of Biak Island in my book Enemy in the Mirror: Love and Fury in the Pacific War.
First Sergeant James Lloyd Evans, U.S. Army.
In April 1944, with the goal of establishing airfields on the northern coast of New Guinea, Allied forces under General Douglas MacArthur attacked Aitape and Hollandia. Expecting an Allied attack further east, the Japanese were taken by surprise. MacArthur's troops found empty camps with rice still cooking on the stove and abandoned weapons and equipment. The Japanese soon regrouped and counterattacked Aitape in multiple waves. Although these attacks caused heavy Allied casualties, Allied machine guns and artillery decimated the attacking Japanese forces (perhaps ~10,000 men lost) and Aitape and Hollandia were taken.
In May, MacArthur's troops landed on Wakde island with little beachhead resistance. Advancing inland, however, they soon met the same fierce defense they'd experienced at Aitape. Although the island was taken, Allied troops were still fighting residual Japanese forces on Wakde at the end of the war.
At the end of May 1944, MacArthur's troops invaded Biak island. Again light resistance at the beachhead foreshadowed heavy resistance inland. An excellent defense plan that properly utilized terrain, numerous caves and tanks (unusual at that time in the Pacific War) was devised by Lieutenant Colonel Naoyuki Kuzume. Although effective for a month, Kuzume's defenses were finally breached and he committed Seppuku (ritual suicide) in his subterranean command post. Undaunted, Japanese troops in the remaining caves continued to fight. Stymied by the hit-and-run tactics of cave dwelling enemy troops, the Allies resorted to dynamiting caves that held hidden defenders. Biak Island was finally secured at the end of July 1944.


We help brands establish core-deep connections with consumers. By nature, we're an independent digital agency specializing in design, advertising, and branding. We are into this industry for 20+ years and have done amazing work conceiving and creating interactive designs for our clients.
I am really lucky to get someone like him.
Subimal was always polite and professional. He was prompt in his replies and even made suggestions we hadn't even thought of. He was always helpful and honest about the work. While this contact is over we fully plan on continuing to work with him. He truly is versatile and worth every penny.
Great work, untill i was happy!
Delivered great work within 24 hours and accommodated revisions in just a matter of hours. Will definitely hire him again in the future.
Very easy to work, hardworking, good communication, work done as promised and overdone, highly recommend.
Copyright © 2018 Freedom Designs. All rights reserved.


Superman's cousin can hide her secret identity, but her internal organs are now on display for her adopted world to see! XXRay DC Comics Supergirl 4" Figure is a vinyl collectible figure with a unique dissection to show the inner workings of this fan favorite Kryptonian superhero. Skeletal structures and internal organs are visible in a cross-sectional cut-away. Designed by artist Jason Freeny, this highly detailed collectible figure stands approx. 4 inches tall and is individually hand painted.


Recommend me a cordless VoIP 'phone. I only need one handset. I don't want to go with Uniden as I have had bad experience with them. I'm not sure they even do VoIP 'phones. Thanks.
Sim or not, wifi is fine.
The Optus X Smart is currently half price at $65 at Woolworths.
Sorry though, they don't accept gold.
Thanks. I should have thought of that.
I would much rather pay with plastic than gold. When I am on the receiving end it is different though.
I have had a change of mind though. Maybe I am paranoid. I don't want to use Wi-Fi and I want to get a corded 'phone instead. Can I get the thread title changed or should I just leave it or should I create a new thread?
I think I will probably get this.


text:
You are here: Home / Who we are / Interstellar artists / David A Hardy
David A. Hardy is the longest-established space artist in the West, having been first published in 1952, and now works in both traditional and digital media. He is equally well known for his science fiction work, but always insists upon scientific accuracy!
David Hardy was born April 1936 in Bournville, UK. After working in a laboratory and two years in the RAF he started a career in the Design Office of Cadbury's, where he created packaging art and catalogues for the company's confectionery. However, in 1950 at the age of 14, he had already started painting space art. He later discovered this was the same year as Alexei Leonov, the Russian cosmonaut/artist, and leading Japanese astronomical artist Kazuaki Iwasaki.
Although basically self-taught he studied briefly at the Margaret Street College of Art in Birmingham and was soon painting for the BIS, where he met the by then prolific BIS Fellow R. A. Smith, who was one of his foremost influences, along with Chesley Bonestell from the USA and early French astronomer-artist, Lucien Rudaux. He also illustrated his first book – Suns, Myths and Men, with another great member of the BIS, Patrick Moore – in 1954 at the age of only 18.
His first science fiction art was published in 1970, but he has gone on to illustrate hundreds of covers for books and for magazines such as The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (F&SF) and Analog Science Fiction and Science Fact. His work also appears regularly in magazines such as Astronomy, Sky & Telescope, Astronomy Now and Popular Astronomy, for which he also writes articles. David is known as much for his non-fiction, accurate astronomical paintings in the tradition of Smith and Bonestell, as for his science fiction work, in which he created 'Bhen', his famous green alien which lent humour to his vivid astronomical scenes, who has appeared on a dozen issues of F&SF – the latest, on his '40th anniversary' and the first digital, in November 2015.
He is European Vice President and former President of the International Association of Astronomical Artists and until recently Vice President of the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists. He has attended IAAA workshops all over the world and usually exhibits his work in at least two SF conventions each year, including several in the USA and Europe, and has been Artist Guest of Honour at Eastercon, Novacon, Albacon, Stucon, Eurocon and several others. Hardy is one of a handful of artists to have an asteroid named after him: in 2003 asteroid 1998 SB32 was christened Davidhardy, and in August 2015 he was awarded the American Astronautical Society's 'Ordway Award for Sustained Excellence in Spaceflight History' in the category of Artist (the first to receive this). His website is listed below and he may also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
His personal website is at www.astroart.org.
David A Hardy's Gallery
Daedalus: Initiated by Alan Bond, Daedalus is the result of the world's first engineering design study, between 1973 – 1977 by the British Interplanetary Society (BIS), for an unmanned spacecraft to reach another star. The star selected was Barnard's Star, 6 light years away. The method of propulsion chosen was nuclear fusion using pellets of a deuterium-helium-3 mix, ignited in a reaction chamber by an electron beam. It developed into Project Icarus, which is ongoing. (Gouache, for Marshall Cavendish, 1984.)
Enzmann Starship: This concept for a manned interstellar mission was proposed by Dr Robert Enzmann in 1964, and modified in 1973. An 11 million tonne ball of frozen deuterium would act as fuel to power thermonuclear powered pulse propulsion units. The deuterium might be obtained from Jupiter, as shown here. The craft would be assembled in Earth-orbit and would be some 600m long. (Acrylics; private collection of K. Long.)
Antenna Galaxy: Outer space contains scenes of violence as well as beauty. Here we see a galaxy collision which has disrupted billions of stars and stellar systems but resulted in this fantastic sky, But it requires an observer (human or alien) to appreciate its beauty. (Acrylics; private collection of R. Bizley.)
Ice World: A planet similar to Saturn's moon Titan, but orbiting a distant star and not surrounded by dense clouds. The vapour from geysers drifts upwards, to be swept away by stratospheric winds (like Neptune's Triton), and a ringed planet is in the sky. (Acrylics; private collection of G. Bate.)
New Horizons at Pluto: Hardy's friend, scientist and digital artist Dr Dan Durda, produced a very accurate 3D model of New Horizons, which David combined here with his 1991 painting. The probe revealed 'polygonal structures' in an area called Sputnik Planum – very similar to those seen here – and Charon also has large canyons or crevasses like these!
Project Dragonfly: The winner of the i4is competition 'Project Dragonfly' in July 2015 received a signed copy of this digital painting by David A. Hardy, which was also used in connection with the project. Project Dragonfly is an ongoing initiative of i4is to help facilitate deep space missions that utilise laser-sail propulsion. In 2015 a design competition was run which involved seven different teams of university students who had to design a vehicle architecture according to set criteria, such as utilising a 100 GW beam. The winner was a team from the University of Munich and the artistic image above depicts their design.


The island of Spetse is located just a few miles off the coast of Morea (Peloponnesus) at the entrance to the gulf of Napoli di Romania (Nauplia).
Today the town of Spetse stretches for a couple of miles along the eastern coast of the island: in the past the inhabitants lived on the eastern coast but on a low hill protected by walls and by the ravines caused by two small streams. The site was (and still is) called Kastelli after the It. castello (castle).
In 1770 (in the context of the Russian - Ottoman war) the inhabitants of Spetse made an attempt to drive out their rulers, but the revolt failed and the Turks set fire to Kastelli, so today very little is left of the Venetian fortifications.
After the 1770 fire the site was almost entirely abandoned and the inhabitants moved towards the natural harbour to the south of Kastelli: today the majority of the buildings have a relatively modern appearance: there were many churches in Kastelli: only a few still exist.
While just half a mile away modern Spetse has a very cosmopolitan appearance with luxury hotels and cafés, Kastelli has a very rural appeal. At times one feels he is visiting a farm.
The Venetian system of defence was completed by towers at key points of the island for the early detection of enemies.
Spetse played a key role in the Greek fight for independence: a lady from Spetse, Laskarina Bouboulina, led the Greek fleet in the successful blockade of the Malvasia fortress.


As we mentioned last night, the city's Industrial Development Agency (IDA), a wing of the Economic Development Corporation (EDC), is voting today on whether to give Kingsbridge Armory developer The Related Companies an estimated $17.8 million in tax breaks.
Norwood News reporter Ivonne Salazar is attending the hearing and reports that a representative for Comptroller Bill Thompson has made a motion to have the vote postponed. It was seconded by another board member.
If it is postponed, it would mark a major victory for the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance which demanded the vote be postponed until Related sits down with them to negotiate a community benefits agreement (CBA). Related has been reluctant to do so leading up to the IDA's meeting.


1. The Company is having only one class of shares, that is Equity carrying nominal value of Rs.10 per share.
2. Every holder of equity share of the Company is entitled to one vote per share held.
3. In the event of liquidation of the Company, the equity share holder will be entitled to receive remaining assets of the Company after the distribution / repayments of all creditors. The distribution to the share holder will be in proportion of the number of shares held by each share holder.
4. The Company declares and pays dividend on the equity shares in Indian Rupees. Dividend proposed by the Board of Directors is subject to approval of the share holders at the ensuing Annual General Meeting.
The company is not a Subsidiary of any other company.
a) Term Loan of Rs. 14725 Lakhs (Previous year: Rs. 14950) from State Bank of India (SBI) is secured by way of first pari-passu charge on the fixed assets & current assets of the company at Chinchwad along with other lenders. Also SBI holds an exclusive 1st mortgage charge on the 41.55 acres of the Company's land located at Kalyan/ Dombivali towards this loan. This Loan is repayable in variable monthly installments starting from 31.10.2014 to 30.09.2021; annual rate of interest is 2.30% above SBI base rate. As on 31st March 2016, principal amount of Rs. 25 Lakhs and interest of Rs.149.87 Lakhs remains unpaid for a period ranging between 0-30 days.
b) Corporate Loan of Rs. 1000 Lakhs (Previous Year. Nil) from SBI is secured by way of first pari-passu charge on the plant and machinery, fixed assets & current assets of the company located at Chinchwad, Pune along with other lenders. This loan is repayable in variable quarterly installments starting from 01.04.2017 to 01.06.2020; annual rate of interest is 3.30% above SBI base rate. As on 31st March 2016, interest of Rs. 10.91 Lakhs remains unpaid for a period ranging between 0-30 days.
c) Corporate Loan of Rs. 6150 Lakhs (Previous Year Rs. 7800 Lakhs) from The Jammu & Kashmir Bank is secured by way of first pari-passu charge on the plant and machinery and fixed assets of the company located at Chinchwad, Pune and second pari-passu charge on current assets of the company. This loan is repayable in variable monthly installments starting from 30.09.2014 to 29.02.2016; annual rate of interest is 2% over J&K Bank Base rate. As on 31st March 2016, principal amount of Rs. 6150 Lakhs and interest of Rs. 800.70 Lakhs remain unpaid for a period ranging between 0-11 months.
d) Working Capital Term Loan of Rs. 2500 Lakhs (Previous Year. Nil) from Corporation Bank is secured by way of first pari-passu charge on the plant and machinery , fixed assets & current assets of the company located at Chinchwad, Pune along with other lenders. This loan is repayable in variable monthly installments starting from 31.01.2017 to 30.06.2020; annual rate of interest is 5% above Corporation Bank base rate. As on 31st March 2016, interest of Rs. 91.34 Lakhs remains unpaid for a period ranging between 0-60 days.
e) Corporate Loan of Rs. 1000 Lakhs (Previous Year. Nil) from State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH) is secured by way of first pari-passu charge on the plant and machinery , fixed assets & current assets of the company located at Chinchwad, Pune along with other lenders. This loan is repayable in variable monthly installments starting from 31.03.2017 to 31.08.2020; annual rate of interest is 3.25% above SBH base rate. As on 31st March 2016, interest of Rs. 11.14 Lakhs remains unpaid for a period ranging between 0-30 days.
f) Hire purchase Loan of Rs 331.46 Lakhs from First leasing Company of India Limited is secured under the specific Fixed Asset procured against the said Loans. This loan is repayable in variable monthly installments till October 2016; annual rate of interest is 2% above SBI base rate. As on 31st March 2016, principal amount of Rs 198.26 Lakhs and interest of Rs.44.50 Lakhs remain unpaid for a period ranging between 0-12 months.
All the above facilities covered under (a) to (f) are also secured by the personal guarantee of Mr. Maitreya V. Doshi, Chairman and Managing Director of the Company.
a) The Working Capital facilities are secured by way of first pari-passu charge on Company's current assets located at the plant at Chinchwad or in transit and second pari-passu charge on Company's present and future fixed assets at Chinchwad, Pune. Annual rate of interest varies from 0.50% to 5% above the Base Rates of these banks. The above facilities are also secured by the personal guarantee of Mr. Maitreya V. Doshi, Chairman and Managing Director of the Company.
b) Loan of Rs. 241.75 Lakhs from Chairman and Managing Director is repayable on demand with interest at 16.75 % p.a.
c) The Inter Corporate Deposits of Rs.2560 Lakhs (Previous year Rs. 2365 Lakhs) are unsecured short term Loans repayable within 3 to 6 months with Interest rate varying 14.50% to 22.00% p.a. The above includes Rs. 750 Lakhs (Previous year Rs.1170.50 Lakhs) borrowed by the Company for which the promoters have pledged their shares.
d) Deposits accepted from public and shareholders prior to 1.4.2014 carry varying rate of interest from 11.50% to 12.50% p.a. depending upon the cumulative/non-cumulative option and the period of maturity from 1 year to 3 year. As on 31st March 2016, the outstanding fixed deposits were Rs.3094.66 Lakhs. As per section 74(1) (b) of the Companies Act, 2013, the Company was required to repay all such deposits on 31.3.2015.
The Company was not able to repay all deposits by 31.03.2015 due to economic downturn in its business and therefore, filed a petition before the Company Law Board, Western Region Bench at Mumbai under section 74(2) of the Companies Act, 2013, praying for time to repay all such outstanding deposits. CLB vide its orders dated 22nd January, 2016 and 29th March, 2016 has permitted the Company to repay deposits amounting to Rs. 1552.23 Lakhs along with the interest in 3 installments on 30.04.2016, 31.05.2016, 30.06.2016 and balance deposits amounting to Rs. 1542.43 Lakhs along with the interest on or before 31st March 2017.
The development cost incurred in connection with the activity of improving existing Auto Products in order to achieve technologically advanced and competitive products resulting in wider acceptability & visibility for the Company's products was classified under intangible assets under development.
However the response for Company's Auto products has been subdued due to various factors such as increased competition, adverse currency exchange rate, new model launches, difficulties in obtaining auto finance, dearth of dealers and suppliers and has compelled the Company to review the entire future prospects. Under these circumstances, it is felt prudent to write off the intangible assets of Rs. 4971.23 Lakhs including Intangible assets already capitalized of Rs. 1844.69 in the current year.
a) Company's long term investment in PAL Credit and Capital Limited (PAL CC), an RBI registered and listed NBFC promoted by the company, is provided fully for the diminution in line with the current net worth of the Company.
b) The Company has in its possession the share certificates and the blank transfer forms executed by Automobiles Peugeot in respect of 8,40,25,000 equity shares of Pal-Peugeot Ltd (under liquidation) gifted by them in the year 1999. These shares could not be transferred in company's name as Pal-Peugeot Ltd was not functioning. The Company has filed a petition before the Hon'ble Bombay High Court for permission to transfer the said shares in the name of the Company and the petition is pending for disposal by the Court. Meantime, the Company is holding these shares as 'holder in due course'.
a) Tax provision under Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) as per provisions of section 115 JB of the Income Tax Act, 1961 is Rs. NIL in the absence of any taxable income for the current year (Previous year Rs.NIL).
b) The benefit of credit against the payments made towards MAT for the earlier years is available in accordance with the provisions of section 115JAA over a period of subsequent ten assessment years and the same will be accounted for when they actually arise.
c) The Company had recognized a net deferred tax asset of Rs 4585.15 lakhs till 31st March, 2015. Upon reassessment of the prevalent business situation, tax position and as a measure of prudence, the company has not recognized further deferred tax asset subsequent to 31st March, 2015.
a) The Company is in the process of handing over of possession is for certain portions of land out of sale of land executed with Horizon Projects Pvt. Ltd. in 2012-13. This process is expected to take some time as it involves measurement and demarcation. Therefore, an amount of Rs. 4166.16 lakhs due from Horizon Projects Pvt. Ltd. on this account has been shown as other receivables under "Other Current Assets".
b) About 30 acres of Company's land located at Dombivali is under compulsory acquisition for the Dedicated Freight Corridor Project of the Indian Railways. Of this, about 17 acres has already been acquired by Indian Railways in earlier years and compensation for the same received and accounted in the respective years.
As regards the balance land of about 13 acre under acquisition by Indian Railways, the Competent Authority and Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd. (DFCC) have already conducted joint measurement, marking exact area of 51,270 Sq. Mtrs. (about 13 acres) for acquisition.
During the Current year, a Gazette notification under section 20 (A) of the Indian Railway (amendment) Act, 2008 has been issued giving exact details of the acquisition of land. Based on the Railway Amendment Act, 2008, the compensation amount towards the said 13 acres acquisition would be Rs.14121.50 Lakhs and the same has been accounted in view of certainty based on the above notification & shown as other receivables under other current assets.
a) Disputed indeterminate claims made by the employees regarding reinstatement, wages for the period of suspension etc. relating to the past years pending before Industrial Tribunals/High Court.
b) There are certain disputed excise demands of Rs.10.00 Lakhs (Previous year Rs. 10.00 Lakhs).The same are being contested by the Company in appeals at various levels. The Company foresees no liability in the above case as the management believes that it has strong case in the appeal.
c) The Company has paid an amount of Rs. 2308.22 Lakhs (Previous year Rs 2308.22 Lakhs), to the Government of Maharashtra "under protest" towards "Unearned Income" on sale of land and compulsory acquisition of land. The Company's appeal in this regard is pending before the Government of Maharashtra. This forms part of "Loans & Advances" and is considered as a contingent liability.
d) Additional compensation, if any, in relation to certain demands in Consumer Forum cases, amount unascertained but considered to be insignificant.
f) Guarantees issued by bank amounting to Rs.375.64 Lakhs (Previous year: Rs.757.35 Lakhs).
Rs. Nil (Previous Year Rs.0.84 Lakhs).
to PAL Credit and Capital Limited.
Engaged in engineering, manufacturing of machine tools of gear cutting, vertical and horizontal machining centre and special purpose machines. Specialized engineering solution for various applications, machining of precision components, sub-assemblies.
Automotive segment consists of two distinct activities viz. assembly of vehicles from imported painted bodies (already commenced) and indigenous production of vehicle bodies (yet to commence). During the year the company has undertaken only the assembly of the vehicles from imported painted bodies and indigenous production activity of bodies has not commenced.
Segment accounting disclosures are in line with accounting policies of the Company. However, the following specific accounting policies have been followed for segment reporting.
i) Segment Revenue includes Sales and other income directly identifiable with / allocable to the segment.
ii) Expenses that are directly identifiable with /allocable to segments are considered for determining the Segment Result. The expenses, which relate to the Company as a whole and not allocable to segments, are included under "Un-allocable expenditure".
iii) Income which relates to the Company as a whole and not allocable to segments is included in "Un-allocable Income".
iv) Segment assets and liabilities include those directly identifiable with the respective segments.
v) The Company has no Secondary Reportable Segment.
(a) PAL Credit & Capital Ltd.
(b) Doshi Holdings Pvt. Ltd.
17. There are no Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, to whom the Company owes dues, which are outstanding for more than 45 days as at the Balance Sheet date. Further, the Company has neither paid nor is any interest payable to any Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises on the Balance Sheet date. The above information has been determined to the extent such parties have been identified on the basis of information available with the Company. This has been relied upon by the auditors.
18. Balances of Debtors & Creditors and advances/deposits received from dealers/customers are as per books of account. Letters have been sent seeking confirmation of balances and replies in some cases are awaited. Adjustments, if any, will be made on receipt of such confirmations and due reconciliation.
19. Previous year figures have been regrouped and/or rearranged wherever necessary.


text:
FOUNDATION_EXPORT double Pods_PluggableApplicationDelegate_ExampleVersionNumber;
FOUNDATION_EXPORT const unsigned char Pods_PluggableApplicationDelegate_ExampleVersionString[];

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Concerto de' Cavalieri is een Italiaans muziekensemble gewijd aan authentieke uitvoeringspraktijk van achttiende-eeuwse muziek.

Biografie

Het ensemble werd in 2003 opgericht door dirigent Marcello Di Lisa. Hij studeerde filologie en Griekse en Latijnse literatuur aan de Universiteit van Pisa. Na zijn studies klavecimbel en compositie richtte hij Concerto de' Cavalieri op. Hij houdt zich nog steeds bezig met het bestuderen van het Romeinse muzikale erfgoed van de late 17e en 18e eeuw, met bijzondere aandacht voor de niet-gepubliceerde werken van Alessandro Scarlatti. De naam van zijn ensemble verwijst naar de Italiaanse componist Emilio de'Cavalieri (1550-1602), wiens werk typerend was voor de overgang van renaissance naar barok. Het ensemble is gespecialiseerd in de herontdekking van vergeten composities uit Napels en Rome en werkt nauw samen met het Centro Studi e Ricerche sulla Musica delle Età Barocca e Classica. Ze speelden de eerste hedendaagse uitvoeringen van Serenata Erminia van Scarlatti, Serenata La Iole van Nicola Porpora en de opera Tito Manlio van Antonio Vivaldi.

Concerto de' Cavalieri werkte samen met solisten als Daniela Barcellona, Vesselina Kasarova, Ann Hallenberg, Kristina Hammarström, Ana Quintans en Maurice Steger. Ze traden aan op festivals zoals het Musikverein in Wenen, Musikfest Bremen, Festival d'Ambronay, Rheingau Musik Festival, Tage alter Musik Regensburg en Festival de Radio France. Ze speelden in Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid, Arsenal in Metz, Centro Cultural de Bélem in Lissabon, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Philharmonie Essen, Philharmonie Köln en Herkulessaal München. In 2015 stonden ze in Concertgebouw Amsterdam op de planken, waar ze werk van Händel uitvoerden. In 2016 stonden ze voor de eerste keer in deSingel in Antwerpen, met een programma van Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Corelli en Bononcini. In 2019 traden ze daar opnieuw op, met mezzosopraan Vivica Genaux en een programma van Corelli, Händel, Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Pergolesien Broschi. Met Serenade voor Farinelli stonden ze in 2020 in De Bijloke in Gent.

Met Sony Records werken ze sinds 2011 aan het Baroque Project, meestal met mezzo-sopraan Daniela Barcellona. Dit bestaat uit een reeks opnames van Italiaanse opera's uit de 18de eeuw. De eerste vier delen waren respectievelijk gewijd aan opera aria's en instrumentale muziek van Scarlatti, Pergolesi, Vivaldi en Albinoni. Het vijfde deel bevatte opera ouvertures en concerti van  Scarlatti, waaronder vier stukken die nooit eerder op cd uitgebracht werden.

Discografie
Alessandro Scarlatti: "Opera Overtures and Concertos in seven parts" - The Baroque Project Volume 5 (Sony - 2016)
Tomaso Albinoni: "Opera Arias and Instrumental Music" - The Baroque Project Volume 4 (Sony - 2015)
Antonio Vivaldi: "Opera Arias and Concertos" - The Baroque Project Volume 3 (Sony - 2014)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (Sony - 2013)
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi: "Opera Arias"  - The Baroque Project Volume 2 (Sony - 2012)
Alessandro Scarlatti: "Cantatas" (Sony - 2012)
Alessandro Scarlatti: "Opera Arias" - The Baroque Project Volume 1 (Sony - 2011)
Alessandro Scarlatti: "Sacred Works" (CPO Records - 2010)

Referenties

Externe links

 Officiële site Concerto de' Cavalieri
 Marcello Di Lisa

Muziekensemble

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


We loved Wonder Woman, and we loved the new Justice League, but we have to admit we love Gal Gadot more. Gal Gadot was born in Petah Tikva and raised in its neighbouring city of Rosh HaAyin. In Hebrew, her first name means "wave" and her surname means "riverbanks". Now you know.


On October 21st 2006 I attended the Otis Chandler auction in Oxnard, California. My main purpose for attending was to buy the 1911 Flying Merkel motorcycle that was being offered. Although the Gooding and Company auction catalog listed its estimated value at $65,000 to $75,000, I knew the bike was worth much more. I was prepared to pay $100,000. The bidding started at $5,000, and quickly rose over $75,000 with only myself and one other bidder still interested. When the bidding got to one hundred thousand dollars, I was outbid again, and, although I had said from the beginning that I would not exceed that number, I bid the bike to one hundred and ten thousand dollars. You must keep in mind that the auction people add a ten percent fee to the highest bid, therefore, my final price would have been $121,000. I was quickly outbid at $115,000, and I decided that I had bid enough.
While at the auction, I met a gentleman who told me he knew where there was the same bike available for sale at a much lower price. The bike, of course, was in ten thousand pieces, and was referred to as a "basket case". I bought that dubious pile of gems a few hours later. Hence,the following photos will take you through the process of a complete restoration of our "NEWEST PROJECT"
You will see this Merkel transformed from its basket case condition to a show quality restoration equal to, if not better than, the Otis Chandler piece.


Recall that c, d, and y are the basic editing operators.
The following table is not exhaustive, but it illustrates the most common operations.
Change text from current position to end of line.
Delete text from current position to end of line.
Delete up to next paragraph.
Delete back to beginning of line.
Delete up to first occurrence of pattern.
Delete up to next occurrence of pattern.
Delete up to and including a on current line.
Delete up to (but not including) a on current line.
Delete up to last line on screen.
Delete to end of file.
Insert last deleted or yanked text after cursor.
Insert last deleted or yanked text before cursor.
Replace with new text (overwrite), beginning at cursor. Escape ends replace mode.


text:
Q: Break long text in Matlab legend using plotyy The legend in my plot is too long, how can I break it into two lines? I'm plotting using plotyy and used this code:
leg = sprintf('I_{fitting}=I_0/(\surd{2\pi}\sigma)e^{-[t-t_0]^2/(2.\sigma^2)};\nso t_0=0.2\mus;\sigma=0.09\mus;I_0=4.8\cdot10^{10}W/cm^2')
legend([h1 h2], 'I=10^{14}[T_e/(3680(1.054)^{1/3})]^{1.5}',leg);

Can you tell me what the problem is?

A: Try this
>> leg = sprintf('This is a really long line\nso I broke it in two')
>> plot(1:10, 1:10)
>> legend(leg)

Which results in

This won't work if there are other characters in your legend that need to be escaped (e.g. if there is a lot of LaTeX). In that case you can insert a newline character manually -
>> newline = char(10);
>> leg = ['This is the first line', newline, 'and the second: A = 2\pi r^2'];
>> plot(1:10, 1:10);
>> legend(leg)

which results in

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Christopher "Chris" Herd (ur. 4 kwietnia 1989 w Perth) – australijski piłkarz grający w Buriram United. Może grać na wielu pozycjach, m.in. na środku i boku obrony oraz w środku pomocy.

Kariera sportowa
Jest wychowankiem Aston Villi, w której zadebiutował w listopadzie 2010 roku.

Linki zewnętrzne

Przypisy

Reprezentacja Australii w piłce nożnej
Piłkarze Aston Villa F.C.
Piłkarze Port Vale F.C.
Piłkarze Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Piłkarze Lincoln City F.C.
Piłkarze Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Piłkarze Wigan Athletic F.C.
Piłkarze Chesterfield F.C.
Piłkarze Perth Glory FC
Piłkarze Gillingham F.C.
Piłkarze Western Sydney Wanderers FC
Piłkarze Buriram United FC
Piłkarze Chennaiyin FC
Uczestnicy Pucharu Azji 2015
Urodzeni w 1989
Ludzie urodzeni w Perth


text:
Bridgegate's enduring mystery: How did Port Authority police lose control of the George Washington Bridge?
"Privacy concerns" protect top Bridgegate culprits from facing consequences in upcoming federal criminal trial
By Robert Hennelly
September 19, 2016 4:00PM (UTC)
Chris Christie (Reuters/Eduardo Munoz)
In the Bridgegate federal criminal trial, set to get underway this week, the most egregious breach of the public trust never made it into the charging document. How could the Port Authority police, entrusted with protecting the George Washington Bridge, a top terrorist target, be enlisted on the anniversary of 9/11 in 2013, to execute the lane closures that prosecutors allege were part of a criminal conspiracy?
So far, the Bridgegate story has been told through the tit-for-tat prism of partisan politics. The media has myopically focused on what Gov. Chris Christie knew, and when he knew it, about the plot to punish the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee with four days of lane closures on the George Washington Bridge from Sept. 9 to 13.
But the more disturbing public policy concern, left unaddressed, is just how vulnerable the Port Authority was to having one of its most critical assets commandeered by people that prosecutors allege had criminal intent and who managed to gain control over the operations of the George Washington Bridge. As it turns out, its weakest link was its own police department. The alleged partisan revenge plot that the Department of Justice has said crossed the line into criminality, was executed by the Port Authority Police Department that served as the boots on the ground and moved the traffic cones that closed the lanes.
As a consequence of the actions taken by the Port Authority Police Department, allegedly at the behest of the political operatives who have been charged, public safety was put at risk because the lane closures actually impeded the ability of local first responders to do their jobs for those four days in September of 2013, including the actual anniversary of 9/11, a time of supposed heightened counterterrorism vigilance.
Somehow perhaps because the last names of the defendants in the case are not Arabic but names like Kelly, Baroni, and Wildstein, this case is seen as a dirty-tricks caper that went too far. Yet, it was also a breach of the region's collective security that involved the compromising of a police department to serve a partisan political agenda.
By enlisting the Port Authority police, the conspirators left us more vulnerable to a less-than-optimum response in the event of a terrorist attack on the George Washington Bridge over those four days. According to the indictment of Bill Baroni, the former deputy executive director of the Port Authority, Bridget Anne Kelly, a former top Christie staffer, and David Wildstein, another former Port Authority official, were alleged to have involved "unwitting Port Authority employees" in their plot.
Yet, senior police officers were aware of the plan to alter traffic before it happened, and when rank and file officers raised concerns about the problems it was causing at the time, they were told to keep it to themselves. In September 2014 the Bergen Record reported that during the lane closures in 2013, when Port Authority police officers used their radios to communicate that the altered traffic pattern was creating "hazardous conditions" on local Fort Lee roads, their Port Authority supervisors told them to "shut up."
In the midst of the lane closures, which crippled his city and ruined the first day of school for Fort Lee's school children, Mayor Mark Sokolich appealed via email for Baroni's help.
"Adding insult to injury, many members of the public have indicated to me that the Port Authority officers are advising commuters in response to their complaints that this recent traffic debacle is the result of a decision that I, as the Mayor made," Sokolich wrote to Baroni.
In the first day of the closures, a Port Authority community relations official warned Wildstein that the lane closures were affecting the ability of local police to handle a missing child case and for EMS to handle a cardiac-arrest response. In a text on Day 2, which was Sept. 10, Kelly expressed regret for the impact of the schoolchildren caught in the traffic jam, and Wildstein responded cynically, "They are the children of Buono voters." That would be former state senator Barbara Buono, Christie's 2013 opponent.
Members of the Port Authority Police Department even surfaced in what prosecutors allege was the subsequent criminal conspiracy to cover up the initial lane-closure plot. In November 2013, Baroni testified before the state legislature that the concept of the traffic study was first raised by Paul Nunziato, Port Authority Police Benevolent Association president Paul Nunziato. In 2014 The New York Times reported that Nunziatio and Wildstein had met regularly from 2012, leading up to when Nunziato delivered the endorsement from his 1,500-member union for Christie's re-election. (Under Christie's tutelage the ranks of the Port Authority police grew from 1,500 to 2,000 by March 2014.)
When Nunziato took questions from reporters after a December 2014 Port Authority commissioners' meeting, he reaffirmed that he had originated the George Washington Bridge-Fort Lee traffic study. A month earlier the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association president said in a statement that speculation that politics were behind the George Washington Bridge lane closures was like speculating on the possible location of Jimmy Hoffa's body.
Nunziato's lawyer Charles J. Sciarra told The New York Times his client had nothing to do with the closures. "My client was trying to be supportive of people who were supportive of his union; he never intended to mislead."
In 2012, long before Bridgegate, The New York Times reported that the Port Authority had become sufficiently concerned about its police department's ability to police itself that it removed the jurisdiction for internal affairs issues from the department and reassigned it to the two-state agency's independent inspector general. The Times reported that the move came after the agency had found that the internal affairs division had failed to follow up on serious allegations of cheating on promotional exams.
In February 2014 the New York Daily News reported that a high-ranking Port Authority police officer was the subject of an internal Port Authority investigation in connection with the Bridgegate affair. Asked last week about the status of that probe, a Port Authority spokesman had no comment but confirmed that the officer was still on the job. In both the investigation conducted by the New Jersey legislature and even in the narrative offered as part of the prosecution's case, the role of the Port Authority police has surfaced.
In the Bridgegate court papers filed in May 2015, when U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman announced that Wildstein was going to plead guilty for his role in the alleged conspiracy, the government referred in its pleadings to unnamed and unindicted co-conspirators. The list of the unindicted co-conspirators was subsequently disclosed to defense counsel in the case but has remained off-limits to the media and the public.
Several media organizations went to court to have the names released, saying that it was in the public's interest to know who else was involved with the Bridgegate affair. In May Judge Susan Wigenton, the federal judge presiding over the case, ruled the list should be publicly released.
Fishman appealed that ruling, as did an individual whose name was on the list but is only known as John Doe. The lawyer for Doe claimed the client, one of the unindicted co-conspirators, would suffer irredeemable reputation damage if the list were released.
Earlier this month the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia sided with Fishman and John Doe and ordered that the list remain sealed. Bruce Rosen, the lawyer representing the news media, said his clients had 45 days to appeal but didn't think they would opt to do so.
"The court, with all due respect, focused on privacy concerns and in the process emasculated a decision they had previously made 30 years ago that would have given the public access to this list," Rosen told Salon.
Those names may or may not surface in the upcoming trial.
For years taxpayers and motorists have funneled hundreds of millions of dollars into the Port Authority's police department and security systems. The time is long overdue for a congressional investigation into how it came to be that the operations of the George Washington Bridge were compromised for four days in 2013, with the help of the very police department entrusted to protect it.
Robert Hennelly
MORE FROM Robert Hennelly
Bridgegate Chris Christie Bridgegate Conspiracy George Washington Bridge Governor Chris Christie Port Authority Port Authority Police