text:
Yum! Brands in China: Colonel Sanders' Recipe Gone Wrong
by Angela Doland
#Fast Food, #Pizza Hut, #KFC, #Yum! Brands, #Slider, #East Dawning, #Fast Food in China, #Little Sheep, #Pepsico, #Real Kung Fu, #Yum!, #Burger King
Yum! Brands was having a stellar run in China. What went wrong?
Have Chinese consumers lost their appetite for Yum! Brands?
The KFC in the food court at Shanghai's New World Department store has seen better days. The yellow stuffing of a dingy vinyl booth has broken free of its casing, and someone has patched it with tape. A stool is minus its seat, and faded promotional stickers peel from the backs of chairs.
Customers to this Shanghai shopping center have their pick of almost every major local and foreign food chain, all competing for the Chinese market with new products and trendy store designs. It's hard to see what might lure them to this shabby outpost of KFC, aside from its reputation as China's most successful restaurant chain—albeit one whose sales have faltered lately amid questions over the quality of its chicken supply.
Thanks to KFC's breathtaking expansion in China, a Louisville, Kentucky-based corporation has improbably become China's largest restaurant company, inspiring case studies in business schools and accolades in books on how to conquer the Chinese market. KFC parent Yum! Brands, a PepsiCo. spin-out that groups KFC with Pizza Hut and Chinese food outlet East Dawning, (which opened 889 new Chinese locations in 2012) and earned 51% of its profits in China, reaching $6.9 billion.
Now KFC is shifting its focus to lower-tier cities, where it says restaurant margins and investment returns are higher. That suggests a de-emphasis of more established cities like Shanghai and Beijing, which is one explanation for the worn appearance of some of its first-tier restaurants. Nonetheless, the sad display projects the image of a company whose best years are behind it—or possibly, of a chain so confident of its success that it is no longer trying so hard to please.
No successful Western company, even one as well-established as Yum!, can ever be too sure of its footing in such a fast-changing, complex market. That lesson became clear in February, when Yum! reported a 6% dip in fourth-quarter same-store sales in China and worse in the first quarter of 2013: a 20% drop.
What exactly went wrong? While a recent scandal over KFC's chicken supply is the main culprit, new questions are being raised about Yum!, from its strategy to its growing competition in China. Is Yum!'s heady growth in China about to slow down?
In 2004, 1,000 Yum! employees posed for a photo at the Great Wall to mark the opening of the 1,000th restaurant in China. Clad in puffy red jackets, they raised their arms, transforming their bodies into "Y's" for Yum! Or possibly a "V" for victory.
The company had opened its first KFC just 17 years before, in 1987, near Tiananmen Square. Soon, grandfatherly brand mascot Colonel Sanders had one of the most recognizable faces in China, alongside that of Chairman Mao.
Warren K. Liu, former VP of Business Development for Yum! predecessor Tricon, and executive accredited with building KFC in China from 1997 to 2001, believes the chain was a natural fit for the Chinese market because people here prefer chicken to the standard US fast food fare of hamburgers.
Beyond that, Liu wrote in KFC in China: Secret Recipe for Success, the company recruited executives from Taiwan—dubbed the "Taiwan Gang"—who understood Chinese sensibilities, resulting in dishes tailored for local tastes, such as Chinese porridge and dough fritters. When KFC entered China it brought a "sweeping revolution," Liu wrote, noting that both fast food and restaurant chains were new ideas in China.
Yum! now accounts for four out of 10 fast-food restaurants in China, according to a 2012 Euromonitor International report.
China is home to Yum!'s 4,260 KFCs (easily its main cash cow), 826 Pizza Huts (recast as an upscale casual dining spot in China) and more than 450 branches of Little Sheep, a Chinese hotpot restaurant Yum! Brands purchased in 2011. There are also several dozen outlets of East Dawning, a Chinese fast food chain. While small and facing heavy competition from local chains, it may be Yum!'s ultimate mark of self-confidence—a Kentucky-based company selling Chinese food to Chinese people, in China.
No Longer Upwardly Mobile
Back at the New World Department Store's KFC, four sisters in their 50s and 60s whiled away an afternoon, getting their money's worth in a promotional deal: Spend RMB 10 and get a free drink or ice cream.
But they didn't actually eat at KFC. They ate noodles elsewhere, then came to KFC for coffee.
"Even if you don't buy anything at all at KFC, they still let you sit here," says Xiaomei Hu, a 65-year-old retired office worker wearing red sneakers and carrying a faux Louis Vuitton handbag.
People are at ease at KFC, to judge from the number of customers napping with their heads down after lunch. But it is no longer an aspirational brand for upwardly mobile Chinese in first-tier cities, says Yifeng Mao, founder of Goldpebble Research, an independent research firm with a focus on China.
"KFC is moving down, while Chinese consumers are moving up," says Mao, referring to consumers' increasing wealth and sophistication. Two chains that are aiming to target those increasingly savvy consumers with spending power are Starbucks and Yum!'s Pizza Hut.
Starbucks, which has more than 700 stores here and predicts that China will be its second-biggest market outside the US by 2014, serves espresso and green tea to urban professionals taking time for afternoon chats (takeaway business at Starbucks in China is smaller than in the US, and afternoons, not mornings, are the peak hours).
Yum!'s Pizza Hut, meanwhile, has marketed itself as a stylish place for families and groups to eat standard Western food—not only pizza, which is too cheesy to appeal to some Chinese who avoid dairy—but also easily shared dishes like chicken wings and fried squid. Yum! also has a second Pizza Hut concept in China, a delivery service.
The company is putting a new focus on Pizza Hut openings, since those outlets bring higher margins at a time of rising rents and labor costs. That's part of the backdrop of Yum!'s recent difficulties, along with higher prices for ingredients, a general slowing of China's economy, and intensified competition.
Yum! Brands' same-store sales soured in 2012 (Click to Enlarge)
China's Fast-Food Wars
At the McDonald's next to the worn New World Department store KFC, cheery messages in English plaster freshly painted walls: "Enjoy!" Burger King, meanwhile, has flat-screen TVs and trendy graffiti art scrawled on black walls.
KFC is "stalling out in terms of growth in first-tier markets, so from their point of view it may be thinking, 'it may not matter if we do as good a job as we did at maintaining the stores we already have,'" says Ben Cavender, Associate Principal of China Market Research Group. "It does send a bad message, because consumers notice."
Fresh store design is one area where McDonald's has been aggressive. It has also launched McCafes, stylish coffee stands, another tactic to keep the brand up-to-date. McDonald's still has a long way to go to catch up with KFC: It's the second-biggest fast food brand in China, with a 15.6% share of the market, compared to KFC's 38.9%, according to Euromonitor. Burger King is still tiny, at 0.4%.
Appearances aren't everything, of course. KFC "isn't stylish, but at least it's clean," says Hu Ziyi, a 28-year-old Shanghai soda salesman who stopped there recently for a quick chicken burger. Yet the battle over store design is one area in which KFC seems to be resting on its laurels while other Western eateries raise their game to compete not only with each other, but also with growing Chinese brands.
Both KFC and Burger King have lost about 2 percentage points of market share since 2008, according to Euromonitor, while some Chinese brands have made small gains. Chinese fast food chains didn't exist when KFC entered China, but local entrepreneurs have successfully emulated the Western model, offering fare specifically suited to the Chinese palate.
Real Kung Fu, recognizable for its spunky Bruce Lee logo, is an example. The set menus of its 400-plus stores (up from 300 in 2009) feature steamed meats and vegetables, a healthy alternative to KFC's fried fare. Japan's Ajisen noodle shop, Taiwanese fried chicken chain Dicos, which has 1,200 stores after 15 years of operation, and China's Country Style Cooking Restaurant Chain, a KFC imitator, are also making gains.
Finally, competition for KFC outlets comes from KFC itself, as new stores poach business from existing ones, says Jing Bing, Associate Professor of Marketing at Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business. In the fourth quarter of 2012, same-store sales dropped, though new outlets opened.
"This is a sign that the increase in the outlets may cannibalize each other," he says. "The total demand is there, but as you increase the number of stores in an area, the per-store sales decrease."
That's a big reason for KFC's push into other Chinese cities where it still has room to grow.
Crisis Mis-management
China Economic Net reported in November 2012 that some chicken sent to KFC was laced with chemicals. The public was horrified by the science fiction-esque reports of chickens treated to grow to maturity in just 45 days—though KFC retorted that 45 days was an industry norm, and that only 1% of its chicken came from the supplier at the center of the issue.
Since November 2012, when Chinese media accused a KFC supplier of treating its chicken with antiviral drugs to make them grow faster, jokes targeting KFC have popped up on Weibo's microblogging service. User Bingtuan Tianshan wrote: "Some people ask: Will eating a chicken burger cure the common cold?" After more reports and a probe by Shanghai's food safety watchdog, Yum! China Chairman and Chief Executive, Sam Su, posted an apology on Weibo, saying the company failed to address the issues quickly enough. But his mea culpa came seven weeks after the first report—an agonizingly slow response in a country on edge about food safety after scandals ranging from deadly baby formula to cooking oil that was collected from gutters and recycled.
The official Chinese news agency, Xinhua, issued a scathing editorial, calling the apology "understated", accusing the company of "arrogance" and pointing out that Chinese consumers believe foreign brands are "safer and of higher quality than domestic brands," indicating an abuse of trust. The Shanghai food safety agency declined to bring a case against Yum! but suggested ways to improve its poultry supply chain, which Yum! said it would implement. The company also says it will no longer do business with suppliers that get their chicken from small farms that are hard to keep tabs on. Wu Heng, who runs Throw it out the Window, a widely viewed food safety blog, thinks KFC suffered more than its fair share of blame and still believes it offers the safest chicken option in its price range. But Chinese consumers felt they had been slighted, he says.
"They said that KFC in the US would never have allowed this accident," says Wu. "They said that KFC has more respect for its American customers."
KFC has had food safety issues in China before and overcame them. In 2005, it pulled some products amidst a scare over a banned dye. In 2004, it speedily battled fears over bird flu with a Q&A released to journalists and TV commercials emphasizing its high-temperature, germ-killing cooking style. This time, KFC decided to wait until after Chinese New Year to launch a marketing campaign. Yum! says it believes that waiting out a scandal is the best approach.
"We could be wasting a lot of money right now doing marketing," CEO David Novak told analysts in early February. "We need to give it time."
The number of KFC outlets dwarfed McDonald's in China (Click to Enlarge)
Can Yum! Get Its Groove Back?
As questions over KFC's chicken brewed on social media, Yum!'s stock price dropped about 14% from November 29th 2012 profit warning to its February 4th 2013 quarterly earnings announcement.
While Goldman Sachs downgraded Yum! from "buy" to "neutral" in February, some say Yum!'s current problems and depressed share price provide an opportunity. Janney Capital Markets analyst Mark Kalinowski still has a "buy" rating on Yum!, for example, though he trimmed his fair value estimate by $7 to $68.
Yum! says it can't predict when the fallout will subside, though it says it is staying the course in China. There is still room for growth: There are 3.5 Yum! restaurants in China for every one million people, compared to 58 in the US, as Goldpebble Research's Mao points out. But can Yum! continue to grow as fast as in the past? Mao thinks not.
The company plans to open 700 restaurants in China in 2013, down from more than 800 in 2012, he notes. Mao believes future quality issues are inevitable in China. Online shopping is also reducing the foot traffic to malls where many restaurants are located, he says. And KFC, Yum!'s star brand, has simply lost some magic.
Mao recalls going to KFC at Shanghai's People's Square more than 20 years ago and waiting in line for an hour. Back then, KFC's fried chicken was a delicacy to be savored, "not to consume like fast food."
"As people get richer," Mao says, "as they move up along the curve, they will notice—it's just fried chicken."
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Our team is working out of laws, standards acts and acts of legislation etc.
1. Conducting scientific and legal expertise in various fields of law with the provision of expert reports.
2. Identification of business potential, development and support of projects of economic development of village, city.
3. Scientific research that assert a new direction in jurisprudence or solve a new scientific problem.
4. Organize books, memories, articles, abstracts.
5. Holding conferences, round tables.


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News	> Latin America
Neymar, Messi Will Convert World Cup Goals Into School Meals
Neymar Jr. (C) and Lionel Messi are the first soccer players to pledge their support for the scheme. | Photo: Reuters
Entitled #JuntosSomos10 (#TogetherWeAre10), the campaign promotes the message of health, hope and generosity.
One World Cup goal could mean lunch for as many as 10,000 children in Latin America and the Caribbean if it's scored by soccer players Lionel Messi or Neymar Jr. during this year's event in Russia.
Brazil Starts World Cup Training, Argentina Announces Team
Kicking off on Latin America's 'Dia de Nino' (Day of the Child), the two athletes told local media that every goal they score during the 2018 World Cup will be converted into a "voucher" for 10,000 school meals to be donated to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP).
"I am proud to be part of this campaign that will help change the lives of thousands of children in my country and in other regions of the world, and I hope that this initiative will produce as many children's smiles as possible," said Messi, an Argentinian native famed for his accomplishments with F.C. Barcelona.
He can expect some competition on the pitch this year: Brazil's Neymar, a newly initiated member of Club Paris Saint-Germain, made the front pages last month when he was named French League Player of the Year.
Neymar said he was "happy" to help make sure "children in the region will have a plate of food and a hopeful outlook."
"We, as Latin Americans, know we can do great things when we unite and this is an example of that: together we can fight hunger," Neymar said.
The initiative is part of a movement which began last year and was promoted by Mastercard to inspire celebrities to use their influence to help Latin American youths.
"More than 40 million people throughout Latin America suffer from hunger, of which many of them are children, and combating hunger and child malnutrition is a way to support education and is key to reversing the cycle of poverty," said the campaign's president, Ana Ferrel.
WFP Regional Director Miguel Barreto praised the movement, saying: "Providing Latin American and worldwide children with access to a nutritious daily meal ensures better physical and cognitive development."
Messi and Neymar are the first soccer players to pledge their support for the initiative, part of a general push to improve food security in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Children's rights Health Sports Soccer World Cup 2018 Argentina Brazil Latin America Caribbean Food security School meals
#JuntosSomos10 Club Paris Saint-Germain United Nations World Food Program Lionel Messi Neymar Jr. Dia de Nino
Vanguardia-IU Sport-Marca-News18
by teleSUR/mrs-LJS
Guatemala Shakes Off FIFA Sanctions From 2016 Corruption Case
Spain's MediaPro Wins Major Bid To Broadcast French Soccer
Soccer Dynasty: PSG's Weah Features in Presidential Debut
Athletes Arrive In Bolivia For XI South American Games 2018

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The boys played in the U11 Parish Cup Final against Plumberow at Grange Wood in Chigwell. Great Berry took the lead on the stroke of half time and remained in front until 5 minutes before full time. Plumberow scored again early in extra time and the final score was 2-1 to Plumberow. This was the third year in succession that Plumberow have won the trophy and we are very proud of our team, the effort they showed and their sporting behaviour after the final whistle.


The study of Western Civilisation: why take this degree?
The BA degree we will be developing in partnership with universities is above all interesting. This will be the least boring degree you could possibly take. Yes, it will "teach you skills", in the jargon phrase: skills in written and oral (spoken) expression, in the use of words, in analysis and presentation, which will be invaluable to you in whatever career or careers you choose, as well as in other areas of your life.
But this development won't happen explicitly. No-one will have to take dull classes in "written and spoken skills". Instead, your close engagement, in small groups of students as capable and motivated as you, with so many of the great ideas and works of art of our past, will inevitably make you a better thinker, writer and speaker.
And ultimately from the degree you will gain a much greater benefit than just "skills": a benefit all liberal arts studies should confer on their students, but often do not.
You and your fellow-students will be thinking about the biggest life-meaning questions, values questions, as they have arisen in the course of our long-enduring civilisation. Why do we find some things more important than others? Are there values, activities, ways of being and seeing, which seem important to everybody? What happens when two huge value-systems collide, or merge—at the level of a whole society, or within one human heart? How do we resolve or even just ask the biggest and oldest questions about ourselves: about our experience of truth, of freedom, of beauty, of nature, of conflict, of hatred and love, of good and evil, of God and religion, of family and society, of politics, justice, duty and leadership? Who else has thought about these things over the 2500-plus years of our civilisation, and what have they thought about them? How much of what we assume to be "modern" or "correct" in our thinking and attitudes is really just a recycling of ancient insights? How much do we take for granted in our lives that is actually the outcome of centuries of struggle and progress? How can all this help us in our own lives, our decisions and relationships?
This degree may well be one of the few places in the world, quite possibly the only time in your life, when you can really engage, over a period of years, with these deepest of meaning- and values-questions: when you can gain an awareness and appreciation of the distinctive but many-sided civilisation which informs so much of what we think and do. Along with your advanced "skills", this awareness will stay with you all your life.


text:
The unknown dangers of RSS feeds
From the "Can't Catch a Break" File...
Columbia Upholds Free Speech, Exposes Idiocy to th...
So what have *YOU* done since graduation?
The High Holidays, They Are a Changin'
How Not to Design a User Interface
Problems Uploading using FTP to Yahoo GeoCities
Bush Endorses Clinton
Marcel Marceau: 1923-2007
The thoughts and theories of a guy who basically should have gone to bed hours ago.
I know, I know - what's the point? But look at it this way - I stayed up late writing it, but you're reading it...
Let's call ourselves even & move on, OK?
Major League Baseball: Best End of Season Ever!!!
For those who don't follow Major League Baseball (and even for those who do), this last weekend of games is going to be the wildest finish to a baseball season in history. Nothing has ever come close. I will now attempt to summarize (please stand back, this might get messy):
The Red Sox lead the Yankees by two games with three games left to play. So, if the Red Sox lose all three of their games and the Yankees win at least two of theirs, or if the Red Sox lose two of their three games and the Yankees win all three of theirs, the Yankees would win the AL East and the Red Sox would be the American League Wildcard. Otherwise, the Red Sox would win the AL East and the Yankees would be the Wildcard (this is because the Yankees beat the Red Sox in head-to-head matchups this year, 10 games to 8, so if they end in a tie, the Yankees win).
Think that's confusing? Oh Lord, we haven't even gotten started yet...
The Indians have clinched the division title, but currently have the same record as the Red Sox, which makes them tied for the best record in the league. They are also two games ahead of the Angels, who have clinched the AL West. If they finish with a better record than the Angels, they'll play the Yankees in the AL Division Series (ALDS). If not (same deal as above - Indians lose two and Angels win three, or Indians lose three and Angels win two), then the Angels will play the Yankees, and the Indians will play the Red Sox.
As mentioned above, the Angels have clinched the division title, but the last three games still helps determine who they play first.
Then, of course, there's the matter of home field advantage. The Red Sox are currently two games ahead of the Angels. If they hold onto that lead, the Red Sox/Angels series will play three of five games in Boston. If the Angels pick up two games on the Red Sox, then the advantage would go to the Angels, unless the Yankees also pick up two games on the Red Sox, in which case, they win the Division and play Angels in Anaheim. Unless the Indians stay ahead of the Angels (also currently a two game lead), in which case the Yankees play the Indians in Cleveland, and the Angels/Red Sox series stays in Anaheim.
And then there are ties: If the Indians and the Red Sox wind up with the same record, the series starts in Boston, because the Red Sox won the season series against the Indians 5 games to 2. If the Angels and the Red Sox finish in a tie, the series also starts in Boston, because Boston won that season series 6 games to 4. If the Angels and the Indians finish in a tie, there's a problem, because their season series was also tied (5 games to 5). In that case, the Indians would have home field advantage because their record inside their own division (46-23) is better than the Angels record inside of their own division (30-21).
Oh, wait - we're still not up to the fun part...
The Phillies and the Mets are tied for first place right now. Also, two teams in the NL West, the Padres and the Rockies, have similar records (the Padres have one more win, the Rockies have the exact same record as the Phillies and the Mets). If the Phillies and the Mets end up tied, and their record is better than both the Padres and the Rockies, then the Phillies would win the NL East, since they won the season series against the Mets (12-6). But, if the Padres or Rockies had a better record than the (tied) Phillies and Mets, then they would win the Wildcard, and the Phillies and Mets would have to play a one-game playoff on Monday (in Philadelphia) to determine who wins the division and who goes home. The location of the game was decided by a coin flip.
The Brewers are two games behind the Cubs with three games left to play, so they are in the exact same situation as the Yankees and the Red Sox in the AL East, except the Brewers record is not as good as the Rockies or the Padres in the NL West, so if they don't catch the Cubs, they don't make the playoffs. If the two teams tie, they will also play a one-game playoff on Monday (in Chicago - also decided by coin flip).
Now, we're up to the fun part. The Diamondbacks are leading the division right now. The Padres are one game back with three left to play, and the Rockies are two games back with three left to play. So any one of those teams can win the division. The other two will be competing not only with each other, but with the loser of the Phillies/Mets in the NL East for the NL Wildcard.
Here's what happens if two teams tie for the NL West lead:
If the Diamondbacks and the Padres finish tied, they will play a one-game playoff on Monday in Arizona.
If the Rockies and the Padres finish tied, they will play a one-game playoff on Monday in San Diego.
The Diamondbacks and the Rockies cannot finish tied, because they play the final three games of the season against each other (this makes everything simple, right?!?)
And here's what happens if two teams tie for the NL Wildcard:
If the Padres and the Phillies tie for the Wildcard, they will play a one-game playoff on Monday in San Diego.
If the Padres and Rockies tie for the Wildcard, they will play a one-game playoff on Monday in Colorado.
If the Phillies and the Rockies tie for the Wildcard, they will play a one-game playoff on Monday in Colorado as well.
But wait, there's STILL more.
If the Phillies, Rockies and Padres end in a three way tie for the NL Wildcard, then the teams get to choose what happens next. The Rockies, who have the best combined record against the Phillies and Padres could either play two playoff games in their home stadium, or accept a bye for the first game, and then play the winner of that game on the road. If they decide to accept the bye, the Phillies would host the Padres on Monday, and the winner would play the Rockies in their home park on Tuesday. If the Rockies choose the two home games, the Phillies can choose to either play the Rockies in Colorado on Monday, with the possibility of playing the Padres in Philadelphia on Tuesday, or to take the bye and guarantee themselves a road game on Tuesday.
If the Mets, Rockies and Padres end in a three way tie for the NL Wilddcard, the same system applies, and the choices are as follows: The Rockies still choose first - either a two home games or a bye. If they choose two home games, the Padres choose between playing in Colorado on Monday and then (hopefully) San Diego on Tuesday, or taking the bye, meaning playing an away game on Tuesday against the winner of the Rockies and Mets.
So that's it, right? WRONG!!! What if there's a four way tie? There are two possible ways that can happen:
Mets, Phillies, Diamondbacks and Padres: The Mets/Phillies and Diamondbacks/Padres each play for their division titles on Monday (in Philly and Arizona, respecitvely), and then the two losers would play for the Wildcard on Tuesday. The Diamondbacks would have to go to Philly or New York. The Padres would host the Phillies, and the Mets would host the Padres. Got it?
Mets, Phillies, Rockies and Padres: The Mets/Phillies and Rockies/Padres would each play for their division titles on Monday (in Philly and San Diego, respectively), and then the two losers would play for the Wildcard on Tuesday. The Rockies would host either Philly or New York. The Padres would host the Phillies, and the Mets would host the Padres.
Thankfully, there can't be a five way tie, for the same reason their can't be a three way tie in the West - the Diamondbacks are playing the Rockies this weekend.
Ok, that's the scoop. Grab some provisions, park yourself in front of your TV, and fire up the calculator - it's going to be a very, very wild weekend...


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text:
package com.ider.musicplay.util;

import android.app.Notification;
import android.app.NotificationManager;
import android.app.PendingIntent;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.content.SharedPreferences;
import android.graphics.Bitmap;
import android.graphics.BitmapFactory;
import android.media.AudioManager;
import android.media.MediaPlayer;
import android.support.v4.app.NotificationCompat;
import android.support.v4.content.LocalBroadcastManager;
import android.util.Log;
import android.widget.RemoteViews;

import com.ider.musicplay.R;
import com.ider.musicplay.service.MusicPlayService;

import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Random;

/**
 * Created by Eric on 2017/6/20.
 */

public class MusicPlay {

    public static NotificationManager notificationManager;

    public static Notification notification;

    public static Intent updateIntent;
    public static PendingIntent pendingIntent;
    public static String updateFile;

    public static  MediaPlayer mediaPlayer = new MediaPlayer();

    public static RemoteViews remoteViews;

    private static Context context = MyApplication.getContext();

    public static LocalBroadcastManager localBroadcastManager = LocalBroadcastManager.getInstance(context);

    public static SharedPreferences preferences = context.getSharedPreferences("music_play", Context.MODE_PRIVATE);

    public static List<Music> dataList = new ArrayList<>();

    public static List<Music> historyList = new ArrayList<>();;

    public static int historyPosition =0;

    public static int position;

    public static Music music;

    public static LastPlayInfo lastPlayInfo;

    public static final String NEXTSONG = "next_song";

    public static final String PAUSE_OR_ARROW_NOTIFY = "pause_or_arrow_notify";

    public static final String PAUSE_OR_ARROW_FOCUS = "pause_or_arrow_focus";

    public static final String NEXTSONG_NOTIFY = "next_song_notify";

    public static final String OPEN_MUSIC_PLAY = "open_music_play";

    public static final String CLOSEAPP = "close_app";

    public static final String CANCEL_PLAY = "cancel_play";

    public static final String PAUSE_OR_ARROW = "pause_or_arrow_play";

    public static String PLAY_MODE  = preferences.getString("play_mode", "random_play");

    public static final String RANDOM_PLAY = "random_play";

    public static final String ORDER_PLAY = "order_play";

    public static final String SINGLE_PLAY = "single_play";

    public static void initMediaPlayer(){
        try{
            mediaPlayer.reset();
            Log.i("MusicPlay","position:"+position);
            String path = music.getMusicPath();
            mediaPlayer.setDataSource(path);
            mediaPlayer.prepare();
            mediaPlayer.setAudioStreamType(AudioManager.STREAM_MUSIC);
            mediaPlayer.setOnCompletionListener(new MediaPlayer.OnCompletionListener() {
                @Override
                public void onCompletion(MediaPlayer mp) {
                    if (PLAY_MODE.equals(SINGLE_PLAY)){
                        initMediaPlayer();
                        mediaPlayer.start();
                    }else {
                        nextSong();
                    }
                }
            });
        }catch (Exception e){
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }

    public static void nextSong(){
        mediaPlayer.reset();
        String path;
        if (historyList.size()>historyPosition+1){
            music = historyList.get(++historyPosition);
            path=music.getMusicPath();
        }else if (PLAY_MODE.equals(RANDOM_PLAY)) {
            Random random = new Random();
            int max = dataList.size();
            music = dataList.get(position=random.nextInt(max));
            historyList.add(music);
            historyPosition++;
            path = music.getMusicPath();
        }else {
            if (position>=dataList.size()-1){
                position=0;
                music = dataList.get(position);
            }else {
                music = dataList.get(++position);
            }
            historyList.add(music);
            historyPosition++;
            if (dataList==null){
                music = dataList.get(position=0);
            }
            path =music.getMusicPath();
        }
        try {
            mediaPlayer.setDataSource(path);
            mediaPlayer.prepare();
        } catch (IOException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        mediaPlayer.setAudioStreamType(AudioManager.STREAM_MUSIC);
        mediaPlayer.start();
        Intent intent = new Intent(NEXTSONG);
        context.sendBroadcast(intent);
    }

    public static void pausePlay(){
        if (mediaPlayer.isPlaying()){
            mediaPlayer.pause();
//            context.stopService(new Intent(context,AudioFocusService.class));
        }else {
            mediaPlayer.start();
//            context.startService(new Intent(context,AudioFocusService.class));
        }
        Intent intent = new Intent(PAUSE_OR_ARROW);
        context.sendBroadcast(intent);
    }

    public static void sendNotification() {

        notificationManager = (NotificationManager)
                context.getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
        Intent button1I = new Intent(PAUSE_OR_ARROW_NOTIFY);
        PendingIntent button1PI = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, 0, button1I, 0);
        Intent button2I = new Intent(NEXTSONG_NOTIFY);
        PendingIntent button2PI = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, 0, button2I, 0);
        Intent button3I = new Intent(CANCEL_PLAY);
        PendingIntent button3PI = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, 0, button3I, 0);
        Intent intent = new Intent(context,MusicPlayService.class);
        intent.putExtra("notify",true);
        pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getService(context, 0, intent, 0);

        /*
         * 通知布局如果使用自定义布局文件中的话要通过RemoteViews类来实现,
         * 其实无论是使用系统提供的布局还是自定义布局,都是通过RemoteViews类实现,如果使用系统提供的布局,
         * 系统会默认提供一个RemoteViews对象。如果使用自定义布局的话这个RemoteViews对象需要我们自己创建,
         * 并且加入我们需要的对应的控件事件处理,然后通过setContent(RemoteViews remoteViews)方法传参实现
         */
        remoteViews = new RemoteViews(context.getPackageName(), R.layout.notifacation);
        /*
         * 对于自定义布局文件中的控件通过RemoteViews类的对象进行事件处理
         */
        if (mediaPlayer.isPlaying()){
            remoteViews.setImageViewResource(R.id.pause_music,R.drawable.ic_pause_white_24dp);
        }else {
            remoteViews.setImageViewResource(R.id.pause_music,R.drawable.ic_play_arrow_white_24dp);
        }

        Bitmap bitmap = Utility.toRoundCornerImage(Utility.createAlbumArt(music.getMusicPath(),10),20);
        remoteViews.setImageViewBitmap(R.id.song_cover,bitmap);
        remoteViews.setTextViewText(R.id.music_name,music.getMusicName());
        remoteViews.setTextViewText(R.id.music_artist,music.getMusicArtist());
        remoteViews.setOnClickPendingIntent(R.id.pause_music, button1PI);
        remoteViews.setOnClickPendingIntent(R.id.next_music, button2PI);
        remoteViews.setOnClickPendingIntent(R.id.cancel_action,button3PI);

        notification = new NotificationCompat.Builder(context)
                .setContentTitle("通知2") // 创建通知的标题
                .setContentText("这是第二个通知") // 创建通知的内容
                .setSmallIcon(R.mipmap.launcher) // 创建通知的小图标
                .setLargeIcon(BitmapFactory.decodeResource(context.getResources(), R.mipmap.launcher)) // 创建通知的大图标
        /*
         * 是使用自定义视图还是系统提供的视图,上面4的属性一定要设置,不然这个通知显示不出来
         */
//                .setDefaults(Notification.DEFAULT_ALL)  // 置通知提醒方式为系统默认的提醒方式
//                .setPriority(NotificationCompat.PRIORITY_MAX)
                .setOngoing(true)
                .setContentIntent(pendingIntent)
                .setContent(remoteViews) // 通过设置RemoteViews对象来设置通知的布局,这里我们设置为自定义布局
                .build(); // 创建通知(每个通知必须要调用这个方法来创建)
        notificationManager.notify(1, notification); // 发送通知

    }

    public static void reNewNotification(){
        if (mediaPlayer.isPlaying()){
            remoteViews.setImageViewResource(R.id.pause_music,R.drawable.ic_pause_white_48dp);
        }else {
            remoteViews.setImageViewResource(R.id.pause_music,R.drawable.ic_play_arrow_white_48dp);
        }
        Bitmap bitmap = Utility.toRoundCornerImage(Utility.createAlbumArt(music.getMusicPath(),10),20);
        remoteViews.setImageViewBitmap(R.id.song_cover,bitmap);
        remoteViews.setTextViewText(R.id.music_name,music.getMusicName());
        remoteViews.setTextViewText(R.id.music_artist,music.getMusicArtist());
        notificationManager.notify(1, notification);
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Eagles overcome huge odds behind Foles, top Rams 30-23 on SNF
By Ed Kracz, The Sports Xchange
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) throws the ball during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on September 6. Photo by Derik Hamilton/UPI | License Photo
The defending Super Bowl champs are not done, yet.
To stay alive, they had to turn to their reigning Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, and he delivered. Foles threw for 270 yards to lead an improbable 30-23 victory over the NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night at the L.A. Coliseum. With Carson Wentz out with a stress fracture in his back, Foles assumed command of the team again - just like he did in Week 13 last week in, ironically enough, L.A., and led the Eagles to the Super Bowl LII championship.
The Eagles were double-digit underdogs to the Rams, but found a way to capture their third win in their last four games. Now 7-7, the Eagles are a half-game behind the Minnesota Vikings for the sixth and final wild-card spot in the NFC playoffs.
"Our backs are against the wall," head coach Doug Pederson told reporters at his postgame news conference in L.A. "Our guys came out aggressively and we were fortunate enough to go away with a win and move on to the next one."
RELATED San Francisco 49ers defeat sloppy Seattle Seahawks
The next one for the Eagles is their final home game on Sunday against the Houston Texans, who lead the AFC South and are currently the No. 2 seed on the AFC playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Rams are staggering now. They have lost two in a row and dropped to 11-3. More importantly, they are in deep trouble when it comes to trying to earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. L.A. trails the New Orleans Saints in that race to be the home team throughout the postseason, and the Saints (11-2) play at Carolina on Monday night. New Orleans hold with s the head-to-head tiebreaker earned by beating the Rams earlier this year in the Superdome.
Foles did his part, but so did the Eagles' defense, picking off two Jared Goff passes and their special teams forced and recovered a fumble late in the fourth quarter. The Eagles missed a chance to seal the game after that special teams fumble recovery by linebacker D.J. Alexander when Jake Elliott missed a 53-yard field goal with 1:08 to play.
Handed good field position after Elliott's miss, the Rams drove deep into Eagles territory but a pass into the end zone fell incomplete as time expired and with Eagles rookie Avonte Maddox in tight coverage.
Maddox had one interception of Goff. Corey Graham had the other.
Graham's pick was gift from Goff, who stumbled dropping back from center then, for some reason, just tried to flip the ball up. It landed in Graham's arms - his second game with an interception. He ran a few yards to set up the Eagles at the Rams' 12 late in the third quarter.
RELATED New England Patriots come up short in loss to Pittsburgh Steelers
Wendell Smallwood scored his second rushing touchdown of the night, this one a 4-yard burst from there to cap a 17-point outburst that turned a 13-13 halftime tie into a 30-13 lead with 1:34 left in the third quarter.
Goff didn't look comfortable all night with Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox throwing L.A. lineman around like they were middle schoolers. The Rams were only able to convert four of 13 third downs.
Foles, though, took center stage. He was back in the saddle kept the Eagles' rocky ride to the playoffs on track. It's still a road fraught with deep ruts and sharp drop-offs, but he has given his team hope.
His favorite target in his first game since Week Two was Alshon Jeffery, who made eight catches for a season-high 160 yards. His 49-yard catch set the Eagles up at the L.A. 9-yard line. On the next play from there, Wendell Smallwood raced in for a touchdown that gave the Eagles a 20-13 lead.
In addition to his two touchdowns, Smallwood had 48 yards on 10 carries. As a team, the Eagles ran the ball 30 times for 111 yards and are now 7-0 when they record 27 or more rushes.
"I thought all the backs did a nice job," said Pederson. "Wendell, I've always had a lot of confidence in Wendell, and he did nice job tonight. I thought our offensive line did some nice things controlling the line of scrimmage at times, opening up a few of those gaps and lanes."
The ability to run the ball made life a bit easier for Foles, though he did absorb some vicious hits from Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh after hanging in the pocket to the last possible second to deliver the ball.
The quarterback completed 24 of 31 throws with one interception and on touchdowns.
Eagles tight end Zach Ertz caught three passes to go over 100 for the season. He now has 101 and is trying to set the NFL record for catches in a season by a tight end set by Jason Witten, who made 110 in 2012.
Goff was 35 of 54 for 339 yards and two picks. Running back Todd Gurley had 12 carries for 48 yards and two rushing touchdowns and added another 10 catches for 76 yards.
Change of OC sparks Minnesota Vikings over Miami Dolphins
Jared Goff
Doug Pederson
Carson Wentz
Wendell Smallwood
Fletcher Cox
Alshon Jeffery
Todd Gurley
Nick Foles
Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes named MVP by writers; Bosa, Jefferson earn awards
Jan. 25 (UPI) -- Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes received 2022 NFL MVP honors from one of the three organizations to vote on the annual honor, the Pro Football Writers Association of American announced Wednesday.
Jan. 24 (UPI) -- A video promotion aired before a game between the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles on the Fox TV network in 2021 violated federal rules about mimicking an emergency alert, the FCC said Tuesday in proposing a $504,
New England Patriots to hire Bill O'Brien from Alabama as offensive coordinator
Jan. 24 (UPI) -- The New England Patriots will hire Bill O'Brien as their offensive coordinator after struggling offensively over the past several seasons.
Cowboys RB Tony Pollard broke leg in playoff loss to 49ers
Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Running back Tony Pollard sustained a broken leg in the Dallas Cowboys' playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers and faces a three-month recovery process this off-season.
McCaffrey, 49ers slip by 'disappointed' Cowboys, advance to NFC title game
Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Christian McCaffrey scored on a go-ahead touchdown run at the start of the fourth quarter to give the San Francisco 49ers their final edge in a victory over the Dallas Cowboys, clinching a spot in the NFC title game.
Damar Hamlin attends Buffalo's playoff game against Cincinnati
Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin made his first public appearance on Sunday, joining his team in the locker room ahead of its Divisional Round game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y
NFL // 1 week ago
Lori Locust, NFL's lone female defensive coach, among 6 coaches fired by Buccaneers
Jan. 20 (UPI) -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have fired defensive line coach Lori Locust, the only female defensive coach in the NFL, in addition to five other staff-members, the team announced.
Potential Bills-Chiefs neutral site AFC finale drawing 'extraordinary' ticket demand, NFL says
Jan. 20 (UPI) -- A potential AFC Championship meeting between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, which would be played in Atlanta, is drawing "extraordinary demand" from ticket buyers, the NFL said Friday.


text:
by David Hinton | Nov 4, 2015 | PatrioticProse | 0 comments
It is thought that doctor John McCrae (30th November 1872 — 28th January 1918) began the draft for his famous poem 'In Flanders Fields' on the evening of the 2nd May, 1915 in the second week of fighting during the Second Battle of Ypres.
It is believed that the death of his friend, Alexis Helmer, was the inspiration for McCrae's poem 'In Flanders Fields'. The exact details of when the first draft was written may never be known because there are various accounts by those who were with McCrae at that time.
One account says that he was seen writing the poem sitting on the rearstep of an ambulance the next day while looking at Helmer's grave and the vivid red poppies that were springing up amongst the graves in the burial ground.
Another account says that McCrae was so upset after Helmer's burial that he wrote the poem in twenty minutes in an attempt to compose himself.
A third account by his commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Morrison, states that John told him he drafted the poem partly to pass the time between the arrival of two groups of wounded at the first aid post and partly to experiment with different variations of the poem's metre.
John McCrae, was serving as a Major and a military doctor and was second in command of the 1st Brigade Canadian Field Artillery. The field guns of his brigade's batteries were in position on the west bank of the Ypres-Yser canal, about two kilometres to the north of Ypres. The brigade had arrived there in the early hours of 23rd April.
Now, the Poem
by John McCrae, May 1915
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow


text:
Timelord Technique : Profections
with Stephanie Johnson
Profections are a simple and easy technique to add to your astrology tool kit. They are a Hellenistic Time Lord technique that enables you to determine which planet is switched on in a chart for any given time period. And oh so easy for any astrologer to use once you have calculated the Birth Chart. In this talk astrologer Stephanie Johnson will outline the technique and how to do this with and without a computer software program. She will focus on Annual Profections and how she uses this ancient technique in her own current day consultation practice including how she uses the Profected Yearly Planet in Solar Returns. We will conclude the presentation with Q and A and some chart examples 75-90 minutes Please check your email (and spam) for your order after purchase, which contains a PDF with Link to download webinar FREE for C*I*A Members and now uploaded in MEMBERS area Consider a C*I*A membership for 2 webinars like this per month and access to archives!
The Solar Return Chart webinar with Oner Doser
Solar Return Charts may be considered as a separate annual chart, one of the most reliable techniques for the prediction of annual events in the native's life used by the masters of Traditional Astrology and crowned by French astrologer Jean Baptiste Morin and is still widely used today. The Solar return technique, provides specific information for each new age of our life, giving us detailed information about our situation and where we live, as well as showing moves to another place, all in comparison with our natal charts. Solar return technique can also be used for Electional Astrology and Astrolocality.
In this presentation, Öner Döşer will introduce this technique, which show how Solar return's work with Transits, Profections and also Lunar Returns.
February 6th, 2022 Sunday 6:00pm- AEST, 3:00pm EST Check in your Time Zone
$25 usd All who purchase will also get access to the recording and download. Link to attend webinar will be sent 1 week and a reminder one day before event. recording within 24 hours after the event! FREE for C*I*A Members no need to register Consider a C*I*A membership for 2 webinars like this per month and access to over 70 webinars in our archives!
The Lunar Nodes and the Nectar of Immortality
Please note date change The Lunar Nodes and the Nectar of Immortality : Online Webinar with Bernard Duchatelle In Hindu mythology, Rahu and Ketu, as the lunar nodes are called, originate during the quest for the nectar of immortality carried out by the gods and the demons. This myth places them at the heart of the meaning of life: it narrates how the divine game began – that is to say the game of life and death that unfolds within the wheel of time through the stars and the Zodiac. The rules of the game are inherently linked to the meanings of the lunar nodes, which are equally psychological and philosophical, material and spiritual. For these reasons, we will see by examining striking examples that Rahu and Ketu build a bridge between the material and the spiritual worlds: they manifest themselves through significant events and decisive encounters, which give substance and purpose to our individual destinies.
75 mins plus Q and A
The Astrology of Fixed Stars Webinar with Ehsan Khazeni RECORDING now available Astrology and Fixed Stars – Agent 63 Ehsan Khazeni – Iran Agent and Scholar of ancient Persian astrology. The stars and constellations were the first inspiring elements of the deep study of the sky, later replaced by the 12 zodiac signs, then almost forgotten, like many other roots of ancient wisdom. The qualities and ease of use of the zodiac signs rather than the constellations, made astrologers leave behind the wide spectrum of the 8th sphere, that of the fixed stars. This original separation of astrology and astronomy was the main reason that bought about the lack of the need for observation as a significant resource for the astrologer, followed by light pollution and our human transition to living in big cities. From old Persian books we find an extensive catalog of the fixed stars, with some lists explaining the influences of over 140 fixed stars. In this webinar we are thrilled to be hosting Agent 63 Ehsan for the fist time for the C*I*A, to introduce us to the a list of the 15 Primary and 15 Secondary fixed stars presented by Persian astrologers. This webinar will cover: The classification of fixed stars: The Name of the Stars: The Planetary Nature of the fixed stars: The Planetary influence on the fixed stars: Benefic and Malefic fixed stars: The fixed stars in Electional astrology: Fixed stars in Natal interpretation. In this day and age the study of the Real Sky and the Fixed Stars gains in importance in understanding our astrology as the Sidereal and Tropical zodiacs also move further out of alignment. Agent 63 Ehsan Khazeni - In recent years, Ehsan Khazeni has emerged as the missing puzzle piece that bridges eastern and western astrology, lost since the fall of Constantinople. His brilliant research is eagerly awaited by scholars around the world. Ehsan is currently writing his first book. With pupils from around the globe, Ehsan has emerged as a new kind of an astrologer who will unite the Perso-Arabic world with the West and, coupled with his outstanding programming skills, will transform the face of astrology. www.binduastrology.com - Ehsan[email protected] $25 USD Free for C*I*A Members/ Agents - JOIN HERE Register Now- Links will be sent one week, one day and one hour before webinars All registered will receive link to attend LIVE webinar, reminders will be sent before we start – 1 day and 1 hour before, all registered receive recording download after the event. All correspondence is sent to the email that you registered with via Paypal, or Stripe. Make sure to check YOUR SPAM folder!


text:
BMS in Daily Star: Boris to Halt Charles becoming King
By Thomas Mace-Archer-MillsIn Daily Star, mediaPosted 02/06/2021
2 June 2021 BMS in Daily Star: Boris to Halt Charles becoming King SHARE THIS Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on whatsapp Share on reddit Share on telegram Top BMS in Daily Star: Boris to Halt Charles becoming King BMS Founder, Thomas Mace-Archer-Mills, has been...
BMS-Daily Star: Princess Anne Military patronages
The British Monarchists Society has been featured in the Daily Star - 1 May 2021. Founder, Thomas Mace-Archer-Mills, stated that Princess Anne is one of the "hardest-working" members of the Royal Family. The founder of the British Monarchists Society added that she is married to the "military man" Vice Admiral...
BMS in Zeitblatt News – George V Convention 1917
By Thomas Mace-Archer-MillsIn media, SputnickPosted 24/04/2021
Zeitblatt News reports the intricate details of the George V Convention of 1917 and how Archie Sussex was not denied a title according to this decree, as explained by the British Monarchists Society Founder. Little Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, first born to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, is not the victim of...
BMS on BBC Hereford – HRH Prince Philip Funeral
By Thomas Mace-Archer-MillsIn BBC Hereford, mediaPosted 17/04/2021
Saturday 17 April 2021. Windsor Castle. The Funeral of The Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh. BMS Founder, Thomas Mace-Archer-Mills, has appeared on the "Lizzy Crown Show" on BBC Radio Herford/Worcester in the run up to the Funeral of The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Speaking on the programme just minutes...
BMS on HTB Russia: 9 April, A Fatal Coincidence
By Thomas Mace-Archer-MillsIn media, NTV RussiaPosted 09/04/2021
HTB Russia has discovered why 9 April is such an observed day by British Monarchists, especially after HRH The Prince Philip died on this day. HTB interviewed the British Monarchists Society's Founder, Thomas Mace-Archer-Mills, to learn more about this date and why it holds a special meaning for the British...
BMS on Talk Radio: Defence of Prince Charles
By Thomas Mace-Archer-MillsIn media, talkRADIOPosted 07/04/2021
BMS Founder, Thomas Mace-Archer-Mills, has appeared on the Mark Dolan Show on Talk Radio to defend His Royal Highness, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales in the face of a recent poll conducted by the Daily Mirror that shows 47% of the public would rather his son William become King, over...
BMS on BBC Essex: Defence of Prince Charles
By Thomas Mace-Archer-MillsIn BBC Radio Essex, mediaPosted 07/04/2021
BMS Founder, Thomas Mace-Archer-Mills joined the Sadie Nine mid-morning programme on BBC Essex - 7 April 2021, to discuss a recent poll conducted for the Daily Mirror, in which 47% vs 27% think Prince William should be the next King. Thomas brings a staunch defence of Prince Charles to the...
BMS in Daily Star: Sussex/Oprah Treason Claims
The Daily Star has carried an interview with BMS Founder, Thomas Mace-Archer-Mills regarding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and what their Oprah interview means, but in the eyes of Queen Victoria. The 41-year-old founder of the British Monarchist Society told the Daily Star: "Victoria in the modern world would...
BMS states "The Crown always Wins" – Sputnik News
BMS Founder, Thomas Mace-Archer-Mills, joins Mark Reardon of the Mark Reardon Show only on KMOX St. Louis to discuss the explosive interview of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex by Oprah Winfrey. The Royal historian and expert discusses the George V Convention of 1917 and how Archie Mountbatten-Windsor has not...
BMS on HTB Russia – Sussexes: cause of low ratings
HTB (NTV) Russia has featured the BMS on the event of the Duke & Duchess of Sussex's historically low approval ratings amongst the British public. Wanting to know the reasons for this, HTB asked BMS Founder, Thomas Mace-Archer-Mills, what the reason was attributing to such a dip in the popularity...


text:
Prisoners' welfare, rehabilitation important to top QC
THE DWARF WHO MOVED: AND OTHER REMARKABLE TALES FROM A LIFE IN THE LAW
Peter Williams QC
 HarperCollins
On October 8, 2014 at 11pm, many New Zealanders will have stepped outside to view a lunar eclipse in a starry sky. Imagine then, lunar eclipse or otherwise, someone who, for 20 years, has not been free to walk outside and simply look at the moon or the stars.
This then is the subject of ''He Saw the Stars'', the last story in Peter Williams' book The Dwarf Who Moved. A moving story that reveals the humane side of a prison superintendent and Williams' concerns for the welfare and rehabilitation of prisoners.
For Williams is more than a very able Queen's Counsel and criminal defence lawyer, he is also a humanitarian. In the course of his long career he has defended, and in some cases befriended, the high profile Ronald Jorgensen, Arthur Allan Thomas and ''Mr Asia''. But it was his defence of the sad and the derelict, the casualties of life, that fuelled his resolve to re-create the Howard League for Penal Reform.
Some 30 years ago, Williams was elected president of the league, whose members came from all walks of life, all interested in justice and injustice. Their activities were wide-ranging and included submissions on New Zealand's penal system and violent offending. Williams and the league were strongly opposed to the ''three strikes'' legislation. As the book details, the league was, shall we say, ''hijacked'' at a time when Williams was extremely unwell.
He and other long-standing members resigned, leaving Williams sad, but extremely proud of the league's reputation for integrity, honesty, and altruism garnered over almost 100 years.
The book goes from detailing his work in the freezing works, to 10 days' imprisonment by ''Whisky Bill'', from his association with James K. Baxter, to his friendship with and legal representation of New Zealand First leader Winston Peters. Williams wrote the manuscript for the book over eight years while suffering from cancer and enduring chemotherapy, radiation therapy and drug treatments.
I found the book very readable, his dry delivery at once humorous, moving and in some cases horrifying, the latter in that, in the 21st century, people can still be so badly and inhumanely treated. Indeed, Williams' hope is that his book will humanise its reader by granting a deeper understanding of the legal process and the characters involved.
- Ted Fox is an online marketing and social media consultant.
NZ non-fiction
Quake science fascinating but disquieting reading
Shining light on challenging environments
Plea for acceptance, understanding
Seddon at last gets biography of right calibre
Interesting examination of Anzac Day
Focus on lesser-known natural history
'Big Norm' still casts oversize shadow
Fascinating perspective on NZ cultural life
Influential cross-cultural travellers
The changing face of advertising in NZ
Detailed history has links to Otago
NZ's lost buildings recalled
Normanby publicans shift to city's south


Which foods will really power you up – and which ones will make you struggle? We teamed up with health and well-being experts at Vivotion.com to produce a six-step guide to the food types to include in a pre-exercise meal, as well as tips regarding proper hydration and digestion.
To make clear, exercising on an empty stomach is a no-no as you'll lack the energy you need from carbohydrates to achieve your peak performance. Failing to eat can make you dizzy, light-headed, nauseated or lethargic, and it can also make you more likely to injure yourself.
1. Carbs – When we eat them, they break down into glucose, enter our muscle cells and give us fuel to exercise at our maximum capacity. If you're strapped for glucose during your workout you'll feel weak and tired. Carbs = energy.
2. Protein – Strength training exercises, like weight-lifting, create small tears in our muscle fibres. When you rest your body repairs those micro-tears, building up your muscles bigger and stronger than they were before—and it needs protein to do so. That doesn't mean you want to devour a huge burger before a workout. Go for sources of protein that are easily digestible, and don't eat too much, so you don't get an upset stomach halfway through.
3. Acetylcholine and high dopamine – Every state of mind and emotion is mirrored by a chemical. During most training sessions focus and drive are the name of the game, which means you want high acetylcholine and dopamine levels. The best foods to achieve this are red meat and nuts.
4. Fats – The amount of fat you choose to consume before you exercise is dependent on when you're eating and your type of workout. Fat takes longer to digest than carbs and protein, so provides a longer stream of energy. If you're eating a pre-workout meal at least two hours before, you'll likely want to include some source of fat. That's also the case if you'll be exercising at a moderate-to-low intensity for an extended period of time (walking, hiking, biking for one to three hours).
5. Digestion – Whatever you eat before a workout, you need to give your body enough time to digest it. The ideal time is between 30 minutes to three hours before your workout. That way you're not still digesting when you hit the gym floor, but you haven't gone and used up all those helpful calories yet.
6. Hydration – Obviously, your body should be hydrated all of the time, but it's particularly important to make sure you're hydrated before and during exercise. A good place to start is drinking about two cups of water two or three hours before exercise and one cup of water 10 to 20 minutes before working out. The goal here is to minimise dehydration – which can cause low energy and muscle cramps – without drinking too much.


Screen UV Coater RGW-6090X-UV Features: Material thickness: Less than 20 mm, Total Power: 3.8kw, Screen frame size: 900 x 1200 mm, Max. printing speed: Up to 1000 sph, Max. Printing size: 600 x 900mm, Automatic ejecting mechanical arm, Air pressure required: 8kg/cm2.
Screen UV Coater RJB-1020 Features: Paper thickness: 120-350 gsm, Dimensions: 11200 x 2350 x 1320 mm, Margin < 13 mm, Speed: 1,000 - 3,000 sheets per hour, Weight 7.6t, Max. Paper size 1040 x 740mm, Screen frame size: 1280 x 1140mm, Max. Printing size: 1020 x 720mm, Total Power: 48.00kw, UV lamp power: 9.75 kW x 3 lamps, IR lamp power: 1.5 kW x 4 lamps (optional).
Screen UV Coater RJB-780 Features: Margin < 13 mm, Dimensions: 10500 x 2020 x 1270 mm, Max. Printing size: 780 x 520mm, Weight 5.6t, Paper thickness: 90-350 gsm, Screen frame size: 940 x 940mm, IR Lamp power: 1.2 kW x 4 Lamps (optional), Max. Paper size 780 x 540mm, UV lamp power: 8 kW x 3 lamps, Speed: 1,000 - 3,300 sheets per hour, Total Power: 40.00kw.


CHICAGO, IL -- (MARKET WIRE) -- October 30, 2006 -- FeedBurner, the world's largest feed management provider, announced today that it is delivering RSS feeds for international media group Dennis Publishing. Dennis will also become part of FeedBurner's advertising network for strategic, targeted integration of ads into its feeds.
One of the world's leading independent publishers, Dennis Publishing has a portfolio of 17 vertical publications with a wide-reaching international circulation. Among its magazines serving the technology, lifestyle, motoring, and gaming audiences are Maxim, Men's Fitness, Computer Buyer, Poker Player and Auto Express. Each publication offers an online version with extensive downloadable print and video content, blogs and customizable feeds. Dennis Publishing is beginning its rollout of the FeedBurner service on its newly designed IT news/reviews web site, IT PRO, with other properties following soon.
"With the FeedBurner Ad Network, we can offer our advertisers the ultimate in market segmentation," said Barry Cronin, General Manager at Dennis Publishing. "Not only will our advertisers be able to deliver integrated, relevant advertising, but they will also be able to customize their campaigns by geography and demographic. This is a highly efficient use of marketing dollars, particularly for our advertisers with large international markets." Cronin added that the company's feed advertisers will have the ability to monitor their performance and activity metrics in real time using FeedBurner's advertising reporting platform.
Dennis Publishing is utilizing FeedFoundry, FeedBurner's commercial interface for managing feeds on an enterprise level and facilitating aggregation of statistics for analysis and reporting. In addition, Dennis will be using a custom version of FeedBurner's BrowserFriendly service, which provides feed subscribers with an easy-to-use HTML subscription page, customized with the Dennis look and feel. Finally, FeedBurner's FeedFlare service will give Dennis' subscribers the ability to share and respond to feeds, broadening the potential reach of each feed and promoting subscription growth.
"We see tremendous opportunity for commercial publishers deploying RSS feeds internationally," said Steve Olechowski, cofounder and chief operating officer at FeedBurner. "They will be able to grow, segment, and interact with their worldwide subscriber base to a degree that was completely unthinkable just a few years ago. We look forward to working with Dennis Publishing and its advertisers to deliver subscribers content and promotions that are pertinent, valuable, and engaging."
For more information about FeedBurner's leading feed management services, contact the company's Business Development team. To place advertising within premier content feeds across a variety of channels, contact the FeedBurner Advertising team.
Dennis Publishing is one of the world's leading independent publishers. Founded in 1974, the group consists of a number of operating companies in both the UK and USA.
About this company FeedBurner, Inc.


text:
Q: Laravel query select single column with multiple value matches Laravel query select single column with multiple value matches
$user = User::where('name', [
        'User1',
        'User2',
        'User3',
    ])->get();

A: You're looking for whereIn():
$user = User::whereIn('name', ['User1', 'User2', 'User3'])->get();

where() is used for single values, but whereIn() uses an array to match against the given column.
Check https://laravel.com/docs/5.8/queries#where-clauses for full details.

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When we draw we actualise fragments of our thought ,feeling and purpose.The ideal is to weave them in equal measure into a tapestry of meaning.
I would be interested to hear your comments on my work or any work that has meaning for you. I want conversations that take us into the realm of seeing images as indicators of our inner life.


text:
Archar Peninsula är en udde i Antarktis. Den ligger i Sydshetlandsöarna. Argentina, Chile och Storbritannien gör anspråk på området.

Terrängen inåt land är platt åt nordväst, men åt sydost är den kuperad. Havet är nära Archar Peninsula åt nordväst. Den högsta punkten i närheten är Crutch Peaks,  meter över havet,  kilometer öster om Archar Peninsula. Trakten är glest befolkad. Närmaste befolkade plats är Maldonado Station,  kilometer öster om Archar Peninsula.

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Halvöar på Sydshetlandsöarna
Storbritanniens anspråk i Antarktis
Chiles anspråk i Antarktis
Argentinas anspråk i Antarktis

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