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8 MYSTERIES OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE THAT NEED ANSWERS
|In Comics, ENTERTAINMENT, GEEK, MOVIES, MYSTERY
|By Catastrophic
With a movie series as large as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the occasional plot thread will get forgotten. The movies are all interconnected, so many times something will be introduced in one movie, and then resolved in a later movie starring a different character. There are a couple of mysteries, however, that it seems like Marvel has completely dropped. While we know we'll eventually find out the identity of Star Lord's father, we'll probably never get the answers to these questions. Maybe if we remind Marvel about some of the mysteries we're wondering about, they'll look to give us some answers…
Towards the end of Iron Man 2, Tony Stark meets with Nick Fury at a SHIELD outpost. In the background, there's a map that has certain areas marked as points of interest, including a spot in New Mexico for Thor, Wakanda in Africa for the Black Panther, and then a random spot in the middle of the ocean. This was a pretty obvious reference for Atlantis, the underwater kingdom ruled by Namor, the Sub-Mariner, and one of Marvel's oldest heroes. Unfortunately, Marvel hasn't announced any plans for a Namor appearance in any of their movies, and they might not even own the film rights to the character. So, it's never actually been revealed what Fury was looking at in that part of the ocean. There were so many other clues in that scene, and they've all panned out except for this one.
Lingering questions: Does Atlantis exist? Are there super powered fish? Is Nick Fury's impaired vision finally taking a toll on his road trip planning abilities?
RED SKULL'S FATE
Throughout Captain America: The First Avenger, the Red Skull uses the Tesseract to power his weapons. It's revealed to be a doorway to another world, and in the movie's climax, we get a glimpse of this. While he's fighting with Captain America, the Skull ends up touching the Cube with his bare hands. This releases the Cube's energy, opens the doorway, and sucks the Skull in. He's never been heard from again. We know fromThor that the doorway actually opened up to the World Tree, which connects each of the nine realms. Loki also gets sucked into the World Tree, and he survives.
Lingering questions: So where was the Skull transported to? We know from The Avengers that the Chitauri were waiting on the other end of the Cube's portal. Is Red Skull a prisoner of the Chitauri? Is he working with them? Did he finally get that painful skin condition fixed?
At one point, Marvel seemed like it was trying to pretend that The Incredible Hulk doesn't exist. They recast Bruce Banner and only make minor references to some event occurring in Harlem. However, William Hurt reprises his role as General Ross for Captain America: Civil War, so the studio is finally acknowledging the film's existence. Which is good, because we need to find out what's happening with Samuel Sterns, also known as the Leader. He was last scene being knocked aside by the Abomination and getting gamma-irradiated blood samples spilled on him. His head started to swell, and he began to smile maniacally. Now that the Hulk's popularity has grown, it's time to find out what his arch enemy is up to.
Lingering questions: Did Sterns go on to become a super villain? Did he continue to experiment with gamma mutations? Did his insurance cover the injuries sustained from a gamma monster that he helped create? How much does gamma insurance cost, anyway?
THE MANDARIN
The trailers for Iron Man 3 tricked fans into thinking that the Mandarin was finally making his Marvel cinematic debut. Instead all we got was a character pretending to be the Mandarin. For a while, it seemed like this was the best we were going to get, but then Marvel released an in-continuity short film titled All Hail the King. It detailed the imposter's life in prison, but ended with the surprising reveal that there is a real Mandarin out there and he's very unhappy with the fake out. Since then, this plot thread has been left dangling. Marvel created this short specifically to say that this character really is out there, and since has done nothing with him.
Lingering questions: There are currently no more Iron Man movies slated to be made, so when will we find out the truth about this villain? Or did Marvel enjoy messing with fans during the Iron Man 3 promotion so much that they decided to keep it going?
THE VANKOS VS. THE STARKS
Marvel created a very elaborate backstory for Ivan Vanko in Iron Man 2. Then, the filmmakers decided to cut most of it, leaving audiences with only brief references. All we know for sure is that Ivan Vanko considered the Starks to be monsters. This is one of several hints that maybe Howard Stark isn't really that great of a guy. We know from Agent Carter that he develops dangerously powerful weapons and sometimes let them fall into the wrong hands. That show also takes place before the elder Vanko has his falling out with Stark. Nick Fury makes a brief reference to the incident, but he's also been known to lie to get people to do what he wants them to do.
Lingering questions: Whatever happened between Howard Stark and Anton Vanko was bad enough that it drove Ivan want to murder several people while trying to kill Tony. What exactly happened that forced Howard to have Anton deported? Did they disagree on the feasibility of developing electric energy whips?
ERIK SELVIG
What exactly happened to Erik Selvig between Thor and The Avengers? In the post-credit sequence in Thor, Nick Fury reveals the Cosmic Cube to Selvig. Loki is then shown in a reflection, and it's suggested that he's controlling Selvig. Loki doesn't actually take control of Selvig until the beginning of The Avengers, so what's going in that post-credit scene? In The Dark World, Selvig has gone crazy and ends up in an asylum. He isn't actually crazy though, and he's shown lecturing a group of inmates about the universe. He has a chalkboard that refers to things like the Nexus of All Realities, the Fault, and the 616 universe. Those are all important elements of the Marvel cosmos from the comics, and all refer to alternate realities.
Lingering questions: So how does Erik know all of this? Why was Loki watching this random person before he even began work on the Cube? Why is he running around naked at the beginning of Thor: The Dark World? Seriously, how is being naked going to help him stop the upcoming cosmic eclipse?
Speaking of the Nexus of all Realities, what's the deal with Man-Thing? In the comics, Man-Thing is a former scientist who's accidentally exposed to a combination of chemicals and magical elements to become a human-plant hybrid. He is the guardian of the Nexus of All Realities, a place where all realities intersect. Aside from the chalkboard reference in The Dark World, Man-Thing is name dropped in an Agents of Shieldepisode. In fact, SHIELD is monitoring him in some capacity.
Lingering questions: What is the cinematic version Nexus of all Realities? Is it being guarded by a giant plant-man? And why couldn't anyone come up with a better name than "Man-Thing"?
TONY'S CAPTAIN AMERICA SHIELD
In Iron Man 2, Agent Coulson discovers Captain America's shield in Tony's workshop. He looks at it confused and asks how Tony got it. Tony ignores the question and the movie moves on. When Cap is discovered in the arctic, however, he's found with his shield. So, Tony has a different Captain America shield. It can also be seen briefly in the first Iron Man, also sitting in Tony's workshop. We know that Tony's dad told him about Cap, so it would make sense for Tony to have memorabilia laying around. That doesn't explain the missing pieces in it, however. Why would Tony have an incomplete shield? There are two possibilities. Either Tony has the shield and is stripping it for parts, or he was slowly putting a new shield together. Both would make sense since it's made out of vibranium, an extremely rare metal.
Lingering questions: So, why is there a second Captain America shield in Tony's house? If Coulson is such a big Captain America fanatic, why doesn't he question Tony any further on this? Is Tony trying to make a new Captain America before becoming Iron Man? Or did he buy a replica shield from the Internet after a night of too many martinis?
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The Whitsunday Islands as they are today have been many years in the making. Beginning millions of years ago as the product of erupting volcanoes and enduring many millennia of changes, today it consists of 74 tropical islands that include Hamilton Island, Hayman Island and Daydream Island.
While the islands themselves have stood the test of time, tourism in the Whitsundays wasn't born until the 1920s. During this time, boats from the mainland began taking visitors for day trips to some of the settled islands, of which were being used for farming. Huts began to appear on some of the islands as well, that were used as a basis for such trips. As more huts were built and more people were drawn to the area, so started a booming industry as tourism in the Whitsundays was born.
As the industry grew, so did the possibilities. People began to see real opportunity in investing in the tourism sector that was slowing growing. Day trips soon turned to overnight trips as people began to spend more time on the islands. Lindeman Island was among the first to offer overnight trips in the Whitsundays, encouraging day trippers to stay on shore overnight as they explored the reefs and islands. Eventually Daydream Island, Long Island, Hamilton Island, the Molle Islands, Grassy Island and Hayman Island did the same, with some resort islands making their permanent mark on the Whitsundays as they are today.
Airlie Beach, the main town in the Whitsundays, was founded in 1936 and eventually became the launch point of tourism. Growth was slow and it wasn't until the 1970s that the Whitsundays moved strongly towards tourism, encouraging people from all over the world to visit the island chain to witness the reefs, Whitehaven Beach and the islands for themselves. The 1980s saw the development of resort islands, such as the now famous Hamilton Island, which is still well established today.
The Whitsundays are now home to hundreds of tours, a variety of accommodation, island resorts, Outer Reef trips, aerial tours and more. They host up to 500,000 visitors annually who come from all over the world to see all the wonders of the Whitsundays, including top bucket list items like the Great Barrier Reef and Whitehaven Beach, staying in the towns of Airlie Beach, Cannonvale or Shute Harbour. Seventy percent of the region is national park, preserving its natural beauty, prolonging its life for future visitors and the longevity of tourism in the Whitsundays.


Welcome to Mrs. Aldwinckle who is now working in Legend class as Mrs. Bromley gave birth to baby Ethan on 23rd December.
We have had an exciting and successful term, developing our understanding of multiplying, dividing and working with fractions. We are able to calculate the area of many different shapes. In English, we used the Pixar film, the Blue Umbrella, as a model for our own stories, using a variety of sentence structures and exciting vocabulary. We are currently reading Sky Song by Abi Elphinstone, which the children are all thoroughly enjoying.
A highlight was this week's bread-making, with all the children creating delicious, and in some cases, colourful culinary delights!
Thank you for all your support in helping your children in both their times tables, reading and spelling. We have been very impressed by the progress made.
We hope you all have a wonderful half term, we are very much looking forward to hearing the children's poems next term.


020: *  the final result x/a does not overflow or underflow.
026: *          The number of components of the vector x.
029: *          The scalar a which is used to divide each component of x.
030: *          SA must be >= 0, or the subroutine will divide by zero.
034: *          The n-element vector x.
037: *          The increment between successive values of the vector SX.
042: *     .. Parameters ..
046: *     .. Local Scalars ..
050: *     .. External Functions ..
054: *     .. External Subroutines ..
057: *     .. Intrinsic Functions ..
060: *     .. Executable Statements ..
073: *     Initialize the denominator to SA and the numerator to 1.
083: *        Pre-multiply X by SMLNUM if CDEN is large compared to CNUM.
090: *        Pre-multiply X by BIGNUM if CDEN is small compared to CNUM.
097: *        Multiply X by CNUM / CDEN and return.


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Witness the catastrophe caused by oil spills in the Niger Delta of Nigeria
Overview of the oil spills that have plagued the Niger delta of Nigeria.
Contunico © ZDF Enterprises GmbH, Mainz
Article media libraries that feature this video: Niger Delta, Nigeria, oil spill
NARRATOR: It looks like the backdrop to a Hollywood film - decaying forests, dark plumes of smoke and flames everywhere. But this isn't fiction. Oil spills have been ravishing the Niger Delta for decades now due to decrepit pipelines and sabotage.
CELESTINE AKPOBARI: Here used to be mangroves with thick forests, like things like crops, [INAUDIBLE] but for now, it's no more.
NARRATOR: The water stinks of gasoline. Hundreds of square kilometers have been contaminated. Around 6,000 kilometers of oil pipelines run through the Niger Delta and the vast majority of them are antiquated. Hundreds of old wellheads litter the marshlands. Their operators have abandoned them and left them here to rot. Activists call this the world's worst oil catastrophe.
AKPOBARI: "Where you have old wellheads that have not been changed, at times, because of pressure, it will just bust and poor out oil and it is from here that the boys scoop."
NARRATOR: These so-called boys run illegal small-scale refineries. It is a business that many parties profit from.
DUMADI BARIBOR: "We give the river police bribe money and they let us go about our work in peace."
NARRATOR: It is extremely dangerous work that causes massive air, ground and water pollution. They use water to cool down their ad-hoc machinery so it doesn't overheat and explode. Nonetheless, accidents are common occurrences here. Last year six men died in a wellhead explosion here. Despite the risks, there are hundreds of illegal refineries in the Niger Delta. The oil that is illegally bunkered and is refined into gasoline, kerosene and diesel, fuels that are then traded illicitly on the black market. Each barrel brings in $150, most of which is used for police bribes. They themselves keep $20 from each barrel. Dangerous work for little return, but it provides them with a livelihood. This system has been in place for decades. An end to this catastrophe is not currently in sight.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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La Jolla committee proposes rule changes for remodels and basements
La Jolla Development Permit Review Committee trustees and others meet online Feb. 8.
Feb. 14, 2022 3 PM PT
After years of La Jolla planning groups lamenting abuses of the "50 percent rule," the La Jolla Development Permit Review Committee has an idea for how to stop the proliferation of oversize houses.
The board regularly recommends changes to the city of San Diego's land development code for consideration when the code is reviewed annually.
The 50 percent rule exempts a redevelopment project from needing a costly and time-consuming coastal development permit if it retains 50 percent of the original walls and thus is classified as a "remodel." In an effort to deter abuses of that rule, the DPR is proposing a "50/50 rule."
Under the proposed change, "a remodel cannot increase the livable floor area ratio [or FAR, the size of a structure in relation to its lot] by more than 50 percent, and you can only do such a remodel once every five years. And you still have to keep 50 percent of the original walls," said DPR trustee Greg Jackson.
The board voted unanimously Feb. 8 to submit the proposal to the city.
La Jolla groups have been grappling for years with how to keep developers from abusing the 50 percent rule, often by tearing a structure down to the wall studs — and asserting that is abiding by the rule — and then building a large house in its place.
In 2015, a La Jolla Community Planning Association ad-hoc committee formed to address "mansionization" in La Jolla and draft possible new guidelines for developers in place of the 50 percent rule.
Despite multiple meetings and hearings over the following two years and a formal proposal, no alternative held sway with the city.
Since then, committees like DPR have drafted revisions and replacements for the 50 percent rule. The latest proposal will be submitted as part of the 2022 land development code update.
The board also drafted new guidelines on basements as part of its 2022 recommendations. But that was the subject of some debate.
"The current rule is that you only count [in the FAR] the part of the basement that is above ground, but basements that could be used as space should be counted by some percentage because it is underground," Jackson said.
One suggestion was to count 50 percent of the basement's square footage in the home's overall square footage.
"We don't see them, but they trigger the volume of what's above it," said trustee Angeles Leira, who advocated for the proposed change. "To me, that is the issue. Additionally, there have been cases where basements have taken on water, and that creates a problem for the street."
Trustee Mike Costello disagreed, saying, "Basements are a painless way to add square footage that no one actually sees." He added that a geotechnical report would identify any basements that are inappropriate for a certain area.
The board voted to recommend that a geotechnical report be required for projects with basements.
"This trend [of integrating large basements into home-build designs] is occurring mostly in the luxury property market, specifically on beachfront and hillside lots in the coastal zone," the proposal states. "Unfortunately, many of these lots also have questionable soil, drainage and geological stability. Although project review may assess geotechnical suitability of proposed construction within the subject property lines, cumulative impact analysis of excessive soil exportation and shoring close to property lines on a neighborhood scale isn't addressed."
The board decided, however, not to recommend that basements be counted in a property's overall FAR. ◆


I like being in control. Or at least thinking I'm in control. Yet the older I get, the less control I have over my world, much less yours. I don't relish feeling tethered by circumstances beyond my control.
Yet she still touches us with grace-filled lyrics such as these. Here's one of her most-loved songs, unedited.
Today, six months into this year, I'm tempted to despair. I struggle with discouragement about national and international issues. I don't know what I can do, or who I'm to be in the midst of growing chaos gone crazy. The options seem tightly restrictive.
Happily, these lyrics don't lull me into spiritual make-believe land, as though I could escape all this. Instead, they invite me to keep an open mind and heart, stay engaged, and loosen my hold on that tether I think is binding me.
After all, Flint's lyrics are about receiving, not about giving.
I've lived most of my adult life as a giver. Though it's exhausting, I confess some addiction to it. Especially now that I'm not able to feed the giving habit as regularly as I might like.
Perhaps I've reached the end of my giving tether, and need to cut it loose. Annie Flint would likely agree. In fact, when her options became severaly limited, she picked up her pen and began writing her life in poetry. Not primarily for us, but for herself.
How selfish? No, how wise. I can't think of a better way to receive gifts than to unwrap, admire, and use them.
Rings true, sadly. Thanks for the link. I'll be over to read your first installment tomorrow!
The lyrics to this song came back to me in prayer yesterday. Such beautiful truth!
I sincerely enjoy and look forward to reading your posts.
you said it all so perfectly right here:I can't think of a better way to receive gifts than to unwrap, admire, and use them. It's like saving the fine china and pretty candles for a special day….that sometimes never comes and we waste the beautiful things around us for fear of losing the perfectness that we have attached to their worth. Share, smile, spread joy and watch the ripples move outward…and when they hit the other side, head back again 🙂 peace and love lady E and Super L ❤ love the lyrics too by the way, gave me a peaceful happy feeling.


Clinton Golding is one of the cofounders of the NZ Philosophy for Children Association and past coordinator. He has worked in gifted education in Auckland, Wellington and Melbourne, and has been philosopher in residence in schools, as well as thinking coordinator and head of thinking.
them to come along too.


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Citizenship in the United Kingdom – How to Apply for British Citizenship
By Writer On Aug 17, 2022
Do you want to know how to get British citizenship? You are not alone; more than 3 million non-British citizens reside in the UK, and many of them desire to acquire full British citizenship, with the associated rights and obligations. Here is everything you need to know about becoming a British citizen, from application requirements to how to receive your passport, even though the procedure may initially appear intimidating.
Before you can formally refer to yourself as one of Her Majesty's Most Loyal Subjects, there are a number of requirements you must follow. In terms of jobs, education, and culture, the UK has a lot to offer. The ability to vote in elections and referendums, as well as the ability to apply for British passports and other documents that may make it easier for you to travel the world, are just a few of the numerous advantages of becoming a citizen of the United Kingdom.
The United Kingdom is a lively and diversified country that is well-known for its contributions to culture and willingness to adapt to changing circumstances. Thus, obtaining British citizenship has become much simpler in recent years. As a result, as of 2017, there has been a rise in naturalized citizens every year since 2012. You've come to the perfect place if you're thinking about becoming British and want to know what you need to do to realize your goal! This article provides a comprehensive overview of the citizenship process so you can get started right away.
What is British Citizenship?
British citizenship confers certain obligations, obligations, protections, and benefits on its holders in the United Kingdom. You are permitted to live, work, and study in the UK for as long as you are a British citizen. You can apply for a passport and have access to public funds. Furthermore, you are permitted to leave the nation for as long as you like without worrying about jeopardizing your status.
There's a strong probability that British citizenship has entered your thoughts if you've been a long-term foreign resident in the UK. Like other nations, becoming a citizen of the UK requires some effort and money, but there are rewards like full political rights and the opportunity to obtain a British passport.
The process of becoming a British citizen has, however, gotten more difficult recently. The Life in the UK test, which grew more difficult in 2014, is now required of applicants. Over the past ten years or more, citizenship fees have also increased significantly. Recent data indicates that 39% of ex-pats residing in the UK are British nationals. Over 75% of people who have lived in the UK for more than 10 years are foreign-born, according to this statistic. The number of British citizenship awards fell from a peak of 208,095 in 2013 to 130,568 in 2020.
You must have had Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), EEA Permanent Residence, or EU Settled Status for at least three years in order to be qualified. You must have always followed the law, including any infractions involving immigration.
How to Become a British Citizen
Following are the main routes to UK citizenship:
Birth in the United Kingdom, if at least one parent is a British citizen or long-term resident
Descent, if you were born abroad to a British citizen
Naturalization, if you are a long-term UK resident. This is the route we will be focusing on.
Registration, if you are a national of a certain foreign country
Then, adoption
British Citizenship by Naturalization
A non-citizen of a country may obtain citizenship or nationality of that country through the legal act or procedure of naturalization. The requirements for naturalization vary from nation to nation, but they typically include swearing allegiance to and upholding the laws of that nation, taking and adhering to an oath of allegiance, and possibly meeting other criteria like a minimum period of legal residency and sufficient familiarity with the dominant language or culture of that nation.
After five years of residence in the UK, provided that this time period includes at least 12 months of either indefinite leave or EU-settled status, you may seek citizenship by naturalization. You must also adhere to the other additional conditions, though. The entire naturalization process can be difficult and complicated, but it will be much simpler for you to apply if you are aware of the prerequisites and how the application procedure works.
Furthermore, one of the most popular ways for people who were not born in the UK to become British citizens is through naturalization. As we previously mentioned, naturalization is not the sole route to British citizenship. However, the alternative routes we described are typically only open to those with ties to the United Kingdom (either they were born in the UK or they had a parent with British citizenship).
Moreover, to become a British citizen by naturalization, you must also meet the following requirements:
Proof of sufficient knowledge of English, Welsh, or Scottish Gaelic
Pass the Life in the UK test
Be of good character. Have no serious criminal convictions
Spent no more than 450 days outside the UK in the last five years and no more than 90 days abroad in the last year
Have UK permanent residence (for EEA nationals) or been granted indefinite leave to stay in the UK (you must have had this for at least 1 year)
How to Apply for British Citizenship Through Naturalization
Here are steps to follow to complete the naturalization process:
Prepare your application for British citizenship:
There are 3 ways to prepare your application for naturalization:
Yourself, using an online form; or
Through the post using this application form
Through a registered agent or representative
Complete biometrics:
Furthermore, as a part of the application process, you're required to provide biometric information at a cost of £19.20.
Submit your application:
Once your application form for naturalization is complete, you will need to send it along with the fee and supporting documents to the United Kingdom Visas and Immigration. You will need to pay £1,330 (or £1,012 for children aged under 18). Plus £80 citizenship ceremony fees (if an adult) and biometric data costs (just under £20).
Wait for a decision
This can take up to 6 months or longer for a decision to be made on your application. You will be contacted by UK Visas and Immigration once a decision is made.
Attend a Citizenship Ceremony and officially become a British citizen
If your application is approved, you will be invited to attend a Citizenship Ceremony. During the ceremony, you will take an Oath of Allegiance to the United Kingdom, pledging to respect the rights, freedoms, and laws. Then, you will receive your Certificate of British Citizenship.
Everything You Need to Know About the United States Citizenship, Explained
How to Obtain Canadian Citizenship
What You Need to Know About Applying for German Citizenship
Additionally, if you have lived in the UK for at least three years and are married to a British citizen. You are eligible to apply for fast-track naturalization. Additionally, neither the settling term nor the 12-month indefinite leave is required. The same additional requirements that apply to standard naturalization applications must be met. Such as passing the Life in the UK test. You will be able to apply for a British passport after you are a citizen of the UK. You have two options for applying for a UK passport: online or at your neighborhood post office.
In conclusion, dual citizenship is permitted in the United Kingdom. As a result, you are able to acquire dual citizenship and obtain UK citizenship without giving up your citizenship in your home country. That is all we have to say about obtaining British citizenship. For more comprehensive information about the UK citizenship program, visit the official website.


text:
Группа армий «Африка» (, ) — армейское соединение итало-немецких войск во время Второй мировой войны.

Была создана 22 февраля 1943 года на основе штаба и частей Немецко-итальянской танковой армии (переименованной в 1-ю итальянскую армию, в составе одного немецкого и двух итальянских корпусов) и 5-й танковой армии (три немецкие дивизии).

13 мая 1943 года группа армий «Африка» капитулировала в Тунисе.

Состав
 1-я итальянская армия
 Африканский корпус (немецкий)
 20-й моторизованный корпус (итальянский)
 21-й армейский корпус (итальянский)

 5-я танковая армия
 10-я танковая дивизия
 Дивизия «Герман Геринг»
 334-я пехотная дивизия

Командующие
 С 22 февраля 1943 — генерал-фельдмаршал Эрвин Роммель
 С 10 марта 1943 — генерал-полковник Ханс-Юрген фон Арним (13 мая 1943 — взят в британский плен группой армий маршала Монтгомери)

Начальники штаба
 С 22 февраля 1943 — полковник Фриц Байерлайн
 С 1 марта 1943 — генерал-майор (с 1 апреля 1943 — генерал-лейтенант) Альфред Гаузе

См. также
 Танковая армия «Африка»
 Североафриканская кампания
 Список командующих германскими группами армий в ходе Второй мировой войны

Литература
 Georg Tessin. Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939—1945, Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 1976. ISBN 3-7648-1083-1

Немецкие группы армий во Второй мировой войне
Итальянские группы армий во Второй мировой войне
Вторая мировая война в Африке
Воинские части и формирования, созданные в 1943 году
Воинские части и формирования, расформированные в 1943 году

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Gracy Olmstead
How to Bring Farming to the City
By Gracy Olmstead • August 28, 2014, 6:00 AM
pixbox 77 / Shutterstock
Urban farming is a growing industry—one that can both frighten and fascinate the American populace. Its techniques and style seem almost reminiscent of a dystopian novel: produce can be grown via methods that cut out the need for soil and eliminate the need for seasons. However, while such techniques may seem unpalatable to those of us who prefer more seasonal and natural methods, they may be needful for the future of agriculture in urban areas. As Flavie Halais wrote Friday for CityLab, "With nine billion people worldwide to feed by 2050, and close to 70 percent of them residing in cities, bringing food production into dense urban areas had long been seen as a logical step toward sustainable living…" Halais introduces one farm that is striving to do that, with considerable success:
The urban farming industry, still in its infancy, is struggling to address the engineering challenges that make growing food in cities a costly business. Sales and distribution have also proven harder than almost anybody imagined. "What's been lacking," says Mohamed Hage of Montreal, "are players who will do it at a true commercial scale, with the right business model."
Hage is trying to fill exactly that gap with his company, Lufa Farms. … The 31,000 square-foot facility (2,900 square meters) uses hydroponics, a technique that uses water to deliver nutrients and therefore requires no soil. Lufa's methods exclude pesticides, herbicides or fungicides, and use biological pest control to get rid of harmful bugs. … In a cold-weather region with a growing season of four to six months, Lufa works year-round, growing enough tomatoes, eggplants, zucchinis, and lettuce to help feed 10,000 people in the Montreal area.
One question worth considering is whether this sort of urban farming will be beneficial to a wide populace, or whether it will be only useful to the elites. As Halais notes, "Eating food that's grown locally and sustainably is a fantastic and increasingly popular idea, but it's also expensive." A lot of this goes back to the cost of marketing and distribution, which is much more difficult for small local farms than it is for factory farms who ship their products to supermarkets.
One San Francisco-based company, Good Eggs, is trying to circumvent the supermarket by offering free home delivery to customers throughout the week, according to Halais. The company also plans to begin accepting food stamps, so that low-income families can better afford their foods. (Many farmers' markets are also beginning to accept food stamps, and are working to create cookbooks and resources for poor families who have never shopped at an outdoor market before). Hopefully, with time, these farms will innovate in ways that open up their products to a broader, more diverse audience.
There could also be some concern that commercial farms like Lufa could eventually head down the path other large-scale farms have followed: factory farming in a way that is detrimental to land, animal, and consumer. At this point, Lufa's methods seem sustainable and careful, and the company has done well to partner with other local food marketers to provide customers with various local products, "from fresh bread to dairy, to herbs, honey, and dry beans." This creates the sort of community that fosters mutual accountability and rapport, and will hopefully help prevent agricultural abuse in the future.
It remains to be seen whether these new farming methods will be successful, and what sort of following they will build. Because urban homesteading presents a more natural and localized model, it seems a more preferable method to bring agriculture to the cities. However, it will never be able to produce the bulk of food necessary to feed a burgeoning population. We do need to find ways to bring commercial agriculture to the city, both for the good of urban dwellers, and for the good of the land and landscape. Ventures like Lufa and Good Eggs will need a local face, community accountability, and a proper sense of scale in order to really foster a healthy urban farming environment. This may be one of the biggest challenges in bringing agriculture to the city, and it will be interesting to see how these companies build and progress in the future.
Follow @gracyolmstead
Tagged urban farming, urban homesteading, Lufa Farms, Good Eggs, Flavie Halais.
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6 Responses to How to Bring Farming to the City
AGD says:
Interesting piece. I wonder why urbanization itself isn't more roundly critiqued by TAC. It may be a fact but it is an undesirable (and reversable) one.
Sands says:
Fans of this idea need to study the economics of land use. There is a reason that agriculture has always been done on the cheapest rural land. Land in the city is the most expensive.
Stephen A says:
Though certainly a promising and encouraging trend, urban farming highlights the ambiguity and tensions of farming today. That is, it is easy and necessary to think about the efficient output, scalability, and market factors when farming especially in an urban setting. Yet, I wonder about the larger moral ecology of stewardship, care, and neighborliness that traditional/non-industrialized farming engenders. To farm as those at Lufa Farms does is to largely operate in the same mindset as industrial farming but is just more eco-friendly. Notions of husbandry and fidelity, characteristics of good farming don't seem to be prized. Instead profit and technological innovation operate as the primary nomenclature. Again, I understand the constraints of limited space, competitive markets, and the need to just feed people. I do think urban farming is good thing. Yet I wonder how this trend will affect the way people view farming and land use in general. Will it be seen as another business opportunity in need of technological answers and capital inputs or a vocation that though recognizes business needs is underscored by a social imaginary of communal flourishing and common good? My guess is probably a combination of both.
William R says:
The amazing Gotham Greens on the roof of the Brooklyn Whole Foods
http://www.cityfarmer.info/2014/07/29/how-rooftop-farms-yield-20-times-more-produce-than-traditional-farms/
@AGD: For that matter, why isn't TAC more supportive of birth control and concerned about overpopulation?
We were barely able as a species to feed a population of 1 billion people, when 70% or more of the world's population were farmers. Urban agriculture alone isn't going to solve the problems of overpopulation, because high-density urban agriculture is unbelievably expensive (start with the cost of urban land, since a city with a robust economy is going to also have very high land prices.)
Further, no matter how you stretch it, 7-9 billion people are essentially eating converted petroleum. It's as simple as that. And while the petroleum might not run out as soon as people thought in the 1970s, sooner or later it *is* going to run out. No petroleum; no food for a grossly overpopulated world.
Bill Jones says:
William R
But, but, but I was told by the liberals that rooftops were for solar!


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RISING COVID CASES CAUSE AN INCREASE IN VOLATILITY AS MARKETS REASSESS THE CASE FOR GROWTH
RISING COVID CASES CAUSE AN INCREASE...
This week saw markets decide that rising coronavirus infections were a real concern. On Monday many global equity markets fell 2 per cent or more, with government bond yields falling to levels last seen in early February. However, some good earnings updates made these concerns short-lived. Notably bond yields have been slower to recover, which suggests lingering nervousness about the longevity of the current recovery.
Rapidly rising infections continue to cause severe problems, even in countries with successful vaccination programmes. As the UK is demonstrating, even if the link between infection and serious illness has substantially weakened the huge numbers off work is highly disruptive. Elsewhere, the UK government has decided that the Covid crisis is not sufficiently taxing and has decided to reopen hostilities with the EU by threatening to suspend the new rules for trade with Northern Ireland. Despite the government's intentions, both problems appear to be complicated, impossible to win and will do more damage the longer they go on.
GLOBAL: RISING COVID INFECTIONS SPARK MARKET VOLATILITY
The rapid rise of coronavirus cases around the world caused a sharp sell-off in global equity markets at the start of the week. UK, European and Japanese stock all fell more than 2 per cent as the rise in cases in unvaccinated countries, as well as the rapid rise in many countries with established vaccination programmes, such as the UK and US, raised concerns about the strength of economic growth. The sell-off was accompanied by a rally in government bonds with the yields on 10-year UK gilts dropping to their lowest level since February this year.
Stock markets have generally recovered quickly, helped by a succession of strong earnings reports, and many global indices are back to where they began the week. As well as the rapid changes in markets, this week has seen a noticeable reversal of the trends seen for much of this year. Growth stocks, such as large tech companies, have strongly outperformed and led the recovery, while value and cyclical stocks have struggled.
EUROPE: ECB STICKS WITH MARKET SUPPORT TO HIT INFLATION TARGET
The European Central Bank held interest rates at their record low and committed to keeping its asset purchase programme at its higher level of €20 billion a month. The low rates and strong bond-buying programme is targeted to push the Eurozone inflation out of its persistently low range in recent years and reach the new interest rate target of 2 per cent.
June saw inflation in the Eurozone drop to 1.9 per cent from 2 per cent in May in contrast to rising levels in areas such as the UK and the US. To counter the downward trend the ECB has committed to run the asset purchase programme for as long as needed to push inflation back to its target, even if that results in inflation going above the 2 per cent target in the short term. With no sign of an end to the ECB's bond buying, European government bonds continued their recent rally and yields on German, Italian and French government bonds all fell on the announcement.
UK: 'PINGDEMIC' RISKS UNDERMINING ECONOMIC GROWTH
The week started with the removal of most remaining coronavirus restrictions in England. 'Freedom day' was intended to mark the return to life pre-pandemic and assist economic recovery. However, there has been a surge in new infections and a record number of people have been told to self-isolate after being contacted by the NHS Test and Trace service. The knock-on effect has led to reports of shortages at supermarkets and shifts being cancelled at manufacturing plants due to shortages of available staff.
The disruption caused by staff shortages has led to a deterioration in expected economic activity. The monthly Purchasing Managers Index shows business confidence remains positive but has dropped sharply since last month. In contrast, the PMI reading for the EU remains at record high levels. The rise in infections and the number of people isolating has also been accompanied by a slowdown in retail sales, with the latest data from the Bank of England showing that spending on debit and credit cards remains around 5 per cent below pre-pandemic levels.


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As More Women Opt Out of the Workforce, Here's What We Know About How That Could Affect Their Social Security Benefits
By Lorie Konish, CNBC	• Published July 30, 2021 • Updated on August 3, 2021 at 2:25 pm
Cavan Images | Cavan | Getty Images
Covid-19 prompted many women to opt out of the workforce due to family obligations.
Lower earnings could affect their Social Security retirement benefits.
Reform proposals that include caregiver credits could help.
Covid-19 prompted many women to leave the workforce.
That's because many women were forced to choose between working and taking care of their children and families amid a pandemic often opted for the latter.
The difference in earnings and career prospects can be seen immediately. And it could also have implications for women's retirement security.
Markets 7 mins ago
One consolation, according to a report from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, is that income from Social Security in retirement may help bridge the income gap between mothers and childless women.
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And changes to Social Security — particularly with regard to caregiver credits — could help even more.
How Social Security helps mothers
Childless women have median earnings of $3,850 per month. Meanwhile, women with children take in $1,409 per month — just 37% as much as their childless counterparts.
However, that income disparity narrows with Social Security benefits.
Childless women receive a median benefit of $1,301 per month, while mothers get $785 per month — 60% of what childless women receive, according to the Center for Retirement Research.
The program helps make up for the difference for mothers, who tend to earn less, in a couple of ways. For one, Social Security has a progressive benefit formula, which means benefits are more generous for lower earners.
In addition, women may qualify for spousal benefits provided they have been married for at least 10 years. That means they are entitled to one-half of a spouse's benefit, and were designed to help compensate stay-at-home wives who missed out on earnings.
However, fewer women are benefiting from spousal benefits, according to the research. The share of women collecting those benefits dropped to 18% in 2019, from 35% in 1960.
One reason is that women are earning more, and therefore claiming Social Security based on their own work records. Another is that as marriage rates decrease and divorce rates increase, fewer women are meeting the 10-year qualification.
How caregiver credits could increase benefits
The Center for Retirement Research report took a look at women over age 50. Yet these dynamics are not necessarily expected to change with younger generations.
"The literature still suggests that there's a motherhood earnings gap, and it really hasn't changed that much," despite women participating more in the workforce, including in management roles, said Matt Rutledge, research fellow at the Center for Retirement Research.
"It suggests that future generations probably won't see much of a different picture at least not yet," he said.
Moreover, childless women may be able to invest more money in 401(k)s and other retirement plans, which could widen their retirement income gap with mothers.
One way to help women, who tend to be more likely to take time out of the workforce to care for children or other people, would be to offer so-called caregiver credits.
That way, instead of taking the top 35 years of earnings to calculate a Social Security benefit, certain years where income is low or zero could be disregarded. The benefit calculation may be based on only the top 30 years, for example.
"By definition, we would end up giving people more money," Rutledge said.
Notably, President Joe Biden's campaign plans for Social Security reform included caregiver credits. A bill called the Social Security Caregiver Credit Act has also been proposed to address the issue.
That bill was reintroduced in May by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Reps. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., and Grace Meng, D-N.Y.
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Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and the Donetsk and Luhansk "people's republics" have issued parallel announcements today (September 4) about their mutual willingness to sign a ceasefire agreement tomorrow (September 5), subject to certain conditions that seem to be at hand. Russian President Vladimir Putin seems about to saddle Ukraine with the biggest of the "frozen conflicts" yet.
The Kremlin's political objectives regarding Ukraine have evolved and shifted repeatedly from February (protection of a friendly Kyiv regime, then seizure of Crimea) through April–July (Novorossiya project) to date, with several options under consideration at any given juncture (Ukraine's "federalization" being perhaps the most resilient among these options). Moscow's primary option at this point is a Ukrainian "Transnistria-in-Donbas," opening up further options, including Novorossiya, down the road.
Russia's direct military intervention in Ukraine's territory is forcing Poroshenko's hand. Russia, however, would not be a party to any ceasefire, since Russia does not admit to being a party to the conflict, let alone to waging a war against Ukraine. The Kremlin is, instead, moving its proxies into the position of parties to an armistice. This would give the "people's republics" a legitimate status in follow-up political negotiations and any subsequent agreements with Kyiv. The Kremlin would arbitrate the process, once started, and "guarantee" a settlement, if reached.
Putin's latest round of military escalation has pushed Ukraine into this corner. On August 24, Russian Army battalion tactical groups launched an offensive against Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces. Russian forces proved far superior in armor, firepower, logistics and training. Using paramilitary secessionists as mere auxiliaries, Russia's regular forces have routed Ukrainian troops within ten days. In their wake, the Donetsk and Luhansk "people's republics" have reclaimed significant territory that the Ukrainians had liberated during their own counter-offensive from late June through mid-August. The Ukrainian forces are now retreating with heavy losses in manpower and equipment (sprotiv.info, August 25–September 3).
The Ukrainian encirclement of Donetsk city and Luhansk city has been broken. The land corridor between the two "people's republics" has been restored. Additional portions of the Russia-Ukraine border have come under Russian and proxy control on both sides, enabling unrestricted cross-border movements of troops and supplies. The retreating Ukrainian forces intend to form a frontline for positional defense across the central parts of Donetsk and Luhansk provinces. Russian forces, however, have opened a new front in the south. Moving from Russia's Rostov oblast into Ukraine along the Azov Sea coast, they threaten to open a land corridor from Russia to the Russian-annexed Crimea (Ukrinform, August 25–September 3).
Russian President Vladimir Putin is now moving to exploit his battlefield successes politically. Rather than wait for Kyiv to sue for peace, Putin is offering a deal to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. The offer includes a heavily-conditioned ceasefire and subsequent political negotiations on Russian-defined terms. Putin is testing Poroshenko to see whether the Ukrainian president will go along.
On September 3, Putin made public a seven-point ceasefire plan (see accompanying article) and conferred with Poroshenko by telephone about a possible implementation process. According to the Ukrainian president's office, they "agreed in broad terms" about "steps to take that would facilitate a ceasefire." According to the Kremlin, "their views coincided to a significant extent" about "priority actions to stop the bloodshed as soon as possible" (president-gov.ua, kremlin.ru, September 3).
Those official announcements were initially misunderstood as signifying an actual ceasefire agreement; but the confusion was quickly cleared up in both Kyiv and Moscow. Their terms were yet to be finalized. Those announcements did not clarify which president had initiated the call. It seems to have been Putin, while overflying Siberia en route to Mongolia and calling Poroshenko at 5 a.m. Ukrainian time (Interfax, September 3).
Moscow has insisted all along that it cannot, by definition, become involved in ceasefire negotiations because it is not a party to this conflict (see above). Putin and Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov often said that Russia "has no right" to participate in ceasefire talks, that being a "right" of the two "people's republics"—i.e., their claim to see themselves legitimized. The Putin-Poroshenko telephone call dispelled that pretense, but no one seems prepared to hold Russia accountable.
Neither side has yet clearly defined the parties to a possible ceasefire agreement. That definition—whether Russia versus Ukraine, or local rebels versus the Ukrainian government—would pre-determine the course of any subsequent negotiations. The Kremlin characterizes this conflict as internal to Ukraine, casting Russia as a mediator. For Ukraine to paper this over (as in the September 3 announcements), or to go forward in ambiguity on this issue, would amount to conceding defeat in advance.
Clearly, Putin wants an agreement to be signed by Kyiv with the two "people's republics" in the framework of the easily managed "Contact Group"—Russia, Ukraine, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the Donetsk-Luhansk "republics". The Contact Group's meeting is scheduled to be held in Minsk on September 5.
5. release of Ukraine's citizens detained illegally in Russia (president-gov.ua, Ukrinform, September 5).
Poroshenko called German Chancellor Angela Merkel on September 3, seeking her support for his proposals. The Ukrainian president hopes to combine his five points with Putin's seven-point plan (see accompanying article).
Putin's Ceasefire Plan Sets Traps for ..


What has 10,000 wheels and smells like eggs?
What has 10,000 wheels, smells like eggs and takes 10 days to hatch? Welcome to the Rotorua Bike Festival where everyone dines on a steady diet of laughter, cycling and loads of fun in the summer sun.


Thousands of men and women in Springfield are now choosing hormone implants as a means of balancing the level of hormones within their body. The hormone implant process is a leading alternative to taking hormones via pills or patches. And it's now becoming increasingly common, as health professionals disseminate the many advantages of this treatment strategy. In this post from Advanced Medical Weight Loss Center, we'll offer a complete overview of hormone implants and their benefits within the treatment process.
Hormone implants are small pellets inserted into a patient to provide them with a stable release of hormones. Hormone implants may include estrogen implants such as estradiol, or testosterone implants, and should be placed by a specialist in the healthcare field. The main advantage of implant pellets over a hormone patch is that the pellets allow for a steady and consistent release of hormones over time, assuring a long-term hormone balance for the patient.
What are the Leading Benefits of Hormone Implants?
Hormone implant treatment begins with the specialist putting the patient under a general anesthetic. The specialist will then make a small incision into the fatty, subcutaneous tissues of the hip or abdomen, and then insert the implant. The incision is then closed with a small bandage as the surgery is completed.
Who is the Ideal Hormone Implant Patient?
How Long Will Hormone Implants Last?
The vast majority of hormone implants offer effective, balanced release of hormones for up to one year. The treatment can then be repeated over many years to ensure the patient enjoys the many benefits the implants provide.
To learn more, contact our trusted team at Advanced Medical Weight Loss Center today for help.


Sorry about the delay, today. I was spending extra time on language development and I ended up having to update some small details in the fonts.
Weonk (Miga and Ilon's father) sardonically refers to the world as this ancient term for a limbo-like realm.
Though NAL (like most traditional Lore-based languages) lines are stacked from bottom to top, spoken NAL in the comic will be represented how we are familiar with English — top-to-bottom.
Miga (whose family is from the city of Matevet) changes his name to the comical "Migas Ne Matevet". His nick name Migas, the diminutive/affectionate form of the name Miga, is used with the Pærth Government's format for legal names "So-and-so of [fill in the city/village/road]", indicating the State has unwittingly legalized a familial pet name.


text:
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Clicking with Climate
Image Credit : University of California at Berkeley Human beings have two brains. The first is a self-centred workhorse of pragmatic decision-making, interested in social engagement in order to further individual interests – whether those interests are purely for personal enrichment or for the reward of the social group more widely.
The second human brain is a relativistic engine, constantly comparing, reflecting, analysing. We are concerned about other peoples' emotional response, wondering what other people think about us, responding to peer group pressure.
Are we more successful, popular than others ? Do people listen to us more than others ? We know we're right, but do they ? We need to pitch ourselves in the right way. We jostle for pole position, for a place on the platform, hoping not to make too many opponents, whilst making more converts to our point of view.
Personally, I don't listen to my second brain very often. As a social animal, I hope I'm tolerant, and my priorities in interpersonal engagement are mutual empowerment, transparent collaboration and inclusion. In my public projection, I'm not trying to vaunt myself over others, or massage my image for approval, or put up a fake facade. You get me, you get direct.
But I can't avoid the second human brain entirely – as it is the reason for a lot of fuzziness in our view of the world around us. It's too easy to stir doubt, falsehoods and bad ideas into the collective cake mix of society, where it fizzes into a bubbling mess. In matters of climate change science and energy engineering, there are no grey areas for me. But for a number of people I know, these are subjects of much confusion, denial and disinformation.
People hold on to the totem of what other people think. And so you have even very intelligent social commentators reciting from paid-for public relations by companies and business pressure groups. Journalists often do not appear to understand the difference between pseudo-science and real live science. There are too many people selling unrealistic, unworkable technological "solutions", particularly in energy, so it's hard to know what to accept and what to dismiss.
Yet it is critical to know what rock, what branch to keep a hold of in the flood of information that could sweep us away. The social construction of climate change is an important edifice, a safe house in an information world at war with itself. What high wind can sweep away the grubby pages of non-science from the Daily Mail ? What rising sea can cleanse the Daily Telegraph of its climate change denial columnists ? What can stop the so-called Global Warming Policy Foundation from infecting the Internet with their contrarian position ? What can make us accept the reality and urgency of global warming ? How can we learn to click with climate change ?
Three significant academic thinkers on the social significance of climate change are launching new works at the British Library in London, on 16th January 2012. The British Sociological Association have invited Mike Hulme, John Urry and Gordon Walker to discuss chapters from their recent books which address the question – where next for society and climate change ?
In the words of Chris Shaw at the University of Sussex, "they pull no punches in their analyses, and their approach is based on years of research into the social dimensions of the climate change debate. This is an essential opportunity for all those interested in bringing climate change into the democratic sphere, to help understand the issues involved in such a transition. It is also a chance to discuss the ideas with the authors and other delegates."
For more information, see here and here.
Posted on December 5, 2011 December 5, 2011 Author JoCategories Advertise Freely, Bad Science, Bait & Switch, Big Picture, Big Society, Climate Change, Climate Chaos, Conflict of Interest, Corporate Pressure, Dead End, Delay and Deny, Demoticratica, Direction of Travel, Disturbing Trends, Divide & Rule, Drive Train, Emissions Impossible, Energy Disenfranchisement, Energy Insecurity, Energy Nix, Energy Revival, Engineering Marvel, Evil Opposition, Fair Balance, Freemarketeering, Global Warming, Hide the Incline, Human Nurture, Incalculable Disaster, Landslide, Major Shift, Mass Propaganda, Media, Money Sings, Mudslide, No Pressure, Non-Science, Nudge & Budge, Paradigm Shapeshifter, Public Relations, Realistic Models, Science Rules, Scientific Fallacy, Social Capital, Social Change, Social Chaos, Social Democracy, Solution City, Sustainable Deferment, Technofix, Technological Fallacy, Technological Sideshow, The Data, The Myth of Innovation, The Power of Intention, The War on Error
3 thoughts on "Clicking with Climate"
Doug UK says:
You really are amazing Jo – not in a good way mind.
You profess to be a Christian yet call for a version of "democracy" that will:-
"What high wind can sweep away the grubby pages of non-science from the Daily Mail ? What rising sea can cleanse the Daily Telegraph of its climate change denial columnists ? What can stop the so-called Global Warming Policy Foundation from infecting the Internet with their contrarian position ? What can make us accept the reality and urgency of global warming ? How can we learn to click with climate change ?"
You miss the point – people have "clicked" with Climate Change – they have seen how people like you act as Spin Doctors for a version of the truth tenuous at best – a lie at its worst.
Democracy at its best ALLOWS for each to have their say, each to have a voice.
You should be ashamed.
Ron Mortimer says:
Doug, I think that you are being a bit hard on Jo. She is a true believer and will do whatever it takes, even at great personal cost to herself.
While these people can be a real pain sometimes, her only problem is that she is on the wrong side.
If Jo ever wised up and saw the AGW story for what it really is she would be a great asset to society. She is someone of principle, even if she goes a little far in some regards.
As for the rhetoric about banning other views, while that is deplorable, others have taken it much further and called for sceptics to be gaoled as a threat against society. Those latter types do worry me far more than Jo. Why? Because almost no one on this site agrees with her about the AGW story and she lets it all go through. Actions speak louder than words. if this site were like any proAGW site no critical(sceptical) comments would get through, at least without copping a serve on the way through. I just hope that one day she "clicks" and sees how the real powers are using the idealism of many like her for their own purposes. She thinks it's about nasty "big oil" whereas it is more likely about "big finance" wanting a carbon trade.
Jo has a highly developed social conscience(however that term may be understood) and her heart is in the right place, one day she may "click" and understand that the poor will be the ones to really cop the cost of this idiotic story. The idea of African or Indian farmers having to pay for carbon credits to Wall St bankers hasn't really "clicked" with her yet but if that thought ever sinks in I expect to see her do a 180 degree about face on the issue.
Here's hoping! Cheers Ron
I do agree Ron.
Jo is at least someone who allows those of us who question the dogma to actually engage!
For that she has my admiration and I endorse all that you say about Jo
And Jo – I do mean that.
What gets to me tho' is those that seem to be "on a mission" regularly seem to advocate manipulation of the democratic, free speech and "proper" scientific methodology because they "believe" that they are right and, presumably therefore, the end justifies the means.
And for that, they really should be ashamed, and that after a post like the one above, does include Jo. Like you, I hope that Jo looks at things in a more open, Christian way.
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; 1543–1604) – divine [vol. 17, p. 130]
The horizontal line represents the person's life.1543 - born1585 - "A Chronography"1576 - "The Ancient Ecclesiastical Histories of the first 600 years after Christ, originally written by Eusebius, Socrates, and Evagrius"1633 - "The Chronicle of Ireland, in two parts"1604 - died
Hanmer, Meredith
, an English divine of a very mixed character, was son to Thomas Hanmer of Porkington, in Shropshire, where he was born in 1543, though Fuller says he was born in Flintshire. He became chaplain of Corpus Christi college, Oxford, where he took a degree in arts in April 1567. He afterwards was presented to the living of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, during his holding of which his conduct was such as to bring great odium on him. Out of avarice he tore away the brass plates from the gravestones and monuments, and sold them; and he also appears by Fleetwood's Diary to have paid very little regard to his oath in a court of justice. In 1581 or 1582, betook his degrees in divinity, and in Nov. 4th, 1583, was presented to the vicarage of Islington, which he resigned in 1590. Two or three years afterwards he resigned Shoreditch, went to Ireland, and at length became treasurer to the church of the holy Trinity, in Dublin, which he kept until his death in 1604. Weever says he committed suicide; and there is still a tradition to this effect among the | inhabitants of Shoreditch parish. Whatever his errors, he was esteemed an exact disputant, and a good preacher; an excellent Greek scholar, and well versed in ecclesiastical and civil history. Besides some tracts against the Jesuits, he published "A Chronography," &c. Lond. 1585, folio, which Harris says was added to his translation of "The Ancient Ecclesiastical Histories of the first 600 years after Christ, originally written by Eusebius, Socrates, and Evagrius," 1576, folio, reprinted 1585. With this were printed the lives of the prophets and apostles, &c. by Dorotheus, bishop of Tyre; the Ephemeris of the Saints of Ireland; and "The Chronicle of Ireland, in two parts," the third part of which was published in 1633, at Dublin, fol. He published also, "A Sermon on the Baptising of a Turk," preached in the collegiate church of St. Katherine, 1586, 8vo. 1
Fuller's Worthies. -—Ath. Ox. vol. I. Ellis's Hist, of Shoreditch.
Hammond, James (1710–1742)
Hammond, Dr. Henry (1605–?)
Hampden, John, Esq. (1594–?)
Handel, George Frederic (1684–1714)
Hanckius, Martin (1633–1709)
Hanmer, Meredith (1543–1604)
Hanmer, Sir Thomas, Bart. (1676–1746)
Hanneken, Memnon (1595–1671)
Hanneman, John (1611–1680)
Hanvill, John
Jaaphar Ebn Thophail (1543–1604)


ATLANTA, GA - Admiral Capital Group and Elite Street Capital recently announced the successful sale of The Fields Peachtree Corners, a 490-unit multifamily property located in Norcross, Ga., in the Atlanta MSA. The asset was sold for $51.2 million, representing an increase of over 40% in value.
Admiral and Elite acquired the apartment community for $36.3 million in May 2016 through a joint venture. The investment provided an opportunity to purchase a well-located asset at a discount to replacement cost that provided a value housing alternative to the rapidly growing workforce in the fourth largest manufacturing and distribution center market in the United States.
During its ownership, the joint venture set out to improve the aesthetics and overall experience for the tenants. The partnership repositioned the property by curing deferred maintenance, enhancing the exteriors and upgrading unit interiors. Select improvements included fitness center, pool area and other amenity upgrades, replacement of wooden decks and landscaping improvements. Interior renovations included replacing countertops, modernizing kitchen cabinets, appliances and flooring and renovating bathrooms. Overall, the upgrades repositioned the property to compete with top quality assets with higher overall rents.
Admiral has acquired eight real estate assets to date in Atlanta and including this asset, and has five realizations. Nationally, Admiral has acquired over 12,400 multifamily units, 1.1 million square feet of office, 775,000 square feet of retail and 900 hotel keys. Admiral and Elite also purchased The Fields Peachtree Corners, formerly known as One Ashley Lakes, in June 2017.
Dan Phelan, a commercial real estate broker with Newmark Knight Frank, handled the Fields Peachtree Corners sale.


Based on a U.S. Homeland Security warning issued recently, we would like to notify you about the risk of the possible malfunction of some GPS receivers on April 6, 2019.
If the date and time of the system in a mobile terminal depend on GPS, the system will have a problem connecting with https protocols and all of the reports will have the wrong date.
It is not certain, and the report from the U.S. Homeland Security does not mention it, but if the GPS receiver has the wrong date, it might indicate an incorrect location, or no location at all.
We expect that the problem will not occur on high-end devices or the mass-produced phones and tablets, but we would still like to advise caution to everyone.
keep your IT staff at the ready for any eventual problems on the weekend of April 6, 2019 and verify if your systems behave properly.


Small tools are used everyday on our job sites: hilti-drills, circular saws, grinders, powder-actuated tools, small pneumatic tools, etc.
Select the proper tool and blade (abrasive disc, etc) for the application.
Inspect the tool before each use: look for damage, frayed power cords, sharpness/integrity of blade, and missing guards.
Set yourself up with the proper PPE, which may include: safety glasses, hearing protection, leather gloves, face shield, etc.
Set up your work area to support your work (vice/clamps/sawhorses, etc.).
Verify that the power supply is protected with a ground fault circuit interrupt.
Powder-actuated tools require that the user be certified.
Remove the power supply when changing blades, abrasive tooling, belts, etc.


text:
BCM Nominated as a Finalist in Digiday WorkLife Awards
Beeby Clark+Meyler (BCM) is excited to announce that we are a finalist for the Best Small Agency Most Dedicated to Employee Growth category in the first annual Digiday WorkLife Awards, presented by Digiday Careers.
The Digiday WorkLife Awards showcase the media and marketing world's best work environments as well as the values and cultural initiatives that make them unique.
The judging panel is comprised of HR and talent professionals, including Erika Kipreos, globalchief HR officer at Droga5; Cameron Cox, managing director of talent and culture at Atlantic Media; Susan Lee, vice president, head of people at Warby Parker; and JoAnn Kienzle, head of HR at Genius.
"The finalists for this year's Digiday WorkLife Awards are some of the top places to work because of their strong values and meaningful cultural initiatives," says Mike Madarasz, marketing director at Digiday Media. "For employers, it's about more than perks and benefits, and these companies get that."
BCM prides itself on providing a collaborative, enjoyable work environment and providing employees with opportunities for career and personal growth. We are thrilled to receive this honor and are looking forward to winners being announced later this year!


There's one surefire way to make your job shop more profitable this year – by becoming more efficient. Eliminating waste and getting more production out of your team is a guaranteed formula for increased profitability. Greater efficiency is easier said than done, though. That's especially true when you're juggling a wide range of customer demands and deadlines. How do you become more efficient when you're customizing jobs on every order? Can you be efficient when there's no standard product? The short answer is yes, you can. Here are three big tips that will help you achieve a greater level of efficiency and profitability.
Recognize the value of your labor.
Want to find the greatest single source of inefficiency in your job shop? You may need to look no further than all of your employees out on the floor. No, we don't mean that your team is a waste of money. However, it is possible that the way they spend their time is a waste of money.
How much time do your floor employees spend "looking for something"? Maybe it's a tool or a job template. Maybe it's a traveler for a specific job. While each employee may only spend a few minutes a day "looking around," the problem is that all that looking adds up. If you have a big shop, you may lose hours a day to employees looking around for tools, templates, and more.
There's a simple solution, but many shops resist it because it involves some upfront investment. Simply get rid of the tool bin in the middle of the shop. Instead, create tool stations that are specific to different work groups. Try to keep all tools within arm's reach or at least a couple steps of each worker.
Yes, this may require you to buy more tools. However, consider the cost of all that looking. Say your team averages pay of $20 per hour. Let's say that they collectively spend an hour a day walking around and looking for stuff. That's $20 per day you're losing. With 220 business days in a year, that's $4,400 in lost earnings. In that light, a one-time purchase of some extra tools should seem like a no-brainer.
Invest in training and educating your team.
In many job shops, employee training begins and ends with an employee's first few days on the job. When there's not regular training, employees can develop their own solutions and form their own habits. The problem with that is that what may make sense to your employees on the floor may not align with your goals and processes.
The best way to keep employees aligned with your process is to train them regularly. Organize a formal, ongoing training series. Bring in vendors and machine manufacturers to give training on their specific products. You can even ask your senior employees to lead some of the sessions.
There's another big benefit to training. Your floor workers are on the front lines of your process. They're in the best position to notice inefficiencies and to recommend solutions. When you train them, you're making them more informed so they can notice these inefficiencies. Your workers may alert you to efficiency issues that you never even knew existed.
Make decisions based on data and facts.
A lot of shop owners and managers make decisions on the fly. In some cases, that's the only option. You may be up against a pressing deadline and just need to get the job done. In other instances, though, there's no reason not to consider the data behind the decision.
Do you know how much each job costs your shop? Do you know whether you're pricing correctly and if you're turning a profit on each job? Do you know what margins you need to cover your overhead? How about how much time your team can spend on certain jobs?
An ERP system can give you this information. Once you have the information you need, you can stop making important decisions based on your gut. Quoting jobs shouldn't be a guessing game. Scheduling shouldn't be based on intuition or feel. Having a robust ERP solution can give you the facts you need to make the best decisions for your shop.
Identifying and resolving inefficiencies is one of the most effective ways to grow your bottom line. These three steps can help you get started. You may also want to sit down with your team leads and walk through all of your processes. Doing a "process audit" may help you better understand where inefficiencies lie and how you can resolve them.


Going somewhere this weekend? This beautiful bag will take you there in freedom style. Hand stitched channel stitching by the women of Sari Bari and cotton upcycled Sari make this bag both unique and beautiful. This bag includes both shoulder straps and a removable crossbody strap. It's the perfect carry on, including one main compartment and three interior divider pockets to keep things organized with a zipper closure. Brown Cotton canvas interior, cotton woven straps and brass colored accents.
Adjustable crossbody strap measures up to 55"
This product is named after Munni, the hero of her own story.


The story's out, and we've got to believe the French don't like it one bit — they're no longer number one for wine consumption. According to the Paris-based International Organisation of Vine & Wine, France has been surpassed by the United States. According to the official figures, France imbibed 742.3 million gallons of wine in 2013, 7% less than the year before. The US, on the other hand, added 0.5% to its wine intake, for a total of 768.7 mega-gallons, making us the biggest volume wine consumer in the world. In per capita consumption though, France still has us beat.
What's going on here? Has our nation of beer-swilling tough guys suddenly gone sophisticated? Or are we beginning to lend credence to all that recent medical publicity about the health benefits of red wine?
Those of us who learned to associate colonial Virginia strictly with tobacco might be surprised to learn that the Jamestown settlement was also the first home of wine in America. These early attempts failed because the climate didn't prove right. But in 1773, Thomas Jefferson handed over 2,000 acres of land to Philip Mazzei, an Italian Wine merchant, for the express purpose of growing a wine vineyard.
The Revolutionary War effectively ended Mazzei's attempt at winemaking in Virginia. But Thomas Jefferson continued to pursue his own ardent interest in the grape nectar. While he was the nation's French ambassador, he toured vineyards in Europe in an attempt to learn the secrets of winemaking. Jefferson never lost his love of wine. When he left the White House, his wine bill was said to have amounted to more than $10,000.
Although California remains the indisputable center of the US winemaking industry, Virginians remain almost as vocal about their history with wine as they are about their role in the Civil War. A couple of years ago, twenty-three Virginia wineries banded together for the Civil War Sesquicentennial to issue special labels in commemoration of the event.
Despite Virginia's valiant efforts, climate and geography rule when it comes to making fine wine. California was destined to become the wine center of the United States. California's winemaking industry grew rapidly from 1860-1880. Agoston Haraszthy, a Hungarian reporter and winemaker, is thought to have improved the quality of wines during those years, when he brought back vine cuttings to California from his trips to Europe.
Since the Haraszthy era, true wine connoisseurs have learned to associate some of the best in fine wines with California. One Hollywood luminary, director Francis Ford Coppola, has profited immensely from that association through his own very successful winery.
But we take a much less haughty attitude towards winemaking than do the French. Witness the hilarious movie Sideways (2004), in which two ne'er-do-well friends, played by Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church, tear through the California landscape in one last wine-drinking and sexual escapade on the way to Church's wedding. In fact, one simple remark uttered by Giamatti in that film caused a tremor in US Merlot sales after the film's release.
So have a drink of wine, relax and laugh your heart out. In so doing, know that you'll be celebrating a grand American tradition. As for our friends across the Atlantic, who used to own that tradition, what can we say? C'est la guerre!