text:
President Mnangagwa's Spokesman Justifies Internet Blackout, Reveals Ignorance On The Internet Itself
Posted on January 20, 2019 by Tinashe Nyahasha
Gearge Charamba is in Eastern Europe on a tour with President Mnangagwa. He made comments on the shutdown of the internet by the government in an interview with the ZBC whilst on this trip. At least he has not issued a silly lie like the Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Energy Mutodi.
Well the silly lying boat sailed when Econet notified its customers why the internet had not been accessible from Tuesday to Wednesday last week and then again on Wednesday night up to late Thursday afternoon. Access to social media was blocked early morning on Tuesday the 15th and it is still blocked right now.
Charamba sounded his usual cocky and clever self:
The internet was the tool used to coordinate the violence, in other words it was part and parcel of the accessory of tools put in place to ensure that there was maximum damage on our society and naturally when you are reacting to a conspiracy of that nature….you ensure that society is protected. But is it not interesting how when we are carrying our dead to the cemetery, at a time when we are counting losses that run into millions of dollars, someone is worried about the internet. I think the Western world has a proverbial way of putting it: 'Worrying about or crying over the plumage of a bird and forgetting the dying bird,' does that make sense to you? You expect us to preserve the internet and ensure that there is maximum damage to our society? What is wrong with our scale of values? I don't think Zimbabweans are that confused. What we are looking at is a weapon of choice which was being deployed to try and coordinate violence, which has now been removed, thanks to the prompt action of the state, there is no way you expect us to sacrifice a national good for the sake of internet. If they want uninterrupted internet, let them abide by the law,
Stopping loss of millions by cutting billions
What Charamba says sounds reasonable and logical until you give it an extra second of thought. By saying that we can't worry about the shutting down of the internet because we are counting losses that run into millions, he betrays his lack of understanding of the impact of the impulsive action to shut down the internet.
Millions more were lost and more lives put in danger by shutting down the internet. Payments could not go through. some internet dependent medical and social services were inaccessible. Zimbabweans who have created employment for themselves online lost their jobs. Thousands that just wanted to be safe and to know what was going on so they could make decisions were immobilised.
People did not go to work on Thursday and Friday because they had no information on what was going on. No information is worse than scary information.
Billions (the numbers that the government touts whenever the president goes on foreign trips and shakes a couple of hands) of potential investments were lost. As the editor of the Financial Mail in South Africa said, "You would be a fool to invest in a country that would just deny it's citizens the internet…"
The internet is a reality of modern business and who would put their billions in a country where they can lose contact with those billions because some people took to the streets? Who would trust a government to be fair, consistent and stable when they think the switch to the internet is a toy to be played with? Oh yes we lost billions!
Dig up the road to stop the robbers
By saying that the internet had to be shut because it was being used as a tool, Charamba is doing nothing but clutching at straws and making excuses. They might as well have shut down all that's left of water supplies in the towns and cities because the 'plotters' have been drinking it and using it to survive.
This is not guerrilla warfare were bombing fuel reserves was considered strategic. This is supposed to be a civilian government responding to protests against itself. Yes those protests became violent and that cannot be excused but neither can taking away a public utility. Charamba's sense of 'scales' is wrong.
Them and us
George Charamba says, "If they want uninterrupted internet, let them abide by the law." Who does he refer to as 'they' and 'them?' The internet was cut off for the whole population. So the whole population has been breaking the law?
By relegating us to 'them' the president's spokesman is revealing a superiority syndrome that is not healthy to anyone when held by a person who occupies such a high office.
So yes Sir our superior we want uninterrupted internet please Sir, we have been good citizens…
Posted in Business, Social Media
Tagged george charamba, Internet blackout in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe internet blackout
Previous: Anonymous Claims To Have Taken Down Zimbabwean Government Sites In Protest Against Unrest In The Country
Next: President Mnangagwa Not Going To Davos, He's Coming Home To Deal With Crisis
18 thoughts on "President Mnangagwa's Spokesman Justifies Internet Blackout, Reveals Ignorance On The Internet Itself"
MacdChip says:
Your reasoning shows that you have only lived in Zimbabwe and never bothered to look what other countries do when faced with same situation, security services takes over everything.
Zim is still sharpening its skills, its a learning curve for the security services, RGM Bindura Uni graduates are coming to work boys, grow up!!
Oh I know what others are doing and have done. Europe is on a crazy path when it comes to these liberties. That doesn't make it right and that doesn't mean we have to be silent. I refuse to do that.
Will anything change? Most probably not but I will register my disagreement anyway
Sifanele Dlamini says:
I'm now also wondering what Techzim is taking. Cause seriously the situation was escalating
Garikai Dzoma says:
These guys shutdown the internet man. For me that is rather personal. It shows a disturbing lack of understanding on the part of government. It also shows something scarier than anything to me: They either do not have advisers or have very bad advisers and are willing to lash out impulsively so long as their hold on power is preserved. Even the government itself is counting its loses. Shutting down the internet should not even have been an option to be tabled. It's not an option it is the nuclear button that should never be pressed ever again. Even WA has much more value than these guys think. It is an essential toolkit for the modern business. They should even have used the internet and WA to crowd source information about crimes being committed instead of thoughtlessly pulling the switch.
nicholas duma says:
We are at war, the authorities of ministry of Information and Publicity wants to delink us from any communications of what is happening everywhere in the country. That can also relegate us from knowing what the govt is doing pertaining to the events of the uprising and civil unrest in the country.
pfff
Cool Head says:
Freedom comes with responsibility, it's as simple as that!
Freedom comes with responsibility, it's as simple as that guys!
We don't dispute that. BUT if the law does not permit the government to take a certain action and the government does it's wrong. No one is above the law, no matter their intentions. Once we allow suspension of the law for specific situations then we don't have a system of laws at all
https://www.techzim.co.zw/2019/01/full-text-veritas-explains-the-legality-or-lack-of-the-internet-shut-down/
asdf says:
Techzim, the quality of grammar and spelling in your articles seems to get worse by the day. Sometimes these articles read like some teenager has been unleashed on a text message rant.
Hey asdf, I have just gone over the article twice and I have not come up with any offending grammar issues. Maybe I have correctional bias of sorts. Please point it out so I can fix
Imi Vanhu Musadaro says:
Use a reliable word processor and all the problems will come to light. Your editorial process should not involve writing, and correcting the article, with readers playing the role of editor.
Just from reading, I found the very first word to be misspelt! Then there's a gross absence of commas, where they should be present. There's even a sentence that starts in lowercase. Just saying…
Bie says:
1998-99 riots were successful internet yacho isati yawako…hazvishandi izvo
In 1983 Zanu shutdown access to food to half a million people living in Matebeleland South West of the Beitbridge road to stop the feeding of dissidents .The architects of that blockade are still there
Sir_hardy_dz says:
To a certain extent do we really need WhatsApp nor Facebook? ?? ? The current internet is fairly fine for business to run and banks are working . ..Though again I think it's a wake up call for businesses to upgrade their system cause I don't see anything wrong with this cut off and the rebooting of certain services. We needed to loss a few millions to reserve and later on to gain billions.
Sagitarr says:
The. comments tell you exactly who uses the internet and for what. George Charamba assumes (very stupidly) that every hooligan needs and uses the internet or every internet user is up to mischief. I don't know if he's ever heard about SAAS and even knows how many companies rely on it in Zimbabwe today so that they can pay tax to the "ignorant rulers".
The same stupid logic was advanced to justify the killing of 6 civilians last August "to stem the destruction of property". Deeper analysis or even application of primary school set arithmetic will tell you that there might be no relationship between the destroyers of property and those shot dead. This is also the same logic used to beat up Kuwadzana residents door-to-door. Clearly the country is led by people with one-track minds.
It is terrible to rely on warrior logic all the time, especially when that logic completely erases every other aspect of common sense. One-track thought its called.
Does it occur to those "ruling" that the companies in the countries they visited would have wanted to research a bit on Zimbabwe using the internet? I don't think so. Not everyone using the internet uses social media, in fact most corporates block these (between 8am and 5pm) as these take up huge productive time for for staff.
Whatever little respect I had for Mthuli has just gone down the sewer.
Thank you EW for spelling out clearly that the govt had ordered the shutdown – next time we hear anything about ICT from this govt it is likely to be bulldust!!
Integrity Shumba says:
Blocking social media is like kidnapping a child and duct taping their mouth shut so that no one will hear the cry for help. Rest assured though, the world can hear the cries. Our Church in the USA prayed for the injustices in Zimbabwe to be resolved.
The world is watching innocent people lose their freedom, liberty and money, and those who are responsible for this will never get away with their crimes.


text:
Joe Biden Joins Bernie Sanders and Other Dem Lawmakers Calling on U.S. to Ease Iran Sanctions
HeadlineApr 03, 2020
Presidential candidate Joe Biden called Thursday for sanctions against Iran to be eased to slow the spread of COVID-19, which has ravaged a healthcare system already devastated by U.S. sanctions before the pandemic arrived. Biden's opponent Senator Bernie Sanders has long called for an end to sanctions on Iran, and earlier this week Sanders joined 33 other lawmakers in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo demanding he allow for shipments of humanitarian assistance to Iran. At the White House, President Trump was questioned Thursday by Al Jazeera correspondent Kimberly Halkett about the Iran sanctions.
Kimberly Halkett: "Would you consider easing sanctions to allow medical supplies to get in?"
President Donald Trump: "Well, they haven't even asked us to do that."
Kimberly Halkett: "But we know that sanctions hit the people, not the government."
President Donald Trump: "You know what? They haven't even asked us to do that."
In fact, Iranian officials have repeatedly demanded the U.S. lift sanctions, with foreign minister Javad Zarif condemning them as a "campaign of economic terrorism." On Wednesday, President Trump again threatened to attack Iran, claiming in a tweet that he'd learned of Iranian plans for a "sneak attack" on U.S. forces in Iraq.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Welcome to Pathway. Pathway is a registered charity existing to provide quality Christian education for children across North London. Since it was established in 1990, the Pathway team have been invited into an increasing number of primary schools. At present the team are regularly invited into over 60 schools, meeting more than 10,000 children each term throughout Barnet, Enfield and Haringey.
Our gifted and experienced team takes lessons, leads assemblies and lunch time clubs across North London as well as working alongside churches to develop their work with children. We aim to teach the Bible in lively ways while being sensitive to the multi-cultural character of most communities.
Here's a few of the comments we've received about Pathway.


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Business | Environment | Local Government | Science & Tech | Southeast | Syndicated | Talking Trash
Talking Trash: Follow the garbage Southeast ships south
October 18, 2017 by Ed Schoenfeld, CoastAlaska News, Ed Ronco, KNKX, and Tom Banse, Northwest News Network
Household garbage from Sitka, Ketchikan and three other Southeast Alaska cities ends up in the Roosevelt Regional Landfill in Klickitat County, Washington. (Photo by Tom Banse/Northwest News Network)
When you toss a candy wrapper in the trash, you're sending it on a thousand-mile journey to a Lower 48 landfill. That's the case if you live in one of five Southeast Alaska communities that send their garbage south via barge, truck and train.
We'll take you on that trip, beginning in Sitka, as part of the CoastAlaska News series, Talking Trash.
https://www.krbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/16BargeTrash-XL.mp3
Sitkan Megan Pasternak stands in her kitchen, holding a bag of garbage. So, what's inside?
"Not much. There's a couple used paper towels, I hate to admit," she said. "And some stuff that could be composted because it's vegetable stuff, but we don't do that anymore because of the bears around here. And some plastics that I couldn't recycle and a few odds and ends."
And does she ever wonder what happens to it after it gets picked up by the trash truck?
"Not really, but I always like garbage day because it goes away from my house and just disappears," she said, laughing.
Of course, it doesn't. A garbage truck picks up her trash can, dumps the contents inside and hauls it to a solid-waste transfer station across town.
Jim Walters with Waste Connections operates a front-end loader to push trash aboard a container van, staged on the lower level of the Sitka Waste Transfer Station. The containers are barged to Seattle. (Photo by Robert Woolsey/KCAW)
There, it and most other Sitka trash is unloaded, shoved into shipping containers and trucked back across town to a barge dock. There, it joins more containers from Sitka and other Southeast towns.
Sitka's trash has taken that trip since the year 2000, when officials realized they were running out of space.
"The landfill was reaching a level to where it needed a new location. It was becoming a mountain," said former Sitka City Administrator Hugh Bevan.
He said officials considered building a new dump. But more stringent environmental regulations would have made it extremely expensive.
New landfills have to virtually eliminate polluted runoff. And that's hard to do in Southeast, where it rains up to 12 feet a year.
"And the idea of shipping waste to an off-island landfill rose to the top as being the most cost-effective over the long term," Bevan said.
Trash from Southeast Alaska and the Pacific Northwest travel by train from Seattle to the Roosevelt Regional Landfill near the Columbia River. (Photo by Tom Banse/Northwest News Network)
Sitka now barges approximately 8,000 tons of garbage a year south. When added to trash from four other Southeast cities, it totals about 22,000 tons. Another 1,300 tons of regional recycling is shipped the same way.
The approximately 800-mile Alaska Marine Lines barge trip covers long stretches of open water and sometimes rough seas. It takes about 10 days.
After arriving at the barge dock, the containers are loaded onto trucks for a short ride to the Republic Services rail yard, just south of downtown Seattle. Once loaded onto rail cars, they head about 300 miles east to the Roosevelt Regional Landfill in southcentral Washington.
The final destination
That's where the long journey of southeast Alaska's trash comes to an end.
The landfill is in a wide bowl a few miles above the Columbia River. It's bone dry and there's not a neighbor in sight, which are two key reasons why it's been so successful in getting contracts with cities near and far.
"It's under the radar and that's really the way we like it," said Don Tibbetts, a Washington state-based manager for Republic Services, which owns the landfill.
"People like the garbage ferries to just take care of the garbage," he said. "They don't want to know where it goes. They just want to make sure it is being handled responsibly."
Republic Services' Don Tibbets looks over piles of garbage at the Roosevelt Regional Landfill, where he served as general manager. The landfill takes in about 22,000 tons of Southeast Alaska garbage each year. (Photo by Tom Banse/Northwest News Network)
Tibbets said the regional landfill business took off when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cracked down on polluted runoff from garbage dumps. He said this landfill is "highly engineered" with liners and collection systems to capture and treat whatever harmful liquid does percolate through.
Southeast Alaska's garbage is not alone. Much of Western Washington's trash also heads here on trains often stretching more than a mile long.
"More than likely, about 10 percent of the containers you see on the train in front of you has Alaska waste on it," Tibbets said.
One last truck ride shuttles the garbage containers a short distance uphill to the landfill, where the trash is finally tipped out, compacted and buried.
The decomposing garbage generates landfill gas, or methane. A network of pipes and wells collects that gas and sends it next door to a small power plant to be burned to make electricity. So in a small way, the banana peels and hamburger wrappers Alaskans throw away indirectly light homes in the small towns of southcentral Washington state.
Three other regional landfills are also located along the Columbia River.
Before Southeast communities started shipping garbage to the Lower 48, they considered a similar option — not so far away.
A group of cities called the Southeast Alaska Solid Waste Authority looked at a chunk of land in Thorne Bay, a former logging camp on Prince of Wales Island's eastern shore.
City Administrator Wayne Benner heads up the authority's board.
"That actually was a serious prospect," he said. "When they first started out they were looking at a regional landfill facility. But when the study was done to look at it, it did not pencil out."
So Petersburg, Wrangell and Klawock joined Sitka and Ketchikan by hiring Republic Services to haul its garbage south. Benner said Thorne Bay will be next.
It's always possible that new technology and attitudes will change how the region's garbage is handled. But 'til then, Sitka's Hugh Bevan thinks barging it south is the best solution.
"The thing to keep in mind with solid waste is that you're responsible for it forever," he said. "So if you build a landfill in your town, the responsibility for it flows to the next generation, along with all the capital costs associated with it."
Not every Southeast community ships out its trash. Juneau, with about half of the region's population, still uses a local landfill. So does Haines.
In both cases, garbage collection and disposal is done by a private company.
Most of Juneau's garbage ends up in the local landfill, operated by Waste Management. A municipal study estimates it will fill up in about 20 years. (Photo by Ed Schoenfeld/CoastAlaskaNews)


We continue to believe that Marriott International is a great stock to own as the lodging sector recovers, with earnings and cash flow continuously surprising and this for a fee-based company rather than hotel owner.
In addition, Marriott 's (ticker: MAR) results imply a stronger-than-expected outlook for three of our favorite lodging names: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (HOT), Host Hotels & Resorts (HST) and Gaylord Entertainment (GET).
Marriott reported system-wide revenue per available room (RevPAR) growth of 6.8% compared to guidance of 5% to 6% and our 5.5% estimate. Earnings per share of 30 cents was at the high-end of the 26-30 cent range, with our estimate at 28 cents.
The company is now forecasting 2012 system-wide RevPAR growth of 6% to 8%, within North America, outside North America, and world-wide. Previously the guidance for all of these regions was 5% to 7% growth. Marriott's 2012 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) is projected to be $1.105 million-$1.160 million, with the prior range at $1.090 million-$1.150 million.
The 2012 EPS is forecasted at $1.58-$1.69, with the old range at $1.52-$1.64, our estimate at $1.58, and Wall Street at $1.60.
We believe the guidance should be lifted when Starwood reports first-quarter results on April 26. When Starwood reported fourth-quarter 2011 results on Feb. 2, the company offered 2012 RevPAR growth guidance of 5% to 7% and EPS guidance of $2.22-$2.33.
Our EPS estimate is $2.34, with the Street at $2.30. Looking at the relationship to Marriott, it is often argued that Starwood's exposure outside North America presents a risk during 2012.
However, Marriott's RevPAR growth guidance is the same in all regions of the world, at 6% to 8%.
While first-quarter 2012 results were relatively weak for Marriott in Europe (up approximately 3%), the comps should become easier in this region as we move through the year. Also, with Starwood's focus on higher segments, it is certainly possible that Starwood outperforms Marriott in terms of global RevPAR growth.
Still, we would not expect Starwood to offer higher than a range of 6% to 8% RevPAR growth. This would likely lift the EPS range by five cents or more.
With Starwood trading at a discount to Marriott (2012 enterprise value/Ebitda (EV/Ebitda) multiple of 12.6 times for Starwood versus 13.5 times for Marriott), we believe that Starwood is the better play on the near-term recovery.
Longer term, we expect Starwood to continue selling assets (which Marriott is unable to do) at multiples in the mid-high teens, leading to a further spread, in terms of a discount to Marriott.
We believe guidance will be lifted when Host reports first-quarter 2012 results on April 25. When Host reported fourth-quarter 2011 results on Feb. 14, the company offered 2012 RevPAR growth guidance of 4% to 6% and adjusted funds from operation (FFO) per share guidance of 97 cents-$1.04.
Our FFO per share estimate, in line with the Street, is $1.03. Looking at the relationship to Marriott, we would expect that higher segment properties (such as those owned by Host) will be able to grow RevPAR by more than Marriott's North American guidance of 6% to 8%.
Thus, we see the company's RevPAR growth guidance moving up from 4% to 6% and the FFO-per-share-guided range rising by at least three cents.
Commentary should be more positive when Gaylord reports on May 8. When Gaylord reported fourth-quarter 2011 results on Feb. 7, the company offered 2012 RevPAR growth guidance of 3% to 6%.
While it is possible that this figure is lifted, we are not counting on it in the near term. Instead, our greater confidence is tied to comments in the Marriott press release regarding group business, which is the focus of the Gaylord model.
According to Marriott's chief executive, "Group business strengthened in the first quarter with increasing occupancy, room rates, and greater group spend on food, beverage and other services. Transient business was also strong. Revenue from special corporate guests increased over nine percent in the quarter with increasing room rates. Our largest customers tell us they expect to travel more in 2012."
With this potential for stronger group spending on rooms and outside the room and given a 2012 EV/Ebitda multiple of 10.3 times (with the real-estate investment trust (REIT) industry at 13 times), Gaylord represents a compelling value, in our opinion.


text:
/**
 * @file SuperNodeManager.h
 * @author Zhongxia Li
 * @date Dec 13, 2011
 * @brief Management for node common settings
 */
#ifndef SUPER_NODE_MANAGER_H_
#define SUPER_NODE_MANAGER_H_

#include <configuration-manager/DistributedTopologyConfig.h>
#include <configuration-manager/DistributedUtilConfig.h>

#include <util/singleton.h>

namespace sf1r
{

class SuperNodeManager
{
public:
    static SuperNodeManager* get()
    {
        return izenelib::util::Singleton<SuperNodeManager>::get();
    }

    void init(const DistributedCommonConfig& distributedCommon)
    {
        distributedCommon_ = distributedCommon;
    }

    const DistributedCommonConfig& getCommonConfig()
    {
        return distributedCommon_;
    }

    const std::string& getClusterId()
    {
        return distributedCommon_.clusterId_;
    }

    const std::string& getLocalHostIP()
    {
        return distributedCommon_.localHost_;
    }

    unsigned int getBaPort() const
    {
        return distributedCommon_.baPort_;
    }

    unsigned int getWorkerPort() const
    {
        return distributedCommon_.workerPort_;
    }

    unsigned int getMasterPort() const
    {
        return distributedCommon_.masterPort_;
    }

    unsigned int getDataReceiverPort() const
    {
        return distributedCommon_.dataRecvPort_;
    }

    unsigned int getFileSyncRpcPort() const
    {
        return distributedCommon_.filesync_rpcport_;
    }

private:
    DistributedCommonConfig distributedCommon_;
};

}

#endif /* SUPER_NODE_MANAGER_H_ */

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The current initiative is an education- and student-driven innovation project using an experimental, massive open online (MOOP) platform. This initiative is launched as a common effort by EASN, ESA and IdeaSquare@CERN, as an extension of the current CBI program at IdeaSquare. It poses an engineering-driven challenge for cross-disciplinary university students: design a high speed, 300- passenger aircraft that, based on a new business model, demonstrates economic viability.
The ramp-up starts in 2018 with different engineering-driven student assignments. They build up on the existing teaching curriculum of the participating home universities. The aim is not to compete or question other research projects on supersonic civil aircrafts but rather to offer supervised (under)graduate students an opportunity to innovate collectively and in a new interdisciplinary manner.
Will IdeaSquare@CERN, EASN and ESA now build together a high-speed aircraft? Absolutely not, our respective focus are Challenge Based Innovation in high tech environments, Aviation and Space Research respectively.
However we are interested in educating the next-generation of scientists and engineers as part of our missions. Our common interest lies in new collaborative platforms and we looked for an educational and collaborative initiative with a strong engineering component. Students are the main executors under expert supervision and the collaborative platform is open to all institutions willing to participate as well as open to the outside world.
What are the roles of IdeaSquare@CERN, EASN and ESA?
IdeaSquare@CERN is in charge of the development of the successive versions of the collaborative platform as well as to stimulate its use based on its user-friendliness. EASN's role is to steer their network of Universities in integrating the use of the collaborative platform into their curricula. ESA is sharing on an ad-hoc basis their expertise in running multi-dimensional technological projects in aerospace.


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For personal use ONLY. Do not share, distribute, sell, forward or mass produce. © Broken Box Designs, LLC.


People selling their used cars or trading them in against a newer vehicle are expecting a higher price than the market is currently able to deliver, according to new research.
The gap between expectations and final selling prices is around five per cent, according to analysts Wizzle, which looked at the values of used cars sold between October and the week before Christmas. It said this is the point in the year when the value of cars has fallen to its lowest level.
Managing customer expectations is an important part of winning and retaining business for your dealership. Part and parcel of this is ensuring that you are properly covered for the type, volume and value of the stock that you have on the forecourt, so it's important to make sure you have the right level of motor trade insurance.
Although the industry is aware that prices slow down towards the festive period and the extended holiday break, it appears that sellers do not and are hoping to make more from their car than the market is able to deliver.
Wizzle tracked the difference from October, when the gap between expectation and reality was just 0.7 per cent. The figure rose to four per cent in November.
Wizzle founder, Sébastien Duval, said that sellers worried by the cost of Christmas were hoping to recoup some their expenses by obtaining a higher price for their car.
He added: "It's possible we psychologically turn those Christmas cost worries into a hope that our car might be worth a bit more than we'd normally expect, just as it becomes worth a bit less.


text:
MTSU 20, Troy 17: Blue Raiders avenge 33-point loss to Trojans earlier in season
Joseph Spears | Murfreesboro Daily News Journal
It's been just over two months since Troy handed Middle Tennessee State an embarrassing 33-point loss in its backyard.
With that memory still fresh, the Blue Raiders were looking for revenge Saturday at Troy.
MTSU is bringing back The Palladium Trophy to Murfreesboro after beating the Trojans 20-17.
"We had a good edge about ourselves here tonight and it shows the improvement that these guys are making," MTSU coack Rick Stockstill said. "To get beat at home like that and then go on the road here tonight and get the win, I'm really proud of them."
In the first meeting on Sept. 19, Troy outgained MTSU 496-241. This time, MTSU held the advantage 396-392 while also winning the turnover battle 2-0.
After a scoreless third quarter, Crews Holt redeemed an earlier miss by hitting a 49-yard field goal that put the Blue Raiders up 20-10 with 2:37 remaining. Troy marched down the field and scored with 28 seconds remaining, but Reed Blankenship recovered the onside kick to seal the win.
Here are five things we learned from MTSU's victory:
The offense wasn't exciting, but it was efficient
Running the ball hasn't been MTSU's strength but it was what worked best against Troy.
MTSU finished with 187 yards on 50 carries. The Blue Raiders averaged 3.7 yards per carry.
Quarterback Asher O'Hara once again led MTSU in rushing with 86 yards on 25 carries. Chaton Mobley helped carry the load with 57 yards on 13 carries.
O'Hara was also effective in the passing game going 19-of-23 for 210 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
The Blue Raiders also controlled the clock. MTSU held a 36-22 advantage in time of possession, a 23-18 advantage in first downs and a 74-62 advantage in plays run.
In the first meeting Troy ran 94 plays and had possession for just over 35 minutes.
"These last two weeks and maybe even going back to the Rice game, our defense has done a really good job of stopping the run," Stockstill said. "They ran a bunch of plays on us that first game but defensively we stonewalled them tonight. Our front seven played really well and shut down the run."
Blue Raiders defense stands strong
The Blue Raiders (3-6) fared well when it came to stopping the run.
Troy (4-4) finished with 92 yards compared to the 240 it ran for in the first meeting. B.J. Smith accounted for 57 of those yards on Troy's final possession of the third quarter.
MTSU held Troy to 12 yards on 14 carries in the first half.
Troy was able to find some success in the passing game. Gunnar Watson threw for 300 yards, but he also threw two interceptions.
An ugly third quarter for both sides
Defense ruled the third quarter. There were five punts and one interception between the teams in the quarter.
MTSU ran 17 plays for 64 yards while Troy ran 14 plays for 67 yards.
Troy's first two drives in the quarter only went for 9 yards but the Trojans opted to go to the ground on their third drive. That strategy worked out as they marched down to the MTSU 21. However, Greg Grate ended the Trojans' drive, picking off Watson's pass in the end zone.
Yusuf Ali continues to impress
While Jarrin Pierce has been O'Hara's go-to-guy, Ali has been a solid second target. On Saturday though, Ali seemed to be open every time O'Hara looked his way.
Ali led the Blue Raiders with seven receptions for 90 yards. He averaged 12.9 yards per reception and had the Blue Raiders longest reception at 23 yards.
"Yusuf is my favorite player to watch," O'Hara said. "He's just so fun and every time he gets the ball in his hands, he can make something really special happen. He's that spark of energy for the offense that we need at times.
MTSU's safety duo continues to impress
Grate and Reed Blankenship have been MTSU's top two defensive players and they both continued that success.
On the same day he graduated, Blankenship recorded eight tackles and the game-clinching onside recovery. Grate equaled Blankenship's production with eight tackles and also had the crucial red zone interception in the third quarter.
Reach Joe Spears at jspears2@gannett.com or 731-343-4923. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @joe_spears7.
MOBILE USERS: Click here if you cannot see the live updates below
A Twitter List by NGrayReporter


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Country and city guides
Munich travel guide
View Germany travel guide
The Bavarian city of Munich, centre of southern Germany, is one of the country's favourite tourist destinations, offering a unique combination of modern flair and traditional charm, all mixed together with a heavy helping of , the special German term for hearty, happy, healthy togetherness.
Traditionally the city, famous for its breweries and beer halls, conjures up images of jolly red-cheeked men in lederhosen downing steins of beer served by buxom, blonde waitresses. There is plenty of this sort of fun to be had, but Munich and the Bavarian region has plenty more to recommend it to visitors than the excellent beer. The city has numerous great museums, art treasures, hi-tech industries and gems of Gothic and Baroque architecture. It is also the gateway to the Bavarian Alps, drawing winter sports enthusiasts from near and far.
Munich itself was founded in 1158 on the River Isar, and acquired its name, Munchen (home of the monks) from its first monastery. It was the monks that started the beer brewing tradition for which the city is now world famous, particularly since it started celebrating an annual beer festival in 1810. Today about six million people visit the Oktoberfest every year, and consume more than five and a half million litres of beer during its two-week run.
The Marienplatz is the heart of Munich and the site of its most important historic buildings. The square is dominated by the Neo-Gothic Town Hall featuring its famous Glockenspiel, both built in the 19th century, although they look authentically Gothic. The Glockenspiel delights visitors when it chimes the hours every day at 11am, 12pm and 5pm with its 43 bells, accompanied by moving clockwork figures that display vignettes from Munich's history. The Town Hall has a tower that can be accessed by a lift and from the top you get wonderful views of the city.
The centre of the square, once a vibrant farmer's market, features a statue of the Virgin Mary after which Marienplatz was named. Visitors can also explore a toy museum in the Old Town Hall on the square, and the Frauenkirche, Munich's cathedral, dating from the 15th century. The square is full of great shops and pleasant outdoor eating areas where you can sit under trees, refuelling, and watch the world pass by. The Marienplatz is still a social gathering place for locals, just as it has been throughout its long history, and although it can get a bit crowded it is an un-missable attraction in Munich, and a must for photographers.
Marienplatz Nicolas Vollmer
Munich's massive Olympiapark complex was constructed for the 20th Olympic Games in 1972, but remains a marvel of modern engineering. Its main stadium is like an enormous tent, which can seat close on 70,000 spectators, and is topped by one of the largest roofs in the world, extending for 720,000 square feet (66,890 sq metres) and made of tinted acrylic glass. The roof collects rainwater which is used to fill the adjacent Olympic lake. Tent roof tours (with or without an abseiling option) are on offer. Visitors to the site can enjoy a spectacular view from the revolving restaurant and observation terrace which tops the 950-foot (290m) high Olympic Tower. Near the tower is the BMW Museum, which displays the history of Germany's famous automobile manufacturer and is in itself a popular attraction. Far from being a remarkable 'white elephant', the Park is still in constant use not only by tourists but by locals who use it as a lively leisure and recreational centre in the city. On more than 200 days of the year it is the venue for rock and pop concerts, sports events, exhibitions and trade fairs. Check the website to see what's happening at the venue during your stay.
Address: Spiridon-Louis-Ring 21
Website: www.olympiapark-muenchen.de
Olympiapark Ole Pophal
Nymphenburg Palace
About five miles (8km) from the city centre, accessible by tram and bus, is the interesting Schloss Nymphenburg, originally a summer home for Munich aristocracy. The palace has been expanded, altered and fitted with various eccentricities by succeeding owners over the centuries since building began on it in 1664. Today it is a delight for tourists who revel in exploring the villa and grounds. Inside there are some interesting frescoes in the main hall. An arcaded gallery features a collection of 36 provocative paintings ordered by King Ludwig I showing the most beautiful women of his day. The surrounding park has some surprises too, with some interesting pavilions hidden among the English-style gardens. There are also collections of Ludwig's elaborate coaches on display, and a porcelain museum. There is information provided in the palace on its history but there are also audio guides available which greatly enrich the experience. Although you have to pay to enter the palace you can wander around the lovely grounds for free.
Address: Eingang 19
Website: www.schloesser.bayern.de/englisch/palace/objects/ny_schl.htm
Nymphenburg Palace Edmir Silvestre
Munich's art museum houses one of the most important collections in Europe on two floors of a large neo-classical building. Roughly 700 paintings are on display, featuring the work of many of the greatest European artists from the 14th to the 18th centuries. Highlights include works by Dutch and Flemish masters, as well as the Italian masters such as Botticelli, Raphael and Titian. Famous masterpieces in the permanent collection include Rembrandt's 'Self-Portrait' (1629), Raphael's 'The Canigiani Holy Famliy' (1505), Guido Reni's 'The Assumption of the Virgin' (1642), and Francois Boucher's 'Portrait of the Marquise de Pompadour' (1756). The gallery is massive, consisting of dozens of rooms, and requires a great deal of time to explore thoroughly. Bags and handbags are not allowed in the museum but there are storage facilities. Photography is allowed but only without a flash. There is a restaurant at the museum.
There are actually three art museums in the location and you can get a discounted rate if you plan to visit all of them in one day.
Address: Barerstrasse 27
Transport: Tram - No 27 to Pinakotheken; U-Bahn - U2: to Königsplatz or Theresienstrasse; Bus - No 154 to Schellingstraße
Opening time: 10am - 6pm daily; 10am - 8pm on Tuesdays, closed on Mondays
Website: www.pinakothek.de
The Deutches Museum is a great stop for families exploring Munich. It is the world's largest technology and science museum, with roughly 28,000 artefacts on display in exhibits dedicated to themes like Energy, Transport, Natural Science, Communications, Musical Instruments and New Technologies. The museum is located on a small island in the Isar River, with additional facilities outside of Munich and in Bonn.
There is a section especially dedicated to children which is called Kid's Kingdom and features 1,000 fun, interactive activities including things like a giant guitar to be played, enormous building blocks, and a fire department. It is aimed at kids aged three to eight and all children must be accompanied by an adult. For the grown-ups there is a wealth of interesting information and exhibitions on topics like astronomy, chemistry, pharmaceutics, electricity, computers, microelectronics, hydraulic engineering and astronautics. The museum is designed to be accessible and entertaining and even those who have little understanding of technology and science should be enthralled.
Address: Museumsinsel 1, Munich
Transport: U-Bahn - Line 1 +2, Fraunhoferstrasse; Bus - Line 132, Boschbrücke
Opening time: 9am to 5pm daily.
Website: www.deutsches-museum.de
Deutsches Museum Wolfgang Manousek
Munich's weather can be unpredictable. In general summers are fairly warm and very wet, characterised by sunny weather interspersed by dramatic thunderstorms. Winters are cold with light snowfalls. In summer (June to August) average temperatures range between 50°F (10°C) and 73°F (23°C), and in winter (December to February) average temperatures range between 25°F (-4°C) and 39°F (4°C). The Alps cause two unique aberrations in Munich weather. Southwesterly winds crossing the Alps can push up temperatures markedly even in winter, while northwesterly winds blowing from the mountains bring unseasonably low temperatures, rain and even snow on odd days. You can easily end up experiencing quite a variety of weather on a stay in Munich. The most popular time to visit is in September and October, for Oktoberfest, but summer is the peak tourism season. Munich is really a year-round holiday destination because so many of the city's attractions can be enjoyed regardless of the weather.
Visitors should be sure to bring their appetites along when visiting Munich. Eating and drinking are extremely popular activities in this city and travellers will be hard-pressed not to gorge themselves. Eating out in Munich is a fun and friendly affair and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from.
Munich is celebrated for its simple Bavarian fare and jolly approach to eating. The Gaststattend restaurants (bistros) in Munich are the best places to enjoy traditional Bavarian food and eat like a local. You can find these bustling eateries all over the city. Of course, the famous beer halls are great fun and are also frequented by the locals in droves. Munich has more than one Michelin-starred restaurant and there are many sophisticated and creative menus in the city for discerning foodies looking for something more high-brow than the rowdy beer tents. If either your stomach or your wallet need a break from the yummy but heavy Bavarian food, there are many Italian, Indian and Japanese restaurants in Munich and these often provide cheaper options.
Bavarian meals are generally meaty but vegetarians will not starve. Specialties include leberkassemme, a spicy meatloaf, and weisswurst, a veal sausage usually served for breakfast. Knodels (dumplings) also feature prominently. Eating out in Munich is not cheap - it is probably Germany's most expensive city - but there are options for those on a budget. The portions of meat and starchy Bavarian staples served in the beer halls and Gaststatten are usually enormous so one meal can go a long way for hungry travellers. Visitors also won't struggle to find restaurants in Munich that are open late at night. Indeed some of the pubs and eateries in the city only close at 4am.
Promising places to sniff out great local food include the Schwabing district, which overflows with good restaurants, and the Viktalienmarket, a square adjoining Marienplatz which hosts a large food market.
Cafe Glockenspiel
For breath-taking views of Munich, the ideally situated and aptly-named Café Glockenspiel overlooks the famous Glockenspiel clock. With friendly and efficient wait staff and delicious, wholesome fare, the café is one of the most frequented in Munich and is a popular meeting place for locals and tourists alike and a great location to enjoy a spot of people watching either over a meal, sunny breakfast, coffee or after work drinks. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bookings recommended.
Address: Marienplatz 28
Website: www.cafe-glockenspiel.de
Hirschgarten
A popular beer garden that sees locals mingling with international visitors, Hirschgarten is the largest open-air restaurant in Munich featuring hunting lodges and lakes and is an ideal location for tourists to mingle with the locals over a couple of pints. Start off with potato, marjoram and bacon soup followed by prime boiled beef with fresh horseradish and salted boiled potatoes, or the mouth-watering roast venison from the haunch with a mushroom and cream sauce, Swabian egg pasta and lingonberries. For something sweet try caramelised pancake slices with raisins and apple sauce. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner; 9am to midnight. The beer garden is open from 11am until midnight.
Address: Hirschgarten 1, Nymphenburg
Website: www.hirschgarten.de
Tantris
Serving some of Schwabing's finest haute cuisine, and boasting one of Munich's best chefs, the exterior of this restaurant is misleading, but step inside and you are magically transported into another world where fine wines and décor are accentuated with tantalisingly tasty and attractive dishes. The menus can cover three to eight courses and are offered for lunch and dinner. Try the terrine of duck liver with braised figs and roasted duck breast, or the medallion of young venison saddle with red cabbage and semolina dumpling, and let your taste buds be thrilled by the chocolate soufflé with marinated port wine figs and vanilla-brittle ice cream. Perfection! Open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. Reservations essential.
Address: Johann Fichte Straße 7, Schwabing
Website: www.tantris.de
Hofbrauhaus
Beer has been swilled at this world-famous tavern site in the centre of Munich since it became a royal brewery in 1605. Equally famous is the Bavarian jollity and conviviality, known as 'gemuchtlikheid', which has emanated directly from the Hofbrauhaus in Munich along with the beer which flows freely there each day, served by robust rosy-cheeked young women clad in Bavarian dress in litre-sized beer steins. The cheerful atmosphere that reigns constantly in the establishment's different halls is helped along by the foot-tapping strains of traditional Bavarian 'oom-pah' bands and drinking songs. When the beer becomes too much, soak it up with a delicious salty pretzel or a German speciality from the menu, such as liver dumplings, potato soup or a variety of delicious sausages.
Address: Platzl 9, behind Marienplatz
Website: www.hofbraeuhaus.de
Gasthof Weichandhof
Gasthof Weichandhof is less of a tourist destination and more of a local favourite. Situated in an old farmhouse near the autobahn, the restaurant serves traditional Bavarian cuisine like pork knuckles, suckling pig, and strudels. The atmosphere is always lively, and there's a quaint vine-covered terrace open during summer months. Gasthof Weichandhof is open Sunday to Friday from 11am to midnight, and Saturday from 5pm to midnight. Reservations are recommended.
Address: Betzenweg 81
Website: www.weichandhof.de
Location: The airport is situated 18 miles (29km) northeast of the centre of Munich.
Time: GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October).
Transfer Between Terminals: The Airport Shuttle Bus travels between the two terminals.
Getting to the city: Frequent commuter trains run by day and most of the night to various Munich stations, including the main stations for connections to major European cities. The airport train station is just outside the terminals. Taxis are available, as are buses to many regional destinations and the main train station. It takes about 20 minutes by train and about 45 minutes by road to reach the city centre.
Car Rental: Car hire companies represented include Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Budget and Sixt.
Airport Taxis: Taxis are available from both terminals. The journey time to the city centre is approximately 45 minutes.
Facilities: The airport has several restaurants and bars, duty-free and other shops, shower facilities and a pharmacy. ATMs and currency exchange desks are available in Arrivals and Departures.
Parking Parking in airport lots costs between €2 and €5 for the first hour, up to about €33 per day. Long-term parking is cheapest in lots P41, P80 and P81. There are drop-off zones where parking is free for the first 10 minutes.
Website: www.munich-airport.de
For two boozy weeks towards the end September/beginning of October each year all roads in Munich lead to the Theresienwiese, a giant grass meadow about the size of 20 football fields near the centre of the city. The occasion is the world's biggest party, the Munich Oktoberfest. The field becomes a beer-drinking city, complete with its own post office, police force and fire department, and most importantly numerous huge tents, erected by the various Bavarian breweries, that serve as massive beer halls. The first keg is tapped in ceremonial style to open the two-week celebration, which draws hundreds of thousands of revellers from all around the world.
Apart from the rollicking beer halls where traditional Bavarian bands belt out old favourites, the festival offers a host of carnival games and fun park rides, as well as stalls selling a range of German delicacies. Many people also like to dress up in traditional Bavarian garb for the celebrations. Entry to the enormous beer tents is free. Oktoberfest is one of the most popular and best-known festivals in the world, and certainly the biggest drinking festival, and flights and accommodation should be organised far in advance to avoid disappointment.
Website: www.oktoberfest.de
Hippodrom Tent at Oktoberfest Jason Paris
Munich Opera Festival
The Opera Festival is the most important event on the Munich's music calendar, held every summer since 1876 in one of the world's most beautiful opera houses. Enthusiasts from around the world gather to listen to the renowned Bavarian State Opera, with a programme of about 70 different performances. Two free, open-air performances are also held outside the opera house in the square. The festival is not limited to opera and also celebrates theatre and ballet as well as other kinds of musical performances. As the festival is so popular and attracts so many visitors this is also generally a boom period for arts and culture in the city as a whole. Every year the programme changes but it is always impressive and includes a range of styles and genres to cater to all tastes. For information on the programme and ticket cost check out the official website.
Venue: National Theatre
Website: www.muenchner-opern-festspiele.de
Munich opera house Reinhard Kuchenbacker
From bustling traditional beer halls to pumping dance clubs, the nightlife in Munich has it all, and the mix of foreigners and locals gives this city a welcoming cosmopolitan feel. Unlike Frankfurt and Berlin, Munich is best known for its bars and beer halls rather than its clubbing scene, but those in search of some serious clubbing still won't struggle in Munich.
Those looking for a night of dancing and revelry should explore Munich's 'party banana', which consists of Sendlinger Tor, Karlsplatz and Odeonsplatz, where many of the city's favourite clubs are located. Other popular nightlife districts in Munich include Schwabing, which boasts numerous traditional Bavarian options and lots of live music; Maxvorstand, near the university and frequented by students; the Glockenbachviertel, popular with the most trendy denizens of the city and home to a number of gay and lesbian venues; and the area around the Munich East Station, which is known to be dingy but cheap.
Travellers should note that the friendly, welcoming attitude of the beer halls is not always matched by the more upmarket and fashionable clubs in Munich, where would-be partiers should dress appropriately and anticipate some selectivity from bouncers.
From international designer brands and trendy local designers to traditional Bavarian handicrafts and wares, shopaholics can enjoy plenty of variety in Munich. Typical Bavarian gifts include trachten (traditional clothing) such as Lederhosen, while the most popular souvenirs are still bierkrug (beer steins) and pewter-ware.
The two main shopping districts are Neuhauserstrasse and Kaufingerstrasse in Munich's historic city centre. Department and chain stores abound in these pedestrian-only shopping areas where everything from clothing and accessories to electrical goods and sports equipment can be found. Head to Maximilianstrasse, Theatinerstrasse, or Leopoldstrasse in Schwabing for independent shops and trendy boutiques selling all the latest local designer clothing. Second-hand stores can also be found in Schwabing and some real gems can be found in these places if shoppers are willing to spend time looking through the wares.
The modern Fünf Höfe shopping mall is a great place to find everything under one roof, while the Sunday flea market at Kunstpark Ost provides more alternative buys with second-hand goods, antiques and old bric-a-brac lining the stall fronts. For great food markets, the vibrant Viktualienmarkt behind Marienplatz sells everything from cheese and spices to poultry and game. Browse through the stalls and let your senses come alive to the fragrances of spices and aromas of delicious fresh foods. The market is open Monday to Friday and even features a Biergarten where weary shoppers can take a load off, rest their legs and enjoy an ice-cold refreshment.
Most stores are open from Monday to Friday, from 9am to 8pm, and on Saturday until 4pm. Munich is a comparatively expensive city but a rewarding one for shoppers.
Munich's city centre is a pedestrian zone, so many of its attractions can be reached on foot, which is also the most pleasant way to explore certain parts of the city. The efficient and integrated public transport system is excellent for getting around beyond the centre. It consists of buses, trams, the U-bahn (subway) and the S-bahn (suburban train) that operate from about 5am to 1am, with hourly buses and trams servicing main routes throughout the night. Tickets must be validated on entering stations or on boarding, are transferable between all forms of transport, and valid for two hours after being stamped as long as one travels in the same direction. Fares are zone based and the system is well-organised and easy to understand.
There are various day passes available as well as the Munich CityTourCard, which covers all transport within the city and includes discounts to the main attractions. Taxis are safe and convenient, but expensive. You can hire a car easily but it is often better to use public transport in the big European cities to avoid frustration and confusion. You can also hire bicycles at very little cost and this is a lovely way to get around.
This charming Bavarian city is a popular tourist destination and a quaint combination of old world allure and modern flair. The city boasts numerous attractions, including some wonderful museums, such as the BMW Museum, Deutsches Museum, Museum Brandhorst, the City Museum of Munich and the National Bavarian Museum, to name a few. Head to Marienplatz to see some historic buildings and marvel at the uniquely German architecture. Visit Olympia Park and eat lunch in the revolving restaurant from the adjacent observation tower to enjoy breath-taking views over the city. Head to the Englischer Garten in Schwabing to relax and unwind in the picturesque gardens, and visit Munich's second biggest beer garden. Those coming in autumn can look forward to the world famous Oktoberfest.
For travellers looking for a bit more adventure, Munich is also the gateway to the Bavarian Alps and sport enthusiasts from near and far flock here each winter.
Visitors planning on doing lots of sightseeing should consider purchasing the Munich CityTourCard which entitles the bearer to free public transport in Munich and a discount on as many as 70 tourist attractions. Several versions of the card are available.
The name Berchtesgaden is most closely associated with Adolf Hitler's country house, but it is in fact a delightful Bavarian alpine village with ancient winding streets and a medieval marketplace, popular as an excursion from Munich. Hitler's holiday house, the Berghof, is actually at Obersalzberg about half a mile (2km) up the Kehlstein Mountain. Afternoon bus tours to the Fuhrer's playground can be undertaken from the tourist office in the village, but there is little to see besides some underground bunkers, which are open to the public. Most tourists, however, do delight in visiting the Kehlsteinhaus (or Eagle's Nest), a remarkable building perched precariously atop the mountain, originally commissioned by Martin Bormann as a 50th birthday present for Hitler (although the notorious Nazi leader seldom visited it because of his fear of heights). Today it is the site of an excellent Bavarian restaurant and provides breath-taking views at the end of a stunning winding mountain road.
The town of Berchtesgaden itself has some interesting attractions, besides its 16th-century architecture and enticing inns. There is a small wood-carving museum at Schloss Aldelsheim which can be viewed on a guided tour. Wood sculptures, Renaissance furniture and some art works are worth seeing at the Konigliches Schloss, which was originally an Augustinian monastery. The most fun to be had, however, is in the salt mines to the east of the town, which offer guided tours. Visitors wear protective clothing and ride on wagons to the mine, then explore the mine on foot and ride miner's slides, finishing with a trip on the salt lake ferry. The mine has been in operation since 1517. Berchtesgarten also boasts a world-class ice-skating rink, the Eisstadion, which is sought after by winter sports enthusiasts in the winter months, along with the skiing opportunities in the surrounding area.
Website: www.berchtesgaden.com
Kehlsteinhaus Andre Zehetbauer
Dachau Memorial Site
About 10 miles (16km) to the northwest of Munich on the Stuttgart Autobahn is the town of Dachau. Once a quiet artists' community, it became the site of the first notorious Nazi 'death camp', where thousands of perceived enemies of the Third Reich were imprisoned, starved, and killed between 1933 and 1945. The camp has now been turned into a memorial museum to the prisoners (67,000 were liberated alive by the US Army on April 28, 1945). The museum contains three memorial chapels. The Lagerstrasse, the main camp road, still exists, lined with poplar trees, but only two of the original 32 barracks that lined it remain, having been rebuilt to illustrate the conditions endured by the prisoners. The original kitchen, laundry and shower block is now a museum containing exhibits, photographs and documents depicting the persecution of Jews and other prisoners. The exhibitions are often very personal and include the accounts and stories of prisoners. The memorial is a sobering experience, and may not be suitable for young children.
Address: Alte Römerstraße 75, Dachau
Transport: From Dachau train station take bus 726 to the main entrance of the Memorial Site. S2 train from Munich
Opening time: Memorial/Museum open daily 9am to 5pm; Library and Archive available by appointment only between 9am and 5pm Tuesday to Friday.
Website: www.kz-gedenkstaette-dachau.de
Bunker Glen Bowman
One of the most beautiful lakes in the Bavarian Alps, Chiemsee boasts two islands and is lined with resorts. A popular weekend excursion in Germany, it can be reached by train from Munich in an hour, or by road via the A8 Autobahn. Visitors can take a steamer cruise around the lake from Prien on the west shore to explore the islands in the lake. The scenery is breathtaking and in summer there is great swimming and sailing to enjoy. Even in winter the lake is beautiful, and much less crowded.
Frauenchiemsee is the smaller island and the site of a quaint fishing village with some colourful traditional customs, and a Benedictine nunnery known for its liqueur. The larger island, Herrenchiemsee, bears one of King Ludwig's famous fairy-tale castles. This one was never completed, but was intended to be a replica of the palace of Versailles. The centre of the palace still stands, complete with a splendid hall of mirrors and surrounded by gardens and woodland. It is an extremely popular tourist attraction with its gaudy splendour and picturesque location.
Website: www.chiemsee.de
Chiemsee Mathijs Koenraadt
Companies flying to Munich


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Things I've Learned: Neil Jordan's 12 Golden Rules of Moviemaking
In the last few years, Neil Jordan, whose career spans three decades, has written and directed episodes of HBO's The Borgias, his self-described current day job, as well as the Irish film Ondine. He will step into the world of the undead for the third time, following High Spirits (1988) and Interview with the Vampire (1994), with Byzantium.
This third vampire film, adding to Jordan's immortal collection, stars Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan as a fanged mother and daughter duo. Jordan himself admits that the lady vampires of Byzantium are female counterparts to Interview's deadly twosome, Louis and Lestat, played nearly 20 years ago by Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. He also credits Interview's author, Anne Rice, with beginning the vampire mania that has given life to the Twilight Series, True Blood, his newest film and countless other bloody, death defying titles. Byzantium comes out of the dark this Friday, June 28.
1. Films used to be about sex, violence and cigarette smoking. Smoking is no longer permissible and sex is barely permissible, so you'd better get good at violence.
2. The word "fuck" in an actor's mouth is hardly worth the effort. You'll be asked to cut it or be given the wrong rating. If you win the fight and manage to keep it, you'll have to overdub it for the television versions with "freak," "frig," etc. Try getting an actor to say "motherfrigger."
3. Prepare everything and you'll be amazed at how much of it ends up on the screen. Write it, draw it, note it, talk it out. Then keep shooting until you make sure you get it—even down to the weather and the available light.
4. You'll be held responsible for everything that ends up in the finished film. So if people tell you it doesn't matter, don't believe them.
5. There is no longer any difference between the independents and the studios. That was eliminated sometime in the 1980s. Most independent movies now are put through the same grindhouse as the studio projects.
6. To entertain an audience is never a crime.
7. To challenge an audience is never a crime.
8. To bore an audience is a crime punishable by extremely low figures in the top two boxes.
9. Work with good actors and make sure you like them. If they are good, their instincts about the script you've written are often better than yours.
10. Remember what a good time you're having. Making a film is the greatest antidote to boredom yet invented.
11. Always tell the truth on the set.
12. Never tell the truth on a junket.
Neil Jordan made his debut as a writer-director with 1982's Angel, for which he was given The London Evening Standard's Most Promising Newcomer Award. Several films quickly followed from the late '80s and early '90s including The Company of Wolves, Mona Lisa and The Miracle. In 1992, Jordan's legendary gender-bender tale, The Crying Game, won the Irish auteur his first Oscar for Best Original Screenplay (the film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director). Jordan further cemented his reputation as a true cinematic visionary with Michael Collins, The Butcher Boy, The End of the Affair, Breakfast on Pluto, and, more recently, The Brave One.
Don't forget to visit us next week for more movie knowledge! Previous Wisdom Wednesdays have shared the expertise of Danny Boyle, Steve Buscemi, Jim Jarmusch, Zack Snyder and Gus Van Sant.
To learn more about Neil Jordan go here. For more information on Byzantium check out their Facebook page. To subscribe to MovieMaker Magazine click here.
Related Topics:12 golden rules, Angel, Anne Rice, Brad Pitt, Breakfast on Pluto, Butcher Boy, Byzantium, Gemma Arterton, Golden Rules, In Dreams, Interview with the Vampire, Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles, Michael Collins, neil jordan, neil jordan director, neil jordan moviemaker, Ondine, saoirse ronan, The Borgias, The Brave One, The Crying Game, The End of the Affair, The Good Thief, tom cruise, True Blood, Twilight, Twilight Series
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Monthly Team Building Activities in Singapore to Motivate!
Team building isn't something to do once a year or every quarterly, it works better if it's constant in the workplace to build killer teams. Conduct long-term team building to boost employee camaraderie! Team building not only brings about enhanced productivity, it is also great for overall morale and happiness when employees become friends.
With the availability of many affordable movie streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu and more, a monthly movie screening session with your team is not only easy, but bound to be met with cheers!
Watching movies allows your team to unwind and relax together. In addition, it has been proven that watching movies improves communication skills. Talk about the villain in the movie, how the plot could have been better, the acting skills of the actors, the list goes on...Set up a poll and get your team to vote for the upcoming movie! This allows your team members to feel a sense of involvement and gives them something to look forward to every month.
Last week, team culturally conducted a movie session with our remote team members. It was a successful movie screening session and our movie pick was the epic Dangal!
Get your team moving by signing your team up for a Qigong, Zumba class or Yoga class. The workout choice is yours!
There are many benefits when it comes to working out in big groups. By working out with your team members, it takes things to the next level. Research shows that exercising with co-workers leads to increased productivity! Furthermore, there is a high chance that your teammates have been too preoccupied to participate in exercise classes, this serves as a good opportunity for them to raise some endorphins and try something new! Who knows, your team members may find themselves a new favorite workout or a new workout buddy!
Being busy professionals, your team members might have lost touch with their artistic sides. When was the last time they completed an art piece? Probably a really long time ago. Take this chance and bring your team on a hands-on experience! Go for workshops such as pottery, Batik Painting, Cocktail making and more. Psst… you can even learn how to flip your own prata at Upper Thomson or Sixth Avenue at only SGD$20 per pax!
Workshop: Get Creative with Batik!
Workshop: Cocktail Masterclass & DIY Session!
Now, we all know that food brings people together. A single potluck session is never enough especially when we have more than one dish that we want to share. Organize monthly potluck sessions! Be it in the office or in someone else's home, showcase your best dish for your team members to enjoy and have a hearty meal together!
At Culturally, we customize various teambuilding options suitable for your company. Book your Culturally experience here!


text:
Q: How do I update a column for all rows in a table with different values based on the function i wrote? I am having a table where I want to update the column tempID (null for now) for all the rows.
The table is already having multiple records.
I want to update for each and every rows (randomly) with string I generate from my function?
tempID    Name       Address
null      xyz        asdf
null      abc        asdfds

I want to update the table so that it will be below:
tempID    Name       Address
emp101    xyz        asdf
emp102    abc        asdfds

This is like assigning an id to the employee after entry of data which was done on excel and export into this table.

A: You can try below snippet. I have tried to use ORA_HASH value to generate  random unique identifier. Hope this helps.
alter session set NLS_LENGTH_SEMANTICS = CHAR;

CREATE TABLE emp_tab
  (
    empid   VARCHAR2(100),
    name    VARCHAR2(100),
    Address VARCHAR2(1000)
  );

INSERT INTO emp_tab
SELECT NULL,'Avrajit'||level,'PUNE'||level FROM dual CONNECT BY level < 10;

CREATE OR REPLACE
  FUNCTION gen_random_empid(
      emp_name IN VARCHAR2)
    RETURN VARCHAR2
  AS
    emp_id VARCHAR2(100);
  begin
    SELECT 'Emp'||ora_hash(emp_name) INTO emp_id FROM dual;
    return emp_id;
  end;

UPDATE emp_tab SET empid = gen_random_empid(NAME);

SELECT * FROM emp_tab;

A: I have solved it. What i did was i assigned a normal sequence number 1,2,3... to tempID when exporting from excel sheet, and then i update the query like this
Dim upsql = "Update tb_Tempmember set tempID = '" & generatenextid() & "' where tempid = '" & CStr(mysequenceid) & "'"
This is in the loop.
Thanks for your support.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The Ottumwa Cardinals were a Class-D Mississippi Valley League minor league baseball team based in Ottumwa, Iowa that played from 1922 to 1925. They were preceded and succeeded by the Ottumwa Packers.

Of note, Jack Saltzgaver and Johnny Welch, who both spent considerable time in Major League Baseball, played for the team. They were managed by Wally Mattick from 1923 to 1925.

References

Defunct minor league baseball teams
Defunct baseball teams in Iowa
Baseball teams established in 1922
Baseball teams disestablished in 1925
Ottumwa, Iowa
1922 establishments in Iowa
1925 disestablishments in Iowa
Mississippi Valley League teams

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Porto full-back Alex Telles could be in danger of missing his side's Champions League quarter-final with Liverpool next week after picking up a bizarre injury while taking a penalty.
The Brazilian scored the spot-kick to draw his side level against Braga in the Portuguese top flight clash, but he wasn't able to celebrate his smart finish.
Instead, the 26-year-old hit the turf and writhed in agony after appearing to tweak a muscle in his right hip.


Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are turning out to be international masters of mystery. After months of making us all believe that they were going to find a way to get married in Paris, France come hell or high water, the news broke that Kim and Kanye are getting married in Italy. Which comes totally out of left field. Actually, that wasn't even on the field. Everything we thought we knew was a lie. According to Italian newspaper La Nazione, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West actually conceived North while they were there, which is a great article for Kimye to clip and save for when North starts asking those awkward where did I come from questions.
"I think that our daughter North was conceived here among the Renaissance masterpieces," said Kanye in the interview, which raises a few interesting questions. Every other word quoted out of his mouth was basically gushing praise for Florence and the country of Italy in general, to the point where Kanye even mentioned that he is working on a whole album tentatively titled Made in Florence. How we managed to overlook Kanye's italophilia before now is beyond me, but between setting his wedding there, studying fashion there, and making music there it's a wonder that North wasn't named after the country as well.
In fact, anyone who is still complaining that Kimye named their first daughter North West should probably be glad that North wasn't given any of these Renaissance- or Italian-inspired names.
Clearly the only reason that North escaped being named after the city of her conception is because it would have made her a walking spoiler alert as to where her parents' wedding was going to be held.
Raphael isn't just the name of a Renaissance painter and a Ninja Turtle; it's also the name of an archangel. If you tell me that Kimye wouldn't name their child after an angel, then you've clearly never read about them.
Kanye studied with a fashion designer named Ermanno Scervino while he was in Florence and North could have easily be named in honor of that man. After all, North probably didn't sound like a unisex name before now either.
It might be a bit much to name their daughter after Michelangelo or just after the Sistine Chapel that he painted, but the Italian name for the church, Cappella Sistina, sounds almost poetic. And imagine all the funny headline puns we could have made when Sistina became a sister.
The House of Medici was a political dynasty and eventual royal house in the Republic of Florence. They were probably the 14th Century version of the Kardashians, really, except in a world where reality television wasn't around to make people famous. Well, at least now they have ideas for what to name their second child.


text:
Q: Registering Web API 2 external logins from multiple API clients with OWIN Identity I would like the following architecture (I've made up the product name for this example):
Web API 2 application running on one server
http://api.prettypictures.com
MVC 5 client app running on another server
http://www.webpics.com
I would like www.webpics.com client app to use the Pretty Pictures API to:

*

*Register new accounts with username and password

*Register new accounts with Facebook/Google/Twitter/Microsoft

*Log in

*Retrieve pictures

All of the above works except registering external accounts with Facebook, Google etc.
I cannot work out the correct flow to create an external account from a separate client user of the API.
I have studied most documents available on the authentication flow, like this:

I have read pretty much everything I can on the new Identity model in OWIN.
I've examined the SPA template in Visual Studio 2013. It demonstrates how to do most of what I need but only when the client and the API are on the same host; if I want multiple clients accessing my API and being able to let users sign up via Google etc. it doesn't work and as far as I can tell the OWIN authentication flow breaks.
Here is the flow so far:

*

*User browses to www.webpics.com/Login

*www.webpics.com calls api.prettypictures.com/Account/ExternalLogins (with a returnUrl set to go back to a callback at www.webpics.com) and displays the resulting links to the user

*The user clicks "Google"

*The browser redirects to api.prettypictures.com/Account/ExternalLogin with the name of the provider etc.

*The API's ExternalLogin action instantiates a challenge to google.com

*The browser is redirected to google.com

*The user enters their username and password (if they are not already logged in to google.com)

*google.com now presents the security clearance: "api.prettypictures.com" would like access to your email address, name, wife, children etc. Is this OK?

*User clicks "Yep" and is taken back to api.prettypictures.com/Account/ExternalLogin with a cookie that Google has set.

This is where I've got stuck. What is supposed to happen next is somehow the client app should be notified that the user has successfully authenticated with google.com and be given a single use access code to swap for an access token later on. The client app should have the opportunity, if necessary, to prompt the user for a username to associate with their google.com login.
I don't know how to facilitate this.
In fact at this point the browser ends up sat at the api.prettypictures.com/Account/ExternalLogin endpoint after the callback from Google. The API is signed in for Google but the client doesn't know how to deal with that. Should I pipe that cookie back to www.webpics.com?
In the SPA app, it is done via AJAX and google.com will return an token as a URL fragment and it all works nicely because it all sits on one domain. But that defies much of the point of having an "API" that multiple clients can fully use.
Help!

A: Update: things have changed since I wrote this post in January: MSFT released their official OpenID connect client middleware and I worked hard with @manfredsteyer to adapt the OAuth2 authorization server built in Katana to OpenID connect. This combination results in a far easier and far more powerful solution that doesn't require any custom client code and is 100% compatible with standard OAuth2/OpenID connect clients. The different steps I mentioned in January can now be replaced by just a few lines:
Server:
app.UseOpenIdConnectServer(options =>
{
    options.TokenEndpointPath = new PathString("/connect/token");
    options.SigningCredentials.AddCertificate(certificate);

    options.Provider = new CustomOpenIdConnectServerProvider();
});

Client:
app.UseOpenIdConnectAuthentication(new OpenIdConnectAuthenticationOptions
{
    Authority = "http://localhost:55985/",

    ClientId = "myClient",
    ClientSecret = "secret_secret_secret",
    RedirectUri = "http://localhost:56854/oidc"
});

You can find all the details (and different samples) on the GitHub repository:
https://github.com/aspnet-contrib/AspNet.Security.OpenIdConnect.Server
https://github.com/aspnet-contrib/AspNet.Security.OpenIdConnect.Server/tree/dev/samples/Nancy

Josh, you're definitely on the right track and your delegated/federated authentication implementation seems pretty good (I imagine that you've used the predefined OWIN middleware from Microsoft.Owin.Security.Facebook/Google/Twitter).
What you need to do is creating your own custom OAuth2 authorization server. You have plenty of options to achieve that, but the easiest one is probably to plug the OAuthAuthorizationServerMiddleware in your OWIN Startup class. You'll find it in the Microsoft.Owin.Security.OAuth Nuget package.
While the best practice would be to create a separate project (often called "AuthorizationServer"), I personally prefer adding it to my "API project" when it is not meant to be used across multiple API (here, you would have to insert it in the project hosting "api.prettypictures.com").
You'll find a great sample in the Katana repository:
https://katanaproject.codeplex.com/SourceControl/latest#tests/Katana.Sandbox.WebServer/Startup.cs
app.UseOAuthAuthorizationServer(new OAuthAuthorizationServerOptions
{
    AuthorizeEndpointPath = new PathString("/oauth2/authorize"),
    TokenEndpointPath = new PathString("/oauth2/token"),
    ApplicationCanDisplayErrors = true,

    AllowInsecureHttp = true,

    Provider = new OAuthAuthorizationServerProvider
    {
        OnValidateClientRedirectUri = ValidateClientRedirectUri,
        OnValidateClientAuthentication = ValidateClientAuthentication,
        OnGrantResourceOwnerCredentials = GrantResourceOwnerCredentials,
    },
    AuthorizationCodeProvider = new AuthenticationTokenProvider
    {
        OnCreate = CreateAuthenticationCode,
        OnReceive = ReceiveAuthenticationCode,
    },
    RefreshTokenProvider = new AuthenticationTokenProvider
    {
        OnCreate = CreateRefreshToken,
        OnReceive = ReceiveRefreshToken,
    }
});

Don't hesitate to browse the whole project to see how the authorization consent form has been implemented using simple Razor files. If you prefer a higher-level framework like ASP.NET MVC or NancyFX, create your own AuthorizationController controller and Authorize methods (make sure to accept both GET and POST) and use Attribute Routing to match the AuthorizeEndpointPath defined in your OAuth2 authorization server (ie. [Route("oauth2/authorize")] in my sample, where I've changed the AuthorizeEndpointPath to use oauth2/ as a path base).
The other thing you need to do is adding an OAuth2 authorization client in your web app. Unfortunately, there's no generic OAuth2 client support in Katana, and you'll have to build your own. I've personally submitted a proposal to the Katana team, but it has been refused. But don't panic, it's rather easy to do:
Copy the appropriate files from the Microsoft.Owin.Security.Google repository located there: https://katanaproject.codeplex.com/SourceControl/latest#src/Microsoft.Owin.Security.Google/GoogleOAuth2AuthenticationHandler.cs
You'll need GoogleOAuth2AuthenticationHandler, GoogleOAuth2AuthenticationMiddleware, GoogleOAuth2AuthenticationOptions, GoogleAuthenticationExtensions (you'll have to remove the first 2 methods corresponding to the Google OpenID implementation), IGoogleOAuth2AuthenticationProvider, GoogleOAuth2ReturnEndpointContext, GoogleOAuth2AuthenticationProvider, GoogleOAuth2AuthenticatedContext and GoogleOAuth2ApplyRedirectContext. Once you've inserted these files in your project hosting "webpics.com", rename them accordingly and change the authorization and access token endpoints URL in GoogleOAuth2AuthenticationHandler to match the ones you've defined in your OAuth2 authorization server.
Then, add the Use method from your renamed/custom GoogleAuthenticationExtensions to your OWIN Startup class. I suggest using AuthenticationMode.Active so that your users will be directly redirected to your API OAuth2 authorization endpoint. Thus, you should suppress the "api.prettypictures.com/Account/ExternalLogins" roundtrip and let the OAuth2 client middleware alter 401 responses to redirect the clients to your API.
Good luck. And don't hesitate if you need more information ;)


text:
ТЭИ — многозначная аббревиатура:
 ТЭИ — технико-экономическая информация
 ТЭИ — технико-экономические исследования
 ТЭИ — тензор энергии-импульса
 ТЭИ — транспортно-энергетический институт (Западно-Сибирского филиала Академии наук СССР)
 ТЭИ — торгово-экономический институт (например: Харьковский ТЭИ, Черновицкий ТЭИ и т. д.)

См. также
 Тэи
  — аббревиатура латиницей


Some properties of the materials, such as ferroelectric and optic, are dependents to structural organization of the material. Thus, to know the order disorder degree at short, intermediate and long range is important to elucidate or predict properties in materials. The PL emission at room temperature will be used to study the structural order disorder at short, intermediate and long range in the CaTiO3:Sm, in function of annealed temperature. Using studies of the structural order disorder in the CaTiO3:Sm system will propose a model that appoint to favorable conditions, in disordered material, to show PL emission at room temperature.


text:
Washington Nationals Capture First World Series in Franchise History
The Washington Nationals made history Wednesday night winning their first ever championship in franchise history, including when the franchise was the Montreal Expos. They defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 in game seven in comeback fashion like they had done virtually all season. This World Series marked the first time ever neither home team won a single game in their home stadium.
Game Seven Recap
The Astros got on the board first with a solo blast from Yuli Gurriel in the first inning off Max Scherzer, who was starting three days after being scratched from his game 5 start with neck spasms. Mad Max battled through a challenging lineup over five innings of two run ball. The Stros tacked on another run in the 5th.
On the other side, and rather unexpectedly, Zack Greinke was pitching the game of his life. The crafty veteran has been one of the best pitchers of the last decade, but never had the postseason success he had in the regular season.
Greinke only gave up one hit through 6 innings and came out for the 7th with his pitch count in the upper 60's. It looked like he could go the distance. The leadoff hitter, Anthony Rendon, worked a favorable count and smashed a Greinke breaking ball into the left field seats to reduce the deficit to 2-1. Juan Soto batted next and worked a walk. Strangely, with his pitch count now at 80 pitches, Greinke was pulled by manager AJ Hinch for Will Harris , who was superb all postseason out of the bullpen. (Notably, Gerrit Cole was left on the bench.)
Harris came in having allowed only one run in the entire postseason. He promptly gave up a two run opposite field home run to Mr. Clutch, Howie Kendrick. Kendrick, who hit the game winning grand slam in game 5 of the NLDS against the Dodgers, added to his legacy Wednesday night by giving the Nationals a 3-2 lead.
Houston fans were stunned as the game had felt like an Astros victory, until it didn't. The Nats tacked on insurance runs in the 8th and 9th innings behind the relief pitching of Patrick Corbin and Daniel Hudson, who closed out the game.
As Hudson got the final out in the bottom of the 9th inning, he through his glove toward the Nationals dugout whilst the Nationals stormed the field in celebration. The team of comebacks, came back against all odds again, this time to win the World Series. Remarkably, soon to be free agent Gerrit Cole never through a pitch in the final game of the season.
Season Recap
The Nationals were 19-31 on May 22nd. At that time, they had a 20% chance to make the playoffs in the National League East, the second lowest odds behind only the lowly Miami Marlins. They would go on to play incredible baseball for the rest of the season to the tune of a 74-39. Had they played at that pace the whole year it would have been good for 106 wins.
Stephen Strasburg rightfully won the World Series MVP winning both his starts on the road in Houston. Every game he pitched this postseason the Nationals won. He looked virtually unhittable for the entire month of October – be it on short rest, out of the bullpen, or however he was needed. It was a prophecy finally fulfilled for the ace who was famously shut down 9 years ago by his rookie season innings limit, just when the Nats looked to be favorites for the World Series behind his arm. This year, he finally got another chance and didn't waste it.
Juan Soto, Anthony Rendon and Howie Kendrick elevated an elite lineup all postseason forming the best 3-4-5 combination this October. It's crazy to think, Soto just turned 21 and has his best baseball ahead of him. Rendon will become a free agent, but we'll be shocked if he isn't back in Washington on a big time deal.
According to oddsmakers, the Nationals had a 13% chance to win Wednesday night in the 7th inning down 2-0. They had a 20% chance to make the postseason in May, and a 15% chance to win game 5 in LA. These Nationals didn't care about odds, because when their backs were against the wall, they were able to respond, all season long. Funny how far chemistry goes when an egotistical star leaves town. (Another Bryce Harper dig).
For a city who hadn't seen a title across any sport in decades, they have three in the last three years between the hockey Capitals, the WNBA Mystics and now, their beloved baseball Nationals. Congratulations, DC, you've arrived on the sports map.
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