text:
by 51eb2b28
Conflict
Rising action
The sun rises over the Pride Lands. Animals from all corners of the kingdom head over to Pride Rock ("Circle of Life"). The ruling lions King Mufasa (voice of James Earl Jones) and Queen Sarabi (voice of Alfre Woodard) are welcoming the birth of their cub, Simba. The mandrill high priest Rafiki (voice of John Kani) presents Simba before all the animals, and they all bow before the new prince.
Climax
The next day, Scar brings Simba by a gorge to practice his roar.The next day, Scar brings Simba by a gorge to practice his roar.Mufasa runs through the herd of wildebeest to reach Simba. He brings the cub up to safety but is dragged away by the wildebeest. Mufasa then starts climbing up the hill, only to be caught by Scar, who sinks his claws into Mufasa's paws. With a sinister look in his eyes, Scar tells Mufasa, "Long live the king", and he smacks his brother off the cliff to his demise.
Falling action
Simba walks alone for miles before ending up in a desert. He collapses in exhaustion before a flock of vultures swoop in to try and eat him. They are interrupted by the meerkat-and-warthog duo Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen), who scare off the vultures before finding Simba.
Resolution
The two decide they should keep the cub so that when he grows into an adult lion, he will be on their side. Simba wakes up and is despondent, still blaming himself for his father's death. Timon and Pumbaa take him in and show him how they live their lives, according to their motto, "Hakuna Matata" (It means "no worries!"). Since the other animals are friends, Simba can't eat them and now feasts on bugs. He spends more time with Timon and Pumbaa, now growing into an adult
car manages to slip away from the fighting but is followed by Simba. They meet at the top of Pride Rock surrounded by flames where Scar begs for his life, saying that he's family and that the hyenas are the real enemy. Having heard this, the hyenas back away growling. Simba relents, saying that he's not like Scar and tells him to run away and never return. Scar meekly walks past him but sends a pile of embers into Simbas face, blinding him for a moment. Scar then attacks Simba and a fierce fight ensues. Scar manages to knock Simba down and leaps at him but, using the technique Nala had mastered in her pinning, Simba flips Scar with his hind legs over the edge of Pride Rock. Scar tumbles down the rock face and lands at the base.
Some time later, the animals of the Pride Lands gather once again at Pride Rock, cheering at Simba and Nala as they overlook the kingdom. Rafiki comes between them and holds up their newborn cub for all to see.


Don't miss out scuba diving in Malaysia on Tioman Island, home to some of the healthiest coral reefs in South East Asia and a myriad of marine life. It's considered the Best Scuba Diving Destination on Peninsular Malaysia.
If you want to dive the most beautiful coral gardens in the South China Sea, swim with a huge variety of tropical reef fish, turtles, sharks, cuttlefish and search for nudibranchs in one of the best macro spots in the world, then you shouldn't miss a visit to Tioman Island.
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We head out every morning at around 9am for our day trip, which includes two boat dives at some of the best dive sites around Tioman Island.
Dive time is around 50 minutes and after the first dive we'll serve you with a local lunch in the vicinity of Coral Island, where you'll have a good hour surface interval to sunbathe or go snorkelling. The second dive will always be at a different dive site in the area.
We return to base between 1pm and 2pm, depending on the boat we use that day and the dive sites we've been to.
The third dive of the day leaves our base at around 3:30pm and this time we'll visit a dive site closer to Tioman Island. It might be a shallow dive with great corals, turtles and blacktip reef sharks or we might visit some of our wrecks. We're usually back by around 5:30pm.
Diving at night is always something special. Depending on the number of divers we conduct either shore or boat night dives on a daily basis.
Dives from shore are not only great for a check-out dive if you haven't been diving in a while, they also offer a different insight to our marine life. We always find special critters during our muck dives and are visited by our resident turtles and cuttlefish. Not to miss is a dive underneath the jetty in Salang Bay where you literally can't see past the millions of anchovies and yellow striped scad.
We have a variety of ready made dive packages for you which you can access via this link. Alternatively we can also put a tailor made package together for you or book you just in for dives/courses without accommodation. Simply email us with as many details as possible so that we can work it all out for you, or click on the button below to fill in our contact form.
Click on the button to fill out our contact form. Our booking officer will be in touch soon to customize your perfect dive package.


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Home Current Affairs 18 February 2022 Current Affairs
Daily Current Affairs and GK | 18 February 2022
By PendulumEdu | Last Modified: 18 Feb 2022 18:05 PM IST
Main Headlines:
1. IIT Madras researchers developed a special class of Origami metamaterials.
2. Delhi Police becomes India's first security force to launch 'Smart Card Arms License'.
3. Litterateur Dr. Chennaveera Kanavi passes away.
4. PM Modi to virtually launch Asia's largest Bio-CNG plant at Indore in MP.
5. Tourism Ministry and Alliance Air Aviation Limited signed an MoU to boost domestic tourism.
6. RailTel received ICAI financial reporting excellence award.
7. Ministry of Power releases Green Hydrogen/ Green Ammonia Policy.
8. Nepal to be first country to adopt UPI platform of India.
9. Gujarat government announced New Biotechnology Policy for 2022-27.
10. G Ashok Kumar appointed as India's first National Maritime Security Coordinator.
11. RK Singh and Angus Taylor co-chaired 4th India-Australia Energy Dialogue.
12. Kharu team won 15th CEC Cup Women's Ice Hockey Championship 2022.
13. Bihar government will commemorate 15 February as 'Shahid Diwas'.
14. India, UAE to sign Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement on 18 February.
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Topic: Science and Technology
The researchers of IIT Madras have developed a special class of origami metamaterials to reduce shock.
It has a constant value of Poisson's Ratio when subjected to stress.
This special class of Origami metamaterials has been developed by combining the Japanese art of paper folding (origami) and the existing material of choice.
Origami-based metamaterials are designed by introducing folding creases into thin-film materials.
Metamaterials have different properties and are not found in nature. It has a negative refractive index.
Poisson's ratio is defined as the ratio of lateral stress and longitudinal stress.
Topic: National News
Licensing unit of Delhi Police has decided to replace arms license booklet with Smart Card Arms License.
Smart Card Arms License has inherent security features and is easy to carry and handle.
It has been integrated with an e-beat book by means of mobile application Shastra App for effective policing.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah formally launched the smart card and Shastra App on 16 February on occasion of 75th anniversary of the Delhi Police.
Both smart card and Shastra App have been designed and developed in association with National e-Governance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Delhi Police is also India's first police organization to have launched e-arms license module. The module was launched on 31 January 2019.
Topic: Personality in News
Kannada litterateur (person interested in and having knowledge about literature) Dr Chennaveera Kanavi has passed away recently.
He had won Sahitya Akademi award for his book 'Jeevadhwani'. He was known as "Samanvayada Kavi" and "Soujanyada Kavi".
He also received Rajyotsava Award, Pampa Award, Nadoja title, Nrupathunga award and Sahitya Bangara Award.
Topic: State News/ Madhya Pradesh
PM Modi will virtually launch Asia's largest Bio-CNG plant at Indore in Madhya Pradesh on 19 February 2022.
This Bio CNG plant will be run from 100% wet waste. The plant is built in PPP mode.
It has been established on 15 acres land of Indore Municipal Corporation in Devguradia area with an investment of Rs 150 crore.
400 buses can be run daily with the gas generated from the Bio-CNG plant.
Madhya Pradesh:
It is the second-largest state in India in terms of area.
Capital of Madhya Pradesh is Bhopal.
Largest city of Madhya Pradesh is Indore.
It shares its border with Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.
Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Governor of Madhya Pradesh: Mangubhai C. Patel
Topic: MoUs/ Agreements
The Tourism Ministry and Alliance Air Aviation Limited (AAAL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to improve collaboration in the promotion and marketing of domestic tourism across the country.
The MoU has been signed to achieve the common purpose of joint domestic promotion and to improve synergise in the activities of MoT and AAAL in the tourism markets.
Alliance Air is the front-runner in promoting the government's "Regional Connectivity Scheme", which is being promoted under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme.
(Source: PIB)
Topic: Awards and Prizes
RailTel has won the ICAI award for excellence in financial reporting in the Public Sector Entities category for the year 2020-21.
RailTel has been adjudged as winner in the 'plaque' category.
The award has been conferred by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), the country's preeminent accounting body.
Despite the Covid epidemic, RailTel has recorded its highest-ever consolidated income of Rs 1,411 crore in FY 20-21, with an increase of 21%.
For the fiscal year 2021-22, the RailTel has announced an interim dividend of 17.5 percent of paid-up share capital (Rs 1.75 per share).
ICAI award:
This award was established to encourage higher standards in the preparation and presentation of financial statements information.
Since 1958, the award has been given by ICAI annually.
Related Study Material
Evolution and History of the Indian Constitution Preamble of the Indian Constitution
Major sources of Indian Constitution President of India
Governor of a State Joint Military Exercises of India with other Countries
Indus Valley Civilization Padma Awardees 2021 Winners
Topic: Infrastructure and Energy
The policy deals with production of Green Hydrogen/ Green Ammonia using renewable sources of energy. Important highlights of the policy are given below.
Manufacturers of Green Hydrogen/Ammonia can buy renewable power from the power exchange or establish renewable energy capacity themselves or through any other, developer, anywhere.
Green Hydrogen / Ammonia producers can bank their unconsumed renewable power with a distribution firm for up to 30 days and take it back when needed.
Manufacturers of Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia will be allowed waiver of inter-state transmission charges for a period of 25 years for the projects commissioned before 30 June 2025.
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will set up a single portal for carrying out all the activities including statutory clearances in a time bound manner to ensure ease of doing business.
The policy is a step towards National Hydrogen Mission, which was launched by Hon'ble Prime Minister on 15 August, 2021.
The mission aims to help government in meeting its climate targets and making India a green hydrogen hub.
This will help India in meeting the target of production of 5 million tonnes of Green hydrogen by 2030.
Hydrogen/Ammonia produced by using power from renewable energy is termed as Green Hydrogen/Green Ammonia.
Topic: International News
Nepal will be first country to adopt India's Unified Payment Interface (UPI) as the payments platform.
NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) has joined hands with Gateway Payments Service Pvt Ltd and Manam Infotech Private Limited to deploy UPI in Nepal.
Gateway Payments Service Pvt Ltd is authorized Payment System Operators in Nepal. It will run and manage UPI in Nepal as the Nepal Rastra Bank Authorized Payment System Operator.
In 2021, UPI enabled 39 billion financial transactions. These transactions amount to commerce worth USD 940 billion, which is equivalent to approximately 31% of India's GDP.
NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) is the International arm and a wholly-owned subsidiary of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
Nepal:
Nepal is a landlocked nation. It shares a border with Indian states like Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, West Bengal, and Bihar.
Its capital is Kathmandu and the currency is Nepalese Rupees.
Bidya Devi Bhandari is the President of Nepal and Sher Bahadur Deuba is the Prime Minister of Nepal.
Topic: State News/ Gujarat
The Government will give special packages to Mega and large projects and the strategic projects under this policy.
Under this new policy, the MSMEs with a capital investment of less than 200 crore rupees will be given maximum assistance of 40 crore rupees.
The MSMEs with a capital investment of more than 200 crore rupees will get assistance up to 25% of the total capital expenditure.
Mega and large projects with a capital investment of more than 200 crore rupees will get assistance up to 15 percent of the total operating cost.
The financial assistance will be provided in the form of 20 quarterly installments over five years.
The main aim of this policy is to attract investment in the state and create job opportunities for youth.
(Source: News on AIR)
Topic: Appointments
Former Navy Vice Chief G Ashok Kumar appointed as India's first National Maritime Security Coordinator.
National Maritime Security Coordinator will be part of the National Security Council Secretariat. He will report to National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
National Maritime Security Coordinator will be responsible for coordinating will all the agencies involved in maritime security and maritime civil issues.
National Maritime Security Coordinator will be responsible to look after the maritime security of India and will be the nodal point for all issues related to it.
The need of this coordinating agency was first envisaged after the Kargil War. A group of ministers had recommended forming an apex body for the management of maritime affairs.
After the 26/11 terror attacks, Defense Ministry recommended forming a Maritime Security Advisory Board and appointing a Maritime Security Advisor.
The Navy has also proposed to set up a National Maritime Domain Awareness Center. It will be a multi-agency body comprising Navy, Coast Guard, intelligence agencies, state marine police forces, etc.
Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings
Various topics associated with energy transition, renewable energy, energy efficiency, storage, electronic vehicles were discussed during the meeting.
A letter of intent has been also signed between both countries on New and Renewable Energy Technology.
It will help in reducing the cost of new and renewable energy technologies.
The primary aim of this Letter of Intent (LoI) is to increase the production and deployment of ultra-low-cost solar and clean hydrogen.
Topic: Sports
The Kharu team defeated Lalok by 4-1 at the Ice Hockey Rink, NDS Sports Complex at Leh.
Seven teams have participated in the tournament.
It was organized by the District Youth Services and Sports Department in collaboration with Ladakh Winter Sports Club Leh.
Topic: State News/ Bihar
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar announced that 15 February will be celebrated as 'Shahid Diwas'.
It will be celebrated in the memory of the 34 freedom fighters who were killed by police in Tarapur town in Munger district 90 years ago.
The Tarapur massacre was carried out by the British police after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
A group of young freedom fighters planned to hoist Indian national flag at Thana Bhavan in Tarapur on 15 February 1932.
The plan was known to the police, and numerous officers were present on the spot.
Around 4000 crowds pelted stones on police and in response police opened indiscriminate fire on the crowd. 34 freedom fighters died in this incident.
The Bihar government has taken this initiative to recognize and to take pride in the modern history of the state.
CEPA will be signed during a virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan.
India and UAE have started the negotiations for CEPA in September 2021 and now it has been completed.
CEPA will increase the bilateral trade and investment between both countries.
Both countries have been making efforts to enhance cooperation in new areas like fintech, startups, and renewable energy.
UAE is India's third-largest trade partner and the bilateral trade between the two countries is around USD 60 billion.
A Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) is a free trade agreement between two countries. It covers negotiation on trade in services and investment, and other areas of economic partnership. India has signed CEPA with many countries like South Korea and Japan.
17 February 2022 Current Affairs 19 February 2022 Current Affairs
Venki
Current affairs is excellent..But we want telugu medium sir
Cyclone SITRANG in Bay of Bengal killed 24 people in Bangladesh
Minimum Support Price increased for 6 Rabi crops after approval from Cabinet
To make or feel young again.
To make something more lively and more efficient by the new ideas.
To undergo rejuvenation.
To restore to a fresh state.
"He rejuvenates old cars in his garage."
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


You can create an NSX endpoint and associate its NSX settings to an existing vSphere endpoint.
If you upgraded or migrated a vSphere endpoint that was using an NSX manager, a new NSX endpoint is created that contains an association between the source vSphere endpoint and a new NSX endpoint.
For information about validating the NSX connection and certificate trust, see Considerations When Using Test Connection.
You must install a vSphere proxy agent to manage your vSphere endpoint, and you must use the same exact name for your endpoint and agent. For information about installing the agent, see Installing and Configuring the Proxy Agent for vSphere.
Configure your NSX network settings. See Configuring Network and Security Component Settings.
In preparation for using NSX network, security, and load balancing capabilities in vRealize Automation, when using NSX Manager credentials you must use the NSX Manager administrator account.
Select New > Network and Security > NSX.
Enter the URL for the NSX instance in the Address text box.
The URL must be of the type: https://hostname or https://IP_address.
Enter the NSX administrator-level user name and password that are stored for the NSX endpoint.
To associate the NSX network and security settings to an existing vSphere endpoint, click Associations and select an existing vSphere endpoint.
You must create the vSphere endpoint before you can create the association.
You can only associate an NSX endpoint to one vSphere endpoint. This association constraint means that you cannot provision a universal on-demand network and attach it to vSphere machines that are provisioned on different vCenters.
(Optional) Click Test Connection to validate the credentials, host endpoint address, and certificate trust. The action also checks that the manager service and agent are running so that endpoint can be data-collected. The OK action tests for these same conditions.
If the certificate is not found, trusted, or has expired, you are prompted to accept a certificate thumbprint. If you do not accept the thumbprint, you can still save the endpoint but machine provisioning might fail.
The associated vSphere agent is not found. The agent must be running for the test to succeed.
The specified endpoint address is not reachable or the associated manager service is not running. The manager service must be running for the test to succeed.
The specified user name and password combination is invalid for the endpoint at the specified address.
The test action could not complete in the allowed two-minute time period.
If the Test Connection action fails, you can still save the endpoint but machine provisioning might fail.
If there is a trusted certificate issue, for example the certificate has expired, you are prompted to accept a certificate thumbprint.
Click OK to save the endpoint.
The OK action tests for the same conditions as the Test Connection action. If it finds any of the preceding conditions, it returns a message. If it can save, it leaves the error on the screen for you to review.


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Relative Athletic Scores grade a player's measurements on a 0 to 10 scale compared to their peer group.
Relative Athletic Score Tables
RAS Free Agent Trackers
RAS by draft class
RAS Request
Niklas Rosander RAS
MathBomb
Niklas Rosander is a prospect in the 2020 NFL Draft. All metrics that have been recorded are unofficial if the metric is highlighted in yellow. Once the NFL Draft has concluded, player scores will be finalized and the prospect card will be replaced with an official card.
Some or all of the player's metrics were recorded from an unofficial source such as local media, were unable to be verified from an official source, or were projected based on given trends. These situations will be called out.
He recorded a Relative Athletic Score of 0.02, out of a possible 10.0. RAS is a composite metric on a 0 to 10 scale based on the average of all of the percentile for each of the metrics the player completed either at the Combine or pro day.
He had a recorded height of 5105 that season, recorded as XYYZ where X is feet, YY is inches, and Z is eighths of an inch. That correlates to 5 feet, 10 and 5/8 of an inch or 70.625 inches, or 179.3875 centimeters. This correlates to a 0.03 score out of 10.0.
He recorded a weight of 252 in pounds, which is approximately 114 kilograms. This correlates to a 2.78 score out of 10.0.
Based on his weight, he has a projected 40 yard dash time of 4.83. This is calculated by taking 0.00554 multiplied by his weight and then adding 3.433.
At the Combine, he recorded a 40 yard dash of 5.65 seconds. This was a difference of 0.82 seconds from his projected time. This forty time correlates to a 0.02 score out of 10.0.
Using Bill Barnwell's calculation, this Combine 40 time gave him a Speed Score of 49.46.
The time traveled between the 20 and 40 yard lines is known as the Flying Twenty. As the distance is also known, we can calculate the player's speed over that distance. The time he traveled the last twenty yards at the Combine was 2.42 seconds. Over 20 yards, we can calculate his speed in yards per second to 8.26. Taking into account the distance in feet (60 feet), we can calculate his speed in feet per second to 24.79. Breaking it down further, we can calculate his speed in inches per second to 297.52. Knowing the feet per second of 24.79, we can calculate the approximate miles per hour by multiplying that value by 0.681818 to give us a calculated MPH of 16.9 in the last 20 yards of his run.
At the Combine, he recorded a PROJECTED 20 yard split of 3.23 seconds. This correlates to a 0.03 score out of 10.0.
We can calculate the speed traveled over the second ten yards of the 40 yard dash easily, as the distance and time are both known. The time he traveled the second ten yards at the Combine was 1.28 seconds. Over 10 yards, we can calculate his speed in yards per second to 7.81. Taking into account the distance in feet (30 feet), we can calculate his speed in feet per second to 23.44. Breaking it down further, we can calculate his speed in inches per second to 281.25. Knowing the feet per second of 23.44, we can calculate the approximate miles per hour by multiplying that value by 0.681818 to give us a calculated MPH of 16.0 in the second ten yards of his run.
The time he traveled the first ten yards at the Combine was 1.95 seconds. Over 10 yards, we can calculate his speed in yards per second to 5.0. Taking into account the distance in feet (30 feet), we can calculate his speed in feet per second to 15.0. Breaking it down further, we can calculate his speed in inches per second to 185.0. Knowing the feet per second of 15.0, we can calculate the approximate miles per hour by multiplying that value by 0.681818 to give us a calculated MPH of 10.2 in the first ten yards of his run.
At the Combine, he recorded a bench press of 21 repetitions of 225 pounds. This correlates to a 4.84 score out of 10.0.
At the Combine, he recorded a vertical jump of 25.0 inches. This correlates to a 0.36 score out of 10.0.
At the Combine, he recorded a broad jump of 801, which is recorded as FII or FFII . where F is feet and I is inches. This correlates to a 0.19 score out of 10.0.
At the Combine, he recorded a 5-10-5 or 20 yard short shuttle of 4.94 seconds. This correlates to a 0.2 score out of 10.0.
At the Combine, he recorded a 3 cone L drill of 8.14 seconds. This correlates to a 0.2 score out of 10.0.
This player did not record any measurements at their pro day that we were able to find. If they recorded Combine measurements, they stood on them.
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Beside providing water and sewer services to every resident, CWSD also operates two recycled water pumping stations in the neighborhood's open space.
Click for information regarding CWSD facilities in the Weatherstone neighborhood.
In case of a water emergency, contact the Centennial Water and Sanitation District service department at 303-791-2185. The service department is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you cannot reach someone please call 720-408-7034.
Includes instructions on submitting a ticket for reporting broken, damaged or dark street lights.
Click for information regarding LED street lighting replacement in Highlands Ranch.


We buy private collections & archives, store stocks and radio station libraries of 78 RPM records in these genres: 1920 and 1930s - Blues singers, Jazz Bands, Jug Bands, String Bands, Country, Gospel, Foreign (Greek, Turkish, Italian, Irish, Puerto Rican, Cuban Brazilian, African and more), and Soundtrack or Advertising Disks on labels like Okeh, Victor, Vocalion, Gennett, Brunswick, Paramount or Vitaphone. 1950s Rock & Roll, Blues Singers, Bebop Jazz, Rockabilly, and Do-Wop Vocal Groups on labels like Sun, Aristocrat, Dial, Gotham or Chance.
In addition to walk in collectors who frequent our three retail stores, we sell records by mail to all the serious collectors around the world, and in combination this gives us a solid customer base for both the rare and common records in your collection, allowing us to pay a premium for your records.
We are not simply a record dealer or store. When we buy an important collection of 78s, they may become part of our ongoing preservation effort. We will transfer, remaster and add the important rarities in your collection to our website so future generations of passionate music fans can discover the amazing music of the 78 period.


I've heard a lot lately about how it's not-so-Agile to set release dates for major features, epics, and projects. Some are uncomfortable being given a date (mainly teams) and others are uncomfortable without a date in hand (mainly, Product Owners, executives, and stakeholders).
This very much a myth to be dispelled. Dates do not go away with Agile! Rather, it is how we predict and communicate dates that should change.
With Agile, release dates are fixed based on time-boxed iterations. In our case, we tend to release after every sprint, so there is always a release date every two weeks. Therefore, by nature of time-boxing, the schedule is a fixed constraint. With the schedule being a fixed constraint (as is cost based on team size), it is scope that remains flexible. So, the scope that is included in any given release is flexible based on what the team was able to accomplish, what stories get dropped, what natural disaster impeded the team, who was out sick, and so on and so forth. Whether that scope accomplished is acceptable for release to production is always a Product Owner decision.
Second, what's critical to understand is that in Agile we PREDICT. We predict dates for major features, epics, and projects. In fact, everything we do in Scrum is in support of us all getting better and better at predicting or being predictable rather … Capacity, story points, velocity, release planning, etc. Furthermore, the closer you get to any given date, the better you are at predicting it and the greater the confidence too.
With that understanding, how we communicate dates needs to be adapted for our Agile world. First, we should modify our language. Rather than say "Project X will be released on 7/1" let's say "Project X is predicted to release on 7/1 and the team has an 80% confidence in that date". Second, we should always remember that with schedule and cost as fixed constraints, scope is flexible. So, we might say "Project X 1.0 with A and B features is predicted to release on 7/1 and the team has an 80% confidence in that date".
With some education around this topic we will all be better able to talk dates without the taboo of it not being Agile.
This entry was posted on Monday, June 25th, 2012 at 2:51 pm	and tagged with agile, estimating, release dates, release planning and posted in Uncategorized.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Always a good reminder. I have heard a number of folks recently saying "I know Agile means we can't have fixed dates…" Of course we can, but if scope is fixed, resources essentially fixed, AND the release date is fixed…you are in a bad space. Good post, thanks!


9/14/2016, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – The state would provide more money for local roads and existing highways but delay by at least two years a series of major projects, including the rebuilding of the Zoo Interchange and a section of I-94 between Milwaukee and the Illinois border, according to a plan from Gov. Scott Walker's administration.
The 2017-'19 budget proposal from the GOP governor's Department of Transportation would cut $447.4 million over two years from state highway programs while providing $69.7 million more for maintenance and $65 million more for local governments and their roads.
Walker and aides said that the plan meets his pledge to close a nearly $1 billion two-year hole in the transportation fund without raising gas taxes.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel received an early look at the plan, which the DOT will submit Thursday and the governor will use as he crafts the budget bill he'll send to lawmakers in February. Walker will tour the state Thursday to tout the proposal, including two stops at projects that his administration wants to keep on track at a cost of more than $500 million over two years: I-39/90 from the Illinois state line to Madison; and Highway 10/441 in the Fox Valley.
But Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said that the Walker administration plan would forego permanent answers in favor of a "political solution" that would lead to longer delays on ever more expensive projects. Doing maintenance on outdated highways is akin to putting a new roof on a house that has been condemned, he said.
"I'm concerned that his solution does nothing more than kick the can down the road for two years," Vos said.
The DOT proposal would also authorize $500 million in new borrowing, down from $850 million in debt approved in the current budget. That amount of new bonds is expected to ensure that in the coming years no more than 25 cents out of every dollar in the state transportation fund is used to pay off debt, state officials said.
The fund currently spends about three times as much to pay off existing debt as it did in 1999, a trend that has even some GOP lawmakers questioning whether a tax increase would be more fiscally responsible.
Under the plan, the DOT would spend $6.5 billion over the next budget, down from $6.8 billion in the current one.
Completing work on the Zoo Interchange in Milwaukee would take another two years, extending the work until 2022. The core of the project would be finished by 2020, but work on its north leg would take longer.
No funding would be put into the $1.6 billion plan to reconstruct the leg of I-94 south of Milwaukee. That will mean a new set of delays for a project that has already been relegated to the back burner. The project has long been a priority for Vos, whose district is in the area.
Work on Highways 18 and 151 on Madison's south side would be delayed for two more years, with completion pushed off from 2019 to 2021.
Highway 15 in the Fox Valley would face a one-year delay, meaning it would not be finished until 2022.
Highway 23 between Fond du Lac and Plymouth would be delayed for three more years. That project is already on hold because of litigation.
Conservatives like Sen. Duey Stroebel (R-Saukville) immediately praised Walker's plan for holding the line on taxes.
But Pat Goss, the executive director of the Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association, said he was concerned the proposal would harm economic development, particularly in southeastern Wisconsin.
"I think it hurts our ability to compete in the global marketplace," he said.
The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau has projected a $939 million transportation shortfall for the state over the next two years. To close it, Walker and lawmakers could decrease spending, increase taxes and fees or turn to more borrowing.
The DOT proposal, however, doesn't provide a full picture of what Walker and lawmakers might do, since it doesn't take into account money that elected officials might shift to roads from other budget priorities such as education or health care.
All of these options carry an impact for taxpayers.
For instance, the current budget didn't include enough money for all of the DOT's plans, so projects around the state were delayed, including the expansion of I-39/90 from the Illinois state line to Madison.


UPDATE: As of 5:15 p.m. today, 39 customers are still without power. Repair time for those customers is said to be 7:30 p.m. today.
As of 2:05 p.m. today, PPL's website shows that 1,789 customers in Summit Hill are without power. The cause is said to be related to a tripped breaker or blown fuse.
Repair crews have been sent to make repairs. Estimated repair time is 5 p.m. today.


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Gala Chair Daryl Simon triumphantly announced this year's event had netted over 2 million dollars. Daryl shares the victory, "My passion lies deep in the wholesale replica designer handbags cause of the Alzheimer's Association, as a year and a half ago I lost my Mother to this devastating disease and never expected this intelligent, strong and accomplished woman who Replica Handbags taught me so replica handbags online much, to receive a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. After experiencing Alzheimer's firsthand, I am empowered to be a part of the mission to find a treatment replica handbags china and, ultimately, a cure.
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A Musical Journey for Indian-Born Israeli Vocalist
Dina Samteh, 22, who was born in India and is part of the Bnei Menashe tribe, says that for her, "music is everything."
Dina has been blind since the age of 6, but that has not stopped her from using her beautiful voice. Today, she is a vocalist with the Shalva Band, whose members have a range of disabilities.
When she was 10, Dina's family made aliyah from Manipur, India. She learned Hebrew through music, singing with her mother, a guitarist. As a teenager, Dina volunteered at Shalva (serenity), the Israel Association for the Care and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, which provides leading-edge therapies, inclusive educational frameworks, social and recreational activities, employment training, and independent living for people with disabilities. There, she met Shai Ben Shushan, the director of the Shalva Band. Ben Shushan was part of an elite army unit when he suffered a life-threatening injury 13 years ago. His successful rehab at Shalva motivated to give back to those who had helped him--and he formed the band.
The band rose to fame after entering the 2019 finals on the Israeli TV show "Rising Star," which determines which musical act will represent Israel at the international Eurovision Song Contest. The band won, but dropped out because Eurovision rehearsals take place on Shabbat, and some of the band members are Shabbat-observant. However, Shalva was invited to performed as guest artists; their performance that went viral and changed how millions of people view and embrace disability.
Watch their performance of A Million Dreams here:
Click to learn more about the Shalva Band.
Click here to hear Dina's story.
For my just-published story about b'nai mitzvah of children with disabilities in the U.S., click here.
Rahel Musleah was born in Calcutta, India, the seventh generation of a Calcutta Jewish family that traces its roots to 17th-century Baghdad.


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US soldiers are fighting for visas for the family of an Iraqi interpreter who sacrificed himself to shield American troops from a suicide bomber
Ryan Pickrell
U.S. Army Pfc. Jacob Paxson and Pfc. Antonio Espiricueta, both from Company B ("Death Dealers"), 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, attached to Task Force 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, provide security from a street corner during a foot patrol in Tameem, Ramadi, Iraq.
Tech. Sgt. Jeremy T. Lock/US Air Force
Barakat Ali Bashar, an Iraqi interpreter who served alongside the US Army, lost his life when he used his body to shield a US Special Forces soldier from a suicide bomber.
As he was dying, he made only one request, that the US military take care of his son and his wife, according to a new report from Stars and Stripes.
Bashar's family has been living in fear in a refugee camp in Iraqi Kurdistan since the Islamic State overran their home.
US Special Forces troops have been writing letters and petitions in support of the family's visa application since 2015, but the family has yet to receive a visa.
The last words of a heroic Iraqi interpreter who sacrificed himself to save American soldiers from a suicide bomber were: "Take care of my son. Take care of my wife." US Special Forces troops are now fighting to honor that dying request.
When a suicide bomber detonated his vest during a vehicle inspection near the Syrian border in September 2007, Barakat Ali Bashar put himself between the bomber and then-Staff Sgt. Jay McBride. Bashar, a new father of only a week, was critically wounded in the attack, and he died at a military hospital in Mosul.
Bashar "had dozens of ball bearings in his body causing injuries that nobody could have survived," McBride, a former medic, told Stars and Stripes, adding, "I owe him my life."
Bashar, described as "kind of young and a little more western than your typical Iraqi," served as an interpreter for US Special Forces fighting Al Qaeda in northern Iraq. After his death, his family received some financial compensation from the US government, but they remained in Iraq, a country later overrun by the Islamic State.
The family, already a target because of their Yazidi heritage, was also in danger because of Bashar's work with the US military. They fled their home near Mount Sinjar, leaving behind their personal possessions and all evidence Bashar had served with the US Army, and headed to a refugee camp in Kurdistan, where they still live today. Bashar's family emailed Stars and Stripes and revealed that they live in constant fear.
One of the problems encountered during the visa application process was the lack of proof that Bashar had served with the US military. The family has since obtained written proof that Bashar "was declared dead in a U.S. Army hospital and he was an interpreter who served with [U.S. forces]." They are awaiting a follow-up interview with the State Department.
McBride and other US veterans have been writing letters and petitions in support of the family's special visa application since 2015. "Is this how you treat a family of someone who worked five years with the U.S. Army; someone who was loyal to the U.S. and Iraq; someone who gave his life serving with U.S. Army soldiers and trying to protect them?" McBride told Stars and Stripes, adding that he would happily put the family up at his house if that was an option.
Bashar "never faltered in his commitment to help American forces, even after his family was threatened and their names were placed on a list that was circulated around the region describing him as a traitor for supporting American forces," Sgt. 1st Class Michael Swett, another Special Forces soldier, wrote in support of the family. "He believed in the American dream even more than we did. Unfortunately, [Bashar] never realized his opportunity to see the country that he sacrificed so much for."
"We, the people of the United States of America, put this family at risk and I feel it is our duty as a civilized nation to [ensure] their safety," Army Master Sgt. Todd West wrote in a separate letter.
More: Iraq Special Forces Al Qaeda Islamic State


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By Stuart Adam and Mike BrewerThis report provides a comprehensive, quantitative analysis of trends in child-contingent support from the mid-1970s to the introduction of the new tax credits, and relates this to changes in tax and benefit policy, the characteristics of households with children and the costs of raising children. Drawing on a large-scale survey spanning the last 28 years, the authors analyse entitlements to child-contingent tax and benefit for thousands of households with children and the costs of raising children. The report examines how support has varied across households and over time, it separates the impact of policy from socio-economic changes and compares government support for children with available estimates of the actual costs of children.
A new report and fact pack have been published to try to break the links between debt and social exclusion. The launch was linked with a call for action in every local area to help families on low incomes avoid debt and the poverty it can trap them in.The call came from the Minister for Regeneration, Jeff Rooker as the Social Exclusion Unit published "Action on Debt", which highlights how decision-makers can act to help the Government in the drive to cut the crippling personal, economic and social costs of debt.


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History in the making for Drexel students | The Triangle
History in the making for Drexel students
By Alex Falk
The Drexel University student section at all of the athletic events is called the DAC Pack. The organization has been around for 10 years and has seen significant growth. They are now nominated for the Naismith Student Section of the Year award.
Ten years ago a Drexel Athletics staff member named Sean Joyce had a dream. Although people continuously told him his idea had no chance and that many had failed to accomplish the same feat many times before, Joyce did not back down.
Despite many drawbacks, an extremely small group of members and faulty first attempts at naming the club, the group of students was eventually named the DAC Pack, a play on the name of the athletic center that the Drexel basketball teams call home.
Fast-forward 10 years to the present day, and this group of students, which is much larger than the 15 that originated the club at its beginning, is a staple of athletic spirit on the Drexel campus. On any given day, a student can walk around campus and find a few small groups of students wearing "Year of the Dragon" DAC Pack T-shirts while handing out free tickets to the next home game.
Students with a valid Drexel student ID can gain admission to any Drexel athletic event for free, and in most cases, even receive a free DAC Pack shirt, eventually flooding the gym in a sea of screaming yellow-clad fans.
In a recent column by Philadelphia Daily News columnist Dick Jerardi, titled "When Fans Get Nasty," Jerardi listed of a number of interesting facts and opinions, some good and some controversial.
One statement he did make — and this is of particular importance to Drexel — is as follows:
"In this city, [the best fan section] has to be Drexel. Others have more participants. None is as enthusiastic as the DAC Pack. It is loud and creative, with fun being the operative word. And the DAC Pack has a really good team to watch."
Now that is saying something in a city known for the Big 5, not the City 6 — Drexel is only included in the latter, with the Big 5 made up of Temple University, Villanova University, La Salle University, St. Joseph's University and the University of Pennsylvania.
The Drexel men's basketball team has been having a large amount of success this season, and one could say that the DAC Pack is reaping the benefits as well, but hey, this is college basketball, and everyone just wants to have fun.
Seeing an opportunity to gain some national exposure, Joyce, the DAC Pack's faculty adviser, was able to send in an application to a contest that could earn the student organization — and the University — just that.
"It's called the Naismith Student Section of the Year Award, and they had this website you can go on, enter your email address and then just vote for Drexel," DAC Pack President Anthony D'Angelo said. "You can do it once a day through your email address, and we just kind of started a little campaign, getting the word out there with social media and otherwise just getting people to vote for the DAC Pack, and people took to it."
Joyce added that the entire idea started when this competition sent them an application. Drexel and hundreds of other schools sent in their applications, and a panel of eight judges picked the top 80 schools for the competition — Drexel being one of them.
With the competition going on for more than a few weeks now, Drexel is still alive. In fact, they are more than alive, as they have cracked the Sweet 16 of the competition, reaching as high as No. 10 at some points in the voting.
Drexel is also the only mid-major school left in a competition that is filled with Division I heavyweights.
There is a date in the minds of everyone even remotely involved with the DAC Pack, and that is Feb. 25. That is the date when the Naismith panel releases the schools that have made it to the final eight. Once that happens, students and their votes matter no longer. The winner will be chosen by the panel out of the final eight.
The other 15 schools that make up the Sweet 16 are the University of Kansas, Purdue University, Gonzaga University, San Diego State University, Utah State University, Indiana University, Duke University, Syracuse University, West Virginia University, the University of Kentucky, the University of Illinois, the University of California, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Colorado and the University of Arizona.
"It's pretty cool to see Drexel up there. Whether it's with Arizona State or Indiana or North Carolina or Gonzaga, it's pretty cool to see the school's name up there," Joyce said. "It also just helps to go along with the season the men's team is having, which makes it even more fun."
Joyce also mentioned that the students are getting really hyped up and into this whole competition, and of course, D'Angelo is no exception.
"It's a tremendous honor to get a little recognition for the work we do — to get people out to games to create the type of fun atmosphere we think that Drexel athletics is all about. … It'd be great to have the rest of the country know about us," D'Angelo said. "We've already been labeled the best student section in Philly by a number of sources, and that means a lot, too, since Philadelphia basketball is huge among the NCAA. But to get on a national level would be that much better.
"Plus, Naismith just sounds really cool since they do all of the college basketball awards — it just makes it seem really official."
As the DAC Pack and Joyce prepare for the long haul that is the Naismith competition, here's a word of advice for the Drexel basketball faithful out there.
Even if you are not a die-hard fan like D'Angelo and the rest of his crew, that doesn't mean you can't go out and enjoy this Dragon mania that is sweeping the campus. So you came to Drexel and accepted the fact that sports aren't a very big part of the culture — well guess what: You have a chance to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that Joyce and the DAC Pack are running with.
Oh yeah, and the basketball team is pretty good too.
The men are currently one of the hottest teams in the nation, as they are on a 14-game win streak and have won 20 of their last 21 games. At 22-5 overall and 14-2 in the conference, the Colonial Athletic Association's first-place Dragons are prepping for their ESPN BracketBusters game against the Cleveland State University Vikings Feb. 18. They will finish up the season against James Madison University at home Feb. 22 and then on the road against Old Dominion University Feb. 25.
In the words of the great Dick Vitale, "This is awesome, baby!"


Applications for Free Electrons 2019 are already open.
The global program, of which EDP is a founder, is looking for the most promising energy startups, with $200,000 for the winner.
The applications for the 3rd edition of Free Electrons are open, the first global program to introduce the most promising startups to leading utilities in the energy sector. Applications are open until February 22nd and startups from all over the world can apply. The final of this world competition will be held for the first time in Lisbon, in September.
Free Electrons is a truly global program, focused on the opportunities for developing projects and businesses between startups and players in the industry, and aims to find solutions in the areas of mobility, clean energies, smart grids and digitalization. The first two editions of the program demonstrate the potential of Free Electrons to advance all the participants.
After completing the application phase, the organization will select the startups that will participate in the Free Electrons Bootcamp. Those selected will be announced on March 13.
Just like last year, the 2019 edition of Free Electrons will be divided into three world-wide modules: the first, in Columbus, Ohio, in May; the second, in Hong Kong, China, in June; and the third and final module will take place in Lisbon, in September, where the winner will be announced and will receive the prize of $200,000.
In 2018, EDP developed several pilot projects and invested in 4 startups that participated in Free Electrons that are revolutionizing the market. One of the investees was SOLshare, the big winner of 2018, which is revolutionizing Bangladesh's energy market, where more than 50 million people still lack access to the power grid. The company has created a solution to be installed in houses with solar panels, which allows the transaction of energy credits between dwellings.
The first two editions generated more than seven million euros in business contracts signed between 27 startups and 10 utilities. Free Electrons gives a unique opportunity for mature startups in the energy sector to have access to global partners who can help them expand into new markets around the world. Together, the 10 utilities in the energy sector that are part of the program have about 80 million customers and are present in more than 40 countries.
The founding members of Free Electrons are AusNet Services (Australia), DEWA (Dubai), EDP (Portugal), ESB (Ireland), Innogy (Germany), Origin Energy (Australia), SP Group (Singapore) and Tokyo Electric Power Company (Japan). Since last year's edition, American Electric Power (USA) and CLP (Hong Kong) have joined the program. Free Electrons is supported by the Portuguese Beta-i.


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Non-Cirrhotic Portal Hypertension in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients: A New Challenge in Antiretroviral Therapy Era
Hortensia Álvarez Díaz*, Ana Mariño Callejo, José Francisco García Rodríguez
Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Arquitecto Marcide-Profesor Novoa Santos, Ferrol, A Coruña, Spain
Received Date: 5/11/2010
Electronic publication date: 29/6/2011
Full-Text HTML Views: 797
© Díaz et al.; Licensee Bentham Open.
* Address correspondence to this author at the Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Arquitecto Marcide-Profesor Novoa Santos, Avenida da Residencia, s/n, 15405, Ferrol, A Coruña, Spain; E-mail: hoaldi@gmail.com
Non-cirrhotic portal hypertension (NCPH) has been recently reported as a liver disease in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-infected patients under antiretroviral therapy (ART). Combination of non-exclusive mechanisms has been described: primary endothelial damage of terminal portal veins induced by HIV or immunologic disorders, mitochondrial toxicity by didanosine and prothrombotic state. It is characterized by heterogeneous liver histological findings, frequently identified as nodular regenerative hyperplasia and clinical manifestations of portal hypertension with well-preserved liver function. We describe herein two HIV-infected patients with clinical picture suggestive of NCPH. Besides the case reports, we briefly address questions to apply to patient care in clinical practice.
Keywords: HIV, portal hypertension, didanosine..
Previous Article View Abstract Download PDF Next Article
Non-cirrhotic portal hypertension (NCPH) is an emerging clinical condition reported in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)- infected patients controlled with antiretroviral therapy (ART), consisting of intrahepatic portal hypertension, in the absence of cirrhosis and other known etiologies of liver disease.
A multifactorial mechanism has been proposed to explain the pathogenesis of NCPH.
Pre-hepatic portal venulopathy [1], through primary endothelial cell injury by HIV or didanosine [2] (other adenosine analog, like azathioprine [3], have been reported to induce similar lesion). This damage might lead to obliteration of the small portal veins, ischemia of the supplied acini and regenerative hyperplasia of the remainders, in order to maintain liver cell mass.
Prothrombotic state, by HIV as a direct cause or through anti protein S antibodies [4], leading to protein S deficiency, results in an obliteration of the small portal venules and liver regenerative hyperplasia.
Therefore, didanosine and protein S low levels might be revealed as cofactors in pathogenesis of NCPH.
Pathologic hallmark would be a continuum and heterogeneous spectrum: subtle features which may be missed, nodular regenerative hyperplasia (also described in the setting of immunologic, malignant, hematologic and gastrointestinal infectious disorders), hepatoportal sclerosis [5] with the absence of advanced hepatic fibrosis or microvesicular steatosis (which could reflect mitochondrial damage induced by nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, like didanosine [6]). Presinusoidal portal hypertension appears as the hemodynamic profile of NCPH, showing normal or mildly elevated (<10 mmHg) hepatic venous pressure gradient [7].
Didanosine has been postulated as an independent predictor of developing NCPH [6, 8], through cumulative dosing or idiosyncratic mechanisms [9]. Taking in account the last consideration, polymorphisms at genes involved in the metabolism of didanosine might predispose to veno-occlusive liver disease. In addition, removal of didanosine has appeared to be associated with clinical and laboratory improvements.
It is noteworthy that in guidelines for the use of antiretroviral agents in HIV-1-infected adults and adolescents (DHHS, December 1, 2009) [10], potential association with NCPH has been reported as an adverse event.
On the other hand, portal thrombosis has been frequently described at follow-up of NCPH. A `two hit´ model has been proposed [9]: portal endothelial damage, associated with long-term exposure of didanosine and repeated episodes of pylephlebitis, through disruption of intestinal barrier by HIV infection and anal sex practices in men who have sex with men (MSM), leading to reduced portal flow with added prothrombotic state, which might lead to develop portal thrombosis.
Despite the development of portal hypertension, liver synthetic function tests (prothrombin time, albumin) may be relatively well preserved, while progressive cholestasis and elevated serum aminotransferases appear on evolution. Decompensated liver pictures (ascites, bleeding due to esophageal varices) are frequent at the onset of clinical NCPH, through portal hypertension. In addition, portal thrombosis could be both the cause and consequence of liver decompensation.
We have identified two patients at our Spanish centre who fulfil the criteria for NCPH and we would like to describe them.
A 58 year-old Caucasian man, a teacher in a primary school, was admitted to the hospital in February 2000, for evaluation of an esophageal ulcer and genital warts. HIV infection was diagnosed and antiretroviral therapy (ART) with zidovudine, lamivudine and nelfinavir was started. In January 2003, ART was changed to didanosine, stavudine and efavirenz, due to virological failure. Cholestasis and elevated serum aminotransferases appeared in blood test and infection with hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus was ruled out. A liver biopsy was performed in January 2004 and histology was unremarkable. In March 2004, ART was changed again to atazanavir/ritonavir booster and tenofovir, due to lipoatrophy linked to stavudine. Didanosine was continued. In September 2004, tenofovir was switched to backbone of zidovudine/lamivudine, due to hypophosphatemia and proteinuria associated with tenofovir. In December 2004, abdominal computed tomographic scan showed ascites and portal hypertension. In February 2005, an upper endoscopy revealed grade 3-4 distal esophageal varices and beta-blockers for primary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding were prescribed. Iron deficiency anemia appeared at follow-up and transfusion of several packed red cells was required. In June 2008, zidovudine was changed to abacavir to reduce hematologic toxicity. In September 2009 (under ART with abacavir, lamivudine, atazanavir/ritonavir and didanosine), the patient was admitted to the hospital because of bleeding from esophageal varices and he had to be transferred to intensive care unit to receive mechanical ventilation, hemodynamic support, pharmacotherapy (terlipressin) and banding ligation of esophageal varices. One month later, the patient was readmitted to the hospital because of new bleeding from esophageal varices, requiring banding ligation again. He was transferred to another hospital, where a transjugular intrahepatic portal systemic shunt (TIPS) was placed to connect the portal to right suprahepatic vein. Left branch portal vein thrombosis, mild splenomegaly and chronic liver disease were demonstrated by abdominal Doppler ultrasound. At discharge from hospital, didanosine was removed and the remainder antiretroviral scheme was continued (abacavir, lamivudine and atazanavir/ritonavir). Two months later, CD4 cell count was 131/mcl (12%) and viral load was below 50 copies/ml. Nowadays, the patient has a satisfactory general condition and he has been considered for liver transplantation [11].
A 41-year-old Caucasian woman was admitted to the hospital in July 1998, because of Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia, oral candidiasis and pulmonary tuberculosis. HIV infection was diagnosed and ART with didanosine, stavudine and nevirapine was started. Two years later, progressive cholestasis appeared in blood test and infection with hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus was ruled out. In June 2003, the patient was admitted to the hospital because of bleeding from grade 2-3 esophageal varices. Sclerosis and banding ligation were performed, but main portal vein stent placement was required to connect the portal vein to inferior vena cava. Abdominal Doppler ultrasound showed massive ascites, left branch portal and splenoportal vein nonocclusive thrombosis, as well as chronic liver disease. Autoimmunity parameters disclosed slightly positive anti-smooth muscle and negative antinuclear, antimitochondrial and anti-liver kidney microsomal antibodies. She was evaluated for hypercoagulable state and was found to have low antithrombin III values at the time of hematemesis. Sixteen months later, low protein C and S values were found. A liver biopsy showed patchy sinusoidal dilatation and congestion, collapsed liver cell plates and nodular areas without extensive fibrosis, all of these findings being suggestive of nodular regenerative hyperplasia. In April 2005, ART was changed to abacavir/lamivudine and lopinavir/ritonavir booster (didanosine was removed), due to virological failure and according to resistance test. An abdominal ultrasound performed in March 2009 showed patent shunt. Eight months later, CD4 cell count was 1005/mcl (36 %), viral load was below 50 copies/ml, and the patient had a satisfactory general condition.
Both patients had had heterosexual relationships as mode of HIV infection (nevertheless, in most of previous case series, predominance of MSM has been reported [8]). No liver enzyme elevations were noted before initiating ART and progressive cholestasis appeared after it (ART scheme including didanosine). They did not relate alcohol or other illicit drugs consumption and hepatitis B and C virus serology was negative. An evaluation of autoimmune parameters in second case did not reveal remarkable results. At the onset they presented with life-threatening upper gastrointestinal bleeding, under didanosine exposition of 6 years in first case (ascites and grade 3-4 esophageal varices had been noted four years before) and 5 years in second one. TIPS was required in first case and portal stent in second one. Left branch portal vein thrombosis was reported in both cases. Hypercoagulable state was not evaluated in first case, but protein C and S low levels were found in second patient (two determinations more than one year apart). Despite this finding, anticoagulation was not initiated. Liver biopsy was unremarkable in first case and findings compatible with nodular regenerative hyperplasia were disclosed in second one. Didanosine was removed from ART schema in both patients.
Questions and remarks arise from clinical practice:
Referring to data regarding prothrombotic abnormalities in HIV-infected patients [12]: Should patients with HIV and non-cirrhotic portal hypertension be evaluated for hypercoagulable state?
Risks linked to anticoagulation in this setting (i.e., bleeding from esophageal varices), above all if portal thrombosis appears, should be assessed.
Removing didanosine from ART scheme should be considered. In addition, clinicians should be aware of novel long-term toxicities attributable to ART.
High index of suspicion of NCPH, close monitoring of patent portal vein and risk of variceal hemorrhage, must be warranted.
Which is the role of noninvasive methods (i.e., transient elastography or Fibro-test) for identification and monitoring of patients with NCPH in future?
[1] Saifee S, Joelson D, Braude J, et al. Noncirrhotic portal hypertension in patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Infection Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2008; 6(10): 1167-9.
[2] Maida I, Vispo E, Sotgiu G, et al. Unexplained severe portal hypertension in HIV-infected patients: a new clinical entity? J Int AIDS Soc 2008; 11(Suppl 1): P138.
[3] Ferlitsch A, Teml A, Reinisch W, et al. 6-thioguanine associated nodular regenerative hyperplasia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease may induce portal hypertension Am J Gastroenterol 2007; 102: 2495-503.
[4] Pol S, et al. Cryptogenetic liver disease, steatosis, portal hypertension, transaminitis and antiretrovirals J Int AIDS Soc 2008; 11(Suppl 1): O24.
[5] Schiano TD, Kotler DP, Ferran E, et al. Hepatoportal sclerosis as a cause of noncirrhotic portal hypertension in patients with HIV Am J Gastroenterol 2007; 102(11): 2536-40.
[6] Maida I, Núñez M, Ríos MJ, et al. Severe liver disease associated with prolonged exposure to antiretroviral drugs J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2006; 42(2): 177-82.
[7] Chang PE, Garcia-Pagan JC. Idiopathic noncirrhotic portal hypertension in HIV-infected patients Clin Infect Dis 2010; 50(1): 127-8.
[8] Kovari H, Ledergerber B, Peter U, et al. Association of noncirrhotic portal hypertension in HIV-infected persons and antiretroviral therapy with didanosine: a nested case-control study Clin Infect Dis 2009; 49: 626-35.
[9] Maida I, Garcia-Gasco P, Sotgiu G, et al. Antiretroviral-associated portal hypertension: a new clinical condition? Prevalence, predictors and outcome Antiviral Ther 2008; 13: 103-7.
[10] Guidelines for the use of Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-1- infected adults and adolescents. United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Appendix B, Table 1 Characteristics of Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs) 2009 December 1;
[11] Tateo M, Sebagh M, Bralet MP, et al. A new indication for liver transplantation: nodular regenerative hyperplasia in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients Liver Transpl 2008; 14: 1194-8.
[12] Álvarez H, Mariño A, Garcia-Rodriguez FJ. Thrombotic events in Human Immunodeficiency Virus- infected patients: revisiting an emerging issue Infect Dis Clin Pract 2009; 17(4): 264-5.


Fox News Channel (FNC) has signed soon-to-be former Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) to a contributor role.
He will offer political analysis across FNC and Fox Business Network's (FBN) daytime and primetime programming, starting on July 1st.
Prior to joining FNC, Chaffetz represented Utah's Third Congressional District beginning in November 2008. In May, he announced that he would resign from Congress effective June 30th.
During his time as congressman, he served as the Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and was a member of the House Judiciary Committee. He also served on the Homeland Security Committee.
Chaffetz had an integral role in many government investigations, including the Fast and Furious gun-running scandal, the Benghazi terrorist attack, the IRS targeting scandal and the Secret Service investigation.
Prior to running for Congress in 2008, Chaffetz worked as campaign manager and chief of staff to former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. (R).
Before his political career, Chaffetz worked in the local business community for 16 years, specializing in corporate communications work and later owning his own communications firm, Maxtera Utah Inc.
He attended Brigham Young University, where he was a starting placekicker on the football team and later graduated with a B.A. in communications.
Watch Chaffetz's recent appearance on "Sunday Morning Futures," during which he explained why Congress needs to be a watchdog over special counsel Robert Mueller as he conducts his Russia investigation.


CINCINATTI -- An Ohio mom who has taken the steps to look like her childhood idol has become a social media sensation in the process and tells WJW she is often misunderstood.
Nannette Hammond says she was always fascinated with Barbie's beauty growing up and now has taken steps to look like her childhood idol.
The transformation began about 20 years ago when the petite mom in her early 40s had her first breast augmentation.
Other procedures followed while working as a nurse for a plastic surgeon; including two more breast operations, injections, dental veneers and Barbie blonde hair extensions.
Hammond admits to spending about $500,000 over the years but says it was gradual and has never interfered with her family's needs or their ability to support various charities.


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Battle Continues to Save The Scottish Hospitality Sector
The 5LTA
Government fails to satisfy industry concerns which led to a pre-action letter for a Judicial Review.
Last month five of Scotland's Hospitality Industry bodies took the unprecedented step of commencing the legal process against restrictions imposed on the licensed trade by the Scottish Government.
The Scottish Beer & Pub Association, The Scottish Licensed Trade Association, UKHospitality (Scotland), the Scottish Hospitality Group and the Night Time Industries Association Scotland joined forces to save not just the small to medium independent businesses, but also the large corporate multi-operators that operate within Scotland's Hospitality Industry.
In a Joint Statement released today the group's spokesperson, Paul Waterson said:-
The Scottish Government's response to our pre-action letter fails to address the group's concerns on the Government's obligations as to constitutionality, accountability, consultation and evidence which are incumbent on the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Ministers.
Whilst the regulations at the time of our pre-action judicial review letter have been replaced by the Government's Covid-19 Strategic Tier Framework, there still remains the serious issue of Government reliance on introducing regulations, rushed through with the use of emergency powers and with no realistic opportunity for consultation or consideration. Something which has been highlighted as a concern by MSPs themselves.
There also remains an absence of any substantive or qualitative evidence of the effect the operation of hospitality and licensed premises have on the spread of Covid-19 despite the sweeping and draconian restrictions which have been and are increasingly being imposed on our industry. These restrictions put at risk the very survival of our industry.
The recent increased restriction moving 11 local authority areas into level four suggests that the closing of pubs and bars in October in five health board areas for three weeks prior to the introduction of the tier system, did little to bring down the rate of Covid-19 infections and yet again there was no meaningful engagement with our industry and no evidence to prove that the virus is being spread within the licensed hospitality sector.
Public Health England recently released data on the proportion of all common locations for those who tested positive for Covid-19. The data revealed that the top three were supermarkets (18.3%), Secondary Schools (12.7%), Primary Schools (10.1%). Pubs and bars were (1.6%), hospitality (1.5%) and Restaurants/Cafes (1.0)."
The initial increase in engagement, since service of the group's pre-action letter has been welcomed, but the group are keen to see that engagement increase and move on to full consultation. This has not been achieved yet and in a second letter to the Scottish Government the group has sought a number of assurances and undertakings including:-
There should be continued improvement in consultation and communication with industry representatives through the Licensed Hospitality Economic Recovery Group with meaningful consultation at the earliest stage of decision making.
Policy decisions in relation to the sector should be considered against the impact on businesses, with financial evidence being provided by the industry.
Sufficient time must be allowed to enable businesses to prepare for changes in policy (regulations, guidance, FAQs). A policy announcement made late on a Friday to be implemented by early the following Monday morning is both inadequate and disrespectful.
Sustained effort is required to ensure consistency of interpretation and enforcement of regulations by various authorities (including Environmental Health, Licensing Standards, Trading Standards and Police Scotland).
Financial support must fully compensate businesses for the effects of policy decisions and be sustained over the period policies remain in place.
Waterson continued:-
The group of course accept the huge challenges that the nation currently faces. The sector is more than willing to continue to play its part in the suppression of Covid-19. It is clear that there is more work to do in ensuring that the sector's position both in what it can do to assist, but also what catastrophic financial harm is being done to it, is fully understood by the Scottish Government."
Brexit week 2 was worse than week 1. And we saw the start of what we fear most; EU customers turning their backs on… https://t.co/gTJTBfwP2N
🤣🤣🤣 lost a year and can't count ..this year it will be Happy 27th Birthday 🥳@Garageglasgow .a clip released of Pri… https://t.co/Nj0wF8P0T1
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Q: Count different dependent coincidences in multiple lists I have a table with 2 colums filled with numbers, like this:
A | B
-----
1 | 2
3 | 1
4 | 3
5 | 2
1 | 2

I would like to know how to obtain the number of coincidences in which there is a '1' in B A and out of those how many have a '2' in their correspondent row in B.
So for the example the result would be 2, because there is a 1&2 in the first row and a 1&2 in the last row:
The equivalent in code would be something like:
%MATLAB SINTAX
A = {1 ; 3 ; 4 ; 5 ; 1};
B = {2 ; 1 ; 3 ; 2 ; 2};
sum = 0;

for i=1:length(A)
    if(A(i)==1 and B(i)==2)
        sum = sum+1;
    end
end

In this case, sum is the result that i want.
I was hoping to do something like SUM(IF(AND(A1:A5=1,B1:B5=2),1,{0))
Notes: This is for an assignment, the rules are simply no macros, just one formula without partial results in other cells.
Thank you for your answers.

A: There are so many ways and as the comments state, COUNTIFS() would be the simplest and most effective...
As you provided a coded example I thought I would try to formulate your logic as closely as I can with an array formula like this: (Ctrl+Shift+Enter while still  in the formula bar)
=IFERROR(SUM(IF(IF(A1:A5=1,B1:B5)=2,1)),0)
We build an array of either FALSE or the resulting B:B cell content using the inner if (IF(A1:A5=1,B1:B5)) then equate that array against the logical in the outer IF([innerIf]=2,1) to get an array of FALSE or 1 which we then sum to get the result. I think it will handle the errors as is treating FALSE as 0, but as I wrote this pseudo I wrapped it in an IFERROR() just in case (if errors still occur, provide the false variable of the IF() statements as 0).
The issue with AND() is that it doesn't perform in array constructs, or at least I have never got it to produce an array result.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Home > Trends & Insights > Are you Ready to Streamline your Warehouse?
Are you Ready to Streamline Your Warehouse?
Increased efficiency and productivity are music to any distributor's ears, and you can achieve both with one solution: a warehouse management system (WMS). Bear in mind, however, that successfully installing a WMS requires extensive planning and a fair amount of financial resources.
Implementing a WMS can enhance inventory flow management and transaction processing by easing inventory stocking, picking and replenishing activities. Depending on the type of functions offered with the software selected, a WMS can also facilitate a variety of important warehousing activities, such as automated data collection and material handling.
But is investing in a WMS the right decision for every distributor? Honestly, no. As with similar undertakings, you must carefully weigh the costs vs. the benefits because, like other distributors, you may be unable to justify the initial, often sizable, investment.
Plus, you can't just plug in a WMS and expect it to run on its own. Setting up and operating this application is often a complex process. You'll need to dedicate resources to manage the data-intensive system — your WMS may even warrant its own staff.
When comparing the costs and benefits, keep in mind that implementing a WMS involves classifying inventory data by physical characteristics. You might need to capture and maintain inventory item details including size dimensions, weight, how the item is stocked, stacking height, hazard precautions, and movement rate.
Other necessary data includes order sequence logic for directing stocking, picking and replenishing activities. You can even base order sequence for these activities on either the first-in, first-out or last-in, first-out inventory accounting method. Of course, you'll want to adjust the specified logic based on workload changes and busy seasons. Subsequently, the more diverse the product mix, the more complex the WMS setup and implementation process.
As you evaluate whether a WMS is right for your business, also consider how easily it will integrate with your other accounting or resource planning systems, and whether it can support other types of warehouse functions.
For instance, you may want to execute automated data collection using radio-frequency identification technology, or you may have automated material handling equipment (such as automatic guided vehicles or pick-to-light systems) to factor into your decision. In any case, you'll likely need to do some programming to integrate other systems and equipment, so be sure to plan for these costs.
When implementing a WMS, thoroughly test the new application. It's better to discover any kinks during a trial run than during a client transaction. Moreover, your system will be only as useful as your staff using it, so take the time to train workers well.
Before making a final decision on whether to implement a WMS, it's important to review all facets of your distributorship. A WMS can be complex and costly to implement, so task your management team with determining exactly how they'll use it and how it will integrate with your other systems.
A warehouse management system (WMS) can help streamline your distribution operations, but do you know how to maximize its return on investment? If not, a business management system (BMS) may be the answer. BMS entails integrating, aligning, standardizing, streamlining and automating business processes and supporting information technology systems for optimum performance and efficiency.
BMS can be particularly useful for distributors. It can unify processes, bring about discipline — among a company's employees, and to its relationships and interactions with suppliers and customers — and support IT systems, such as WMS, to achieve strategic goals.


Making sushi rolls does not have to be difficult.
Perfect Roll makes the process incredibly simple, easy and best of all, a lot of fun.
Turn whatever you like into a roll whether it's fish, meat or vegetable.
Invite your friends to a party and the Sushi maker will become an instant conversation piece.
It can also be used as a fun family activity.
Kids would love making sushi with it.
Not available in stores. This WILL sell out fast.
1. Select Quantity. Click on "Add to Cart".
Worked great as a gag gift for a friend who is a premier sushi master.
Order received. trek otslezhivalsya. everything fits the description. thank you seller.
very easy to use, I loved it! We had so much fun making sushi rolls. I found it easy to put together and use, and best of all easy to clean.
This little thing makes a shorter roll than is made using the standard bamboo mat, but, so what? Just make two, or more! I still don't make the prettiest rolls - generally they are too fat, but they are far prettier than the rolls I make with a mat. And everything is cleaner and neater: my hands, my counter top, my floor, my clothing, my floor, my back yard (LOL!). A great little tool for the occasional sushi maker.
Works as described, easy cleanup, I have to trim my nori to suit it but it makes rolling a LOT easier for me (I'm just not very coordinated with a bamboo mat)!