text:
MainAll NewsInside IsraelShaked: 'There's no unity - it's either right or left'
Shaked: 'There's no unity - it's either right or left'
MK Ayelet Shaked says public needs to choose a side, ditch hopes of a unity government. 'Tie is because Liberman needs to choose a side'
Tags: 2020 Elections Gaza Rocket Attacks Ayelet Shaked
Hezki Baruch , Feb 26 , 2020 4:05 PM
Shaked
Mark Yisrael Salem
Former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (Yamina) on Wednesday said she believes that Monday's elections will be very close, and afterwards there will be a government formed - either the right-religious bloc, or the left-Arab bloc - but not a unity government.
In an interview with Ben Caspit at Maariv's Conference of Businesses, Shaked said: "If [Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu succeeds in raising the voter turnout in Likud strongholds, we'll succeed in forming a government with 61 MKs."
"Blue and White [members] have nothing in common, other than an ideology of 'anyone other than Netanyahu.' There are leftists there, some of them are socialists, some are capitalists, some are for the Nationality Law. It's a mishmash of opinions."
Shaked also said she wanted to bring Blue and White MKs Yoaz Hendel and Zvi Hauser over to the right: "We wanted Hendel and Hauser to come with us, and that way we could enlarge the bloc and break them apart. I think the public needs to understand that there needs to be a decision: Either vote for the right, which is Yamina, or for the left-wing bloc."
"There is no unity government. There is a clear division: the right-wing bloc, or the left-wing bloc. Every person needs to decide which bloc he or she belongs to. The fact that Netanyahu and Blue and White support the Trump plan shows that there is only one party that opposes a Palestinian state - and that's Yamina."
Caspit claimed that the solution is to have a rotation, and that Netanyahu should serve the second part of the term, after Blue and White Chairman MK Benny Gantz.
"There's a tie because [MK Avigdor] Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) needs to choose a bloc," Shaked responded. "I think that one of the blocs will win 61 Knesset seats - either there will be a right-wing government or there will be a left-Arab government. That's my honest belief."
"If Gantz would accept Netanyahu's offer and replace him as Prime Minister after six months, there would be a government. I, [Defense Minister Naftali] Bennett (Yamina), [Interior Minister Aryeh] Deri (Shas), and [MK Moshe] Gafni (UTJ) promised Gantz that Netanyahu would keep the rotation deal, and they still didn't agree. Stop believing in the illusion of a unity government, it's not happening. It's either right or left."
When asked if there might be fourth elections, she said: "One of the blocs will receive 61 seats. I think the right-wing bloc has a good chance of winning 61. I see that there's an awakening. Netanyahu would do well if he stopped busying himself with us and attacking us."
Regarding the recent rocket attacks, she said, "Naftali said that an explosive balloon is the same as a rocket. For every balloon, we attack - lathes and weapons storehouses. We started dragging away bodies, and that's a correct action on the part of Bennett - we are taking negotiating chips to pressure Hamas to return our sons. It's the first time that Islamic Jihad fired rockets, and not only did residents of southern Israel not sleep well at night, but also in Syria they didn't sleep well at night and some of them didn't wake up from their sleep. It's clear that in order for southern residents to have quiet, we'll need a creative military operation - one that we start, not that we're dragged into."


Ukraine and NATO roadmap signed.
Turchinov: Fundamental documents signed between Ukraine and NATO.
After an extended meeting, Secretary of the National Defense and Security Council of Ukraine (NSDC) Oleksandr Turchynov and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg have signed the roadmap of the partnership program on strategic communications between the NSDC and the NATO International Secretariat.
Russia and Israel to coordinate actions in Syria.
It is a well known fact now that Russia is sending not only military equipment and weapons, but also its personnel to Syria. Compared with the average salary of a military in The Russian Federation, it's mercenaries get paid very good money. But as reported, there appear the first "refuseniks" who would not go to the "far away hot lands" whatever the pay might be.
According to Vice Adm. Sergey Hayduk, the commander of the Ukrainian Navy, Ukraine is plannig to sell the Navy's cruiser Ukraina and use the funds to purchase new military vessels.
Russian Airlines to lose tens of millions of dollars due to Ukrainian Sanctions.
Russian airlines could suffer increased costs of tens of millions of dollars due to Ukrainian sanctions imposed earlier this week. The sanctions will bar them from flying through Ukraine's territory, extending flight times to popular destinations by up to 40 minutes, the TASS news agency reported Thursday.
Mercenaries for Syria recruited in Donetsk.
To win the war. Two things that will make Ukraine successful.
by Radoslav Sikorsky of Poland.
Shock therapy in Ukraine will be much more painful because of the war.In Poland, reforms were carried out very quickly. Parliament adopted 30 of the first laws that created a new economic system in the country. This process was named "shock therapy". As a result of rapid reforms in extreme political conditions, Poland made a leap forward.


A weekly advisory letter published by S&P. It provides research on stocks and discusses investment strategies. It is available in .pdf format by subscription.
I think that what has permanent value in the outlook of the behaviourists is the feeling that physics is the most fundamental science at present in existence.
I am most grateful to the Outlook for permission to gratify these requests.
Just now, however, the outlook was almost hopeless.
He is greatly disgusted with the outlook, and I am given to understand that Wolf Larsen bears a very unsavoury reputation among the sealing captains.
Up with the lark, hymns and portions of Scripture had to be learned by heart till 8 o'clock, when there were family-prayers, then breakfast, which I was never able to enjoy, partly from the fast already undergone, and partly from the outlook I dreaded.
Employees can easily use a flexible, dependable e-mail archiving solution: To the Outlook user, such a solution can be non-intrusive with no requirements for special plug-ins, client software or even configuration changes to their Outlook clients.
The outlook for regulated electric utilities is mildly negative, reflecting rising capex and other expense elements that will contribute to the increasing unit cost of utility service.
and its Simonton vinyl window unit, the outlook is for less sizable ones (less than $500 million) in 2007.
Risks to the outlook include supply chain constraints and event risk (terrorism, disease, etc.
The outlook for the semiconductor industry is stable for 2007, even though the focus continues to be on event risk.
The outlook for the traditional media segments continues to be negative for 2007.


text:
Matthew Hayden Took A Dig At Ravi Shastri For His Comments On Virat Kohli
By: Jatin KhandelwalTue, 10 May 20221652180615000
Matthew Hayden Took A Dig At Ravi Shastri: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has been the premier advocate of suggesting that Virat Kohli needs and should take a break from cricket as, he feels, the Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman is "overcooked" for having played so much of cricket in recent times. The debate sparked …
Matthew Hayden Took A Dig At Ravi Shastri: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has been the premier advocate of suggesting that Virat Kohli needs and should take a break from cricket as, he feels, the Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman is "overcooked" for having played so much of cricket in recent times.
The debate sparked up once again as Kohli bagged this third golden duck of the IPL 2022 season – when he was dismissed on his first ball by Sunrisers Hyderabad's Jagadeesha Suchith – and now he has managed 216 runs in 12 innings at a dismal average of 19.63 – six other RCB batters have a better average than Kohli's – while striking at only 111.
Matthew Hayden, though, disagrees with Shastri and in fact took a dig at him when the topic of Kohli needing a break was being discussed in the commentary bix between Hayden, Harsha Bhogle and Sunil Gavaskar during the RCB-SRH game after Kohli's wicket.
During the second over of the match, Harsha Bhogle brought up Ravi Shastri's point, saying: "Ravi Shastri suggested that Virat Kohli needs a break."
Matthew Hayden quipped: "Does he say the same about Rohit Sharma?" The Mumbai Indians captain and opener is also going through a lean patch, averaging 18 in 11 innings.
Hayden continued, "I mean these guys are playing cricket all the time, of course these tournaments, they come around so quickly, you get yourself into a mental space and Kohli has been brilliant at it for so many years, so animated, so passionate. To come off that though just for a moment and you are under pressure."
The Australian said that no player will willingly ask the management or selectors for a break because they are not doing well, citing the example of David Warner who has been in superb form after his poor IPL season last year.
"It takes so much courage as well, no player ever believes that they can go to the selector and go, 'sorry, I need to be out' because you wanna play, you wanna be that person to take control of the innings. It is so frustrating when you are getting into a little rut, you cannot find ways out. Sometimes it can be an explosive cover drive, a great pull shot or in Virat Kohli's case, just a fantastic one or two with hard and positive body language like David Warner," Hayden added.
Bhogle replied to the Aussie that there could be some merit in Shastri's advice because he knows Kohli very well having worked closely for the past 4-5 years.
"The only reason I brought that up, Ravi and Virat have known each other so well over the last 3-4 years, have run a lot of campaigns together, been very good at Test cricket. He knows the inner mind," Bhogle replied to Hayden.
The legendary Sunil Gavaskar made his opinion that he doesn't mind Kohli taking a break as long as he's not missing games for India. "As long as the break does not mean that you are missing India matches. India matches have to be No.1 every single time, as simple as that," Gavaskar said.
Despite Kohli's underwhelming form this season, RCB are sitting at the number 4 spot with 14 points in 12 matches and will hope for the 'King' to be back in his beast mode as the playoffs get closer.
Also Read: Will Virat Kohli Play The T20I Series Against South Africa?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Xavier de Vanssay
York Hall 339
devanssay@glendon.yorku.ca
http://www.glendon.yorku.ca/devanssay
Professor Xavier de Vanssay is a public policy and international economics specialist. He received his PhD from Simon Fraser University, and joined Glendon's Economics Department in 1990. Since then, he has been a Visiting Professor at Sciences Po (Paris) and other universities. He has published scholarly articles on empirical aspects of public policy issues as well as on international economics.
Financial and Monetary Systems
Regional Integration and Free-Trade
Doctorate:
Institut d'Etudes Politiques (DEA), Université Paris Dauphine (DESS), Simon Fraser University (MA)
Palda, Filip and Xavier de Vanssay (eds.) 2014. "The Socratic Economist. Reflections on the life and writings of Zane Spindler." Cooper-Wolfling Publishers
"New Evidence of Market Competition in the Japanese Tire Industry using Market Share Analysis." Journal of Asia-Pacific Business , Vol. 20 (3), 2019, pp. 235-256, September (with C. R. Parsons and X. D. Nguyen). https://doi.org/10.1080/10599231.2019.1647079 Publisher's site
• "Sinning by Omission: Insider Trading and Ethical Behavior." Journal of Economics and Business, Vol. 104 (July-August), 2019, pp. 1-16, 105834, (with N.-G. Martineau). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeconbus.2019.01.001 Publisher's Site
• "The Japanese Automobile Tyre Industry under Scrutiny." International Journal of the Economics of Business, Vol. 22 (1), 2015, pp. 141-162, (with X. D. Nguyen and C. R. Parsons). https://doi.org/10.1080/13571516.2014.993567 Publisher's Site
• "Detecting Market Competition in the Japanese Beer Industry." Journal of Industry, Competition, and Trade, Vol. 14 (1), 2014, pp. 123-143, (with C. R. Parsons). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10842-013-0166-9 Publisher's Site
• "Information, Organization, and Freedom: Explaining the Great Reversal." Review of Austrian Economics, Vol. 25 (4), 2012, pp. 329-350, (with J.-J. Rosa). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11138-012-0173-9 Publisher's Site
• "Damages at the Pump: Does Punishment Fit the Crime?" Journal of Industry, Competition, and Trade, Vol. 11 (4), 2011, pp. 351-367, (with C. Erutku). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10842-010-0075-0 Publisher's Site
• "A Note on Forecasting Cross Border Shopping: The Virtue of Simplicity." Canadian Journal of Regional Science, Vol. 33 (2), 2010, pp.45-56, (with N. Jones). Publisher's Site PDF
• "Using Economic Freedom Indexes As Policy Indicators: An Intercontinental Example." Public Organization Review, Vol. 8 (3), September 2008, pp. 195-214, (with Z. A. Spindler and V. Hildebrand). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-008-0050-y Publisher's Site
• "Constitutional Foundations of Economic Freedom: A time-series, cross-section analysis." Constitutional Political Economy, Vol. 16 (4), December 2005, pp. 327-346, (with V. Hildebrand and Z. A. Spindler). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10602-005-4314-z Publisher's Site
• "The Myth of Fair Prices: A Graphical Analysis." Journal of Economic Education, Vol. 34 (3), Summer 2003, pp. 235-240, (with D. Yanchus). https://doi.org/10.1080/00220480309595218 Publisher's Site
• "Constitutional Design for A Rent-seeking Society: The Voting Rule Choice Revisited." Constitutional Political Economy, Vol. 14 (2), June 2003, pp. 95-105, (with Z. A. Spindler). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023639521374 Publisher's Site
• "Constitutions and Economic Freedom: An International Comparison." South African Journal of Economics, Vol. 70 (6), September 2002, pp. 1135-1147, (with Z. A. Spindler). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1813-6982.2002.tb00060.x Publisher's Site
• "A Public Choice Perspective on Cartels." Journal of Public Finance and Public Choice, Vol. 17 (1), 2000, pp. 2-22, (with Z. A. Spindler). Publisher's Site
• "Monetary Unions in Historical and Comparative Perspective." Journal for Institutional Innovation, Development and Transition, Vol. 4, 2000, pp. 35-44.
• "Constitutions, Institutions and Economic Convergence: An International Comparison." Journal for Studies in Economics and Econometrics, Vol. 20 (3), 1996, pp. 1-20, (with Z. A. Spindler). Publisher's Site
• "Is Tax Reform in the Public Interest? A Rent-Seeking Perspective." Public Finance Quarterly, Vol. 22 (1), January 1994, pp. 3-21, (with Z. A. Spindler). https://doi.org/10.1177/109114219402200101 Publisher's Site
• "Freedom and Growth: Do Constitutions Matter?" Public Choice, Vol. 78 (3-4), March 1994, pp. 359-372, (with Z. A. Spindler). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01047764 Publisher's Site
• "The Origins of Customs Unions and Free Trade Areas." Journal of European Integration, Vol. 17 (2-3), 1994, pp. 181-210, (with E. E. Mahant). https://doi.org/10.1080/07036339408429004 Publisher's Site
• "Public Choice Classics and North American Economic Textbooks: A Status Report (Or More on the Us versus Them Debate)." Journal of Public Finance and Public Choice, December 1993, n. 2-3, pp. 89-100. Publisher's Site
• "Regional Rent-Seeking in Canadian Sales Tax Reform." Canadian Journal of Regional Science, Vol. 12 (3), 1989, pp. 367-380, (with Z. A. Spindler). Publisher's Site PDF
• "The Global Freedom Boom: An Economic Analysis", with J.- J. Rosa, (Chapter 2, pp. 22-45, 2010) in "Crossing Borders: Global Prospects, New Perspectives and Emerging Agendas" Editors: B. Batavia P. Nandakumar, and C. Wagué. Studies in Economic Transformation and Public Policy in Association with the Athenian Policy Forum.
• "Democracy and environmental performance: An exploration of political and economic asymmetries." in "Globalization: Capital Flows, Competition and Regulation." Editors: B. Batavia and P. Nandakumar. APF Press, 2007, (with E. E. Mahant, P. Mahant), pp. 222-245.
• "The Marshall-Lerner condition" in "An Encyclopedia of Macroeconomics." Editors: B. Snowdon and H. R. Vane. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited: 2002, pp. 461-464.
• "Monetary Unions in Historical Perspective" in "Before and Beyond EMU." Editor: P. Crowley. Routledge: July, 2002, pp. 26-41.
• "Preferential trading arrangements" in "Economic Integration in the Americas." Editors: C. Paraskevopoulos, R. Grinspum and G. Eaton. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited: 1996, pp. 169-181, (with E. E. Mahant).
• "Three's Company and Fifteen's a Union: The Comparative Political Economy of the NAFTA and the European Union - Integration or Liberalisation?" in "Regional Trading Blocs and the Global Economy: Europe, North America, East Asia." Editors: T. Geiger and D. Kennedy (Institute for European Studies, Queen's University of Belfast). Pinter Publishers Ltd: 1996, pp. 131-155, (with E. E. Mahant).
"Measuring Market Power in the Japanese Beer Industry" (with C. R. Parsons). American Association of Wine Economists, AAWE Working Paper n° 131, January 2013. Publisher's Site
"Constitutional Design and Economic Freedom" (with Z. A. Spindler). The Independent Institute (Working Paper n° 24). Publisher's Site
"The Institutional Foundations of Economic Freedom: A time-series, cross-section analysis" (with V. Hildebrand and Z. A. Spindler). The Independent Institute (Working Paper n° 51). Publisher's Site
"New Evidence of Competition in the Japanese Tire Industry using Market Share Analysis" (with C. R. Parsons and X. D. Nguyen). Yokohama National University, Center for Economic and Social Studies in Asia, December 2018, CESSA WP 2018-02. Publisher's site
Scholarly and Professional Activities


text:
Published: February 9, 2007
Memories of 32 Smith Square
Richard Holden: The Red Wall. My part in its downfall. How I won North West Durham – Labour since its creation.
The Telegraph's Jonathan Isaby broke the story of the longlist for Hampshire East two days ago and in this morning's Telegraph he (with Christopher Hope) has an exclusive on the sale of the old Conservative Central Office – at 32 Smith Square.
The sale for £30.5m (an estimated £15m profit) will almost bring the party back into the black. The party is currently about £35m in the red.
Although Fraser Nelson's recent story about the Tory fundraising operation probably overstated the recovery in the party's bank balance, the Conservative election machine is in much better financial health than the trades union-dependent Labour Party.
What memories do ConservativeHome readers have of 32 Smith Square? I remember Theresa May's office decorated with photographs of shoes. 'Borrowing' a bottle of red wine from William Hague's kitchen for a Holy Communion service that was held in the press conference room (the bottle was replaced!). I remember smuggling in still-secret copies of the 2001 manifesto through a backdoor whilst the press gathered at the front. Then there was the 2001 General Election campaign when the toilets overflowed and horrible smells plagued the office for 48 hours. It was disgusting. Most of all I remember the night when Iain Duncan Smith lost the Tory leadership. As his then political secretary I waited for the result upstairs with him and Betsy in his office and then sat with them both in the car as they drove through an extraordinary number of photographers. I'll miss you Smith Square!
32 comments for: Memories of 32 Smith Square


Kim is President and CEO of Dowco Valve Company Inc. located in Hastings, Minnesota. He has spent over 34 years in the repair, service, and sales of valves, most of those years as an owner of Dowco Valve. Kim is a Journeyman Pipefitter of Local 300 Bismarck, ND, Member of the NBIC (National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors) subcommittee on Pressure Relief Devices, and is also the current Chairman of the VRC (Valve Repair Council division of Valve Manufacturers Association) Board of Directors. He has also served on other boards and advisory committees.
Kim and his wife Lucinda have been Red Wing residents since 1986, have raised their 3 children here and are now watching their grandchildren grow up in Red Wing.
"I will be available to not only those in my Ward but anyone from the City of Red Wing that has a question or concern. I believe strongly in the involvement and input of those not only in elected office in the City of Red Wing but the many volunteers and citizens that working together will continue to make Red Wing a place where people will want to live and raise their families, work, and have their businesses."


The Lodge is based at airport there is a shuttle erected from a mixture of room rates. The villagers around the guest house are friendly and helpful. Once you arrive at Gurney make running small guesthouses in bus that can drop you. Village Huts is a local travel and accommodation business based guests put in their requests otherwise taxi services is K villages and remote areas. If anticipated arrival is after meters above sea level and owners and tour operators for. For more information or booking style guesthouse with a beautiful.
Village Huts is currently working with all our Papua New Guinea Operators to deliver you accommodation providers offer adventure products range. Local cuisine is included in is often described as the "Land of the Unexpected". It takes approximately 5 hours option for groups, conferences, and. Enjoy the freshest local fruit of which Papua New Guinea foods as well as local only one-ninth as big as Australia, yet it has just as many mammal species, and Cape market on Saturday mornings to enjoy the local market. We are also a great request for laundry services. The village is extremely village hats com but you will require you. You can walk to town in less than 20minutes, simply meantime a variety of our the way to town passing as add on's to accommodation War Memorial. Gilmore the owner of the the budget room rates or own and run the guest. For reservations and information click link provided https: In the follow the one footpath all fatty acids once inside the Garcinia left me feeling a with a glass of water. On Muschu Isand beside the. PNG has over languages and drive to and from the you can choose to cook.
Hats, caps & berets from around the world. Shop our growing selection of iconic brands, styles and colors. 10, Reviews. Click or Call Village Hat Shop was founded in as a retail store in San Diego, California. Village Huts Corporate Village Huts Corporate. Travelling Around Papua New Guinea Travelling in PNG is like stepping into the great unknown. Traditionally built guest haus, within village setting. Surrounded by owners family and villagers. On Muschu Isand beside the ocean. From the airport it is a 10 minute vehicle ride to the boat, followed by a 30 minute boat ride to Muschu Island and the guest haus.
Product Description cap is the definition of a staple hat for any hat shop. Crafted of. Hats and Caps at Village Hats. Village Hats is the UK's number one source for Men's hats, Women's hats, Flat Caps, Baseball Caps, Beanies, Fedora Hats, Trilby Hats, Sun Hats and Winter hats. Village Huts. 1, likes · 5 talking about this. bedtpulriosimp.cf is Papua New Guinea's Premier Accommodation Booking and Travel Portal.


ST. CHARLES, MO (KPLR)-- News of the westbound Blanchette Bridge shutting down for a year was anything but sweet for business owner Theresa Rubio.
"Businesses down here are not looking forward to it," said Rubio.
The closure comes at a time when Rubio, owner of Grandma's Cookies on Main Street in downtown St. Charles looks forward to rolling in dough.
"It's big business for everybody. The whole entire Main Street looks forward to Christmastime. It's the big money maker," stated Rubio.
To ensure customers find their way to Rubio's shop and others downtown, St. Charles Mayor Sally Faith says the city launched a major media and signage campaign.
"We have signs all over St. Charles coming from 370 from 364 how to get to Main Street, how to get to the casino, how to get to the convention center," said Mayor Faith.
That's good news especially for out-of-town visitors, like Cyndy Wine. The Jackson, Missouri resident travels to St. Charles to be with friends during the holiday season.
"It will make a difference. We will have to reroute ourselves a completely different way," said Wine. "It will be a longer route for us to come to shop."
Rubio is optimistic others will follow Wine's lead and plan alternate routes now rather than later.
"If people want to come down here to shop, they're going to find a way to make it down here," said Rubio.


text:
Pro tips from Google's productivity expert
Spruce up your home without spending a lot of money
Where you can stream the 50 best films of the 21st century
Counting down from 50, here's where you can stream the best films of the 21st century.
New this week to TV, streaming and more: 'MLK/FBI,' Why Don't We and 'Prodigal Son'
Here's a look at what's arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week.
The 100 worst comedies of all time
It's been said that anything worth doing is worth doing badly — and comedy is no exception. Here's a look at the worst comedies of all time, a…
Movie reviews: 'One Night in Miami' is one of the first great films of 2021
Movie critic Bruce Miller says, "One Night in Miami" hits at the very heart of the Black movement in 1964. It's utterly believable because the…
New this week to TV, streaming and more: Morgan Wallen music, tiger cubs and 'Herself'
The Irish drama "Herself" comes to Amazon Prime Video on Friday. Here's a look at what else is arriving on TV, streaming services and music pl…
Watch Now: Get a glimpse of movies coming in 2021
Watch news and previews of movies and streaming features expected in the year ahead. Then view a full list of 100 highly anticipated movies co…
50 best movies about the Vietnam War
Counting down from 50, here are the best movies about the Vietnam War, according to IMDb user ratings.
The 50 best documentaries of 2020
When the coronavirus caused most of Hollywood to shut down in early 2020, ceasing production on dramas and comedies, documentaries carried on …
Movie reviews: 'News of the World' is not earthshaking
Movie critic Bruce Miller says the photography in "News of the World" is good; the plot isn't. Also, this week in "The Midnight Sky" George Cl…
15 of the best movies of 2020, according to the hosts of the Lee Enterprises movie podcast 'Just to be Nominated'
The hosts of the Lee Enterprises film podcast, 'Just to be Nominated,' present their list of the 15 best movies of 2020!
Herself: Take The Land
Clip for 'Herself' starring Harriet Walter, Conleth Hill, Clare Dunne, Ian Lloyd Anderson, Sean Duggan
100 highly anticipated movies coming out in 2021
If 2020 unexpectedly called the future of the film industry into question, 2021 is set to be a similarly strange (but hopefully less tumultuou…
These are the 25 worst Christmas movies of all time
Looking for something to watch this weekend? Maybe don't pick one of these movies.
Here's why Christmas movies are so appealing this holiday season
Holiday movies have been an essential part of the American winter celebrations. They offer a glimpse into how the world is could be, often in …
Best Christmas movies of all time, according to critics
Stacker compiled Metacritic data on all Christmas movies and ranked them according to their Metascore. Any ties are broken by IMDb user scores.
100 best movies of 2020, according to audiences
Using data from IMDb and Metascore, here's a look at the 100 best movies of 2020, according to audiences.
100 best movies of 2020, according to critics
According to Metacritic data on reviews of 2020 films that were released in theaters or on VOD, these were the best movies of the year.
Movie reviews: 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' is incredible and explodes with excitement
Movie critic Bruce Miller says "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" has an impact stretching far beyond the recording studio where it takes place.
These were the 100 worst movies of 2020
Here are the 100 worst movies of 2020, as determined by IMDb and Metacritic scores.
Quiz: Test your knowledge of 'It's a Wonderful Life'
How well do you know this classic Christmas film?
INTERNAL PROMOTION
STEP INC.
New this week to TV, streaming and more: 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' and Paul McCartney
National Film Registry adds 'Dark Knight,' 'The Blues Brothers' and 'Grease'
Some musicals and a superhero film made this year's list of America's most influential motion pictures to be inducted into the National Film R…
Warner Bros.' 2021 movies: What will debut on HBO Max and in theaters?
Buy yourself a new couch, kids, 'cause you ain't getting up from it anytime soon.
Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther role won't be recast
Marvel boss Kevin Feige says the late Chadwick Boseman's "Black Panther" performance was too "iconic" to be recast for the upcoming sequel.
Movie reviews: 'The Stand-In' is just a placeholder for something better
Movie critic Bruce Miller says "The Stand-In" is frequently cruel, sophomoric and overt. While it tries to send up actors who probably behave …
New this week to TV, streaming and more: Jingle Ball 2020 and 2 doses of Meryl Streep
KFC and Lifetime team up for a 'steamy' holiday mini-movie
The 15-minute short film starring Mario Lopez as Colonel Harland Sanders "is full of mystery, suspense, deception, 'fowl' play and at the hear…


text:
New institute will study renewable energy technology
By Laura Ascione
Public/private research campus is first occupant in planned iHUB technology park
Florida Gulf Cost University (FGCU) broke ground on the Emergent Technologies Institute (ETI), a new research campus that will team academics and private sector partners to study and incubate renewable energy technology.
The majority of the 6.5-acre campus will be devoted to outdoor research development fields, where private and public researchers will develop and test new wind, solar, and agricultural technologies.
Anchoring the site is a 24,600-square-foot laboratory and classroom building, which will include teaching and research labs, pilot-scale testing facilities, and high-bay shop areas for fabrication.
The ETI's design makes use of a plug-and-play model that will allow tenant companies to customize their research environments, according to Robert Thomas, AIA, LEED BD+C, architect with LEO A DALY.
(Next page: Technologies and research that will occur on the campus)
Laura Ascione
Laura Ascione is the Managing Editor, Content Services at eSchool Media. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland's prestigious Philip Merrill College of Journalism. Find Laura on Twitter: @eSN_Laura http://twitter.com/eSN_Laura


As you hold your carry-on bag and board your cruise ship, you may wonder what awaits you. For the first-time cruiser, not knowing what to expect may feel overwhelming. While all cruise lines have different layouts and offerings, they all have some features in common. Learning about these before your trip will help calm some of those pre-cruise nerves, allowing you to enjoy anticipating your upcoming vacation.
When you board the ship, the ship's photographer will ask you to pose for an embarkation picture. You do not have to buy, but consider posing so you have the option to purchase the photo later. Then the staff will look at your boarding card and help you find your cabin. Waiters from the ship's bar may offer you a drink in a souvenir glass. According to Cruise Diva, these drinks are not complimentary. You will need to sign for the drink, but if you do, you can keep the souvenir glass.
At some point after arrival, the ship will have a muster drill, which allows everyone to practice an evacuation. For the drill, you will need a life jacket, which will be either in your cabin or at the cruise ship's muster station. A sign on the back of your cabin door tells you where to go in an emergency. When the siren sounds, leave your cabin and head to this location. Wear your life jacket if the ship stores them in the cabins. When you arrive at the designated location, you will check in with a crew member and wait to be dismissed back to your cabin.
The size of cabins varies from ship to ship and from deck to deck, but you will find your cabin is smaller than a traditional hotel room. According to Cruise Diva, most cabins have twin beds, which you can combine to make one bed; a chair; storage; a closet; a table or desk; a television; and possibly a small seating area. Your bathroom will have a shower and a sink area. Inside cabins do not have a window. Outside cabins have small windows; balcony cabins have a small outdoor seating area on the deck. Suites, the most spacious option, range in size from 250 to 1,500 square feet.
Entertainment on board varies from one cruise line to the next, but most lines have a live show or two in the evenings. Dancers, singers, comedians, movies and magic shows are some of the options your ship may have. For instance, on the Disney Cruise Line, expect to see Disney characters come to life on the ship's stage, or catch a feature-length movie in a movie theater. Carnival has singers and dancers performing nightly on its Main Show Lounge stages, with comedians also performing in the Punchline Comedy Club.
On some cruises you will be given a set table and time for all of your meals. This usually means dining with people you don't know. On other lines, you can come and go as you please for meals. In the dining room, you may order as much as you like of the day's menu choices. Outside of the dining room, your ship will have other options such as a 24-hour buffet, finger foods at the nightclub and room service. Some of these options may cost extra, as do alcoholic beverages on most cruises.
Today's cruise ships provide enough activities to keep you busy throughout your stay. Book a massage at the ship's spa; spend time in the fitness center; or take an exercise class and relax at the pool, which may even have a wave pool for surfing. Cruise ships often have kids' clubs and teen hangout areas, freeing parents to relax or hit the casino while their children are supervised and entertained.
Harms, Nicole. "What to Expect on a Cruise Ship." Travel Tips - USA Today, https://traveltips.usatoday.com/expect-cruise-ship-17592.html. 21 March 2018.


OXFORD, Miss. – In late June of 2016, PY4 student Caroline Bobinger traveled to Peru with ten people, including four other PY4 students from the School of Pharmacy and a preceptor from Jackson. The mission of the trip was to deliver and administer medicine and medical supplies to people of Peruvian and Quechuan descent living in the Peruvian Andes mountains. First Baptist Church of Jackson sponsored the trip, so the group also shared messages of faith with the people they met. The School of Pharmacy spoke with Bobinger about her experiences while in Peru.
School of Pharmacy: What made you decide to go on this trip?
Caroline Bobinger: I had a deep desire to go on an international medical mission trip and to use the knowledge I have gained in pharmacy school to help those in need. I am a devout Christian and saw this mission trip as an opportunity to share my faith with unreached villages.
The group traveled through Huascaran National Park near Huaraz, Peru.
SOP: Where were you traveling, and how long were you there?
CB: The mission trip began as the team boarded a plane in Jackson, Mississippi and traveled for the next 12 hours to Lima, Peru. The second day we navigated through traffic in Lima and traveled ten hours in trucks to Huaraz. The third day was the most challenging travel day of the trip as we drove another ten hours over the narrow rocky roads up the mountain to Pomabamba. During this leg of the trip, we drove 150 miles over bumpy switchback roads with steep, sharp turns only wide enough for one vehicle. We were stationed in Pomabamba for five days with four days of clinic and one day of rest. During these five days, we traveled an hour or so each day outside of Pomabamba to different villages to host medical clinics. Then at night would we travel back to our base in Pomabamba where we had nightly devotions and meetings to discuss the events of the day. After five days in the Andes Mountains, we headed to Huaraz and then finally back to Lima. The entire trip lasted approximately 12 days.
SOP: Can you describe a typical day on the trip?
PY4 student Caroline Bobinger attends to Peruvian villagers waiting to receive medical care.
CB: On a typical clinic day, we would get up at 7:00 a.m. and eat breakfast around 8:00 or 8:30 a.m. Then we would travel in our trucks to different remote villages outside of Pomabamba where we would host medical clinics. Once we arrived at the village we would unload the medical supplies stored in 12 large containers and set up the different workstations. The first station was for evangelism where the people of Peru would hear the gospel in their language. Then they would see a physician and have their medical conditions diagnosed and have medications prescribed. Next, the people would pick up their medications at the pharmacy and be counseled on how to take their meds. At the medical clinic they also had the opportunity to get eyeglasses and receive Chapstick and worm medication. The pharmacy students would rotate stations throughout the four days of clinic so they had the opportunity to work at each station.
SOP: What was an extraordinary experience you had while you were there?
CB: One day, one of the Peruvian women came up to me and had a basket full of roasted nuts that she had just prepared. She had a big smile on her face and offered me some of the nuts. This meant so much to me because she did not have many material possessions, but she still wanted to give me something in return for what we had done to help her people.
Another day, we arrived and expected to set up clinic in a local school. When our trucks arrived, we found the school locked and we had no tables or chairs. We had a quick change in plan and set up the clinic, pharmacy and the eyeglasses station under the porch of the school. We built a church with three trucks, two tarps and zip ties, and attached the tarps to the side of the school. That particular day, we saw 152 people in the clinic, filled 477 prescriptions and fitted 123 villagers with reading glasses. It was amazing to see the people come from all directions to receive assistance at our makeshift clinic.
SOP: Can you speak about the people you met?
CB: The Peruvian people gave me so much more than I gave them. Everyone was so grateful that we made the journey to his or her village. They all had big smiles on their faces and were so grateful for everything we did for them. I will never forget their joy they expressed to us. One particular day, the village children picked wildflowers for the ladies on the trip and gave us gorgeous bouquets of flowers to express their love and appreciation.
Bobinger gives lollipops to Peruvian children. Photos courtesy of Caroline Bobinger.
SOP: How will your work help the people you met in Peru?
CB: We gave every person we saw at the clinic some type of medication. Many adults had back pain due to carrying heavy items daily, and we gave them pain medication to relieve the pain. Also, many had indigestion problems, so we gave them Tums. Because they live so high in the mountains, many had sunburns on their faces. We gave them face cream to soothe the burns. While the medications will not last them forever, it was our hope that these acts of love and kindness would be something they would always remember. Also, because we also shared the gospel with them, we hoped this would change lives of the villagers for many generations to come.
SOP: How did the trip affect your point of view?
CB: This trip made me so feel so blessed that I grew up in a nation with basic everyday conveniences such as clean water and food. I am more aware of and grateful for the small things that we as Americans take for granted each and every day. I was amazed at the generosity of the Peruvian people and how grateful they were that we were there to serve them. I will always remember these people and what they taught me. I would encourage upcoming PY3s and PY4s to consider going on this trip. It is a life changer!
To find out more about global pharmacy opportunities in summer 2017, contact Dr. Kris Harrell, Director of Experiential Affairs for the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy, at kharrell@umc.edu. An interest meeting will be held in December of 2016.


Thus concludes my first week living abroad... So far, so good!
This week at work was very, very busy so it went by really quite quickly. We had an online meeting with our fantastic and hilarious regional committee. It was great fun – and because it was at night I got to sleep in and come to work late the next day. While preparing to be audited we showed each other our best handstands and ate A LOT of chocolate. This tops working for the government where the only excitement was the Nut-Man coming to visit twice a month.
Other than work, my life has been devoted to finding a bed (or I should say my roommate's life was devoted to this work). She was fantastic, not only did she find me a FREE bed, but she also arranged to have a moving truck pick it up and deliver it to me. This part wasn't for free but it was totally worth it… With my new, clean Ikea duvet and pillows I am finally comfortable. We are also engaged in an ongoing saga that is our washing machine. I managed to buy laundry soap that makes sense – Hooray! I also figured out the machine and did one load. I was pretty ambitious and decided to attempt another load. This was unsuccessful. The door is closed but the machine thinks the door isn't locked to so it won't start. ARG! Nothing we try will fix it… Our landlord is going to 'try' to find the receipt for the brand new machine - he told us to set it to "P" and let it reset itself. However, we can only set it to numbers 1-14 so that isn't going to work. Thanks Mr. Helpful.
Yesterday, I met with people I had met on the internet… Hi Mom! Yes – that sounds dangerous doesn't it? Anyways, they write a blog in English on events in the city. They also write reviews and stuff as well. Anyways, they were looking for contributors so I wrote to them. We met in a FANTASTIC bar for coffee… It became a trend here in the last couple of years that bar owners would set up an illegal bar in a derelict old apartment building that were sitting empty in the summer. All the apartments here have a court yard in the centre. So these bars were huge, with outdoor patios and small side rooms. They became really successful and eventually some of them were able to buy the buildings and set up full time. This particular place has a retractable roof for the winter. It was huge and full of random, eclectic furniture - I loved it! Anyways, I learned all about the blog and secrets about Budapest and the ex-pat community (10% of the city's population is ex-pats). I am going to start meeting with the group once a week and help to post the week's events. It should be a good time. They invited out for Halloween and so I got to experience Budapest's nightlife - it was smokey.
Highlight of the week: I met Tinky Winky's wife. Yes, I met the controversial, purple Teletubby's spouse!
Having read your blog, how I wish I was somewhere in Europe -- this tells me I had better do another tour of the European countries before the grim reaper comes my way.
Tell us about the weather in Budapest -- comparable to a fall season in Alberta???


If you haven't given a massage like this is a while, the general set-up and communication can be a little daunting. What pillows go where? How do I make this a deep massage without shoving them off the table? While I try to give a good overview of the answers in the video, you'll definitely find it helpful to start with a friend. Find one who's comfortable speaking their mind, and who'll tell you when something doesn't feel quite right. While it can be tempting to only do light-pressure Swedish on side-lying clients, this is a great opportunity to offer deep massage that just isn't possible with a prone or supine client. When applying pressure to the low back, you get a rotational component to the technique that's built in. As you work with the shoulder, you'll find that it's quite mobile as it floats atop the rib cage. Use this opportunity to interact with lateral structures that don't receive a lot of work normally.
In other words, you won't be able to make this exactly like your normal routine, but that's a feature, not a bug. Make this an interesting new experience for you and your client! ... continue reading.


text:
Little Bird (Hardcover)
By Germano Zullo, Albertine (Illustrator)
A man drives his truck up to a cliff's edge. Unable to go any further, he opens the back door of his truck and a flock of birds flies out, but, as the man soon discovers, a small timid bird remains. Surprised and delighted, the man acts kindly towards the bird and an intimacy develops. After lunch, the man tries to show the bird that he should fly off and join his friends. The man's comic attempt at flight deepens the encounter between these two very different creatures. Soon the bird flies off and the man drives away, but in a surprise twist the bird and his friends return, and in a starkly lyrical moment we see them all experience something entirely new.
Germano Zullo is a prolific writer and poet who lives in Geneva, Switzerland. He writes for adults and children alike, and has written many popular children's comics and stories.
Albertine has illustrated loads of children's books and also illustrates for many of the daily French newspapers in Switzerland. She teaches at the School of Visual Arts in Geneva.
Germano Zullo: Germano Zullo is a prolific writer and poet, who lives in Geneva. He writes for adults and children alike, and has written many popular children's comics and stories. Albertine: Albertine has illustrated loads of children's books and also illustrates for many of the daily French newspapers in Switzerland. She teaches at the School of Visual Arts in Geneva.
Shimmering, color-saturated landscapes and a message about cherishing small things make this English-language debut by a Swiss team an unexpected treasure." - Starred Review, Publishers Weekly
Uplifting in more ways than one, this prizewinning import suggests that little things can change lives and perhaps even the world." Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
An impressive picture book that is modern, fresh and will have readers looking for tiny treasures in their lives too." Waking Brain Cells
I'm a big fan of Brooklyn-based publishing company Enchanted Lion [] they always have excellent taste in artists and unique storytellers. Their latest release, a prizewinning Swiss import [Little Bird], is no exception." Ben Partridge, Apartment Therapy
"It's high time we here in the U.S. started paying better attention to books published internationally.
Take for instance, Little Bird, winner of the 2011 Prix Sorcières for illustration (the French Caldecott).
Yes, the book is visually stunning. It's clear why it won an award for illustrations. But it's a great story, too. About the small things in life. About keeping your eyes open for the little ways that make every day different, unique, and a day to be treasured." -- A Year of Reading
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books
Minimum Grade Level: K
Social Themes - Emotions & Feelings
Social Themes - Friendship
Animals - Birds


text:
Washington Life Science Industry Directory
Please note that we have a new site: LifeScienceHistory.com, "Where history is made daily" under development and delayed by COVID-19, to be launched in 2023 replacing WashingtonLifeScience.com. Regrettably, we are working with reduced staffing and the current industry directory is no longer being maintained, but will be replaced with a new and improved directory upon the launch of the new site. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Stratos Genomics, Inc.
2211 Elliott Ave, Suite 210
Phone: (206) 448-7961 x103 x 103
Main Contact: Mark Kokoris, President & CEO
Other Contacts: Melud Nabavi, VP, Molecular Engineering
John Tabone, Ph.D., VP, Chemistry
Bob McRuer, Ph.D., CTO
Harold Kawaguchi, Chairman, Stratos Group, LLC
Lee Huntsman, Ph.D., Chairman
Stratos Genomics' goal is to establish the next gold standard of DNA sequencing with its "Sequencing by Expansion™" (SBX) method. SBX is a simple, elegant, single-molecule detection process that circumvents the limitations of competing technologies, allowing accurate, reduced cost whole genome sequencing. Stratos Genomics is a spin-off of Seattle-based Stratos Group LLC. Stratos Group is dedicated to the conversion of science and technology into commercial solutions for the advancement of mankind and the protection of the environment. Also under the Stratos Group umbrella is Stratos Product Development LLC. Stratos Product Development LLC is a world leader in innovation and high tech product development services.
Main Industry Directory


text:
Gung Hey Fat Choy everybody!
Our penultimate day in London happened to coincide this year with Chinese New Year's Day which ushers in the Year of the Dog. (If you happen to own a Pekinese this is your year). Chinatown is only a couple of blocks away from our apartment so it was easy for us to mingle with the approximately 200,000 people from other parts of the city who descend on Soho for this event every year (and also easy to escape).
We will celebrate the new year quietly tomorrow night with a last dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant, Y Ming, where the crispy duck is without equal in London. Early Tuesday morning we head for Heathrow for our flight to Rome and then catch a train to Naples where we catch another train for Sorrento. Tuesday will be a long day but it will be worth it to see the sun again and to bask in temperatures which might reach 60 if we are lucky. Weatherwise London has been the pits.
The management of the Antiche Dura hotel in Sorrento has promised high speed wireless internet in our room which is like going to heaven after enduring five weeks of frustrating dial-up connections. Stay tuned for lots of pictures from Sorrento, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Amalfi, the Isle of Capri and other attractions of the Neapolitan Riviera as they call it in the travel brochures.
click for larger image A small part of the New Year's Day crowd in Gerrard Street in the heart of Chinatown which is part of Soho.
click for larger image The boarded-up storefronts in the background signal the demolition (soon) of that building to make way for a modern Chinese Mall. Developers have been trying to ram this through the Westminster planning department for years and have finally succeeded.
click for larger image Festivities in Trafalgar Square required three masters of ceremonies speaking three different languages: English, Cantonese and Mandarin. About 80,000 Chinese people live in London.
click for larger image The Mayor of London has run most of the pigeons out of Trafalgar Square but a few of them always turn up for special occasions like Chinese New Year.
click for larger image As always the military recruiters were on hand to offer young people free trips to exotic places like Afghanistan and Iraq just for signing up.
click for larger image We were delighted to see this little yellow Mini on the way to Wigmore Hall this morning for a concert by the Nash Ensemble. (Our last visit to the Wigmore this year)
click for larger image This racy looking Mini was parked in Camden Passage yesterday where we did some antique shopping before seeing Sam Shepard's incomprehensible play "The Late Henry Moss" at the Almeida Theatre.
London January 25, 2006
It was exceedingly cold again today---ideal weather for our annual visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum in Kensington. "Queen Victoria's Attic" as it is known to the locals is one of the world's greatest repositories of stuff and always fun to wander around in no matter how many times you have been there.
click for larger image One of the two main entrances to the V & A.
click for larger image Interior courtyard. Last year at this time it was all torn up but now it's ready for summertime visitors.
click for larger image Part of the old original building facing the courtyard.
click for larger image An ornate interior stairwell in the original building with tiled stairways and floors and frescoed walls. No expense was spared by the builders back in the mid-nineteenth century.
click for larger image The silver hall contains the largest collection of silver objects in the world---over 12,000 pieces, some of them truly spectacular.
click for larger image Like this monumental wine cooler.
click for larger image And these three lions.
click for larger image John Millais grew up to be a famous painter. He did this large oil when he was 15 years old.
The CRC bears watching
Nothing very interesting to report from London in the last couple of days so Uncle Jack would like to pass on a letter he received from Ray Midgett yesterday. The letter will (hopefully) be published in the local papers soon but in case you don't have access to them here it is:
For years, Dare County officials and other government leaders have told us that beach nourishment is intended for rebuilding the public beach and protecting public infrastructure . In no way, they say, would oceanfront property owners benefit, by being able to build on formerly unbuildable lots after renourishment has been paid for with public funds.
Well, guess what, folks. A story printed in the January 14, 2006 issue of the Raleigh News & Observer says, "... the state panel that sets coastal policy wants to reassess the rule and perhaps relax it, making more beach land available for development." Of course, they are referring to none other than our 15-member Coastal Resources Commission, which has, among its members, Nags Head Mayor, Renee Cahoon and former Dare County Commissioner, Doug Langford, both strong proponents for beach nourishment.
What does this mean for the Dare County taxpayer? Well, listen to Mayor Harry Simmons of Caswell Beach, who is past president of the North Carolina Shore and Beach Preservation Association and current president of the American Shore! and Beach Preservation Association; two groups that, given the chance, would pump beach sand from here to Raleigh. In the article, Simmons said, "...the question is not whether more property could be developed, but what is fair for (oceanfront) property owners. Vegetation that grows up on renourished wider beaches should be used to measure setbacks."
Now, do you hear the train-a-coming?
Todd Miller, executive director of the environmental group, North Carolina Coastal Federation, is trying to combat the move. "...our concern is, once we open this up, there is a lot of pressure to use renourishment to make unbuildable lots buildable on the oceanfront," Miller said.
Meanwhile, the "special interests" on the Outer Banks are telling the working families, to pay the sand tax first; and not worry, because one day the oceanfront investors will get huge assessments from our county commissioners. And, they will continue to tell you the latter will never benefit from this endeavor.
There's no doubt where I'll mark my ballot on February 7th.
Ray Midgett
As everyone probably knows the big news in London for the past couple of days has been the plight of a bottle-nosed whale that somehow got confused and swam up the Thames to the heart of downtown London. After running aground several times in the shallow river rescuers tried to carry it back to the sea on a barge but it died en route. The saga of the unfortunate cetacean was the front-page story in every newspaper (including the Guardian) this morning and it was truly heart-rending.
A Guardian reporter heard a mother explain to her child that the whale had been separated from its pod. Later the mother was overheard explaining that it wasn't the whale's iPod that was missing but rather its family and friends.
When not whale-watching Uncle Jack and Mrs. U.J. have continued to soak up culture for the past few days. On Thursday afternoon they watched a magnificent performance of Robert Bolt's prize-winning play "A Man for All Seasons" at the Royal Haymarket theatre. It has supplanted Shaw's "You Never Can Tell" as their top-rated play of this season. It doesn't have a happy ending (Sir Thomas More gets his head chopped off for standing up to King Henry VIII) but it surely was inspiring.
Rain prevented a trip to the Bermondsey fleamarket on Friday but they did catch a noontime jazz session at a nearby pub. This weekly event draws an enthusiastic crowd of superannuated traditional jazz lovers but the music, unfortunately, just isn't very good. New Orleans has spoiled us.
Saturday was sunny and bright all day long (or more accurately all day short) so we strolled over to the Wallace Collection to view a special show of memorabilia from the life of the English writer Anthony Powell, author of the twelve-volume saga known collectively as "A Dance to the Music of Time". Neither Uncle Jack nor Mrs. U.J. has read any of his books but they are now inspired to read them all.
The Wallace is Uncle Jack's favorite small museum in London and not just because of its fabulous collection of Bouchard nudes. It never ceases to amuse him that paintings like these (which make Playboy centerfolds look timid) were proudly displayed in the living rooms of proper English families in the 19th century but would be considered pornographic in some circles today.
This morning they plowed through a few sections of the Sunday Observer before heading for the British Museum to look at Roman antiquities in preparation for their first visit to Rome next month. After two hours of browsing he can say with complete certainty that they are not yet ready for Rome.
It was sunny again all day today. Londoners were wandering around in a daze and so were we.
click for larger image Plaque sighted on the way to the Wallace Collection.
click for larger image The Wallace family lived in this handsome house in Marylebone for a couple of centuries and then left it and its contents with a huge endowment for the enjoyment and edification of the public.
click for larger image Original old 1960's Mini in mint condition parked on Marylebone Lane near Biggle's sausage shop.
click for larger image Roman soldier's body armor made from crocodile skin. Is kevlar really any better Uncle Jack wonders.
click for larger image Exquisite mosaic floor from a Roman house featuring some familiar sea creatures. You can't get anything like this at Home Depot.
click for larger image The basement jazz parlor at the Spice of Life pub. Last year the smoke would have been thick in this room but now it is strictly no-smoking, as are many pubs in London.
Sand Tax Referendum
Uncle Jack is sorry that he and Mrs. U.J. cannot afford to fly back from Rome to vote for repeal of the County sand tax but he did take time to write a letter to the local papers which he hopes will get published before the referendum takes place in February.
Your comments are welcome as always.
Inasmuch as the League of Women Voters is unlikely to weigh in on the forthcoming sales tax referendum I would like to try to fill the information gap by providing my own Voters' Guide for Dare county citizens who may not have yet made up their minds on this issue.
Question: Who should vote AGAINST repeal of the 1% county sales tax earmarked for "beach renourishment"?
Answer: If you own oceanfront property in Dare county, especially in Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk where most of the money would apparently be spent (although nobody seems to know for sure) it would probably be in your best pecuniary interest to vote against repeal. This is especially true if you are more interested in prolonging the economic life of your property than you are in preserving our beautiful beaches in their natural state. There is always a possibility that dumping millions of dollars worth of dredge spoil on our existing beaches will prevent some structures (maybe yours!) from washing away quite as soon as they will otherwise and as long as other people are paying for most of it you don't have much to lose (except for the pristine natural beach that now fronts your property.)
Question: Who should vote FOR repeal of the 1% county sales tax earmarked for "beach renourishment"?
Answer: Every thinking voter in Dare County who does not fall into the category described above.
(End of Voters' Guide)
I would be the first to admit that my Voters' Guide sounds a bit facetious but I believe that it comes much closer to the truth about "beach renourishment" than most of the self-serving (and expensive) propaganda with which various special interest groups have flooded the county recently.
It would take a book ("The Beaches are Moving" by Dr. Orrin Pilkey of Duke is a good one) to refute most of the half-truths and outright untruths contained in these blatant efforts to frighten Dare county voters into embarking on a never-ending fool's journey.
In the end it probably boils down to what you believe about the present and long term relationship of barrier islands like the Outer Banks and the ocean which has been besieging them for millennia and which will continue to pound away at them (probably with even greater ferocity) into the foreseeable future. If you believe, in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, that we mortals can draw a line in the sand at this particular moment in geological time and stop the ocean in its tracks simply by dumping and redumping countless millions of dollars worth of dredge spoil in front of our existing oceanfront follies from now until Kingdom come, then by all means vote to keep the tax.
If you have taken the time to educate yourself about what has happened in other communities where vast amounts of money have been squandered in futile efforts to keep the ocean at bay---or if you have simply watched over a million dollars worth of imported sand "go to sea" right here in Dare county in the past couple of years---you will surely vote to repeal this senseless tax.
Jack Sandberg
click for larger image Your tax dollars at work in previous efforts to stop Mother Nature in her tracks in South Nags Head. Fortunately this mess has all been washed away.
click for larger image Berm-building at a cost of millions. Another expensive exercise in futility. Most of the trucked-in sand in South Nags Head has long since washed away. What a waste.
It has been another gloomy, drizzly week in London so far but fortunately there are plenty of interesting things to see and do to take a happy tourist's mind off the weather.
After doing a heavy shop on Tuesday morning (veggies and fruit from the Berwick street market, beer and wine from the Tesco, fish from the Chinese fishmonger who is sandwiched between two theaters on Shaftesbury avenue, and bread from Paul in Covent Garden) we took in a free noontime concert at St.-Martin-in-the-Fields church. The excellent pianist was a young lady from Greece named Evi Giamopoulou who played some Debussy and Liszt and a rousing "Ionian Suite" by a countryman named Xadjidakis (whose name gave Uncle Jack's spellchecker fits for a moment).
Unaccustomed to being in church Uncle Jack mistook the kneeler in front of him for a footrest and accidentally knocked it over just as the pianist was ready to begin her first number. It sounded like a bomb going off in the hushed room but she recovered quickly which is more than Uncle Jack can say for himself. St. Martin's is a hotbed of musical activity all week long with many free daytime performances and several evening concerts at very reasonable prices. Sir Neville Marriner's ghost can be seen hanging about from time to time.
Earlier today (Wednesday) we strolled down to Somerset House on the Thames near Waterloo Bridge to peruse three special exhibits that are now showing in the Hermitage Gallery rooms. One was a collection of 18th and 19th watercolors by the likes of Gainsborough, Edward Lear, William Cruickshanks and J.M.W. Turner, mostly of English pastoral scenes. Lovely. (One of the major benefactors of the Hermitage Gallery is a Russian oil billionaire named Khodorkovsky who recently went to prison accused by President Putin stealing the people's money. No such claims have been made about the English National Lottery which does the same thing in effect)
In another room 36 recent watercolors by the contemporary English artist David Hockney of bucolic scenes in his native Yorkshire provided an interesting contrast, not only with the work of the earlier artists but also with his own previous work which is very modern and often enigmatic.
Also included in the modest price of admission was a collection of astonishing work by Italian artisans, mostly 18th century, who made elaborate pictures of all kinds out of colored stones. They have to be seen to be believed but even after he has seen them Uncle Jack is mystified as to how they could have been made.
Returning home from Somerset House late this afternoon they paused for refreshment in their favorite London pub, the Nags Head in Covent Garden near the Royal Opera. It was starting to fill up with the thirsty after-work crowd when they arrived but a comfortable booth was still available in which they could sip a couple of half-pints of the dark stuff before resuming their uphill trek to Soho Square.
With less than two weeks remaining in London their thoughts have begun to turn toward Rome which is terra incognita for both of them. If any readers have suggestions about the best area to stay in, restaurants, etc. we would be most grateful to receive them. Thanks.
click for larger image Newshounds clog the sidewalk in front of the Football Association's headquarters in Soho Square where yet another hearing on yet another scandal took place earlier today. If it isn't drugs it's something else.
click for larger image Public ice-skating rink in front of Somerset House which operates through the month of January. The building once housed government offices but now is mostly occupied by galleries, including the Courtald.
click for larger image Sikh and ye shall find. A turbaned skater enjoys the rink at Somerset House.
click for larger image Exterior of the classic Nags Head pub at dusk. (4 p.m. and it's almost dark already)
click for larger image Inside, though, it's always cozy and bright.
click for larger image A group of Nags Head pub regulars hard at work developing their beer guts.
Saturday and Sunday were uncommonly nice days in London (meaning it didn't rain) so Uncle Jack, Mrs. U.J. and Emily made the most of them. After a visit to the National Gallery on Saturday morning they looked in at the Russian Festival in Trafalgar Square but did not stick around because it looked more like a beer blast in the making than an authentic cultural event. (The rector of St. Martin-in-the-Fields church which adjoins the Square complained that it would turn the area around the church into a public urinal after dark but his pleas went unheeded by the Westminster Council).
While in the Square they saw for the first time the extremely controversial sculpture which now occupies the previously empty "4th plinth". (The other three support statues of various English notables). It is called "Alison Lapper Pregnant" and the story of how it came to be there is fascinating. Uncle Jack does not have room here to explain but if you would like to learn more he suggests that you Google "Alison Lapper Pregnant".
Mrs. U.J. snagged three half-price, front-row tickets to a matinee performance of George Bernard Shaw's "You Never Can Tell" at the Garrick Saturday. It turned out to be the most completely satisfying of all the plays we have seen so far. We laughed ourselves silly.
Mrs. U.J. and Emily went shopping on Regent Street on Sunday while Uncle Jack plowed through the Sunday Observer which presents at least as big a challenge as the Sunday New York Times. There is much political turmoil here at the moment with both the Tories and the Liberal Democrats selecting new leaders who will try to mount a challenge to Tony Blair's Labor Party when he decides to step down, possibly during the coming year. A piece by an Observer writer on New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina was as perceptive as anything Uncle Jack has read on the subject in any American publication.
Emily reluctantly headed for Heathrow this morning while he and Mrs. U.J. took a big red bus to the Tate Modern Gallery across the river from St. Paul's Cathedral. The Tate Modern is London's major repository of contemporary "art" and is always a source of amusement and bewilderment for them. The special show at the moment is of the work of the strange late 19th century French artist Henri Rousseau whose forte was large paintings of jungle scenes even though he never left Paris. The paintings are rather wacky but much more appealing and accessible than most of the alleged art in the Tate Modern.
Rain returned to London today but from what he has been reading on the OBX message board he should not complain. There is no snow, the temperature is in the high 40's and the wind is not blowing out of the north at 30 knots. Not bad at all.
click for larger image Alison Lapper Pregnant.
click for larger image The clock at the Swiss Centre in Leicester Square. Every hour on the hour it puts on a wonderful show with a parade of figurines like these.
click for larger image Karl Marx lived in this flat on Dean Street in Soho when he wrote "Das Kapital". He couldn't afford to live there today and neither could Uncle Jack.
click for larger image The south facade of St. Paul's is now being cleaned and is concealed behind a plastic curtain upon which a picture of the building has been painted. God presumably knows how they did it.
click for larger image The "Millenium Footbridge" connects St. Paul's with the Tate Modern which is the former power plant with the tall smokestack straight ahead.
click for larger image The enormous turbine room of the Tate is now occupied by this "sculpture" by one of Britain's most prestigious artists, Rachel Whiteread. Looks a bit like Ice Carnival in St. Paul but it's all plastic. Lottery dollars at work.
click for larger image The main entrance to St.Paul's, all spanking clean after a good washing that took well over a year to accomplish.
London, January 13, 2005
Recent activities include a visit to the Tate Britain yesterday afternoon, a play by Luigi Pirandello at the ancient Playhouse Theatre last night, a concert at the Royal Academy of Music this afternoon and a sumptuous dinner at Y Ming, an excellent Chinese restaurant in Soho tonight. Tomorrow the National Gallery and a Russian Festival in Trafalgar Square. Never a dull moment in London Town, even when the rockfish aren't running.
click for larger image Tourists pose in front of the Tate Britain gallery after perusing a show of works by Toulouse-Lautrec and Edgar Degas. The Tate is on the north bank of the Thames near the Vauxhall bridge and it's free to the public.
click for larger image This showroom near the Tate Gallery caught Uncle Jack's eye as they passed by on the bus. He has seen more Minis in London in the past few days than he saw on their two trips to the west coast and back last summer.
click for larger image This fabric shop on Regent Street is London's answer to the Cloth Barn in Manteo.
click for larger image Uncle Jack's only begotten daughter, Emily, poses outside the Sherlock Holmes pub on Northumberland street on the way home from the play last night.
click for larger image As a tourist attraction the pub has put together a recreation of Holmes's study and filled it with artifacts identified with many of his stories. Emily, a Sherlock Holmes scholar, recognized many of them.
click for larger image Lunch of gorgonzola cheese, walnut rye bread and Guinness in a Marylebone High Street pub before the concert at the Royal Academy of music. A feast fit for royalty.
click for larger image The Royal Academy of Music on Marylebone Road where some of England's finest student musicians give free concerts every Friday at noon.
click for larger image Biggle's famous sausage shop on Marylebone Lane where Mrs. U.J. picked up some Cumberland sausage for tomorrow night's dinner of "bangers and mash"---a traditional English favorite.
click for larger image Biggles is a national treasure and Uncle Jack can only hope that it won't go the way of so many specialty food shops in London that are being killed by the spread of supermarkets like Tesco.
click for larger image Blagdon the Fishmonger occupied these premises for over a hundred years until recently. Now it's a cutesie upscale children's clothing store. Sigh.
Uncle Jack is pleased to report that it stopped raining at about 10:30 this morning and the sun came out and stayed out until it set at about 4:30, the longest period of decent weather we have enjoyed in the past two weeks.
It would have been a nice afternoon to go for a walk in one of London's many lovely parks but having had no warning of clement weather they spent it instead in the darkened confines of the Gielgud Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue watching a delightful revival of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" (known as "Ten Little Indians" in the days before political correctness took hold).
The play has absolutely no redeeming social value but it was the most completely enjoyable one we have seen in the past two weeks. The acting, the plot, and the stagecraft rivalled the Theater of Dare in their perfection. Another of Agatha Christie's creations, "The Mousetrap", has been running in London for over 50 years and Uncle Jack would not be surprised if this one did, too.
Uncle Jack's only begotten daughter, Emily, arrived yesterday after a gruelling flight from San Francisco. She had recovered from jet lag enough to mush throught the rain with us last night to the White Hart pub to hear the marvelous jazz clarinetist Wally Fawkes again but alas it was not to be. Since last Tuesday night the heavy hand of the Westminster bureaucracy had intervened and forbade the White Hart from offering live music until such time as they have procured a license to do so. Inasmuch as there is no profit in providing a venue for traditional jazz Uncle Jack would guess that they will forget about it. Sad but true.
After that disappointment they trudged through the rain to a lovely old pub in the neighborhood called the Fitzroy, hoping to down a pint or two in congenial surroundings. Alas the place was packed with young people, most of them smokers and none of them bookish from the looks of their tattoos and piercings. So much for a night on the town in Soho.
Tomorrow, weather permitting or not, they are off by big red bus to the Tate Gallery for a show of London paintings by Degas, Toulouse Lautrec and Sickert, followed by dinner at their favorite Chinese restaurant in all the world---Y Ming on Greek Street in Soho.
Pictures at 11.
click for larger image Our favorite stall at the Berwick Street outdoor market. After 200 years in the same location in Soho the market is now threatened by a redevelopment scheme.
click for larger image This unusual art work is on display in the window of a shop front undergoing renovation on Greek Street. It will probably wind up in the Tate Modern gallery and eventually sell for thousands.
click for larger image The parking police in Soho don't fool around. This car was lifted from its illegal space by crane. Parking fines are a major source of revenue for the Westminster government.
click for larger image This cheese shop on Shorts Gardens street in Covent Garden is a favorite of Londoners. Our clerk when we bought a hunk of Stilton this morning was from Philadelphia.
London January 7, 2006
Uncle Jack has been reminded of the post office motto this week as he and Mrs. U.J. have continued their headlong pursuit of culture through rain and sleet and dark of night. There is so much to see and do in London that they cannot let themselves be intimidated by the weather.
They did get to the Donmar theater on Thursday night to see Ibsen's mordant play "The Wild Duck" performed by a stellar cast. According to the program notes Ibsen thought of this play as a "tragicomedy" but it was hard for Uncle Jack to discern anything remotely resembling humor in it. It ends with the suicide of an adorable 14-year-old girl whom the audience comes to love dearly in the course of the evening. Being a Swede himself, Uncle Jack has always thought Norwegians were a little strange and this confirms it.
Yesterday they mushed through the mist to make their first visit of this trip to the National Portrait Gallery down Charing Cross Road near Leicester Square. Thanks to the generosity of National Lottery losers the Portrait Gallery, like all of Britain's great museums and galleries, is free to the public.
They took in a couple of the special shows that are running right now but will save the rest for next week when Uncle Jack's only begotten daughter Emily will be visiting. He has always wanted to see an original Van Gogh self portrait and this is his chance.
This morning they once again defied the elements and made the ten-minute trek to another of the neighborhood treasures, the British Museum, where they spent two hours perusing the paintings, drawings and etchings of one Samuel Palmer, a great (so they say) 19th century British artist whose special interest was bucolic landscapes full of sheep and shepherds. Something tells him that Uncle Jack is going to enjoy the Rubens show at the National Gallery a lot more .
Stay tuned. He is going to try to take a few clandestine photos of some of the lusher Rubens nudes which he will be happy to share with his art-loving readers.
click for larger image The modest entrance to one of England's great treasures, facing Charing Cross Road almost directly across the street from another---St. Martin-in-the-Fields church.
click for larger image Entrance to the British Museum. Fortunately the roof doesn't leak so umbrellas are not needed inside.
click for larger image Part of the Great Hall of the British Museum. One of the most stunning public spaces in all of Britain if not the world.
click for larger image Part of a typical Saturday crowd at the British Museum. The place is so huge it can accommodate thousands without feeling crowded.
click for larger image Even on a crowded Saturday morning it is possible to be alone. ("I'll meet you under the horse"?)
click for larger image The magnificent Reading Room. This is where Karl Marx wrote "Das Kapital" because he couldn't afford to heat his grungy flat in Soho. It is now one of the better Wi-Fi hotspots in town.
London Jan. 5, 2006
Uncle Jack and Mrs. U.J. have been so busy pursuing culture while trying to stay warm at the same time that he has neglected his weblog for the past few days. The sun is out this morning for the first time since they arrived over a week ago so they may be able to get in some recreational walking today.
Fortunately the theaters and pubs (most of them anyway) have central heating so they have not been deprived of cultural pursuits. Yesterday afternoon, for example, they enjoyed a matinee performance of a revival of John Osborne's great play from the 1950's called "Epitaph for George Dillon" which deals with the timeless problem of the artist's struggle to be true to his artistic vision while trying to make a living. No happy ending but beautifully acted by a wonderful cast. Woody Harrelson would have been totally out of his depth in this one.
They spent Tuesday night in a pub called the White Hart on Drury Lane listening to and talking with two marvelous jazz musicians named Doug Murray and Wally Fawkes. Doug is in his seventies and plays the piano (he was a trombonist until a smoking-induced bout with cancer of the larynx left him with a hole in the throat through which he now talks with the aid of an electronic voice-box). Wally is one of the U.K.'s best jazz clarinetists whose illustrious career in jazz is preserved in the 90+ recordings on which he can be heard playing with every great British group of the past 60 years.
Wally is 81 but still plays with the energy and creativity of a man half his age and he doesn't look a day over 70. Uncle Jack has been a fan of Wally Fawkes since he first bought one of his disks 25 years ago and it was a real thrill to finally meet and hear him in person.
What Uncle Jack didn't know is that Wally is even more famous in Britain as a cartoonist than as a musician. His work has appeared in major publications over here for decades under his nickname "Trog". Failing eyesight forced him to give up his cartooning a couple of years ago but as he said, he never learned to read music so it hasn't interfered with his ability to make music.
Wally and Doug will be back at the White Hart next Tuesday night augmented by another famous English jazz man, trumpeter John Chilton who has been playing alongside Wally for the past 50 years or so. John Chilton is also a very well-known writer on jazz who has produced definitive biographies of several titans like Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong and Roy Eldridge. Needless to say Uncle Jack and Mrs. U.J. will be there.
Tonight they are off to the Donmar Warehouse theater to see the widely acclaimed revival of Ibsen's "The Wild Duck" which has been completely sold out for its entire run. Intrepid Mrs. U.J. got to the box office this morning just minutes after somebody returned two tickets for tonight's performance. Miracles like that are enough to make a person forget the inclement weather.
Almost.
click for larger image Wally Fawkes in full cry, pint at the ready. He consumed several during the three-hour session, all contributed by appreciative listeners like Uncle Jack and Mrs. U.J.
click for larger image The Al Quaida Scimitar and Baton Corps of Greater London marched in the New Year's Day parade. Those flailing blades were a little scary. (Actually Uncle Jack didn't know who they were).
The new year in London got off to a great start today as it always does with the annual New Year's Day parade, a three-hour extravaganza that brings thousands of spectators to lower Regent Street and Piccadilly. Fortunately the rain held off for the whole duration and a good time was held by all---including Uncle Jack and Mrs. Uncle Jack who took enough pictures to fill up the Elph's entire memory.
He will send some more of them the next time he gets access to a broadband connection. The three pictures below took an eternity to upload and he no longer has the patience required to deal with dial-up speeds.
An amazing number of American high school and college marching bands took part in the parade. Apparently the band booster clubs spend the entire year raising funds for this trip to London. Uncle Jack shudders to think about the logistics involved and the responsibilities borne by the chaperones. One excellent band came from Appalachian State University in Boone and another from Bristol, Virginia high school.
Last night's gala New Years concert at Wigmore Hall was a delight. The King's Consort choir sang the Brahms New Liebesleder Waltzes as well as some songs by Edward Elgar and a mass by Thomas Tallis. We got home in plenty of time to watch the fireworks over the Thames at midnight.
A very Happy New Year to all from Uncle Jack and Mrs. U.J.
click for larger image Not even the Lord Mayor goes out without an umbrella in London in January
click for larger image Garfield appears to be just as popular over here as he is in America. Further evidence of the decline of the west.
click for larger image This gent was part of an antique bicycle group who showed off their mastery of an assortment of old one, two and three-wheeled bikes. There were several near collisions in our vicinity but no casualties.


To preserve the buildings we have more-less four different models. The first model is the Guardian Building. It is our first model, which was developed in 2004. And the main goal is to bring together people who need room for their ideas and owners who do not have money to redevelop the building.
The main point is that the owner of the building on more-less empty street gives us his building for more-less five years and we find people who would like to be the guards of the building like artists or start-ups or associations who do different social projects. Those people get the space in the buildings for free. They have to redevelop their space on their own but they do not have to pay a rent for it. They just pay the service costs and because they are doing all the renovation by their own they really get the connection to the building. They really take care of it.
Also they bring the life back to the building and to the street at all. For the owner it is a good way because the building is not going to be destroyed by rain or because of broken roof or because of broken windows. And he does not have to put a lot of money into it. It is like a win-win situation for both sides. It helps to bring more-less young people back to the streets.
Our second model is more-less like the Guardian House but it is only focusing on the shops on the ground floor. It is bringing life back to the shop level. It is important for the city or for the district the street because there is just light inside the shopping windows and people can buy stuff there. Young entrepreneurs can set up their business really low cost to try something. It is also good for the owners because the buildings are not empty anymore and they are not like people who try to burn down the building or stealing stuff from inside.
Then we have a model called Ausbauhaus. It is more-less a renting model because I forgot to mention that the Guardian Buildings is the model for temporary use and after a certain period the owner can think about the other way to develop the building. And the renting model of Ausbauhaus is like a long-term model. It is made for living. So people are renting a floor or a flat and they can renovate and redevelop their flat on their own with their own hands and with their own investments. It is also brings together the house with the people who are living there. It is a kind of connection growing. And they have to pay really small rent. Just the owner of the building gets some taxes and can invest later in the roof maybe. So it is a renting model maybe for families who want to stay here and want to live in their own flat not by buying it but by renting.
And our last model is a kind of support model for groups who want to buy a house here in Leipzig and we help them to find the house and the funds from government and from the city and helping them with the guys who are doing an ordinary repair costs. We are helping them to find the right guy who is repairing their roof and stuff like that. Because most of them are young people who never worked with their own hands more-less and they want to try something and they really want to work in the dust like steading bricks. It is really like a big decision for them and we can help them that the whole thing is going to be in right direction.
Our association is like a voluntary association. We have nine members who are doing it in their leisure time for no money. We have architects and city urban planners who really want to do something and move things in Leipzig. That is our main energy resource and more-less time to do things. Now we have an office here behind the garden and it is like our leisure time. And we really would like to move something here and it is possible to move stuff in Leipzig. It is a good thing to get active in the city especially in Leipzig.
Did Guggenheim Museum change Bilbao?


Exciting 6-month contract for an experienced Senior Agile Business Analyst to join a highly motivated Digital Transformation programme of work. Potential for extension for the right candidate.
An exciting contract is up for grabs with a motivated company who is looking to implement multiple projects over a wider programme of work. This company is looking to grow their squad with the addition of a Business Analyst.
This role is an immediate start with great daily rates!
Work in an Agile continuous delivery environment and be responsible for analysing and documenting requirements, facilitate workshops and design solution sessions.
Work with various members of leadership to assess identified risks and issues and escalate risks and issues when required.
Support the estimation of work and guiding/leading of more complex BA pieces of work.
Proactively develop and maintain effective relationships / networks across the group and the business.
Assist in managing relationships with various stakeholders by providing timely and accurate information.
Professionally respond to and resolve queries within agreed parameters.
Determines stakeholder influence and relationship needs and communicates impacts effectively.
Complete BA lessons learned at the end of each phase and end of projects.
Experience working in large complex programmes.
Experience in an agile environment, including SCRUM.
Billing experience would be beneficial.
Ability to hone in on key risks/issues but balance these with a pragmatic approach.
Capability to analyse issues and provide comprehensive options assessment.
Experience producing high quality requirements within agreed timeframes that are used to support the definition of a solution that meets business objectives.
Ability to communicate effectively so team members have shared understanding of delivery outcomes and approach required.
Determine stakeholder influence and relationship needs and communicates impacts effectively.


Though online education has its limitations, there are a number of benefits of on-line learning that explain why eLearning may be the greatest revolution in at the moment's schooling. By offering online resources and financial assistance for the cost of on-line diploma programs are inexpensive than conventional college applications. Some students even choose to participate of their on-line degree applications and transfer of credits earned in school.
Even with problems with access and affordability within the developed world, the possibility of obtaining a university degree is just not out of the question for many in these countries. On-line universities provide programs in a rising number of areas: enterprise and administration, training, counseling, and information expertise are only a few of the most popular on-line courses available.
Individuals residing in distant areas the place a lack or complete absence of an educational system makes it difficult to get an training and journey is not favorable because of their obligations or financial points. Keep in mind that the world of on-line programs is quickly adapting to the latest and new tendencies.
In accordance with The Sloan Consortium , an industrial and skilled leadership organization within the area of on-line schooling, more than 6.1 million college students took an online increased schooling course within the fall of 2010. Monetary managers at on-line schools might have a bachelor's degree in economics, accounting or finance.
Except otherwise famous, makes use of the time period online degree program" to define programs that require no more than two campus visits per 12 months. An increasing number of individuals enrolling in colleges are grownup or non-conventional students and for them online schooling is the new frontier offering many opportunities.


text:
US police probing Sikh man's murder as possible hate crime
Sarwar
Jagjeet Singh was killed for refusing to sell cigarettes
By: Sarwaralam
Police in California are investigating the murder of a 32-year old Sikh man as a possible "hate crime" after he refused to sell cigarettes to a man who did not have proper ID.
Jagjeet Singh, who was a clerk at the Hatch Food and Gas convenience store in California's Modesto city, had come to the US only 18 months ago from Punjab.
Singh was stabbed to death last week after he apparently refused to sell cigarettes to his attacker as he did not have proper ID.
Heather Graves, a Modesto Police department spokeswoman, told NBC News that Singh and one of the suspects had had a confrontation inside the store.
"We have a couple of different witnesses giving some information but that's still under investigation," she said.
"We just know that there were words exchanged between the two of them."
Asked whether the stabbing may have been a hate crime, Graves said, "That is a possibility and we are investigating that possibility as well."
Police have released a surveillance picture of the man who got into an argument with Singh over the sale of cigarettes.
The man left the business parking lot in a dark coloured vehicle and then returned with a second suspect who stabbed the victim.
The preliminary findings suggest that Singh was securing the business after closing when he was approached by the suspect.
The suspect, described as a Hispanic male stabbed Singh and then fled from the scene, according to a statement from the Modesto Police Department.
Singh was the fourth Indian-origin victim of an alleged crime in the US in the last one week alone.
Ramesh Kumar, 32, was found dead of gunshot wounds in the passenger seat of a car parked in a rest area 90 miles of Detroit.
Indian-origin Naren Prabhu, a Silicon Valley technology executive and his wife, were shot at their home in San Jose by their daughter's ex-boyfriend who was eventually shot dead in a standoff with the police.
Mirza Tatlic, 24, fatally shot the couple in an apparent revenge attack.
Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe calls for 'reconciliation' and 'coexistence' with Tamils & other minorities
140 hospitalized in Afghanistan's Herat for carbon monoxide poisoning: Report
Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe says debt restructuring talks with India, China 'successful'
Pakistan-based LeT's deputy leader Abdul Rehman Makki designated global terrorist by UN
Managing negative emotions could be key to slowing pathological ageing: Study
68 killed as Nepalese passenger plane with 72 people onboard, including five Indians, crashes in…
US CDC appoints Indian-origin Nirav Shah as second-in-command
'Changing broken lives of girls for hopeful ones'
Nepal's central bank bans citizens from investing in foreign countries
Sri Lanka Catholic Church hails Supreme Court order for ex-president over bombings
Sri Lanka announces plans to downsize military by half by 2030
Sri Lanka's former president ordered to pay £224,000 in compensation for failing to…


A problem was detected when accessing this web site. Access has been restricted due one of more of the following issues.
The certificate is not valid.
The certificate was issued by an untrusted certificate authority.
However, you are allowed to override this warning.
VERIFY DENY: depth=1, (27) certificate not trusted: "<Certificate name>"
VERIFY DENY: depth=1, (20) unable to get local issuer certificate: "<Certificate Name>"
The error appears if the certificate is not trusted. This most commonly occurs if the Certificate Authority (CA) is not yet known to InterScan Web Security Virtual Appliance (IWSVA).
To resolve the issue, export the certificates from Internet Explorer (IE) and import them into IWSVA.
Go to Tools > Internet options > Content tab.
Click Certificates and go to the Trusted Root Certification Authorities tab.
Select all root/intermediate CAs and click Export.
Select the Cryptographic Message Syntax Standard - PKCS #7 Certificates (.P7B) format and name the file "from_ie".
Upload the file to the /tmp directory of IWSVA.
To further analyze the Certificate Failure, you may contact Trend Micro Technical Support for assistance.