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New products can drive Xaar forward
CEO reflects on revenue bump
Matt Gooding
Xaar factory in Huntingdon. (Image: Duncan Lamont)
New products launched by printing technology firm Xaar have helped boost the group's revenue.
The Science Park company's financial results for 2017 show that revenue grew four per cent, to £100.1m compared to 2016's figure of £96.2m.
Despite this, pre-tax profit fell to £19m from 2016's £19.5m, and this figure was boosted by the first half of a £20m royalty payment from Japanese firm Seiko Instruments. The second half of the payment is due this quarter.
Xaar has seen its revenues hit by a drop-off in the Chinese ceramics market in the last couple of years, and has launched seven new products in a bid to make an impact in new markets. As well as its Science Park base, the company has a manufacturing facility in Huntingdon.
Xaar aiming for £220 million
Doug Edwards, the company's CEO, said: "We are making good progress in transforming Xaar to a more diversified and customer centric company. Although we have had some challenges during the ramp up phase of multiple new products, the quality of our business continues to improve.
"I am particularly pleased that 80 per cent of our product revenue is from new products launched in the last 24 months and acquired business which has helped product revenue excluding Ceramics grow by 23 per cent. We regained share in the graphic arts market; our thin film technology and our 3D and advanced manufacturing sectors demonstrate exciting prospects for the future.
I would like to thank all of our staff for their continued hard work and dedication as we work towards our 2020 vision."
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nce again, a band that formed in 1969, went through the 70's with brilliance, started to change line-up after line-up and landed without much innovation into the present days.
The above could be all we should need to say about Wishbone Ash, but that would be restrictive and most of all, unkind. The true story is a bit nicer.
They were formed in 1969 by Martin Turner (bass, vocals) and Steve Upton (drums), who went looking for a lead guitarist and a keyboard player to complete the line-up. Instead, they ended up with two guitarists: Andy Powell (guitar, vocals) and Ted Turner (guitar, vocals and no relative of Martin's).
This line-up with a double lead guitar was quite unusual and had been successful before only in the original Yardbirds line-up with Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Powell and Turner will repeat that and will become known as two of the major innovators of the harmony twin lead guitar format.
Their notoriety was a fact when Deep Purple's guitarist Ritchie Blackmore heard them as Deep Purple's opening support band and recommended them to a producer.
Wishbone Ashe's success had begun.
After a few months in the studio, their first album, the eponymous Wishbone Ash, came out at the end of 1970.
This first attempt is actually not bad at all, but it doesn't show the mature rock wall of sound of later products (…and how could have done that, being it the band's first album?) but the characteristic harmonies and textures of the Powell/Turner duo are already a fact.
One year later, Pilgrimage comes out, and it's immediately a greater success than the previous one.
The blues and R&B of the first album are abandoned in favor of a more steadfast and granitic rock matrix, while the sound of the twin guitars becomes more intricate and complex without the kind of competition that we may expect from less gifted musicians trying to steal the footlights.
The sound evolves also into something that will never head towards heavy metal or hard rock. On the contrary, some very delicate tracks will characterize Wishbone Ashe's 70's production, while their monumental harmonics will always be impressive and unitary.
Their following and maybe greatest album will be Argus, recorded in 1972.
Argus is even more complex though the music seems to evolve along more linear paths, though that is just the first impression and once we dive into the tracks we can appreciate the intricate work with which all members will contribute to the great outcome of this album.
The public as well will receive Argus well and it is not a coincidence that this album will be the band's most successful ever, reaching number 3 on the UK charts and their popularity will dramatically increase around the world.
The next Wishbone Four is a honest product, but it struggles to compete with Argus, maybe because the general directions towards a more mellow kind of rock the band is experimenting with.
Maybe because the new direction was not what he wanted, Ted Turner left Wishbone Ash soon after Wishbone Four and was hastily replaced by Laurie Wisefield, another guitarist.
Perhaps, the band wanted at all costs to keep the twin-guitars formula intact, but the chemistry between Wisefield and Powell will not be of the same level and intensity of the matter-of-fact synergy between Powell and Turner.
Their next album, There's the rub, will show that quite clearly.
At the same time, the band relocated to the United States, which as such should have had no effect on their musical direction. As a matter of fact, the music changes towards a more commercial soft-rock.
That was the last straw and the typical Wishbone Ash sound will be lost forever.
Twenty more (!) studio albums will come out bearing the name of Wishbone Ash on the cover, but eventually none of the original members will be playing, except Andy Powell, but the spirit was lost already in 1974 and the present Wishbone Ash will sound nothing like the one that created tracks like Vas Dis, Lullaby, Time was, Blowin' free, Warrior and Throw down the sword.
Well, eternal youth and creativity is not reserved for everybody. Some will get it, some will not…
Wishbone Ash - Blowin' free
Wishbone Ash - Sometime world
Wishbone Ash - Vas Dis
Wishbone Ash - Time was
Wishbone Ash - Warrior
Wishbone Ash - Throw down the sword
Some people manage by the book, even though they don't know who wrote the book or even what book.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The AIDS 2016 digital toolkit includes everything you need to engage with #AIDS2016 online. Download the toolkit and help spread the word.
Through the Big Questions to Drive Action campaign, we'll be sharing key insights from experts and leaders to help provide a clearer direction for a path forward. Join us and share your answers to some of the guiding questions!
Are you organizing an event you would like to affiliate with AIDS 2016? If so, why not apply for Affiliated Independent Event status and benefit from our diverse network of followers to increase the visibility and promotion of your event?
Female Youth Voices at AIDS 2016: ICW and IAS are inviting young women and girls around the world to send in their 15-second video clip asking questions around HIV to a panel of high-level female advocates and philanthropists.


Social media sites use all sorts of methods to hold your attention and keep you coming back. You haven't been on LinkedIn in a while? All of a sudden you get an email telling you a recruiter was looking at your page. You haven't opened Instagram for some time? You soon find yourself getting a lot more push notifications about videos your friends are posting.
Other tricks are more subtle like when you log onto Twitter and there's a brief pause before your notifications pop up — that's designed to keep you in suspense the same way the final reel of a pinball machine can take an extra second to fall into place.
These sorts of things are part and parcel of using such services. But when you're used to manipulating users, it can be easy to overstep the mark — and Facebook appears to have done just that.
The complaint alleges that Facebook blocked users' accounts if they did not consent and used "tricks" to get people to agree in the form of enticing them with fake message notifications to pressure them to click through so they could see the notifications.
"[Facebook] used additional 'tricks' to pressure the users: For example, the consent page included two fake red dots … that indicated that the user has new messages and notifications, which he/she cannot access without consenting — even if the user did not have such notifications or messages in reality," the complaint reads.
Facebook has been contacted for comment on the complaint.
The company has only just recovered from a global privacy scandal and the reaction on social media was damning.
Harris spent three years as a Google design ethicist developing a framework for how technology should ethically steer the thoughts and actions of billions of people.
Others who don't spend their days grappling with such pertinent tech issues were equally admonishing of Facebook's newest boondoggle.
"Wow. That's disgustingly devious. But brilliant, as idea," wrote one Twitter user.
Facebook is the second biggest digital advertiser and in the world and more data equals more money, so naturally it wants as few restrictions around how it uses that data as possible.
The company recently moved the physical location of its servers holding user data outside of the EU as a way to skirt the GDPR for non-EU residents.
Years in the making, the GDPR rules are prompting companies to rewrite their privacy policies and in some cases (like Microsoft announced) apply the European Union's tougher standards in other regions where privacy laws are weak. Although they take effect as Facebook faces an enormous privacy crisis, that timing is largely coincidental.
The regulation has little relevance for the United States, but any company with customers in the EU, if they offer goods and services in the EU, or if they monitor the behavior of individuals in the EU will be affected.
Ultimately not much will change for you. Companies will keep on collecting and analyzing personal data from your phone, the apps you use and the sites you visit. The big difference is that now the companies will have to justify why they're collecting and using that information. And they're prevented from using data for a different purpose later, the Associated Press reported.


Large construction projects have equally large overheads. When it comes to financing these projects, there can be several parties involved in accumulating the required funding. This post looks at some of the main parties needed to finance a project of this scale.
A private sector partner is often a corporation or a limited partnership created for the sole purpose of the particular project. This party is at the centre of all contracts, borrowings and the construction and operation of the project.
A project sponsor is someone who takes on the role of managing the project. The project sponsor owns the project and will receive profit, either as a result of the ownership or via management contracts, if the project succeeds. The project sponsor often has to cover certain liabilities or risks of the project by providing guarantees or by entering into management or service agreements.


The goal is to provide an integrated conventional and ultra-precision machining software capable of programming the complex parts required in the optics industry.
CAD/CAM software supplier ModuleWorks GmbH is partnering with Zeiss Industrial Metrology to develop a system that combines conventional CAM and the requirements of ultra-precision machining into a single CAD/CAM package. The goal is to develop new machining cycles toward an integrated process chain enabling optical parts to be machined using a single CAD/CAM system. Integrating all machining-relevant processes in a unified system is expected to accelerate process programming for cutting complex freeform surfaces and to improve the quality and cost-efficiency of producing ultra-precision parts.
Ultra-precision machining is used for parts that need to be machined to an accuracy of just a few micrometers and a roughnesses in the range of nanometers. Optical parts require both ultra-precision machining for the optically effective areas of the part and conventional machining for the non-optical areas. ModuleWorks says that currently there is no single CAD/CAM system that combines both of these types of machining.
The new system is powered by the ModuleWorks 64-bit optics kernel. The kernel is based on the company's five-axis technology for toolpath generation and has been developed to meet the growing demand for high-precision machining of increasingly complex geometries in the optics industry. The ModuleWorks optics kernel supports multi-threading for fast, ultra-precision machining of optical parts such as lenses, molding tools and lens arrays. It supports grinding and diamond turning as well as grinding patterns for roughing, drilling, chamfering, slotting and contouring. The full 3D machine and material removal simulation software can also be applied to small cutting inserts.
EDM maker starts a new chapter in Ohio, Tornos to host a grand opening in Chicago and other industry news.


Donald Trump has lit a fire under the global gold market.
Bullion rose for a sixth straight day as the tightening U.S. presidential race spurred a jump in haven demand, with investors seeking out protection in their portfolios against the possibility of a victory for the maverick Republican candidate even as the Federal Reserve sent a signal that rates will soon rise.
Investors are seeking to navigate the crosscurrents thrown up by the U.S. poll that's due next week, with a possible victory for Trump buoying bullion prices amid concern that his presidency risks a global trade war and may hurt growth. Gold's advance has unfolded as the U.S. central bank prepares the ground for a hike next month, saying Wednesday it only needed "some" further evidence inflation and employment were on track toward its goals in order to hike.
Bullion for immediate delivery rose as much as 0.8 percent to $1,306.87 an ounce and traded at $1,302.38 at 2:36 p.m. in Singapore, according to Bloomberg generic pricing. On Wednesday, prices rallied to a four-week high of $1,308.02 as global equities fell for the sixth time in seven days.
Silver has benefited from investors' Trump angst too. The metal seen as gold's cheaper, more volatile cousin advanced on Thursday for the ninth time in 10 days. Spot prices rose 0.2 percent at $18.5145 an ounce, after gaining to $18.7415 on Wednesday, the highest level since Oct. 4.
Democrat Clinton has seen her odds of a victory falter after a probe into an unauthorized e-mail server was reopened. Election uncertainty may drive precious metals higher as investors flee to havens, Jodie Gunzberg, global head of commodities and real assets at S&P Dow Jones Indices, said in a note.
Assets in exchange-traded funds backed by gold have expanded every month this year apart from a dip in April. Holdings were at 2,043 tons on Wednesday, up 40 percent in 2016, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
In China, bullion of 99.99 percent purity added as much as 0.8 percent to 284.78 yuan a gram ($1,310.42 an ounce) on the Shanghai Gold Exchange, the highest since Oct. 10.
On global markets, platinum increased 0.3 percent, while palladium climbed 0.4 percent.


I haven't posted in awhile.
I was doing another blog.
I was journaling my experience with the HCG diet.
But I have been thinking a lot about storytelling.
Storytelling is the story that your brand tells.
What is your story and what media are you using to distribute it?


Call of Duty is on sale all over the place, with Black Ops 4 on sale from Blizzard and the rest of the franchise getting discounted on Steam.
It's a good week for Call of Duty players, whether they be new school or old school. Black Ops 4 is getting a nice sale over on the old Battle.net, but if you don't feel like getting it right now, it's a good time to remind everyone that Blackout battle royale is totally free to play for now through the end of the month. That includes the original map and the new Alcatraz map.
If you're looking for a previous Call of Duty experience, Steam has you covered. They have everything on sale going back to the original Call of Duty. And this includes Modern Warfare Remastered, for those interested in going back in time with a fresh coat of paint.
Elsewhere, Steam has also put up the BAFTA award nominees for sale, so if you're looking for a strong indie game, now's the time to look for one.
Pay $1.00 for Chaos Reborn, Rebel Galaxy, and Grey Goo: Definitive Edition. Pay $4.99 to also receive Rime, Immortal Redneck, Hover, Ash of Gods: Redemption, The Town of Light, River City Ransom Underground, Brawlout, and Heliborne. These keys activate on Steam.
Or pay $7.49 for Redout Enhanced Edition, the Digital Artbook DLC, and the original soundtrack. Pay $12.99 to receive all of Redout's DLC. These activate on Steam.
Find the full list of deals featured during the Green Man Gaming Capcom Publisher Sale.
Subscribe to Humble Monthly for $12 and receive Assassin's Creed Origins with more games added every month. DRMs vary.
Or pay $1 for ENSLAVED: Odyssey to the West, Pac-Man Championship Edition DX, and Impact Winter. Pay more than the average $10.31 to get Little Nightmares, 11-11 Memories Retold, Get Even, and Project CARS. Pay $15 or more to also receive GOD EATER 2 Rage Burst and SWORD ART ONLINE: Fatal Bullet. Pay $25 or more to also receive Tekken 7. These activate on Steam.
Or pay $1 or more for Creature Romances, Kokonoe Kokoro, Highway Blossoms, and Just Deserts. Pay more than the average $9.74 to get Ladykiller in a Bind, Purrfect Date, and Genital Jousting. Pay $10 or more to also receive G-senjou no Maou - The Devil on a G-String Voiced Edition and Sunrider Collection. Pay $15 or more to also receive CLANNAD. These activate on Steam.
Get your games by the bundle. Find the full list of games featured in the Ubisoft Store's Bundle Sale.
Find the full list of British Academy Games Awards nominees available during the Steam BAFTA Sale.
The full Call of Duty franchise from the beginning through Call of Duty WW2 is on sale this weekend. Find all of the games featured during the Steam Call of Duty franchise sale.


You are so right! We are dreading what is to come... Thank you for your reply.
Re: La Courtine military base?
Topic: La Courtine military base?
Thank you very much for your help. Much appreciated! There's nothing like personal experience.
That's really helpful - thank you so much.


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Andy Burnham reveals new Clean Air Zone plan would be a 'non-charging zone'
Greater Manchester's Clean Air Zone was supposed to come into force this month, but was pushed back following region-wide back lash
Mayor Andy Burnham has revealed he will be requesting permission to have a non-charging clean air zone for Greater Manchester.
Since its announcement last year, the controversial plans to charge certain motorists to drive within Greater Manchester was met with overwhelming backlash, with many saying the proposed Clean Air Zone would leave small and independent businesses bankrupt.
The charges, which were originally poised to come into force in this month, would have included £60 for HGVs, buses and coaches, £10 for vans and £7.50 for taxis and private hire cars.
Following region-wide protests on the matter, Greater Manchester Councils voted to refer the scheme back to the government at the start of the year, with them now having until July 2022 to revise the plan.
Greater Manchester's leaders say their revised plan for a Clean Air Zone will be a non-charging zone that just affects buses, coaches, HGVs and taxis. They'll be offered grants to upgrade to cleaner vehicles rather than face daily charges. Gov has final say. @BBCRadioManc pic.twitter.com/HBSnkuYLNl
— Kevin Fitzpatrick (@kevfitz21) May 13, 2022
And giving an update on the progress of the revised scheme at a press conference this morning, the mayor unveiled his plans to introduce a new 'non-charging' zone for the region.
As reported by the BBC's Kevin Fitzpatrick, Burnham outlined a new plan for a 'non-charging zone', that affects buses, coaches, HGVs and taxis.
Read More: Boris Johnson says Greater Manchester's Clean Air Zone is 'completely unworkable'
These vehicles will reportedly be offered grants to 'upgrade to cleaner vehicles rather than face daily charges', though the government will have the final say on this.
Burnham will be requesting permission from the government to implement this newly revised scheme before the July 2022 deadline.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has confirmed they will ask the Government for permission to have a non charging clean air zone. Grants still available for hgvs, buses and taxis to upgrade vehicles @BBCNWT
— Judy Hobson (@JudyHobson01) May 13, 2022
The Clean Air Zone was originally designed in an attempt to 'protect everyone's health by bringing harmful nitrogen dioxide air pollution at the roadside within legal limits'.
The government initiated the idea after the Supreme Court found it had broken the law by failing to protect people from polluted air.
In response, they placed legal instructions to 'clean up the air' on local councils across the country, with all ten Greater Manchester councils being directed to collectively reduce air pollution across the region by 2024.
Visit the official Clean Air Greater Manchester website for more information.
Related Topics:andy burnhamclean air zonecriticismgovernmentgreater manchestermanchestermayorpollutionregionscheme
Three-year-old boy mauled to death in 'devastating' dog attack in Rochdale
Cancer campaigner Deborah James honoured with a damehood
Officers have tracked down a man who they believe to be a 'potentially key witness'.
Nicola Bulley/Facebook
In a huge search operation to find missing Lancashire mum-of-two Nicola Bulley, police have now scoured an abandoned house close to where she was last seen.
Ms Bulley, 45, disappeared after she left her home in Inskip to walk her dogs on Friday morning January 27th. She was walking her pet Springer Spaniel, Willow, along the river towpath off Garstang Road, in St Michael's on Wyre and was last sighted at 9.15am by a member of the public.
Her mobile phone was found on a bench connected to a conference call and her dog was left roaming loose close to the same bench by the River Wyre. Rescuers have searched an abandoned home located on the opposite side of the river and the site where she left Willow and her phone.
It comes after police confirmed today they have tracked down a man who they believe to be a 'potentially key witness', describing him as around 70-years-old, white, six feet tall and well-built.
He is said to have 'spoken to a woman in the area' before walking in the direction of Rowanwater. Lancashire officers are now speaking to him to see what information he can provide.
Police said previously there was no evidence of any criminal activity or that Nicola had been attacked. It is understood Nicola had dropped her two young children off at St Michael's-on-Wyre Church of England Primary School, and leaving her car parked nearby, went on the walk with her dog.
Kev Camplin, of Bowland Pennine Mountain Rescue, led a team of 25 trained volunteers on the day Nicola – known as Nikki – went missing. Speaking to the Mirror, he said: "The abandoned house is right opposite the bench on the other side of the river, over a 10ft garden wall. It's quite posh.
"We didn't go into the house. As a volunteer search and rescue team, we don't actually go into buildings. We might go into a barn or something. We leave that to the police. While the team was searching the grounds, the owner was there for some reason, and we asked him to go in and he had a quick look around and she wasn't there."
The team used equipment including a pickup truck and trailer in-tow, carrying floatation devices. One of their Land Rovers, which stores medical kits, broke down during the search.
All the volunteers carry mountain rescue radios and are coordinated by an operator inside a control van with mapping systems. Kev said the team was contacted at around midday on Friday and he was at the search site within an hour, before they left at about 8pm.
"We probably searched a mile north upstream and then we probably searched three miles downstream. We covered quite a bit," he said.
Kev said his team only gets called out to 'high risk' cases that are not considered dangerous; for example, suspected criminals on the run. "We only go to despondents, and suicidal cases and people with dementia – and people who are generally lost," he added.
"Nicola lives in Inskip, about three miles from where she went walking. She drops her kids off at St Michaels and then apparently she walks eastwards to where the woods and the river are, something she does daily with her dog. So it's not an unknown area for her, and it is a popular area for walkers and dog walkers alike. It's actually quite a beautiful spot", Kev said.
"Leaving the phone on the bench and then disappearing, it is quite odd. We don't normally get that. Sometimes we go to a search, classed as a lowland search. You do get a car… where somebody has left their car. That's the initial planning point.
"But her car was at the school and her phone was the initial planning point. Later we find out she was on a team's work call. We didn't know that on Friday. I knew the phone was there, but not on a work call."
Police dive teams, fire service drones, search dogs, helicopters and mountain rescue volunteers have all been deployed to the area to carry out extensive searches. Officers say they are also supporting Nicola's family and remain in close contact with them.
David Dixon/Geograph & Tom Blackwell/Flickr
A campaign for trams to run until late at night on the Altrincham line has been unanimously approved by Trafford Council, following the example of neighbouring Greater Manchester borough, Salford.
The move, put forward by Timperley ward Liberal Democrat councillor Will Frass, has been welcomed across all parties on the Labour-controlled authority. Trafford Council has requested that trams run beyond 11.55pm on the Altrincham to Bury line to carry both hospitality workers and revellers home.
The motion said: "Trafford residents, either working in the hospitality sector or enjoying the night-time economy, face a curfew for the tram, expensive taxis, or a risky walk home in the dark. Tackling both violence and against women and girls and gender-based violence more widely are priorities for Greater Manchester Police across the region."
David Dixon/Geograph
Addressing the meeting, Councillor Frass said: "If levelling-up ever meant anything beyond a political slogan, then concrete steps like late-night transport must become a reality.
"It's the norm in big cities around the world like Stockholm, Berlin and London which all have late-night transport. There is absolutely no reason why Greater Manchester should be any different."
His colleague Councillor Meena Minnis added that she had only ever taken the last tram home to her Timperley home when out with a friend or her husband, saying: "I've always believed that the most highly-developed economies in the world are not the ones where everyone owns a car.
"I've never done it alone. Many people have had a fair few drinks and there are groups of men on there. It's not worth the risk of staying out for longer so I would therefore leave for home earlier."
Phil Champion/Geograph
It highlighted what metro mayor Andy Burnham announced as his ambition to make the city's tram network the '11th district' in the conurbation for policing. The motion continued: "This means that a late-night tram service across Greater Manchester is increasingly becoming the best transport option to ensure thousands of people across the region can get home safely."
Council leader Tom Ross said he would be writing to Mr Burnham in support of the campaign and asked other members of the council to 'feed in' their views which would be sent off 'in collaboration' with other parties on the council.
Trafford Council also ask Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to run a three month trial of the night tram to monitor its success. If a trial is granted, the council would aim to work in close partnership with British Transport Police to ensure that resourcing is in place to keep a late night service safe for all users, with an emphasis to preventing gender based violence.
Police offer £10k reward for information on missing couple with baby
'Every single bit of information we get will assist us with finding them.'
The Metropolitan Police
Police detectives are offering a £10,000 reward in the search for Constance Marten, her partner and their newborn baby.
Police believe that Constance and her partner, Mark Gordon, are rough sleeping along with their newborn baby. The 35-year-old new mother was last seen with convicted sex-offender Gordon, 48, in Newhaven, Sussex, where they were dropped off in a taxi at 4.56am on Sunday January 8th.
They are thought to be using recently purchased camping equipment to live off-grid and police fear that their baby has been 'exposed to sub-zero temperatures'.
The Metropolitan Police also stressed concern for the couple, who are thought to have been 'constantly moving and awake for at least a few days – which must be especially draining on someone who had recently given birth with no medical attention'.
The pair were seen carrying a blue two-man tent, sleeping bags and pillows that they had bought from Argos the previous evening.
Officers believe they are still in the UK but warned 'they could be anywhere', encouraging people to 'keep your eyes peeled' around waste ground, beauty spots, or while walking the dog, as they confirmed: "the baby was alive and with them when they got the taxi to Newhaven".
Detective Superintendent Basford appealed for information, asking anyone who might be helping the couple to come forward, saying: "It does not matter why you did not speak to us earlier. Maybe you saw them wandering the streets? Perhaps they asked you for directions?
"Maybe they got into your taxi, or they came into your establishment to buy food and drink?
"Please contact us with any information you have, because every single bit of information we get will assist us with finding them."
He continued: "I'd like to stress that if you have taken cash to provide a service to the family, whether that's giving them a lift, accommodation or something else, that you are not in any sort of trouble, we just need to hear from you."
The search began for the couple after their car broke down, caught fire and was left abandoned on the side of the M61, near Bolton on January 5th.
Firefighters discovered placenta on the backseat and it was soon discovered that Ms Marten had given birth without receiving any medical treatment or assistance, just a few days before.
Ms Marten has been estranged from her aristocratic family since the couple began their romantic relationship in 2016.
Police say the couple left their home in Eltham, south-east London, in September 2022 when Ms Marten began showing signs of pregnancy, and have since led a nomadic lifestyle.
Gordon has been registered as a sex offender in the UK since 2010 for a rape he committed aged 14 in the US – he served a 20-year sentence in the United States before being deported to Britain.
Anyone who has information on the family's whereabouts should call police on 020 7175 0785.
Alternatively, information can be reported 100 per cent anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 — they never ask for personal details and they do not trace your device.


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Home Tags Sport
All the sporting events for next year
Next year promises to be a big year as the borders and Australia seems to open up. Sport in Bundaberg is expected to be big...
Loeskow claims a hat-trick of national karting titles
KARTING: Bundaberg's own Troy Loeskow has won the premier national class of KZ2 karting for the third year in a row. Competing in Murray...
Bundy golfers ready for the longest day for a good cause
One round of golf is enough for one day for most of us, if you can get an opportunity to do it. But a few...
Athletes honoured after successful season
Plenty of athletes were honoured recently at the Special Olympics annual presentation day. It was also a time to farewell a mentor to the program. The...
Defining week ahead for two clubs in the NDRL
The time is now for both the South Kolan Sharks and the Miriam Vale Magpies to form ahead of next year's Northern Districts Rugby...
Bundy Cowboy can't wait to play in front of family and friends
North Queensland Cowboy, Bundaberg's Coen Hess didn't find out about playing at home next year until he received a phone call from a special...
All to play for ahead of final round in the Presidents Cup
This year's President's Cup between Bundaberg and Bargara could go down to the final few holes as both clubs look to claim the crown. The...
Brothers the A-grade benchmark
The Brothers A-grade women's team put on a show on Saturday afternoon in the latest round of softball. The side took on Bargara in the...
Powerboats confirm final meeting
The weather gods and rising river levels have been kind to the Bundaberg Powerboats. The association has confirmed its final meeting, the Christmas Classic, will...
Loeskow aims to make amends for last year
Bundaberg's Troy Loeskow will get the chance to seal another national karting title next month. Karting Australia announced it will host one more round of...
Club pivots into new era
Brothers Aston Villa's women's team is hoping through getting access to the best facilities, it can rise up the ladder to premiership success. Villa teamed...
The juniors were out in force on Sunday as Surf Life Saving competition returned to Wide Bay for this season. Dozens of juniors from surf...
Overnight on 14 January, a vehicle was parked at a residence on Jensen Street, South Kolan when the passenger side window was smashed to...
It's not too late to start achieving your career goals in...


This will be my second expedition with "Summits of Hope". I have always been drawn to the mountains and the healthy and adventurous lifestyle they offer.Climbing a mountain offers you many parallels and lessons in life, as well as huge perspective! The connection you make with your team members and self through the setting of a large visible goal and the accomplishment of this goal is an incredible lesson in life that can prepare you for when yourself or someone you care about is faced with a challenge closer to home and the heart! Climbing with this knowledge and that are efforts are also going to an immediate cause will make this experince even more rewarding! I want to thank all those who have supported me through my previous challenges and hope that you will continue to support me in my new ones! Thanks you!


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Q: Change texture of individual nodes in didBeginContact I've created a simple game where I have a match hover over candles (the odd description lends itself to my question) and the player scores a point when the match comes in contact with the wick. However, if it comes into contact with the anything else (like the 'wax' part of the candle), the game is over. The player controls the match by tapping on the screen.
My candle, being the wick and the coloured part, is created as follows (I have removed irrelevant parts, like the series of random textures):
    func makeCandles() {

    //Node properties and randomisation
    let candle = SKNode()
    let randomCandle = Int(arc4random_uniform(UInt32(candleTexture.count)))
    let randomTexture = candleTexture[randomCandle] as SKTexture
    let random = arc4random_uniform(17)
    candle.position = CGPoint(x: self.frame.size.width, y: CGFloat(random * 12) - 120)

    //Candle
    let chosenCandle = SKSpriteNode(texture: randomTexture)
    chosenCandle.position = CGPoint(x: 0, y: self.frame.size.height / 2)
    chosenCandle.physicsBody = SKPhysicsBody(rectangleOfSize: chosenCandle.size)
    chosenCandle.physicsBody?.dynamic = false
    chosenCandle.physicsBody?.categoryBitMask = self.candleCategory
    chosenCandle.physicsBody?.contactTestBitMask = self.matchCategory
    chosenCandle.physicsBody?.collisionBitMask = 0
    chosenCandle.physicsBody?.restitution = 0
    candle.addChild(chosenCandle)

    //Wick
    let wickArea = SKSpriteNode(texture: wickTexture)
    wickArea.name = "wickNode"
    wickArea.position = CGPoint(x: 0, y: self.frame.size.height / 1.3)
    wickArea.physicsBody = SKPhysicsBody(rectangleOfSize: CGSize(width: wickArea.size.width / 4, height: wickArea.size.height))
    wickArea.physicsBody?.dynamic = false
    wickArea.physicsBody?.categoryBitMask = self.wickCategory
    wickArea.physicsBody?.contactTestBitMask = self.matchCategory
    wickArea.physicsBody?.collisionBitMask = 0
    wickArea.zPosition = 11
    wickArea.physicsBody?.restitution = 0
    candle.addChild(wickArea)

    //Add the node and zPosition
    self.partsMoving.addChild(candle)
    chosenCandle.zPosition = 12
}

The candles are then created in a runBlock:
    let createCandles = SKAction.runBlock({() in self.makeCandles()})
    let briefPause = SKAction.waitForDuration(averageDelay, withRange: randomDelay)
    let createAndPause = SKAction.sequence([createCandles, briefPause])
    let createAndPauseForever = SKAction.repeatActionForever(createAndPause)
    self.runAction(createAndPauseForever)

This is my function that changes the texture which is called in didBeginContact:
 func updateFlame() {

    if let newNode: SKNode = self.childNodeWithName("//wickNode") {
        let updateTexture = SKAction.setTexture(flameTexture, resize: true)
        newNode.runAction(updateTexture)

    }

}

This is my didBeginContact function:
 func didBeginContact(contact: SKPhysicsContact) {

    if contact.bodyA.categoryBitMask == wickCategory || contact.bodyB.categoryBitMask == wickCategory {
        score += 1
        scoreLabel.text = "\(score)"
        updateFlame()

    } else {
        runGameOverScene()
    }

My problem is that it only changes the first node to a flame, and doesn't change any others. Even if it is the second or third wick on which contact is detected, only the first created wick is changed (the first one that comes across the screen). I know that contact is being detected on each node and that that works fine, because the score updates every time the match comes into contact with a wick.
What am I doing wrong that is stopping the texture of each node that individually comes into contact with the match from changing? Everything else is working just fine, but this part has had me beat for a week and everything I've tried doesn't work. This is the closest I've gotten.

A: After much trial and error, I have finally figured out how to make each node change texture when contact occurs! This is my code for that part:
func didBeginContact(contact: SKPhysicsContact) {

    let collision : UInt32 = (contact.bodyA.categoryBitMask | contact.bodyB.categoryBitMask)

    if collision == (matchCategory | candleCategory | cakeCategory) {
        runGameOverScene()
    }

    if (contact.bodyA.categoryBitMask == wickCategory) {
        let newWick = contact.bodyA.node
        let updateTexture = SKAction.setTexture(flameTexture, resize: true)
        newWick!.runAction(updateTexture)

    } else if (contact.bodyB.categoryBitMask == wickCategory) {
        let newWick = contact.bodyB.node
        let updateTexture = SKAction.setTexture(flameTexture, resize: true)
        newWick!.runAction(updateTexture)
    }

}

I followed the logic of this question (even though I wanted to set the texture, not remove it) and it worked perfectly: removeFromParent() Doesn't Work in SpriteKit.

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Visualizes your VirtueMart e-store sales and customer statistics and produces business reports in a form of attractive and lucid Flash charts. The usage of the graphs for the data presentation are an effective, intelligible and human-friendly way to keep survey about your e-store performance and facilitation for further business decisions.
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This graphs sorts the most sold (sorted by number of transactions) or the most profitable (sorted by revenue) products in given time frame.
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Main servers are down while we address problems with our host. EU and JP are still up in the meantime.
So did you get to my ban protest yet? I was serious about being sorry you know. Again, we were only trying to do our jobs. not pick with random people for no reason. That completely contradicts the entire purpose of our outreach. We only wish to help other people who have been abused, not be the ones to cause said abuse. Again I am very sorry for threatening Videogames380. If you could take the time out of your busy day to read this. it would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
And if in the likely event that my ban protest was ignored and deleted and safe to assume it was at this point, Tell me...what was it that I said in the ban protest that would be classified as scolding, shouting or otherwise threatening other staff in anyway, shape or form? Because as I recall correctly, I have done no such thing. And therefore, fail to see the problem here. Look, I just want this to be resolved for everyone alright simple.
Yo Simple, I was wondering what the status would be on my ban protest by any chance? I really never meant to cause a scene at all. honest.
Yo simple. I have something I need to discuss with you. Yes it's about why you banned me. Now I however can't fully relinquish the blame from myself. At the time when I confronted Auro, Skylas and Taoru. I firmly believed that they'd finally receive their comeuppance. But then something completely out of left field happened, Skylas actually wanted to talk to me via steam personal message. At first I wondered what could they want from me. but then he just wanted to talk this over. and all of us to settle a compromise and get along. How could I not want that right? I suppose somebody from there decided to contact you when I thought everything was alright and everyone was cool. I mean you were only doing your job, so I can't fault you for that. Although I have'ta say, I don't rightly appreciate getting backstabbed when I thought everything was cool. So my question now would be who told you this and why? Could you help me with this? I would very much appreciate it bro. I'm not mad, just confused.
Thanks for the suggestions this far! Await removals this week.
Sorry for me being missing! I have moved and now am in California. I will continue working on the balancing/server stuff as normal now.
It's been a while since I moved out of California. Hope you enjoy it there more then I ever did.
IDK, every time I use the phlog I consistently get 2K or more damage. That's more than what I get with other pyro weapons, for sure. What exactly is bad about it? It's a high risk high reward weapon, you can't be healed because you can do basically a thousand damage a second once you get up close. The hales that aren't smart enough to just jump away you can rack up 5K easily. Noted about the reserve shooter and the volcano fragment, looking through the Pyro document now. Tomislav, Jarate, Big Earner, Direct Hit I will take a look at today.
This thread will serve as a notification board of sorts of the ongoing issues. It will serve to provide information, and hopefully provide an insight into what's going on behind the scenes. It will be updated with our progress towards the goals/fixes, as they come. Current issues as of 1/20/2016: Medigun removes all charge once it's under 40% for the medic. Medigun will have the 40% overhead removed, and balanced with other attributes to make it more useful (will detail in the weapon suggestions thread). The issue is deeper than just that, it has to do with VSP proper. Big Earner causes Dead Ringer to actuate. Also Reserve Shooter is super OP. We're aware, will fix shortly. Magic isn't working correctly. There is currently a thread with the discussion on this topic, the issue has to do with Valve removing an attribute that is integral to the balancing of the plugin. We may decrease primary ammo for all magic users by half, for example. Right now we are waiting to see if Valve has finalized this attribute removal or if any better ideas come up. Removing certain maps. Put whatever map you think is overplayed or broken in the server issues/suggestions thread, and it will be looked at. EDIT: Removing maps is imminent based on feedback received in the suggestions thread.
You have been unbanned, but keep in mind any other infractions will likely net you another permanent ban. Read the MOTD and have fun!
Due to popular demand, we pushed an update which removed Donut Steel and made Dr. Whooves a non-donor boss.
These maps will be added. But first, could someone test them to make sure that they work? As in examples on other servers or putting them on a test server. We can do that, but it will take a bit before that's available. It would speed the process up if anyone can make sure that the deathrun maps actually work and don't crash on startup or the like.
That has been done. Nominate will be removed as soon as we figure out how to restrict it.


Fraser Fir Snowtip Grade - includes delivery, stand and setup in Winnipeg.
Fresh Fraser Fir Snowtip Grade Christmas Tree available in a 6'-8' size. Snowtip Grade will be less full than a Grade #1 Fraser Fir.
Available for delivery in the City of Winnipeg, La Salle, Sanford, Headingly and Oak Bluff! This price includes a high quality stand, set up and delivery in Winnipeg, La Salle, Oak Bluff, Headingly and Sanford.


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Information Warfare in the Russian-Ukraine Conflict, Fortnite Fundraising, Unencrypted Communications, More: Ukraine Update, March 22, 2022
UNC: Information Warfare in the Russian-Ukraine Conflict. "This moderated panel will explore the information war underway in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In addition to discussing the many challenges facing journalists covering the conflict, the panelists will explore how social media has changed information warfare and impacted intelligence gathering and analysis, evaluate how social media platforms and journalists handle mis- and disinformation, and offer media literacy tips to our audience." This virtual event takes place March 24 at 4pm EST. As far as I can tell it's free.
Tubefilter: 'Fortnite' offered to donate proceeds to Ukraine humanitarian efforts. A day later, it's raised $36 million.. "In slightly over 24 hours, Fortnite developer Epic Games raised a whopping $36 million for humanitarian relief in Ukraine. Epic announced yesterday that from March 20-April 3—the first two weeks of Fortnite's new in-game season—it would donate all proceeds from Fortnite purchases to relief efforts."
CNET: Russia Reportedly Bans All Meta Platforms, Except WhatsApp. "A Russian court in Moscow on Monday found Meta Platforms guilty of 'extremist activity,' according to a report by Reuters. Russia had already blocked Facebook and Instagram, but the court reportedly says the decision will not affect WhatsApp."
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: 10 must-read Twitter threads on the war in Ukraine. "If you follow any of the Bulletin's editors on Twitter, you know that we regularly retweet threads we find particularly interesting. We don't have room to share them all here, but what follows is a sampling of some thoughtful threads on Ukraine."
The Quint: Russia's Claims of Bioweapons in Ukraine Expose the Dangers of Disinformation. "Here are four articles from our archive to help you understand how Russia used disinformation to justify the invasion, how disinformation fits into Russia's use of technology in warfare, what makes disinformation so challenging, and how targets of Russia's disinformation have learned to respond."
AROUND THE INTERNET WORLD
NiemanLab: How maps show — and hide — key information about the Ukraine war. "Geographers often speak in terms of what they call the 'silences' of maps — what's missing and unseen, hidden in the margins. Those silences are just as meaningful as what's on the page. It's important to ask what has been left out. That's certainly true when looking at maps depicting aspects of Russia's war on Ukraine. News organizations around the world have published many maps of the crisis, but their standard views are not the only way maps can help people understand what is happening in Ukraine."
Mashable: Russians are downloading Wikipedia en masse as possible ban looms . "Reporting for Slate, writer Annie Rauwerda dove into Kiwix's public stats and found that the number of downloads of the Russian-language Wikipedia have spiked in recent weeks. It's already been downloaded 148,457 times this month so far. As Rauwerda points out, that's more than a 4,000 percent uptick in downloads in March when compared to January of this year. Russia's Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media (abbreviated as Roskomnadzor), aka its censorship agency, threatened to block Wikipedia in the country earlier this month."
New York Times: As Big Shows of Russian Art End in Europe, Some Wonder What's Next. "A blockbuster show at the Louis Vuitton Foundation, on the outskirts of Paris, has been seen by over a million people since it opened in November. Known as the Morozov collection, it includes paintings by Picasso, Gauguin, Renoir and Van Gogh, as well as some of Russian's most renowned painters….In more normal times, the works would be packed into boxes and returned to Russian museums after the exhibition closes on April 3. Now, because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it is unclear when those works will get home."
Foreign Policy: 'The Ukrainians Are Listening': Russia's Military Radios Are Getting Owned. "One European diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity to speak about recent military intelligence, said the failure of Russia's encrypted systems has also helped Ukrainian forces drive up the body count among opposing generals. In one striking example, internet sleuths at the investigative outlet Bellingcat discovered Russian reconnaissance officers in the field using unencrypted communications systems to send word of the death of Maj. Gen. Vitaly Gerasimov back home. Gerasimov, believed to be the nephew of Russia's top military officer, was killed during fighting with Ukrainian forces in Kharkiv in early March."
New York Times: Biden warns the private sector that Russia is exploring options for cyberattacks. "President Biden warned on Monday that Russia is exploring the possibility of waging potential cyberattacks against the United States in retaliation for economic penalties imposed on Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine."
The Verge: After 'protestware' attacks, a Russian bank has advised clients to stop updating software. "In a recent announcement, the Russian bank Sber advised its customers to temporarily stop installing software updates to any applications out of concern that they could contain malicious code specifically targeted at Russian users, labeled by some as 'protestware.'"
The Verge: Russian government bars its scientists from international conferences. "Russian scientists will not participate in international conferences this year, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation said via its Telegram channel. The decision comes as Russia's invasion of Ukraine has strained the relationships between Russian scientists and the international research community."
Ohio Fishing Tournaments, YouTube, TikTok, More: Tuesday Afternoon ResearchBuzz, March 22, 2022
England Aerial Photography, Baseball: America's Home Run, EPA Notifications, More: Wednesday ResearchBuzz, March 23, 2022


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I'm apparently not the only computer-saavy person in our family.
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Brad finally joined the blogging trend and got a blog. Too bad he forgot it ever existed.
Alex, a friend since grade school, features (negative) reviews – "scoops" – of all his friends' sites, including mine, on his website. We're supposed to think it's funny.
Gottta hand it to him for home-brewing his own CMS (blogging software).
C'mon, do you think that I would list everyone I know who has a website as a friend?
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CJ makes computer games. Neat, huh? Well, his development team has a project website — with downloads!
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Zeta Pictoris
Zeta Pictoris Facts
Zeta Pictoris's star type is subgiant star that can be located in the constellation of Pictor. The description is based on the spectral class.
Zeta Pictoris is not part of the constellation outline but is within the borders of the constellation.
Based on the spectral type (F7III-IV) of the star, the star's colour is blue to white .
The star can be seen with the naked eye, that is, you don't need a telescope/binoculars to see it.
Zeta Pictoris's Alternative Names
Zeta Pictoris (Zet Pic) is the Bayer Classification for the star. The Bayer Classification was created by Johann Bayer in the early nineteenth century. The brightest star in the constellation is normally given the Alpha designation although there are exceptions such as Pollux which is Beta Geminorum.
The Id of the star in the Yale Bright Star Catalogue is HR1767. HIP24829 is the reference name for the star in the Hipparcos Star Catalogue. The Id of the star in the Henry Draper catalogue is HD35072.
Location of Zeta Pictoris
The location of the subgiant star in the night sky is determined by the Right Ascension (R.A.) and Declination (Dec.), these are equivalent to the Longitude and Latitude on the Earth. The Right Ascension is how far expressed in time (hh:mm:ss) the star is along the celestial equator. If the R.A. is positive then its eastwards. The Declination is how far north or south the object is compared to the celestial equator and is expressed in degrees. For Zeta Pictoris, the location is 05h 19m 22.11 and -50° 36` 23.5 .
Radial Velocity and Proper Motion of Zeta Pictoris
All stars like planets orbit round a central spot, in the case of planets, its the central star such as the Sun. In the case of a star, its the galactic centre. The constellations that we see today will be different than they were 50,000 years ago or 50,000 years from now. Proper Motion details the movements of these stars and are measured in milliarcseconds. The star is moving 227.43 ± 0.24 milliarcseconds/year towards the north and 23.64 ± 0.23 milliarcseconds/year east if we saw them in the horizon.
The Radial Velocity, that is the speed at which the star is moving away/towards the Sun is 43.80 km/s with an error of about 0.20 km/s . When the value is negative then the star and the Sun are getting closer to one another, likewise, a positive number means that two stars are moving away. Its nothing to fear as the stars are so far apart, they won't collide in our life-time, if ever.
Zeta Pictoris Luminosity
Physical Properties (Colour, Temperature, Age) of Zeta Pictoris
Zeta Pictoris Colour and Temperature
Zeta Pictoris has a spectral type of F7III-IV. This means the star is a blue to white subgiant star. The star has a B-V Colour Index of 0.51 which means the star's temperature has been calculated using information from Morgans @ Uni.edu at being 6,243 Kelvin.
Zeta Pictoris Radius
Radius has been calculated as being 2.36 times bigger than the Sun. The Sun's radius is 695,800km, therefore the star's radius is an estimated 1,638,985.62.km. If you need the diameter of the star, you just need to multiple the radius by 2. However with the 2007 release of updated Hipparcos files, the radius is now calculated at being round 2.32. The figure is derived at by using the formula from SDSS and has been known to produce widely incorrect figures. The star's Iron Abundance is 0.06 with an error value of 0.03 Fe/H with the Sun has a value of 1 to put it into context.
Zeta Pictoris Apparent and Absolute Magnitudes
Zeta Pictoris has an apparent magnitude of 5.44 which is how bright we see the star from Earth. Apparent Magnitude is also known as Visual Magnitude. If you used the 1997 Parallax value, you would get an absolute magnitude of 2.65 If you used the 2007 Parallax value, you would get an absolute magnitude of 2.68. Magnitude, whether it be apparent/visual or absolute magnitude is measured by a number, the smaller the number, the brighter the Star is. Our own Sun is the brightest star and therefore has the lowest of all magnitudes, -26.74. A faint star will have a high number.
Distance to Zeta Pictoris
Using the original Hipparcos data that was released in 1997, the parallax to the star was given as 27.70 which gave the calculated distance to Zeta Pictoris as 117.75 light years away from Earth or 36.10 parsecs. It would take a spaceship travelling at the speed of light, 117.75 years to get there. We don't have the technology or spaceship that can carry people over that distance yet.
In 2007, Hipparcos data was revised with a new parallax of 28.00 which put Zeta Pictoris at a distance of 116.49 light years or 35.71 parsecs. It should not be taken as though the star is moving closer or further away from us. It is purely that the distance was recalculated.
Additional Zeta Pictoris Facts and Figures
Primary / Proper / Traditional Name Zeta Pictoris
Alternative Names Zet Pic, HD 35072, HIP 24829, HR 1767
Spectral Type F7III-IV
Star Type Subgiant Star
Constellation Pictor
Naked Eye Visible Yes - Magnitudes
Galactic Latitude -34.98 degrees
Proper Motion RA. 23.64 ± 0.23 milliarcseconds/year
Radial Velocity 43.80 ± 0.20 km/s
Iron Abundance 0.06 ± 0.03 Fe/H
Alpha Pictoris (Alpha Pictoris)
Beta Pictoris (Beta Pictoris)
Gamma Pictoris (Gamma Pictoris)
Delta Pictoris (Delta Pictoris)
Eta2 Pictoris (Eta2 Pictoris)
AA Pictoris
AB Pictoris
AC Pictoris
AD Pictoris
AE Pictoris


Skip all the hassles and hidden costs....give us a call today!
Inspections come with a 5+ page report per NAWT standards, along with captioned site photos.
Home made "septic" (Buried 55 Gallon drums). Sometimes there is no real septic system and the whole system will need to be replaced.
Faulty electronics. This along with many other issues were discovered before purchasing the home. Aiding negotiations.
Tank collapsing. Unfortunately an inspection was not performed before the purchase and I found this in a routine pumping just after the property was already sold.
Skipping the critical step of having it inspected could have you stuck replacing a $10,000+ septic shortly after moving in.
The septic system is one of the most expensive components of your new home.


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by Ray Willington — Thursday, June 10, 2010, 07:48 AM EDT
Google Maps Navigation Motors To 11 More Countries For Free
There has been a lot of action at Google this week, and the Caffeine boost is just the tip of the iceberg. In a move that may be strong European mainstays like Nokia on their heels, Google has just announced that their highly lauded Google Maps Navigation service is finally departing the U.S. and heading elsewhere. But don't worry, it's not actually leaving America--it's cloning itself and becoming available in a variety of other locations.
Google Maps Navigation remains one of the major reasons that users are flocking to Android. It's far more functional than the standard Maps application for iPhone, and it runs laps around most other navigation solutions on other operating systems. Just in time for all the Eurotrippers to get their passport stamped upon entering Europe, Google has announced that their Maps Navigation software is now available for free in 11 more nations, with version 4.2 bringing support for Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland.
The new version works on all Android devices at v1.6 and higher, but of course it will require a data connection to fully operate, so you best pick up some serious pre-paid data unless you want an outrageous roaming bill to arrive once you return. "Search by Voice" is also included in this new version, and local languages are supported in all of the new 11 nations. It's available now for free by searching for Google Maps in the Android Market. Good luck keeping up, everyone else.
Tags: GPS, Google, Google Maps, navigation, Nav
Via: Google


As soon as I stepped out of the airport at Cairns, I knew it was my kind of city. The perfectly humid tropical climate, significantly smaller population than Sydney, palm trees, and friendlier people were to my liking. I had made arrangements before I left to stay at the Gilligan's Island hostel, which was an adventure in itself.
Gilligan's Island included free meals and a vast array of entertainment included a night of bikini clad women from various countries facing off in jello wrestling matches, and a night of what Australians refer to as "Bogan Bingo." Bogan is basically slang in Australia for redneck or hillbilly and is basically just MUCH more entertaining Bingo. There is a live DJ the entire evening, and people who get Bingos go up on stage to spin a wheel where they either win a prize or have to do something embarrassing like air guitar. It's so wildly amusing I am not sure how it hasn't been adopted in the states yet!
I went on a tour in Cairns called Uncle Brian's Fun, Falls, and Forest Tour that I would highly recommend to anyone with an outgoing nature seeking a unique adventure. Shy people need not apply! Hopping aboard "Gus the Wonder Bus" I was immediately welcomed by an extremely friendly staff who encouraged me to meet my new friends (strangers) that would be going on the trip with me. You wave to just about everyone that you encounter, sing songs and play games together almost the entire trip, and are even given a historic lesson about Cairns while splashing around in waterfalls you find along the way, such as Millaa Millaa Falls shown below. Millaa Millaa Falls is FREEZING, but you are able to go underneath and behind it, so it's a riot! Uncle Brian's Tour was certainly a highlight of my Cairns visit and I had a blast!
The next day I was ready to conquer scuba diving at the AMAZING, colorful, and infamous Great Barrier Reef! Keep in mind when I say ready, I mean I was as equally frightened to the core as I was excited. I am a claustrophobic person that had barely mastered snorkeling on this visit. That being said, I booked my scuba diving expedition with one of many boats offering a scuba reef experience and I was ready to go! In order to be able to scuba dive, instructors were required by law to give us an hour lesson on safety techniques and procedures that we'd be using throughout our dive. Every minute that passed seemed to make my heart beat faster. What was I getting myself into? Okay Bobbi, remember that a thumbs up hand signal means I want to come up out of the water, not that I'm ok. I can do this.
From this angle I look so… professional?
As I made my first attempt to dive under the water I immediately panicked and came back up. My guide, who I was linked arms with and who also had another person on his other arm, is puzzled and asks why. "I'm sorry I just panicked." I said. We tried again and I successfully managed to stay under the water the entire time! I'm so grateful that I did, but I'm not going to lie, it wasn't easy. For every thought I had of how breathtaking the reef was, I had another thought of just trying to breathe! In retrospect though, it was an incredible experience that I'd do again in a heartbeat. I may not have abolished my claustrophobic fears, but I at least put them at bay for a while.
Wow, what an adventure. My parents used to scuba dive but I never went. I was too young when we were still living on a boat (I lived on a 50 foot WWII Navy launch that looked like a tug boat until I was 10). Would love to try it some day.
GO NOW!:) Thanks for reading!
Thanks for describing your scuba trips in and around Cairns and the great barrier reef. What a delightful experience.


A pair of streaks stayed alive in the Class A state golf tournament at Danville Elks.
Monmouth added its sixth straight Class A title Saturday, shooting 306 for a 36-hole total of 621, five shots ahead of Bishop McNamara. It was McNamara`s third straight runner-up finish.
McNamara led by a shot after an opening 314 Friday. The Irish improved to a 312 with Mark Kremer shooting a 2-over 74, Brad Zwetschke adding his second 75, Andy Cryer getting a 76 and David Piacenti an 87. Monmouth`s cause was boosted by a 75 from sophomore Aaron Pieper, the only Zipper who failed to qualify individually from the sectional. Mark Odendahl also had a 75, Erik Pieper 76 and Mark Shrader 82.
Metropolis` Matt Armstrong won a playuoff for the individual title with a par on the first hole. Armstrong, Odendahl, Zwetschke and Quincy Notre Dame`s Mike Dailing tied at 150.


Pediatric soft tissue sarcomas are comparatively rare and some cases present a therapeutic challenge due to their aggressive course and resistance to conventional chemotherapy.
The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of single or tandem high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) with autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) in this patient group.
Methods: From October 2009 to April 2011, 5 pediatric patients with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (n=3), fibrosarcoma (n=1), and embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (n=1) received single (n=4) or tandem (n=1) HDCT with auto-HSCT. Before auto-HSCT all patients received surgical treatment, chemotherapy (median 7 courses), and local irradiation (median 40 Gy) without an adequate response. At the moment of auto-HSCT the stage of disease was progression (n=2) or stabilization (n=3). The conditioning regimen consisted of busulfan 16 mg/kg and melphalan 140 mg/m2 in single auto-HSCT, or carboplatin 900 mg/m2, etoposide 45 mg/kg and cyclophosphamide 120 mg/kg in tandem auto-HSCT. Bone marrow was used in all pts as the source of HSC, and the mean CD34+ cell dose was 4.1 x 106/kg (1.1–7.5 x 106/kg).
Results: The conditioning regimens were characterized by moderate toxicity (WHO Grade I–II). Median follow-up time is currently 370 days. All patients achieved good partial response with a decrease in diameter of the target lesions totaling 60–90%. The disease remained stable for a median of 250 days, but all patients later experienced progression. Three of the patients are alive with stable disease, and 2 patients died of disease progression.
Conclusions: HDCT with auto-SCT is a feasible method in pediatric patients with chemoresistant soft-tissue sarcomas, achieving a good short-term response. More aggressive post-transplant local treatment or cell-based immunotherapy could improve the prognosis.


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Learn – Courses
The Link – Learn
The Link – Event Hire
Use of facilities by external groups & users
Please note that within these terms and conditions The Link at Sandbach School is referred to as "the school" and the hirer, group or individual is referred to as "the hirer".
School events always take precedence over external hiring and therefore regular bookings may be affected from time to time.
The facilities must not be used for any purpose other than agreed with the school. Only facilities agreed on the hirer booking form are to be used.
All hirers must be responsible for any loss or damage or injury caused as a result of use of the facilities and agrees, by signing the booking form, or emailing to confirm, to indemnify the school in respect thereof.
Before any block bookings can be confirmed, the hirer must provide copies of:
Completed and signed booking form
Safeguarding Policy (youth groups or clubs only)
Accident and emergency procedures (the clubs own or agreement to adhere to the Links)
Invoices are prepared monthly in arrears and must be cleared in full with 14 days of presentation.
Failure to pay invoices on time may result in the school refusing entry to the facilities for future bookings until payment has been made.
The school has a no smoking policy which applies to all hirers and their clients in all areas of the school.
The person in whose name the booking is made on behalf of the hirer (if a club or organisation) will be responsible for the behaviour of all persons using the facilities including children, families and spectators.
The facilities must be vacated promptly at the end of the agreed time. An extra fee may be charged if the hirer exceeds their booking slot.
Cars parked in the car park and all contents in them are your responsibility and we will not accept and liability for loss or damage to them.
Cars and other vehicles are only to be parked in the designated car parks unless so directed otherwise by school staff. The disabled bays are only to be used by blue badge holders.
The user is obligated to give adequate notice when cancelling a booking otherwise a cancellation fee may be charged at the school's discretion.
The school will endeavour to provide appropriate notice when facilities become unavailable for whatever reason. Any fee prepaid will be refunded. The hirer accepts that no other claim may be made arising from such unavailability.
All regular bookings will be reviewed in August each year when users can re-apply to use the facilities for the following year.
Access through the school grounds and buildings to the booked facilities are granted to the hirer, in common with others so authorised and on the strict understanding that no damage or nuisance is caused to the school and/or its equipment.
The use of the facilities is at all times subject to the discretion of the school who may refuse use of any of the facilities at any time without stating a reason.
The school is represented by the Director of Finance and his staff.
The hirer acknowledges and accepts that use of the facilities is at all times to be strictly in accordance with instructions given by him or his staff even if they are or appear to be at variance with these terms and conditions
In signing the booking form, or emailing to confirm, the hirer accepts the use of the facilities subject to these terms and conditions.
Please note that the school is a no dog site. The walking or exercising of dogs is strictly prohibited.
The Link has a zero tolerance approach to unacceptable verbal and physical behaviour directed towards staff and customers. Behaviour that is regarded as unacceptable includes but is not limited to:
Excessive shouting;
Swearing;
Harassment;
Bullying;
Any unacceptable behaviour will be taken very seriously and may result in the immediate ejection from the School and the permanent exclusion of offenders. The police will also be called as appropriate.
All hirer must observe health and safety regulations and familiarise themselves with the rules and regulations pertinent to the facilities used.
All hirers must provide their own activity risk assessments.
Any injuries or illnesses sustained by a member of a hirer group must be reported promptly to school staff. Duty officer contact numbers are 01270 758886 (office hours) or 07807 517413( out of hours)
Persons suffering with known illnesses or disabilities are only allowed to use the facilities at the discretion, risk and responsibility of the hirer and/or school staff whose decision is final.
We provide the community with convenient access to a range of activities for health, well-being and enjoyment. As such our aim is to provide a quality service and to provide staff that care about the customers.
In order to achieve these high standards The Link aim to create an environment where customers can expect:
A facility that is clean, attractive and a pleasant place to visit.
Clearly identified, friendly and professional staff that can help you get the most enjoyment and benefit from your visit.
A safe and secure environment.
Up to date and accurate information to keep you informed of our programme.
A reliable value for money service, and opportunities to comment on the quality and effectiveness of our service.
As part of our commitment to achieve these high standards, we will:
Serve every customer with courtesy, effectiveness and efficiency.
Ensure that all telephone bookings and general calls are answered promptly and in a caring friendly manner.
Provide an appointed Duty Manager at all public opening times to deal with all matters of concern to our customers.
Keep our customers informed and regularly monitor satisfaction with our service.
Provide a comments system for customers to express their comments, thoughts, suggestions and opinions on service issues. These will be reviewed at Management level and responded to within an appropriate timescale.
Never forget that it is our customers who are the focus of our business.
Facility Rules and Regulations
Astro Turf Pitch (ATP)
Only trainers or specific ATP footwear are permitted on the pitch – no studs, blades, or moulds.
5-a-side goals are provided for hirers for football. The hockey goals MUST not be used for football and hirers found using the hockey goals inappropriately may be refused future use of the facility.
Spectators are to remain outside the fenced area of the pitch.
Teams are to ensure that matches following their booking are not delayed by extending their use of the pitch beyond the contracted time.
Food is not to be taken on to the ATP. Water in a sports bottle is allowed.
All litter must be placed in the bins provided.
All hirers must be considerate of other users of the ATP and should behave in a way that does not offend others at all times.
All swimming pool activities are to be strictly supervised as follows:
Lifeguards and/or qualified swimming teacher and/or coaches are to be in attendance on poolside at all times.
Lifeguards must be qualified to "The Royal Life Saving Society" National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) standard, current within 2 years and have completed regular ongoing training (or equivalent for sub-aqua instructors);
Swimming teachers and/or coaches must hold a minimum of the National Rescue Award for Swimming Teachers and Coaches (NRASTC).
There must be a least one swimming teacher/coach on poolside who is qualified to a minimum of Level 2.
Overshoes must be worn on entering poolside and changing rooms by all persons.
Food and drink is not to be taken into the pool hall area.
There is an emergency telephone situated in the pool office. This can be used via the sliding window (dial 9 for an outside line).
Hazard signs e.g. no diving, no running, water depth are there to warn of dangers and must be observed at all times.
The emergency sounder and flashing light is situated near to the office window. It is to be used in an emergency i.e. a swimmer in difficulty to alert all swimmers in the pool hall. On hearing the alarm all swimmers must leave the water.
Any personal property left behind in the changing rooms will be placed on the lost property shelves in the gallery area.
Swimming hygiene, Health and Safety
If you or your child has had Diarrhoea in the last 14 days, please do not use the swimming pool.
If you or your child has vomited in the last 24 hours, has had a tummy upset or is suffering with a cold virus, then please do not use the swimming pool.
If you become aware that you or your child has a verruca, please obtain treatment available from a pharmacist, try to keep it covered and avoid walking barefoot in the shower or changing room areas.
Inform a lifeguard or your swimming teacher if you have any medical conditions we should know about. Do not swim if you are feeling unwell.
It is advisable not to swim on a full stomach. It is recommended to wait at least one hour before swimming.
Please use the toilet before entering the pool.
Family Swimming
Parents and guardians are responsible for supervising their children at all times whilst in the facility.
A child under the age of 8 years must be directly supervised in the swimming pool by parent or carer aged 18 or over.
No more than two children aged 4 to 7 years may be supervised by one parent or carer aged 18 or over.
Children under the age of 4 must be supervised by parent or carer aged 18 or over on a one to one basis.
The above restrictions may be relaxed for some controlled, programmed sessions. Please contact us for further details.
If you are in any doubt about our admission policy, please contact us to avoid disappointment.
We recommend all non-swimmers use armbands and/or an appropriate buoyancy aid and remain in the shallow end.
Benches are not to be used to block off doorways or emergency exits.
When playing ball sports, the ball must be kept to below shoulder height.
Food is not to be taken into the sports hall. Water in a sports bottle is allowed
The store cupboards are strictly out of bounds to community use and will be locked in the evenings.
Care must be taken when opening and closing the cricket nets. Any damage i.e. rips or tears must be reported to staff.
Non marking shoes/trainers should be worn at all times.
Dance and Drama Studios
No food must be taken into either of the studios. Water is permitted in a sports bottle.
Correct footwear must be worn in the studios.
The hirer agrees to be out of the studio at the agreed time, leaving the space clean and arranged as it was found.
Any spillages or damage caused to the floor must be reported to a member of staff.
The sound and lighting equipment is not for community bookings. The curtains must be used with care.
Pre-approval of sound systems i.e. stereos and laptops coming into the studios must be stated in your additional needs section.
Sandbach School, Crewe Road, Sandbach, Cheshire, CW11 3NS
nbowering@sandbachschool.org
Sandbach School, Crewe Road, Sandbach, Cheshire, CW11 3NS
01270 758886
thelink@sandbachschool.org
© Copyright 2020 The Link Website maintained by The Link.


Dell Inc. may be able to leverage its significant foreign cash holdings to assist with a private-equity buyout of the computer manufacturer without triggering the repatriation taxes that have kept it out of the U.S.
Buyers of the company could use the cash as collateral to raise deal financing, and effectively reduce the amount of equity they would have to put into the deal, according to tax and accounting specialist Robert Willens.
Mr. Willens said U.S. tax law makes it difficult for companies with foreign cash holdings to use that money to fund buyouts, as money used directly or indirectly to raise capital is treated as repatriated and therefore subject to being taxed at a 35% rate. But companies are allowed to use up to 65% of their equity in a foreign subsidiary as collateral against a loan without triggering tax payments. That would allow Dell to effectively pledge the cash backing the equity in the subsidiaries to fund the deal.


A few of the items listed at my two etsy stores, Vintage Threads, Inc. and Sunshine's Creations.
There are other items, as well, that are not shown below.
There are lots of scarves right now; I hope to be putting up some baby items soon.


To be able to take great photos of my quilled jewelry, multiple things must fall into place. Firstly, I must find the time! Secondly, I must find a place with good lighting (natural but indirect lighting is the best!). Those are the two biggest issues. Sadly, at the time when I can get the best lighting (afternoon) it is also one of my busiest times of day when I am caring for my two daughters and trying to get some dinner made. So I am usually behind in photographing my pieces. Right now I'm behind in photographing quite a few pieces, but I just haven't found that afternoon time to do it! So I had to make do and photograph them in the evening, using non-optimal indoor lighting. Thankfully the pictures can still turn out okay (not AS good, but usable) because of the camera having many settings to fiddle with and a tripod to hold the camera still!
Having said all of that, I recently took some of those evening photos and was able to get a few more of my owl pieces listed on etsy. I wanted to show them all here as well so you can take a peek!
First up is this pink accented snowy owl/barn owl. I actually have one of these owls that is white with black accents, just like a real snowy owl. I've tried to photograph it, but it's tricky to photograph bright white pieces, so I need to take another try at that!
Continuing with the pink theme, here is a smaller pink feathery owl pendant.
The third pendant I managed to photograph is this lovely cream and maroon colored large owl.
And lastly, I have this pendant in my shop already, but I also made it as a set with some tiny matching earrings that are just SO adorable! This neon set is trendy and fun!
If you are interested in learning how to make these and other owl designs yourself, I have a detailed tutorial here in my Etsy shop. It is available as a digital download at both shops.
If you are just getting started, I have a FREE tutorial for the small simple owl pendant (the neon one in the tutorial photo above) right here on the blog!


Have You Ever Tried to Get in Shape....and Failed?
When you begin your mission for a better body, health and fitness, you are either driven by pain or by gain.
The left image shows the journey of someone driven by pain. This person is also usually driven by extrinsic motivating factors. Things like impressing others, avoiding ridicule, fitting in, are all powerful motivators for the Pain driven person.
The image on the right shows the journey of someone driven by Gain. This person will be successful, and they will have unstoppable resilience. Why? The desire and progress can be the exact same as the pain driven person. The difference is in step 3 (the measure of progress).
Only this time shift your perspective. Instead of looking ahead at an ideal outcome, appreciate the progress you have made. Remind yourself of how far you have come, inspire yourself, motivate yourself. You are capable of building your body, losing the fat, feeling and looking how you want. The resilience manifested by the Gain Driven mind set is all you were missing.
There is no perfect. You just need to get a little further today than you were yesterday.


The trends in women's casual apparel keep altering in one season to a different. Though it's not possible for people to help keep a track of all of the runway trends, we are able to certainly imbibe odds and ends of the identical within our daily put on. Actually, among the best reasons for women's casual clothing is it could be tweaked easily to fall consistent with what's hot in the present season.
Thus, regardless of whether you such as the dressy tunics to be able to hide your ex handles or short-skirts to flaunt your nicely toned legs, you can preserve putting on them in one season to a different as lengthy you may already know steps to make them operate in compliance towards the out and in dictums provided by fashion gurus all over the world.
Leggings are often among the hottest trends in women's casual apparel or women's casual clothing. This bit of women's apparel continues to be accepted by females of every age group in a variety of areas of the world because of its comfort and flexibility. It may be teamed with nearly every type of top and appears best to your eyes too. If you wish to create a style statement with leggings, simply pair all of them with a properly cut tunic. The only real things you need to bear in mind while attempting to accomplish this look is picking out a tunic that's lengthy enough to pay for your sides because the leggings fit quite snuggly there.
Additionally to that particular, it is advisable to avoid pairing leggings with tunics that achieve past the leg because they cut over the height of the individual, making her appear shorter. Accept boots, plain pumps or flats to accomplish the appearance. You may also put on leggings having a fitted jeans skirt to obtain a casual yet chic look. This look has literally taken street fashion by storm and it has found favor among teenage women in a variety of areas.
Another women's clothing trend which has designed a major comeback may be the short summery dress. It has generally end up being the new meaning of awesome and casual women's dresses that may be earthworm by a lot of women. Clean silhouettes and comfy fabrics would be the 3 keywords you need to consider when you shop for casual women's dresses, particularly summer time dresses.
Articles on latest trends in women's apparel can't ever be complete with no reference to torn denims. This casual women's clothing trend has hit the style circuit having a vengeance and it is not going anywhere soon for a while. Should you too wish to find these stylish pieces, all that you should do is check out the extensive assortment of Elan Worldwide dresses and choose a set of jeans or perhaps a jacket that is most effective for you personally. The attractive bargains provided by Elan Worldwide dresses have previously made the shopoholics order non-stop from the catalogues. Enable you to get own ripped jacket or pants in addition to leggings and tops before stocks go out.


Without a dance background, Bagheri said, one might think the fluidity of the dance simple. But Bagheri is a longtime dancer and now dance instructor at her own studio, and the abilities of these dancers blew her away.
Bagheri pointed out the difficulty of moving as quickly as the dancers did while walking heel-to-toe, and how light they were to seem as if they were floating through difficult flips that would normally look and sound heavy even for some experienced dancers.
Shen Yun dancers are New York-trained, as the company was formed in 2006 by artists from around the world who wanted to revive the genuine traditional Chinese culture, through the arts.
Today, the company is the foremost classical Chinese dance company in the world, touring globally each year to present this ancient, divinely inspired culture to a modern audience.
"Divine" is an apt descriptor," Bagheri said after seeing the performance at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on April 12.
"Heavenly, divine, spiritual—and funny, too. There is some humor in there," Bagheri added, describing some of the scenes from the story-based dances throughout the program. Ancient Chinese history and legend alike is brought alive through comedy and tragedy and a beautiful production.
"The whole thing is just so gorgeous," Bagheri said.