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STAR WARS: WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS – CONCLUSION REVIEW ROUNDUP
As the massive War of the Bounty Hunters event comes to an end, we take a look over some of the final parts that close out this sprawling, 34-part behemoth from Marvel Comics.
The second half of this year has seen Star Wars fans treated to some of the most exciting, surprising, and epic storytelling that the comics have had to offer. As the massive War of the Bounty Hunters event comes to an end, we take a look over some of the final parts that close out this sprawling, 34-part behemoth from Marvel Comics.
STAR WARS: WAR OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS #5
Written by: Charles Soule
Art: Luke Ross and David Messina
Colours: Neeraj Menon and Rachelle Rosenberg
First up is the fifth and final issue of the core mini-series, which truly delivers on the 'War' of its title. Panels are chock full of space battles, laser fire and things generally going 'BOOM!' Luke Ross' art and the truly unique colours of Neeraj Menon have been the standout aspect of this series and they give their absolute all once again in depicting the massive scale of this final hurrah, ably assisted by David Messina and Rachelle Rosenberg respectively. Each page leaps out at the reader, the layout of most of them making for fast-paced reading before indulging in the occasional impactful larger panel or an astonishing splash page to really grab the attention. Here's hoping they both return to the Star Wars universe before too long.
This is one jam-packed comic but that doesn't stop almost every key player in the event having their moment in the spotlight to wrap up their involvement. The highlight is, as ever, Boba Fett, and his team up with cyborg bounty hunter Valance is beautifully pitched by Charles Soule, who continues to prove to be one of the best writers to ever grace the pages of a Star Wars comic. This issue, he delivers stunning character moments in rapid fire fashion interspersed with frenetic action, but the speed at which they come never reduces the impact or importance of each one, some of which will lead on nicely to be paid off in each character's respective book.
There is, of course, also a huge teaser for the upcoming Crimson Reign mini-series, the second part of Soule's Qi'ra trilogy. Soule has given new life to a character who could easily have been forgotten and ignored, given the underwhelming reception of Solo: A Star Wars Story – he has seized a golden opportunity to do exactly what Star Wars books and comics are supposed to do: make something much bigger of the comparatively tiny part of the story that the films make up, and he does it convincingly. Qi'ra's return has been fully justified in this event, and her final words here promise intriguing things to come for the new leader of Crimson Dawn in the upcoming mini-series, Crimson Reign.
DARTH VADER #17
Written by: Greg Pak
Art: Raffaele Ienco
Colours: Alex Sinclair
Considering the events of his own book and the core mini-series, Greg Pak is left with a lot to wrap up here, but he handles it with an eye on pace and detail, which have both punctuated his run from the start. A lot of ground is covered – the conclusion of Vader and Luke's chase, the ongoing scuffle between Ochi and Sly Moore, Vader's confrontation with Bokku the Hutt and, of course, setting the scene for what comes next, but every aspect of this issue stands well on its own and as part of a cohesive whole which makes for a very satisfying issue with a shocker of an ending that makes Crimson Reign an even more enticing prospect.
Raffaele Ienco's art is as great here as it always is – cinematic in its scope, but intimate and detailed when it needs to be, even when dealing with the featureless blackness of Vader's shiny bonce. Ienco never puts a foot wrong, giving us what quite simply looks like a Star Wars movie in pencil and ink. Alex Sinclair takes over colouring duties – he handles the blacks, dark greys and washed-out blues the make up the colour palette of the Empire with skill and then cleverly slips in one panel of bright, alarming neon in one of the final pages, just as the rug is pulled from under the reader's feet.
IG-88 #1
Written by: Rooney Barnes
Art: Guiu Vilanova
Colours: Antonio Fabela
Next, Rooney Barnes and Guiu Vilanova bring us the last of the one-shots that have been peppered throughout War of the Bounty Hunters.
Given his merciless dismantling at the hands of Darth Vader, you'd be forgiven for thinking that IG-88 would be out of the game for good. However, Barnes resurrects him here in quite a sinister fashion, almost reminiscent of Frankenstein, with the ambitious engineer RB-919 getting more than he bargained for at the hands of his creation. The dark tone fits well with the unrelenting killing machine that IG-88 is supposed to be, with the art working effectively in tandem, focusing on the droid's unnervingly blank face, his skeletal form often in shadow.
The tone changes ever so slightly for a showdown with Boba Fett in the closing pages, as everyone's favourite bounty hunter just couldn't be written without the overwhelming sense of badassery that pervades every page he features on. However, this is in no way jarring and works well with the dry humour that IG-88's matter-of-fact dialogue brings to the table.
This issue slots neatly between the end of the main part of War of the Bounty Hunters #5 and its epilogue, acting as a nice little coda to the fight over who gets to keep the helpless Han Solo, and as a potential set-up for future reappearances from IG-88. 'Born to Kill' is the story's title – let's hope that, as far as IG-88 goes, it's also a promise.
STAR WARS #18
Art: Ramon Rosanas
Colours: Rachelle Rosenberg
And finally, after 34 issues across 4 ongoing titles, a mini-series and several one-shots, we have the conclusion, presented in Star Wars #18 by the dream team of Charles Soule and Ramon Rosanas, whose work together on this run has been consistently brilliant.
That winning streak remains unbroken here, in a much more stripped back, action-free issue than this event has generally brought us. The linchpin of the book is a confrontation between QI'ra and Leia as the true nature of the former's failed plan is revealed and they both reckon with Han's fate and the hardships they have both been through in recent issues. Given the fact that one man's whereabouts have formed the crux of the whole narrative, this was never going to be a chat that would pass the Bechdel test, but it's fascinating and scintillatingly written nonetheless. Though Qi'ra does much of the talking, Leia only needs a few words to show that Soule understands her top to bottom. The same goes for Rosanas, who captures Carrie Fisher's expressive cynicism beautifully.
The conversation also yields a flashback sequence to Han and Qi'ra's childhood, before the events of Solo, living under the command of Lady Proxima. It's only a handful of pages, but it has real impact on the issue, leading to a somewhat ambiguous conclusion to the conversation which leaves us wondering what Qi'ra might be capable of when it comes to twisting the truth and manipulating events to her own ends, something which Soule will almost surely expand upon in Crimson Reign.
By its very nature, Star Wars is massive in scale, and is only getting bigger and bigger as more movies, Disney+ shows, books and, of course, comics fill the pipeline and promise to further develop and intertwine the beloved characters that are spread throughout the galaxy. With that in mind, an event like War of the Bounty Hunters is a natural fit, and these final parts live up to that promise, whilst offering a real variety of styles, tones, and approaches – from chaotic dog fights in the depths of space to hushed, private character-defining conversations, from dark droid workshops to inhospitable ice planets, the sheer scope of just these 4 issues out of the complete 34 is seriously impressive and pure Star Wars.
Taken as a whole, War of the Bounty Hunters has been just that from the very start – the depth and scale of the storytelling, balancing both action and character, humour and high stakes, dark and light, across multiple writers and artists whilst remaining cohesive (aside from the occasional issue where the release schedule doesn't seem to match the reading order) is an incredible feat. The inevitable arm-straining omnibus will make for a thrilling read to be devoured in one greedy sitting.
Review by Nathan Harrison
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Author wowcomixnewsPosted on December 15, 2021 Categories Features, Reviews, Star WarsTags Article, Blog, Boba Fett, Bounty Hunter, Charles Soule, Comic, Comic Art, Comic Book, Conclusion, Darth Vader, Greg Pak, Han Solo, IG-88, Luke Ross, Luke Skywalker, Marvel, Raffaele Ienco, Ramon Rosanas, Review, Roundup, Star Wars, Warofthebountyhunters, WowComixWorld
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Home › Podcast › The New Normal in IT
The New Normal in IT
By Rick Pastore and Gregory Smith
The Hackett Group Senior Research Director Rick Pastore talks with American Kidney Fund CIO Gregory Smith about his new book "The New Normal in IT: How the Global Pandemic Changed IT Forever".
To begin, Rick asks Gregory to share his motivation behind writing his most recent book. Initially, he had written about the topic of the pandemic's impact on companies. His wife recommended he expand on the idea of the article and write a book. As an academic and intellectual, Gregory believes in continual learning and chasing knowledge. He feels it is his obligation to help educate the next generation of IT and business leaders, which is a key reason as to why he wrote the book. In the times of government shutdowns, technology organizations were the real lifeline keeping companies running smoothly. The well-deserved recognition of IT, Gregory explains, had two key long lasting effects. First, is working through the positives and negatives of a corporate remote work environment. Second is the focus on the significantly hostile cyber security environment. Cybersecurity attacks have increased significantly on various industries, combined with the challenge of revenue reductions, remote work environments and company culture changes.
In terms of the future of the workforce, Gregory has observed diverging strategies and opinions taking place. While the old guard CEOs want to go back to normal, the employees want to stay remote. It can be summed into a labor vs. non labor battle and the employees will likely win. The term "work from anywhere", however, really doesn't apply when it comes to security. Technology CIOs as a whole are comfortable with where they are and where they're going. Gregory predicts KPIs will change to determine if companies are as effective as they can be when working in this new hybrid work environment. Many companies are recognizing the benefits of decreased operational costs as a benefit of the work from home model.
Thanks to the pandemic, the pressure for digital acceleration to drive innovation is now even higher. To sum it up in one single phrase, Gregory states that software rules the world. Now that companies are employing remote workers from all over the world, they will have to adapt to different tools and skill sets to facilitate collaboration. Collaboration software has grown at an exponential rate. Gregory believes that when we are challenged as a society is when we do our best. The pandemic has forced society, corporations, and professionals to ask the harder questions and work together to resolve them. In the future, collaboration suites will be even more effective.
Based on Hackett's recent survey of 1,000 companies worldwide, the average percentage of technology infrastructure in the cloud is 40%. Prior to the pandemic, there was a good security model in place for the 3 main cloud models: infrastructure, software, and platform. The pandemic revealed an evolution of the digital cloud path starting to take off. The gradual shift for companies moving to the cloud is likely due to the infancy of these cloud models.
Next, Gregory reveals the findings which came as a surprise during his research, including the diverging strategies between senior corporate executives and staff. He also speaks to the backfire of vaccine mandates on supply and demand resources trying to fight the pandemic in the first place. He advises CIOs on how they can lead in today's ever shifting environment. Most importantly they should remain honest with themselves, their CIOs and employees about the future and plan for disruptions on a variable basis. As the episode ends, he offers advice for new CIOs.
0:58 – Welcome to this episode, hosted by Rick Pastore alongside guest Gregory S. Smith.
3:01 – The inspiration behind Gregory's new book.
4:21 – The long-lasting impacts of the pandemic on IT.
7:19 – Overall business remote workforce trends.
11:40 – The feelings of CIOs around the effectiveness of a work from anywhere model.
16:00 – Who is really responsible for company culture?
18:04 – The pressure of digital acceleration for innovation and the rise of collaboration software.
24:28 – Why haven't more organizations moved to the cloud?
29:28 – Unexpected findings in Gregory's research.
34:50 – How can a CIO lead in this shifting environment?
35:51 – Gregory's advice for new CIOs.
Rick Pastore
Developing transformation research, tools and content for IT leaders
Book – The New Normal in IT: How the Global Pandemic Changed Information Technology Forever Show Notes Transcript
Procurement – Insights from The Hackett Group's 2022 Key Issues Study
Finance – Insights from The Hackett Group's 2022 Key Issues Study
Supply Chain – Insights from The Hackett Group's 2022 Key Issues Study
Let us know what you think about this episode by emailing podcast@thehackettgroup.com!
Thriving in Adversity: Seven Actions to Take Now
How Financial Institutions Can Use Technology to Improve the Customer Experience
Hackett Excelleration Matrix™
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Thus the reader is forced by the writer into uncomfortable depths, but is accompanied and supported by the stories, which act as mirrors to his or her own experience. The word experience, as the author points out, means literally "from peril," so in all the stories the actors face dangerous situations in which their characters will be sorely tested. Some leaders, like the captain in Joseph Conrad's short story "The Secret Sharer," pass the test as they step up to the responsibility of leadership. Others, such as Louis Auchincloss's Tony Lowder in I Come as a Thief, are destroyed by the experience.
This unusual book will appeal to reflective managers who may be tired of the formulaic "answers" found in so much management writing. Questions of Character shows how it is possible, through the creative use of the Socratic method, to build the feeling of a personal encounter into a management book.
If you are about to take on a new leadership position in an organization, you might want to look at The New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan, by management consultants George Bradt, Jayme A. Check, and Jorge Pedraza, who specialize in helping managers make a transition from one assignment to another.
The book is divided into three parts — what you should do before accepting a new role, the 100-day action plan itself, and the later, ongoing adjustments to the inevitable surprises, avoiding the most common mistakes, and building loyalty, trust, and commitment. Simple frameworks for applying the ideas in the book are appended to most of the chapters, and forms laying out timetables and other sorts of organization are also available online, where they can be customized.
The concepts themselves are plain vanilla — part and parcel of every Management 101 course — but they fit well with the book's short-term focus on the individual taking a new position. The book has three strengths: The first is the emphasis the authors place on being active well before Day One; the second is the anecdotes that accompany the concepts; and the last is the importance placed on the use of symbols and contexts.
The authors contend that, at all costs, you must avoid walking into the new job on Day One and doing what the incumbent leaders say you must do. By working hard during the "fuzzy front end," you can ensure that the risks of taking the new position are assessed from three vantage points: those of the organization, your role in it, and you personally. Much of this work is best done even while considering the opportunity, as it's much easier to walk away before you've accepted an offer. Once the job is yours, further work is required to ensure that you "take control of Day One" and make a powerful first impression with actions that support your agenda. This is where the thoughtful choice of locations (e.g., which of your division's offices you visit), signs (e.g., how you dress), and symbols (e.g., who you talk to) counts; bear in mind that acts of omission may speak louder than actions taken. Of course, if you haven't done your homework before Day One, you won't have an agenda and your actions may be only distantly related to what will become the organizational priorities.
The ideas in The New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan will be familiar to most managers, and the book is probably best suited to young managers taking a leadership role for the first time. More seasoned veterans, however, might find it a helpful aide-mémoire.
Software expert Bob Seidensticker began his research into technology change during an eight-year stint at Microsoft. In Future Hype: The Myths of Technology Change, he offers a balanced, historical perspective that is a useful antidote to the widespread, often uncritical hype about the pace of and prospects for such change.
Of the nine myths he debunks, the first two are the inevitability of exponential change — with change always increasing at progressively greater rates — and the predetermined success of new technologies. He makes it clear that, even for successful innovations, the rate of change usually follows the S-shaped logistics curve, with long lags between invention and takeoff and with extended bursts of growth followed by declines. Markets may become saturated, consumers may be unable to make use of additional features, there may be social resistance to the new technology, or innovations may fail for many other reasons. Although an exponential process — Moore's Law — governs the rate at which the power of the microprocessor grows, doubling every 18 months, improvements in the functionality of computers have not advanced correspondingly. Ten years from now, with supercomputer equivalents on our desktops, it's likely we'll still be coping with spam in our e-mail inboxes.
The fact is that humankind has long used technology to satisfy its essential physical needs — clothing, shelter, heat, safe food and water, health, and safety — and the latest technologies cater to higher-level but less critical needs. The author illustrates this with a helpful pyramidal diagram based on Abraham Maslow's well-known hierarchy of human needs. Although many of the individual observations about technological change have been made in the past by others (which simply reinforces the author's point about the value of old information), it is helpful to have all that curmudgeonly skepticism combined here into a coherent single book.
Leadership skills are best developed on the job through particular kinds of experience — tough assignments, significant bosses, and hardships. In The G Quotient: Why Gay Executives Are Excelling as Leaders…and What Every Manager Needs to Know, teacher and consultant Kirk Snyder suggests that another kind of experience unexpectedly develops leadership skills: the gay experience. He asks us to look beyond any attitudes we might have about homosexual orientation to focus on his research, which suggests that gay executives who have publicly acknowledged their sexuality create workplaces where people feel much more engaged in their work activities.
Mr. Snyder identifies seven principles for developing the skills of "G Quotient Leadership," or leadership with the kind of sensitivity that encourages engagement and participation. These principles are inclusion, creativity, adaptability, connectivity, communication, intuition, and collaboration. He gives us examples of how gay executives use each of these principles in practice and why each is important to engage any employee in his team and his work. Job satisfaction and workplace morale are much higher for gay employees than they are for the average employee nationally, according to his research.
Mr. Snyder's vehicle for presenting his research is a two-part book that outlines the seven principles plus 10 aspects of "G Quotient" leadership that are important to all managers. (The appendix contains instruments for assessing one's own G Quotient together with averages and ranges of scores for both straight and gay populations of men and women.) In discussing the 10 key takeaways for managers, the author suggests that G Quotient leadership shares a systems-oriented view of the workplace that resonates on a larger scale with philosophies like Taoism. This type of leadership is both objective and subjective, and emphasizes experiential learning over planning.
Thus, G Quotient leaders are often found in the trenches, leading through inspiration and focusing on the positive characteristics of employees. In this essentially entrepreneurial process, G Quotient leaders understand and value themselves, for they have had to come to terms with themselves in often painful ways. Trusting and knowing themselves helps them trust others. Mr. Snyder contends that this leadership style constitutes a competitive advantage for those, whether gay or straight, who will be leading Generation Y in the 21st century.


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Alessi Bakery is a historic bakery and restaurant in Tampa, Florida. Offering desserts, sandwiches, soups, and breads, the family operated bakery has been in business for more than 100 years. It was founded in 1912 by Nicolo Alessi. The business is incorporated as Phil's Cake Box Bakeries. Take-out, dine-in and catering are offered. The bakery also sells wholesale and opened a $20 million 100,000-square-foot bakery plant off Waters Avenue in Town 'N Country, Florida in 2008.

In 2012 the bakery filed for bankruptcy. It remains open.

In May 2018, the long-time owner of Alessi Bakery, Phil Alessi, died. He had inherited the business from his father, John Alessi, and had an instrumental role in the company's expansion, opening a 100,000 sq.ft. facility in Northwest Tampa to sell their products nationally.

References

1912 establishments in Florida
Bakeries of the United States
Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2012
Restaurants established in 1912
Restaurants in Tampa, Florida

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The Mobile Friendly Update is Now Active - Are You Ready?
Google is constantly updating its search engine algorithms, which is one of the reasons why SEO tactics are always changing. However, every once in a while, Google will carry out a larger than normal update that can have a significant effect on the rankings of websites all over the world.
Google recently announced details of its next large algorithm update, which aims to display more mobile friendly websites in the search results. Compared to previous updates, this announcement was made in advance, giving web masters time to carry out improvements to their sites.
The updates have since come into effect, so if you have not yet prepared your website, here is a guide to what you need to know to ensure you are not negatively affected by the changes.
The latest Google update is focused on ensuring that more mobile friendly sites show up in the search results when people are searching using a mobile device. It will also aim to display more relevant app content, showing content from indexed apps for users who are signed into the app.
The update started to roll out on April 21, 2015 – the date widely referred to in recent weeks as Mobilegeddon – but it was announced earlier. Many website owners took the opportunity to prepare for the changes in advance, but you can still make changes to your own website to make it more friendly and avoid risking a drop in your search rankings.
Checking whether your website is mobile friendly in the eyes of Google is relatively simple to do. Start by going to the Mobile Friendly Test and typing in the URL of one of your webpages. You will then be informed whether the website has a mobile-friendly design or not.
If your website is considered mobile friendly, that's good news. It means you should not be affected by the algorithm changes, so there is little you need to do.
As well as checking pages on your website, you can also check the mobile friendliness of your whole site. You can do this by going to your Webmaster Tools account and using the Mobile Usability Report. This will highlight any potentially problematic issues that your site has, and you can then make the necessary improvements.
After checking whether your website is mobile friendly according to Google, you may find that it is not properly optimised for mobile visitors. If this is the case, there may be a number of steps that you need to take to improve your site. Ideally, you will want to get these fixed as soon as possible.
If you have not come across any particular issues, but you now see that your site's ranking has been affected in the search results, this could also indicate that something is not right.
You may be able to make the necessary changes yourself, but this may only be possible if you know exactly what you have to do. If you don't, it may be worth hiring a professional SEO service like Perth's White Chalk Road SEO to go over your site and help you to make the updates so that your SEO won't be affected.
Do You Really Need to Update Your Website?
It's important to remember that the latest algorithm change will only affect searches made from mobile devices, and that your search rankings should not be affected for searches made from desktops. If you do not receive a great deal of mobile traffic and your business does not depend on it, you may be wondering whether you should bother to update your site to make it more mobile friendly.
While it is true that your normal rankings for people searching on a desktop should not be affected, now is still a good time to make sure your mobile website is optimised. Even if mobile makes up a small amount of your traffic for now – and you can check if this is the case using your Google Analytics account – it could well become more important for you in the future.
In addition, there is no saying that Google won't in the future decide that mobile friendliness will become a ranking factor in desktop searches as well as mobile searches, so it is in your interests to make sure your site is optimised for both desktops and mobiles. Check out the detailed Moz guide on the update for more information advice on what you can do about it to ensure you are not affected by Mobilegeddon.
By announcing the update in advance, Google provided website owners with time to get their sites into shape to avoid experiencing problems. Now that the update has come into effect, take the opportunity to go over your website and make any necessary improvements to avoid dropping in the mobile search results.
Sorcha Mullis is a SEO specialist. She enjoys sharing her marketing insights online. Look for her articles on many business and marketing websites.


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Essay competition
Kathleen Grattan Award
Landfall Review Online
New Zealand books in review
Bridgehead and Beacon
Simon Cunliffe
Dawn Raids by Oscar Kightley (Playmarket, Victoria University Press, 2017), 103 pp., $18
Twenty years on from its premiere in 1997, and more than 40 from the events it depicts, Oscar Kightley's seminal play, Dawn Raids, continues to resonate – and perhaps for more than the obvious reasons.
The raids, a shameful episode in this country's history, were initiated under the Labour government of Norman Kirk from about 1973 and carried out with renewed zeal by the National government of Robert Muldoon from 1975. They were aimed at finding and repatriating Pacific Islanders who had overstayed their work permit visas. The searches were typically executed in the early hours of the morning and were carried out by immigration officials and squads of police with dogs. Pasifika people were woken from their beds, randomly stopped in the street or singled out at their work places, and asked to show proof of identity and immigration status. Those failing to produce the requisite paperwork were deemed to be 'overstayers' and summarily deported. [Read more…]
Filed Under: arts and culture, maori and pacific, plays
Serious in Intent, Playful in Manner
April 1, 2018 Leave a Comment
Simone Oettli-van Delden
Sleeps Standing Moetū by Witi Ihimaera with Hēmi Kelly (Vintage, 2017), 221 pp., $35
This book defies simple definition. Its inputs are multiple. Primarily it is a book about the Battle of Ōrākau, the final and decisive onslaught of the Waikato land wars, in which 300 Māori men, women and children are estimated to have fought with outstanding bravery against 1700 or more British Imperial troops. The Māori warriors withstood constant bombardment by artillery for three days, from 31 March to 2 April 1864. Witi Ihimaera adds a contemporary touch by having the narrator Papa Rua and his sister, Hūhana, recount the tale to their nephew, a young Māori named Simon who lives in Australia and is keen to hear stories about his ancestors. Simon is particularly interested in Moetū, a nineteenth-century sixteen-year-old boy from the Rongowhakaata Iwi in Tūranga (Gisborne), because he and his pregnant wife want to name their unborn son after him. [Read more…]
Filed Under: fiction, history, maori and pacific
Radical Acts of Transgression
Black Marks on the White Page, edited by Witi Ihimaera and Tina Makereti (Penguin Random House, 2017), 336 pp., $40
You can certainly judge a book by its cover, in this case. On the dust jacket of Black Marks on the White Page, starkly smudged in black and white, James Ormsby has depicted a marvellous indigenous historical panorama, incorporating a Pacific vista wider than the terms 'Oceania' or the so-called 'Australasia' might denote. I was also impressed by the stories and tales inside, sprawled across the white pages like internecine moko; they are universally compelling reading, both for their content and for the ways in which they are written. Almost all articulate distinctive indigenous Pasifika voices in refreshing refrains. Some are especially brilliant. [Read more…]
Filed Under: fiction, maori and pacific, poetry
Tracing One Iwi's Carving Style
Andrew Paul Wood
A Whakapapa of Tradition: One hundred years of Ngāti Porou carving, 1830–1930 by Ngarino Ellis with new photography by Natalie Robertson (Auckland University Press, 2016), 304 pp., $69.99
The arrival of Pākehā in Aotearoa was not a good thing for Māori whakairo taonga; vide the denuded whare of Ngāpuhi, their carved ancestors deemed pagan and too sensual by prudish missionaries. The more discerning Victorians castrated such carvings with hammer and chisel, which echoes down the ages as recently as 2010 when a local became distressed on a visit with his four children to Te Parapara Garden at the renowned Hamilton Gardens, when confronted by the symbolically heroic scale of the graven genitalia on display. Oh dear. Even carvings in the nation's museums as late as the mid-twentieth century weren't safe, and were given a generous coating of red enamel paint in the run-up to special occasions like royal visits. [Read more…]
Filed Under: arts and culture, history, maori and pacific
Ask that Mountain
Gerry Te Kapa Coates
Te Whiti O Rongomai and the Resistance of Parihaka by Danny Keenan (Huia Publishers, 2015), 275 pp., $45
It is some time since I read Dick Scott's Ask That Mountain, so Danny Keenan's book is a welcome refresher, informed as it is by his ancestry, contacts and biography of Te Whiti in the Dictionary of NZ Biography. It is a readable, inspiring but ultimately sad tale about how colonial power and injustice was imposed on Māori. The book is well illustrated by present-day images of Parihaka, and a beautiful 1903 painting of Te Whiti by the artist and photographer James McDonald. The book starts slowly with a chapter on origins and whakapapa, and then gathers momentum. There are some minor quibbles regarding absences in the index and not quite enough mentions of dates to allow the reader to get a sense of chronological progress, but nevertheless this is a welcome addition to the canon of work on our greatest peaceful warrior, whose mana regarding 'passive resistance' equals that of Gandhi. [Read more…]
Filed Under: history, maori and pacific
Portals into Possibility
Octavia Cade on The Absolute Book by Elizabeth Knox
A Cultural Journey
Shirley Simmonds on Te Kōparapara, eds Michael Reilly et al
Sailing into the Wind
Tom Brooking on 100 Days that Mapped a Nation by Graeme Lay
Small Fictions to Un-bugger the World
Rushi Vyas on Where We Land by Tim Jones; The Everrumble by Michelle Elvy(Ad Hoc Fiction, 2019); Soul Etchings by Sandra Arnold
The Architecture of Grief
Lynn Davidson on Lost and Somewhere Else by Jenny Bornholdt; Moth Hour by Anne Kennedy; The Grief Almanac by Vana Manasiadis
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ANZ Business Micro Scope is a quarterly report which captures the views of New Zealand businesses employing 20 or fewer staff.
Small business confidence has reached record highs in Canterbury, the wider South Island and Wellington, according to ANZ's quarterly Business Micro Scope survey of small firms.
Small business confidence improved for a sixth consecutive quarter to touch a new high in the three months to March, according to ANZ's quarterly Business Micro Scope survey of small firms.
Finding the right skills key to expansion, say upbeat small firms.


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MRE Books and Automotive Publications
The 16 Best Action Spy Books
January 5, 2023 by Joanne
If you're looking for the best action spy books to buy online, look no further than this compiled list. We've gathered together a selection of books that are sure to please, whether you're looking.
So what are you waiting for? Start browsing and find your next great read today!
Our Favorite action spy books:
Agent Zero (an Agent Zero Spy Thriller-Book #1)
Mars, Jack (Author)
366 Pages - 08/16/2019 (Publication Date) - Lukeman Literary Management, Limited (Publisher)
Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman (Actors)
Timur Bekmambetov (Director) - Michael Brandt (Producer)
The Spy (An Isaac Bell Adventure)
Cussler, Clive (Author)
560 Pages - 05/31/2011 (Publication Date) - G.P. Putnam's Sons (Publisher)
Spy School Project X
Gibbs, Stuart (Author)
352 Pages - 09/06/2022 (Publication Date) - Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (Publisher)
James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell (Actors)
Jeff Fowler (Director) - Pat Casey (Writer) - Neal H. Moritz (Producer)
English (Playback Languages)
Hot Spy for Hire (Hot for Hire Book 3)
Johnson, Cat (Author)
The Kane Chronicles, Book One: The Red Pyramid
Riordan, Rick (Author)
529 Pages - 04/28/2010 (Publication Date) - Disney Hyperion (Publisher)
Spy Ski School (Spy School)
384 Pages - 10/10/2017 (Publication Date) - S&S Books for Young Readers (Publisher)
Reilly - Ace of Spies
At the turn of the 20th century, one remarkable man single-handedly tried to alter the course of history. Cold, ruthless, enigmatic, this Russian-born British agent radically transformed modern espionage techniques and set the mold for a new kind of secret agent-the super spy. Reilly: Ace Of Spies is the thrilling, suspenseful dramatization of the real-life adventures of Agent ST-1, aka Sidney Rei
Sam Neill, Michael Bryant, Norman Rodway (Actors)
| (Director)
Audience Rating: Unrated (Not Rated)
Spy School Top Secret Collection: Spy School; Spy Camp; Evil Spy School; Spy Ski School; Spy School Secret Service
1776 Pages - 10/16/2018 (Publication Date) - Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (Publisher)
Sunny Days Entertainment Surveillance Kit – Kids Spy Toy | Electronic Motion Sensor Device for Spying | Binoculars and Bright Flashlight with Microphone - Maxx Action
SUPER SPY BINOCULARS: Spot your enemies before they spot you! Your handy spy binoculars are perfect for secretly snooping around at the scene of the crime! 2.5x26 power zoom allows you to explore clues from far away, and an adjustable strap ensures that your binoculars are always within reach when duty calls!
MOTION SENSOR ALARM: Turn on your motion sensor with the flip of a switch, and place it near classified evidence to keep it safe! When the sensor picks up any motion, an alert sound goes off to notify you. This sneaky gadget allows you to detect suspicious activity and catch the criminal in the act every time!
SOUND DETECTION MICROPHONE: Listen in on conversations and collect key information with the ultimate eavesdropping tool! Comes with a belt clip for hands-free listening while you search for clues!
LED FLASHLIGHT: Don't let the dark stop you from completing your secret agent missions! Use your LED flashlight to uncover and analyze clues day and night!
IMAGINATIVE PLAY: Encourage curiosity by letting kids explore their imagination with exciting, crime-stopping fun! Pretend spy play allows future detectives to develop strong thinking, learning, and problem-solving skills, all while they're having a blast!
Chris Pratt, Constance Wu, Taylor Kitsch (Actors)
Ellen Kuras (Director) - David DiGilio (Writer) - Chris Pratt (Producer)
Portuguese, Russian, Italian, Bokmål Norwegian, Finnish (Playback Languages)
Portuguese, Russian, Italian, Bokmål Norwegian, Finnish (Subtitles)
More Music From The Motion Picture Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Audio CD – Audiobook
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
10/26/1999 (Publication Date) - Maverick (Publisher)
Spy Ninjas Official Graphic Novel: Virtual Reality Madness!
Vannotes (Author)
128 Pages - 09/06/2022 (Publication Date) - Graphix (Publisher)
Totally Spies: Total Swamp Romp (PC & Mac)
Help save the day in 2 unique adventures with this fun learning game
9 interactive challenges; 3 difficulty levels increase playability
Enforces strategic thinking, problem solving, geometry, and math
Entertaining games with beautiful graphics
2 32-page puzzle books included; for ages 7 to 10
Meta Quest 2 — Advanced All-In-One Virtual Reality Headset — 128 GB
Keep your experience smooth and seamless, even as high speed action unfolds around you with a super-fast processor and high-resolution display.
Experience total immersion with 3D positional audio, hand tracking and haptic feedback, working together to make virtual worlds feel real.
Explore an expanding universe of over 350 titles across gaming, fitness, social/multiplayer and entertainment, including exclusive blockbuster releases and totally unique VR experiences.
Travel universes in blockbuster fantasies, scare yourself witless in horror adventures or collaborate with colleagues in innovative workspaces.
Come together in incredible social spaces and multiplayer arenas as you take in live events with friends and family, find your new workout crew or join quests with fellow adventurers.
When it comes to buying action spy books, there are a few things you need to keep in mind in order to get the best possible deal. The first thing you need to do is set a budget for yourself. Decide how much money you are willing to spend on a book before you start shopping. This will help you narrow down your choices and make sure you don't overspend. Keep in mind that many stores offer discounts for purchasing multiple books at once. So, if you're looking to buy more than one book, it's definitely worth checking the store's discount policy.
Another option to get the best deal on action spy books is to wait for sales. Major retailers will often have sales on popular titles a few times per year. By waiting for a sale, you can usually get a book at a significantly lower price than the regular retail price.
Finally, it is important to think about where you will be reading the book. If you plan on reading the book primarily at home, then it does not make sense to spend a lot of money on a hardcover edition. However, if you plan on traveling with the book or taking it to the beach, then spending a bit more money on a durable edition makes sense.
Here are a few tips to help you buy the best action spy books:
Look for well-reviewed action spy books. Checking out what other readers have said about a book can give you a good idea of whether it's worth your time. You can find reviews online or in newspapers and magazines.
Consider the author's reputation. If you're familiar with an author's other work and liked it, there's a good chance you'll enjoy their new book.
Think about what you want to get out of the book. If you're looking for a light read, something funny, or a book that will make you think, you can narrow down your options by looking for books that fit those descriptions.
Check the price. Sometimes, you can find great deals on new action spy books. But be careful of cheaply made books, they might not be worth your money.
Take a look at the return policy. Some online stores will not accept returns on certain items, so it's important to know what the policy is before buying anything.
Ask for recommendations. Talk to your friends, family, and fellow book lovers to see if they have any suggestions.
By doing all of these things, you can be sure that you're getting the best possible deal on action spy books when you shop online.
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This page provides Syria GDP Constant Prices current values, historical data and charts. Syria GDP Constant Prices is updated Yearly, is measured in SYP Million and is calculated by Central Bank Of Syria. AssetMacro Database holds data for the indicator Syria GDP Constant Prices since 2001.
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The Education Department of AKTU has published the official notification as per which online applications are invited from the candidates seeking admissions in Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University U.P. To be more precise, applications are being invited for admissions of candidates into B. Tech./B.Arch./B.Des./B.Pharm./BHMCT/BFAD/BFA/MBA/MBA (Integrated) /MCA/MCA (Integrated) & 2nd Year of B. Tech./B.Pharm./MCA courses. For this purpose, the University conducts an Entrance exam known as UPSEE (Uttar Pradesh State Entrance Examination). Online Application form are invited from 23rd January 2019 to 15th March 2019.
As per the official notification, AKTU UPSEE Applications are being invited the UPSEE examination from 23rd Jan 2019 to 15th March 2019. All the important information regarding the UPSEE examination, Courses offered by the AKTU University as well as the admission procedure is being displayed here. However, before applying for the Entrance exam, candidates should check the required eligibility conditions for various courses that are being required for admissions in AKTU University. The UPSEE entrance 2019 Examination shall be held on 21-04-2019.
The main thing is that this year 20 percent of the seats have been reserved for all the students of another states.
For admissions in First year of Undergraduate or Post graduate integrated courses, the candidates must have passed the 10+2 level examinations scoring at least 45% marks from U.P. Board or any other equivalent Educational board.
For admissions in First year of Post graduate, the candidates must have passed the graduation scoring at least 50% marks from a recognized University.
For more information regarding the eligibility conditions, the candidates can visit the official Information Brochure of U.P. State Entrance exam, a link of which is given at the end of this article.
Hereby all the information regarding the UPSEE entrance exam dates, exam scheme, the admission procedure and the counseling process/seat allotment has been described for our esteemed candidates.
The eligible candidates will be issued Admit cards for UPSEE entrance exam 15 days before the commencement of exam.
The candidate would have to download their admit cards from the official website of upsee.nic.in.
The candidates have to provide the password and the registration number/roll number that was generated at the time of Online Application.
A link will appear for the download of Admit card/ hall ticket.
Every candidate have to download this admit card and take it with themselves at the exam center.
It has been notified that the result of UPSEE Exam will be declared in the first week of June 2019. Based on the marks scored by candidates in UPSEE exam 2019 merit list will be created for admission of candidates' in B. Tech./B.Arch./B.Des./B.Pharm./BHMCT/BFAD/BFA/MBA/MBA (Integrated) /MCA/MCA (Integrated) & 2nd Year of B. Tech./B.Pharm./MCA courses. Based on the ranks being obtained in the merit list, the candidates will be called for counseling Round/seat allotment. The result and counseling dates will be provided to the candidates through the official website of aktu.ac.in.
As soon as the UPSEE exam results are being published by the A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, there counseling process will be started. It is being expected that the counseling/allotment of seats will take place tentatively in the month of June 2019. The counseling process will be hosted by Central Admission Board (CAB) and under this; the candidates will be called for verification of documents.


Here at Herongate Dental, our regular oral and dental health examination is designed to detect any problems as soon as possible and therefore minimise intervention in the long term.
A full examination is more than just checking the teeth (although we do that too!) Every examination involves checking the structures of the jaws, chin and neck. We then check the soft parts of the mouth for Oral Cancer, before assessing the teeth and gums.
If necessary, we then use low dose radiation digital X-rays to further examine the teeth.
To ensure that we meet your needs, the practice has developed an extensive, routine oral and dental health examination to provide the best in care. Written reports can be requested if required by you.


text:
Q: How to incorporate this script into build process using VC++ I'm using VC++ and want to write a script that can scan my source-code and at some places where it sees a text like "abc" then extract characters of that text and generate a selective piece of code like ones below at build time:
first example of a piece of code :
Func1(a);
Func2(b);
Func3(c);

second example of a piece of code:
{'a','b','c'}

I want to incorporate the script into build process as somebody has told me it is possible but don't know how, please tell how.

A: In the project properties of Visual Studio, you will have the option "Pre-Build Event" and "Post-Build Event".
At these configurations you can input programs that should be executed before and after your build. You can use project variables to identify your solution folder, project folder, binary, etc. If you are using a recent version of Visual Studio, there is a button below the text box that give you access to those variables.
Make sure that whatever you call at this configuration would be executed from the shell environment (cmd), otherwise you will receive a build error. Scripts will probably required that you input a call to the interpreter and pass the file as a parameter.
For example, let's say I need to run a Python script before I build my code. I would configure the Pre-Build Event as:
c:\python\python myscript.py

One good advice is to use DOS Batch files (.bat) to wrap around whatever you need to run and add those to your build events. There are plenty of tutorials over the net on how to create bat files, and they are fairly simple.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Science of Sci-Fi
NASA Awards SpaceX $69M Contract to Attempt to 'Redirect' Asteroid
K.S. Anthony
Tuesday, 16 April 2019 - 1:28PM
Despite an admission last year that it may be impossible to stop the 8.8 ton asteroid Bennu from annihilating life on Earth, the perennial optimists at NASA have nevertheless granted SpaceX a $69 million contract to assist in the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), intended to save Earth from interstellar armageddon. The test, tentatively scheduled for June 2021, will have Elon's Musketeers crashing a kinetic impactor – in this case, a spacecraft equipped with cameras and solar panels – into a small moonlet accompanying Didymos, an 800-meter-long near-Earth asteroid. NASA notes that the moonlet, dubbed "Didymoon" by scientists, "is more typical of the size of asteroids that could pose a more common hazard to Earth" than its massive chaperone.
(NASA)
The goal, NASA says, is to launch the DART spacecraft atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that will then make its way to Didymos and Didymoon to attempt to alter the latter's trajectory in a rehearsal for what could one day be a high-stakes game of cosmic bumper cars. "By using solar electric propulsion," NASA says, "DART will intercept the asteroid Didymos' small moon in October 2022, when the asteroid will be within 11 million kilometers of Earth." Meanwhile, Earthlings will watch with bated breath. "The collision will change the speed of the moonlet in its orbit around the main body by a fraction of one percent," NASA promises, "enough to be measured using telescopes on Earth."
Should the test prove successful, it could pave the way for the development of similar tactics intended for larger targets. Should it fail, then we'd better figure out a new plan because eventually some massive asteroid is going to get lucky. Given NASA's inability to detect some of these falling objects until they've already struck Earth, we can at least rest assured that the deep impact will likely be over before we have time to worry about it.
Release the Kraken! Scientists Finally Sequence Giant Squid Genome
'Closest Multi-Planetary System To Us' – Light Signals Observed From Potential Super-Earth Just 4 Light-Years Away
'Strange Metals' – Scientists Observe Quantum Entanglement In 'Billions of Billions' of Ytterbium Electrons
SpaceX Blows Up Falcon 9 Rocket Worth $57 Million To Prove A Point In Latest Crew Dragon Capsule Test
Welcome Home: SpaceX Crew Dragon Capsule Safely Returns to Earth
History Made As SpaceX Crew Dragon Successfully Docks at ISS
How Donald Trump's U.S. Government Shutdown Is Hurting Scientific Research
NASA Says You Will Never See Elon Musk Smoking Marijuana Again
NASA Investigating SpaceX After Elon Musk's Marijuana Reference
A Stalker's Dream: Startup Scraped Billions of Images From Social Media for Facial Recognition AI
The European Space Energy Is Creating Pure Oxygen out of Moon Dust
Final Countdown for NASA's Contest to Name 2020 Mars Rover – Find Out What the Names Are, Plus: Where to Vote Here


text:
Kassian admits he's 'underachieved,' doesn't like hearing the trade rumors
By Jason BroughDec 22, 2014, 1:15 PM EST
Zack Kassian is aware of the trade rumors, and he's not particularly happy about them.
"You never like to hear that," the big Canucks winger told The Province newspaper this weekend. "I love to play for Vancouver. Is it true? I don't know. I know I've underachieved so far and from being the guy I was last year for the last stretch of the season."
Kassian, currently out of the lineup with a finger injury, has just two goals in 17 games. The Canucks had hoped prior to the season that the 23-year-old could play in the top six, a hope that was buoyed after he finished last season with 12 points in his last 17 games.
Another potential factor in all this is Kassian's off-ice conduct. Remember that the previous management regime in Vancouver had to talk to him about "being a professional away from the rink," and the current general manager, former Bruins assistant GM Jim Benning, was the one who uttered the phrase, "We're not babysitters," about Tyler Seguin.
Granted, there's no evidence that Kassian's professionalism has been an issue this season, and the Canucks would certainly be taking a risk if they traded him away. Many have noted the similarities between Kassian and former Vancouver power forward Todd Bertuzzi, who didn't hit his stride until after the Islanders traded the "23-year-old underachiever."


Basic: The pilot completes the Basic theory exam and practices on his own using the training videos.
Beginner: The pilot completes the Basic theory exam, and attends the one day Introductory training course.
Advance: The pilot completes the Basic theory exam and attends the one day Introductory training course at a Flyability Training Center. During this day the pilot completes a set of defined exercises.
OR, the pilot participates in a Specialized Training Course.
Expert: The pilot completes the Basic theory exam and attends the one day Introductory training course at a Flyability Training Center. During this day the pilot completes a set of defined exercises within a set time limit.


text:
Turkish Strongman Frustrates Allies
May 8, 2015 by Orlando Montoya
You might recall President Barack Obama's first overseas trip shortly after he was sworn into office in 2009. Memorably, his travels included a visit to Turkey.
There, amid all the symbolism of Istanbul, he characterized the Muslim nation as a shining example of how Islam and democracy can go hand-in-hand.
A lot has changed since then. Turkey's economy has boomed and busted, its government has cast off democratic principles and its president has taken shots at the United States.
Dr. Yale Ferguson, a graduate fellow and emeritus professor of global affairs at Rutgers University in Newark, puts these changes into context in this 38 minute podcast.
Recorded at the May program of the Savannah Council on World Affairs, he discussed whether Turkey's relations with the U.S. and Europe would improve or continue to sour.
"Much will depend on whether Turkey is seen as an indispensible Western ally and a bastion of relative stability," he says. "You don't want to make long-range predictions."
Ferguson went down a catalog of strains between Turkey and the West. But many of the problems stem from the highly combustible Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
First swept into the prime minister's office with great promise in 2003, he's walked down an autocrat's path. He's jailed journalists, bullied the judiciary and stifled the media.
"For several years now, Turkey has had this not very desirable distinction of jailing more journalists than any other country in the world," Ferguson says.
Voters nonetheless made him the country's first popularly elected president in 2014, in large part because the country's GDP tripled during the first part of his leadership.
"His plan now is to have the constitution changed to make the president rather than the prime minister as it is now the country's most powerful political figure," Ferguson says.
These shades of Russia's Vladimir Putin won't win him any allies in Brussels. Turkey's long dream to become part of the European Union now seem very distant indeed.
Ferguson says Europe's chill toward Ankara is only partly based on Turkey's slide from democracy. The West is also concerned about a potential backdoor from the East.
"There are concerns about Turkey's role as a country of transit," Ferguson says. "That would lead to a flood of immigration from other countries than Turkey."
Turkey also sits in a very unstable region. Its borders include Iraq, Iran and Syria. Its minorities include the Kurds. So where Erdogan sees racism, Europe sees security fears.
All of these things compound the West's history with the Turks. Once "the sick man of Europe" under the Ottomans, their empire killed Armenians in a genocide 100 years ago.
We can pretty much guarantee that none of these things will be discussed in Turkey's upcoming election. In June, Erdogan faces a popularity test in parliamentary ballots.
His Justice and Development Party leads in the polls. Ferguson says his support rests on his embrace of Islamic policies, women's rights and massive spending on infrastructure.
If he wins a large majority, he could change the constitution again. With so much in the U.S. dependent on what happens in the Middle East, this is certainly an important topic.
Tagged with Lecture, Turkey, World Affairs


text:
You are here: Home Journal Volumes 1 - 5 1899-1929 Volume 2 1903-1906 No 5 1903 A Night In A Pot-Hole (Lost John's)
© Yorkshire Ramblers' Club. Reproduction of this article is not permitted.
However, short extracts from it may be used, for non-commercial purposes, provided their source is fully cited, acknowledged and referenced as:
A Silent Member. (1903) A Night In A Pot-Hole (Lost John's). Yorkshire Ramblers' Club Journal Volume 2 Number 5: pp28-34. Leeds: YRC
A Night In A Pot-Hole (Lost John's).
By A Silent Member.
Our omniscient Editor has convicted me of inexcusable Pot holing, and by a threat of exposure exacted a description of my experiences. The temptation to bid him do his worst was very strong, but it is difficult to gauge the Yorkshire Ramblers' sense of humour, and I have decided, to preserve my anonymity.
Some time ago, a letter from one of the Club's most dangerous members was delivered to me. Its subtle flattery beguiled me. The delicate insinuation that his fellow desperadoes wished to use the weight of my increasing years as an anchor to the rope banished prudence from my mind and induced me to accept rashly his invitation. Following my acceptance, some details of the proposed expedition were imparted to me. From these l gathered that a Pot-hole on Leck Fell, with the singular name of Lost John's, had excited their curiosity. Their last attempt had been foiled by a sudden flood, which swept away the whole of their tackle and caused their hasty retreat. This defeat had raised their fighting instincts, and they were very keen to avenge it. The name of Lost John's attracted me beyond measure. Of Gaping Ghyll, Alum Pot, Rowten Pot, one was ennuye. Their names, interesting no doubt to hunters of the derivations of place-names, have no romantic flavour, they lack humanity. But Lost John's, what did it mean? Why was it Lost John's
When the members of the first party added to the relation of their other experiences a circumstantial ghost story, wild tales of passion and tragic disaster haunted me. When the necessary arrangements were made and communicated to me, imagine my horror to find these men had decided to make the descent in the night. Conceive if you can, at the dread hour of midnight, the mysterious Pot-hole filled A with uncanny sights and sounds; the ghostly profiles of pale stalactites; the cold eyes of light-reflecting water drops; the rattle of the stream; the roar of the waterfall; the desperate depths of its descent, and perhaps one of Cutcliffe Hyne's Douk Dragons hidden in its grim shadows. The thought of it all was almost too much for me. The Silent Member, whose nerve has carried him through years of Lectures, was at last really frightened. He had not pluck enough to stay away much as he wished to. Fortunately the period of suspense was short, and one fine Saturday afternoon the party met at the Marton Arms, Thornton-in-Lonsdale. There were six of us. You already know me, the other five are desperate characters, and their names must be sacredly withheld. It should suffice for me to say the President has publicly and repeatedly warned the Yorkshire Ramblers not to frequent their society. They climb impossible places, either with guides and ropes, or without. They are continually in pot-holes gratifying their passion for wearing old clothes. They bribe the farmers of Craven to let them down and pull them up again - a most unorthodox and reprehensible method. They seduce, it is feared, the Club's younger and more innocent members to join in their unholy practices. Yet rumour has suggested that our President himself has not only been seen with them, but also engaged in their dangerous pursuits. Personally I cannot believe it. One of the five, it is true, with dangerous subtlety covers both his shocking clothes and his misdeeds with the cloak of science. Gentle Rambler, avoid him!
Dinner was served at 5.30 p.m., and shortly after it was over, a start was made for the Pot-hole five miles away on Leck Fell, some distance above Leck Hall. It was a delightful walk for an autumn evening along the flank of the beautiful Lune Valley, with the waters of Morecambe Bay and the mountains of Lakeland in the distance. In the softening light my companions looked less dangerous. Even the Scientist seemed capable of deep emotion, for he resolutely refused to part with his peculiar green rucksack, and carried it tenderly the whole way. My mind grew calmer. The easy optimism of after-dinner suggested that after all the anchor would find good holding ground, and presently the sight of our jovial landlord and his cart-load of gear increased my confidence. Spare clothes and provisions were left at the little iron shooting box near the Pot-hole, and the tackle was unloaded and carried to the pot's mouth.
Surely this glorified rabbit hole could not be the entrance to the mysterious Lost John's. Was pot-holing like climbing? Did pot-holers tilt their imaginations as climbers are said to do their cameras? Did they also ruthlessly cut off their foregrounds? Were these famous Yorkshire Ramblers - but the Scientist at this moment handed me a large lump of clay and a singular hat. The latter was extremely hard. In shape a compromise between clerical and lay, it was in colour a dingy and unbecoming yellow flecked with spots of dirty white and much too large. The clay I supposed was to make it fit. Fortunately before my ignorance was discovered I observed it was to be moulded into a candle holder and stuck in front of the crown. The insertion of a lighted candle gave the hat a more imposing appearance, but there was still much to be desired in looks and comfort. Before pot-holing is likely to become popular with women, the millinery incidental to the sport will require careful thought and more chic. I hope chic is the right word; one sees it dotted all over smart bonnet shop windows.
Our preparations were at last complete. Rucksacks containing provisions; rope-ladders, ropes, candles, a wooden beam, flare-lamps, paraffin tins, etc., were distributed impartially amongst us, and we slid out of the autumn evening and the moonbeams down a short slope of damp dirt into a pool of water. Our natural instincts urged us to get out of the latter as quickly as possible. Even veteran pot-holers make strenuous efforts to keep their feet dry, and spend much time in circumventing pools of water at the outset, although getting wet is-inevitable. As a matter of fact the wetter and dirtier they become the greater is their enjoyment. This is a curious trait. It may be the survival of the boy in the man, or the potholer's sneaking desire to impress his friends at home by the filthy state of his clothes with the difficulties and dangers of his exploits. For a few yards the roof of Lost John's is low, and it was rather difficult to wriggle along with one's load from boulder to boulder without getting very wet. There were several casualties amongst the candles, and my memory is indented like a phonographic record with the forceful monosyllables that accompanied them. Fortunately there is generally plenty of head-room in Lost John's, but it is in many places very narrow, and baggage is a serious encumbrance. Two streams flow into the main passage a short distance from the entrance, and there is at times a very considerable volume of water rushing down this underground water course. Beyond the meeting of the waters the roof recedes until it is some thirty feet high. The limestone walls are water-worn in an extraordinary manner. Thin horizontal bands of hard black limestone with jagged edges project at intervals and offer excellent hand and foot-holds. These bands are connected by vertical flutings, whose sharp edges promptly reward a slip or stumble with nasty cuts. In some places speckled patches of white vegetable growth, on each speck a globule of water, adhere to the walls and in the candle light glitter brilliantly. As we advanced the louder became the sound of falling water. In a pot-hole a small fall makes a great noise. The passage winds and twists about. Voices, the echoes of voices and strange subterraneous sounds assailed our ears. Even the stream song was pitched in no monotonous tones; it was soft and gentle, gay and rattling, loud and threatening by turns. And when it threatened one looked up into the roof, considered the ledges apparently above high water mark, and wondered what it would be like to sit there water bound. Presently the first Waterfall was reached; and this was the terminus of Lost John's until an enterprising Rambler discovered the roof traverse.
This traverse greatly delayed us. One began to understand why pot-holing takes time and occasions hard work. Although the roof is not very high at this point, we had to back-and-knee up to the parallel ledges that run under it on either side of the passage. Further progress was made by straddling along both sides until directly over the fall, where the ledge upon the left disappears, and the feet must be kept upon the right wall and the hands upon the other. To pass the baggage along we stationed ourselves on the traverse at convenient distances, and by dint of pushing, pulling and grunting, got it all safely over. Unfortunately the passage beyond is extremely narrow and became completely filled with tackle. This caused further delay and more hard work. We were now in an older stream bed and after a drop of five or six feet in a few yards stood upon the lip of the former fall. A rope-ladder was lowered and made fast, and the party and their loads were safely deposited upon the dry floor of a small chamber upon the stream's new level. Here we had a jolly supper party. Pot-holing is not all vanity and vexation. It makes your food taste good. It turns acquaintances into good comrades and friends. After all, sport without the spice of danger and difficulty is like flat beer; it neither stimulates nor refreshes. Our short smoke after supper was interrupted by a strange incident. Two of the more restless members of the party had made a further advance and vanished out of our sight. Suddenly they returned with traces of recent agitation and related their experiences. A short distance from where we sat the old and new stream beds unite, and they had proceeded upstream to explore the latter, leaving a lighted candle stuck on the rock wall at the junction. Presently they were startled by curious hissing noises and turned to discover their cause. They were then further alarmed by an unearthly blue light for which they could not account. Was the dragon there after all? They steeled their nerves for the awful encounter. They advanced with cautious temerity. The noises increased in volume. The light grew brighter and they were in the presence of the awesome mystery - their own candle and a coil of telephone wire. So does the pursuit of fiction stimulate the imagination; a lighted candle fires the covering of one of the nerves of modern progress - a telephone wire, and a mediaeval dragon possesses our minds.
Leaving this supper chamber we all re-entered the water, turned up stream, and soon emerged into another similar opening. This contains the waterfall we had outflanked. In the uncertain light, the water falls out of the dimness of the shadowy roof with weird effect, and the narrow walls magnify its rattle into a roar. Resuming our journey down stream, we passed a curious window-like opening on the left wall. It is set at an angle to the wall like the squints one sees in some of our old churches. There are at least two of these in Lost John's. These openings, the fantastic and beautiful creations of running water, are oval in shape, and the limestone framing them is remarkable for its extreme thinness and polish. Then we reached the final difficulty - another waterfall. This one could not be turned, and preparations were made to descend it. The Wooden beam which had been an exasperating portion of our baggage, was fixed across the passage some distance from the lip and the rope-ladders were made fast to it. Like the beam, the Silent Member found his mission and took charge of the life-line. Just beyond the fall the left hand wall makes a right-angle turn across its face, and the water shooting out over the lip l is focussed into a rapid and powerful stream. This makes the lot of the climber peculiarly unhappy, as he cannot avoid the weight of the falling water during any part of the descent or ascent. It was decided that two of the party should have the honour of making this final effort, and they put on their oilskins. By climbing into the roof a flare-lamp was with some difficulty suspended clear of the fall to light them on their watery way, and in turn they presently disappeared. When they arrived at the bottom and got out of the water they found themselves in a long, I lofty and narrow cavern. A pipe and the tackle lost during the previous attempt were found and recovered. Apparently the furthest possible point had been reached for the water disappears into a low passage. Cold and wet the men did not linger, and rejoined us as quickly as possible. Considerable time had been spent in getting them down and up, and we were all rather chilly. However, there was then no lack of hard, warm work. The ladders gave us a good deal of trouble. They were l continually catching on the rocks, and when finally rolled up were seriously heavier. Slowly we made our way back to the scene of our late supper, and crawled up the ladder left there. The narrow passage above was utterly blocked and choked with men and rucksacks, ropes and ladders, flare-lamps and oilskins. A way was forced through and some of us made the roof-traverse. A rope carrier was improvised and everything got over. But our troubles were not yet ended. Below the traverse the way was still very narrow, and loads were distributed with difficulty.
At last the caravan, a trifle weary perhaps, but with many jokes and much good temper, made its way to the exit. The outer world was wrapped in the grey mist of an autumn morning. Earth and air were cold and damp. We thought it must be very early and a rush was made to the shooting box for dry clothes and breakfast. Watches were found and to our astonishment we discovered it was nine o'clock. We had been underground nearly twelve hours. It was difficult to believe it; the time had gone so quickly; the work and interest had been so continuous and sustained. After breakfast everything was packed up. The cart arrived, was loaded, and we were free to make our way home. What a walk it was! five sleepy miles. Only the stumbles kept one awake. About twelve o'clock we reached Thornton, grey-faced, dirty and dishevelled. Our landlady received us with hot coffee and eggs, and we ordered an early dinner. On reaching my room I sat down on the bed; my next recollection is of someone asking me if I wanted any dinner. Now, dinner meant train and home, so one had to get up.
My pot-holing expedition has become a pleasant memory. Perhaps I may be tempted to go again, but not in the night. Expeditions of nineteen hours after a day's work are for the Club's giants - the men who tell us the delightful tales we hear at our meetings and read in our Journal. But they very properly apologize for being out all night, and I wish to associate myself with their apologies.
A little note of thanks from our leader alluding to my cheerful assistance will be a carefully treasured family heirloom, and may be useful to convince the Club that its Silent Members do not spend all their week-ends at Scarborough.
Meets and Activities
Club Committee Contacts
Volumes 1 - 5 1899-1929
Volumes 6 - 11 1930-1992
Series 12 1994 - 2005
Series 13 2006 -
Alpine Meet Reports
Copyright © 2019 YRC


Hi Guys! So todays post is a general life post showing you all what I got up to over the weekend. I had such a great time and got so many nice pictures that I thought it would be a shame not to share them. My weekend started on Thursday when my dad invited my boyfriend and I over to Fraser Island for the day. If you've never heard of Fraser Island before, it is one of the most beautiful places in the world. It is basically a huge sand island and the beaches/resorts on the island are stunning. As my dad sometimes goes over there with work he said we could join him on the barge across for a free day trip. Obviously I wasn't going to pass this up and me and Matt jumped at the chance.
When we arrived at the island we had a mooch around the shops, and then hit the beach (pictured above). It was a gorgeous sunny day so we sunbathed and napped on the beach until lunch time when we went to one of the resorts Kingfisher Bay for some lunch. It was pure luxury at the resort - palm trees, swimming pools and great food. I had grilled Barramundi, lemon butter, chips and salad for my lunch - Delicious!
We then went back to the beach to see that the tied had gone in. The beach now looked like a mud bath so being the mature pair that we are, we decided to have a play around in the mud and chase crabs across the beach. There was absolutely hundreds of them and whenever we got too close they would bury themselves in the sand. You may think it sounds gross but it was probably the highlight of my day. I got some hilarious video evidence too - if only I was on Youtube. Anyway, thats just a small round up of our day. It was muchos fun and I would totally recommend Fraser Island to anyone if you live in Australia or are planning a visit.
On Friday me and my family travelled down to Brisbane to watch the Broncos play at the Suncorp Stadium. To be honest, I'm not a huge sports fan so it was mainly for my dad and boyfriend but I enjoyed it none the less. My litter brother was hilarious, he kept pointing at the cheerleaders saying 'I like them girls, they've got bums and boobies!' which made me giggle to say the least haha. After the game we went to a 24-hour pancake parlour that had every type of pancakes imaginable. I just went plain with syrup but check out that chocolatey plate of yumminess my boyfriend had. After that we went back to our hotel as we were all shattered. Our hotel was slap bang in the city centre and the views were out of this world. They were over looking the whole city and it was so lovely to look out on the balcony and watch the world pass by.
On Saturday we got up early and popped into the city centre for a bit of shopping. I got a few bits and bobs which I will be posting about soon so keep a look out for that. After we had some breakfast and a stroll around the shops, we decided to have a wander to South Bank. On our way we came across a man with his dog doing a live street show. There was quite the crowd gathering around so we decided to stop and have a watch. Oh my goodness, it was so funny and my brother even got picked from the audience to be part of the act. It was one of the funniest things I have seen in a long time, the guy had brilliant banter and his dog was crazy. It was jumping through rings, sitting on his head and performing all sorts of crazy tricks. My brother was hilarious too as he had to ride around on this teeny tiny silver bike. We were all howling as he kept falling off and the man was really winding him up. He was such a good sport though and we were all so proud of him for getting up there in front of all those people.
When we finally got down to South Bank, as per usual, I was in awe. It is one of my favourite places in the whole world and if you have never been it is basically a tonne of man-made lagoons right by the river. As you can see on the picture above, it is absolutely gorgeous and I love the idea of having somewhere to relax like this in a busy city. They also have a man-made beach but unfortunately that was under reconstruction so I couldn't get any photos.
In the evening we went out for a meal and drinks where my dad had a hilarious encounter with a hideous piece of chicken. He ordered tumeric chicken with rice and it just looked herrendous. The rest of our meals were lovely and he was left with this awful gloopy piece of crap. It seriously looked like something you would see dead on the street. It was highly amusing though and all he kept saying was 'it just isn't appealing!' in a shocked voice hahaha just the thought of it makes me chuckle!
Today we went to Westfield shopping centre at Chermside to do some more shopping and then drove home. All in all, I have had an excellent three days and loved every minute of it.
Lovely pictures! I'm so torn with Australia though, really want to holiday there but the bugsssss. I'd be interested to know if you've already done a blog post on what it's like living there? And about how many giant spiders and snakes you've seen so far hahaha - or if that's what they just tell the rest of the world to keep all the annoying tourists away haha!
I love reading posts about what you've been up to.
I'd love to live in OZ or even visit it.
It looks like you had the loveliest weekend, and you look gorge in your outfits.
Wow I love your photos, what a beautiful place! Can I also just say I love how you have mastered the are t of outfit photos using your phone - pretty dam cool !! :) And the very last photo is stunning!
oh my god, this looks amazing!
i coudn't be any more jealous.
and all of your outfits are lovely.
you remind me a bit of mollie from the saturdays, i don't know what it is but its great.
Looks like an amazing time! I've only been to Brisbane once when I was younger. Would be good to go back some time!
Lovely photos hun! It looks like you've had an incredible weekend. I am very jealous!
Wow looks like such an amazing weekend! The scenery looks beautiful there, that first photo is like =O! Amazing!
You look gorgeous in all your outfits too, love the black dress!
Looks like a beautiful place, and you look gorg hunni!
Sounds like an unforgettable weekend, wow. I hope to see things like this too when I'm in Australia/New-Zealand. So excited!
wow it looks amazing! I would love to visit Australia!


Loyalty marketing has been the golden standard for a long time, but is it about to experience a curtain close? If relevance marketing is what it's expected to be, this new concept may be ready to take over center stage. What does relevance marketing mean for your small business? Let's find out.
What Does Your Business Mean to People?
In the Harvard Business Review article "Marketers Need to Stop Focusing on Loyalty and Start Thinking About Relevance," John Zealley, Robert Wollan, and Joshua Bellin all dig deep into the world of relevance marketing, first taking a look back on loyalty marketing. As a tried and true marketing strategy up until this point, businesses built their customer retention strategy on incentives like discounts, rewards, and rebates. According to research from Kantar Retail, "71% of consumers now claim that loyalty incentive-programs don't make them loyal at all," instead opting for relevance to seal the deal.
Just How Much Does Relevance Matter?
Purpose: People believe the company shares/advances their own values.
Pride: People feel proud and/or dually inspired to use the company's products and services.
Partnership: People feel as if they can relate to the company and it's a team effort to work with them.
Protection: People feel safe using the company.
Personalization: People feel like the company consistently tailors their services to their own personal needs.
These new measures look at customers as people. What do they need? And beyond basic needs, what can help them fulfill their potential? Can your business be a part of helping them get to this point? And, most importantly, can you change along with them, offering new solutions for emerging needs as they evolve? People are fluid, and businesses that maintain a static approach to outreach will likely experience a visible (and financially harmful) disconnect at some point.
Walk outside your comfort zone: If your business has relied on the traditional Ps until now (like many other organizations), this shift may feel odd at first. You'll need to think outside the box. Is there a unique need of your customer base that hasn't been tapped by competitors yet? This article used an example of Yoplait offering French yogurt in individual glass pots, appealing to customers in this market that want to embrace authentic food traditions, as well as delivering on other recent market needs like all-natural and non-GMO ingredients. The results on this campaign are still unknown, but are there similar small niches in your business that can make you stand out?
Embrace good timing: In the purchasing process, there is always that lucrative "right time" to come onto the radar of a potential customer. Utilizing predictive analytics may help you maximize this sweet spot and create relevant offers to customers exactly when and where they need it.
Extend beyond the status quo: Don't get stuck in what you know, even if it has worked in the past. To succeed in today's fast-paced (and ever-changing) business landscape, change with your people. Connect with them in the ways they are connecting (aka online), and alter your offerings to reflect their new needs beyond products and services, even if it's unexpected for your business. If you can shift on a dime, you will succeed.
Will Relevance Marketing Overtake Loyalty Marketing?
The decision-making process of people today is rapid-fire. With a few clicks and comparative shopping, non-relevant businesses won't get a second look if another company has something better. Know what people need on a deeper level, and communicate your relevance better than anyone else on the market. What do you think about relevance marketing overtaking loyalty marketing? Has it already happened in your business?


September 05, 2016 – InvitroCue (ASX:IVQ) has been awarded a tender by the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), to supply and deliver Hepatocue 96-well plates and 3D-Cellusponge 96-well plates.
A*STAR will be utilizing InvitroCue's technologies to advance research on non-animal approaches to chemical safety testing under an international collaboration with the US Environmental Protection Agency.
InvitroCue is a leading provider of bio-analytic solutions including in vitro cell-based testing technologies and image analytics software for use in digital pathology. InvitroCue has developed a unique 3D cell-based scaffolding technology that recapitulates in vivo human liver in the field of infectious diseases. The technology enables patient-derived cancer cells (organoids) to be cultured in laboratories for testing against a panel of drugs and drive clinical decision support making for individual patients (personalised medicine).
InvitroCue's technology originated in Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). InvitroCue has been developed and validated in partnerships with leading biopharmaceutical companies and scientific collaborators.


LATTIMORE, April 17. — Being fully aware that your readers don't give a whoop in perdition as to my whereabouts and penguinations, pains are hereby taken to inform them that your ancient uncle has been to Ellenboro, Henrietta and Cliffside. He enjoys visiting those places, as he is treated like first-class white folks by first-class white folks. Besides this reputable grade of society, we have three others. They comprise, respectively, dudes, damphools and idiots, and with all of these orders I am, happily, unpopular.
On my journey I was hospitably entertained by Jesse and George Harrill, two of nature's noblemen; also by Mr. Humpries, of Cliffside, and D. D. Fortune of the same thriving mill town. Courtesies and hospitalities were also extended by R. R. Haynes, a wizard of finance and enterprise; R.L. Packard, superintendent of Cliffside Mills; Dr. Baxter Haynes; Store Manager Z. O. Jenkins, etc.
Cliffside has over 40,000 spindles, 1,500 looms, 350 tenant houses for operatives, 2,000 inhabitants, the best public school building in Rutherford and superior to any in Cleveland county; the most elegant church building in this region and the best Sunday school. It also has the [best] silver cornet band in the State, and it has proved this by winning first money at the Charlotte State Convention.
Great creations imply great creators, and this is exemplified by achievements of R. R. Haynes, as Henrietta, Caroleen, Forest City and Cliffside attest.
As has been heralded in your columns Henrietta is to have a big fiddler's convention on May 13th, 1911, while Cliffside has its annual affair of the kind on April 29th, 1911. In addition, a play will be presented by the Cliffside Minstrel Company, and a foot-race will be run for a four-mile heat, the winner to receive $10 and the second best winner $7.50. Talent, enterprise and capital do things, and these abound at Cliffside.
No dogs, cats and piney-ridge roosters infest this neat and orderly town, but a thrifty, well-fed and well-attired citizenship. The order to allow no dogs, cats and hogs in the place was not to abridge personal liberty but to promote sanitary measures. More than half the people there would leave the place were these three classes of animals allowed, and nearly all are in hearty accord.
Cliffside is the largest gingham manufacturing plant in the South under one roof and one management. The mill building is 100 by 608 and four-stories high. It has its own dye house and makes 127 new shades of fancy cloth and 87 standard styles. The company store is a marvel of elegance and commodity, and every department is in good hands.
More could be said, but I have not time and you have not space to further enumerate.
This item was printed in The Sun on April 20, 1911.


A novel analytical model for mixed-phase, unblocked and unseeded orographic precipitation with embedded convection is developed and evaluated. The model takes an idealised background flow and terrain geometry, and calculates the area-averaged precipitation rate and other microphysical quantities. The results provide insight into key physical processes, including cloud condensation, vapour deposition, evaporation, sublimation, as well as precipitation formation and sedimentation (fallout). To account for embedded convection in nominally stratiform clouds, diagnostics for purely convective and purely stratiform clouds are calculated independently and combined using weighting functions based on relevant dynamical and microphysical time scales. An in-depth description of the model is presented, as well as a quantitative assessment of its performance against idealised, convection-permitting numerical simulations with a sophisticated microphysics parameterisation. The model is found to accurately reproduce the simulation diagnostics over most of the parameter space considered.