text:
The Danube is Far From Blue!
By Lam Pin Foo December 1, 2009
My wife and I had always been fascinated by the turbulent history and varied cultures of Eastern European countries which had finally freed themselves in 1989 from the tight control of the once mighty Soviet Union. In the past two decades countries like Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic had achieved commendable economic advancement, and their myriad tourist attractions and richly endowed scenic charms are again drawing an ever increasing number of visitors from worldwide. Our desire to visit some of them finally materialised in May this year when we, together with a group of like-minded friends, embarked upon a 19-day journey there. Our itinerary first took us to Poland and Hungary, followed by a delightful eight-day cruise down the legendary Danube river, which took us from Hungary's capital Budapest to Slovakia, Austria and Germany and finally by coach to Prague, the enchanting capital of the Czech Republic. Our trip was personally and efficiently planned and organised by Ms Helena Ow, a general manager of Singapore's Prime Travel and Cruise, who came with us to Poland and Hungary and then bid us bon voyage when we boarded the brand-new elegant Italian river ship, Amalyra, to begin our Danube adventure.
I will now share with you many of the highlights and my impressions of this our once in a life time memorable holiday and cruise to some of the celebrated towns and cities in Europe. Our first stop was Warsaw, the ancient capital of Poland, the largest country in Eastern Europe whose stable economy has withstood the current world financial crisis. But Its history was a tortuous one. It was time and again invaded by its more powerful neighbours and had its lands partitioned off by them. During and after World War II, it was occupied by both Nazi Germany and later became a client state of the communist Soviet Union. Warsaw was devastated during the last war and most of its historic, cultural and other prominent landmarks destroyed by the German victors. More than six millions Jews in Poland and in other occupied European countries were senselessly massacred by the Nazis in carrying out Hitler's plan to exterminate the hated Jews from the face of the continent. It was a sombre and poignant moment when our group stood before the war memorial at the former Jewish Ghetto here to commemorate these Polish Jewish victims. Before WWII, almost one-third of the country's population was Jewish and today only a small fraction are still here. In 1970, the then German Chancellor, Willy Brandt, travelled to Warsaw on a state visit and courageously knelt in front of this memorial to atone the dark deeds of the Nazis to Jews in Poland and Europe. His moving silent gesture had greater impact than spoken words would have adequately conveyed. This brought the ugliest chapter in the unedifying German history to a close.
Warsaw's once grand Old Town is a must-see for all visitors. The sprawling area, with its majestic royal palace, many old churches and cathedral, museums, historic and other significant edifices are the main tourist attractions best seen on foot. Walking leisurely along its main streets and alley ways and taking in their ancient past, it's not easy to realize that the entire area was bombed in WWII and were entirely rebuilt not too long ago, based strictly upon the original architectural model of the prototype. The royal palace, with its splendid collection of European paintings, tapestries and other works of art adorning the superbly furnished sumptuous stately rooms and royal chambers were a feast on our senses. The guide told us that many of the rare art objects on display were hidden from the Nazis at the nick of time, otherwise they would have been plundered by them as war booties and removed to Germany.
The truly magnificent medieval city of Krakow, less than two hours drive from the capital, was the main reason tourists worldwide flock to Poland. Fortunately for posterity, this world-renowned pride of Poland and its numerous historic buildings have largely survived the war unscathed. The Market Square is the oldest in Europe and has a multitude of fascinating side streets and alley ways that would conveniently lead you to the rest of the old quarter. It is quite an awesome sight to behold and has never failed to captivate all visitors. Most of these ancient buildings are still in good condition and they date back to the European Renaissance era, and some even preceding it. One can easily spend days exploring this city without feeling bored. Many tourists in fact delight in doing just that. A short walk from the Market Square on well-laid cobbled streets brought us to one of the oldest streets in Krakow, with the beautiful church of St Andrew (1086) still in a pristine state of preservation. It was the only structure that had escaped destruction by the Tartar invaders from Asia in 1241. Those farsighted enough to take refuge in the church were spared by these ferocious warriors, while other hapless town folks were being mercilessly slaughtered. Close by this church is the Episcopal Palace where Cardinal Karol Wojtyla resided before becoming Pope John Paul II in 1978. A benign life-size wax figure of him stands prominently behind a large window, bestowing a gesture of blessings to passersby below. The late Pope is the most revered son of Poland, and Krakow's international Airport is named in his honour.
Few visitors to Krakow would forego the opportunity to visit Auschwitz, the most deadly and infamous German concentration camp complex in Europe, although some might find it too morbid an experience. We were glad that our group went there and learned a valuable first-hand lesson in history. Shortly after the Nazis conquered Poland, close to 1.5 million Jews from Poland and elsewhere, including men, women, children, the old and the infirm, were sent there under the false pretext that from this camp they would later be resettled elsewhere for their own safety and well-being. They believed the German propaganda and brought along with them their portable household items, personal belongings and valuables which they would need in their new homes. Tragically, practically all the inmates at Auschwitz would be gassed, tortured or laboured to death, with only a few exceptionally lucky ones who were able to make good their escapes in this heavily guarded camp to tell the outside world the horrendous crimes against humanity committed by the Nazi regime. The well-conducted comprehensive tour of the select components of this vast camp took us to the macabre gas chambers, the hopelessly over crowded living quarters of the inmates, the different categories of cells and torture chambers for those who violated the strict camp rules or were found to be rebellious, including the most feared Death Block. The tour was supported by a variety of photographic and actual exhibits of the remnants of the inmates' personal belongings and other personal effects found on site after the war ended in Europe. The two-hour tour was presented in a factual and unemotional way by the professionally trained guide, who preferred to let the camp conditions before us and the exhibits we saw speak for themselves on man's inhumanities inflicted on his fellow men. I came away with a heavy heart and it is my fervent hope that such crimes against mankind must never be permitted to happen again in future in any part of the world.
After our most enjoyable five-day stay in Poland, our group travelled by coach for a six-hour journey to Budapest, the cosmopolitan and vibrant capital of Hungary. The roads at many stretches were winding as we passed through the mountainous terrains but we felt relaxed soaking in the predominantly pine-clad pastoral scenery and enjoying each other's fellowship. Our three-day stay here was also a satisfying one. There were much more foreign visitors here than in Poland, and the city was more tourist-oriented than the more sedate Warsaw, but substantially more expensive than the latter city. Good food, more international class and budget accommodations and trendy shops and places of entertainment after dark abound and draw both domestic and foreign tourists here. However, compared with the better preserved medieval Krakow, there is a lack of truly ancient monuments and buildings in Budapest for the more culture attuned visitors to savour. Most of the historic landmarks are located in the Castle District and the Old Town. The most visited places are the Buda Palace, which has a commanding view of the twin cities of Buda and Pest, the 15th century Matthias Church and the imposing St Stephen's Basilica of the Renaissance era. Three of the nation's most important museums are located within the cavernous precincts of the Buda Palace. All these three much visited landmarks had been rebuilt during the more recent centuries as the original structures had been largely destroyed by wars and ravages of nature.
Our first sight of the Danube was in Budapest, which was right in front of our hotel. Contrary to its legend, the water was far from blue and resembled the muddy colour of the Singapore river before it was successfully dredged clean by the public works water engineers who took up the challenge of the nation's then premier, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, to achieve this engineering feat. What then inspired Austria's world-renowned composer, Johann Strauss, to compose his immortal romantic piece, the Blue Danube, in the 19th century? According to our tour guide, when the redoubtable Napoleon Bonaparte's navy sailed down the Danube after conquering Austria, their sailors' sea-blue uniforms as reflected in the water transformed the murky water into a bluish hue, and hence the romantic legend of the Blue Danube was born and passed down to posterity through the musical genius of Johann Strauss!
We started our Danube cruise in Budapest. The ship can carry a maximum of 148 passengers in three classes of comfortable cabins, and most come with a French balcony so that one can truly appreciate the scenic views of the different segments of the Danube. Free Internet access is provided in every cabin. The carefully drawn up itinerary would give us an opportunity to see some of the celebrated historic villages, towns and cities along the routes. The passengers came from various English-speaking countries, especially United States, Canada and Australia. The Singapore and Hong Kong groups were the only Asians onboard. Our fellow passengers are in the 50's to 70's age group, well travelled, friendly and easy to communicate with. It was a good thing that the ship's fare includes all onshore sightseeing. What was the shipboard life like? The captain and his officers, staff and crew were warm, welcoming, efficient and looked after the passengers' needs excellently. The amenities were more than adequate for such a small ship, with a spacious and well appointed lounge and a more private reading room, a sun deck with a whirlpool, deck chairs, a tiny exercise room and a beauty shop. The food and refreshments were good, but fell short of fine-dinning standard on land. Unlimited complimentary red and white wines came with the dinner. Fresh fruits were provided throughout the day and evening. On the flip side, all passengers would dine at the same time in the relatively small dinning room. Over crowding was inevitable and caused inconvenience if your table was back to back with another table or if you were squeezed into an awkward corner table. This also impeded the movements of the serving staff and lengthens the time lapse in between dishes. The solution probably lies in having flexible dinning times, but this may require more staff and the increased cost may be passed on to the passengers. In the afternoon, an in-house pianist would entertain us with popular and light classical pieces. On most evenings when in port, competent shore artistes would entertain us with musical performances of good standard, or a guest speaker would give an interesting and informative talk on the history and culture of that country.
After less than a day's sailing, we disembarked at Bratislava in Slovakia, our first port of call. This nation's economy has been booming, due largely to the substantial foreign investments pouring in to take advantage of the cheap labour and operating costs here. It has now become one of the biggest producers of cars in Europe, a commendable achievement. It also has a well preserved and lively old town whose major sights include the charming Old Town Hall, the attractive 13th century Mirbach Palace, with breathtaking views of Slovakia and neighbouring Austria and Hungary and a stately opera house. We enjoyed the walking tour of its charming old town areas.
The next stop Vienna was one of the high points of this cruise. It is one of the most elegant, glamorous and civilised ancient capitals in Europe and lives up to its reputation. Its historic buildings and monuments are in abundance and impossible to savour in a short time. Within the time constraint of a day, we were able to savour the awe-inspiring Schonbrunn Palace, the most beautiful and extravagant in Vienna and one of the most famous in Europe. It was the summer palace of the Habsburgs who had reigned over most of this continent for more than six centuries. Its superb art treasures would wow even the most discerning visitors. The grand National Library, which was previously the private domain of the Habsburg family, is an important attraction, and so is the stupendous St Stephen's Cathedral, which is the premier church in this city. Not to see another world-renowned landmark, the Vienna Opera House, will be a regret for life in this city of the arts and music and the land of Mozart and Strauss. We spent the rest of the time available simply strolling through the major shopping and entertainment districts, soaking in the romantic Baroque atmosphere of this stunningly beautiful city and relishing its famed pastry until its time to return to the ship.
Early the next morning, the river scenery suddenly changed drastically, from the mundane and repetitive wooded pine trees to a much more picturesque and tranquil landscape as our ship was approaching the picture postcard-like charming Austrian town of Durnstein. Clearly visible on a hilltop stood the ruined castle where King Richard the Lion heart of England was held for ransom in 1192, and a little further on several ancient churches and other architecturally striking buildings came into view on the hill slopes. The walking tour of this historic town ensued, and we were most impressed by the many 16th century town houses, inns, wine taverns and quality souvenir shops that lined the main streets of this well-known town. Many tourists of different nationalities were there that morning. We sailed again and disembarked in Melk, the last Austrian town before we entered the first German romantic town of Passau the next morning. The highlight in Melk was a conducted tour of the magnificent Benedictine Abbey. There was much to see and explore here, from the valuable art treasures and antiquated artifacts to the well presented exhibits in the abbey's museum showcasing the history and life of the monks through the centuries. It was a very informative and spiritual experience.
The scenic charm of the Danube continued all the way into Passau. Most of the passengers preferred to take a whole day optional tour to Salzburg, the birth place of Mozart, but we chose to explore the ancient atmosphere of Passau. It was a joy to view the numerous old buildings, churches, inns, beer houses and interesting arts and crafts shops that dotted this dreamy town's old quarter. It is also famed for its beer, which is reputed to be the cheapest in Germany. However, the crown jewel of one of the best preserved German medieval cities, Regensburg, a World Heritage site, awaited to enchant us with its magnetic attractions. What a delightful experience and aesthetic assault on our senses the two-hour long walking tour of this sprawling ancient wonder turned out to be. Mercifully and thankfully, its sparkling Old Town was spared by the allied bombing during WWII. I had never seen so many splendid ancient edifices in one place as in this city, and I felt as if I had been transported back in time to the Renaissance era of Europe when Regensburg was at the peak of its glory due to its economic and political superiority over other comparable German cities. We marvelled at the majestically beautiful architectures of its cathedrals and churches, the grand Old Town Hall and other civic buildings, the grandeur of the palaces, the sumptuous homes of the rich and powerful and the elegant centuries old shops and art galleries that have all conspired to awe and delight even the most fussy of visitors. Not satisfied with what we had seen during our afternoon walking tour, after dinner we walked back to the Old Town again to savour some of the landmarks that we had to forego earlier.
Our memorable cruise reached its final lap when we crossed the Continental Divide, with an elevation of more than 1300 ft, as we entered the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal and steamed ahead to the final port of call, the industrial city of Nuremberg. We went on a half day sightseeing tour of its major sights. To me and many others, it was a let down especially when the earlier places that we had visited were so much more exciting and unforgettable. Most of the ancient landmarks, including the old city, were destroyed by the allied planes in the last war and were subsequently reconstructed. The city became famous because it was in a huge stadium here that Hitler held many of his rabble-rousing political rallies. It was also here that some of the principal Nazi war criminals were tried and convicted by the International War Crimes Tribunal in 1946. Unfortunately for us we did not get to see the interior of either of these landmarks as they were closed for visitors because the stadium was reserved exclusively for a jazz festival and the court house was closed for the weekend.
From Nuremberg we journeyed by road to Prague, arriving in the late afternoon. The disappointment of Nuremberg was more than made up by our glorious three-day stay in the capital of the Czech Republic, the industrial heartland of Eastern Europe. What an appropriately fitting finale it was. The city is commonly referred to as the Paris of the East because it is the most glamorous and vibrant metropolis in this part of Europe. In terms of the bountiful harvest of historical structures, other legacies of the past and cultural attractions it is in the same league as Krakow and Regensburg, and even exceeding them in sheer numbers and varieties because it is a much larger city. Besides these, it also has numerous international and budget hotels, excellent restaurants and entertainment outlets and specialty shops and malls to cater to the whims and fancies of visitors and tourists from all over the world. It is therefore hardly surprising that it is the foremost tourist destination in Eastern Europe. To get the most out of our sightseeing, we had to be selective in our choices that best suited our preferences and limited time. We therefore opted to go mainly for the historical and cultural relics of this exciting city.
Our first stop was the most popular Castle District, whose top draw is the famed Prague Castle, the largest ancient castle in the world and dating back to the 10th century. Within its gigantic precincts, which includes the palaces of the successive Czech kings and their families, churches and chapels, the most dominant is the St Vitus Cathedral, and a museum with a large collection of valuable old European paintings and sculptures. Some of the former royal residential quarters had been converted for state purposes. The seat of the Czech government is in this castle, and the office and official residence of the president is also here. Some of the state rooms are open to the public on special occasions. To take an in depth look of the castle, including the museum, will take at least half a day. Our second destination, the Old Town area, is the third most visited tourist spot. Just like the old towns in Krakow and Regensburg but bigger in area, the Prague Old Town too has many ubiquitous churches and cathedrals, an old town hall and various other municipal buildings, old town houses, inns and taverns, museums, theatres as well as an assortment of shops, restaurants and entertainment outlets to cater to the growing needs of tourists and residents. We spent a good part of a morning taking in the sights, and discovering its numerous side streets and alleys in order to get a better feel of this ancient heartland of the city. A short walk from the centre of the Old Town is the Jewish Quarter, which has several medieval synagogues as a testimony to the large and prosperous Jewish population that was once an integral part of the country. Sadly, the majority had been murdered by Hitler's men, just like in Poland. Most of those who survived the war had long ago emigrated to Israel and America. Today less than 10,000 of them have continued to live here. We gained an insight into Judaism by visiting the Old-New Synagogue (1270). It is the oldest still active Jewish synagogue in Europe and it is housed in one of Prague's oldest Gothic buildings. We also visited the Old Jewish Cemetery (1478), the oldest extant such cemetery in this continent. Some 100,000 Jewish people are believed to be buried here. The final stop of our exploration of Prague was the Charles Bridge and its historic vicinity, which makes it the number two most visited tourist destination. It spans over the very busy Vitava river, which is easily the most ornate and impressive of bridges in Prague. Built between the 14th and 15th centuries, it has 16 stone pillars and is lined with statues and lamps, supported by a Gothic watch tower at each end of the bridge. The surrounding scenery from the bridge is truly breathtaking, especially when viewed at night. it is an ideal place to take a leisurely evening stroll after a satisfying meal in one of the cafes or taverns with a good view of the river and this famous bridge.
To round up our short but excitement filled stay in Prague, several friends joined my wife and I for an enjoyable Czech dinner in a restaurant at a quieter end of the busy Old Town square. We did our fair share of people-watching here. All of us unanimously settled for a representative dish of the nation's renowned pig's leg. We had to wait for close to an hour for it to be slowly roasted over a charcoal fire. When the four king-size pig's legs were eventually placed in front of us, complete with toasted bread dumplings and pickled side dishes, each couple could not manage to consume their entire delicious pig's leg of plentiful lean meat and crackling skin, even though we were famished by then. It can in fact easily feed three adults adequately!
Having seen most parts of continental Europe over a period of about 50 years, my wife and I hope to see the vast land of Russia in the not too distant future.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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text:
Чемпионат мира по хоккею с шайбой среди юниорских команд 2019 года в III-м дивизионе — спортивное соревнование по хоккею с шайбой под эгидой ИИХФ, которое проходило с 25 по 31 марта 2019 года в Софии (Болгария) и с 9 по 12 апреля 2019 года в Кейптауне (Южная Африка). Места проведения турнира определены на ежегодном конгрессе ИИХФ, который состоялся в мае 2018 г. во время чемпионата мира 2018 года.

Регламент
 По итогам турнира в группе А: команда, занявшая первое место, получила право играть в группе B второго дивизиона чемпионата мира 2020 года, а команда, занявшая последнее место, перешла в группу B.

 По итогам турнира в группе B: команда, занявшая первое место, получила право играть в группе А третьего дивизиона чемпионата мира 2020 года.

Итоги

Группа A
    вышла в группу B второго дивизиона чемпионата мира 2020 года.
   вылетела в группу В третьего дивизиона чемпионата мира 2020 года.

Группа B
   вышел в группу А третьего дивизиона чемпионата мира 2020 года.

Арены

Участвующие команды
В чемпионате приняли участие 10 национальных команд — четыре из Азии, три из Европы и по одной из Океании, Африки и Северной Америки. Сборная Исландии пришла из второго дивизиона, сборная Люксембурга будет выступать после 18-летнего перерыва, остальные — с прошлого турнира третьего дивизиона.

Судьи
ИИХФ утвердила 7 главных и 11 линейных судей для обслуживания матчей третьего дивизиона чемпионата мира по хоккею с шайбой среди юниорских команд 2019 года
В группе А третьего дивизиона приняли участие 4 главных и 7 линейных судей.

В группе B третьего дивизиона приняли участие 4 главных и 4 линейных судей.

Группа А

Главные судьи
  Бартош Качмарек (KACZMAREK Bartosz)
  Андрей Кудряшов (KUDRJASOVS Andreis)
  Лим Юн Чунь (LIM Yong Chun)
  Алексей Рощин (ROSHCHYN Alexei)

Линейные судьи
  Мартин Бояджиев (BOYADJIEV Martin)
  Эдвард Говард (HOWARD Edward)
  Илья Кисиль (KISIL Ilia)
  Лю Тяньгэ (LIU Tiange)
  Джонатан Сладек (SLADEK Jonathan)
  Назар Слезов (SLEZOV Nazar)
  Василий Васильев (VASILEV Vasiliy)

Группа В

Главные судьи
  Виктор Бирин (BIRIN Viktor)
  Лундсгаард Никлас (LUNDSGAARD Niclas)
  Вернон Хофферед (HOFFERED Vernon)
 Ли Чу Хён (LEE Joo Hyun)

Линейные судьи
  Джонатан Бёргер (BURGER Jonathan Mark)
  Адам Харрис (HARRIS Adam)
  Нико Юси (JUSI Niko)
  Франк Раду (RADUE Frank)

Группа А

Таблица

Видео

Результаты
Время местное (UTC+2).

Группа B

Таблица

Видео

Результаты
Время местное (UTC+2).

Примечания

Ссылки

Хоккей
Хоккей
Хоккей
Хоккей
Ю
Ю
Ю*3
Третий
Хоккей
Хоккей
Хоккей
Хоккей

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Hi, can anyone recommend an Auto Electrician you would trust with your Jensen, preferably accessible around the Coromandel Peninsula? If not, then somewhere around south Auckland. Have had a couple of bad experiences with a local auto electrician and would like work done on my Jensen that needs someone who likes working with classic cars.


Claudia was inspired to start her own jewelry line by a gold locket her grandmother wore that held a photo of her grandfather. She loved how personal it was and wanted to carry on that beautiful tradition. Each piece of Isabelle Grace Jewelry is designed to be a keepsake whether it is in inscribed with special words or custom inscribed in honor of those whom you hold close to your heart. Each earring, necklace and bracelet is made by hand here in the USA making each piece of Isabelle Grace Jewelry unique.
Bloom Mom Necklace from Isabelle Grace Jewelry makes for a great gift for mom anytime of year and is also a great present for moms-to-be! All of Isabelle Grace Jewelry is handmade right here in the USA! Handmade jewelry makes for beautiful and unique pieces, there are no two that are exactly identically, helping to make your piece of jewelry that much more special and yours! Read Mami's 3 Little Monkeys full review here!
This looks like an awesome giveaway with a great prize. Good luck to all of those that enter!! Have a great day!
Giveaway Details: One lucky reader will win this beautiful Bloom Necklace for Mom from Isabelle Grace Jewelry valued at $84! This giveaway will run from July 13th at 12am through July 27th at 11:59pm and is open to US residents whom are at least 18 years of age at time of entrance. Winner will be chosen at random and emailed on July 28th, winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Enter through the Rafflecopter form below for your chance to win!
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I must admit that I haven't been updating the blog much. I should note that I am now teaching a night class at Franciscan University of Steubenville – Christian Moral Principles. It involves trying to give a broad survey of material that I had over the course of at least 4 semester classes, but by no means are we going into the detail that I had at Dominican House of Studies.


Three love messages could cost the perpetrator up to six months in prison.
Colorado National Monument officials are asking for the public's help in tracking down an individual responsible for bad poetry. More specifically, authorities are after the person who vandalized a federally protected area by spray painting a prom invite and love missives.
Last week, the Colorado National Monument posted pictures of the graffiti to its Facebook page along with a call for information. According to CNN, the messages were originally discovered by a nearby resident in late May.
Authorities told CNN they must first analyze the vandalized area for any historic works of art before they can attempt to remove the messages.
The person responsible faces a maximum penalty of six months in jail or a $500 fine. Officials ask anyone with information to contact the Colorado National Monument visitor center at 970-858-3617 ext. 360.


Use the drop-down menu below to explore Crete.
One of the largest and most southerly of the Greek islands, Crete boasts sun-drenched summers, a warm, local welcome and a high standard of both luxury hotel and villa accommodation. It's a stunning island bursting with olive and lemon groves, mile upon mile of sandy beaches, alluring shores, crystal clear turquoise waters, hidden coves and a diverse landscape that is just waiting to be discovered.
The pretty and unspoilt resort of Elounda, on the east coast of the island, offers the discerning customer refined and luxurious accommodation, with the majority of hotels and villas featuring their own private pool, an exceptional level of creature comforts and an array of leisure and dining facilities. Lazy days can be spent relaxing by the pool admiring the views out to the uninhabited, neighbouring island of Spinalonga and the Kolikithia Peninsula or taking to the Aegean Sea for some daytime island-hopping or water sports.
Relaxing evenings can be spent indulging in the exquisite cuisine of the hotel restaurants or taking a stroll into Elounda where you can enjoy a traditional Cretan meze and a glass of something chilled in one of the tavernas dotted around the harbour-side.
For those who like to get out and explore, this mesmerising island is rich in history, legend and myth with some superb ancient sites to discover and a whole host of Greek gods to reacquaint yourself with. Car hire is easily accessible offering you the freedom to discover Crete at your own pace, be it the archeological ruins at Knossos or travelling across the island for a hike through the Samaria Gorge.
The small yet popular resort of Aghios Nikolaos with its quaint harbour setting is only a short journey from Elounda and is the perfect place to sit back with a cool, refreshing drink and watch the world go by. This charming island enjoys a slow and steady pace of life where you can relax and unwind from the moment you arrive.
We sell a wide range of holidays to Crete so please do get in touch as we'd be delighted to help you.
Crete enjoys a mix of both the Mediterranean and North African climates with hot, dry summer months enjoying soaring temperatures of up to 30 – 40 C in July and August and very little rainfall from April through to October. Winters are generally mild and rainy with the occasional snow spotted in the higher mountain ranges.
Getting to Crete is simple with many major airlines, including some "low cost" airlines, flying into both Heraklion and Chania airports from a number of regions across the UK and Ireland.


text:
One For My Baby - Earl Grant
One For My Baby
Earl Grant
Cover Photo: Hal Buksbaum
Vocalion - A Product of Decca Records, A Division Of MCA Inc.
VL73893
From the back cover: Singer, organist and pianist, Earl Grant is one of the most entertaining and exciting talents now appearing in night clubs both here and abroad. He is a regular attraction in Las Vegas and Reno, among other entertainment spas across the country. And he performs regularly in Japan, Australia and Mexico, where he is known for the attendance records he has set. Television has also benefitted by his guestings on such variety shows as "The Ed Sullivan Show," Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show," "The Steve Allen Show" and "The Merv Griffin Show."
One For My Baby (And One For The Road)
Dancing On The Ceiling
Blues In The Night (My Momma Done Tol' Me)
After The Lights Go Down Low
If I Give My Heart To You
Everyday I Have The Blues
Cheryl Poole
Music From Hollywood - Percy Faith
Bread, Butter & Jam In Hi-Fi
Some Of My Favorites - Dave Garroway
Rodgers For Moderns - Ted Heath
The Ballad Style Of Stan Kenton
Let's Put Out The Lights - Jame Russell
Julius La Rosa
Relaxing With Perry Como
More Mancini Favorites - Rudolph Statler
Tribute To Jerome Kern - Al Goodman
Music For A Chinese Dinner At Home - Bob Lin Wu
Fabulous Ping Pong Bongo Percussion - Kaino And Hi...
New Original TV Themes - T.V. '67
Hammond A GoGo Vol. II - James Last
Magician - Erroll Garner


text:
Q: Features scaling and mean normalization in a sparse matrix Is it a good idea to perform features scaling and mean normalization on a sparse matrix? I have a matrix that is 70% sparse. Usually, features scaling and mean normalization improve the algorithm performance, but in the case of a sparse matrix, it adds a lot of non zero terms

A: If it's important that the representation be sparse, in order to fit into memory for example, then you can't mean-normalize in the representation itself, no. It becomes completely dense and defeats the purpose.
Usually you push around the mean normalization math into another part of the formula or computation. Or you can just do the normalization as you access the elements, having previously computed the mean and variance.
Or you can pick an algorithm that doesn't need normalization, if possible.

A: If using scikit-learn you can just as below:
from sklearn.preprocessing import StandardScaler

scaler = StandardScaler(with_mean=False)
scaler.fit(data)

Where you zero the mean to maintain sparsity as you can see on documentation here.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The End of Courtship?
The End of Courtship? · 2
achughes · 2927 days ago
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Discuss this on Hubski.
Discuss this on Hubski.
ad · 2927 days ago · link ·
This article comes off as if a teenage girl, just out and into the dating scene, realizes that the world isn't made up of:
>Dinner at a romantic new bistro
To be honest, I don't see the downfall of hanging out with somebody because you're furthering the relationship. You also get one big advantage in hanging out with his friends: You see him as a normal person, in a normal social setting. Normal. Not feeling pressured to perform a dazzling act to some random girl he asked out in a romantic bistro, which in itself is sending messages that a women might perceive as creepy/needy.
If you honestly have some sort of issue with hanging out with someone for a few hours, and want to go spend money on food, and perhaps talk for 30 minutes, tell the person that. How in fucking hell is he supposed to know what you do and don't want to do? Thinking something isn't the same as telling someone something. Perhaps if this article was based on the fact that guys flat out refuse to go on "legitimate" dates, then I'd be fine with this view point, but it's not. I, as a man, would be perfectly fine doing either. It even says this:
>"I don't like to take girls out. I like to have them join in on what I'm doing — going to an event, a concert."
Going to an event or concert is a date. It's going out to do something with her, no? Even if it's being done with or without her, you're still doing:
1. Buying her a ticket to come
2. Spending time together
So I can't really see the reason to complain. While it may not be the most intimate way of communicating, it's still communication. I'd even argue that it's better, since dinner and a movie isn't an accurate depiction of your entire life. Hanging out, talking, watching TV, etc, all combined, are.
God this article is dumb. If a woman honestly wants something out a relationship, don't fuck the person, say something.
Skippy · 2926 days ago · link ·
While it may not be the most intimate way of communicating, it's still communication. I'd even argue that it's better, since dinner and a movie isn't an accurate depiction of your entire life. Hanging out, talking, watching TV, etc, all combined, are.
Agreed. I'd go a little farther and say dating must (at some level) include community, because (i) individuals change according to the setting they are in and you want to know all facets of this person, and (ii) you're not taking this person out of his community, you're trying to join it; the same goes for this person's involvement in your community. The "traditional" style of dating (which is what, 150 years old? if that? tradition develops too) is very focused on people on the individual level, where it should strike a balance between individual and community.
. If a woman honestly wants something out a relationship, don't fuck the person, say something.
Shoot, goes both ways I'd say. Don't go under the sheets until you know the person. Sex is more than just pleasure, it's intimacy, and quick flings cheapens it.


Varieties of quartz can be used to activate certain feng shui elements. Quartz is the second most common mineral on the planet, and it has many properties that make it ideal for use in feng shui.
You may be surprised to learn that there are hundreds of different varieties of quartz. Some commonly available forms can help improve auspicious energy in feng shui.
This type of quartz is a rock crystal and is clear or transparent in coloration. This clarity makes it an ideal choice for use in optical equipment and electronic applications. Energetically, clear quartz amplifies energy and is considered a universal healer. Therefore, you can use it in feng shui to amplify any energy you'd like to have become stronger.
Smoky quartz ranges in color from a light gray or brown smoke color to very dark brown and almost black. It is transparent, so you should be able to see light to it when you hold it up to a light source. Smoky quartz transmutes negative energy into positive energy, making it an excellent protection stone. Try sprinkling smoky quartz around the outside perimeter or your home or property to change any energy to positive energy before it crosses your property line.
Amethyst grows in clusters that range from light lavender to deep purple. It often grows together with clear quartz, smoky quartz, and citrine as well as by itself. Amethyst enhances intuition, and it can help ward of bad dreams and improve the quality of sleep. Place a cluster of amethyst next to your bedside for better sleep. It is also known as the "sober stone," and many people believe it can help with sobriety.
Chalcedony is a form of microcrystalline quartz. When studying crystals and gemstones, you often see chalcedony listed as a gray to blue colored semi-transparent stone. In mineralogy, however, agates and carnelian are also forms of chalcedony. Blue chalcedony has a calming and peaceful energy, and you can use it to enhance communication and the ability to speak your truth. Place it in family areas of the home where communication is essential.
Jasper is another form of microcrystalline quartz. There are many colors of jasper, which tends to be opaque and colorful with hues ranging from brown to bright reds, blues, or blacks. One form of jasper, picture jasper, is believed to be the record keeper of the planet with the images seemingly formed in the stone telling the tales of ancestors. Use picture jasper in meditation to help you journey into the planet's history.
Agates are a form of chalcedony. They are semi-transparent and come in multiple colors and patterns. One green form of agate, called moss agate, can help connect you with nature. It also represents the wood element in feng shui. Place moss agate in interior rooms to help bring the outdoors in.
Citrine ranges from pale yellow to deep golden brown in color. In general, the pale yellow citrine is created in the earth as pressure and heat turn smoky quartz or amethyst into citrine. It can also be created in the lab by heating smoky quartz or amethyst until it turns yellow. The more vivid the yellow color of the citrine, the more likely it is to be heat treated. Either way, however, citrine is a prosperity stone. Place a piece in the money corner or in your wallet or cash box to bring wealth energy.
Rose quartz ranges in color from light pink to deep pink or even lavender. It is a stone with a strong love energy. Place in the bedroom to enhance romantic love.
Aventurine is a form of microcrystalline quartz flecked with bits of mica, giving it a sparkling appearance. The sparkles in aventurine are referred to as aventurescence. Green aventurine supports health energy, so it's a great stone to carry with you if you are struggling with health issues.
When amethyst and citrine form together, they create a gemstone called ametrine. Most ametrine has distinct areas of purple and yellow in it, and it makes a beautiful gemstone. Ametrine brings together the best properties of the citrine and the amethyst, and it can also facilitate connection and balance. Place it in your wealth corner to attract prosperity.
Quartz comes in many colors and shapes. It may be clustered or it may be part of a smooth rock. It may also have terminations - pointed ends - which you can use to direct energy flow.
Double terminated quartz crystals have points at both ends. You can use a double terminated quartz crystal for energy work, meditation, and for dispersing negative chi in your home.
Enhydro quartz crystals have small pockets of water or gasses trapped within the quartz. The water is very pure and has been there for millions of years. In feng shui, enhydro quartz brings the energy of both the elements of earth and water. Place enhydro quartz anywhere you'd like to purify or cleanse energy.
Phantom quartz occurs naturally when a quartz point grows around another mineral point so you can see the outline of the original point inside of the outer crystal. These outlines are called phantoms. The process takes millions of years. Phantom quartz can help you gain insight, so they are excellent stones for a meditation room.
This mineral can store and purify energies. The double-terminate formation is an ideal yin and yang balancer. You can use a double terminated crystal in various rooms of your home and also correct the chi flow in your home. You can also wear a quartz pendant to help balance the yin and yang energies in your body.
Practitioners use quartz crystals in healing bodywork. The practitioner places the crystal over a charka as a balancing technique. While clearing the energies of the chakras, it's believed that the crystal also opens the charka to receive energy. The crystal's energies can help to unblock chi. This property makes it an ideal choice for crystal healing bodywork.
You can use many different varieties of quartz for various feng shui remedies within your home. Along with bringing earth element energy, quartz crystals have various properties that can help facilitate the optimal flow of chi.


text:
Justia Dockets & Filings Third Circuit Pennsylvania Eastern District ECEM EUROPEAN CHEMICAL MARKETING B.V. v. THE PUROLITE COMPANY Filing 132
ECEM EUROPEAN CHEMICAL MARKETING B.V. v. THE PUROLITE COMPANY
MEMORANDUM. ( SIGNED BY HONORABLE JOEL H. SLOMSKY ON 10/14/10. ) 10/15/10 ENTERED AND COPIES E-MAILED.(gn, )
ECEM EUROPEAN CHEMICAL MARKETING B.V. v. THE PUROLITE COMPANY Doc. 132 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA ECEM EUROPEAN CHEMICAL MARKETING B.V., Plaintiff, v. THE PUROLITE COMPANY, Defendant. : : : : : : : : : : CIVIL ACTION NO. 05-3078 OPINION Slomsky, J. I. INTRODUCTION On July 8, 2010, following a jury trial in this case, Defendant The Purolite Company ("Purolite") filed the instant Motion for Post-Trial Relief (Doc. No. 117). Purolite moves to amend the judgment entered on June 10, 2010 in favor of Plaintiff ECEM European Chemical Marketing B.V. ("ECEM") and against Purolite, by reducing ECEM's award to $405,183 from $785,725. In addition, Purolite requests an award of prejudgment interest in the amount of $80,037.52 on the $245,213 judgment entered in favor of Purolite and against ECEM on Purolite's counterclaim.1 Finally, Purolite renews its Motion for a Directed Verdict, alleging that the evidence showed that a document entitled "General Terms and Conditions of Sale" was not part of the contract between the parties. On July 26, 2010, ECEM filed a Response in Opposition to Purolite's Motion for Post-Trial Relief (Doc. No. 124). On September 7, 2010, the Court held a hearing on post-trial motions filed October 14, 2010 Purolite concedes that if it is entitled to prejudgment interest, that ECEM is also entitled to prejudgment interest. Purolite argues that the pertinent rate of interest is 6%. 1 Dockets.Justia.com by the parties.2 For the following reasons, Purolite's Motion for Post-Trial Relief (Doc. No. 117) will be granted in part and denied in part. II. BACKGROUND A statement of facts and procedural history of this case prior to trial are fully set forth in the Court's Opinion dated January 29, 2010 covering five pre-trial Motions in Limine. (Doc. No. 86 ["Opinion"].) In that Opinion, the Court denied Purolite's Motion in Limine to preclude ECEM from offering at trial a document entitled General Terms and Conditions of Sale ("GTCS"). Purolite argued that the GTCS was inadmissible parol evidence that did not form part of the 2004 Purchase Order ("2004 Contract"), the operative contract between ECEM and Purolite. ECEM was a supplier of styrene, which Purolite used in its manufacturing plant. The 2004 Contract covered the shipments of styrene. The GTCS provided, inter alia, that ECEM had the right to recover statutory interest plus an additional 4% upon Purolite's failure to pay an invoice. In addition, the GTCS provided for recovery of fees and costs incurred by ECEM in pursuing payment under the contract. Purolite argued that the 2004 Contract represented the entire agreement between the parties, and the GTCS was inadmissible to vary, alter or modify the terms of the 2004 Contract. The GTCS provides in relevant part as follows: 2. If the term of payment is exceeded all costs of collection, both in and out of court, shall be for the account of the Buyer. . . . If the Buyer has not made payment within 8 days from the invoice date and also in the event the parties agree upon a term of payment of more than 8 days the Buyer shall pay the 3. On July 8, 2010, Plaintiff ECEM also filed a Motion for Post-Trial Relief (Doc. No. 118). The Court is issuing a separate opinion on this Motion. 2 2 seller interest at the rate of 4% above the statutory interest. (GTCS, Article 8, �� 2-3.) The GTCS is governed by the law of the Netherlands. (GTCS, Article 14, � 1.) The Netherlands' statutory interest rate is 8%. In response to Purolite's Motion in Limine, ECEM maintained that the GTCS was a part of the contract between the two parties. Each shipment of styrene sent to Purolite, beginning in 2002, contained an invoice for payment that expressly incorporated the GTCS. ECEM argued that Purolite approved each invoice in writing, and during the three-year relationship between the parties, Purolite consistently accepted shipments of styrene and invoices, each of which contained a reference to the GTCS. In the Opinion dated January 29, 2010, this Court ruled that the parol evidence rule does not apply under the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods ("CISG"). The CISG governs cases involving contracts for the sale of goods between parties whose principal place of business are located in different nations. The CISG is applicable here. The Court concluded that unlike the parole evidence rule, the CISG allows evidence of the parties' intent to be admissible at trial to interpret the terms of an agreement. Consequently, the Court denied Purolite's Motion in Limine to preclude evidence of the GTCS, though a question for the jury remained as to whether the GTCS actually formed a part of the contract between ECEM and Purolite. Accordingly, at trial, ECEM introduced the GTCS, which was marked as Exhibit "P-91." ECEM also introduced at trial a document marked Exhibit "P-111A," which was a "Summary of Outstanding Invoices and Interest Claimable." Exhibit P-111A showed that Purolite owed ECEM $405,183 for unpaid invoices for five shipments of styrene. ECEM claimed at trial that it was entitled to $277,645.79 interest on the $405,183 for the unpaid invoices. The amount of 3 interest was calculated by using the 8% Netherlands statutory interest plus the 4% interest noted in Article 8, Section 3 of the GTCS. Finally, ECEM introduced Exhibit "P-44," which showed that ECEM incurred $304,612.51 in attorney's fees in this case. In total, ECEM sought at trial an award of $987,441.30 for Purolite's breach of contract.3 At the close of ECEM's case, Purolite moved to exclude from the jury's consideration the applicability of the GTCS, contending that there was no evidence upon which a jury could have found that GTCS formed part of the contract. The Court denied Purolite's Motion. In the Motion currently before the Court, Purolite renews its Motion for a Judgment as a Matter of Law on the applicability of the GTCS, and the proper calculation of damages in view of the jury's responses to Interrogatories submitted for their consideration. On June 8, 2010, after the close of testimony and arguments of counsel, the Court instructed the jury on the pertinent law. With respect to damages, the Court instructed the jury in accordance with "Joint Proposed Point for Charge No. 29,"4 which parallels the language in Article 74 of the CISG and provides as follows: Damages for breach of contract by one party consist of a sum equal to the loss suffered by the other party as a consequence of the breach. The jury awarded ECEM $785,725. Since the jury found that ECEM was entitled to be paid under the 2004 Contract, this award must include the $405,183 for breach of the 2004 Contract, including the failure to pay the outstanding invoices. It is unclear how the jury calculated damages above this amount. Based on the trial evidence, the overage could only be sourced from ECEM's claim for interest and attorney's fees under the GTCS. For reasons noted in this Opinion, ECEM is not entitled to receive an award of interest and attorney's fees under the GTCS. On May 21, 2010, the parties submitted "Joint Proposed Points For Charge." (Doc. No. 100). On June 7, 2010, the Court held a charge conference with the parties in Chambers, at which time the Court ruled on the parties' Joint Proposed Points For Charge and each party's Supplemental Points For Charge. 4 4 3 Such damages may not exceed the loss which the party in breach foresaw or ought to have foreseen at the time of the conclusion of the contract, in the light of the facts and matters of which he then knew or ought to have known, as a possible consequence of the breach of contract. (Doc. No. 100 at 34.) The Court also instructed the jury in accordance with "Joint Proposed Point For Charge No. 33," which provides as follows: If you find that the plaintiff or the defendant breached the contract, then you must decide, based on the evidence that plaintiff or defendant has presented, the amount of money damages that will compensate the plaintiff or defendant for its loss as a result of the breach. Your aim in calculating this amount should be to put the plaintiff or defendant, as nearly as possible, in the same position it would have occupied had the contract been performed. In determining this amount, you should remember that the plaintiff or defendant is entitled to be reimbursed for its loss, in addition to all reasonable and proper expenses incurred as a result of the plaintiff's or defendant's reliance on the contract.5 (Doc. No. 100 at 38.) At trial, after instructing the jury on the applicable law, the Court gave the jury five (5) Interrogatories to answer during their deliberations. Interrogatories Nos. 1-3 provided as follows: 1. Has Plaintiff ECEM European Chemical Marketing, B.V. proven by a preponderance of the evidence that ECEM is entitled to payment for deliveries of styrene under its contract made with Defendant Purolite Company for the year 2004 for At the charge conference, the parties agreed to modify "Joint Proposed Point For Charge No. 33" to add the phrase "or defendant" to the instruction in order to cover Purolite's counterclaim against ECEM. Moreover, although the Court instructed the jury that it could award "all reasonable and proper expenses incurred as a result of Plaintiff's or Defendant's reliance on the contract," it is clear that the only out-of-pocket expense incurred by Plaintiff and proven at trial was for attorney's fees. However, as discussed supra, attorney's fees could only be awarded under the GTCS, which the jury found was not part of the 2004 Contract. Thus, the jury's award of any attorney's fees cannot be sustained. 5 5 unpaid invoices? Yes ___________ No __________ (PLEASE PROCEED TO QUESTION 2.) 2. Do you find that Plaintiff ECEM has proven by a preponderance of the evidence that the "Terms and Conditions of Sale" referred to on the invoices formed a part of the contract with Defendant Purolite Company? No __________ Yes __________ (IF YOU ANSWERED "YES" TO QUESTION 1, OR "YES" TO BOTH QUESTIONS, PLEASE PROCEED TO QUESTION 3. IF YOU ANSWERED "NO" TO QUESTION 1, PLEASE PROCEED TO QUESTION 4.) 3. What amount of money, if any, would reasonably and fairly compensate Plaintiff ECEM European Chemical Marketing, B.V. for Defendant Purolite Company's breach of contract? $ __________ During deliberations, the jury asked for clarification on Interrogatory No. 2. The inquiry from the jury was as follows: We would like clarification on Question 2. If we answer no, may we still add interest and lawyers' fees in the total amount awarded in Question 3? (Doc. No. 113.) After a discussion with counsel, the Court instructed the jury in regard to their question: The response is that you are finders of fact and you make factual findings and you have to apply the law that is contained in my charge. So, we're leaving to you to make a judgment as to how a specific question should be answered and what flows from that question, based upon your fact-finding function, your finding of fact and the charge that I have given you in this case, which you have. 6 On June 8, 2010, the jury rendered its verdict. As to Interrogatory No. 1, the jury answered "Yes," finding that ECEM was entitled to payment for the unpaid invoices. However, the jury answered "No" to Interrogatory No. 2, finding that the GTCS did not form part of the contract between the parties. Nevertheless, under Interrogatory No. 3, the jury entered a verdict on ECEM's claim against Purolite in the amount of $785,725, or $376,042 above the $405,183 amount ECEM sought for the unpaid invoices.6 (Doc. No. 114.) Purolite's chief argument in the Post-Trial Motion is that a jury award of an amount over and above $405,183 is a clear error of fact and law because the jury found in answering Interrogatory No. 2 that the GTCS, which allows a statutory interest rate of 8% plus an additional 4% interest and for payment of attorney's fees, did not form a part of the 2004 Contract between ECEM and Purolite. Accordingly, Purolite requests that the Court mold and reduce the judgment to $405,183, which is simply the amount Purolite owes ECEM on the unpaid invoices. III. LEGAL STANDARD Purolite moves to amend or alter the judgment entered by the Court under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 59(e) and E. D. Pa. Local Civil Rule 7.1(g) on the ground that the jury made an impermissible monetary award. A court should grant a motion for reconsideration sparingly "because courts have a strong interest in the finality of judgments." Douris v. Schweiker, 229 F. Supp. 2d 391, 408 (E.D. Pa. 2002) (internal quotation omitted); Pa. Ins. Guar. Ass'n v. Trabosh, 812 F. Supp. 522, 524 (E.D. Pa. 1992). A motion for reconsideration is an extraordinary remedy that will 6 The jury also entered a verdict on Purolite's cross-claim against ECEM in the amount of $245,213. (Doc. No. 114.) On June 10, 2010, the Court entered the original judgment on both verdicts. (Doc. Nos. 115, 116.) 7 be granted only if the moving party can demonstrate one of the following: (1) there has been an intervening change in controlling law or fact; (2) new evidence has become available; or (3) there is a need to prevent manifest injustice or correct a clear error of law or fact. Max's Seafood Caf� v. Quinteros, 176 F.3d 669, 677 (3d Cir. 1999) (citing N. River Ins. Co. v. CIGNA Reins. Co., 52 F.3d 1194, 1218 (3d Cir. 1995)). Mere dissatisfaction with a court's ruling is not a proper basis for reconsideration. "A jury's damages award will not be upset so long as there exists sufficient evidence on the record, which if accepted by the jury, would sustain the award." Cortez v. Trans Union, LLC, No. 08-2465, 2010 WL 3190882, at *21 (3d Cir. Aug. 13, 2010) (quoting Thabault v. Chait, 541 F.3d 512, 532 (3d Cir. 2008)). "[A] District Court reviewing a jury verdict has an "obligation . . . to uphold the jury's award if there exists a reasonable basis to do so." Evans v. Port Auth. of N.Y. & N.J., 273 F.3d 346, 351-52 (3d Cir. 2001) (quoting Motter v. Everest & Jennings, Inc., 883 F.2d 1223, 1230 (3d Cir. 1989)). "[T]he court may not vacate or reduce the award merely because it would have granted a lesser amount of damages." Id. For a court to disturb a jury verdict, "the damages assessed by the jury must be so unreasonable as to offend the conscience of the Court." Murray v. Fairbanks Morse, 610 F.2d 149, 152 (3d Cir. 1979); see also Feldman v. Phila. Hous. Auth., 43 F.3d 823, 833 (3d Cir. 1994) ("The jury's verdict may not be disturbed unless the record is critically devoid of the minimal amount of evidence upon which the jury could have reached its verdict."); Swineford v. Snyder County Pa., 15 F.3d 1258, 1265 (3d Cir. 1994) ("A jury verdict will not be overturned unless the record is critically deficient of that quantum of evidence from which a jury could have rationally reached its verdict."); Judkins v. HT Window Fashions Corp., No. 070251, 2010 WL 1292158, at *20 (W.D. Pa. Mar. 31, 2010) (refusing to disturb a jury verdict that was 8 "reasonable and in accord with the evidence"). IV. DISCUSSION A. Motion to Mold ECEM's Judgment Purolite contends that since the jury found that the GTCS was not part of the contract between the parties, the jury could not, as a matter of fact and law, award ECEM an amount above the $405,813 due for unpaid invoices. In other words, Purolite argues that the jury was required to answer Interrogatory No. 2 with a "YES," finding that the GTCS was part of the 2004 Contract, in order for the jury to award ECEM damages for the additional 8% and 4% interest, plus attorney's fees. Since the jury answered Interrogatory No. 2 with a "NO," Purolite contends that ECEM's damages are limited to the amount of the unpaid invoices only, and any interest and attorney's fees requested by ECEM pursuant to the GTCS as a result of Purolite's breach should be disregarded. The Court must mold the judgment entered in favor of ECEM because the jury committed a clear error of fact and law by returning a verdict in the amount of $785,725 for ECEM. Because the jury found in its answer to Interrogatory No. 2 that GTCS did not form part of the contract, ECEM is only entitled to damages of $405,183 for the unpaid invoices and to an award of prejudgment interest on that amount at the rate of 6% in accordance with Pennsylvania law. ECEM is not entitled to recover attorney's fees in this case since the parties did not have a private agreement allowing for recovery of attorney's fees. The record is clear that ECEM sought attorney's fees only under GTCS, which allows for recovery of such fees, if it is part of the contract. At trial, during a conference outside the presence of the jury, the Court stated to counsel, "At least, the award of attorney's fees was under the terms and conditions. There's no question about that." Counsel for ECEM replied, "There is no question about that, your honor. I put the attorney's 9 fees in as part of the terms and conditions." (Transcript, June 8, 2010, 22:3-10.) As noted supra, the jury found that the GTCS did not form a part of the contract between the parties, precluding ECEM's recovery of attorney's fees in this case. Consequently, the issue before the Court is whether the jury's award of $785,725 is supported by the evidence offered at trial in view of the jury's finding that the GTCS was not part of the contract. There is no doubt that ECEM is entitled to at least $405,183, the amount of the unpaid invoices. Because the jury found that the GTCS, which provided for 8% statutory interest plus another 4% interest, is not a part of the 2004 Contract, the Court now must determine the proper interest rate to be applied in this case. Since the jury found that the GTCS was not part of the 2004 Contract, the Netherlands' statutory interest rate of 8% is not applicable here. Accordingly, for reasons discussed infra, the Court will apply the Pennsylvania statutory interest rate of 6%.7 McDermott v. Party City Corp., 11 F. Supp. 2d 612, 632 (E.D. Pa. 1998) (citing 41 Pa. C.S.A. � 202). The Court will mold ECEM's judgment by adding 6% prejudgment interest to the $405,183, Article 78 of CISG provides: "If a party fails to pay the price or any other sum that is in arrears, the other party is entitled to interest on it, without prejudice to any claim for damages recoverable under article 74." In other words, Article 78 "clearly states that in the event of nonpayment or delayed payment by a party, the opposing party is entitled to prejudgment interest." San Lucio, S.R.L. v. Import Storage Servs., LLC, No. 07-3030, 2009 WL 1010981, at *3 (D.N.J. Apr. 20, 2009). However, CISG provides no specific interest rate. Rather, under Article 7(2), CISG explains that "[q]uestions concerning matters governed by this Convention which are not expressly settled in it are to be settled in conformity with the general principles on which it is based or, in the absence of such principles, in conformity with the law applicable by virtue of the rules of private international law." Consequently, because CISG does not settle the matter of the applicable interest rate for this case, the Court finds that general principles dictate that the Pennsylvania statutory interest rate of 6% should apply here to both parties. 10 7 the amount of the unpaid invoices.8 At 6%, the total amount of interest is $139,430 as agreed to by the parties at the hearing held on September 7, 2010. Thus, the total judgment in favor of ECEM and against Purolite will be reduced to $544,613. B. Motion for Prejudgment Interest on Purolite's Award The jury found that $245,213 would reasonably and fairly compensate Purolite for ECEM's breach of contract stemming from late deliveries of styrene in November and December 2004. Purolite now requests the Court to award prejudgment interest in its favor at the rate of 6%, or $80,037. Purolite submits that it is entitled to prejudgment interest accrued from December 22, 2004, when Purolite received the late shipments and sustained its damages, to June 8, 2010, when Purolite received its judgment on the counterclaim.9 "A post-judgment motion to amend the judgment to provide for prejudgment interest constitutes a Rule 59(e) motion. This is so because the motion involves the reconsideration of matters encompassed within the merits of the judgment . . . and because prejudgment interest is an element of a plaintiff's complete compensation." 12 James Wm. Moore, Moore's Federal Practice, Though ECEM never formally applied for prejudgment interest, in its response to Purolite's Post-Trial Motion, ECEM explained in relevant part: "[I]f the Court were to diminish ECEM's award by subtracting any interest awarded by the jury pursuant to the Court's instructions, the Court should also simultaneously amend the award by adding prejudgment interest at the rate determined by the Court, without need for ECEM to reapply for such interest." (Doc. No. 124 at 5 n.9.) ECEM's statement in its response to Purolite's motion is sufficient for the Court to apply prejudgment interest to its award to prevent manifest injustice, since Purolite is entitled to prejudgment interest on its damages awarded by the jury. Although the jury rendered its verdict on June 8, 2010, the Court did not enter judgment on Purolite's counterclaim until June 10, 2010. See Am. Demolition, Inc. v. Richard I. Rubin & Co., No. 88-636, 1993 WL 452078, at *1 (E.D. Pa. Oct. 27, 1993) ("The right to prejudgment interest accrues from the time the debtor withholds payment until the court enters a judgment.") (internal citation omitted). The two-day difference, however, does not materially affect the interest rate calculation which was based on a period of 5.44 years. 11 9 8 � 59.30[2][c], 59-105 (3rd Ed. 2010); see Osterneck v. Ernst & Whitney, 489 U.S. 169, 174-76 (1989). Under Pennsylvania law, prejudgment interest is generally awarded as a legal right on money owed under a contract. Siematic Mobelwerke GmbH & Co. KG v. Siematic Corp., 643 F. Supp. 2d 675, 686 (E.D. Pa. 2009); Parexcel Int'l Corp. v. Feliciano, No. 04-3798, 2008 WL 5467609, at *3 (E.D. Pa. Dec. 4, 2008) (citing Fernandez v. Levin, 548 A.2d 1191, 1193 (Pa. 1988)). The purpose of prejudgment interest in a contract case "is to reimburse the claimant for the loss of the use of its investment or its funds from the time of the loss until judgment is entered." Starceski v. Westinghouse Elec. Corp., 54 F.3d 1089, 1103 (3d Cir. 2005) (internal quotation omitted). Further, "prejudgment interest should ordinarily be granted unless exceptional or unusual circumstances exist making the reward of interest inequitable." Hartsfield, Titus, and Donnelly v. Loomis Co., No. 08-3329, 2010 WL 596466, at *4 (D.N.J. Feb. 17, 2010) (quoting Anthuis v. Colt Indus. Operating Corp., 971 F.2d 999, 1010 (3d Cir. 1992)). Interest is recoverable as contract damages: (1) If the breach [of a contract] consists of a failure to pay a definite sum of money or to render a performance with fixed or ascertainable monetary value, interest is recoverable from the time for performance on the amount due less all deductions to which the party in breach is entitled. (2) In any other case, such interest may be allowed as justice requires on the amount that would have been just compensation had it been paid when performance was due. Restatement (Second) of Contracts � 354 (1979); see also Siematic, 643 F. Supp. 2d at 686-86 (discussing prejudgment interest calculation in Pennsylvania). Here, the second element of Restatement � 354 is applicable because ECEM's breach of contract did not consist of a failure to pay a definite sum of money. The damages were calculated based upon the cost to Purolite of 12 closing its plant in Romania because styrene was not shipped timely by ECEM to the plant. The lack of styrene held up production and the plant had to be shut down. ECEM asserts that Purolite is not entitled to prejudgment interest in this case because Purolite claimed unliquidated damages for loss of overhead expenses. Under Pennsylvania law, the award of prejudgment interest in a contract action is a legal right. Edwards v. Wyatt, 330 Fed. App'x 342, 352 (3d Cir. 2009) (citing Verner v. Shaffer, 500 A.2d 479 (Pa. 1991)). "This principle holds when contract damages are liquidated or unliquidated." Id. (citing Spang & Co. v. USX Corp., 599 A.2d 978, 983-84 (Pa. 1991) ("No exception has been carved out where damages must be determined at trial.")). Consequently, ECEM's argument that Purolite is not entitled to prejudgment interest is unavailing because Pennsylvania precedent allows a party to recover prejudgment interest on unliquidated damages. Further, ECEM argues that when a party does not prevail in its case, prejudgment interest should not be awarded. For this proposition, ECEM relies upon, Alexiou v. Moshos, No. 08-5491, 2009 WL 5092810 (E.D. Pa. 2009), where the court denied prejudgment interest to a plaintiff who was awarded $90,000 on her breach of contract action. In that case, the defendant was awarded $94,000 on his counterclaim. Finding that plaintiff owed defendant a net award of $4,000, the court refused to award prejudgment interest to plaintiff because she did not prevail and judgment was not entered in her favor. Id. at *6. In this case, the jury found that ECEM breached its contract with Purolite by failing to timely deliver shipments of styrene. Consequently, the jury entered a verdict in favor of Purolite on its counterclaim and awarded Purolite $285,213 in damages. Unlike the situation in Alexiou, on June 10, 2010, this Court entered judgment in favor of Purolite on its counterclaim in the full amount 13 awarded by the jury. (Doc. No. 116.) Though the Court also entered judgment against Purolite and in favor of ECEM for a larger amount, Purolite can still be considered a "prevailing party" which is entitled to prejudgment interest. See Hensley v. Eckerhart, 461 U.S. 424, 433 (1983) (prevailing parties are ones that "succeed on any significant issue in litigation which achieves some of the benefit the parties sought in bringing suit"); Swietlowich v. County of Bucks, 620 F.2d 33, 34 (3d Cir. 1980) (explaining that prevailing party is one that "essentially succeeds" on a claim); Singer Mgmt. Consultants, Inc. v. Milgram, No. 09-2238, 2010 WL 3037394, at *5 (3d Cir. Aug. 5, 2010) (holding that a party prevailed because it obtained "judicially sanctioned" relief "on the merits"). Here, Purolite succeeded on its counterclaim, and the Court entered judgment in favor of Purolite in the amount of $245,213. Justice requires that Purolite receive prejudgment interest on its award under Pennsylvania law. Accordingly, the Court will grant Purolite's Motion for Prejudgment Interest and will award Purolite an additional $80,037 based on a 6% interest rate accrued over 5.44 years. Thus, the total judgment in favor of Purolite and against ECEM will be changed to $325,250. C. Renewed Motion to Enter Judgment as a Matter of Law In it's Post-Trial Motion, Purolite renews its Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law with respect to the applicability of the GTCS. Purolite argues that there was no evidence presented at trial upon which a jury could have found that the GTCS formed part of the agreement between ECEM and Purolite. In reviewing a Motion for Judgment as a Matter of Law, the Court must consider that this type of post-judgment motion should be granted only "if, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmovant and giving it the advantage of every fair and reasonable inference, there 14 is insufficient evidence from which a jury could reasonably find liability." Lightning Lube, Inc. v. Witco Corp., 4 F.3d 1153, 1166 (3d Cir. 1993); Enright v. Springfield Sch. Dist., No. 04-1653, 2007 WL 4570970, at *3 (E.D. Pa. Dec. 17, 2007) (discussing the standard of review on a Motion to Enter of Judgment as a Matter of Law). As noted above, the Court denied Purolite's original Motion for Entry of Judgment as a Matter of Law at trial which sought to have the Court exclude the GTCS as being part of the 2004 Contract. Thereafter, in response to Interrogatory No. 2, the jury found that the GTCS did not form a part of the agreement between the parties. Regardless of the Court's pretrial ruling on the admissibility of the GTCS, the jury has now spoken on this issue, and the GTCS is not part of the contract. Given the rulings of the Court on prejudgment interest and attorney's fees, supra, and the answer of the jury to Interrogatory No. 2, the argument of Purolite with respect to the GTCS is moot. V. CONCLUSION For the foregoing reasons, the Court will grant Purolite's Motion to Award Prejudgment Interest on Purolite's award at an interest rate of 6% in the amount of $80,037, for a total award of $325,250. The Court will mold the jury verdict in favor of ECEM to preclude any award of attorney's fees and interest under the GTCS. Consequently, ECEM is entitled to an award of $405,183 for unpaid invoices. Like Purolite, ECEM is also entitled to an award of interest at the rate of 6% for a total award of $544,613. Finally, the Court will deny Purolite's Renewed Motion to Enter Judgment as a Matter of Law with respect to its argument on the inadmissibility at trial of the GTCS. Appropriate Orders follow. 15


text:
The sounds of places: mapping the world's musical taste
Written by Glenn McDonald on 29 September 2014 .
At Spotify, where I work, we have listeners in a large and growing numbers of countries around the world. You might theorize that people in different countries listen to different music. You might be curious to hear this music. If you are like me, you might be really curious, to the point of a kind of obsessive, consuming fear that there is awesome and bizarre and wonderful music in, say, Estonia, that you're not hearing.
We do, in fact, have per-country top-track charts in Spotify itself. These measure the absolute popularity of tracks among the sub-population listening in a given country. Statistically, though, these charts tend to be fairly well dominated by global hits.
This isn't a technical flaw, but it does mean that those charts are not especially useful for the purpose of musical tourism. When I say I want to hear what they're listening to in Estonia, I mean that I want to hear what they're listening to in Estonia that, proportionally speaking, nobody is listening to anywhere else. I want to hear the music that is most uniquely Estonian, or more precisely the music that is most uniquely loved by Estonians.
So I've been experimenting with code to generate the kind of additional alternate chart that I mean, measuring the most distinctive listening of a country. It's not perfect, and the occasional global hit wanders in due to emotionally irrelevant factors like regional licensing contingencies. But for the most part these charts do appear to be rather effectively getting past the global to the local.
I was going to share an alphabetized list of these, for anybody who shares my curiosity. But I have this code to produce visual maps of music groupings, and it's just as easy to feed it countries as it is to feed it genres. And thus I've done the somewhat bizarre exercise of producing a visual remapping of inherently geographic data using non-geographic coordinates.
This sounds silly, I think. But it turns out to be surprisingly interesting. Here's the map:
This is a readability-adjusted scatter-plot of two acoustic variables averaged across a few thousand of the most popular and representative songs from each country.
The vertical axis is a metric quality we call 'bounciness', so the countries at the top are characterized by denser and more atmospheric music, and the countries at the bottom are characterized by sparer music with spikier beats and more space between them. For example, the constant roar of atmospheric black metal or the slow humming whir of classical organ music would be at the top, and the jumpy beats of hip hop or the pulse of reggae would be at the bottom.
The horizontal axis is another score we call 'organism'. The countries towards the left are characterized by music with more electric arrangements and/or more mechanical rhythms. The extreme of this quality gets you relentless techno. The countries towards the right are characterized by music with more acoustic arrangements and/or more human and variable rhythms. The extremes of this get you jigs and reels, or sitars.
But what's intriguing here, obviously, is not where individual countries appear, but which countries cluster together. Japan, Australia and Canada all basically fall into acoustic Scandinavia. Africa and the Caribbean form a unified acoustic southern hemisphere. Malaysia is acoustically closer to Slovakia than to China, and Lebanon is acoustically closer to South Korea and Mexico than to Iran. I feel like we are detecting at least the faint echoes of a kind of cultural truth.
Click any country to see the calculated playlist of the 100 most distinctively popular songs in that country. You need to have Spotify downloaded for this to work, and as you'll discover, in some cases international publishing rights work counter to personal curiosity, and less than 100 will actually be available for you to stream. If you're extra-curious, in Spotify Preferences you can uncheck 'Hide unplayable tracks', and then you'll at least get to see all 100.
Estonia turns out to be pretty much exactly as awesome as I imagined it had to be if I could only hear it.
This article first appeared on Glenn's furialog personal blog.