text:
Booming Burgundy Wine
Expertise and Technology Have Created Burgundy's Greatest Run Of Vintages Ever, And 1997 Promises to Preserve the Streak
By Matt Kramer | From Michael Douglas, May/Jun 98
It has been an incredible run--and it's not over yet. Never in living memory have we seen such a remarkable string of good Burgundy vintages. "It's really something," exults Becky Wasserman, an American wine shipper who has lived in Burgundy for decades. "The last truly poor vintage we've seen was 1984. After that, it's been a dream." And it continues to be, right up to the latest (and possibly greatest) 1997 vintage.
Can this all be chalked up to good luck or perfect weather? Hardly. In an undertaking as quirky and temperamental as wine making, especially when dealing with the weather fluctuations of a region like Burgundy, a run of this length does not happen by accident. Expertise must be at work, like a talented card player who keeps winning hand after hand whether dealt good cards or bad.
That some years are better than others is not news to anyone out of short pants. The complication--nowhere more so than in Burgundy--is that some years see a really good harvest for Chardonnay (white Burgundy) while that same year may well be a lesser one for Pinot Noir (red Burgundy)--or vice versa.
How can this be? Timing. Burgundy, in eastern France and only 100 miles away from the Alps, is well within the mountain range's fast-changing weather influence. Harvest in Burgundy typically is in mid-September, just when cool weather and fall rains start. It's always a delicately played game to wait until the grapes are ripe enough to harvest, but to pick before the rains beginHow can this be? Timing. Burgundy, in eastern France and only 100 miles away from the Alps, is well within the mountain range's fast-changing weather influence. Harvest in Burgundy typically is in mid-September, just when cool weather and fall rains start. It's always a delicately played game to wait until the grapes are ripe enough to harvest, but to pick before the rains come.
Chardonnay vines bud a little later than Pinot Noir. That means that they typically get harvested later as well. In a place such as Burgundy, where a week can mean the difference between delight and disaster, the race between ripeness and rot is all a matter of beating the rain.
Inevitably, there are complications. Some years, Pinot Noir can have thicker, tougher skin than usual, thanks to a warm, dry summer. Then, the normally thin-skinned Pinot Noir, which cracks or bursts after a few days' rain, making it susceptible to rot or mold, can ride out the wet weather. That's what happened in the great '93 vintage.
Yet the '93 whites didn't fare as well. While picking started for Pinot Noir on September 15, when the weather was clear and sunny but cool, the Chardonnay grapes weren't ripe enough for harvest. It began to rain on the 22nd, when much of the Pinot Noir had already been picked, but the Chardonnay fruit was still not ready because of the cool weather. Many of the '93 white Burgundies emerged thin, underripe and a bit too acidic. Yet growers who, earlier in the season, pruned for very low yields made superb wines. Why? Because low-yield vines have grapes that ripen earlier and better.
Knowing this, you can understand why the Burgundians I talked to this past October at the end of the '97 harvest were ecstatic. It's probably best captured by a simple moment in the courtyard of a grower in the village of Volnay, famed for its perfumey Pinot Noirs.
On October 6, after virtually everything had been harvested, I visited Hubert de Montille, one of Volnay's senior eminences. We were tasting wine and spitting in the graveled courtyard. Suddenly, a few drops of rain fell. De Montille looked up, astonished. "That's the first drop of rain that's fallen in five weeks."
Such a statement speaks volumes. Burgundy almost never sees such dryness at harvest. The last time would have been 1976, a famous drought year. At the time, Burgundy growers--and gullible wine writers--declared '76 a vintage of the century. But the wines, in fact, were overripe. The reds were excessively tannic and tasted as if they were made from raisins, which in a way they were. Imagine overbrewed tea and you've got the picture. The whites were overalcoholic and "flabby" from a lack of acidity--raisins again.
Is this what will happen in the blemish-free '97 vintage? Unlikely. Just why also partly explains why Burgundy hasn't had a poor vintage in more than a decade: grower expertise. Simply put, vintages prior to the mid-'80s weren't as bad as some of the wines suggested. The growers then just didn't have the technology and the wine-making knowledge that today's new generation commands.
Twenty years ago, most Burgundy producers, even the biggest and most sophisticated shippers, lacked real control. For example, they lacked temperature control equipment. If grapes came in too warm or, more often, too cold, there was little they could do. If fermenting juice overheats, the result is reduced acidity and certain kinds of spoilage. If cold juice takes too long to start fermenting, yet another sort of spoilage can set in.
Stainless steel tanks (with their temperature control "jackets") were almost unknown in Burgundy until the '80s. Too often, the old wood vats were musty. And in the vineyard, rotten or moldy grapes were poorly sorted out, if at all.
Today, it's a new, better Burgundy. Sure, there are still far too many greedy growers who overcrop their vines, producing too many clusters per vines for real quality. That's a perennial problem.
Nevertheless, we have never seen so many beautiful Burgundies as today. Vintages that once would have been declared disastrous--or at least pretty poor--such as the '94 red Burgundies (the whites were far more successful) now emerge in the hands of the best producers as something fine and appealing.
The '94 vintage saw yet more interesting weather (Burgundy's weather is always fascinating). Summer was hot and dry. So far, so good. But then it began to rain in late August. That's not so bad, you say. The vines need a bit of water. Otherwise they can "shut down" from water stress. True enough. But then it kept raining, on and off, all through September. Still, '94 wasn't a disaster. The white Burgundies were quite good. How could this be? Partly it was because the summer was so warm that both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay were riper than usual by early September. It would have been a very early harvest were it not for the rain.
In '94 rot eventually did set in. Many, if not most, red '94s were light and thin. But the best growers sorted their grapes with almost savage ferocity, eliminating half or more of their Pinot Noir. The result was wines better than what Burgundy would have offered if this same harvest had occurred 20 or 30 years ago.
The '94 whites were more successful as Chardonnay was fully ripe, maybe too much so. The acidity was low. Most '94 white Burgundies were rich, but flabby. It's a vintage to drink young, while the fruit is fresh. As a matter of fact, they taste swell right now.
This brings us to what might be called the Great Triumvirate: 1995, '96 and '97. Let's make it simple. The '95 vintage produced some of the greatest white Burgundies seen in a generation. Unlike most Burgundy vintages, '95 was ambidextrous: both red and white performed beautifully. We haven't seen such switch-hitting since the 1990 vintage.
But it must be said that '95 was a standout for the whites. Why? In a word, yields. Chardonnay yields in Burgundy have crept up as steadily as a sales tax. Demand for white Burgundy is intense; growers are happy to oblige by ratcheting up the yields of their vines.
But cold spring weather in '95 inhibited flowering, with the result that some Chardonnay vines had up to one-third fewer clusters than usual. And boy, you can taste the difference. The '95 whites are unusually thick-textured and dense. High acidity will make these wines very long-lived, with plenty of dense fruit to stay the course.
The '95 Pinot Noir also had reduced yields. Summer was warm, which helped ripening. September was, naturally, episodically rainy. The reds came in ripe and a bit tannic. Everyone seems to agree that '95 reds were better in the Côte de Nuits, the northern half of the Côte d'Or, than in the Côte de Beaune. The reason: Côte de Nuits growers picked later. They got lucky, as the weather cleared in late September and early October, resulting in more fully ripened, less-astringent-tasting Pinot Noir. (The good weather also helped the later-ripening Chardonnay.)
Then there's '96, which will be much--and rightly--ballyhooed. It's a vintage that just might be the exception to the rule that high yields equal lesser quality. Spring '96 was well-nigh perfect, resulting in abundant flowering and a perfect "set," where each flower turns into a grape berry. It was a large crop ready to rock and roll. And it did. Summer was very dry and warm. And the ever-crucial September saw insignificant rain.
The result will be knockout red Burgundies in '96: darkly colored, richly fruity, moderately tannic and deeply pleasurable. At all levels, from inexpensive, basic Bourgogne rouge to stratospherically priced grands crus, the '96 reds performed brilliantly.
The '96 white Burgundies are unusually tart or acidic (good because it makes the wine refreshing and long-lived). They have exceptional finesse. They're not heavy or flabby wines. But the lesser versions are a little too thin, a little too acidic because there's not enough fruit density to buffer the high acidity. But the best wines are thrilling.
Surely there's a catch, right? It's that niggling matter of yields. The '96s, especially the reds, taste tremendous out of the barrel. But then, so too, did the '90s, another richly fruity, high-yield red and white wonder year. Indeed, '90 created some great Burgundies. But now, closing in on a decade of age, a certain "hollowness" in the midpalate of both the red and white '90s has become apparent.
That's the effect of higher-than-desirable yields in an otherwise sterling vintage. You don't see this effect when wines are very young. Their youthful, exuberant fruit seems unconquerable. But time is merciless. If yields are too high, it's the midpalate, the essential spine of the wine, that goes first.
So that's the one cautionary note to the '96s. Yields were high, with the result that some wines--especially the whites--can be a little light. Still, some very great wines were made that year. It's a vintage to pursue.
What's more, the '96s will be priced reasonably (for Burgundy). Prices for the '97s are widely expected to increase by as much as 30 percent over the '96s. Burgundians saw how much the Bordeaux growers--always more market savvy than the Burgundians--got for their '96s. So now the Burgundians are going for the gold with their '97s.
Which brings us to the almost bizarre '97 vintage, which is guaranteed to be hyped as yet another vintage of the century. It was almost too much of a good thing. As Hubert de Montille commented, September saw not a drop of rain and, even more incredibly, had no forecast of rain. Growers had so much time to decide when to pick (the rarest luxury in Burgundy) that some waited too long, resulting in overripe, sugar-rich grapes.
André Porcheret, winemaker for the vineyard-endowed Hospice de Beaune, an ancient charity hospital, and a grower himself, explained the consequence colorfully. "Some producers had vats of wine that flambéed," said Porcheret. By this he meant not that the wine turned into a Burgundian cherries jubilee, but that the juice was so sugar-rich that when fermentation (yeasts feeding on sugar) began, it took off almost uncontrollably. Temperature control equipment should have taken care of this--if the grower caught the problem in time. Some didn't.
At the very least, the '97 vintage should deliver very ripe-tasting wines, as both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir could be picked whenever the growers liked. There was not a care about rot or mold. Some really terrific Burgundies should result.
No vintage is perfect, though. One potential downside to the '97s might be, apart from overripeness, a deficiency in acidity. Some wines will be soft and lacking in refreshing crispness. That, in turn, will make them mature very quickly. We shall see. So far, '97 looks promising, but potentially treacherous.
For Burgundy buyers, vintages do matter. And they can be aggravating. But since the glorious (and now fully mature) 1985 harvest, it's been a pleasure to play. The odds are in our favor as never before. Some years you play white over red, such as '86 and '92. Other years you put your money only on red, such as '87, '91 and '93. And in a few rare years, such as '90 and '95, you play both white and red.
But one thing is certain: amazingly, not a year--or a harvest--has gone by when Burgundy hasn't delivered the goods. That is something no era of Burgundy lovers could ever say--or even imagine--until now.
Portland, Oregon-based Matt Kramer is a columnist for Wine Spectator. They Were Very Good Years
The very word "vintage" spooks wine buyers. There's always a niggling fear that you're not getting the right year. The word itself somehow connotes quality: "a vintage year." In fact, a vintage is simply the year of the harvest.
Vintage literally means "harvest," from the Latin vindemia, grape gathering. In Italian, it's vendemmia; in Spanish, vendimia; in French, vendange. Only in English does "vintage" refer to a year on a label.
In France, a Burgundian will talk about 1996 as "une trés bonne année" because it was "une grande vendange." Somehow, all this got lost in translation, resulting in our muddled, yet resonant phrase, "a vintage year." (The California wine industry used to crow that "every year is a vintage year.")
However you use the term, the table at right of vintage ratings compiled by the tasting panel of Wine Spectator magazine illustrates Burgundy's almost unblemished run of quality over a 12-year span.
Vintage Ratings 95-100, classic; 90-94, outstanding; 80-89, good to very good; 70-79, average; 60-69, below average; 50-59, poor.
*1996 vintages were rated from barrel tastings and therefore are expressed in a range.
The Top 25 Cigars of 2020 Reveal Schedule
Cigar Shapes, Sizes and Colors
10 Things Every Cigar Smoker Should Know
17 Cigars to Get You Through Winter
Cuban Hoyo Primaveras Launching Virtually in Hong Kong
More in Drinks Pairings
To demonstrate the many options for marrying rum and smoke, we picked two cigars with quite different …
Four Irish Whiskies to Pair With Your Next Cigar
The world of Irish whiskey has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence in recent years. We paired four standout …
Bonding with Bourbon
We pair 16 outstanding Bourbons with cigars to demonstrate the classic American whiskey's affinity …
Pairing Laphroaig 16 With Cuban Cigars
A Hoyo Epicure No. 2 and a Cohiba Siglo V go head-to-head with Laphroaig's new expression.
Cigar Pairing: Ommegang's For The Throne Is Also For Your Cigar
Just in time for Sunday's season eight premiere, Ommegang and HBO have launched For The Throne, their …
Craigellachie's Clever 33-Year-Old Scotch Commands A High Price
How can a Scotch brand that's only been around for six years suddenly offer a 33-year-old single malt …


text:
Obóz pracy przymusowej w Ostrowcu (niem. Zwangsarbeitslager für Juden Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski) – niemiecki obóz pracy przymusowej w Ostrowcu na terenie Generalnego Gubernatorstwa.

Istniał od 1 października 1942 do 3 sierpnia 1944. Był przeznaczony dla kobiet i mężczyzn narodowości żydowskiej.

Bibliografia

Linki zewnętrzne

Obozy pracy przymusowej w dystrykcie radomskim
Historia Ostrowca Świętokrzyskiego
Obiekty budowlane w Ostrowcu Świętokrzyskim

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


LOOKING FOR A TRULY IMMERSIVE TV EXPERIENCE? ANNOUNCING SONY'S CERTIFIED "IMAX-ENHANCED" OLED AND LCD TVS!
IMAX and DTS® have announced the development and release of the "IMAX-Enhanced" certification/licensing program that combines the highest-end consumer electronics products with IMAX digitally re-mastered 4K HDR content and DTS® audio technologies to offer consumers a new level of immersive sight and sound experiences for the home—and Video & Audio Center will have them all priced less than Amazon and Best Buy, see stores for details.
IMAX Enhanced is a new licensing and certification home entertainment program. To qualify and carry the IMAX Enhanced logo, the highest-end TVs, projectors, sound bars, and AV receivers must meet stringent performance standards established by IMAX, DTS® and Hollywood's leading colorists in order to create a consistent and higher bar for image and sound performance on premium devices. IMAX digitally re-mastered content for the home environment is created to provide the sharpest 4K HDR images and powerful sound as the filmmaker intended. We are designing an IMAX Mode for the enhanced devices that will be meticulously optimized to play digitally re-mastered content to deliver the best viewing and listening experience on that device.
"While the IMAX theatrical experience continues to be the gold standard in blockbuster movie-going, we are launching an exciting new program that applies components of IMAX's and DTS' technology and expertise to deliver consumers a level of quality never before experienced at home," said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond.
IMAX and DTS® announced that a number of global consumer electronics and entertainment market leaders have joined the IMAX Enhanced program as launch partners, including Sony Electronics, Sony Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Denon and Marantz, and have plans to expand to include other, qualifying, upscale manufacturers/products.
Sony's OLED TVs, as well as their latest, high-end LCD TVs and projectors, will be the first televisions to carry the IMAX-Enhanced designation.
"Sony continues to make innovation and consumer choice a top priority for those seeking the very best viewing experience," said Mike Fasulo, president and chief operating officer of Sony Electronics. "We are proud to join other global consumer electronics and entertainment leaders as a launch partner for the IMAX Enhanced program and to be able to provide a wide variety of televisions and projectors designed to deliver the filmmaker's intent."
To qualify and carry the IMAX Enhanced logo, Sony's TVs and home cinema projectors have met a carefully prescribed set of performance requirements, set by IMAX and DTS® engineers and Hollywood's leading technical specialists, to deliver the highest-quality, sharpest 4K HDR images and powerful, immersive sound at home on Sony's premium devices. The companies are designing an IMAX Mode for Sony devices that will be meticulously optimized to play IMAX digitally remastered content as the filmmaker intended in the home.
In recent years, we at Video and Audio Center have seen the industry's top manufacturers working closer and closer with top entertainment content developers and studios with the expressed intent to deliver a truly cinematic experience; a goal that appears to be acheivable now that today's 4K Ultra HD HDR TVs have the ability to mirror that experience fully in terms of both digital and audio.
MASTER Series A9FOLED and Z9F LED – Sony's recently announced MASTER Series televisions are powered by the next-generation Picture Processor X1™ Ultimate; Sony's new MASTER Series provides picture quality approaching that of a professional-grade monitor and was developed in collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment to truly display the creators' intent; Netflix Calibrated Mode, available exclusively on the new Sony MASTER Series A9F OLED and Z9F LCD TVs, ensures cinematic fidelity for the viewing experience on Netflix and are all available at Video & Audio Center technology showrooms, as well as online.
A8F OLED and A1E OLED – In 2017, Sony introduced the A1E, its first large screen BRAVIA OLED 4K HDR TV, offering customers even more premium options when purchasing a TV; the new A8F series introduced in 2018 builds upon the success of the A1E by incorporating Sony's unique 4K HDR picture Processor X1™ Extreme and Acoustic Surface™ technology to provide superior picture quality and awe-inspiring sound.
X900F – These TVs feature the X1 Extreme processor and provide stunning picture quality and a wider selection for customers who are looking for large screen premium 4K HDR TVs (85-inch and 75-inch class sizes, in addition to 65-inch, 55-inch and 49-inch class sizes).
IMAX will supply select IMAX documentaries and work with its global studio and other content partners to build a steady stream of IMAX Enhanced versions of movies and other programming using the newest, proprietary post-production process developed by IMAX. It utilizes a sophisticated, advanced algorithm designed to produce the highest-quality, sharpest 4K HDR images.
With the filmmaker's guidance, this advanced process accurately reduces noise and grain to best optimize the content for a much higher quality, higher brightness 4K HDR display. Without this technology, high-dynamic range content can actually look worse than what was originally seen and intended by the filmmaker due to excessive noise and grain in the film.
Select IMAX Enhanced titles that were shot with IMAX® cameras or specially formatted for IMAX® theatres will also include an expanded aspect ratio for the film's home release to show consumers more of the picture on their TV. Stop in to any of the five Video& Audio Center technology showrooms to experience the complete line of IMAX Enhanced Sony OLED and LCD TVs today.


text:
ICC World Cup 2019: Qualification scenarios – Road to semi-finals for different teams – Hindustan Times
Pakistan increased their chances of qualification with the win against South Africa. Also, along with Afghanistan, South Africa officially became the second side to be knocked out of the tournament.
This World Cup needs to thank Sri Lanka for opening up the entire table when they inflicted a shock defeat on England at Leeds. This has now thrown open many interesting scenarios. ( Complete coverage of ICC Cricket World Cup 2019)
We take a look at the most realistic scenarios:
Teams which could be the semi-finalists
New Zealand and India are the only sides to be unbeaten in the campaign so far. While New Zealand top the table with 5 wins from 6 matches, India have won 4 out of their 5th match. The Kiwis are one win away from securing their berth, while India need two more wins.
Kohli's boys are scheduled to play England, West Indies, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh and hence, winning two matches should not be too taxing for them.
Australia too have been having a good tournament and barring the blip against India, they have looked to be a team in form. They are slated to play against England, New Zealand and South Africa and need to win one more match to guarantee qualification. However, if they stay on 10 points, they would then hope that Sri Lanka lose at least two of their remaining fixtures, and Bangladesh and Pakistan lose at least one match.
ALSO READ: Different from playing IPL: Chahal warns Andre Russell and company
England – What about it?
The number 1 side, the firm favourites and also the side which has lost to Pakistan and Sri Lanka. They are now scheduled to face India, New Zealand and Australia, the in-form sides, and if they lose all the three matches, they remain stranded on 8 points and they could be ousted from the league stage.
However, even if they win one more match, their qualification is not guaranteed, although it does increase. If Sri Lanka win all their remaining three matches, they can finish with 12 points and overtake England.
What if they stay on 8 points:
They can qualify if:
–> Sri Lanka lose all their remaining matches
–> Pakistan and Bangladesh get defeated in at least two of their remaining games
–> West Indies lose one
6 points from 6 matches and the win against England gave them a massive shot in the arm. They have to play 3 more matches and they will be against
South Africa, West Indies and India. These matches won't be easy, but they have the possibility of finishing with 12 points if they win all the three matches.
However, if they end on 10 points, they will have to sit and wait and hope England lose all their remaining matches, Bangladesh do not win more than two and Pakistan lose at least one.
They will be eliminated, if they do not win any of their matches.
ALSO READ: 'Lowest point of career' – Faf du Plessis after SA's World Cup exit
2 wins from 6 matches and they have to face Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. If they win all their matches, they will finish with 11 points and can still qualify if:
Sri Lanka lose all their remaining matches
England win not win more than one.
Three points from six games and have three more matches against India, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
Well, even if they win all their remaining matches, they will still hope England lose all their matches and, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka win not more than one each and Pakistan lose at least two.
Their campaign is very similar to 1992. They won against South Africa which means that are now with 5 points from 6 matches. They now face New Zealand, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. If they win all the three matches, they will end with 11 points and then hope England do not win more than one and Bangladesh and Sri Lanka lose at least one match.
First Published:
Jun 24, 2019 11:55 IST
Previous Previous post: "Haris Sohail's Knock Was Brilliant": Pakistan Coach Slams Journalist For Negative Remarks – NDTV News
Next Next post: Boris Becker begins auction of trophies, medals to pay off debts – The Indian Express

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
L'Abruzzo Ulteriore II o Secondo Abruzzo Ultra fu un'unità amministrativa del Regno di Napoli prima e, quindi, del Regno delle Due Sicilie, nata dalla divisione della precedente provincia dell'Abruzzo Ultra.

Istituzione della provincia
L'ente fu istituito da Giuseppe Bonaparte, che, con la legge 132 del 1806 Sulla divisione ed amministrazione delle province del Regno, varata l'8 agosto, riformò la ripartizione territoriale del Regno di Napoli sulla base del modello francese e soppresse il sistema dei Giustizierati. Negli anni successivi (tra il 1806 ed il 1811), una serie di regi decreti completò il percorso d'istituzione della nuova provincia con la specifica dei comuni che in essa rientravano e la definizione dei limiti territoriali e delle denominazioni di distretti e circondari in cui veniva suddivisa la provincia stessa. Dal 1º gennaio 1817 l'organizzazione amministrativa venne definitivamente regolamentata con la Legge riguardante la circoscrizione amministrativa delle Provincie dei Reali Domini di qua del Faro del 1º maggio 1816.

La sede degli organi amministrativi era ad Aquila, nell'ex convento di Sant'Agostino. Il territorio dell'ente comprendeva l'odierna provincia dell'Aquila più 17 comuni passati alla provincia di Rieti e 2 comuni passati alla provincia di Pescara nel 1927.

Suddivisione amministrativa
La provincia era suddivisa in successivi livelli amministrativi gerarchicamente dipendenti dal precedente. Al livello immediatamente successivo alla provincia individuiamo i distretti che, a loro volta, erano suddivisi in circondari. I circondari erano costituiti dai comuni, l'unità di base della struttura politico-amministrativa dello Stato moderno, ai quali potevano far capo le ville, centri a carattere prevalentemente rurale.

La provincia comprendeva i seguenti distretti:
Distretto di Aquila, istituito nel 1806;
Distretto di Cittaducale, istituito nel 1806;
Distretto di Sulmona, istituito nel 1806;
Distretto di Avezzano, istituito nel 1811.

I distretti erano suddivisi complessivamente in 31 circondari.

Note

Bibliografia

Voci correlate

Giustizierato d'Abruzzo
Abruzzo Citra
Abruzzo Ultra
Abruzzo Ulteriore Primo
Regno di Napoli
Regno delle Due Sicilie
Suddivisione amministrativa del Regno di Napoli
Suddivisione amministrativa del Regno delle Due Sicilie

Altri progetti

Province napoletane
Storia dell'Abruzzo


text:
Home / malayalam cinema / malayalam film news / malayalam movie How Old Are You / malayalam movie Mr.Fraud / Manju Warrier / Mohanlal / "Mr.Fraud" and "How Old Are You" in theatres today (May 17)
"Mr.Fraud" and "How Old Are You" in theatres today (May 17)
May 17, 2014 malayalam cinema, malayalam film news, malayalam movie How Old Are You, malayalam movie Mr.Fraud, Manju Warrier, Mohanlal
The stage has been set for two big releases of this month, Today (May 17) it is two Malayalam releases in which one would mark the return of actress Manju Warrier to Malayalam cinema. Apart from that another one is real tester as Mohanlal's next release after blockbuster "Drishyam". So it's going to be a real competitor at box office. Suresh Nair's "Medulla Oblankatta" was the lone release on this Friday.
Unnikrishnan B directed "Mr.Fraud" Malayalam movie has made it to the news
with rift between FEFKA and Exhibitors Federation, which arouses doubts on the release of this movie and now finally movie is released today. Mohanlal is playing the central character, while Miya George, Siddique, Dev Gill, Vijay Babu, Manjari Phadnis, Rajeev Parameshwar, Rahul Madhav, Sai Kumar, Devan, Suresh Krishna and others include the cast. Satheesh Kurup is the cinematographer. AVA Productions banner, A V Anoop is the producer.
After the long gap of 14 years, Manju Warrier will again charm the silver screen with "How Old Are You" Malayalam movie. Rosshan Andrrews directorial has Manju Warrier playing a character of Nirupama Rajeev. Along with her, there is Kunchacko Boban, Kaniha, Siddhartha Basu, Lalu Alex, Vanitha, Jayaraj Warrier, Vinay Forrt and others. Bobby and Sanjay have prepared the script, while music has been given by Gopi Sunder.
Well don't forget to share your choice here........


Yehaw! Happy September! New prints are up at Bibber & Bell Wine and Spirit! What a treat to be able to hang more work! A big thank you to Damien & Robyn for extending my artistic stay.
Art should be accessible to everyone, to be lived with & shared. With that philosophy in mind, I have made some of my favorite watercolor paintings into prints. Pieces from my collections of watercolor Maps, and Knickers & things, are available framed or individual. Unframed prints are $35 & framed prints are $70, priced for those of us with budget in mind.
If you haven't had the chance to check out the Bibber & Bell you should. Stop in & say hello. Peruse their fabulous wine selection. There are some delicious things to be sipped & had.
P.s. All the wine labels denoting region are made by yours truly.
P.p.s. Prints are available in my Etsy shop-just added New Mexico to the mix!


The Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering (CEOSE), an advisory group to the National Science Foundation (NSF) on policies and programs to enhance the inclusion of underrepresented groups in fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), has released its latest biennial report to Congress. Acknowledging NSF's efforts to increase diversity in STEM fields, the latest report builds on a call to action from the 2011-2012 report to Congress by setting forth a framework to improve opportunities and address barriers at all educational levels. Click here to learn more about CEOSE and to access the most recent biennial report.
The U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) launched a search for prospective partners to operate their newly improved business center program. MBDA plans to award 29 individual cooperative agreements to operate MBDA Business Centers beginning April 1, 2016. Prospective applicants for the MBDA Business Center program competition are encouraged to participate in a Pre-Application Conference scheduled for Thursday, October 15, 2015 at 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time.
The Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities is partnering with the University of Nebraska, Omaha to lead the CUMU Engagement Academy from October 9 through October 11, 2015. The event will provide professional and institutional development opportunities managed by leading community engagement scholars and practitioners. Participants will develop action plans and the necessary skills for implementation of engagement strategies that fit the mission of their institutions.
A White Paper produced for the National Science Foundation (NSF), "Realizing STEM Equity and Diversity through Higher Education-Community Engagement," by Ira Harkavy, Nancy Cantor, and Myra Burnett presents a promising approach to advancing equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through higher education-community engagement. This paper advances both the understanding and practice in the field by presenting key findings and recommendations for effective higher education-community engagement in STEM.
The Community Affairs Officers of the Federal Reserve System invite paper submissions for the ninth biennial Federal Reserve System Community Development Research Conference. This conference is a unique event that aims to bridge the gap between research, policy, and practice on key issues facing the country. High-quality and emerging research is presented in a dialogue with policymakers and community practitioners who can utilize the lessons gleaned from research. Abstracts are due September 8, 2014, and full drafts must be submitted by March 2, 2015.
For more information about the conference and submitting a paper/abstract please click here.
This volume of the Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement emerges from the growing need to share experiences, challenges, successes and strategies of anchor institution-community partnerships. As interest in the role and value of anchor institutions for community and economic development continues to grow, so does the need to improve and share our knowledge about what it takes to create and sustain collaborative strategies.
"Anchor Institutions: An Interpretive Review Essay" seeks to evaluate the current state of knowledge on anchor institutions. As capital fled urban places, as the federal government devolved many of its responsibilities down to the state and local levels, and as the economy became dominated by the service and knowledge sectors, anchor institutions emerged as a new stabilizing force and change agent in U.S. society. Anchor institutions, however, have a mission greater than just participating in the stabilization and development of communities, cities, towns, villages, and rural areas.
This Guide is designed to help public officials and citizens understand what activities are eligible to be assisted under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Entitlement Program and to guide them in making wise choices among certain alternatives available within the program for carrying out particular activities.
The HUD Forms Resource provides Portable Document Format (PDF) and, in some instances, Microsoft Word versions of forms required by HUD progams or protocol.
This source is useful for people applying for grants from institutions that must prove they serve a certain poverty group. Simply enter in a street address and ZIP code, and a list will be generated of census tracts surrounding that location. Profile options are available for each search result, including information on race, income distribution, education level, household income, etc.
The directory lists more than 18,500 individual contacts of organizations that offer (non-)financial support, information, and advice to the enterprise sector.
A new toolkit has been developed to help both educators and community leaders create locally relevant educational materials concerning sustainable development.
These guidelines are designed to be adapted by each partnership to its own conditions and circumstances and to function as an approach for action, not as a rigid prescription.


text:
<template name="room">

      {{#if hasMoreMessages}}

          Load more

      {{/if}}

      {{#each groupedMessages}}

            {{#each lines}}

{{this}}

            {{/each}}
            {{#if isNotMine}}{{sender.userName}}{{else}}me{{/if}}, {{dateAsTimeAgo timestamp}}

      {{/each}}

    <form class="form-inline" role="form">

          <input type="text" class="form-control" name="text" placeholder="...">

            <button class="btn btn-primary" type="submit"></button>

    </form>

</template>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Poverty blights a child's life. It reduces the opportunity for children to develop their gifts and talents, stifles educational achievement and reduces labour productivity and earnings ability. Every Child Counts research shows that poverty costs at least $6bn per annum in extra health costs, remedial education, and lower productivity across a lifetime.
Many children will slip in and out of poverty as family circumstances change. Job loss or redundancy, illness and costly medical treatment, relationship breakdown – many factors can cause temporary poverty. Most children, however, have the resilience to cope well enough with such temporary setbacks.
But long term or recurrent poverty is a different story altogether. Such poverty can have serious and permanent effects on a child as it influences their physical, emotional and social development. The causes of long term poverty are various and can include for example long term illness or disability, labour market conditions, social and health issues, housing costs, low pay or insecure employment.
The social consequences of child poverty are long term and manifold. Research shows that children that grow up in poverty tend to have poorer health in adulthood and gain fewer educational and vocational qualifications.
Ending poverty is important morally and economically. As the population grows older, we will be more dependent on today's children and young people to pay taxes and keep our economy going. In 2024, for the first time ever we'll have more people over 65 than under 14 years of age.
There are different ways to measure poverty. An income based measurement is a common measure and defines poverty as families living off less than 60% of New Zealand's median income after housing costs. Under this measure there are 305,000 children living in poverty. Another common measure is material hardship which measures things children need but regularly go without (for example a good bed, replacing worn out clothing, visiting the doctor when sick). Under this measure there are 148,000 children living in poverty.
Māori and Pasifika children are disproportionately affected by child poverty. Around 34% of Māori children and 28% of Pasifika children are living in poverty compared to 16% of Pākehā children (using an income based measure).
To learn more, click on the documents below.
Maori Narratives of Poverty - This report records the experiences of eight Māori whānau living in poverty and hardship.
Eradicating child poverty in New Zealand - provides the case for eradicating child poverty.
Te Ara Hou - The pathway forward - This report explores factors contributing to Māori and Pasifika child poverty.
Office of the Children's Commissioner's Expert Advisory Group on Solutions to Child Poverty. This report outlines a comprehensive set of solutions to end child poverty.
Child Poverty Action Group's policy paper series, Our Children, Our Choice: Priorities for Policy provided an overview of the situation of New Zealand's poorest children in the lead up to the 2014 general election and recommendations to end child poverty.
Original generation time 1.2910 seconds. Cache Loaded in: 0.0269 seconds.


text:
Safeguarding the Promise of Nanotechnology
Sara A. Brenner, M.D., M.P.H Guest Post
Sara Brenner, M.D., M.P.H., is the Assistant Vice President for NanoHealth Initiatives and Assistant Professor of Nanobioscience at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University at Albany, which is the first college in the world dedicated to research, development, education, and deployment in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanobioscience, and nanoeconomics. With more than $7.5 billion in public and private investments, CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex has attracted over 250 global corporate partners and is one of the most advanced research enterprises at any university in the world. http://cnse.albany.edu/
Amid global competition, collaboration lifts everyone's boat. At least in certain areas where the stakes are high, risks are unknown, and social responsibility is in the public spotlight. This is certainly the case of emerging technologies, and the bleeding edge is where nanotechnology lives today. Heralded as "leading to the next Industrial Revolution", nanotechnology represents a collection of capabilities, processes and techniques aimed at the manipulation and engineering of matter at an atomic level. While exploiting new properties that emerge at the nanoscale for a variety of applications in medicine, electronics, energy, and just about every other industry, shared concern regarding the health and safety implications of engineered nanomaterials – and the processes and products that incorporate them – have ignited lively debates and calls for robust research efforts amongst a heterogeneous community of stakeholders.
High Stakes
Domestic and international investments in nanotechnology research and development (R&D), particularly as the global economy is increasingly driven by innovation, are steadily on the incline. Significant and sustained public investments in nanotechnology R&D include those made by Federal research agencies such as the National Institutes for Health (NIH), the Department of Energy (DOE), and the Department of Defense (DOD). Since the launch of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) in 2000, Congress has appropriated approximately $14.2 billion for nanotechnology R&D, including approximately $1.8 billion in FY2011. More than 60 nations have established similar programs. In 2006 alone, total global public R&D investments reached an estimated $6.4 billion, complemented by an estimated private sector investment of $6.0 billion (1). By 2015, nanotechnology is anticipated to impact the worldwide economy by $2.4 trillion (2).
Not only are the stakes high in terms of investment, they are substantial in terms of the prospective, immeasurable benefits that a variety of industrial sectors stand to gain, not to mention the impacts on quality of life for all members of society. The nanoelectronics industry was the first to embrace, integrate and deploy nanotechnology know-how, having transitioned from working at the microscale to the nanoscale around the turn of the 21stcentury. Since then, nanotechnology has shaped the nanoelectronics industry and has expanded into other industrial segments, including health and beauty, sustainable energy, food, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, telecommunications, transportation, national security, and many more. These applications will add new dimensions to the values, ethics, lifestyles, and operations of the institutions of society.
Unknown Risks
While each entity is racing to develop and incorporate nanomaterials into their pipelines, one common ground shared by all is that of health and safety. Engineered nanomaterials produced and handled in industrial and academic settings present new challenges to understanding, predicting, and managing potential health risks to workers, consumers, and the environment. rapid growth and projected acceleration of nanotechnology creates urgency in understanding, predicting, and managing the health risks associated with occupational, environmental, and consumer exposures to nanomaterials.
The physiologic and health outcomes of exposure to engineered nanomaterials have not yet been well characterized, nor have the details surrounding the toxicity of various nanoparticles. The specific physiochemical parameters (e.g. size, shape, surface characteristics, charge, functional groups, crystal structure, and solubility) that most strongly influence biological activities are under investigation. It is suspected that particle count, size, and surface area are the most important determinants of toxicity. Health concerns include inhaled aerosolized nanoparticles (potential pulmonary toxicity) and nanoparticle penetration of skin (dermal translocation and biodistribution to other organs). Research underway suggests that there may be greater complexity to exposures than previously anticipated – including mixed exposures of nanoparticle agglomerates under various conditions. Potential safety concerns also include fire and explosion risks and catalytic activity of nanomaterials – but again, further research is necessary.
One of the first groups of people potentially exposed to a new material or technology are workers in R&D and manufacturing. The National Science Foundation projects that by 2020, the field of nanotechnology will employ some six million workers, two million of whom are expected to be in the United States (3). There is sufficient information at this time for numerous organizations, including the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), to recommend treating certain engineered nanoparticles "as if" they are hazardous. While assessment of the potential toxicity of nanoparticles is at an early stage, the development of occupational health and safety programs, including hazard surveillance and risk management, is strongly recommended. Hazard surveillance involves identifying and characterizing potential hazards in the workplace in order to identify toxic agents, work processes, and individual workers at risk of exposure and reduce overall exposure through early intervention. It also provides insight into the effectiveness of current engineering controls and personal protective equipment in preventing illness and injury.
Of the investments described above, less than 6% has been earmarked for health and safety research, which many would argue is woefully inadequate given early results and questions raised about potential health outcomes. In attempts to keep up with the pace of innovation, Federal research dedicated to nanoEHS grew substantially from $35 million in FY 2005 to an estimated $117 million requested for FY 2011 (4).
Spotlight on Social Responsibility
Understanding the public's perception of nanotechnology plays an essential role in its emergence and impact on society. Informing and educating the general public as rapidly as the technology is advancing is certainly a challenge. Identifying and understanding potential risks associated with nanotechnology and how to communicate with the public is one of the most pressing issues currently facing researchers, educators, policymakers, regulators, and industry leaders.
Again, one thing that stakeholders agree on is the need to address and mitigate emerging health and safety risks – and communicate those efforts to the public. Industry is being asked tough questions by the public, which is also asking tough questions of the government. The regulatory landscape includes slow movements by the White House, Food and Drug Administration, and Environmental Protection Agency. Meanwhile, certain states such as California are choosing to move ahead with a more proactive approach. However, social science studies conducted in the United States and Europe have consistently identified low levels of public trust in governmental agencies responsible for protecting human health; this suggests that public concern about nanotechnology risks could be mediated by collaborative efforts between academia, industry and government to provide information about nanotechnology and enhance the public's trust.
Safeguarding Scientific Progress
Research along the entire health and safety continuum – from genotoxicology to epidemiology – is needed to provide the most accurate and comprehensive picture of where opportunities and challenges lie. Collaborative and proactive research between key partners in academia, government, and industry will contribute significantly to the evaluation of engineering controls, personal protective equipment, and development of recommendations for process improvements and industrial best practices.
Detailed information about the risks associated with new technologies is often missing during the early stages of research, development and commercial marketing. A model for moving forward to proactively engage stakeholders has emerged at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University at Albany, which has pioneered a groundbreaking public-private partnership paradigm in which government, industry and academia are collaborating to drive nanotechnology education, innovation, and economic development and growth. Now, CNSE is using that unique model to proactively lead the global effort to identify and address health and safety issues related to nanotechnology. In March 2011, CNSE partnered with SEMATECH, a consortium of computer chipmakers, and its International SEMATECH Manufacturing Initiative (ISMI) subsidiary, to launch a first-of-its-kind public-private collaboration by co-founding and jointly funding the NanoHealth & Safety Center (NSC), headquartered at CNSE's unparalleled Albany NanoTech Complex. Backed by at least $10 million in funding over the next five years, the Center is dedicated to proactive research efforts in occupational and environmental health and safety for nanoelectronics research and manufacturing.
Through collaboration amongst the diverse faculty, staff, students, and international leaders in the semiconductor industry, the NanoHealth and Safety Center takes a proactive approach to identifying, assessing, and monitoring the potential health, safety, and environmental impacts of engineered nanomaterials.
CNSE, SEMATECH and ISMI are setting an innovative paradigm for internal monitoring and compliance where screening, surveillance, and research are done in partnership within and among academic, government and corporate institutions. Many of the tools, materials, and processes ongoing at CNSE are prototypes for the nanoelectronics industry. As new processes and materials are introduced, health and safety research protocols developed through the NanoHealth & Safety Center will be used to guide and predict how new elements may impact occupational and environmental health and safety before they are upscaled through widespread manufacturing.
Clearly, nanotechnology is already demonstrating its promise and potential for addressing society's most critical needs: improved health care; green energy; a clean environment; enhanced protections for our soldiers abroad and citizens at home; the availability of ultra-fast, ultra-secure communications, and so much more. Ensuring that those critical innovations continue to advance is rooted, in part, on safeguarding industry professionals, consumers and the environment, and this effort demands our full attention. A strong commitment from industry, government and academia – as is being deployed at CNSE to tackle those challenges head on – is paramount for success.
(1) Sargent Jr., J. F. (2011). Nanotechnology: A policy primer[Electronic version]. Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service.
(2) Global Industry Analysts. http://www.prweb.com/releases/nanotechnology/nano_products/prweb4719764.htm
(3) House Subcommittee Explores Economic Benefits of Federal Nanotechnology Initiative. http://www.ieeeusa.org/policy/eyeonwashington/2011/06eow2011.asp
(4) The National Nanotechnology Initiative. Environmental, Health and Safety Issues. http://www.nano.gov/you/environmental-health-safety
Sara A. Brenner, M.D., M.P.H
Sara Brenner, M.D., M.P.H., is the Assistant Vice President for NanoHealth Initiatives and Assistant Professor of Nanobioscience at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University at Albany, which is the first college in the world dedicated to research, development, education, and deployment in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanobioscience, and nanoeconomics. With more than $7.5 billion in public and private investments, CNSE's Albany NanoTech Complex has attracted over 250 global corporate partners and is the most advanced research enterprise at any university in the world. http://cnse.albany.edu/


Welcome to the BML Media blog. BML media helps businesses tell the story they want to get out to Read more!
Kitchens: Before looking at other types of Photography I thought I would look specifically at Read more!


With rumors swirling of an ownership change at debt-laden Guitar Center, all eyes will be on whether the Westlake Village-based company reversed its sagging online sales over the critical holiday season.
Guitar Center has about $1.6 billion in debt, with most of that stemming from Bain Capital's $2.1 billion private-equity buyout of the company in 2007. In late February, the Wall Street Journal reported that Bain was in talks with Ares Management, which reportedly owns a majority of Guitar Center's debt, to trade Ares' notes for an equity stake.
Bain, Ares and Guitar Center did not return requests for comment for this story.
Bain's buyout of Guitar Center happened at the peak of the market in 2007. The company navigated the recession fairly well: In 2009, its revenues were about $2.2 billion; they rebounded after a slight dip, reaching to $2.1 billion in 2012.
But Guitar Center's debts weigh heavily on its balance sheet. A modest $21 million comes due in 2014 and 2015, with payments ballooning to $150 million and $983 million in 2016 and 2017.
Through it all, the company's core business of running more than 250 Guitar Center stores has remained operationally profitable. In the third quarter, Guitar Center notched an operating loss of $358 million, which was entirely driven by a goodwill writedown of $360 million. Factoring out the goodwill impairment, the profit was still much smaller than usual, however.
But a great number of musicians do buy gear online, and those sales are a big part of Guitar Center's business. In addition to its retail stores and Guitar Center website, it owns Musician's Friend, one of the biggest online retailers of musical equipment. In 2012, the business segment that contains Musician's Friend was $353.5 million, or about 16.5 percent of sales.
The problem for Guitar Center is its online segment has been steadily sinking, with sales falling nearly 10 percent between 2010 and 2012. Over the same period, the company's core Guitar Center sales rose 10 percent.
Meanwhile, at competitor Sweetwater Sound, the next-closest major online retailer, sales grew 20.5 percent to $265 million between 2011 and 2012, according to data provided to the Business Times by Music Trades.
On top of that, Amazon.com, a major online instrument seller, was a Guitar Center customer back in 2007, using Guitar Center to fulfill orders. That relationship has ended.
But Majeski traces some of the online troubles to Bain Capital's decision to consolidate the Musician's Friend team in Oregon with Guitar Center's California headquarters.
Guitar Center is also fighting larger trends in both the economy and the $4.8 billion musical instrument industry. Eric Garland, a future trend analyst, wrote a blog post titled "Guitar Center and the end of big box retail" in November, shortly after Standard & Poor's cut Guitar Center's corporate credit rating to CCC+. The post brought on a deluge of traffic to Garland's site, some of it from angry Guitar Center executives posting comments.
But he stands by his original assessment that enacting the private-equity playbook of "pump it full of debt, show a lot of topline growth, take it back public, charge a bunch of management fees" isn't sustainable in the age of diminished consumer spending.
But Majeski of Music Trades said that the role of consumer spending is "overblown" in the musical instrument industry. He said the bigger problem for Guitar Center is online competitors and the used gear market. Old guitars not only remain functional, they tend to increase in value after 20 or 30 years.


text:
Israeli settlers take over piece of land in Sheikh Jarrah
UN Security Council condemns 'terrorist' attack on Abu Dhabi
Sudanese hold 'day for martyrs' after anti-coup deaths
Turkey denies it used chemical weapons in Syria
The New Arab & agencies
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said shelling from either Turkey or allied factions hit al-Sheikh Hadid west of Afrin and left six people with 'enlarged pupils' and 'breathing difficulties'.
Turkey and allied Syrian rebels have waged a nearly month-long offensive against the YPG. [Getty]
Turkey denied on Saturday that used chemical weapons in Syria, after around six people were hospitalised in Afrin after being allegedly exposed to a toxic gas on Friday.
It said the accusations chemical weapons were used in the offensive against a Syrian Kurdish militia were "baseless", a Turkish diplomatic source said on Saturday.
The Turkish source was reacting to claims by the head of Afrin hospital in northern Syria that six men were treated late Friday after shelling during the offensive and had symptoms that were in line with exposure to toxic agents.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said shelling from either Turkey or allied factions hit al-Sheikh Hadid, west of the town of Afrin, and left six people with "enlarged pupils" and "breathing difficulties".
Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP he could not confirm whether toxic gases were used.
The Turkish source said Ankara took the "utmost care" regarding civilian safety and that the claims Turkey was responsible for an alleged gas attack were "baseless".
"Turkey never used chemical weapons," the source added. "(These are) lies... this is black propaganda."
Turkey last month launched military operation dubbed "Olive Branch" supporting Syrian rebels with ground troops and airstrikes against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia, viewed as "terrorists" by Ankara.
Turkey said the YPG is linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been waging an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984.
The PKK is blacklisted as a terror group by the United States and the European Union.
The YPG has been working closely with Washington to oust the Islamic State group from Syria, which has strained relations between the two NATO allies.
The Observatory says at least 78 civilians have died during Turkey's operation but Ankara repeatedly insists it is taking all the necessary measures to protect civilians.
Qassam Muaddi


New sales figures from Scotland's high streets are "stronger than expected'' despite suffering a drop in March, retail chiefs said.
Total sales in Scotland last month were 2.5% lower than they were in March 2013, while like-for-like sales - which strip out factors such as new store openings - have fallen by 3.8%.
That compares to a drop of 0.3% in total sales for the UK as a whole, with like-for-like sales down by 1.7%.
In Scotland total food sales decreased by 3.5% compared to last March, although the timing of Easter - which was celebrated in March last year but April this year - was said to have impacted on this.
Total non-food sales for last month were 1.8% lower than 12 months ago, according to the latest Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC)-KPMG retail sales monitor.
But sales of clothing and footwear were up from the previous year, although the sector suffered a record decline 12 months ago due to freezing temperatures.
The later timing of Easter this year also had an impact on sales of furniture and home accessories, which are often bought during the holiday period. SRC director David Lonsdale said that while the figures show a fall in sales, they were "stronger than expected'' given the later Easter.
He added: "A particularly strong performance in the fashion and footwear categories shows that shoppers are taking advantage of popular new collections on offer. Scottish retailers are working hard to respond to what customers want in this sector, and it is paying dividends.
David McCorquodale, head of retail at KPMG, said: "The timing of Easter - April this year, March last year - distorts the sales figures and exaggerates the decline in Scottish sales.
He added: "Total food sales in Scotland for the three months to March fell by 1.2% compared with a decline of 0.6% in the rest of the UK, hinting that the Scottish consumer is being cautious and canny in spending on necessities, and perhaps being more alert to the discounting of the grocers.


This Sunday at VCK, we are entering into the Easter story, starting with the Last Supper. This is an incredible season of sharing and teaching the kids about the most amazing gift of all, salvation through Jesus Christ.
Since we are focusing on the Last Supper, the elementary age kids will have an opportunity to take communion together. This is an incredible opportunity to talk as a family about the elements and what they symbolize.
In the Pre-K classes, the kids will be making "Family Communion Cups" that they can take home and the family can use it to take communion together.
Congratulations to Julie White who was recently voted by her fellow VCK Team Members as the "Most Valuable Player." Thank you Julie for being such an amazing blessing to the kids at Vintage as well as Brittany and myself! You rock!
We started learning a new memory verse last week, so encourage your kids to practice up as they will have opportunity to recite the verse to get their name in the drawing for a froyo outing with Pastors Brett and Brittany!
Bible Point: Jesus is the new covenant! Shake on it!


Will we see the underfunding of the NHS come back to bite the minister in the hot seat?
Happy New Year to all our readers! (note the clever use of 'all' there, giving the impression that you are just one of an enormous army of opinion-formers who turn to these blogs in an attempt to remain abreast of current thinking).
Anyway, this may well be the first article/column/blog that either of you have seen in the past few days which isn't a list of the writer's new year resolutions, or of 2015's best/worst films/books/performances or TV programmes.
Mind you, as I sit down to write this, I've no idea what else it's going to be, which prompts the thought that new year's resolutions probably now only exist as a plot device to give columnists something to write about as they struggle to reclaim ownership of their drink-sodden minds after the excesses of the festive period. I doubt if anyone actually makes resolutions any more – at least, not if they are over the age of thirty, and have had time to realise that it's a futile procedure.
I suppose I could talk about the weather. I'm sitting at my desk now, with the Sky coverage of the test match on the computer desktop: in Cape Town, the sun is shining down, and the crowd are reclining on grassy banks with glasses of cold beer in their hands. I glance to my left, through the window, and see that in Yorkshire it's raining again, dank and miserable. But I suppose I shouldn't complain – at least we haven't been flooded. Yet.
And at least I only write for fun: I see from today's paper that the median income of professional authors in 2013 was £11,000 – almost £6000 below the level that the Joseph Rowntree foundation considers to be necessary for a minimum standard of living. There again, you may be thinking it's just as well that I don't rely on writing for my living, given that we're 300 words into this piece, on a medical website, and no hint so far of anything serious to say on a medical topic.
But what to say? You don't need me to tell you that we're going into a new year with Jeremy Hunt still in his job, which must mean that the Tories really do have an agenda which involves the piecemeal privatisation of health care provision, and that we weren't imagining things when we opposed Lansley's legislation. The depressing thing is that it's hard to imagine who else I can vote for at the next election: Labour seem hell-bent on rendering themselves unelectable, and the Lib Dems demonstrated (nowhere better than in their craven capitulation over the HSCA) that while their hearts may be in the right place, they have no stomach for the exercise of power.
As far as life in the NHS is concerned, I'm in no position to comment, having retired five years ago. I do still go in to the hospital though, sometimes as a patient, but also as a volunteer, so I talk to my ex-colleagues, who tell me that nothing much has changed: they go on doing their jobs, under increasing pressure due to the dwindling resources in staff and money available to them. But then, you knew all that, so perhaps my job now should be to report back from the patient front, and there, the news is a bit better.
First of all, my treatment has been excellent. And I know what you're saying – it would be, wouldn't it, given that I'm one of their own. But it's not that – I was a radiologist, so the front line clinical and paramedical staff in nephrology and elsewhere wouldn't have known me, and in any case, I retired long enough ago to have been forgotten. I've been impressed by the cheerful approach of all the staff I come into contact with, despite the fact that they are clearly working under pressure.
I never cease to wonder at their patience when dealing with patients who would have me reaching for my gun.
I also have ample time to listen to the comments of other patients as I wait in the queue for the phlebotomist or in the outpatient clinic. Yes, they moan about stuff, mostly about delays, real or perceived, in the delivery of their care. It's easy for me to say that the stuff they moan about is stuff that doesn't matter, but as we all know, what matters to patients isn't always critical in terms of medical outcome, which is why asking patients what they want doesn't necessarily result in the delivery of what they need (think NHS Direct).
But I also overhear lots of favourable comments about the service. They may complain about delays in, for example, the arrival of their transport, but seldom if ever about the courtesy and professionalism of the staff when it does arrive.
In other words, the overall positive ratings of the NHS are still, as always, reliant on the professionalism and goodwill of the staff who provide the care; care which they deliver despite, rather than because of, the input of the politicians whose job it should be to maintain quality. That goodwill has been a dwindling asset since long before I retired, regardless of the political colour of the government du jour, and there must come a time when the relative underfunding of the NHS comes back to bite the minister in the hot seat when the music stops.
At which point, of course, said minister (who is likely to be a Tory for the foreseeable future, thanks to the elevation of the Other Jeremy) will blame the staff for their alleged failings and unwillingness to go the extra mile – rather as Hunt currently identifies the fictional unwillingness of doctors to work at the weekend for the equally fictional increase in mortality rates.
And there we are – pushing a thousand words, some of which were vaguely on-topic. Not a bad start to the new year. The cricketers did OK as well. By the time you read this, you'll probably know how the match turned out; I suspect we'll still be waiting for close of play on the NHS. At least, I hope we will.


Bring young kids out to Summit Fair this Saturday, August 6 through Sunday, August 7, for the Back-to-School Bash with Radio Disney. Benefits of the tax-free shopping and contest prizes from participating merchants, while young kids participate in Bubblicious Tax-Free Weekend event, including a bubble blowing contest from 11:30-1p.m at the JCPenney Courtyard.
Photographs: The reason a great easy present idea that is simple and affordable. Make a holiday present for your wife by gathering up some of the wife's favorite photographs - printed or digital ones - and creating a photo album for her. If you're more inclined to do something technical, may possibly be as quick as creating a screensaver for her on her computer. Place also make gifts from digital photos on Shutterfly.com. And to put together a great, easy photo gift just purchase a digital photo frame from Amazon.com maybe retailer like Best Buy, and load it by favorite prints. Your wife will have lovely photos to take a and she'll appreciate a person simply took the time to display them on her behalf.
This is the difficult one because you remember a moment when life was really better for the two of individuals. Do you remember attempting to spend your complete time with every other while you first accomplished? Do you remember having a huge amount to discuss when you first of all started going? If your girlfriend is basically that interested anymore, do something different. Couples get complacent and care-free. They just quit. Take her somewhere which two haven't been. Do not go somewhere the a pair of you have been a million times. Maybe a different restaurant or an additional city. Regardless, shake upward a lot. Do not discuss anything serious, keep it light specifically fun. Likewise give you appreciate that the majority of.
Taylor Swift Tickets are viewed among the most popular Concert Tickets. This blond hair lady will entertain you in mysterious way as she concentrate on young place. She is gathering her slash tour europe 2018 in November to enlighten the hearts of her addicts. She is in true words a country song-writer through having an extensive need for tickets and their popularity of her demonstrate that tickets are always rare sold in the market of her shows.
There as well different forms of concerts which will also be found on these web sites. A lot of time there are outdoor concerts as well as those that are held inside stadiums and arenas. Most of the time these outdoor concerts are offered when the climate is nice out like during the spring and summer months, but there is a odd time that you will get one held during strategy of the year just passed.
The latest generation for this iPod is perfectly for any man especially the outdoorsy man in living and makes a person of the best Christmas gifts 2010. This is a multi-tasker that could be a great iPod, game player, as well as being a computer in the tips of one's fingers.
Most men really love sports. Basketball, football, softball, tennis, swimming and an awful lot more are a handful of essentially the most popular among men. Almost sometimes dont fan 1 individual or one team. These types of see what sports item will he like one of the most. Jersey and cap are a couple of essentially the most popular anchored you allows in markets. You need different sure that the gift that you just will give is designed after his favorite team and hobby.
Getting your hands on a few Drake concert tickets free-of-charge will take time, patience and hard work. But, this is certainly more affordable than paying out hundreds of bucks for tickets. Additionally, it is definitely more convenient than waiting in lines and sweating similar to pig only to discover that all the tickets currently sold as well as. So if you simply can't resist having those Train concert tickets, then you have to start following the air right without hesitation. Who knows, you might just win your solution to a free live event.


Components subject to manufacturer availability and subject to change.
Designed to resemble some of the Ross heritage models from the 70s and 80s, the all-new Aristocrat series found the line between classic cosmetics and contemporary technology. As with many of the 2019 Ross models, the Aristocrat series offers Gates belt drive for low maintenance, quiet and clean transmissions. As for flat tires, the Air Fom tires make for a worry-free experience. Coming out of the box with matching fenders and rack mounts, the Aristocrat will have you feeling comfortable and stylish in the most efficient way possible.


text:
Eric Church Has an Announcement Coming on July 12 — Watch the Livestream Here!
On Thursday (July 12), Eric Church will have something to share with his fans. The country star is teasing a big announcement coming that day, and fans can press play above to watch the livestream of the news.
On social media, Church is counting down to 9AM ET on Thursday. In addition to an Instagram post, Church's profile pictures on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter have been changed to the same image, as have his cover photos on Facebook and Twitter. The image was uploaded early Tuesday (July 10) morning. Church's official website also features a countdown clock to that same time.
Church hasn't doled out any hints about what his news will be; however, Whiskey Riff reports that a radio DJ in Tulsa, Okla., shared via video that he would be playing the world premiere of a new Church single at 6AM CT on Friday (July 13) on his station, 98.5 KVOO. The video has since been deleted.
Church last released new music in November of 2015. On Nov. 4, he surprise-released Mr. Misunderstood, secretly sending it out to his Church Choir fan club members without any sort of announcement beforehand. The record has been certified platinum and spawned four No. 1 singles.
Church's most recent single, "Round Here Buzz," went to radio in April of 2017. He spent much of 2017 on the road on his Holdin' My Own Tour. This year, he's been playing festival dates here and there; fans can visit EricChurch.com for a list of upcoming dates.
Eric Church's Best Live Shots
You Think You Know Eric Church?
NEXT: Top 5 Eric Church Music Videos
Source: Eric Church Has an Announcement Coming on July 12 — Watch the Livestream Here!
Filed Under: Eric Church


text:
Af-gone-istan farewell 20 years out
dennisghurst / August 16, 2021
Pardon my insouciance but this appears to be the same scheme that Zero and Billary used after the killings in Benghazi – ie send out the talking heads to deflect and cast blame on others while the chief frauds hide out under cover of darkness. Every Republican in the house and Senate better be screaming from the rafters over this, the border, the continued holding of the political prisoners from January 6, the continued targeting of conservatives by the DOJ, FBI, CIA and and the rest of the alphabet soup agencies.
But I'm not holding my breath for that. There's enough wrong going on for them to keep raising h*ll until this installed regime has been upped and Af-gone-istan.
Even more egregiously to add insult to injury, we have 20 years of blood and treasure flushed down the toilet and all while attempting to hang it on President Donald John Trump. If this doesn't wake up the masses, maybe we are done!
Af-gone-istan farewell 20 years out. China the enigma beyond trusting … Xi Jinping and menagerie!
According to an early Sunday report from Axios, Af-gone-istan fell to the Taliban much faster than President Joe Biden and his top military leaders predicted. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley told a bipartisan group of senators during a Sunday call that a past assessment of how soon the terrorist groups will reemerge in Af-gone-istan will drastically speed up due to the events over the past week.
On the call with Milley, Lindsey Graham, Def. Sec. Lloyd Austin and Sec. of State Antony Blinken asked if they will revise the assessment given to Congress in June that classified a 'medium' risk of terrorist group reconstituting within two years of withdrawal. It didn't help any that Joint Chief Chair Mark Milley told senators that the U.S. Homeland is now at greater risk from Af-gone-istan terror groups in a major blow to American efforts following 20 years of fighting in the country.
Absolutely incredible to witness that while dementia Joe and his cohort giggle-queen lead the fools, the State Department has learned absolutely nothing. Blinken, Blinken and Nod, is a mumbling, blinkin' irrational hollow suit that is proving he truly isn't up to the task of fixing anything. Sadly, this is of no surprise. Anyone remember John Heinz-Baked-Beans Kerry emoting 'Af-gone-istan was the "good war?" – Ermmm, Rrrright.
Sundance, Conservative Treehouse: 'Kabul Falls, Ghani Flees, Embassy Evacuated, Airport Siege, Biden on Vacation' …
Throughout the night and [yesterday] U.S. personnel were evacuated from the embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. The U.S. flag has been removed. The airport in Kabul is no longer safe and flights have been suspended. Afghanistan President Ghani has fled the country. The Taliban are on the streets of Kabul as fighting around the airport continues.
U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken is a stuttering and stammering mess as he appears on television attempting to obfuscate the complete FUBAR that is unfolding. Joe Biden is being kept hidden in his bunker. U.S. personnel who did not make it to the airport have been told to shelter in place and await rescue. Some reports of negotiations with Taliban leadership for safe passage for Americans. The embassy is being abandoned.
Why the rapid collapse? "In the wake of President Biden's withdrawal decision, the U.S. pulled its air support, intelligence and contractors servicing Afghanistan's planes and helicopters. That meant the Afghan military simply couldn't operate anymore. The same happened with another failed American effort, the South Vietnamese army in the 1970s, said retired Lt. Gen. Daniel Bolger, who commanded the U.S.-led coalition's mission to train Afghan forces in 2011-2013." (WSJ link)
Now it is a mad scramble to protect the remaining Americans and evacuate everything. The U.S. diplomatic presence in Afghanistan has been withdrawn. Remaining U.S. personnel are receiving the following instructions from the State Dept.:
(Via Daily Mail) – The US Ambassador to Afghanistan and some of his staff were seen fleeing their Kabul workplace with the stars and stripes flag Sunday – signaling that the US embassy has closed as the Taliban invades the city.
Ambassador Ross Wilson and the flag were both seen arriving at Kabul Airport, as other Americans still in the country were ordered to shelter in place, with shots being fired at the city's airport. Embassy staff will be evacuated within the next 72 hours, as the Taliban makes stunning advances into the Afghan capital city, which worst-case scenarios estimated lasting at least 30 days after the US withdrew from it.
An official security alert was issued by the US government after shots were fired at the airport, sparking fears American jets could be shot down as they try to flee the country, which the Taliban have vowed to rename the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. (read more)
Full links below…
Af-gone-istan farewell 20 years out … President Trump being interviewed in New York 2 days after 9/11
Pure speculation from yours truly but the demented village idiot and his giggle-queen are the sponge so to speak, to soak up the nuclear fallout from the OBO#44 policy objectives. That's their role, nothing more, nothing less than that, thereby approaching all "dementia Joe failures" from inflation to Af-gone-istan, emanate from this angle.
Consider the collapse of the Af-gone-istan government was entirely predictable when considering everything at stake. Maybe the ensuing chaos and political damage were inevitable consequences of any withdrawal, and the decision to unleash the chaos and damage now was made because village idiot / giggle queen are both expendable. As inferred from the above reasoning, perhaps there are other reasons why the current crisis has been allowed to explode.
What we certainly do know is that whatever political fallout cannot be contained by the media or deflected, unfairly, to the former administration will be attached to the political ashes of Current Occupant before they are dumped overboard.
Politics most times, can be awfully debilitating.
Sundance, Conservative Treehouse: President Trump Calls on Joe Biden to Resign in Disgrace
Sundance, Conservative Treehouse: Jake Tapper vs Anthony Blinken debate Cognitive Dissonance
Sundance, Conservative Treehouse: Afghanistan Under Taliban Rule Reconstitutes Weird Stuff Again
Sundance, Conservative Treehouse: Kabul Falls, Ghani Flees, Embassy Evacuated, Airport Siege, Biden on Vacation
August 16, 2021 in Lawlessness, Obamawatch, Restoring The Republic, The Enemy Within, Tyranny. Tags: Barack Obama, Benghazi, Christianity, Chuck Schumer, Congress, Conservative Treehouse, Constitution, Corruption, Donald Trump, Economy, Fraud, HealthCare.gov, Hillary Clinton, ISIS, John Kerry, Lies, Nancy Pelosi, National Security Agency, Obamacare, Socialism, sundance, Truth Revolt, Tyranny, Valerie Jarrett, Washington DC, White House
← Forever never-ending enemy within
Trump card with rendezvous return →


The Syracuse University South Side Initiative and the Southside Community Coalition will sponsor a South Side Film Festival during the month of July.
A film will be shown each Friday beginning at 8 p.m. in the Key Bank parking lot, located on the corner of South Salina and Colvin streets. The showings are free and open to the public. Those attending should bring chairs or blankets. Refreshments will be available for purchase; no coolers, alcohol or glass bottles will be allowed on the premises.
July 6: Madea's Family Reunion (2006) — Based on Tyler Perry's acclaimed stage production, the movie continues the adventures of Southern matriarch Madea that began in the film Diary of a Mad Black Woman.
July 13: Stomp the Yard (2007) — DJ, an underground street dancer, struggles to fit in at college, and becomes a member of a step group. The film follows DJ as he learns how to stop dancing as an individual and to start stepping as part of a team.
July 20: Dream Girls (2006) — a compelling story that tracks the struggles, sacrifices and triumphs of a group of outsiders carrying their landmark sound into mainstream America in the 1960s and '70s.
July 27: Pursuit of Happyness (2006) — The true story of Chris Gardner, a San Francisco salesman struggling to build a future for himself and his 5-year-old son. Against all odds and obstacles, Gardner becomes a Wall Street legend.
For more information on the South Side Film Festival, contact Rush at (315) 751-7985 or Margie Gantt at (315) 443-1979.


Apple has officially discontinued the Cards iOS app service, two years after its debut in 2011 alongside the iPhone 4S (via MacRumors). The app was designed to be an iOS version of the greeting card creation service found within iPhoto '11. The app allowed users to create custom letterpress cards and send them via email or letter post, with prices starting at $4.99 CDN for shipments within Canada and Internationally.
Apple notes that users can still use iPhoto for Mac to send customised letterpress cards to their loved ones, which will be delivered via courier services such as FedEx.


text:
07/01/2019 Store Installation Project Supervisor (various locations) O'Reilly Auto Parts SPRINGFIELD, MO similar
07/12/2019 Application Development Intern Supervisor O'Reilly Auto Parts SPRINGFIELD, MO similar
07/09/2019 Project Manager O'Reilly Auto Parts SPRINGFIELD, MO similar
07/04/2019 Online Merchandising Supervisor O'Reilly Auto Parts SPRINGFIELD, MO similar
07/01/2019 Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts SPRINGFIELD, MO similar
07/15/2019 Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts NIXA, MO similar
07/04/2019 Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts CLEVER, MO similar
06/29/2019 Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts REPUBLIC, MO similar
07/07/2019 Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts OZARK, MO similar
07/15/2019 Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts BUFFALO, MO similar
06/28/2019 Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts FAIR GROVE, MO similar
07/07/2019 Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts MARSHFIELD, MO similar
07/10/2019 Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts BRANSON WEST, MO similar
07/14/2019 Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts KIMBERLING CITY, MO similar
07/12/2019 Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts AURORA, MO similar
07/01/2019 Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts GREENFIELD, MO similar
07/01/2019 Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts HOLLISTER, MO similar
07/01/2019 Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts BRANSON, MO similar
06/28/2019 Bilingual Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts MONETT, MO similar
07/01/2019 Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts STOCKTON, MO similar
07/09/2019 Store Counter Sales O'Reilly Auto Parts CASSVILLE, MO similar


text:
Home News XMR workgroup says IRS should study Monero — not try to break...
XMR workgroup says IRS should study Monero — not try to break it
The United States Internal Revenue Service has better ways to spend taxpayer dollars than offering bounties to break Monero's (XMR) privacy, a Monero working group says.
After the IRS announced it is offering up to $625,000 to anyone who can break Monero, a major Monero-focused workgroup expressed their take on the matter.
A spokesperson for Monero Outreach — an independent workgroup focused on XMR awareness and education — told Cointelegraph that the IRS should learn how Monero actually works instead.
Monero Outreach's representative emphasized that the crypto's features in fact provide users with a certain level of transparency, stating:
"$625,000 would be better spent by the IRS to hire a few consultants to teach their staff how Monero works and how its features allow users to opt-in to transparency."
The spokesperson said that Monero is "designed to function just like cash," highlighting that the U.S. dollar also has a certain amount of privacy:
"The U.S. dollar is used for a majority of the world's nefarious activities and yet, it is what denominates the IRS' balance sheet. […] The IRS doesn't know how much cash you earned unless you report it, but you don't see them trying to break the U.S. dollar."
The IRS announced its bounty program to trace transactions on Monero and Bitcoin's (BTC) Lightning Network in early September 2020. The authority stressed that the program is driven by a lack of investigative resources for tracing transactions involving privacy coins used by illicit actors.
The IRS is not the only institution that wants to break Monero's privacy. In August, a major cryptocurrency intelligence firm, CipherTrace, reportedly claimed that their crypto tracking tool is capable of tracing Monero transactions. Previously, Russia's Federal Financial Monitoring Service announced that its new crypto tracking tool will "partially reduce anonymity" of Monero transactions.
READ Bitcoiners Are Not Looking for a Store of Value, Gold Bug Peter Schiff Says
While authorities and companies worldwide are apparently racing to crack Monero's privacy, the coin's protocol has some built-in transparency features.
According to a Sept. 15 report by American law firm Perkins Coie, Monero enables users and virtual asset service providers, or VASPs, to disclose certain transaction details associated with a given account to a third party. According to the firm, these features are part of the key functionality built into the Monero protocol:
"This enables users and VASPs to disclose certain transaction details associated with a given account to a third party without publicly disclosing that user's transactional information. In addition, VASPs can require up-front disclosures as part of their registration process and on an ongoing basis to meet their obligations."
Designed to provide a private and untraceable cryptocurrency, Monero is the top privacy-focused coin by market capitalization at publishing time. According to Monero Outreach, the coin also has the third-highest number of code contributors of all cryptocurrencies, behind only Bitcoin and Ether (ETH). Monero is currently trading at $91.41 with a market cap of $1.6 billion.
Image Credit: Refer to Source
Author: Refer to Source Cointelegraph By Helen Partz
Previous articleNo need for central bank digital currency in Australia says Reserve Bank
Next articleWorld AI Show – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
YDN has 8 years of journalism experience. Worked for international media agencies. An active contributor in technology. Always ready to rock n roll and mingle.
Should you buy Ether? ETH prepares for its next move
Monero Price Analysis: 17 January
nHBTC is about to usher in an era of deflation. What preparations should be made by HBTC quotation miners, verifiers and token holders?


French soldiers stand in German trenches seized after being shelled on the Somme front, northern France in 1916.
One hundred and two years ago today, the fate of world history was changed forever.
Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne, and his wife were gunned down on the streets of Sarajevo, Bosnia by a Serbian nationalist. The assassination, and the subsequent political and military upheavals, led to the start of World War I and the decimation of large swathes of Europe a month later.
On the afternoon of May 7, 1915, the British ocean liner Lusitania is torpedoed without warning by a German submarine off the south coast of Ireland. Within 20 minutes, the vessel sank into the Celtic Sea. Of 1,959 passengers and crew, 1,198 people were drowned, including 128 Americans. The attack aroused considerable indignation in the United States, but Germany defended the action, noting that it had issued warnings of its intent to attack all ships, neutral or otherwise, that entered the war zone around Britain.
When World War I erupted in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson pledged neutrality for the United States, a position that the vast majority of Americans favored. Britain, however, was one of America's closest trading partners, and tension soon arose between the United States and Germany over the latter's attempted quarantine of the British isles. Several U.S. ships traveling to Britain were damaged or sunk by German mines, and in February 1915 Germany announced unrestricted submarine warfare in the waters around Britain.
In early May 1915, several New York newspapers published a warning by the German embassy in Washington that Americans traveling on British or Allied ships in war zones did so at their own risk. The announcement was placed on the same page as an advertisement of the imminent sailing of the Lusitania liner from New York back to Liverpool. The sinkings of merchant ships off the south coast of Ireland prompted the British Admiralty to warn the Lusitania to avoid the area or take simple evasive action, such as zigzagging to confuse U-boats plotting the vessel's course. The captain of the Lusitania ignored these recommendations, and at 2:12 p.m. on May 7 the 32,000-ton ship was hit by an exploding torpedo on its starboard side. The torpedo blast was followed by a larger explosion, probably of the ship's boilers, and the ship sunk in 20 minutes.
It was revealed that the Lusitania was carrying about 173 tons of war munitions for Britain, which the Germans cited as further justification for the attack. The United States eventually sent three notes to Berlin protesting the action, and Germany apologized and pledged to end unrestricted submarine warfare. In November, however, a U-boat sunk an Italian liner without warning, killing 272 people, including 27 Americans. Public opinion in the United States began to turn irrevocably against Germany.
On January 31, 1917, Germany, determined to win its war of attrition against the Allies, announced that it would resume unrestricted warfare in war-zone waters. Three days later, the United States broke diplomatic relations with Germany, and just hours after that the American liner Housatonic was sunk by a German U-boat. On February 22, Congress passed a $250 million arms appropriations bill intended to make the United States ready for war. In late March, Germany sunk four more U.S. merchant ships, and on April 2 President Wilson appeared before Congress and called for a declaration of war against Germany. On April 4, the Senate voted to declare war against Germany, and two days later the House of Representatives endorsed the declaration. With that, America entered World War I.
After a long day risking life and limb to tend wounded comrades, Hubert Harding found a moment to recall the horrors in a diary.
The medical orderly's account of his years in the trenches surfaced in the basement of a descendant's home in the south of England.
Trains may seem pretty mundane in the 21st century when compared with jet aircraft.
These days, trains play a small role in transporting Americans. Things are a bit flashier in Europe and Asia, where they're used for high-speed, comfortable travel.
This contrasts vividly with the previous century, when not just trains but armored trains were a vital piece of machinery in the two largest military conflicts of the era.
Somme American Cemetery, France, over 2000 Americans that gave their lives from the Great War are buried or memorialized here.
It doesn't matter what side the Soldier fights for–whether friend or foe–the anguish of war takes its toll on all of them.