The UK P&I held its annual Loss prevention seminar for Members on the 3rd of May on a range of topics, including Bunker spills, enclosed space casualties and recent claims regarding damage to fish farms. The seminar was well attended with over a hundred members and guests from the Singapore maritime community.
The Seminar was chaired by Andrew Jones, Chief Executive Officer (Asia Pacific), who reiterated the Club's commitment to Loss prevention and the service to our Members. Following Andrew, the Club's Loss prevention Director Stuart Edmonston explained the various loss prevention campaigns and initiatives taken place over the past year as well as discussing future developments. Of particular note was the recently released Maritime intelligence portal and the link up with with the lessons learnt project that the Club is working on.
Following the talks, three case studies were discussed. Senior Loss prevention advisor Anuj Velankar spoke about "Enclosed space casualties" and the unacceptable toll that these accidents cause on seafarers. Stuart Edmonston provided a case study on the causes of bunker spills. Finally, Claims and loss prevention executive Sean Song commented on the recent claims on fish farms off the coast of China.
Following the talks a reception and dinner was hosted by the Club for the attendees which provided an excellent opportunity for further discussion and social interaction.
The UK P&I Club would like to thank the Members and Guests for their support and for making the Seminar such a success.


Sri Dharma Mittra visited London this weekend bringing series of fantastic workshops (hosted by Indaba Yoga). I had the pleasure to study with Sri Dharma before in New York at the Dharma Yoga Centre, a fantastic studio welcoming students of all levels and intentions.
This weekend made me reflect on yamas and niyamas. We talked a lot about main causes of pain and finding contentment. I couldn't help to notice the connection with the eight limps of yoga, especially yamas and niyamas. It was quite refreshing, as recently I have been attending classes rooted in anatomy and alignment where the link to the origins of yoga was quite often lost or not as manifested. Dharma yoga is based on Ahimsa, non-violence that should be applied to all beings around us, whether they are humans or animals, as well as it should be cultivated within ourselves. Treating our bodies with love, respect and compassion. Dharma kept reminding us to see ourselves in all things as 'when we start to see ourselves in all things, you can't do harm to anyone or anything, because you see everything around you as yourself'. To me, apart of Ahimsa it is also connected to Sara Pranidhana: seeing a tiny bit of divine in yourself but also Sacha: treating your body as a temple and not polluting it with unnecessary words, food or thoughts.
Following this Sri Dharma Mittra is a big advocate for veganism and vegetarianism. He won't demand students to go meat-free but he will mention it in all classes. He jokes about there being "a lovely vegan food place just under the studio" and he will say this in every class that finishes around meal time. This screams for Ahimsa but also Asteya - don't take what is not yours, especially life!
From my studies in New York I remember Dharma constantly telling us: "see yourself in the practice you are not able to access right now. Imagine yourself in it." Encouraging us to try a pose, regardless what our mind tells us and even if it means that you fall. Dharma classes are advanced and you can throw your Iyengar or Ashtanga alignment out through the window! He often says, "these poses have nothing to do with meditation or enlightenment." As an anatomy nerd it's a hard concept for me, however I strongly believe that we should move in a way that feels good! In Dharma classes first few poses may be advanced, we are talking crazy advanced! But to him you should move your body every day, no exceptions. It doesn't have to be an asana practice, but maybe mindfulness and meditation. You rarely use props, or walls but instead you work with breath and concentration. Not in a violent way but with love and care and understanding that in life we fall, may even get hurt but we get back up. As a result we become stronger and with time can find that point of balance needed for staying upright. That's your Tapas: discipline, generating heat and energy to do amazing, impossible things. This leads to Samosa: contentment where you are at and not trying to be greedy in your attempts (Aparigraha) but also the other yamas as Satya: truthfulness towards yourself and well as preserving and using your energy well (Brahmacharya).
To Dharma, meditation is the key. You can skip your asana but never skip meditation! It is incorporated in every practice and sometimes it can pop in bang in the middle of the class. He uses asana as a tool so the inward awareness is present throughout the whole of the lesson, to remind you that your mind is here and now. Same as Svadhyaya he invites us to take a very personal inventory.
Finally, he's funny! Probably one of a very small number of gurus who doesn't take himself too seriously! You definitely have to leave your ego at the door before entering a Dharma yoga class.


Welcome to the Webmaster Magazine!
It doesn't matter if you are just getting started as a Webmaster or are more advanced and lookin for the latest plugins for WordPress, tips for getting more traffic and better monetization of your website – You are in the right place!
Scroll our categories for relevant articles and news or use the search function on top. If you are still unable to find what you are looking for, then head over to our discussion forum at Webmaster Forum or get aggregated news from the webhosting-market from Webhosting Provider.
Your feedback is greatly appreciated, feel free to get in contact with us anytime or actively participate by commenting on our site.


I really did have a bird fly into my hair today.
I can still hear the sound the wings made so loud and clear.
It was fluffing my hair to get into it.
Sort of reminded me of a Family Guide Episode where Peter has a family of birds in his beard.
My bird issue sort of tops that Palmetto bug that decided to enter the house, cross the treated barrier and scuttle across Spencer's foot this morning.
The squirrel that has decided to make a nice lunch/dinner out of our soffits and fascia which I had to scramble the ladder up and rig some wood patches up to deter the &^#*! animal.
Yeah, it was a banner of a day.


'This deck! where do i start? it's so original and colorful!
the cards are super nice: perfectly printed on very good cardstock.
and i am so glad that i bough the guidebook too, i'm absolutely in love with it!
for every card there are keywords, an interpretation, and one or more questions to reflect on, it's fresh and interesting, different from the other standard (and sometimes stale) little white books.


text:
Q: How can I get window.crypto.subtle to output the same signature as the 'crypto' js library? I'm wanting to use the built in browser crypto object instead of importing the crypto library in my browser project.
I want to not need this.

npm i crypto

The following code illustrates trying to sign a simple message using both libraries, however I get a different result when using the built in crypto object.  The outputs are logged to console.
// START CRYPTO LIBRARY METHOD
import crypto from 'crypto';

const HMAC_SHA256_KEY = {
    API_KEY: '***',
    SECRET_KEY: '***'
};

const queryString = `timestamp=${(new Date().getTime())}`;

const signature = crypto
    .createHmac('sha256', HMAC_SHA256_KEY.SECRET_KEY)
    .update(queryString)
    .digest('hex')

console.log("standard encrypt", signature);

// START NATIVE LIBRARY METHOD
const getUtf8Bytes = (str: string) => {
    return new Uint8Array(
        [...(unescape(encodeURIComponent(str)))].map(c => c.charCodeAt(0))
    );
};

// @ts-ignore
const builtInCrypto = window.crypto || window.msCrypto;
builtInCrypto.subtle.importKey(
    'raw',
    getUtf8Bytes(HMAC_SHA256_KEY.SECRET_KEY),
    {
        name: 'HMAC', hash: 'SHA-256'
    },
    true, ['sign']
).then(key => {
    builtInCrypto.subtle.sign(
        'HMAC',
        key,
        getUtf8Bytes(queryString))
        .then(signature => {
            console.log('builtIn Signature', btoa(String.fromCharCode(...(new Uint8Array(signature)))));
        })
})

Clearly I'm doing something wrong, but what? Why am I getting a different output for the native encryption?

A: For the same values of HMAC_SHA256_KEY.SECRET_KEY and queryString (the last parameter depends on time and therefore has a different value for each run) both scripts return the same HMac but in different encodings, resulting in different output. In the NodeJS / crypto code the HMac is hex encoded, in the JavaScript / Web Crypto API code Base64 encoded.
To make sure that the output is identical, the same encoding must be used in both scripts. Either the HMac in the JavaScript / Web Crypto API code must also be hex encoded, see e.g. here for a suitable method, or the HMac in the NodeJS / crypto code must be Base64 encoded (by passing 'base64' instead of 'hex' as argument of digest).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Learning Genealogy
Records Directory
Polk County OR Court Records
USA (1,142,393) > Oregon (10,294) > Polk County (282) > Polk County Court Records (4)
USA (1,142,393) > Oregon (10,294) > Oregon Court Records (11) > Polk County Court Records (4)
NOTE: Additional records that apply to Polk County are also on the Oregon Court Records page.
Polk County Court Records
Circuit Court journals, Polk County, Oregon, 1852-1866, 1897-1922 Family History Library
District court minutes, 1851-1865, Polk County, Oregon Family History Library
Minutes of the Probate Court, County Commissioners Court, and County Commissioners regular meetings, 1850-1859, Polk County, Oregon Family History Library
Record of deeds, 1854-1923; index, 1902-1921, Polk County, Oregon : County Commissioner records, 1850-1859 ; County Court records, 1862-1865 Family History Library
Additions or corrections to this page? We welcome your suggestions through our Contact Us page
How to Use This Site Video
Polk County shown in red
Court records were created by the court system. Each state has a different set of laws about how the court system is structured, so the types of records available and where they are held vary greatly. Court records can give details about a person's life that may not be available elsewhere, and they may give clues that can be helpful for establishing the family, neighbors, or friends of an individual. Records for the probate court are listed in a separate category.
The FamilySearch Catalog: the Amazing Free Resource You Might Be Missing
Genealogy Record Types: Types of genealogy records and how they may be useful
Note: Affiliate links are used within the directory on this site and a small contribution goes to the website for some purchases made.
LDSGenealogy.com is privately owned and is not an official site of FamilySearch International or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).
Copyright 2008-2021 LDSGenealogy.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Best Web Hosting Providers in 2019 | In today's internet Web Hostings play an important role in this World. In these days, if you thought to open a business online, you need to have first of all a Website. And without custom Hostings, you can not access a website. Though you can access the website using Google hosting through Blogger.com. But if you want to use a website freely like yourself, then you have to transform into WordPress from Blogspot. And for WordPress, you have to use custom hostings.
There are so many things to run a successful website, but the basic requirements are Hosting and Domain name(.com, .in, .net, etc). After these two basic and main requirements, the third one comes SEO(Search Engine Optimization).
So the Question is what is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. By helping these, you can easily rank your posts or articles on the first page of Google in just a few weeks. So for this SEO, you have to choose the best hosting for fast ranking.
People are searching in Google for the Best web hosting/ Best web hostings in 2019/ Best web hostings in India. And there are so many results and so many hosting providers available. Even I also searched for this type of questions in Google before I am in Online. So finally I found these answers and came to a conclusion. So here in this post, I recommended the Best web hosting providers in 2019.
Now the Question is How we consider a Web hosting provider?
There are several hostings platform in Online market. By their properties like Price, Uptime, Performance and the main thing User response, we can easily figure out the best Web hosting provider. By this process, we figure out the best 3 hosting platforms.
So without any time waste lets start.
If you searching about best web hosting, then probably this is the first platform to recommended for every website. Bluehost is the best hosting platform that I ever experienced. In 1996 by Matt Heaton and Danny Ashworth was founded this Bluehost company. Over 2 million websites provided by Bluehost. It is the cheap and most popular hosting provider. Also if you searching for the best web hosting for WordPress categories then also it is the best that you can see in below photo.
As you can see above photo that the Hosting starting at $3.95 per month only. Bluehost provided money back guarantee. And you also get Free Domain Name for 1st year and also Free SSL Certificated. With the SSL Certificated you can protect your website from spammers and also malware viruses. Bluehost provides uptime 99.94% with approx load time 427 ms only.
READ ALSO - Lenovo Z5S with Triple Rear Cameras CONFIRMED !!!
The support team is very user-friendly, also the C-Panel. You can customize your C-Panel like yourself.
HostGator is also one of the best Web hosting provider. In 2002 by Brent Oxley was founded this HostGator company. Over 6 lacks websites connected through HostGator. Hostgator is also provided Free SSL certificated.
As you can see in this above photo, you can get web hosting in just Rs 99 per month only. It also provides a dedicated WordPress plan at just Rs 249 per month only. The WordPress plan is one of the best plans from HostGator hostings, but quite expensive than the web hosting plan. HostGator also gives the free website and domain transfer services, which is the extra amazing features comes with this hosting platform.
The best part of this hosting platform is that it has an awesome support team. As it is an award-winning hosting platform, so the team members are too much supported and responsive.
As you can see in this photo, if you can purchase a web hosting plan from 9th to 10th April. then you can get 50% offers using SPRING19 coupon codes. So guys, what are you waiting for? Go and Grab now.
Resellerclub is also the best Web hosting platform and also my favorite. In 1998 by Bhavin Turakhia and Divyank Turakhia was founded Resellerclub Hosting in Mumbai. You can get an SSL certificated at Rs 47 per month only for your website secure.
You can get many offers and plans for this Hosting. A variety of Domain, WordPress hostings, cloud hostings, and many more. Check the photos below.
If you are from India then these are for you.
If you are from Global. Then these are for you.
After a huge discuss we are at a conclusion. Above 3 Hosting Platform are the Best web hosting providers in 2019 according to me and our team. Now, this is on you which hosting provider would you use. So this is our recommendation. Also, subscribe to our youtube channel for more and best quality tech videos. And subscribe our website for notification when we will add articles.
Next story Mivi Roam Review: Better than JBL Go? Best Bluetooth Speaker under 1500?


Q&A — How long does alcohol detox last, and what can I do to relieve the symptoms? | What…Me Sober?
Q&A — How long does alcohol detox last, and what can I do to relieve the symptoms?
Delirium tremens (DTs) — physical and visual hallucinations accompanied by terror reactions may also occur. In the worst cases, untreated alcohol withdrawal syndrome can result in death related to high blood pressure (stroke) and seizures.
Because of the possibility of severe medical consequences, along with the fact that they can turn up unexpectedly at any time during detox (even in people who have self-detoxed without incident before), self-detox for alcohol and similar-acting drugs such as benzodiazepines is not recommended.
To answer your question more directly, acute withdrawal onset is usually between 8 and 20 hours after you stop drinking, and can last for up to five days. There is really nothing you can do unless you have access to certain drugs. Even then, it is dangerous if not medically monitored.
I suggest you investigate the resources in your area to learn what facilities are available to you for a medically-conducted detox. Your local mental health association or society would be a useful place to start.
This entry was posted in alcohol abuse, alcoholism, codependency and tagged alcohol detox on February 7, 2010 by Bill.
1. You comment barely makes any sense at all.
2. I'm not publishing a link to your personal blog.
Getting rid of addiction to alcohol isn't an overnight magic. Rehabilitation in itself is a long term battle, especially when the person has been affected by alcohol addiction previously. The backslide is greater if the post-rehabilitative scenario consists of a neighborhood that can affect the newly rehabilitated individual. This is the assessment of how efficient the treatment has been in the alcohol facilities. The real thing with alcohol happens soon after one has been discharged from the center and the real test of how powerful remedy would occur upon offers of the substance once again..
I don't understand your aversion to getting "the law" involved. Would you rather see him die? Because that is what will happen, and you have to be prepared to deal with it either way. It is nearly impossible to do anything for an alcoholic who does not want to be helped. Even forcing him into detox and treatment is unlikely to effect much change unless he goes willingly, but getting him there is his only chance.
It is possible that an intervention guided by a professional might help. That is when all the alcoholic's family and friends get together and confront him with the way in which his disease isaffecting them — in a non-blaming way. In order for this to work, there have to be arrangements ahead of time to whisk him off to detox and treatment if he agrees to go. It is also necessary that it not be turned into a blaming game, The participants talk about the effects on them, not in a "you did" way but in a "it hurts me that" way. That is difficult to achieve, which is why the professional presence is absolutely required — to keep things civil. Otherwise the intervention is likely to fail, and they rarely work the second time.
I believe than in my country, South Africa, it is the law to have twenty four hour medical staff in Rehabs that treat these two drugs: alcohol and heroin. Sort of makes one think, does it not?
It's the law here, too, if they detox people. Millions of people have gotten clean "cold turkey," but anyone who has worked in a detox facility (as I have) knows how dangerous that can be.


text:
Jason Jollins (born in New York City) is an American DJ and record producer. Initially mixing together freestyle and house music, he has been involved in Progressive House and Techno scene in New York City since the late 1990s.

Biography
In 1997, Jollins formed an event production company called United Underground while he attended college at Rutgers University.

In 2002, Jollins launched his own record label called Acute Recordings which had #1 charted releases on the balance record pool in 2002 and 2003. Also in 2002, Jollins entered three DJ contests and took first place in each competition (Tranceaddict, Global Underground, BPM Magazine (first place Progressive House mix)). In 2005 Acute Recordings had the #1 top selling release on Beatport.

Jollins has held residencies in New York City venues such as Avalon, Centro-Fly, Filter 14, the Roxy, Webster Hall, Spirit (formerly Twilo), Crobar and Love NYC.

Jollins has played alongside artists such as Sasha, Carl Cox, Paul Van Dyk, Steve Lawler, Lee Burridge, Sander Van Doorn, Chris Fortier, Hybrid, ATB, Juan Atkins, Armin Van Buuren, Markus Schulz, Hernan Cattaneo, Above & Beyond, Seb Fontaine, Nu Nrg, Oscar G, Guy Ornadel, Gabriel & Dresden, Anthony Pappa, Darren Emerson, Sander Van Doorn, Ferry Corsten and Max Graham.

In 2008, Jollins coined the term "Tech-Prog" to describe his unique music style, a skillful blending of Progressive House with Techno, Trance and Tech-House elements.

In 2008 and 2009, Jollins co-headlined Creamfields and Ministry of Sound.

Jollins is currently an active artist performing internationally on a regular basis while also performing regularly for Made Event and Pacha New York.

Discography

Singles
 2007: Jason Jollins - "Rosario Sun" - (Acute Recordings)
 2008: Jason Jollins - "Vision Quest" - (Acute Recordings)
 2008: Jason Jollins - "We March Together" - (Acute Recordings)
 2008: Jason Jollins - "Times of Essence" - (Acute Recordings)
 2008: Jason Jollins - "Flash Future" - (Acute Recordings)
 2011: Jason Jollins - "Digital Rain" - (Sonido Local Recordings)
 2011: Jason Jollins - "Ode to Black" - (Acute Recordings)

Remixes
 2006: Spex - "Magix" (Jason Jollins Remix) - (Acute Recordings)
 2007: Thee-O - "Wave Front" (Jason Jollins Remix) - (Acute Recordings)
 2007: Eiad Sayegh & Anders Odman - "Unite" - (Jason Jollins Remix) (Resurgent Records)
 2007: Mikel Curcio - "In Your Head featuring Daniella" (Jason Jollins Remix) - (London Music)
 2007: Marcelo Vasami - "Secrets" Jason Jollins & John Wayyne Remix - (Acute Recordings)

References

External links
Official Site

Acute Recordings
United Underground

Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
Musicians from New York City
Club DJs
Remixers
American DJs
Electronic dance music DJs

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


M&S worked with Passion's award-winning digital animation team and our ZBrush guru Glen Southern to bring these fantastic designs to life.
Cutting edge 3D print processes were used alongside our traditional craft skills to deliver an amazing cast of characters.
All of the characters are sculpted in neutral poses. Each body takes several days to sculpt – photos are shared with director Sam Fell for feedback.
Moulds are made from the sculpts. We use epoxy resin moulds for elements that are to be cast in silicone, and silicone moulds for elements that are to be cast in fibreglass.
The armature team design and make the jointed metal skeletons that allow the puppets to be animated. Depending the type of movement required, each puppet will have specific rigging points in the armature so that the puppet can be attached to an external rig. Such rigs are essential for a very active character like Dave.
Some of the characters have animatable hair sections, which are wired so that they can be repositioned by the animators.
The facial animation is achieved through the use of multiple face masks for each character. M&S had some experience with the technique but had not used it on a commercial project until now. The schedule was daunting, but thanks to the work done by Passion and Glen Southern, and our tireless and resource-ful Workshop Supervisor Richard Pickersgill, we delivered puppets that look amazing and also pleased the animators.
Over 1000 masks were created digitally at Passion Pictures. Working closely with M&S, Glen Southern joined the team to make Passion's digital files ready to be printed in colour. 3D Print Bureau in Stoke-on-Trent printed the faces on a new, state of the art J750 printer, working 24/7 for weeks on end purely on this project.
After the masks were delivered to M&S, each one was checked and fitted onto the puppet heads to make sure that all of the elements within the heads worked perfectly together. The masks are secured magnetically to the heads – in all, we used around 3,500 tiny magnets!
Banger the dog has a jointed mechanism inside his head which gives him a very expressive face.
The body armature is positioned in the mould and foam latex and silicone is layered over it to provide the body shape. Each puppet is meticulously finished to make sure that no seams are visible on the skin.
The unusual body proportions made this an interesting challenge for our costume team. As well as cutting all the patterns for the clothing, the team hand-dyed fabric and created a bespoke range of digitally printed fabric for some of the puppets. Dave's jacket and tie have internal wiring to enable them to flap about when he is in action.
Details like tiny watches, rings, glasses and bags add even more interest to the characters.
Skilled painters make sure that the hard sections of the wigs blend perfectly with any silicone sections.


text:
Phoenix Warehouse District Gets A Makeover While Preserving Its Original Look
Published: Friday, May 9, 2014 - 5:06pm
Updated: Friday, May 9, 2014 - 5:14pm
warehouse.mp3
Sarah Ventre KJZZ News
The view from the roof of the Phoenix Merchandise Mart.
The Levine Machine building owned by Michael Levine.
Not far from the sporty, artsy, touristy urban core is a concentration of old buildings that is known as the Warehouse District. Most of the buildings here are exactly what you'd expect. They are big empty boxes with exposed beams and columns and have that distinct smell of heat mixed with old wood and machinery. This area was once at the center of Phoenix commerce, home to thriving manufacturing, retail businesses and grocery stores. Now, after years of disuse and blight, the neighborhood is a shell of its former self. But there are some who believe the Warehouse District can be restored. Local developer Michael Levine owns several buildings and businesses here.
"I think these buildings inspire and I think that's why people want to be in these buildings. That's the simple line. The cool factor and the inspiration," he said.
Levine differs from many developers because he is so deeply invested in preservation. According to Levine, "You have to save every building no matter how ugly it is."
Director of the non-profit Preserve Phoenix, Jennifer Boucek said she feels a special connection to these rough-around-the-edges industrial spaces. "I think for anyone who walks into this area, you can feel the difference immediately. The mass and the texture and the character of the buildings is like nowhere else in Phoenix. And Phoenix needs that sense of history and character to give it a more urban feel."
In fact, this area and the neighborhoods surrounding it have historically been Latino barrios. So it's easy to see the new redevelopment as gentrification. While there are almost no residential buildings in the Warehouse District, the changes happening there are attracting young people with some disposable income, which could put the history of the neighborhood's culture at risk. But bringing fresh ideas and activity to the area is something Levine thrives on. His more well-known projects include the building that is now The Duce (a restaurant and boxing gym) and Levine Machine (an art studio and gallery). I went with him to one of his buildings near 1st Street and Madison.
"The space we're in is the 1946 Phoenix Merchandise Mart. It was like an early version of a Best Buy, where you'd come and see the couches or the TVs and then you would be able to order it and/or take
it with you right then and there," Levine said. The first floor of this building has a corrugated steel roof. The I-beams are exposed and plaster is peeling off the walls. But Levine sees new possibility.
"My plans for the Phoenix Merchandise Mart are my plans that I had for all my other buildings. Strip it down to its bare bones, get a good electrical service in it, get the restrooms in it and then its Kevin Costner: build it and they'll come."
For Levine and Boucek, the name of the game is adaptive reuse. That means taking old buildings, renovating them and finding new uses, rather than demolishing them and building new ones.
"When I can find out who lived and breathed and cried and died in these buildings…it inspires you to work that much harder for those people, and it also can inform architecturally how you walk through the buildings and how you experience the buildings," Levine said.
He also said that it's actually cheaper to renovate, but it's not easier. He's found all sorts of disgusting things while renovating, including pigeon skeletons and packs of beer that are a decade old. Still, Levine insists that it's necessary to preserve what's left of the historic and urban feel. "Everyone else still has their typical business thing. Like, 'Well, you have to break a couple eggs to make an omelet.' There [are] no more eggs to be broken. You need all the continuity and connectivity that is existing to keep it moving forward."
There are 27 buildings in the area listed on the historic registry, though there are many more that Levine and Preserve Phoenix see as valuable. Jennifer Boucek is constantly keeping track of potential demolitions of these old buildings.
Boucek said, "We try to see what we can do to step in and prevent any irreparable harm to those structures."
The thing most everyone can agree on is reviving the area. It's just a question of how.


State of The Apple App Store!!
GSC Users Summer Meetup Aug 2nd - London - Welcome to come along!
Paid or free consultation for project needed.
Should I get company name or stay independent in apple store.
Have GameSalad an Parse.com integration??
Spawning same actors while one doesn't react same as others.
Best way to change character?
Anyone know how to get a list of number combinations?


text:
Delta Simons Delta Simons Delta Simons
Environmental Social Governance
Inogen Alliance and Us
Geo-environmental
Development Transaction Support
Material & Waste Management
Ground Gas & Vapour
Accident/Incident Reporting & Investigation
EHS Management Systems
Risk Assessments and Risk Control Measures
Workplace & Environment
Wellbeing & Sustainability
Net Zero Carbon
Home Worker Support Services
Ecology & Arboriculture
Environmental Transaction Services
Waste and Resource Management
Noise & Vibration
Lincoln Head Office
Newcastle Office
Nottingham Office
Flood Risk & Climate Change: England Flood Planners must prepare for the worst?
Alex Perryman, Delta-Simons Water Services Associate, writes for GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark) about flood risk and climate change, and how Flood Planners in England must prepare for the worst.
Developers and investors must consider the risk of flooding to the development design, planning and investment process at the earliest opportunity to help inform the decision-making process. Early engagement with the Environment Agency (EA), local authorities and environmental consultants (such as Delta-Simons who specialize in flood risk and climate change for developers, occupier and investors) will ensure that the masterplan design includes suitable, viable and cost beneficial mitigation measures.
By not considering climate change during the early stages of design and during the planning process, from a flood risk perspective, the risk of the planning application being objected to or occupiers being unwilling to sign leases increases along with potential delays to timescales due to reworking and spiralling costs.
Flooding to developments in the UK is a very real risk both now and in the future, and planners need to prepare for this more frequent eventuality. How have the Government approached this issue and tied it to planning? The updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in 2019 sets out the Government's planning policies for England and how these should be applied, the purpose of the framework being to achieve sustainable development: "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". Flood risk is part of just one strategic policy of the development plan which can be crucial to decision making related to planning, a typical output being a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA).
The NPPF sets out how the planning system should help minimise vulnerability and provide resilience to the impacts of climate change, and alongside planning policy guidance demonstrates how flood risk should be managed now and over the lifetime of the development, taking into account climate change. Consequently, the Environment Agency (EA) has recently updated their climate change guidance in 2016, providing climate change allowances to support the NPPF which is now split by river basin district rather than a blanket percentage increase in river flow.
If the site is outside the floodplain then land raising is not a requirement from a flood risk perspective. If the site is within a floodplain then the proposed development is typically raised above the flood level. The exact level of land raising is dependent on the predicted flood levels and the EA allowance for climate change. However, the displaced floodwaters will need to be compensated for through flood compensatory water storage. This impacts development as the location of the storage will undoubtedly impact the masterplan as it needs to be located within or on the edge of the floodplain and demonstrated on a level for level basis. This could also potentially affect the developable area, building design and access. If climate change is not considered, the modelled water levels are likely to be deemed too low and the planning application objected by the EA on flood risk grounds.
In addition, the EA's Flood Zones do not take into account climate change so if not formally provided by the EA, hydraulic modelling may be needed to be conducted which can be time and cost prohibitive.
Aside from river flooding, surface water is a key risk as demonstrated in the Pitt Review - the Government's response to the 2007 summer floods. The EA climate change guidance applies climate change allowances to peak rainfall to determine runoff rates. This may mean you need larger attenuation storage to protect the proposed development for its lifetime. As per the risk from rivers, the location of surface water attenuation storage or other forms of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) will impact the masterplan in terms of developable area, building design and access.
In addition to the statutory planning requirements, building occupiers are increasingly aware of the potential for flooding to impact their operations. As a result, some major occupiers are imposing their own flood risk standards which are more stringent than the planning requirements. Where an investor is considering an asset that satisfies the statutory requirements, this may not be sufficient to truly consider the potential for re-letting, with some occupiers being unwilling to compromise their own demanding flood standards.
See GRESB Insight article here.
Related article: Climate change: guide for developers and investors
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Environmental Social Governance (ESG)
Early 2021 success - IEMA Quality Mark Status achieved
Delta-Simons Drilling Unit Success Story
A Festive Message From Delta-Simons
Alex Perryman
Associate, Water Services
07974 187353 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Alex Perryman joined Delta-SImons as an Associate in 2018, bringing with him over 15 years' experience in the water industry and geospatial arena. Alex is a flood risk technical specialist and project manager, and has delivered numerous complex flood risk management projects including multimillion pound megaprojects in the Middle East. Alex has undertaken and led the delivery of numerous detailed Flood Risk Assessments (FRA), Surface Water Management Plans, Water Cycle Studies, Catchment and Flood Warning Management Plans, culvert studies and due diligence projects for a range of high profile public and private clients.
Alex leads the completion of the flood risk elements of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) including hydrology, hydraulic modelling, drainage and culvert assessments (baseline and developed cases) and has vast experience in complex flood risk analysis and mentoring junior staff.
Lincoln (Head Office)
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Pyrenex W18 - Pyrenex Vintage Mythic Jacket in Black. Part of the brand's heritage range, the Mythic jacket is presented here in a high-shine nylon fabric for a vintage outdoor look. Water repellent and fillled with French down for supreme insulation, the jacket will ensure you're ready for whatever the weather may throw at you.


text:
Die Bobertalsperre (poln. Jezioro Pilchowickie), nach dem nahen Ort Pilchowice (Mauer) auch Bobertalsperre Mauer, Talsperre Mauer oder Mauertalsperre genannt, wurde von 1902–1904 bis 1911–1912 am Bober zum Zwecke des Hochwasserschutzes und der Stromerzeugung gebaut.

Sie liegt nordwestlich von Hirschberg (Jelenia Góra) im heute polnischen Teil des Riesengebirges  in Schlesien.

Der Fluss Bober bildet durch das Bauwerk einen Stausee von etwa 4 km Länge. Die nächstgelegenen Orte sind Pilchowice (Mauer) und Wrzeszczyn (Boberullersdorf). Die Talsperre befindet sich auf dem Gebiet der Gemeinden Wleń (Lähn) und Jeżów Sudecki (Grunau).

Wasserkraftwerk
Die Francis-Turbinen wurden von Voith aus Heidenheim geliefert und die Generatoren von Siemens-Schuckert und der AEG.

Das Kraftwerk wurde in den 1920er Jahren über Hochspannungsleitungen von 10, 30 bzw. 40 kV mit den Queis-Talsperren Marklissa und Goldentraum sowie der Weistritz-Talsperre bei Breitenhain verbunden, so dass erstmals ein regionales Verbundnetz in Niederschlesien entstand. Die auf Stahlgittermasten verlegten Stromleitungen existieren zum Großteil noch heute.

Das Kraftwerk wird von der Fa. Tauron Ekoenergia sp. z o. o. betrieben.
Im Jahre 2014 wurden die Turbinen und Generatoren erneuert. Die 6 hydraulisch gesteuerten Francis-Turbinen stammen von der Firma ZRE Gdańsk S.A., Nr. 5 ist teilweise Voith. Die Turbinen Nr. 1 bis 4 haben eine installierte Leitung von je 2,26 Megawatt (MW), Nr. 5 hat 3 MW und Nr. 6 1,2 MW. Die Generatoren Nr. 1 bis 4 sowie Nr. 6 stammen von der Firma DFME Sp. z o.o., Nr. 5 stammt von AEG.

Mit den sechs Turbinen werden rund 20 Mio. kWh Elektroenergie im Jahr erzeugt. Laut Informationen auf der Schautafel an der Staumauer beträgt die Nennleistung insgesamt 7585 kW.

Die Staumauer
Die Bobertalsperre Mauer war bei ihrer Fertigstellung die größte Talsperre Europas. Sie übertraf in Höhe und Speicherraum die kurz zuvor gebaute Urfttalsperre in der Eifel. Die Staumauer ist eine gekrümmte Gewichtsstaumauer nach dem Intzeprinzip. Das Baumaterial ist Bruchsteinmauerwerk und der Baugrund besteht aus Gneis.

Die Bobertalsperre wurde von der Bauunternehmung B. Liebold & Co. AG (Holzminden/Berlin) unter der Leitung von Oberingenieur Albert Cucchiero erbaut. Die Baukosten betrugen 5,7 Millionen Mark für die Talsperre und 2 Millionen Mark für das Kraftwerk mit dem Leitungsnetz.

Literatur

Siehe auch
 Liste von Talsperren der Welt

Bildergalerie

Weblinks

 Talsperre Mauer im Sommer 2011

Wasserspeicherkraftwerk in Europa
Wasserkraftwerk in Polen
Staumauer in Polen
Stausee in Polen
Stausee in Europa
SBobertalsperre
See in der Woiwodschaft Niederschlesien
Erbaut in den 1910er Jahren
Gewichtsstaumauer
Wasserbauwerk in der Woiwodschaft Niederschlesien


text:
CNN.com - Top Stories
All Blacks escape with win against England at Twickenham
edition.cnn.com 11/10/2018 19:21:44 5
For 60 minutes, England was in the directors' chair courtesy of tries from Chris Ashton and Dylan Hartley, and but for a disallowed try at the end may well have pulled it off.
But part of the All Blacks' magic is poise and patience, and the double world champions hit back to escape with a 16-15 victory under the drizzle of southwest London.
With the World Cup less than a year away it was a significant result for both sides.
For New Zealand, it added to its reputation as one of sport's most dominant winning machines, and was, perhaps, proof that the recent defeat against South Africa was a blip.
For England, shorn of a raft of key players through injury, it was another step in the right direction following last week's win against South Africa in the wake of a disappointing year that has put Australia's Jones on the ropes.
"Sometimes the game loves you, sometimes it doesn't," said Jones, whose side got away with a controversial late decision which could have cost them the win against the Springboks.
"We really stuck it to them. It's a really good step forward because you benchmark yourself against New Zealand."
The All Blacks hadn't been to the home of English rugby for four years, but like the opening chords of a long-awaited Rolling Stones tour, the hair-raising haka told you they were back.
Not that you could hear the warrior's chants, such was the deafening rendition of "Swing low, sweet chariot," English rugby's anthem. The thunderous noise at Twickenham told you this was special.
The match was also billed as a clash of styles. The All Blacks' electric, attacking rugby -- yielding an average of four tries in its last 12 games -- against England's tighter, more forward oriented game.
From the outset, Jones' men were muscular, fired up, and precise. They met the Kiwi rapier with a cutlass and cudgel.
A flowing early move sent winger Ashton -- also back for the first time in four years -- over in the right corner.
As if on cue, the stadium PA pumped out the Stones' "Start Me Up," and it was clear England had picked up the challenge of the haka and run with it.
A second try followed, this time from a ferocious forward surge off a lineout to put co-captain Hartley over.
As England surged to a 15-0 lead it looked as if rugby's axis was in full tilt.
'Purring'
But like a wily hunter stalking its prey, New Zealand remained patient, prodding and probing.
And when opportunity knocked the men in black struck with clinical precision.
Slick handling in a pre-arranged backs move put full back Damian McKenzie under England's posts. Beauden Barrett added the conversion and landed a penalty shortly after to go in at the break 15-10 down but on the up.
The All Blacks' engine was purring again after half time, only for a rare dropped pass to scupper a certain try.
Undeterred, England had a near miss of its own, but despite hammering away near the Kiwi line it couldn't quite find a way through.
As Jones admitted, those are the chances you must take against the All Blacks, because when Barrett slotted a drop-goal and then another penalty on the hour mark, New Zealand were suddenly in front.
'Trust and belief'
The All Blacks are renowned for their ability to snuff out tiring opposition in the last quarter, but England hung on tight at Twickenham.
"New Zealand generally run away from teams in those areas but they couldn't," said Jones.
When flanker Sam Underhill turned Barrett inside out and looked to have scored in the left corner off a charged down kick with five minutes left, the majority of the 80,000 crowd erupted with roars that reverberated down the nearby River Thames.
But the referee opted for a TV review and England lock Courtney Lawes was adjudged marginally offside in charging down the kick.
All Blacks' coach Steve Hansen claimed there was "no doubt" it was offside, but said later he was just worried the officials would be "brave enough" to make such a crucial decision.
"I thought England were very good, but I thought we showed a lot of character to be down 15-0 in a hostile environment, with 79,000 not being Kiwis, and the weather conditions -- it wasn't conducive to being able to play razzle-dazzle rugby -- and the boys stuck with it," said Hansen.
New Zealand captain Kieran Read added: "For us it's about trust and belief. We just had to work things out."
After talking to reporters, Hansen set off to find his old mate Jones for a beer.
They'll have much to discuss over the next 12 months.
"It was a fantastic game of rugby," said Jones.
"I tell you, we're excited about where we're going."
England takes on Japan next week, while New Zealand moves on to face Ireland in Dublin.
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Published on Sat, 10 Nov 2018 19:21:44 GMT, © All rights reserved by the publisher.


The government proposed a last-minute amendment, which states the State will put forward a new scheme within six month after the law's promulgation this summer, to harmonies taxes on vegetable oils and include a tax exemption for sustainable oils based on "objective criteria". Palm oil is one of the less taxed vegetable oils in France.
"There is no question to stigmatize one or another country, we are here to find long-term rules that favor sustainable development by helping as much as we can to certify sectors from other countries," she told the National Assembly.
France's initial proposal for an additional tax on palm oil in food had been softened by the National Assembly in March by excluding sustainable palm oil and sharply reducing the amount of the levy. But the biodiversity bill did not pass through the Senate, forcing the two assemblies to find an agreement. The meeting ended in a deadlock.
In a statement they claimed the tax was a violation of World Trade Organization and EU trade rules, that it would contribute to putting 300,000 small farmers out of work and would have a negative impact on relations between France and Malaysia.
This is not the first attempt by French lawmakers to impose a tax on palm oil which campaigners say contributes to deforestation and impacts biodiversity. The first one, in 2012, suggested to quadruple the tax on palm oil. Previous ones failed mainly due to strong lobbying from producing countries.


We are excited to announce two major updates coming soon to Blanchard Exchange!
Access the beta Learner Portal: Want to try the new interface early? Use this URL to sign in to your Learner Portal and access your existing courses using the new format. Note that the beta version supports only American English as the interface language.
We'll have more information to share soon regarding this release. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive the latest updates in your mailbox.


Olde Orchard is a quaint townhome community located approximately 15 miles west of Downtown Pittsburgh in South Fayette Township. Gayle & Michael Blonar at Coldwell Banker are available to help you locate the perfect residence here.
Own a Home in Olde Orchard?
Making an important decision to buy or sell a patio home or townhouse in South Fayette Township means knowing important details of the real estate market in your desired neighborhood. Here are current real estate trends and recent home sales in Olde Orchard.
If you're looking to invest in low maintenance living close to shopping, dining, and major highways then Olde Orchard is the perfect location. Gayle Blonar can provide more information on current home resales in this great neighborhood.


It was a euphoric day for the Federation of Malaya on Aug 31, 1957, when the country finally gained independence after enduring more than 400 years of colonisation and foreign rule.
Despite the excitement, the nation's forefathers knew that the fate of the country was in their hands. The challenge was herculean. The country's fate and future, and the rakyat were at stake.
The country needed to be transformed from an agricultural-based economy to an industrialised nation in order to survive and compete with the rest of the world.
Malaysia's industrialisation process, however, dated back to the pre-independence era.
But only in the 1980s that the country embarked on the national automotive project, Proton, an acronym for Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional.
But the country was no alien to the automotive sector with Ford Malaya founded in Singapore in 1926 as a regional distributor of Ford products. In 1967, Volvo Cars established its assembly plant in Shah Alam, Selangor.
But Malaysia wanted more than just a car assembler. The nation wanted to acquire the technology and engineering capabilities to produce its own cars.
Prime Minister (PM) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in his first term as PM saw Proton as more than just a national car project.
It was meant to spearhead the country's industrialisation agenda.
A joint venture was formed between Heavy Industry Corp of Malaysia Bhd (Hicom), Mitsubishi Motor Corp and Mitsubishi Corp that gave birth to Proton in 1983. Two years later, the first national car, Proton Saga, was launched and the chronicle of Malaysia's automotive journey began.
Less than 10 years after the Saga was rolled out, the country saw the establishment of a second national carmaker Perodua, or Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd, in 1993, with Japanese partner Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd.
A year later, a heavy vehicle company, Malaysian Bus and Truck Sdn Bhd, was incorporated, followed by the incorporation of a motorcycle manufacturer, Syarikat Motosikal dan Enjin Nasional Sdn Bhd, or Modenas, in 1995, and light vehicle commercial manufacturer, Inokom Corporation Sdn Bhd in 1997.
Proton upgraded its technology capability to become an original design manufacturer in 2000 and acquired the knowledge of engine manufacturing in 2002 following its acquisition of the British sports-car maker Lotus Cars and technical collaboration with another European engineering firm.
The automotive industry mushroomed as production and sales volume surged.
Starting at 95,000 units in 1985, Malaysia's total industry volume skyrocketed more than 200% to 286,000 units in just 10 years, outpacing its neighbouring countries.
Malaysia ranked among countries with high car ownership ratio in the region with a ratio of 200 cars for every one thousand people.
In 2014, market research agency Nielsen revealed that Malaysia had the third-highest rate of car ownership in the world with 93% of households owning a car, only behind the two wealthy principalities Liechtenstein and Monaco.
The boom in sales has attracted global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) including component manufacturers to set up their base in the country.
Toyota Motor Corp, Honda Motor Co Ltd, Nissan Motor Co Ltd, Mercedes-Benz (Daimler AG), Volvo, BMW AG and Peugeot (Groupe PSA) are some of the players that have set up operations in Malaysia.
For international component manufacturers, TRW Automotive, Delphi Technologies, Continental AG, Nippon Wiper Blade (M) Sdn Bhd, Denso (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd and Robert Bosch GmbH are among companies that have made Malaysia their base to launch their products in the region, along with local counterparts such as APM Automotive Holdings Bhd, Sapura Technology Sdn Bhd, Delloyd Industries (M) Sdn Bhd and Ingress Corp Bhd.
The automotive industry also spurred the growth of supporting industries such as mould and dies, metal casting, machining, metal stamping, metal surface finishing and heat treatment.
Currently, Malaysia has 28 OEMs, 650 parts and components manufacturers or vendors, and 53,011 after- sales business companies.
Some 400 vendors are in Level 3, 90 of them in Level 4, which have tooling development capability, and 27 in Level 5 with research and development (R&D) capability.
Export for vehicles stands at around 30,000 units per year worth RM1 billion.
Meanwhile, export for parts and components has reached RM11 billion yearly for a variety of products including steering columns, alloy rims, infotainment system, lighting and sensors, tyre, side panel glass and many others.
All in all, the automotive sector supports more than 750,000 jobs in the country and contributes 4.5% to the national gross domestic product.
The industry gives RM6 billion a year in the form of taxes to the government revenues.
The National Automotive Policy (NAP) was first introduced in 2006 to facilitate the required transformation and integration of the local automotive industry to regional and global networks within the increasingly competitive environment.
The policy was reviewed in 2009 to focus on enhancing the capabilities of the domestic automotive industry and creating a more conducive environment to attract investments.
Another revision in 2014, named the NAP 2014, emphasised on green initiatives and market expansion, with an ultimate objective to make Malaysia the regional energy efficient vehicle (EEV) hub by the year 2020.
EEV penetration increased for the fourth straight year in 2017, reaching 52% of vehicles sold in the country. The NAP 2018 is work in progress and expected to be announced late this year.
As it is, the policy has signalled earlier that it would focus on connectivity, mobility, next-generation vehicles, lifestyle and big data, which are in line with the transportation solution of the future and to facilitate the growth of a high-value economy.
All sounds rosy and glory, but many analysts, market observers, the players themselves and even the rakyat say that the local automotive sector has plateaued and sees nowhere else to go.
Today, the industry has well matured with 590,000 units a year and a growth of hardly single digit.
Non-national cars have eaten the market share of the national cars, particularly Proton, by about 10% today, reduced from 75% during its golden era in the 1990s.
On vendor front, despite having some of the well-established local firms, critics are saying that the majority of them are still lacking in terms of technological progress and they are unable to compete with the counterpart in Thailand, who has no national car whatsoever, but manages to develop more advanced component manufacturing clusters.
This has translated to the creation of jobs which most of the time are not high-skilled as opposed to what the country would need to become a high-income nation.
Industry veterans argue that the government needs to liberalise the industry as to what Thailand has successfully done.
In view of this, the current PM, who is the same man behind Malaysia's early journey in the automotive path in the 80s, wants to inject new hope for the industry.
He has mulled the idea of a third national car company and Asean car — whichever how people want to see it — to push the industry and the nation forward.
"All three of Asean's major car producers (Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia) are competing to lock in R&D, battery manufacturing facilities and EEV development investments from foreign OEMs. From the way things are developing, it looks like Malaysia is going down the national car route to compete for this (via a foreign partner)," MIDF Research said in a note.
His idea, however, has been facing disapprovals with very well- founded arguments too, that now it is left to the government to tread the next path of the automotive sector without jeopardising the status quo. Afterall, it may not be a zero-sum game.


Cracking down on terrorist financing demands an all-encompassing approach, targeting not only the full array of terrorist groups, but also the individuals, businesses, banks, criminal enterprises, and charitable and humanitarian organizations that finance terrorism.
Charities and humanitarian organizations play a particularly disturbing role in terrorist financing. Many present an especially sensitive challenge to authorities, who must discern between 1) legitimate organizations, 2) organizations that are unknowingly hijacked by terrorists who divert funds to finance their activities, and 3) organizations that proactively support terrorist groups.
Long before September 11, U.S. officials were aware that the financial networks of certain charitable organizations were funding terror. For example, investigators looking into the 1993 World Trade Center attack traced funding for the operation back to a company that imported holy water from Mecca to Pakistan. Only now, however, is the trend receiving the attention it properly deserves. A recent U.S. Treasury Department report acknowledged that terrorist activity is financed primarily through fundraising, more often than not through legal, nonprofit organizations. Moreover, Ambassador Francis X. Taylor, the State Department's Coordinator for Counterterrorism, recently noted, "I believe that terrorist organizations, just like criminal enterprises, can bore into any legitimate enterprise to try to divert money for illegitimate purposes." Although such manipulation is of tremendous concern, an even more disturbing trend is the effort of some charitable and humanitarian organizations to knowingly raise funds for, or facilitate the activities of, terrorist groups.
Charitable and humanitarian organizations have long been a preferred venue for terrorist financing, with or without the knowledge of the organizations or their donors. For example, on December 14, 2001, federal officials raided the offices of the Global Relief Foundation (GRF) in Chicago and froze its assets. Days later, NATO forces raided GRF's offices in Kosovo after receiving credible intelligence information that the foundation was involved in planning attacks against U.S. and European targets. GRF raised more than $5 million in the United States last year alone. Although much of this funding likely went to legitimate causes, investigators maintain that GRF served as an important front for al-Qaeda. Other examples of terrorist front organizations include the Hatikva Center (funding Kahane Chai), the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (funding Hamas), and the al-Wafa Humanitarian Organization (funding al-Qaeda).
Several charitable and humanitarian organizations have not only financed terrorist groups, but also actively facilitated terrorist operations. For example, the Mercy International Relief Organization (MIRO), along with several similar groups, played a central role in the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Africa. At the New York trial of four men eventually convicted of involvement in the bombings, a former al-Qaeda member named several charities as fronts for the terrorist group, including MIRO. Documents presented at the trial demonstrated that MIRO smuggled weapons from Somalia into Kenya, and that Abdullah Mohammad, one of the Nairobi bombers, delivered eight boxes of Wadi el-Hage's belongings to MIRO's Kenya office; el-Hage is a convicted al-Qaeda operative, and the boxes included false documents and passports. Other examples of front organizations include the International Islamic Relief Organization (along with its parent, the Muslim World League), the al-Rashid Trust, the Saudi High Commission for Aid to Bosnia, and the Benevolence International Foundation.
Halting the flow of terrorist funding from charitable and humanitarian organizations is difficult, particularly since terrorist front organizations actively conceal their illegitimate activities under legitimately funded causes. Disrupting the flow of such funding is not impossible, however. Since September 11, the Bush administration has issued a series of financial-blocking orders targeting terrorist groups, front companies, and individuals. According to U.S. officials, intelligence information indicates that terrorist operatives are finding it increasingly difficult to access the funds they need to conduct further attacks, to escape the international dragnet targeting them, or to communicate effectively with cells in different parts of the world. Despite these gains, the United States must commit to a strategy that addresses the following key areas.
A well-coordinated international effort is needed to target the wide array of organizations that generate and transfer terrorist funds. Many nations have followed the U.S. lead in this regard, blocking millions of dollars in terrorist assets. Nevertheless, a more formalized legal and operational agreement on combating international terrorist financing is necessary.
Saudi officials have exhibited, at a minimum, a clear pattern of tolerating funds earmarked for extremist purposes. For example, one Saudi official stated that a Saudi organization created to crack down on charities that fund terrorism has been ineffective because its personnel do not want to uncover high-ranking Saudis actively financing such charities. The Saudis have taken steps to combat money laundering and freeze accounts related to the September 11 conspirators. Moreover, they recently passed new regulations governing private fundraising. Saudis are now encouraged to donate funds only through established groups operating under the direct patronage of the royal family. Unfortunately, some of these approved groups feature prominently on U.S. terrorist lists.
U.S. officials complain that European allies have contributed few names to the list of alleged terrorist financiers, that most of these contributions have been domestic in nature, and that Europe has yet to act on all of the names that are already on the list. Europeans, in return, have repeatedly expressed their frustration with U.S. requests to add people or groups to terrorist lists without sufficient justification for their inclusion. The European Union (EU) recently added eleven organizations and seven individuals to its financial-blocking list. This list marks the first time the EU has frozen the assets of non-European terrorist groups; unfortunately, it also draws a fallacious distinction between the nonviolent and violent activities of terrorist groups. For example, by distinguishing between the terrorist and welfare wings of Hamas, the EU lends legitimacy to the activities of charitable organizations that facilitate terrorist operations.
America's financial war on terrorism has been hamstrung by bitter turf wars between the Treasury and Justice Departments, whose parallel task forces on terrorist financing reportedly do not share information with one another. Although such inefficiency and territoriality are disconcerting, they pale in comparison to the strategic gap seen in policymaking circles. If they are to bear any fruit, counterterrorism techniques must be as comprehensive, continuous, and cooperaas possible. In order to dismantle the logistical and financial support networks of terrorist groups and prevent terrorist attacks, the governments and agencies involved must act in concert and, at a minimum, mirror the resolve displayed by terrorists themselves.


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text:
Another burger bash in the Slope
By Gersh Kuntzman
Burger bash
A trio of thugs slugged a deliveryman on St. Johns Place on Jan. 24, getting away with his food.
The restaurant worker told cops that he was between Sixth and Seventh avenues at about 6:30 pm when the posse attacked him from behind.
"Give me the money," one of the thugs said, as one or more of the hooligans punctuated the demand with fists.
All they got was the food, estimated at $18.
Wheel bad
At least five cars were stolen or burglarized last week. Here's the bad news:
• A thief swiped an 11-year-old Honda from Eighth Avenue between Jan. 22 and 26. The victim said he had parked near Eighth Street.
• American Apparel had one of its nifty compact SUVs stolen off Eighth Avenue near the Flatbush Avenue store on Jan. 26. A worker told cops that he'd parked it at 1 pm, but it was gone four hours later.
• A thief tried to break into a 1996 Dodge that had been left on Fifth Avenue near Eighth Street on Jan. 21, but he did not get in. The owner discovered damage to the car on Jan. 26.
• A 1999 Dodge was swiped off 10th Street overnight on Jan. 23. The victim told cops that she'd parked it between Fifth and Sixth avenues at around 11 pm, but it was gone by 11:30 the next morning.
• A thief swiped the fancy electronic mirrors off a 1999 Mercedes on Second Street last week. The owner told cops that he'd parked the fancy German-made sedan between Fifth and Sixth avenues at 11 pm on Jan. 21, but when he returned three days later, he discovered that his fancy option — valued at $1,600 — had been swiped.
— Gersh Kuntzman


Personal Navigators, and other handouts from the 5-Night Baja Cruise from San Diego. The Disney Wonder set sail from San Diego on March 10, 2019. There are additional Personal Navigators from other sailings of this same itinerary for comparison. During this cruise, the ship was under the control of Captain Daniele Aschero.
Thank you MakoFTW for sharing.


In conjunction with a prominent medical college, we have developed a new administrative tool called the Appointment Center: the first SaaS application built specifically to aid your faculty affairs office in maintaining and reporting on faculty appointments, track and rank changes, tenure credit, leaves of absence, and promotion and tenure reviews and outcomes.
The Appointment Center is really the beginning of the faculty lifecycle where the university can see the data needed for the initial appointment and subsequent events that impact that appointment over time.
Additionally the Appointment Center is configurable to track other areas, including those unique to your medical school such as teaching activities, affiliations, education, specialties, administrative titles, and more.
While some of this is available in PeopleSoft and other ERP vendors (we know because we've had to modify them in the past to make them work for our university) we're confident that the Appointment Center will become a vital tool because of its ease of use and configurability.
When tied into our new business intelligence reporting platform, a complete picture of your faculty is finally visible by allowing you to easily create and publish standard and ad-hoc reports, complete with many options for including charts and graphs.
Appointment Center Sample. Click for Larger View.


text:
The Videos 1989-2004 – DVD amerykańskiego zespołu Metallica wydane przez wytwórnię Warner Bros.

Płyta zawiera wszystkie klipy kapeli począwszy od kontrowersyjnego "One", aż po "Some Kind of Monster". W sumie to 144 minuty, w formacie obrazu 4:3, w formacie dźwięku PCM Stereo oraz 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound. Krążek zawiera kilka dodatków m.in. zwiastun filmu Some Kind of Monster i alternatywną wersję "One". W ciągu pierwszego tygodnia sprzedaży rozszedł się w 28 000 egzemplarzy. W 2006 znalazł się na 3. miejscu listy "Billboard Top Videos".

W Polsce nagrania trafiły na półki sklepowe 4 grudnia 2006 roku i uzyskały status złotej płyty DVD.

DVD zajęło 3. pozycję w kategorii DVD of the Year (DVD roku) w ramach Classic Rock Awards 2007 organizowanych przez magazyn "Classic Rock".

Lista klipów

Przypisy

Wideografia Metalliki
Kompilacje teledysków


text:
House built by White Sox slugger Frank Thomas sells for $2.71 million
By Bob Goldsborough and By Bob Goldsborough
The 41-room, 25,000-square-foot contemporary-style mansion in Oak Brook that retired Chicago White Sox Hall of Fame slugger Frank Thomas built in the 1990s sold Friday for $2.71 million.
The mansion, at 3312 Midwest Road in Oak Brook, had been listed by Bank of America after the couple who had bought it from Thomas subsequently lost it to foreclosure. Friday's deal closed well above the bank's nearly $2.5 million asking price, and an agent who represented the buyer said there were at least five offers.
However, Friday's sale price was a far cry from the $7.95 million that Thomas reaped in 2003, when he sold the nine-bedroom mansion to real estate developer Ronald Scarlato. That sale remains the highest price ever paid in DuPage County for a residence.
After Scarlato lost the mansion to foreclosure earlier this year, Bank of America was the lone bidder at a DuPage sheriff's sale, paying the $3 million opening bid for the mansion and its 3.3-acre parcel. The bank then listed the mansion in October for slightly below $2.5 million.
Bert Gor of Re/Max initially had co-listed the mansion with his colleague, Steve Malik, although he was not the mansion's co-listing agent at the time of its sale. Gor also represented the buyer, a family whom he declined to identify.
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"The buyers are planning to live in it," Gor said. "There was a tremendous amount of activity. I know for a fact that there were more than five offers."
Gor touted the mansion's many unusual features, including a beauty salon, an outdoor tanning area, an eight-person whirlpool in the master suite, a safe room, a dance floor and bar, an actual home theater with two doorways and a ticket booth, and an outdoor pool house.
"It's a house like no other," Gor said. "(Thomas) really didn't spare any expense on it. The buyers got an incredible deal."
Thomas now spends much of his time in Las Vegas, where he has a home. He continues to own a house in Libertyville that he purchased in 2007 for $1.799 million.


text:
Albiglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Harmony Outcomes): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial.
Hernandez AF., Green JB., Janmohamed S., D'Agostino RB., Granger CB., Jones NP., Leiter LA., Rosenberg AE., Sigmon KN., Somerville MC., Thorpe KM., McMurray JJV., Del Prato S., Harmony Outcomes committees and investigators None.
BACKGROUND: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists differ in chemical structure, duration of action, and in their effects on clinical outcomes. The cardiovascular effects of once-weekly albiglutide in type 2 diabetes are unknown. We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of albiglutide in preventing cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. METHODS: We did a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 610 sites across 28 countries. We randomly assigned patients aged 40 years and older with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (at a 1:1 ratio) to groups that either received a subcutaneous injection of albiglutide (30-50 mg, based on glycaemic response and tolerability) or of a matched volume of placebo once a week, in addition to their standard care. Investigators used an interactive voice or web response system to obtain treatment assignment, and patients and all study investigators were masked to their treatment allocation. We hypothesised that albiglutide would be non-inferior to placebo for the primary outcome of the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke, which was assessed in the intention-to-treat population. If non-inferiority was confirmed by an upper limit of the 95% CI for a hazard ratio of less than 1·30, closed testing for superiority was prespecified. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02465515. FINDINGS: Patients were screened between July 1, 2015, and Nov 24, 2016. 10 793 patients were screened and 9463 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to groups: 4731 patients were assigned to receive albiglutide and 4732 patients to receive placebo. On Nov 8, 2017, it was determined that 611 primary endpoints and a median follow-up of at least 1·5 years had accrued, and participants returned for a final visit and discontinuation from study treatment; the last patient visit was on March 12, 2018. These 9463 patients, the intention-to-treat population, were evaluated for a median duration of 1·6 years and were assessed for the primary outcome. The primary composite outcome occurred in 338 (7%) of 4731 patients at an incidence rate of 4·6 events per 100 person-years in the albiglutide group and in 428 (9%) of 4732 patients at an incidence rate of 5·9 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·78, 95% CI 0·68-0·90), which indicated that albiglutide was superior to placebo (p<0·0001 for non-inferiority; p=0·0006 for superiority). The incidence of acute pancreatitis (ten patients in the albiglutide group and seven patients in the placebo group), pancreatic cancer (six patients in the albiglutide group and five patients in the placebo group), medullary thyroid carcinoma (zero patients in both groups), and other serious adverse events did not differ between the two groups. There were three (<1%) deaths in the placebo group that were assessed by investigators, who were masked to study drug assignment, to be treatment-related and two (<1%) deaths in the albiglutide group. INTERPRETATION: In patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, albiglutide was superior to placebo with respect to major adverse cardiovascular events. Evidence-based glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists should therefore be considered as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. FUNDING: GlaxoSmithKline.
Adult, Aged, Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Double-Blind Method, Drug Administration Schedule, Female, Glucagon-Like Peptide 1, Humans, Hypoglycemic Agents, Injections, Subcutaneous, Kaplan-Meier Estimate, Male, Middle Aged, Myocardial Infarction, Stroke, Treatment Outcome


Alluvial Diamond Mining is the process of extracting diamonds and other precious stones from the sand and mud found along river banks. The diamonds and precious stones have been carried by a river's force from their source in a Kimberlite rock formation and deposited along the river's banks. Small scale miners sift through the sediment deposits to find the precious stones using shovels, bare hands, or sieves. Larger operations of alluvial mining separate the earth from the body of water in order to simplify the mining process. The concentration of diamonds is then separated into several size ranges, each placed onto a table, where each diamond is inspected by eye.
Approximately 10% of the world's diamonds are mined through industrial alluvial mining, and 14% through small scale, informal alluvial mining. Alluvial mining takes place in North America, in South America, and in Africa.


All 2001 Audi models follow a service schedule with 5,000 mile intervals. At the specified intervals, you will need to have your technician complete the listed tasks.
During your first inspection you should also rotate your tires.
Take your Audi on a road test.
You will need to perform this same service every 20,000 miles.
Adjust head lights as necessary.
If you drive a TT Quattro, you will also need to change the Haldex Clutch oil and filter. This service will need to be performed every subsequent 40,000 miles, or at 60,000 miles, 100,000 miles, etc.
You will need to repeat this same service at 120,000 miles. If you're driving an A4 or TT 1.8L you will also need to inspect your timing belt every 40,000 miles.
The 80,000 mile service checklist is much like the 40,000 mile list, but with just a few added items. In addition to the tasks listed for the 40,000 mile service, you'll also need to replace your ribbed belt, and, if you're driving a 1.8L Turbo, your v-belt.
Service at 105,000 is only necessary for certain models. If your Audi is a 1.8L, 2.7L V6 or 4.2L V8, then you will need to replace your timing belt. If driving a 2.8L V6, you will need to replace your timing belt tension roller as well.
Regardless of mileage, every 2 years you will need to change the brake fluid in your 2001 Audi.


text:
The Brexit Pandora's Box
Posted by Cam Hui - June 21, 2016
For my (mainly) American friends, file this under "why you don't understand Europe":
The Vietnam War was a war that scarred the national psyche and dramatically changed the tone of American foreign policy for a generation. If you visit the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC today, you will find roughly 58,000 names of fallen soldiers from that period. Now imagine if instead of losing 58,000 soldiers, the United States lost 2.5 million during the Vietnam War. For a country like the US of roughly 300 million people, that kind of casualty rate would mean that virtually every household in America would be touched by combat death, whether it's a father, son, brother, uncle, friend or neighbor. Then 25-30 years later, which is roughly the span between the Vietnam War and 9/11, the country got involved in another conflict with a similar death toll.
Imagine the resulting national trauma.
That's what happened to many European countries in the First and Second World Wars – and the losses quoted would be roughly what the equivalent losses are for the US on an equivalent per capita basis on par with many European countries. The Credit Suisse Global Investment Returns Handbook has documented the financial cost of a century of war in Europe. Here are the real returns to different asset classes in France over the last century. In addition to the human carnage, investors suffered devastating losses during those wars.
Here is the same analysis for Germany. In addition to the lives lost, many investors had to contend with the permanent loss of capital. Some of those "risk free" interest rates that may have been in financial models weren't so free of risk anymore.
The UK fared a lot better as unfriendly foreign troops never set foot on its soil. On an inflation adjusted basis, its equity returns was an order of magnitude better than France or Germany.
For comparative purposes, here is the return record of US assets. Americans were fortunate to have escaped the two world wars with minimal financial damage. The Great Depression caused more equity damage than the wars. The terminal real value of equity investments was three times better than UK results.
So is it any surprise that at the end of the Second World War, the leadership of Western Europe surveyed the carnage and came to a conclusion that we can never do this again. Ever. Thus the Common Market, the EEC and later the EU were born. While it was originally structured as a free-trade agreement, the political intent was to bind the two main combatants, France and Germany, so tightly together so that a European war cannot happen again. The political goals of Europe has largely succeeded. Today, if Angela Merkel mobilized the Bundeswehr and told the troops that they were going to war against the French, the men would all laugh, have a beer and go home.
That is the miracle of Europe. Against the tail-risk of millions killed and cities devastated, the price of little squabbles about bailing out Greece seems like a minor price to pay.
The rise of the Euroskeptics
Today, the political glue that holds Europe together is starting to disintegrate. Regardless of what happens on Thursday, the Brexit referendum is a symptom of how a rising tide of nationalism across Europe is opening up a Pandora`s Box. This new Pandora's Box is unraveling of the political consensus holding Europe together.
In a past post (see A history lesson, and why Europe should try to be more Canadian), I highlighted a column by Margaret Wente in the Globe and Mail about how those of us in Canada are different from Old World.
Our identity is not defined by blood, or by our sense of destiny. We have no concept of Volk. We're just folks. We don't care who you are or where you came from or who or what you worship, as long as you share our good Canadian bourgeois values. Don't litter. Send your kids to school. Wear a poppy.
(For the uninitiated, the tradition in British Commonwealth countries is to wear a poppy on Remembrance Day, November 11, as a remembrance of the sacrifices made in past wars.) Those of us living in the New World tend not to be as tribal as the Old World – and tribalism is what the European Project is trying to minimize.
That's all changing. The Brexit referendum is just one manifestation of renewed nationalism and tribalism in Europe. A recent report by Timbro, the Swedish research institute, documents the rise of authoritarian populism in Europe (and authoritarian populism is usually identified with Euroskepticism).
Never before have populist parties had as strong support throughout Europe as they do today. On average a fifth of all European voters now vote for a left-wing or right-wing populist party.
The voter demand for populism has increased steadily since the millennium shift all across Europe. No single country is clearly going against the stream. 2015 was the most successful year so far for populist parties and consistent polls show that right-wing populist parties have grown significantly as a result of the 2015 refugee crisis. So far this year left-wing or right-wing populist parties have been successful in parliamentary elections in Slovakia, Ireland, Serbia, and Cyprus, in a presidential election in Austria and in regional elections in Germany.
The news is full of the rise of Euroskeptic parties with authoritarian populist leanings (both left and right) headed by the likes of Le Pen (France), Wilders (The Netherlands), Orbán (Hungary), Grillo (Italy) and so on. As an example of the inroads made by these Euroskeptic protest movements, Beppe Grillo's Five Star party's candidate, Virginia Raggi, won the election as Rome's first female mayor on the weekend.
Europe turns inward
The Pew Research Center recently surveyed Europeans and showed how their people are turning inward:
In foreign policy, even though they profess support of greater engagement and multilateralism, polling internals indicate that nationalism remains ascendant and appetite for compromising with allies is low.
The Brexit referendum is an example of how its people are turning inward. As this analysis of the demographic leanings in the vote demonstrates (via Ian Bremmer), Brexit is mainly an English initiative as Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales tilt towards Remain while most of the Leave support comes from England (except for London).
Should the Leave side win, the most likely outcome would see Scotland holding another succession referendum, but this time succeeding, followed by possibly Northern Ireland and Wales. The United Kingdom would fragment into its basic unit of Volk, just as Europe is fragmenting.
How Europe can end
The disintegration of the European ideal is the greatest threat to European stability – through rising nationalism and tribalism. Problems like Cyprus, Greece, Spain and Italy can be fudged through the kinds of messy compromises that are typical of Europe. But if enough Euroskeptics take control of enough member states, the European Dream dies. The markets implicitly understand this risk. As the Brexit Leave side was gaining in the polls, it wasn't the yield on the 10-year Gilt that was rising, but the spread on peripheral debt that was blowing out.
To be sure, no one is going to war if the Leave vote succeeds this week, but it creates a higher element of longer term tail-risk for the region. In a future post, I will detail one possible development that may create hope that Euroskepticism may be reaching its high tide mark.
Tags Europe, UK
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13 thoughts on "The Brexit Pandora's Box"
A truly great post Cam. Well said.
Much of the angst around Europe is centered on immigrants from war torn regions close by. After the bullets stop flying, the developed world should do a Marshal Plan to rebuild the devastated cities. Many or most of the immigrants would rather go home but their homes are rubble.
This would give a great boost to economies in the developed world as well as the war torn areas.
The hatred towards the West would be counteracted. The West spent trillions blowing up things. Spend trillions to rebuild and make the world safer.
I agree that could be a solution to jump start growth, but you have seen the kind of antipathy here in Canada in the last election against outsiders – and Syrian refugees in particular. Sitting where you are in the heart of the Tory heartland, you must see a lot of that attitude around you.
With that in mind, what are the chances of implementing such a "Marshall Plan"?
I agree with Ken…great post.
I thought this was an interesting "view from the hill" piece (surprisingly from an ex-CIA middle east operations officer) which also agrees with Ken's point:
If we don't want the South coming North, then the only other option is for the North to go South. No, not in the old punitive way. In many respects the North has already "been South" in past centuries, and it hasn't always been a pretty sight. This is not to dismiss some fine western-sponsored technological projects and NGOs like Doctors Without Frontiers. But sadly these contributions are only a drop in the bucket. Vastly more is called for. Remember the hugely generous American Marshall Plan at the end of World War II aimed at rebuilding a devastated Europe, including Germany? It was not conceived as philanthropy but as an integral part of American security policy.
How to improve conditions across the developing world? US foreign aid in this capacity has been miniscule— less than 1% of the annual US budget. Yet wasteful and unproductive Pentagon budgets run to some 54% of US annual discretionary spending. (More if we consider bloated security and intelligence institutions.) Are we more secure today? From ISIS? From refugees? From terrorism? From Russia and Chinese border politics on their peripheries? Where are our security priorities?
More here: http://grahamefuller.com/the-north-goes-south-or-the-south-comes-north/
I'm curious, Cam, is there no level of incompetence and dictatorship on the part of the Euro leaders that is too much for an otherwise successful country like the UK to tolerate anymore? If most of the laws affecting Canada were determined in Washington DC with little input from Canadians, would that bother you? If being stuck under a common dictatorship is the only way to avoid war, should Canada give up sovereignty and be ruled by Washington?
I expect the Brits to vote remain, because being part of a slow moving disaster that is the EU seems safer in the short run than taking steps to control one's own destiny, at the cost of temporary uncertainty. But the EU is doomed anyway, with an increasing number of countries (just look at France these days) trying to live at the expense of the few other countries that actually produce goods and services that people around the world want to buy. It'll break apart one way or another; if the UK were smart it would beat the rush and leave now, but in the end it will be on its own again, and better for it.
When you use the term the United Kingdom, do you really mean England? The Scots are very pro-Europe and they would be likely want to leave the UK. This time, it'll be settled at the ballot box and not at Culloden. If Scotland leaves, the economic incentives for Northern Ireland to join their brethren to the south are high.
There is nothing wrong with English nationalism, but Brexit is a recipe of how to take the "Great" out of Great Britain.
Also see this amusing comment from Niall Ferguson: http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/06/divorcing-europe/
The Scotts will go to whoever subsidizes them the highest. The best thing that happened to them was voting no for independence when oil was $100/barrel. Were they independent now, they would be running deficits that would make Greece look like Germany. The English are covering their deficits for now, but might be happy to say good riddance, and hand over to the increasingly bankrupt EU the great honor of subsidizing Scotland, should it want to leave an independent UK.
The EU is, as Margaret Thatcher said about all socialist states, running out of other people's money. Its craving for a "monetary union" is another way of saying they want the countries with viable economies to subsidize the spendthrift deadbeats. I think eventually Germany and some others will say, who needs these parasites?, and leave, perhaps to form a "union of the competent."
Anyway, I look forward to your suggesting Canada give up most of its governmental functions and become a colony of the US, since presumably that will prevent a war between us.
If Canada became part of the US, it would tilt the government to left. Hillary Clinton would be right of center in Canada.
Dries says:
Well, I'm from Europe. The European Union is a special project. It features independent governments with a government on top of it, with the European parliament and commission, which I shall just call the European government. And it does create a conflict. The national independence is partially lost since the European goverment does influence the national governments' policies. While at the same time, there's not a real connection between the population of a member country and the European government. I can't prove that in a hard way but I think it's almost universally accepted to be true in Europe. It certainly seems true in Greece. Since it almost seemed to be held hostage. Europe demands the debt to be repaid which leads to more social austerity for that debt to be repaid. While at the same time, Greece has lost the ability to print its own money. It has lost its own currency. So that 'glue' between Europe and its member countries can be really restricting their own freedom. Countries can be stuck. Stuck to Europe and to the European Central Bank. (ECB) Stuck to the Euro as well… And because countries are all stuck to the same currency, we're a lot more stuck to each other politically as well.
I believe the glue you were talking about was there. Many felt united and stronger. But I believe the European Union has gone too far. The European project may have started with very good intentions and may even have prevented some wars. But it started as an economic project. And now it's very political. I also don't think we should ever have had the Euro and ECB. And many, I believe, are sceptical about the European Union. But many are also scared. Scared to end up in an economically weaker position after leaving. I believe this is so in Great-Britain as well. And political parties try to enlighten this fear. If the people knew they be'd just as strong economically, I think they would vote to leave.
Also, ideologically, I believe independence should be treasured. Otherwise, democratic power gets all too powerless. Though, I so often do hate those right wing politics. It does feature a risk.
I find the article and responses without a central theme. The Europeans would never enact a Marshall plan the way US did post world war, considering it is a bankrupt continent. Furthermore, what incentive do Europeans have to aid the refugees anyways? As regards nationalism, Europe has never been too much for integrating immigrants anyways (see German refugee villages). Many Europeans have never granted citizenship rights to a child born there if the parents were not Europeans (unlike the US; do not know about Canada). The rise of Euro nationalism is nothing new. Europe was always segregatory and pro nationalist, Canada comes a close second, in my experience. As an American immigrant, I found Canadian immigration far far more discriminatory than US. Yes, countries that were fighting till only fifty years ago, are not likely to give up their soverenigty to another like the EU that simply. The whole idea of EU IMHO was a mistake. If the Brexit vote does not get passed today, it just postpones it. The Euro has the backing of all member sovereigns. What kind of currency is that? Who and why should it be taken seriously without complete political union? The Brits have a point. Euro bureaucrats are now calling the shots affecting British policies. The British are not liking the taste of their own medicine that they dished out to Asians and Americans, following policies without representation. The ultimate irony here is that Germany has fought two wars trying to control Europe. Germany now has the control of entire Europe and does not want it. As regards Canada, it rides the coat tails of American business, but does not want to admit it. Rick is right, Canada should simply sign up as the 51st state, and avoid bloodshed. If Canada were to join the US, Canada would tilt to the right! A Brexit would have enormous political and military implications. It would start a new cold war. It would create incentives for Asians colonizing smaller Europeans countries (much like Europeans did in the past 5 centuries). Smaller European countries would have little ability to defend itself militarily against Asian giants, much like what they did to Asian countries a few centuries ago. Britain, would finally be forced to stand on its own. Yes, competition would be good. Britain would try and create new weapons to defend itself under perceived threats, igniting a new cold war. Russia and China could well gain significant leverage in the process.
Well, I'm from Europe, too. From one of the countries that joined after 2000. I shudder if I imagine how life in my country would be like if we'd never joined. The democratic values that EU »forced« upon us, the common market, the legal rights, no borders to cross, no black markets for currency exchange, Erasmus study programs … Yeah, we'd get there without EU – in time for my grandgrand children to enjoy the fruits. A young democracy doesn't turn overnight into a ripe one. Not without a helpful push from someone more experienced. Sure, EU is a bureaucratic beast unable to take any quick decisions. Well, there are 27 countries in it – and guess what – every single one has a say! It's far from perfect (introducing the euro, but no common fiscal policy), but I see it as a constant work in progress. And not just for the better of Germans.
Cam,
I believe you built in your missive a convincing case for why the EU developed and the sensibility for its creation. Where I think you began to make erroneous assertions was about the middle of the paper where you said "That's all changing." While it is changing slowly, and it may be rising nationalism that is occurring, beneath that moniker is the real reason: having less and fear of even less.
Most are generous, less fearful and perhaps gregarious when they have plenty. But all that evaporates when they are fearful of not having enough or as much as they used to have. That's what is going on in Europe economically and has been since the turning point you mentioned – the millenium. Even your charts show basically no growth in Europe since that time, except for some in Germany and the UK. Look at the 20 year chart of EEA. It was at about 20 in 2000. Now it is about 8 and has had mostly a slow downward trend for 16 years. That is similar to what we would have seen in the US if the SPY was now below its low of 09. Also, all anybody hears about growth in Europe is that there will basically be none. Suspicions about the EU grow from this and then are fueled by the forced immigration that many believe will only hurt their economic plight.
Follow the money and "Its the economy, stupid" are time-tested principles. It is not a nasty, we are better than you type of nationalism that is happening; but rather a fear-induced pulling in.
See this short 2 1/2 minute video of actress Sheila Hancock. It's the best statement I've seen on Europe: https://amp.twimg.com/v/1683c1b8-bb0f-4511-84b6-abbc96a006bf
Come on. She just states your case in emotional terms.