text:
Home Forums > Indian Defence > Defence & Strategic Issues >
Russian defence watch.
Discussion in 'Defence & Strategic Issues' started by A.V., Feb 16, 2009.
Russia's state arms exporter has $20 bln in foreign orders
MOSCOW, February 16 (RIA Novosti) - Russian state-controlled arms exporter Rosoboronexport has a foreign orders portfolio of $20 billion, company official Nikolai Dimidyuk said on Monday.
Russia exports weapons to over 80 countries. Among the key buyers of Russian-made weaponry are China, India, Algeria, Venezuela, Iran, Malaysia and Serbia.
Dimidyuk, Rosoboronexport's special programs director, said the majority of the current orders were from India and China, while the amount of orders from Arab states was insignificant.
He added however that the company had recently concluded an arms contract with an Arab country. He also said that a contract for the delivery of spare parts had been agreed on with a European state, although he declined to name the countries concerned.
"We have recently signed a contract on the delivery of BMP-3M [infantry fighting vehicles] with an Arab country and a contract on the supply of spare weapons parts to a European country," the official said.
Russia exported $8 billion worth of armaments and military hardware in 2008 and is planning to increase arms exports by 6% to $8.5 billion in 2009.
The most popular types of weaponry bought from Russia are Sukhoi and MiG fighters, warships, air defense systems, helicopters, battle tanks, armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles.
Russia also maintains traditionally strong positions in the sales of small arms, and anti-tank and surface-to-air missile systems.
Dimidyuk said Russia would extensively promote Russian-made weaponry at the Idex 2009 show in Abu Dhabi, the capital of United Arab Emirates, on February 22-26.
"We will conduct aggressive marketing policies at the upcoming arms show in Abu Dhabi, and display a large amount of weaponry for ground forces, air defense, navy and air forces," the official said.
RIA Novosti - Russia - Russia's state arms exporter has $20 bln in foreign orders
news and discussions on russian weapons and technology.
Russia begins to capture new Arab arms markets
MOSCOW, February 22 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is beginning to capture new arms markets of Arab countries that were earlier oriented to the West, the head of the Russian Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation said.
"Russia is beginning to enter new armaments markets where our presence was previously considered as hardly probable. In particular, some Persian Gulf countries, including Qatar and Kuwait, are displaying certain interest in the development of military and technical cooperation," Mikhail Dmitriyev said on the eve of an international defense exhibition opening on Sunday in the United Arab Emirates.
The Idex-2009 international defense exhibition and conference will take place in Abu Dhabi from February 22 through 26. Russian military systems and technology will be exhibited over an area of 546 square meters, including 84 square meters to be used to showcase the latest developments in Russian ammunition.
At the same time, Russia has signed and is implementing large-scale deals with Algeria, stepped up cooperation with Libya and Syria, he said. "We are switching to the establishment of partnership relations and cooperation within the general policy of developing and strengthening versatile contacts with the Arab and Islamic world."
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20090222/120258221.html
Russia to respond to militarization of Arctic
MOSCOW, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Russia is ready to respond to attempts to militarize the Arctic region, the Interfax news agency reported Monday citing the chief of the general staff.
"We want to see in general how far the region will be militarized and we will act accordingly," Gen. Nikolai Makarov was quoted by as saying during a visit to the United Arab Emirates.
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said last month that military activity has been steadily increasing in the Arctic.
He called for transparency, trust and cooperation to tackle the challenges in the Arctic, saying it is necessary to engage Russia and other stakeholders in the region and beyond.
Russia shares Arctic Sea coastlines with four other countries: Canada, Denmark, Norway and the United States, all NATO members.
The five countries have different views over the delineation of the 200-nautical-mile limit of the Exclusive Economic Zones, as well as over the extension of the continental shelves.
In addition, Makarov, who is attending an international arms fair, said Russia has not yet received official proposals from the United States on significant reduction of strategic nuclear arms.
"When the proposal comes, we will discuss it. It's absolutely early to talk about anything," Makarov said.
It was reported earlier the new U.S. administration would hold talks with Moscow with a view to slashing the number of intercontinental nuclear missiles on both sides by 80 percent.
:idhitit:
http://english.pladaily.com.cn/
If America and Russia really do make any headway in cutting their ICBM arsenal by 80% it would be a major deal. Then again, China would have even greater power then because they would have almost as many ICBM's as US and russia
pyromaniac said: ↑
yes that is very true but i doubt they will actually cut down by 80%.both of them will try to outsmart the other.
they have been saying this for years.China would still not catch up
and Russia will be building up again to respond to the US missile shield in poland.
LETHALFORCE, Feb 25, 2009
LETHALFORCE said: ↑
thats exactly the thing that is going to happen, once this recession is over the oil prices will go up and you will see russia building up its icbms again,
anyway the russians have ordered 29 bulava icbms for 2009-2010.
they are going over to iskanders as their mainstay, any chance they can share topol course chaning secrets with us?
the MIRV capability of the topol would be of interest to the indians but i doubt russians would share such technology now,anyway legally its impossible
but secretly things might already be on.
we eventually wind up getting all the russian goodies.
devgupt Regular Member
Salt Lake City, Utah, US
Hi Invincible,
I read recently that Russia wouldnt deploy missiles in Kalinigrad as the US under Obama is not keen to station ABM shield in Poland.
What is the strategic importance of Kalinigrad
devgupt, Feb 25, 2009
it can still hit Europe and the missile shield would be useless, Russia also said poland will be gone in any conflict, 2 sacrificial lambs for USA poland and czech republic.
devgupt said: ↑
sir not deploying the iskander in kalinigrad is a tactical decesion by the russians to put the balls in the us court but the us has not shyed away from the misssile sheild yet but agreed to hold talks with russia regarding this.
deploying missiles in kalinigrad is a direct threat for entire europe and NATO because of its strategic location,< it brings the entire europe under its range > eu wants to keep europe nuclear threat free but this russian action is a direct threat to nato countries as they perceive it.
sir please use the announcement section to introduce yourself to all our dfi members ,thanks.
Russian air force withdraws 90 faulty MiGs
MOSCOW: Ninety of Russia's MiG-29 fighter jets have been rejected by military inspectors during checks after a crash last December, an air force
spokesman said on Friday, quoted by Interfax.
"So far from the overall fleet of MiG-29s, about 200 planes have been examined, of which 100 have been permitted to fly. About 90 MiG-29s have been withdrawn from flying," said Colonel Vladimir Drik.
He added that checks were continuing on the rest of the MiG-29 fleet and that faulty planes would be repaired and put back in service as funds became available. Interfax estimated Russia's total number of MiG-29s at 300.
Russia suspended MiG-29 flights in December when one of the jets crashed in Siberia, killing its pilot.
The crash was attributed to a technical fault and followed another MiG-29 crash in October in the Chita area.
First produced in the 1980s, MiG-29s have been exported through much of the world, notably being used by India's air force and by Iraq in the 1991 Gulf War.
Despite a revival in Russia's financial position in recent years, the country's military has continued to suffer embarrassing technical failures, most notably with its accident-prone submarines.
A.V., Mar 13, 2009
Lt. Gen. Sergei Bainetov, head of flight security at the Russian Air Force, said that even new aircraft which had clocked no more than 150 flight hours showed signs of metal corrosion in their tail sections. Experts are looking into the possible causes of the corrosion.
Russia's Yaroslav Mudry frigate to enter service before year-end
BALTIYSK, March 12 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's newest frigate, the Yaroslav Mudry, will begin service before the end of this year, the Baltic Fleet commander said on Thursday.
The frigate - the second vessel in the 11540 Yastreb project after the Neustrashimy, which recently took part in an anti-piracy operation in the Gulf of Aden - is currently undergoing sea trials.
"The tests have been conducted successfully. They will last two or three months, after which the final trials will begin, which are set to end by fall," Rear Admiral Viktor Mardusin said.
Earlier reports said the frigate could enter service in April. The construction of the Yaroslav Mudry has taken almost 19 years due to lack of financing.
The frigate has a displacement of 4,250 tons and a maximum speed of 30 knots. It is armed with anti-ship missiles, air defense systems, a 100-mm artillery mount, depth charges, and a Ka-27 helicopter.
Mardusin earlier said the Neustrashimy could be sent back to Somalia in May-June, and that the Yaroslav Mudry could join the international anti-piracy in the Gulf of Aden after entering service with the Baltic Fleet
New mobile Topol-M battalion put on combat duty in Russia
MOSCOW, March 10 (RIA Novosti) - A missile battalion equipped with mobile Topol-M (SS-27 Stalin) ICBMs has been put on combat duty in central Russia, a spokesman for the Russian Missile Forces (SMF) said on Tuesday.
The first two Topol-M mobile missile battalions, equipped with six road-mobile systems, had already been put on combat duty with the 54th Strategic Missile Division near the town of Teikovo, about 150 miles (240 km) northeast of Moscow.
"Another missile battalion equipped with mobile Topol-M missile systems and comprising three launchers and a command unit has been put on combat duty with the Teikovo missile division in the Ivanovo Region," Col. Alexander Vovk said.
The SMF commander, Col. Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov, earlier said that Russia's Topol-M ballistic missiles would be put on combat duty on schedule despite the current global financial crisis. He added that the division will be up to full strength by 2010.
Topol-M missiles are the mainstay of the ground-based component of Russia's nuclear triad. As of the beginning of 2009, the SMF operated 50 silo-based and six road-mobile Topol-M missile systems.
The missile, with a range of about 7,000 miles (11,000 km), is said to be immune to any current and future U.S. ABM defense. It is capable of making evasive maneuvers to avoid a kill using terminal phase interceptors, and carries targeting countermeasures and decoys.
It is also shielded against radiation, electromagnetic pulse, nuclear blasts, and is designed to survive a hit from any form of laser technology.
Atul Founding Member
India worried as Russia grounds MiG-29 fleet
TROUBLED FLIGHT
Rajat Pandit | TNN
New Delhi: In a move fraught with major implications for India, Russia has grounded a major chunk of its MiG-29 fleet due to structural defects. The Indian Air Force (IAF) operates over 60 MiG-29s as "allweather air-superiority fighters''.
Moreover, the Indian Navy is soon to get 16 MiG-29Ks—the fighter's naval variant designed to operate from an aircraft carrier's deck—as part of the original $1.5 billion package deal signed with Russia in 2004 for Admiral Gorshkov.
Sources said a navy team recently returned empty-handed from Russia after the delivery of its 16 MiG-29Ks was postponed because of Moscow's decision to ground its own MiG-29s. Russia apparently grounded its entire fleet of about 300 MiG-29s, codenamed 'Fulcrum' by Nato during the Cold War, after a couple of them crashed in southern Siberia in October-December due to the disintegration of their tail fins.
Subsequently, around 90 MiG-29s have so far been found unsafe to fly during ongoing checks, while 100 have been cleared to take to the skies. Incidentally, Algeria had last year returned its 15 MiG-29s to Russia, holding that their quality was poor, which was strongly contested by Moscow.
This does not augur well for India. As earlier reported by TOI, the IAF is already grappling with a huge dip in the number of its fighter squadrons, down to just 32 from the "sanctioned strength'' of 39.5. 6 MiGs in Russia for overhaul
New Delhi: One of the major worries for India over Russia deciding to ground its MIG-29s is that even as New Delhi haggles with Moscow over its additional $2 billion demand for Gorshkov's refit, the defence ministry has cleared the navy's proposal to buy 29 additional MiG-29Ks for Rs 5,380 crore. The procurement has been approved because both Gorshkov and the indigenous aircraft carrier, being built at the Cochin Shipyard, will operate MiG-29Ks once the two desperately needed warships are inducted into service in the next decade.
The immediate concern, however, is for the IAF, which operates three MiG-29 squadrons along the western front for air defence purposes. "We have received no word from Russia. We are continuing to fly our MiG-29s from Halwara and Jamnagar,'' a senior officer said.
The IAF had inducted over 70 twinengined MiG-29s from 1986 onwards but has lost several of them in crashes, though these fighters are not as accidentprone as the single-engined MiG-21s or the recently phased out MiG-23s.
Interestingly, six IAF MiG-29s are currently in Russia for a mid-life upgrade under a huge $964 million contract signed in March 2008. The other 57 fighters will be retrofitted at the IAF base repair depot at Nashik under transfer of technology from Russia. Apart from extending their life from the present 25 years (2,500 flight hours) to 40 years (3,500 hours), the mid-life extension refit is supposed to turn these air-superiority fighters into far more lethal all-weather multi-role jets.
The upgrade, slated for completion by March 2014, will include the advanced multi-functional Zhuk-ME radar and a new weapon control system. "The package will include state-of-the-art avionics and cockpit ergonomics, as also fuel capacity increase,'' said an official.
AS Per TIMES OF INDIA report Dated 14th March 2009
Atul, Mar 14, 2009
Russia can station bombers in Cuba, Venezuela
MOSCOW: Russia can "possibly" use Cuba to station its strategic bombers there, while Venezuela has offered Moscow to do the same on its
territory, said a senior Russian strategic air force commander, Interfax reported today.
"It is possible with Cuba," Interfax quoted Major General Anatoly Zhikharev as saying. "There are four or five airfields with runways 4,000 metres long which suits us quite well.
"If there is a will of heads of the two states, a political will, we are ready to fly there," he said.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has also offered to let Russia use his country's territory to station Russian strategic bombers there, Zhikharev told Interfax.
"Yes, such a proposal from the president of Venezuela exists. If there is an appropriate political decision it is possible," he said.
The local airfield would have to be upgraded before it could be used by the Russian bombers, however, he added.
The Russian authorities have recently tried to revive ties with Soviet-era allies Cuba and Venezuela, which are both passionate critics of the United States.
The report comes as Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is gearing up to meet new US President Barack Obama in London in early April in an effort to re-launch US-Russian ties.
rock45 Founding Member/ RIP our friend
Indian Fulcrums
Hi Atul
In the article you posted it said the 57 Fulcrums upgrade project will be complete in March 2014. That's just over 11 aircraft per year being upgrade do you know if that time frame is correct doesn't it seem too long?
Do you know how the long work in Russia will take on the six Fulcrums sent over, I didn't see that. I'm looking for date sent to date finished.
Has India check their Fulcrums to see if there's any disintegration of their tail fins? Are they in danger?
The article doesn't provide a great deal of information are all Fulcrums in danger or only certain models or batches?
If you can help thanks in advance
rock45, Mar 15, 2009


5.1.1 It must first of all be determined whether the servitude is applicable to the new subdivision. If it does apply, qualification is in principle necessary. The following serves as an example: .
"The farm A (portion … whereof is hereby transferred), is subject/entitled to the following servitude/condition …..".
5.1.2 If the portion being conveyed is not directly affected by the servitude by virtue of its location, but ancillary rights are involved, it must be qualified as explained in paragraph 5.1.1. .
5.1.3 Where the portion being transferred is by reason of its location or for other reasons clearly not subject to the servitude/condition and there are no ancillary rights/obligations involved, such servitude must be omitted from, the deed conveying the portion. .
5.1.4 Similarly where the portion being transferred is deprived by the transferor in the power of attorney, of all rights and there are no obligations, the servitude must be omitted from the deed conveying the portion. See section 76(4) of The Act. Where the portion being transferred is deprived of its rights by the transferor, but there are ancillary rights and obligations involved, then the condition / servitude must, notwithstanding the provisions of section 76(4) of The Act, first be quoted and then followed by a "non enjoyment" clause, stating that the rights have been retained by the transferor as owner of the remainder as in the case of water rights explained below. .
5.1.5 Regarding water rights, in view of the potential prejudice to owners, it is considered, notwithstanding the provisions of section 76(4) of The Act, to be of paramount importance to have a deprivation clause where a subdivision is deprived of water rights to which the original land was entitled to. It is suggested that the following wording is used at the end of the quotation of the water rights: .
"Which rights are reserved by the transferor as owner of the Remainder of the farm …….., measuring ……..".
5.1.6 Where there are defined rights of enjoyment, such as 1000 litres of water per week or grazing rights for 50 cattle, etc. qualification is most essential in order to indicate clearly that the portion being transferred is only entitled to pro rata share in those rights, for example –.
"The farm ……, Portion …… of which is hereby transferred, is entitled to 1000 litres of water per week from the dam on ……".
5.1.7 Where there is a re allocation of rights on subdivision, the full allocation should be set out in the title of every portion transferred and eventually in the deed transferring the remainder. What has been said in the previous paragraphs relating to water rights, must also be applied to water rights arising from riparian ownership. .
5.1.8 Double qualification will not be permitted, that, is, qualification in the introductory clause e.g. .
"The farm A, a portion whereof is hereby transferred is subject to the following conditions ……(quote)……" .
And thereafter a further qualification in the body of the quoted servitude or condition whenever the farm A is mentioned. .
Examiners must note that a remainder of land must also be regarded as a subdivision of the original land unit. The above mentioned principles apply mutatis mutandis to a remainder being transferred. .
It must therefore, as in the case of a new subdivision, be determined whether the servitude does in fact apply to such remainder, that is, that the servitude has not been wholly included in a portion of land transferred from the holding title. .
There appear to be no necessity to qualify in case of a transfer of a share in land. Praedial servitudes in any event do not attach to undivided shares in land. In rare cases where praedial servitude have by error been registered against a share in land, qualification will however be necessary. .
The qualification of conditions in certificates of consolidated title is a problem area. .
The general rule is: Determine whether qualification is necessary and to what extent. .
6.1 If the components being consolidated are all subject to the same conditions of a general nature, qualification is obviously not necessary. It will not be necessary to state that each of the components represented by the figure on the consolidated diagram is subject to the conditions concerned. The whole becomes subject ipso facto in the same way as the components are subject. It will only be necessary to state –.
"Subject to the following condition(s): ……(quote……." .
6.2 If the components being consolidated are all subject to the same servitude, created by the same notarial deed (as a result of previous subdivisions which are now being consolidated), qualification will likewise not be necessary. A reference to the servitude area or line representing the servitude on the diagram annexed to the certificate of consolidated title and the notarial deed where it was created, will however be necessary for example –.
"Subject to a servitude of …… in favour of …… as indicated by the figure/line …… on the annexed diagram SG No …… as will more fully appear from Notarial Deed of Servitude No K……../……S." .
6.3 If the condition or servitude was created against different components in different (notarial creative deeds, it must be properly qualified with reference to the relevant creative deed in respect of the relevant components, for example –.
"The former portion …….. of the farm …….. indicated by the figure ……… on diagram SG No …….. annexed hereto, is subject to the following condition/servitude ……..(quote)…….., as will more fully appear from Deed of …….. No ……..".
6.4 If some of the components are subject to conditions of a general nature (see paragraph 6.1 above) or the same servitude (see paragraph 6.2 above), it is obvious that a qualification is necessary, since the whole of the consolidated area cannot be made subject thereto. .
If the components which are subject to the condition(s) or servitude are contiguous to each other, it is good conveyancing to quote the figure comprising those components, for example – .
"The former portions …… and …… of the farm …… represented by the figure ……. On the annexed diagram SG No ……, are subject/entitled to ……(quote)……" .
If the components are not contiguous, then the separate figures must be quoted, but the condition must only be quote once, for example – .
"The former portions ….. and ….. of the farm ….. indicated by the figures ….. and ….. respectively on the annexed diagram SG No ….. are subject/entitled to the following conditions/rights: ….. (quote) ….." .
6.5 If various components are subject to various conditions, the conditions in respect of every component must be qualified irrespective whether the conditions are of a general nature or not. In each case reference must be made to the previous description of such a component for example –.
"The former Portion ….. of the farm ….. indicated by the figure ….. on the annexed diagram SG No ….., is subject/entitled to the following conditions/rights": ….. (quote) …..".
6.6 If the components are subject to the same general conditions but one or more of the conditions are restrictive in nature, i.e. limited in its application to each component, then qualification is also a pre requisite. For instance, each component may be subject to a condition prohibiting the erection of more than one dwelling house thereon. In the absence of statutory authority, the whole or the consolidated property may not unqualified be made subject o such a condition. The condition must be qualified to indicate that it is restricted to a particular component or components. This is done in the following manner: At the end of the restrictive condition, add the following qualification for example –.
"(This condition is applicable to each of the former erven …. and …., represented by the figures …. and …. respectively on diagram SG No …….., annexed hereto.)" .
As explained in paragraph 4.1.2 above, this type of qualification is only applied when dealing with erven in a township or agricultural holdings. .
6.7.1 When a condition/servitude applicable to a component has already been qualified in the title deed of the component (That will obviously be the case if the condition/servitude was not created on the component but against a larger land unit of which the component forms a portion), then reference to the original property description against which the condition/servitude was imposed or created, must be made in the qualification of the condition in the certificate of consolidated title, for example –.
"The former farm ….. (of which that portion indicated by the figure ….. on the annexed diagram SG No ….., forms a portion) is subject/entitled to the following conditions/rights, as will more fully appear from …… (notarial/creative deed) …..".
6.7.2 When a condition/servitude applicable to a component is not qualified in the title deed of the component, it must be qualified in the certificated of consolidated title by referring to the (previous) components on which it was applicable, for example –.
"The former Portion ….. of the farm ….. indicated by the figure ….. on the annexed diagram SG No ….., is subject/entitled to …….., as will more fully appear from ….. (notarial/creative deed) …..".
Firstly. Reference to lettering or figures on diagrams of previous consolidations or subdivisions of such consolidations must at all costs be avoided. Only refer to lettering or figures on the diagram attached to the new certificate of consolidated title. .
Secondly. Where a condition or servitude is created by way of a notarial deed, it is practice to refer to the notarial deed in the condition. If it is not created notarially, a reference to the creative deed will be good conveyancing but optional. .
When consolidated land is subdivided at a later stage in such a manner that portions of the previous components form part of the new subdivision, the boundary lines of the previous components will be indicated by dotted lines on the subdivisional diagram and the points where the subdivisional boundary lines intersect the dotted component lines, will be lettered in order to facilitate the qualification of the conditions. The method of qualification of conditions will in this case be the same as with consolidations (see paragraph 6.7), in other words, reference must be made to the former description of the components, for example –.
"The former Portion …… of the farm ……., a portion whereof is indicated by the figure …….. on annexed (subdivisional) diagram SG No …….., is subject/entitled to the following conditions/rights: …….(quote)…….." .
When the remainder of consolidated land is being transferred for the first time and it is, according to the aforementioned principles, necessary to qualify the condition(s)/servitude(s) applicable to the remainder of a component of the consolidated land (because of the inclusion of a portion of that component in the portion of the consolidated land being transferred away), the conveyancer must request the Surveyor General to letter the points where the subdivisional boundary lines intersect with the component lines on the client's copy of the consolidation diagram, with the view of qualifying the conditions/servitudes applicable to the remainder of the component concerned. The qualification of the condition(s)/servitude(s) will in this instance be the same as in the certificate of consolidated title except for the difference in the figure on the diagram. .
Examiners are requested not to reject deeds where conditions have unnecessarily been qualified as long as the qualification is correct and will not cause uncertainty or confusion.
Qualification of Conditions in a CCT: If one of the components is subject to the restriction that it may not be transferred within 2 years after first transfer without the consent of the developer of the Township (which 2 years have not yet expired) would one still qualify with reference to the component only. The restriction on transfer of the relevant component within the 2 years would become meaningless once the consolidation has been registered and surely the restriction cannot affect the entire consolidated Erf.


text:
Follow-Up Survey Finds Hospitals Still Fall Short On Price Transparency
April 10, 2017 /in Featured, Healthcare, Press Releases, Press Releases: Health Care, Press Releases: Healthcare Transparency, Transparency /by Editorial Staff
Estimated price of routine procedure at 21 Massachusetts hospitals shows price variations of up to 1,000 percent
Read media coverage of this report in The Boston Globe, the Boston Herald, the Springfield Republican, Beckers Healthcare, State House News Service. Healthcare Finance, and The Lowell Sun.
BOSTON – Eighteen months after an initial survey found little price transparency at Massachusetts hospitals, a follow-up study from Pioneer Institute reveals that it remains highly unlikely that ordinary consumers can get a hospital price estimate within two business days of requesting it, as required by state law.
Download "Massachusetts Hospitals Score Poorly on Price Transparency…Again"
For "Massachusetts Hospitals Score Poorly on Price Transparency… Again," researchers called 21 hospitals that had been part of the earlier survey to again request a self-pay estimate for an MRI of the left knee without contrast. Only nine of the hospitals were able to provide the estimate within two business days.
"Deductibles can range from $1,500 to more than $7,000," said Pioneer Senior Fellow in Healthcare Policy Barbara Anthony, who authored the report with Scott Haller. "Given that reality, access to price information is more important than ever before. This survey once again demonstrates how frustrating and time consuming it is for the average consumer to obtain a price quote. "
Unlike in the first survey, callers also asked about self-pay or cash discounts, which ranged from 6-to-47 percent.
There was wide variation in the prices quoted. Undiscounted estimates ranged from $1,061.22 at Morton Hospital and Medical Center in Taunton to $8,447 at Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital. Discounted estimates, which is the price for a self-pay patient, went from $636.73 at Morton to $6,928 at MGH.
About two thirds of the hospitals readily disclosed the self-pay discount, while in the other cases callers had to ask about it. MRI reading fee discounts were disclosed at a similar rate.
While state law requires that price estimates be given within two business days, it took an average of two-to-four business days to get pricing information. Response time ranged from a few minutes at Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield and Morton Hospital and Medical Center in Taunton, to six or seven days at some other hospitals.
Five of the 21 hospitals required callers to supply a diagnostic code before providing an estimate, which may violate state law. Several others asked for one, but hospital personnel eventually looked up the code – which is much more accessible to the institutions than it is to patients.
Some hospitals directed callers to a third party to get a separate estimate for the MRI reading fee, which can delay receipt of a quote by 48 hours or more. However, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center and Newton-Wellesley Hospital provided a consumer-friendly global price.
To check the reliability of price estimates, researchers called hospitals back at least a month after getting their original estimate. Seven hospitals provided different prices the second time. Six ranged from 2.7 percent above the original estimate at South Shore Hospital to 76.7 percent higher at MGH. Most of these different estimates resulted from mistakes made by hospitals during the first call. The second estimate from MetroWest Medical Center was 22 percent lower.
"I think there are two major takeaways from these surveys," said Pioneer Executive Director Jim Stergios. "The first is that three years after it took effect, the time has come for hospitals to get serious about complying with the state's price transparency law, and the second is that state government needs to exercise leadership and do a much better job of advancing compliance with these laws."
Barbara Anthony, a lawyer, is a senior fellow in healthcare at Pioneer Institute focusing on healthcare price and quality transparency. She is also an associate at the Harvard Kennedy School's Center for Business and Government. She served as Massachusetts Undersecretary for Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation from 2009 to 2015.
Scott Haller graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science. He started working at Pioneer Institute through the Northeastern's Co-op Program and continues now as the Lovett C. Peters Fellow in Healthcare. He previously worked at the Office of the Inspector General.
Pioneer Institute is an independent, non-partisan, privately funded research organization that seeks to improve the quality of life in Massachusetts through civic discourse and intellectually rigorous, data-driven public policy solutions based on free market principles, individual liberty and responsibility, and the ideal of effective, limited and accountable government.
Get Updates On Our Healthcare Cost Transparency Initiative!
Join us on May 3rd, for our annual Hewitt Healthcare Lecture, "Evolving Healthcare Delivery Models":
Paul F. Levy, former President & CEO, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, will moderate a panel discussion on the changing face of the healthcare market and innovations to meet consumer demand. Learn more!
ICYMI: U.S. HHS Secretary Alex Azar's Remarks on Healthcare Price Transparency, Opioid Crisis, HIV Epidemic & More
This past Monday, Pioneer held the 13th annual Hewitt Healthcare…
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/HewittAzar.png 1080 1920 Editorial Staff https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Editorial Staff2019-04-12 12:29:112019-04-12 12:29:11ICYMI: U.S. HHS Secretary Alex Azar's Remarks on Healthcare Price Transparency, Opioid Crisis, HIV Epidemic & More
A Wealth of Data: A Map of the Massachusetts Opioid Epidemic
In 2016, the rate of opioid overdose deaths in Massachusetts…
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/ma-made-of-pills.png 469 768 Kaila Webb https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Kaila Webb2018-08-17 16:05:232018-08-29 16:40:25A Wealth of Data: A Map of the Massachusetts Opioid Epidemic
Can State Pensioners Pay for Future Medically Necessary Long-term Care?
At some point many people find themselves needing help to care…
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/cristian-newman-63291-unsplash.jpg 6016 4000 Kaila Webb https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Kaila Webb2018-06-13 13:06:252018-06-13 13:29:45Can State Pensioners Pay for Future Medically Necessary Long-term Care?
Moving the Needle on Healthcare Cost Containment & Reform
Today, Pioneer Institute submitted recommendations to the Commonwealth…
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_79761781.jpg 3328 4894 Editorial Staff https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Editorial Staff2017-10-23 15:59:192018-10-12 14:26:59Moving the Needle on Healthcare Cost Containment & Reform
Creating Space for Healthcare Innovators in the Marketplace
Pioneer Institute's initiatives in healthcare focus on three…
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/dental.jpg 312 640 Editorial Staff https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Editorial Staff2017-09-12 15:32:272017-09-12 15:32:27Creating Space for Healthcare Innovators in the Marketplace
Time for Boston to open up to limited service clinics
As a little girl I have a dim memory of my mother taking me to…
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/minute_clinic.jpg 419 628 Barbara Anthony https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Barbara Anthony2017-07-24 14:03:102017-07-24 14:03:10Time for Boston to open up to limited service clinics
https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/emergency-room-sign-1.jpg 1417 2117 Editorial Staff https://pioneerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_440x96.png Editorial Staff2017-04-10 08:47:452018-10-12 14:26:54Follow-Up Survey Finds Hospitals Still Fall Short On Price Transparency
Commemorating The 100th Anniversary Of U.S. Entry Into World War I Op-ed: Why Mass. must not let up on testing students

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Oct 18 THE NEW ANNABEL'S AT NUMBER 46: WHAT TO EXPECT
Dining, Diary, Food & Drink
After more than 50 years at the heart of London's nightlife, during which Hollywood stars and royalty alike have descended under the striped canopy on Berkeley Square, Annabel's is preparing to open the doors to its much-anticipated new home just two doors down from the original Club. Annabel's will be re-imagined in an 18th Century, Grade One listed Georgian Townhouse at 46 Berkeley Square.
At 26,000 square feet the new venue will comprise considerably more space than the original Club. For the first time, Annabel's will offer an all day and all night experience, with new and additional floors for Members to work, dine and entertain their guests.
Founded in 1963 Annabel's has built a global reputation over the past five decades as the most elegant and private Club in the world. Over the years the Club has welcomed Members and their guests including royalty, recording stars such as Frank Sinatra, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles and Hollywood greats including Jack Nicholson, Elizabeth Taylor and Leonardo DiCaprio, to name just a few. This extraordinary place at 46 Berkeley Square will continue to welcome illustrious Members, drawing upon the next generation, affirming Annabel's legacy as the most exclusive private Members' Club in the world.
Membership for the new Club is by invitation only and the waiting list is open. New candidates for membership will require a proposer and seconder and election will be strictly by Committee. Existing Annabel's members will not require a proposer or seconder but election will remain subject to strict Committee approval. Of the thousands who have already registered interest in Membership, the First 100 were sent out earlier this year and accepted.
Annabel's at 46 Berkeley Square will offer Members the intimate nightclub environment they have always enjoyed, along with new spaces and Member services to cater to their needs. The Club will include restaurants, bars, private dining rooms and a cigar salon, spread across four spacious floors. The nightclub will be located in the basement of the townhouse and will pay homage to the decadent essence and abundant energy of the original Annabel's. Outside on the terrace, an enchanting restaurant garden will offer year round dining.
Martin Brudnizki Design Studio (interior designer of The Ivy, Sexy Fish, 34 Mayfair) will oversee the design of Annabel's at 46 Berkeley Square, retaining the period features of the listed building. The team will be painstakingly restoring original features including a grand cantilevered stone staircase, elaborate plaster ceilings and majestic fireplaces of the Rococo style.
Art and culture has always been an integral part of the spirit of Annabel's and this approach will be continued in the new Club. Richard Caring has invited a team of world leaders in art, design, fashion and music to collaborate as a cultural council to ensure the Club is at the vanguard of creativity.
The senior operations team has also been personally recruited by Richard Caring, to ensure the Club's team is the best in London. Guillaume Glipa has joined as Executive Director of The Birley Clubs (formerly of Chiltern Firehouse) and is working alongside Graziano Arricale as Operations Director, Rebecca Burdess (formerly of Fortnum & Mason) as Membership Director and Astrid Harbord (formerly of Bulgari Hotel) as the Membership Manager.
"This is an iconic project to be a part of" explained Guillaume. "We are taking the classic DNA of Annabel's and moving it forward for the future, respectfully and tastefully, commissioning the best craftsmen, designers and artisans to use the most beautiful colours, textures, textiles, materials and objets. Members will be able to enjoy Annabel's all day long, from early in the morning and late into the night - their every need looked after with warmth and genuine hospitality. The new Annabel's gives us a much larger space in which to tell an exciting story and we are doing it with intelligence, wit and humour. It will be a wonderful place full of things to discover and rediscover."
The full address is Annabel's, 46 Berkeley Square, London W1J 5AT. For all Membership enquiries please email membership@annabels.co.uk or call 020 3879 9146
The Mayfair Musings, Georgian Townhouse, Martin Brudnizki, Richard Caring, Berkeley Square, Nightlife, Rococo, Annabels, Private Dining, Private Members Clubs, Mayfair
Oct 25 'MAVERICK ENCOUNTERS' WITH CHARLES HEIDSIECK CHAMPAGNE AND JOSHUA KANE
Oct 17 PARISIAN HOME INSPIRATION BY 10SURDIX & ESSENTIAL HOME
Dec 1 PULLMAN EDITIONS HAS BEEN COMMISSIONED TO PRODUCE A LIMITED-EDITION COLLECTORS POSTER FOR ANNABEL'S, MAYFAIR
Jan 20 THE NEW COCKTAIL LIST AT ANNABEL'S: WHAT TO EXPECT
Jun 11 THIS WEEK: RESIDENTS' SOCIETY OF MAYFAIR & ST JAMES'S SUMMER GARDEN PARTY


I cannot believe it has been two years since our 4th child was born. Two years since I held him. Two years since we walked into the hospital pregnant, labored for nine hours, and walked out without our baby. In some ways it feels as if it happened a long time ago….and in other ways it feels as fresh as if it happened last week.
It took me a long time to finish writing his birth story. In fact, I just finished it this past week. We had decided to share his birth story here on my blog. But as I sat down to edit it, I realized I can't yet. It is so intensely personal, as it is the only moments we had together with our son. Maybe at some point I will share it. We will see.
But today, we just remember him with love.


Effective communication is at the core of any successful business. That's what makes Communication Platform as a Service (CPaaS) tools so valuable. They allow developers to build secure voice, chat, and video into enterprise applications without having to spend time and resources on infrastructure, while at the same time giving users advanced communications built right into their existing apps and workflows.
As you might know, BlackBerry is a pioneer in secure communications. For more than fifteen years, BlackBerry has enabled and protected real-time communications in some of the highest-security industries in the world. Today, we officially deliver the next phase allowing partners to embed BlackBerry secure messaging technology into their own applications.
I'm excited to announce the general availability of the BlackBerry Spark Communications Platform. Since announcing our limited release earlier this year, more than 60 ISV partners are building and embedding apps using our Spark for Android and iOS devices. Those apps are already helping improve communication in healthcare, protect vulnerable people in Canada, and equip a major law firm with real-time IM and file-sharing (skip ahead to the bottom to learn about this exciting new user, read the VentureBeat article about the launch, or read on).
Built on BlackBerry's proven security model, Spark protects data both at-rest and in-transit and encrypts messages, voice calls, and video calls. Moreover, because it's built upon our global NOC network, it offers proven scalability and reliability.
Spark also offers a superior user experience versus other enterprise IM platforms. Users have access to a rich selection of features, including message editing, retraction, read and received notifications, voice notes, group chat, and file sharing. It's also fast, reliable, and easy to use, providing the same user-friendly experience enjoyed by tens of millions of Spark fans worldwide, with the end-to-end security your business requires.
Spark allows developers to quickly integrate secure, enterprise-grade communications functionality into custom apps, delivering a unique, streamlined mobile collaboration experience to users. Spark is an IP-based solution running on the BlackBerry NOC network.
Contrast that against solutions like Twilio, which rely on SMS and circuit-switched carrier networks for their messaging functionality, mediums that are both insecure and easily exploitable. With other platforms, implementing security means working with third party vendors– more contracts, more licensing fees, and the struggle of managing multiple APIs. As with the rest of our portfolio, this isn't an issue with Spark – all functionality is unified into a single platform.
A BlackBerry Authorized Reseller, Tundra Core Studios Limited is using Spark to assist one of their major clients, a UK-based law firm by the name of Daniel Woodman and Co.
Daniel Woodman's original legacy email platform was ill-suited for use on mobile, and couldn't be expanded to support other methods of collaboration or file sharing. As a result, to comply with the UK's strict regulatory environment, staff relied on bike messengers and taxis to deliver court documents – often while cases were on-trial.
For the development of the instant messaging option, SDKs like Twilio were out of the question for the law firm – primarily due to security.
Through the BlackBerry Spark Communications Platform, Tundra Core built an integrated IM solution that was both easy to use and highly secure. Pearce and his legal colleagues loved it. And according to Clench, Spark was also easy to learn and work with – owing to its extensive documentation.
"We didn't have to worry about building additional infrastructure or learning a second API, which saved us time and eliminated our upfront costs," says Clench.
Moving forward, Tundra Core Studios intends to continue using Spark – and advises that other developers consider doing the same.
Embedded messaging is the next frontier in enterprise communication – and it's not hard to see why. No matter what industry you're involved with, collaboration is at the core of getting work done. Effective, secure communication is critical in making collaboration happen.
With a proven foundation in secure messaging, BlackBerry has for over a decade protected the most sensitive real-time communications of organizations in some of the world's highest-security industries. Spark puts that legacy squarely in your hands, empowering you with the ability to securely connect employees with colleagues, clients, and customers. Together with the rest of our portfolio, you have everything you need to secure, manage, and connect your entire organization.


Find the contents of the basic box Dark Imperiun Warhammer 40k in spare parts and complete. All figures are available at the best price to expand your army of Space Marines or Death Guard.
Take this opportunity to buy the official Dark Imperiun board game rules book, as well as the game material.
The Dark Imperium game box is one of the best ways to start Warhammer 40,000. It offers 53 Space Marines and Death Guard figures and all the equipment to get started. All the figures in the box are available as bitz to mount yourself.
Choose from 22 Primaris Space Marines in Mk X energy armor, to paint in the Chapter colours of your choice.
But also 31 figures of the Death Guard, to paint in the colors of the vectorium of your choice.
Dark Imperium There are 16 products.
Death Guard Foetid Bloat-Drone Dark Imperium Wharmmer 40k miniature.
Death Guard Lord of Contagion Dark Imperium Wharmmer 40k miniature.
Death Guard Malignant Plagucaster Dark Imperium Wharmmer 40k miniature.
Death Guard Noxious BlightBringer Dark Imperium Wharmmer 40k miniatures.
Death Guard Plague Marines Dark Imperium Wharmmer 40k miniatures.
Space Marines Primaris Hellblaster Squad Dark Imperium Warhammer 40k.
PoxWalkers Dark Imperium Wharmmer 40k miniatures.
Space Marines Primaris Ancient Dark Imperium Warhammer 40k miniatures.
Space Marines Primaris Captain Dark Imperium Warhammer 40k miniatures.
Space Marines Primaris Inceptor Squad Dark Imperium Warhammer 40k miniatures.
Space Marines Primaris Intercessor Squad A Dark Imperium Warhammer 40k miniatures.
Space Marines Primaris Intercessor Squad B Dark Imperium Warhammer 40k miniatures.
Space Marines Primaris Lieutenant with Bolt Rifle Dark Imperium Warhammer 40k miniatures.
Space Marines Primaris Lieutenant with Power Sword Dark Imperium Warhammer 40k miniatures.
V8 ruler book in ENGLISH, complete book with rigid opening and illustrations.


Megan graduated from Princeton University in 2011 with a BA in Sociology and a Certificate in Russian and Eurasian Studies. She subsequently moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand, to teach at Chiang Mai University through the Princeton in Asia fellowship program. She then moved to Hong Kong where she covered the APAC region, specifically Australia and New Zealand, for US headquartered software company, Laserfiche Compulink.
Megan then relocated to London and spent 3 years with AlphaSights, a financial information services business. She was responsible for helping private equity clients complement their commercial diligence with industry interviews and market intelligence. Megan joined Primary in 2017 where she is responsible for Primary's direct origination program.
As a native Floridian, Megan enjoys travel (to sunny locations), volleyball, tennis and yoga.


text:
Q: Glade/Gtk Tooltip does not appear I'm trying to learn Glade/Gtk. This tutorial https://youtu.be/g-KDOH_uqPk is very helpful and produces a small window with a button and a label.  Hovering the mouse over the button or label doesn't cause the tool-tip to appear.   This is built using gtk+-3.0.
This is on Linux Mint 19.3.  Any suggestions on how to debug this?
part1.c
/*+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
#+
#+     Glade / Gtk Programming
#+
#+     Copyright (C) 2019 by Kevin C. O'Kane
#+
#+     Kevin C. O'Kane
#+     kc.okane@gmail.com
#+     https://www.cs.uni.edu/~okane
#+     http://threadsafebooks.com/
#+
#+ This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
#+ it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
#+ the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
#+ (at your option) any later version.
#+
#+ This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
#+ but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
#+ MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
#+ GNU General Public License for more details.
#+
#+ You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
#+ along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
#+ Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
#+
#++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++*/

#include <stdlib.h>
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <signal.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <gtk/gtk.h>
#include <gtk/gtkx.h>
#include <math.h>
#include <ctype.h>

// Make them global

GtkWidget   *window;
GtkWidget   *fixed1;
GtkWidget   *button1;
GtkWidget   *label1;
GtkBuilder  *builder;

int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {

gtk_init(&argc, &argv); // init Gtk

//---------------------------------------------------------------------
// establish contact with xml code used to adjust widget settings
//---------------------------------------------------------------------

builder = gtk_builder_new_from_file ("part1.glade");

window = GTK_WIDGET(gtk_builder_get_object(builder, "window"));

g_signal_connect(window, "destroy", G_CALLBACK(gtk_main_quit), NULL);

gtk_builder_connect_signals(builder, NULL);

fixed1 = GTK_WIDGET(gtk_builder_get_object(builder, "fixed1"));
button1 = GTK_WIDGET(gtk_builder_get_object(builder, "button1"));
label1 = GTK_WIDGET(gtk_builder_get_object(builder, "label1"));

gtk_widget_show(window);

gtk_main();

return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

void on_button1_clicked (GtkButton *b) {
    gtk_label_set_text (GTK_LABEL(label1), (const gchar* ) "Hello World");
}

part1.glade
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!-- Generated with glade 3.22.1 -->
<interface>
  <requires lib="gtk+" version="3.20"/>
  <object class="GtkWindow" id="window">
    <property name="can_focus">False</property>
    <child>
      <placeholder/>
    </child>
    <child>
      <object class="GtkFixed" id="fixed1">
        <property name="visible">True</property>
        <property name="can_focus">False</property>
        <child>
          <object class="GtkButton" id="button1">
            <property name="label" translatable="yes">May I help you?</property>
            <property name="height_request">50</property>
            <property name="visible">True</property>
            <property name="can_focus">True</property>
            <property name="receives_default">True</property>
            <property name="tooltip_text" translatable="yes">Click Me!</property>
            <signal name="clicked" handler="on_button1_clicked" swapped="no"/>
          </object>
          <packing>
            <property name="x">93</property>
            <property name="y">43</property>
          </packing>
        </child>
        <child>
          <object class="GtkLabel" id="label1">
            <property name="width_request">165</property>
            <property name="visible">True</property>
            <property name="can_focus">False</property>
            <property name="tooltip_text" translatable="yes">I am a label hiding here.</property>
            <attributes>
              <attribute name="font-desc" value="Sans Bold Italic 20"/>
              <attribute name="foreground" value="#efef29292929"/>
            </attributes>
          </object>
          <packing>
            <property name="x">340</property>
            <property name="y">307</property>
          </packing>
        </child>
      </object>
    </child>
  </object>
</interface>

compile.script
#!/bin/bash

gcc -Wno-format -o part1-bin part1.c -Wno-deprecated-declarations -Wno-format-security -lm `pkg-config --cflags --libs gtk+-3.0` -export-dynamic

A: Try adding <property name="has_tooltip">True</property> to the relevant widgets. It works for me, although I use GTK2.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Whether you're after some winter sun in Europe or some autumn charm in Britain, there are so many wonderful places to holiday with the whole family in October time. Taking a vacation outside of the summer holiday season not only helps you cut back on travel costs but you also have the benefit of fewer crowds, moderate temperatures and lots of peace and quiet for the perfect family retreat. Here are 17 of the best places to go on holiday in October for families travelling with babies and young children.
The colours of the Cotswolds really come to life in the autumn time so October is a truly romantic time to visit. Whether you decide to leave the little monkeys behind or bring them with you, a lakeside view is exactly what you need for that much-deserved family time or one on one time with your partner. This wonderful New England style lakeside retreat, Caterina Lodge sits right on the edge of South Lake in the Cotswold Waterpark – and this corner of the world really is a must-visit if you love to wake up to amazing views. Visit regularly and you could even save money on parking, shopping, food and drink by joining the Cotswold Waterpark Trust. Other places to stay in Cotswolds here.
Another lakeside location we just can't get enough of is the Lake District region, one of the most popular and spectacular tourist destinations in the UK. The Cumbrian lake town of Ambleside looks just as beautiful in the autumn as it does in the summer, offering crisp morning air, manageable hiking weather and excellent views when you catch a clear day in the autumn season. And if October brings chilly weather or a little bit of drizzle, the town has some great pubs for a cosy afternoon in the shelter. If it's mind-blowing lake views you want though, be sure to have lunch at the Wateredge Inn or stick around for an after dinner sunset over Windermere. Stay at the multi-award winning Pudding Cottage nearby and you'll have the perfect October getaway.
For winter sun, it doesn't get any better than the Algarve in Portugal. This is one of the most popular winter sun destinations in Europe because it promises guaranteed sunshine, warm weather and long daylight hours. If you've been avoiding the out of school term summer holiday period, travel in October instead and enjoy average temperatures of 23°C and above, with the coolest temperature rarely dipping below 17°C. For luxury baby friendly accommodation, book into one of the stylish 4-star townhouses of Martinhal Quinta, all furnished beautifully with a private pool and with access to a Kids Club plus a Baby Concierge service.
The weather in Malta during the month of October is a balmy 24°C, the ideal temperature for families travelling with children as there isn't a chance of over-heating or any risks of heat stroke and heat exhaustion. The weather makes Malta the perfect destination for swimming, sunbathing, snorkelling and diving without the risks of burning in the sun and there's so much to do for kids of all ages. Stay on the quieter and lesser known island of Gozo (we recommend the Razzett Pepprina farmhouse) for a quiet, relaxing getaway that is off the beaten track of the mainstream travel world.
If you prefer rugged seaside to glamorous beach resorts, you and your family will fall in love with the charm of St Andrews, a small parish on the east coast of Fife. Better known perhaps for its shining golfing reputation or being home to the oldest university in the country, St Andrews is a fantastic destination for everyone – and if you don't mind the chilly, windy weather in October or the odd drizzle, you'll have the time of your life here. Build sand castles on the beach, go sightseeing in the historic town, take the little ones to Craigtoun Country Park, or catch the last round of golf for the season. For family friendly places to stay, try Scribbles Apartments or North Star Apartments.
This Northern African gem is as exotic as it gets and whilst it can be unbearably hot in the peak of summer (highs of 40°C and over), autumn offers a much milder climate with temperature averages of around 21°C. October is definitely the most comfortable and beautiful month to travel to Morocco and the city of Marrakech really comes to life during this time. Excursions and trips such as touring the Atlas Mountains are available all year round so you will be able to indulge the whole family in an exciting cultural experience like no other. Stay in this sophisticated Fawakay Villa which is nestled at the foot of the Atlas mountain range, located just 25 minutes from the famous square and bustling markets.
A Spanish destination like no other, the Canary Islands promise fantastic weather and beautiful beaches in autumn time. You'll have missed the main peak travel season so you won't be bothered by all the summer sun crowds, yet you will still benefit from the balmy spring weather that seems to be all year round. Temperatures will fluctuate around the twenties zone throughout the day; an ideal atmosphere for kids and low risk of over-heating or getting sunburn. The waters are still warm enough to swim in and sunbathing will be ideal. Some of our favourite family-friendly islands include Lanzarote (stay at Casa El Morro for peace and quiet) and Tenerife (check out the fantastic Baobab Suites), both of which offer endless attractions for all ages. For other places to stay click here.
The UNESCO-listed Paphos in Cyprus is a lot of different things to a lot of different travellers; it's a party destination for the young, a historical gem for the culture vultures, and a family friendly resort filled with amenities for the little ones. If you want stylish hotels which offer convenient services to families such as Baby Concierge, a crèche and dedicated Kids Club, a nightly warm milk and biscuit service, plus a baby travel service, make sure you check into one of our recommended hotels such as Hotel Almyra or Hotel Anassa.
Another incredible destination in Cyprus is the beautiful town of Limassol. Although it's not a UNESCO listed area, it boasts just as many historical sites and archaeological gems for those who are in search of a bit of family culture and sightseeing. The weather is balmy and just like Paphos, average temperatures are a pleasing 22°C. Limassol is also a great choice for families because there are plenty of amenities, shops, restaurants and bars in one compact area, and some of the sights not to miss include Lemesos Medieval Castle or Kourion Ancient City.
The Dodecanese are the most southerly of the Greek Islands so even in late October, they still boast a lovely warm climate for sun seekers. One of the best holiday islands for families is the largest of the islands, Rhodes. The town of Lindos offers a feeling of peace and quiet and a location which is slightly off the beaten track, beautiful beach areas which are safe to swim in and a handful of tasteful, baby friendly accommodation (such as Lindian Village). You will also be situated close to other popular Rhodes destinations such as Archangelos, Kalathos, Kiotari and Charaki.
Cornwall is undoubtedly a summer destination. But visit with the family in October and you could benefit from the smaller crowds, unobstructed views of the area's wild beauty, and a huge choice of events in and around the local area. You may not be in the mood for ice cream with the October weather but with activities such as kite flying and beach horse riding to the numerous food festivals in autumn, there's just so much to do. And of course, there's no better way to discover the Cornish countryside than on foot.
You may be wondering what makes Bury St Edmunds such a special place in October. Well if your little monkeys love to celebrate Halloween, then this quaint little market town in Suffolk is a must-visit place for a weekend break during the school half term. Visit the exciting Undley Pumpkin Patch and spend some quality time with the kids picking your own pumpkins or getting lost in the fun maze. There are also other activities for children including face painting, balloon artistry and plenty of refreshments to go around. Stay and relax in the gorgeous Ickworth Hotel and don't forget to explore the town centre plus its many antique shops and tearooms.
October is a great time to travel to popular European cities like Rome because the tourist crowds are reduced and the weather is much more manageable – especially for little ones! In Rome, the most popular tourist attractions such as The Vatican, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill will have shorter queues around this time of year plus you won't find it impossible to get a table at your chosen restaurant. Other regions other than Rome and Lazio that are worth visiting in October include Tuscany and Umbria, Le Marche, Puglia, Sicily and the island of Sardinia.
If your kids love theme parks, Orlando in Florida should be their dream city. And October is one of the best times to visit due to the weather being gloriously warm yet not too humid. Average daytime temperatures are around 29°C which is much more comfortable than the summer months and it rarely drops below 18°C at night so you can enjoy al fresco dining or evening walks. Stay in this incredible Davenport villa which is located close to the city of Orlando and make sure you have enough time to take the kids to Universal Orlando Resort, Aquatica Waterpark, Universal's Islands of Adventure, Seaworld Orlando, Universal Orlando Resort, Epcot Park and Walt Disney World Resort. The choice of theme parks, entertainment and attractions is truly endless!
It doesn't matter what time of year it is – the seaside is always fun no matter the weather. And even if you have to wrap up warm with hats, gloves and scarves, fish and chips on the beachfront followed by a serving of ice cream is still appealing to children. So treat the whole family to a weekend break in beautiful Whitby and stay in the stunning Sneaton Hall which offers mind-blowing views of the Yorkshire coastline. Don't miss Whitby Abbey, Whitby Lighthouse, Whitby Museum and Captain Cook Memorial Museum.
The Caribbean Islands offer complete 5-star luxury for those families in search of convenience. Not only do the pristine white sand beaches and the swaying palms of Jamaica or Barbados make the Caribbean Islands a coveted travel destination for sun worshippers and beach lovers alike, but it's a haven of exclusive resorts with staff to take care of your every whim. This includes child-friendly hotels which come complete with children's activities clubs and crèches, babysitting services, 24-hour reception and concierge and family sized rooms with sea views. June to November is considered hurricane season in the Caribbean so prices will be reduced but the chances of heavy rainfall in October is actually very slim. The southernmost islands lie beyond the reach of the hurricanes and daily temperatures can be as high as 31°C.


Welcome to the Digestive Conditions program.
Welcome. Today we are going to explore Digestive Conditions. I'm Dr. Mansfield.
And I'm Major Spencer. The digestive system includes all the organs involved in breaking down food into a form the body can use for energy to fuel many processes, including growth and cell repair. This process is called digestion.
Digestive diseases, also known as gastrointestinal diseases, can be acute, meaning they come on suddenly and typically last only a short time, or chronic, meaning they are long-lasting, sometimes lifelong.
In this program you can learn about each of the organs in the digestive system, how they function, and how acute and chronic diseases or conditions affect them.
Our specialists -- Dr. Jerman, Dr. Malone, and Dr. Patel -- provide their expertise throughout the program. In addition, we'll introduce you to several patients who share their personal experiences with digestive conditions.


text:
Q: Technology to send "real-time" console output to the client's browser I have a .NET console application that I want to start on the server of an ASP.NET MVC application. It produces output continuously for a certain time and I want to intercept this output and show it to the client in his browser window.
From another console application, I can do it like this:
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
  Process process = new Process();
  process.StartInfo.FileName = "RandomOutputCreator.exe";
  process.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
  process.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
  process.OutputDataReceived += (sender, e) =>
  {
    Console.WriteLine(e.Data);
  };

  process.Start();
  process.BeginOutputReadLine();

  Console.ReadKey();
}

The problem is that in the MVC application, I can't push the data I read to the client, but rather rely on requests to the controller to get my data.
Something like WebSockets could maybe help me here, but I'm new to this kind of thing and wonder if there might be a "built-in" way to accomplish this.
Then there's the Web API thing. Could this be of use perhaps, since it seems to go well with MVC?
(Since I do not know what a fitting technology might be, please excuse the lack of tags and feel free to fill some in that you think fit).

A: This topic typically reminds me of a tutorial I followed in order to allow real-time communication from my browser to an ASP.NET application.
In summary : What you're looking for are indeed WebSocket, and there is no standard built-in functions to handle that. But, in order to help you doing some stuff, you still have the library signalR!
Here's the link to the referenced tutorial : http://www.asp.net/signalr/overview/getting-started/real-time-web-applications-with-signalr

A: You can try "print" console output in a separate frame (see iframe HTML tag).
You should set one of your actions as a source (URL) of the frame. You'll need to configure the IIS to run this action without execution time limit.
Next, your action should run an external program, intercept its output, and write it to HTTP output (see ContentResult).

A: I have a small project that does exactly that: https://github.com/vtortola/WebSocketListener/wiki/WebSocketListener-Terminal-Server

Give it a look, it may give you some ideas.


shower with curtain shower curtain grey and white by ufriday modern fabric shower curtain 72 x 72 extra long shower curtain with magnets.
shower with curtain round funny shower curtains shower curtain with tree on it.
shower with curtain fabric shower curtain with pockets.
shower with curtain bathroom glass panel tub shower with glass panel and shower curtain rod bathroom shower glass panel hookless shower curtain with magnets.
shower with curtain shower curtain with tie backs and valance.
shower with curtain designer vanessa francis shower curtain with tree on it.
shower with curtain boston handicap accessible shower with traditional bathroom vanity lights and home remodel shower curtain with window curtain to match.
shower with curtain the best way to cover dated shower doors maria killam hanging shower curtain with liner.
shower with curtain walk in shower with curtain instead of door google search plastic shower curtain with magnets.
shower with curtain spectacular inspiration shower curtain for walk in shower decorating cute shower with curtain sims 4.
shower with curtain shower curtain rod drywall suitable with shower curtain rod delta suitable with shower curtain rod designs shower with curtain instead of door with a pink wall paint.
shower with curtain installation and maintenance of fiberglass shower fiberglass shower with white curtain extra long shower curtain with magnets.
shower with curtain new shower enclosures shower enclosure corner and tubs corner shower with curtain shower corner new shower swag shower curtain with valance.
shower with curtain graceful shower with curtain 48 luxury bathroom a ceiling mounted rail architecture medium version stuffits shower curtain with pockets.
shower with curtain shower curtain with valance attached.
shower with curtain corner shower with curtain corner baths shower corner baths with shower screen corner shower curtain rod corner shower with curtain how do you do shower curtain with liner.
shower with curtain bathroom shower curtains 526 sofa cozy shower with curtain images inspirations sofa bathrooms medium size of sofacozy shower with curtain images inspirations sofa bathrooms curtains corner rod.
shower with curtain hookless escape fabric shower curtain and shower curtain liner set bed bath beyond white ruffle shower curtain with tie backs.
shower with curtain walk in shower stall curtains attractive stand up inspiration with curtain conundrum our cozy corner shower with curtain.
shower with curtain fabric shower curtain liner hanging shower curtain with liner.
shower with curtain medium size of sofa95 cozy shower with curtain images inspirations cozyr with curtain images shower curtain with tie backs and valance.
shower with curtain installing shower doors vs shower curtains cost likes dislikes imag0825 hookless shower curtain with pockets.
shower with curtain why is every single shower curtain on this planet so short i know this is normal but i just think it looks too short maybe im the only oddball who clear shower curtain with pockets.
shower with curtain you will not believe the before and afters on this bathroom makeover from four generations one roof shower curtain with liner on bottom half.
shower with curtain cool shower stall curtains in bathroom modern with laundry room in bathroom next to penny tile alongside beaded curtain and shower stall heavy shower curtain with magnets.
shower with curtain catchy shower curtains for glass showers inspiration with bathroom mainstays shower curtain with trees.
shower with curtain bathroom with shower with no door with white curtain white subway tiles on the cute shower with curtain sims 4.
shower with curtain in shower with curtain instead of door google search with curtain walk in shower with curtain shower with curtain instead of door with a pink wall paint.
shower with curtain corner shower with curtain showers corner round shower shower curtain rod round shower curtain rod for white ruffle shower curtain with tie backs.
shower with curtain 2 tone shower curtain christmas shower curtain with hooks.
shower with curtain 22 best double curved shower rods images on pinterest shower with double curved shower curtain rod with regard to motivate cloth shower curtain with tree.
shower with curtain awesome design walk in shower with curtain decorating rv shower curtain with pockets.


Two of the early members of the Vindependents group have pulled out, giving different reasons for moving away from this model of sourcing wines.
The Oxford Wine Company helped set up Vindependents eights years ago but it announced this week it has officially left the group, while Cheshire-based Corks Out, another founder member, has also left.
The Oxford Wine Company, which has three outlets across Oxford, was one of the founding members of Vindependents back in 2010. It was one of ten independent wine retailers who banded together to create an alliance, which was aimed at raising the profile of the independent off-trade sector and giving them access to better deals.
Speaking to DRN, Ted Sandbach, managing director of the Oxford Wine Company, said: "The group now comprises one or two bigger companies which have a turnover of around £6 million, and then you have a lot of very small one-man-bands, which might have a turnover of three or four hundred thousand, and a lot of the requirements are very different.
"The model does not work for us. We do a lot of wholesale and we can buy cheaper then they can in certain areas and we can source a lot ourselves. It costs us a fee each year to be part of Vindependents and some of the logistics didn't work for us either, as there were some delays in deliveries.
Ruth Yates, the founder of Corks Out, told DRN her reasons for leaving were different. "We didn't have any problems with how Vindependents was run or the concept. It is still very young and there is a lot stll to do and some changes that would benefit them going forwards.
"Our reasons for leaving is mainly due to overseas shipping. We have a tight stock control system and we took such a lot from Vindependents and probably had stock for far too long and then we were overstocked. We worked on eight to ten weeks for a turnaround of our stock and that was not happening, so this was putting pressure on our cash flow.
"We had to make decisions, especially given there were now so many fluctuations in currency too. So we decided not to ship as much from overseas and instead put our faith in UK suppliers and we have a lot in the UK now. They offer the benefit of tastings, samples and other support, so they do a lot of other things not just selling the wine to you.
"We had a complete range review and we are delisting quite a few products, and putting more focus on retail. We also did some shipping form overseas outside of Vindependents and we will stop doing that as well.
"I think it works for a lot of people and the concept is good. We gave it a try and at the moment as a model it is not working for us but had we been in a different position and maybe a business model with more wholesale or where we can keep more stock, it might have worked better. It's not to say we would not rejoin in the future."
Meanwhile, Dawn Mannis, director of The Sampler Wine Merchant, which was also one of the founder members of Vindependents, told DRN: "The Vindependents suits our business model. We import most of our wines ourselves, but use the Vindependents for a number of wines ranging from Prosecco to small parcels of wines from Burgundy. We also use UK suppliers for wines too, and find that there is often less channel conflict, and better margin with the Vindependents wines. We haven't encountered any problems with the group, and the quality and service has always been reliable."
Speaking to DRN, Vindependents' managing director, Jessica Hutchinson, said: "We are delighted with the progress we have made over the past year. We have grown more than we had hoped and have brought on board a great many fantastic new members and agencies adding more value to the business.
"Oxford Wine need to source value-end wines for their trade customers and we wish them the best of luck with that.
Hutchinson told DRN earlier this month that the group is on track to reach its goal of 50 members across the UK. Vindependents currently has more than 30 independent retailer members.
Meanwhile, Sandbach explained that the Oxford Wine Company is now working with other wine merchants on certain products and it is looking to put exclusive labels on these.
"What we are doing is slightly different from what we were originally trying to achieve with Vindependents. More recently we have got involved with other wine merchants that are a similar size as us to do some own-label projects. If we are all in different geographical regions and we know each other well then it works well for us, and we can develop this idea and never have a clash in terms of competition.


Yesterday, the SharePoint Team announced President Bill Clinton, Founder of the Clinton Foundation and 42nd President of the United States, as the keynote presenter for SharePoint Conference 2014. President Clinton will deliver a keynote address Monday, March 3rd at 8:30 am.
All attendees with a General Registration pass can attend the keynote and are advised to arrive early.
That's a super cool feature in Outlook Web App that will be rolled out during a few weeks, the snapshot below summarizes it all !
Read more about it here ..
Visual Studio 2013 Update 1 Is Now Available!
I'm very pleased to report that I'll be speaking at SharePoint Conference 2014. This year, SPC14 is fully loaded with cutting edge content, hands-on labs, workshops, discussions, showcases, and networking events to guarantee attendees leave with the skills, and solutions they need to take them to the next level.
Session Description : There are several methods to customize SharePoint. Developers have the option of creating new cloud applications for SharePoint or maintaining legacy full trust code. Coupled with the complexity many organizations have in terms of managing SharePoint customizations across Office 365 and on-premises implementations, developers and solution architects will need to understand how to adjust application lifecycle management (ALM) techniques to support and deploy quality solutions. This session will focus on the establishment of development, testing and deployment best practices for on-premise and cloud applications and solutions. We, too, will include concepts such as continuous integration, release management and testing.
Last week, I had the pleasure to get interviewed by EMEA MVP Community. Just today, the interview was published on their official Facebook Page.
Lesson 8 in the "SharePoint Server 2013 Administration" Arabic course is now available on SharePoint4MEA YouTube channel, you can watch it from here.


text:
Judge to rule on tossing suit against Smollett in October
CHICAGO (AP) — A federal judge hearing the city of Chicago's lawsuit against Jussie Smollett says she'll rule on the actor's request to toss the suit in October.
The 10-minute status hearing Tuesday was the first since the civil case was moved to federal court from state court. The former "Empire" actor didn't attend the hearing in Chicago.
The city accuses Smollett of staging a racist and anti-gay attack against himself in January. It sued to force Smollett to pay $130,000 in police overtime and other expenses after state prosecutors dropped charges accusing him of filing a false report.
The defense motion to dismiss earlier this month calls the bid to recoup costs a "perverse tactic" since charges were dismissed. They maintain the attack was real.
The next status hearing is Oct. 22.
Categories: National & International News


On Christmas Eve you expect twinkling lights, colorful presents around the tree and a cozy fire in the fireplace.
Well, that's our happy connection to family tonight!
Oh the fun of seeing Tyler, Lara and Judah even if it's on a computer screen!
After finishing our talk with them, we discovered packages, and the cutest drawing, at our door that had been dropped off by my sweet friend, Ingrid and her children.
We continued on with our traditional Christmas Eve dinner of fajitas with all the fixings, and then it was time for another happy computer connection!
Caleb and Haley are in Colorado with Haley's parents, siblings and grandparents. So fun to hear their cheery voices and be able to connect with them!
Soon it was time to get ourselves ready to head down into Frydlant for another sweet part of Christmas Eve.
But that's for another blog post!