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Ryan Speakman
Re-Evaluating My Art
2017 Highlights and 2018 Goals
Attachments, Cleansing and Achievement
Doki Doki Festival 2017
November Updates
Archives Select Month June 2018 December 2017 November 2017 September 2017 July 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013
Categories Select Category Ryan's Anime World Ryan's Game World Ryan's Movie World Ryan's World Uncategorized
Tag: Light Novel
My 2017 Goals
It's a new start to a new year and I have a mind-set that's fresh and clear. I'm already feeling positive vibes from 2017 and I'm well underway with my goals for this year.
Socialising and Going Out
A lot has happened throughout my life. I always struggle with crowds but things are becoming easier overtime, especially with my new mind-set. I've accepted my weaknesses and limitations now but I persevere when I need to, both for myself and for everyone else. Despite my anxiety going out I do feel that I'm actually a people's person and I often find myself putting everyone's feelings ahead of my own.
I will try to go out more but only under the right circumstances. It's all about dealing with each moment when it's presented to me rather than analyse possible future events.
For years I've been writing and making amendments for my children's story and right now its under-going another editing process. I've completed the first book a good number of times but it was never quite ready to be published. As a result I've often lost motivation and lacked ideas to change. However, this is definitely the most successful editing process I've ever done for this story.
I've polished my writing style and grammar-correcting a lot and I have to thank reading different manga and light novels for that. The only materials I can read are manga and light novels but it really does go to show that no matter what genre you read, reading makes you grow as a writer.
I've changed my attitude and approach to my anime art and decided to take extra time to complete each art successfully. Last year I did get in the unfortunate habit of putting a time limit on each picture. Now I have the philosophy of illustrating at my own pace which goes hand in hand with my new mind-set for this year. You could say it's a new beginning with a better approach and from now on I will emphasize quality over quantity.
My Current Works in Progress
-Requests (I'm undertaking around 10 requests and nearly completed 1)
-New Game! (This is a comic style landscape that features Aoba and Hifumi)
-Gaia: Mother Goddess (a more refined version of my own character, Gaia the Elf Goddess)
-Darkness (a single portrait of the masochist knight that could feature a few versions in different clothes)
-Valentine's Day picture (to be revealed)
-Ai-Chan (going to attempt to shade Ai-Chan in the blue chrome shading style and see how I get on)
-Keijo x One Punch Man Comic (a crossover comic that is set in the One Punch Man universe but stars Nozomi and Non from Keijo)
I'm enjoying all these drawings right now and I can't wait to see how they turn out in the end. 2017 will be a great year. =)
Thanks for reading. =)
Ryan.^^/
Posted on January 9, 2017 Categories Ryan's WorldTags 2017, 2017 Goals, Anime, anime art, Anime Girl, Anxiety, artist, Author, Book, Confidence, Drawing, Drawing Requests, Going out, Light Novel, Manga, New Year, New Year's Resolution, Positive thinking, Reading, Self-confidence, Socialising, Story-writing, Yoga, YogiLeave a comment
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon Light Novel Volume Six Review
I've been very determined to not look at spoilers of this manga but unfortunately the excitement and curiosity got the better of me. However I was literally on the edge of my seat with Volume Six and despite knowing the outcome of the War Game, I was very engrossed with the whole thing.
I saw a different side to the story from the usual dungeon prowling to an all-out war between two familias. This could have easily been avoided if Bell didn't take the bait and retaliated to those who insulted Hestia, his Goddess.
I was happy and relieved that Bell's allies came to aid him when he and Hestia were being chased by the Apollo and Soma Familias. My heart skipped a little when Hestia confessed her love for him. I'm not sure what Bell was going to say but it doesn't matter now. =D
My favourite part was the War Game.
Hestia's and Lilly's strategy was brilliant and cleverly devised. Usually I've been able to predict outcomes and moments in manga in general but there were a few twists in this battle that I did not see coming. I didn't expect Ryu to use the Crozzo magic swords and I didn't expect Lilly to disguise herself as that prum guy.
Lilly has shown in the War Game that she is more than useful and she played a very important part in Hestia Familia's victory. Lilly may not be powerful but she out-smarted a lot of members from the Apollo Familia and crucially tackled Cassandra to the ground when she had a hold of Bell's leg. Off topic for a moment, I'm happy that her situation with Soma has been resolved peacefully. =)
I liked seeing everyone's point of view during the battle but I definitely would have liked to see more of Bell's training with Aiz and Tiona. The two top class Adventurers played a crucial part in Bell's growth and it was great to see more of Tiona.
Speaking of Aiz, it was a nice and cute moment to see Bell and Aiz dancing. I didn't recognise Aiz being on the front cover, I thought that was a completely different person dancing with Bell. XD
I have my suspicions once again surrounding Freya. It seemed like she didn't do anything apart from stare at Bell. However, I have a feeling that she had something to do with that amulet that Syr gave him that protected him from Hyacinthus' magic.
I think that picture that's been shattered in that golden amulet could actually be Freya herself. It's the only explanation I can think of as she's the only one who is helping Bell indirectly.
What do you all think of the book? Overall I think it was awesome and it's definitely up there among of my favourite novels. As nervous as I was about Bell's defeat, realistically Apollo was never going to win, even if he did, Freya would crush him and claim Bell for herself. XD
I could literally talk about this book forever but for now I will just leave it here and if you want to chat about it, I'd be happy to talk about the big things and little things of volume six.
Posted on October 18, 2016 Categories Ryan's Anime World, Ryan's WorldTags Aiz Wallenstein, Anime, Apollo, Bell Cranel, DanMachi, Familia Myth, Freya, Hestia, Hestia Familiar, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon?, Light Novel, Liliruka Arde, Lilly, Manga, Review, Ryu Lion, Syr Flover, Tiona Hiryute, Volume Six, War Game, YenPressLeave a comment
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Volume 5 Light Novel
I thought this book was very dramatic and it felt as though everything was happening at once. Bell experienced the dark side of humanity and faced the most dangerous monster that the dungeon had to offer to date, a floor boss. It felt very realistic as this was the first time that they experienced the true horrors of a dungeon. Lilly's wits and dungeon prowling experience proved to be useful in this life and death situation.
It was filled with interesting twists like how Bell and his party had to deal with a "pass parade", how they overcame the odds with a floor boss and how Bell coped when he watched the naked ladies in a hot spring…
As well as experiencing the dark side of humanity from loathe-filled adventurers this book also showed that even in the dark, there's a radiance of light that can lift you and comfort you. There's a reason why adventurers have issues, some more severe than others, but these troubled issues doesn't mean that they're bad people.
This is especially true in the case of Ryu Lion who played an amazing but important role. She's the one I wanted to know more about and see in battle and my wish came true. I always thought she was cool and after reading this, I think she's more cool than before. =D
In some ways I feel that the dramatic situation was a work of Gods and it could have potentially been avoided as the Loki Familia took care of Bell and his party. The dynamics of the story changed completely because of Hestia's and Hermes' involvement…
Posted on September 3, 2016 September 3, 2016 Categories Ryan's Anime World, Ryan's WorldTags DanMachi, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon?, Light Novel, Manga, ReviewLeave a comment
KonoSuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World!
As of late I like the concept when the main characters are transported to a roleplaying/fantasy world from the "real world".
I literally enjoyed every minute of KonoSuba, especially the characters. At times I felt Kazama and Aqua were hot and cold. One minute I thought they were cool and funny but other times I thought they were rude and self-centred. However, I still found them likable despite their occasional faults and because of their past lives and circumstances, it was always going to be a challenge for them to adapt. In fact, I actually think they're coping well considering that they were dragged to a new world without warning.
Megumin and Darkness are both nice ladies but they're both very eccentric in their own ways. You have Megumin, an enthusiastic girl who loves Explosion Magic but knocks herself out whenever she uses it. And you have Darkness, who seems reasonably sensible, but is clearly not trained in sword combat and is a massive masochist. I bet she didn't hone her skills so she would deliberately and naturally lose against a monster. Haha.
I even liked the supporting cast, Wiz, Luna, Eris and even Verdia, who I thought was hilarious and badass at the same time.
In this roleplaying type of setting I felt that Kazama and his fellow teammates were accommodating each other's strengths and weaknesses. I feel that it's refreshing that Kazama isn't overpowered; rather, he literally worked his way up from the bottom along with Aqua. He uses his whit to beat his opponents rather than power. He's proven to me that you don't have to be the stronger fighter to win a fight.
This is party is balanced, yet, unbalanced at the same time. They managed to get the job done in the end but it isn't without severe repercussions, mostly caused by Aqua. Haha.
What I liked the most about this show was the comedy. I think the comic timing is used brilliantly and very unexpectedly. There were some moments that I thought was going to turn into a sad/cliché scene, yet, something humorous happened and completely undermines the serious moment from before. I thought those moments were absolutely glorious. =D
The battles were very engaging too. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the fights despite the fact that this show isn't really a battle anime. I was really engaged because I enjoyed the story and humour that went with the action. My favourite moments came when Kazama and co fought Verdia the Dullahan.
This is my favourite anime of the winter season. It went to the point when I kept on re-watching certain episodes over and over again and no doubt in the future I will keep on watching this show over and over again.
I reckon it's only a matter of time before YenPress licences the manga and light novel as they have license to the Dragon Age publishers and KonoSuba are published by Dragon Age. They recently licensed Grim Reaper and Four Girlfriends and I'm completely over the moon about that. =D
TWO THUMBS-UP (My Rating System) (My Anime Series Rankings)
Posted on March 31, 2016 March 31, 2016 Categories Ryan's Anime World, Ryan's WorldTags Additional Needs, Anime, Aqua, Asperger's Syndrome, Aspergers, Autism, Autistic, Crunchyroll, Darkness, Dragon Age, Eris, Fantasy, Grim Reaper and Four Girlfriends, Hidden Disability, Kazama Satou, Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!, KonoSuba, KonoSuba: God's Blessing on this Wonderful World!, Lalatina Dustiness Ford, Learning difficulties, Light Novel, Luna, Manga, Megumin, Review, Verdia, Wiz, この素晴らしい世界に祝福を!Leave a comment
Danmachi Comic Thoughts
Hurray, it's finally here, it's my first full length comic based on the Dungeon Girls series. I call it, 'Is It Wrong to Try and Capture a Rabbit in a Dungeon?' =D
I started this comic last year around the time when the Dungeon Girls anime was televised. I got the idea from the hot springs scene when Bell accidentally fell into the hot springs and saw all the ladies naked.
What if the ladies saw a naked Bell instead? How would they react? I played around with the scenario and decided that the ladies would react by having big nose bleeds and fainting upon the sight of Bell naked. Haha.
After a while I stopped drawing this comic as I started to run out of steam and wanted to focus on other projects.
Some of you may already know that I recently had a bad chest infection and the only thing I could do was draw. In that time I suddenly remembered that I had this comic was incomplete and decided to give this another go. After much editing and shading etc I finally completed it. =)
I'm happy with the overall content of this doujin. The main purpose, for me, was to have fun with the perspectives and blue ribbon/borders. I played around the idea that Hestia's "blue string of fate" was covering the panel borders and wouldn't stop until it reached Bell's pinky finger on the back page. =)
I spent much longer on the drawing than I did on the dialogue. In fact, I came up with the dialogue in five minutes when I've completed the whole thing. Haha.
If there's one thing that I'm unhappy about in this comic, it would be the inconsistency of the art style. I stopped and started this comic in-between other projects. and my style became more distinctive along the way. However, instead of drawing everything from scratch to fit my current style, I decided to just finish it.
It was hardwork at times but I'm happy that it's finally complete. You can see the comic in full in the links below =)
Danmachi Front Cover
Danmachi Front Cover Black and White Version
Danmachi Comic Page One
Danmachi Comic Page Two
Danmachi Comic Page Three
Danmachi Comic Page Four
Danmachi Comic Page Five
Danmachi Comic Page Six
Danmachi Comic Page Seven
Danmachi Comic Page Eight
Danmachi Comic Page Nine
Danmachi Comic Extra Page
Danmachi Comic Back Page
I have another Dungeon Girls comic in the pipeline that is considerably shorter than this comic. I'm no rush to start it. For now, I'm just going to relax and see what happens. =)
Posted on March 14, 2016 Categories Ryan's Anime World, Ryan's WorldTags Achievement, Additional Needs, Aiz Wallenstein, Anime, Art, Artistic, Asperger's Syndrome, Aspergers, Autism, Autistic, Bell Cranel, blue string of fate, Comedy, Comic, DanMachi, Disability, Doujin, Doujinshi, Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou Ka, Experiment, experimental, Fanart, Fanmade Comic, Funny, Hestia, Hidden Disability, Is It Wrong to Try and Pick up Girls in a Dungeon, Light Novel, Manga, Parody, red string of fate, Special Needs, Tiona Hiryute, Tione Hiryute, Yen PressLeave a comment
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Light Novel Volume Four
Is it me, or is Bell prodding Hephaistos' boob on the front cover? Well, she is burying his face in her other boob so I suppose it's a "tit-for-tat" kind of situation, excuse the pun. Haha.
This was exciting to read.
I'm happy that Bell finally managed to become a level 2 but I do get the impression that from now on he has to watch his back. Bell's growth (thanks to the Realis Phrase ability) was under the radar all this time but now that he has levelled up, the Gods and Adventurers alike have suddenly taken notice.
Hestia needs to be careful as well, especially as Freya defended Bell during the Denatus meeting. It does make me wonder if Freya will try another scheme to make Bell her "property". I do think that she genuinely harbours love and affection for him and she is the reason why Bell more or less overcame his fear of Minotaurs and is able to cast magic. Is she helping him out of love, or out of selfishness? I don't know what to make of Freya, I like her but at the same time I don't like her. She's fascinating yet complicated. XD
I was impressed with Welf Crozzo's introduction. I really like him and I think the history of his ancestors is especially interesting. I watched the anime so I am somewhat spoiled but I still had no idea that his family's origins were that deep. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about his views and philosophy on forging and creating magic weapons and regular weapons. I think it's more than appropriate that someone like him is the exclusive blacksmith for Bell. I think it's awesome as well that he forged Bell's Minotaur horn into a dagger.
At first I wasn't really keen on Lili but I discovered that throughout this book Lili is actually growing on me. She's very street wise and she's the type of, "it takes one to know one" kind of her person. She knows a con-artist when she sees one and this was demonstrated when Bell and Lili took on Nahza's request.
Speaking of Nazha's request, I really like the extra stories that this book offered at the end. Learning about Nahza's past was insightful and it made sense why she was over-charging Bell's potions and doesn't go dungeon crawling. It's interesting to know when these events happened. I actually wondered how he managed to squeeze in this quest during his training with Aiz without Hestia or Lili sussing him out. XD
I always had the vision of Bell buying Hestia a pair of cute ribbons with chimes and I came to learn that this actually happened. =) I thought it was a nice moment when Bell gave Hestia her ribbons for the first time. It just shows the strong bond that Hestia and Bell have for each other.
Hestia wanted to do something "God-like" and buy him the sword that he wanted but whilst she didn't achieve it then, she certainly achieved it later on when his dagger was hand-crafted by Hephaistos herself. So, one could argue that Bell in fact got an "upgrade", all thanks for Hestia. =)
I'm hoping that these short stories continue to appear in the Light Novels as I want to learn more about the supporting characters like Ryu, Syr, Aiz and Hephaistos. =)
Two Thumbs-Up. (My Rating System) (My Light Novel Series Rankings)
Posted on February 28, 2016 Categories Ryan's Anime World, Ryan's WorldTags Additional Needs, Anime, Asperger's Syndrome, Aspergers, Autism, Autistic, Bell Cranel, Blacksmith, DanMachi, Denatus, Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru noha Machigatteiru darouka, Freya, Hephaistios, Hephaistios Familia, Hestia, Hestia Familiar, Hidden Disability, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon?, Learning Diffilculties, Light Novel, Light Novel Review, Lili, Liliruka Arde, Little Rookie, Manga, Miach Familia, Nazah Ersuisu, Review, Special Needs, Welf Crozzo, ヴェルフ・クロッゾ, ナァーザ・エリスイス, フレイヤ, ヘスティア, へファイストス, ベル・クラネルLeave a comment
Top Ten Anime of 2015
There were plenty of anime that I enjoyed this year. In fact, the title of this blog is misleading as I wrote about 11 anime, instead of 10. Whoops! Haha. There's just too many to blog about…
Anyway, here is my list of anime that I've enjoyed in 2015.
Anti-Magic Academy: The 35th Test Platoon
For me personally, this was refreshing to watch.
All the characters have burdens to carry. Takeru is especially good. He doesn't try to change people's perspectives like a cliché character but instead offers a hand and a shoulder to cry on. I think that's definitely refreshing and that attitude has had an effect on the main girls around him.
This might have been dark at times but there was always a light at the end of the tunnel, especially with the humorous parts. This was definitely good to watch. =)
I really liked the action and duals in this series. Once more I found the visuals very colourful, especially as the main academy is near the water.
I found the fights to be eye-catching and sophisticated, especially the sounds effects and the swordplay. My favourite dual was Ayato vs Kirin as I enjoyed how they both cancelled each other out and I enjoyed seeing their swords clashing against each another. Kirin's swordplay is definitely very cool and badass.
I think Kirin is cute but is very cool. I like that sort of character. In fact, I was actually motivated to draw a fanart of her. It's in its colouring stages but it will be complete come the New Year. =)
I didn't know what I was expecting when I first heard of the existence of Food Wars but I definitely wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did.
It's like a humongous battle in a school among students but instead of physically battling with each other, it's like having bake offs, but on a much larger scale. It may sound strange but I really enjoyed watching what the chefs cooked. They looked delicious and realistic.
I think it helps that this show has made me laugh on a numerous of occasions and all the ladies are very easy on the eye, especially when they visualise the food that they tasted. Haha.
High School DxD BorN
I'm a humongous fan of High School DxD and I did enjoy the third season.
This series did make me nervous more than the previous two as some of the characters completely snapped and went ballistic. That was rather sad and intense to see. However, it was all resolved in the end and everyone was sane and lived happily ever after, haha.
As well as the ladies being easy on the eye, the action, and the funny moments were good. However, what I especially liked was the character growth in Issei, Rias, Akeno and Koneko. All of those characters have been carrying burdens but in this series the weight of the burdens on their shoulders had been lifted. I was very pleased when I saw those moments. =)
I vote for Issei to become the Harem King. Haha.
Ps, I just want to make a shout out to Yoko Hikasa to congratulate her on her marriage. It's a wonderful thing but I hope she stays in the industry as I can't imagine anyone else to voice Rias.
If I had a top five list than this show would probably be in it.
It had pretty much everything in it that I liked. It has a likable main character, a bunch of pretty girls, plenty of comedy values and good fights and action in the dungeon. It has that feeling of an RPG game as you don't necessarily have to fight to earn gold coins. Plus, there's a bunch of gods from different mythology coming together and forming their own familiars. Without a doubt, my favourite goddess is Hestia.
The story is good and has plenty of comedy, touching moments, exciting moments and situations that made me nervous. It's a pity that a second season hasn't been announced so far but I'm now collecting the Light Novels and the manga so it's all good. =)
Non Non Biyori Repeat
I knew that the second season was going to be as good as the first season. I like it how there's no strong plot, it's just about a bunch of girls conveying their daily lives in the countryside. The addition of the new music and soundtrack was refreshing and added to this beautiful anime.
I watched this together with my Mum as she's also a fan of Non Non. My bro is even started to watch it… my 2016 goal is to convert my entire family to Non Non Biyori. Haha! This is definitely among of my favourite anime of all time. With good reason too.^^/
Admittedly I was nervous when it was announced that MonMusu was going to get an anime adaptation but to my surprise it was much, much better than I had expected it to be.
Everything in it happened exactly as it did in the manga with only a few cuts here and there. I was especially impressed with how they portrayed the characters. The show was both funny and quite touching at times.
I would welcome a second season but I don't think it will happen for at least another year.
Shomin Sample
I found this anime to be extremely funny.
Poor Kimito has to pretend to have a muscle fetish in order to stay at a school in which he's been kidnapped to stay in. Haha. It was a lot better than I thought it was going to be. I found the characters and the situations they got themselves into to be humorous and quirky.
All the ladies are socially inept as they don't have a clue about the real world but I especially thought it was funny when Aika taught them and Reiko about "Gets". The "Gets" gag was the underlining factor in this show. Haha.
I shouldn't have found this funny, but I did.
There were plenty of innuendos and rude jokes in this anime and that is literally the main theme of this show. The antics of certain characters were both funny and disturbing at times. Haha.
I think it was an interesting concept how they tried to monitor everyone in an attempt to set good standards in modern society. Is that really good for the people though? I'm all for good standards but I personally think that that's robbing people of their freedom and I think this show explores that very well, even if it is… crude. 😉
The Testament of Sister New Devil
I really enjoyed watching the two series back to back this year.
In some ways this show reminds me of High School DxD, and Mio especially reminds me of Rias. It's because of the similarities that made me watch this show, and I'm glad that I did.
There's a lot more action than I thought there was going to be and I feel that the risqué moments happen appropriately, rather than happen for the sake of making the viewers go blind. Haha. I think it's a good story where Mio wants to live a normal life but it was never going to be easy as she is the daughter of the past devil king.
I'm sure one day she will live a peaceful life without any worries. =)
Anime in 2016
At this moment in time there's no particular anime that has caught my eye to watch in 2016. I know The Asterisk War second season will be aired at some point in April but that's about it. For now, I will just have to wait and see what comes along and go from there.
If you want to recommend an anime by all means do. I'll be happy to hear from you. =)
Posted on December 30, 2015 December 30, 2015 Categories Ryan's Anime World, Ryan's WorldTags Anime, Anime 2016, Anime Recommendation, Anime Winter 2016, Anti-Magic Academy: The 35th Test Platoon, Blog, Crunchyroll, DanMachi, Everyday Life with Monster Girls, Food Wars, Funimation, High School DxD BorN, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon?, Kirin Toudou, Light Novel, Manga, Mio Naruse, MonMusu, Monster Musume, Non Non Biyori Repeat, Rias Gremory, Sentai Filmworks, SHIMONETA, Shokugeki no Soma, Shomin Sample, The Asterisk War, The Asterisk War 2nd season, The Asterisk War second season, The Testament of Sister New Devil, The Testament of Sister New Devil Burst, Yoko HikasaLeave a comment
Strike the Blood Light Novel Volume One Review
This is the second Light Novel book that I read through after Dungeon Girls. I had a rough idea what Strike the Blood would be like as I have seen the anime. I really enjoyed it and it put me at an advantage when reading this book. It meant that I was able to visualise the scenarios more clearly.
A lot of things started to make sense when reading this volume. In the first few episodes of the anime I was under the impression that Yukina harboured some affection and feelings for the main guy, Kojou, by her actions and dialogue.
I really like it how there's a manmade island with many demons as its habitants. Having demons has its pros and cons. It's a positive thing because they are like a protective species and as long as they obey the rules on the island they are free and protected by the government. The con is that they are also required to be experimented on, which is not really a nice thing.
Unfortunately for Kojou, he got caught up in all of this mess when he unintentionally became not just a vampire, but the Fourth Primogenitor. Being a vampire meant that he is immortal but being a Primogenitor means that he has 12 Beast Vessels at his disposal. Well, not quite. The Beast Vessels have a condition. They will only take him seriously as their master, so to speak, if he sucks a girl's blood. So, basically, he's looking for a blood donor to serve his vampire urges. Haha.
He's not going to get a blood donour anytime soon as the only girls he knows in real life are his sister, Nagisa, his school chum, Asagi and his Class Rep, Risa. It's awkward as he is keeping his identity as secret from the girls he's closest too and he's not the type of bite random girls. There is just no blood donour out there… actually, there might be, in the form of the Sword Shaman, Yukina Himeragi.
I find Yukina to be very likable and she is a complete opposite to Kojou. She's very formal, well-spoken and a bit clueless in society, to the point where she mistakes household objects as mass destructive weapons. She's spot on when she said that a chainsaw was used as a weapon in films though. Haha.
I even found it cute when she got tongue tied or accidentally gets Kojou into bother when she says something that could lead to a misunderstanding. Haha. She was sent to be his "watcher" but by what I read it doesn't seem like she does her job properly. Perhaps it would be a different story if Kojou was volatile.
Her weapon, Snowdrift Wolf, is very cool. It's like a huge spear with a tear drop or a snowflake pattern to it. I think it compliments her very well. In fact, I think the weapon is actually taller than her which adds to her glowing cuteness. I can see her being a good tactical and skilful fighter but she is more than just a weapon wielder. The only thing I think she lacks is physical strength but Kojou fills that void perfectly. I really enjoyed reading their fights against that deranged priest and Astarte.
Before I didn't really think that there was an evil race but I found it very interesting what the author said at the back pages. He spoke about the Japan Tsunami Disaster which ironically happened just before the Strike the Blood LN was released for the first time. He cites that the natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis were the real devils.
By reading his quote, it made me think about the story in a different light.
Was that Priest a villain or was he misunderstood? After all, he was trying to take back that arm for the good of his own church… I think. Anyway, as Kojou is the Host for the 12 Beast Vessels he is vulnerable to causing humongous earthquakes if he can't control and harness his power correctly. Is Kojou's power the true villain in this story? Is Kojou his own worst enemy? It might be only a few words but to me it changed my view of the whole story.
I really am eager to read book two and it's perfect to read before bed time. For now, I just have to quench my enthusiasm by watching the Strike the Blood anime.
Two Thumbs-Up.^^/ (My Rating System) (My Light Novel Rankings)
Ryan.
Posted on November 23, 2015 December 30, 2015 Categories Ryan's Anime World, Ryan's WorldTags 12 Beast Vessels, Action, Anime, Asagi AIba, Asperger's Syndrome, Aspergers, Autism, Autistic, Book, Comedy, Earthquake, Fantasy, Gakuto Mikumo, Harem, Hidden Disability, Homunculus, Japan Tsunami 2011, Kojou Akatsuki, Learning difficulties, Light Novel, Lion King Agency, Manga, Manyako, Mental Health, Natural Disaster, Primogenitor, Reading, Snowdrift Wolf, Spear, Strike the Blood, Sword Shaman, Thought provoking, Tsunami, Vampire, Yen Press, Yukina Himeragi1 Comment
Anime Fall 2015
Life is really fun at the minute.
I'm enjoying my time spend with my niece. Like most new-borns she does have the tendency to cry a lot. I actually thought that that would bother me but to my surprise I feel ok with it. I see her crying as her way of talking. I managed to stop her crying though one day when I hummed twinkle, twinkle little star. That lasted for 30 minutes. Haha. It wrecked my throat but it was worth it.^^/
I'm progressing more on my stories. I'm not necessarily progressing on the chapters but I am creating a lot of ideas for the plot.
Now, enough about my life, let's talk about this season's anime. =D
At this moment in time this anime show, along with Shomin Sample, is my favourite from this season.
In some ways, I think the show is rather unique and I think in a way, Kusanagi is unique as a character. I can't put my finger on why that is. I'm just really enjoying it. I like the set-up that the school has, it has its usual school rooms but it also has special rooms for 35 platoon squads in which certain students are assigned to. Kusanagi and his fellow teammates are part of the lowest platoon, the 35th platoon.
I think it's funny and I'm enjoying the squabbles between Ohtari and Mari as it's literally a clash between witches and inquisitors. I thought it was funny when they were trying to one up each other. Usagi's mishaps are also amusing to watch.
I couldn't really get into this anime initially as I felt that this has a lot of similarities as Chivalry of a Failed Knight. They both have strong male fighters and a Princess who has travelled from distance lands to study at an overseas academy. However, this show grew on me.
What I like most about this show the most is the colours. I find this really colourful and in a strange way, soothing on the eyes. The scenery is especially colourful. It makes me wonder as to what has happened to Ayato's big sister. I'm also curious to find out Claudia's true identity as well, it seems like she already knew Ayato even before he enrolled into the academy.
So far this is good to watch. I find Stella to be really cute both in personality and in appearance. She also has a kickass fire ability which blends in well with her pink/red hair.
KOMORI-SAN CAN'T DECLINE!
This is a very simple and light-hearted story about a school girl who can't say no to anyone. I can relate to her strongly as I'm not very good at declining requests but there is a difference between being helpful and having self-respect. So far, I think Komori-san is finding the right balance.
Monogatari is a kind of anime that I would describe as an intelligent type show. The directing and storytelling is unique and the plot and art is pretty darn amazing and Owarimonogatari is no different.
However, it's one of those shows where I have to be in the mood for. With shows like Non Non Biyori or High School DxD I'm always in the mood for them. But as Monogatari is a very intelligent anime I need to watch it when I know I'll be able to appreciate it. I had my doubts about Ougi but she's actually grown on me.
This is a really funny anime. I laugh literally at every episode I watch.
I do feel sorry for Kimito though. He has to pretend to have a certain fetish in order to stay at a school in which he was forced to attend. Which either way you look at it, he's in a losing position. Still, he's surrounded by many beauties who are socially inept. I say socially inept because the refined ladies are familiar with each other but they're not well acquainted with the big wide world. So, Kimito has been brought in so he can teach them the ways of the "commoner."
I'm watching this show as it's making me laugh a lot but the pretty girls and good characters are a bonus.^^/
THE TESTAMENT OF SISTER NEW DEVIL BURST
I enjoyed this show's first season and so far I'm enjoying this sequel. I feel that it's just as lewd, straightforward and packed with action as it was in the previous season. The fights are good and well balance but I especially enjoy the bout between Jin and Leohart. It seems that they're equal in strength. I'm curious to see Chisato's connection with Toujou and to see if Kurumi is eventually going to become Toujou's "servant." I predict that Toujou will go out of control, more lewdness from all the girls, more cool fights and we find out about Toujou's mum.
Watching girls turn into physical weapons by their partners is funny to watch. Haha. I'm not sure if I understand the story itself but it's still enjoyable to watch. =)
Is there any show that you would recommend to watch? If there is I would be interested to hear your thoughts. =D
I haven't been active in writing up blogs recently mostly because I have nothing to say. That and I'm having fun doing other things like reading manga, writing up my story and spending time with my niece.^^/
Posted on October 27, 2015 Categories Ryan's Anime World, Ryan's WorldTags Anime, Anime Fall 2015, Anti-Magic Academy: The 35th Test Platoon, Baby-sitting, Chivalry of a Failed Knight, Crunchyroll, Family, Funimation, Komori-san Can't Decline, Light Novel, Manga, Niece, Owarimonogatari, Shomin Sample, Socialising, The Asterisk War, The Testament of Sister New Devil Burst, Valkyrie Drive: MermaidLeave a comment
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Manga Volume One Review
This was fun to read. I felt that I was able to visualise and understand the story much better with the combination of reading the Light Novel books and watching the anime previously. By reading the volume one of Dungeon Girls[1] I felt that I was able to understand the concept and settings of the story much better, especially the God's Blessing, Falna.
I feel that the story has a lot of RPG elements and I think it's quirky that the manga is published by SquareEnix over in Japan. I think it would be really cool if this manga became an actual RPG and/or an online game. I would become an adventurer and join Hestia's guild in a heartbeat. Haha. Getting back on track…
I like it how Bell admits to himself that the reason he became an adventurer is because he wanted to meet girls. He wanted to be a young maiden's hero so he ventured down to the fifth level of the dungeon, nearly got himself killed and was saved by a beautiful princess… the sword princess called Aiz Wallenstein. Now, with his heart and conscious much "purer", his new goal is not to pick up girls but to catch up to the lady in question.
Getting close to Aiz won't be easy though as she is a member of the Loki Familia whilst Bell is the sole member of Hestia Familia. Hestia is cute, nice and very funny but she is also a little childish. I get the sense with Hestia that even though she is childish she will be sensible and mature when she needs to be. I do find it cute when she snuggles up to Bell though.
Bell shouldn't focus primarily on Aiz as Hestia is a keeper but he's probably holding himself back from Hestia as she is his Goddess. Speaking of keepers and slapping rings around lovely ladies, Syr and Eina are also lovely. It was funny when Syr played innocent to get the better of Bell. If I was Bell I certainly would never beat Syr. She is far too cute to compete with. She's also a lot of fun to draw.
For those who are interested you can find my chibi version of her in the link below.
Chibi Syr
It was rather cool to see how far Hestia would go to help Bell, to the point where she would do the Dogeza in front of Hephaistos. She really is a nice Goddess.
I got a little bit pumped up when Loki and Freya had their little "chat,"… I wonder if Aiz knew if Freya was referring to Bell. Speaking of which, when Bell ran out of the restaurant Aiz said Bell's name in her head. As far as I knew Aiz never met or knew Bell previously. Perhaps the explanation is simple. I did feel sorry for her when everyone in her fellow Familia members laughed at her for "scaring" Bell away.
Freya is quite the cunning Goddess. She's beautiful but I do get the sense that she's very evil and sneaky especially as Loki called her out specifically. Bell and Hestia had better keep on their toes and stay away from Freya as far away as they can as I get the sense that Freya sees herself as above the law.
Thinking about Bell's situation reminds of the song, "run, rabbit, run, rabbit, run, run, run!!"
Two Thumbs-Up.^^/ (My Rating System) (My Manga Series Rankings)
I wasn't going to review this as really I didn't feel that there wasn't anything to say seeing as I've already reviewed the Light Novel and all the Dungeon Girls episodes. However, I had a sudden change of heart when I re-read Volume 1 manga and when Volume 2 arrived this very morning. My excitement took over and in the end I decided to share my thoughts.
[1] The correct abbreviation for Is It Wrong to Try to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon? Is DanMachi. However, out of habit, I kept referring to it as Dungeon Girls so I decided to keep calling it Dungeon Girls. Haha.
Posted on September 3, 2015 December 30, 2015 Categories Ryan's Anime World, Ryan's WorldTags Action, Additional Needs, Adventure, Aiz Wallenstein, Anime, ASD, Asperger's Syndrome, Aspergers, Autism, Autistic, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Bell Cranel, Comedy, DanMachi, Disability, Dungeon, Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru noha Machigatteiru Darou ka, Eina Tulle, Freya, Harem, Hephaestus, Hestia Familiar, Hidden Disability, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick up Girls in a Dungeon?, Learning difficulties, Light Novel, Loki Familiar, Manga, RPG, Special Needs, SquareEnix, Syr Flover, Yen Press, アイズ・ヴァレンシュタイン, エイナ・チュール, シル・フローヴァ, ダンジョンに出会いを求めるのは間違っているだろうか, フレイヤ, ヘスティア, へファイストス, ベル・クラネルLeave a comment


It's a simple truth. If we're always looking for inspiration in the same places, we're likely to come up with similar results. But what happens when you start finding ideas outside of your own artform - even outside of visuals altogether?
Can our other senses be just as powerful sources of inspiration when it comes to creating unique images? In the above video, we invite three contemporary creative photographers - Anna Pogossova, Stuart Miller and Kristina Yenko - to take on a brief from an artist of a different stripe. But their brief offers them nothing they can see, forcing them to sharpen their other senses. To explore taste, touch and smell, and see if these sensations can in turn inspire them to create within a visual medium.
Each sense can provoke a feeling, a sensation or a memory, and following these indirect paths to photographic inspiration can open up unexpected creative territories.
THE MENU is another experiment from THE LAB, a series designed to shift creative thinking behind the lens. Special thanks to the photographers.
Read Kristina Yenko's reflection on the experience here.


Hades was formed in 1992 by Jörn of Immortal because he wanted to create a music style that was both filled with melancholy and atmosphere to please his lust of memories of old Bergen (Bjorgvin) and old lands of mysteries and folklore. The line up was completed by Janto (bass and vocals), Nagel (guitar) and Remi (drums). In 1993, Hades recorded their first demo "Alone Walkyng" in Grieghallen studios (Bergen). There was great response and Wounded Love released it on their label as cassette and as a mini-CD. Hades were forced to change the name to Hades Almighty after the American band of the same name reformed.
Pro printed cover with lyrics. I've seen white and black tapes with a decent looking sticker. The scan below shows the Wounded Love Records pressing of the demo.
Printed on thicker than usual paper with lyrics. The scan below is the original pressing of the demo!


text:
use super::{LinkerFlavor, LldFlavor, PanicStrategy, RelocModel, Target, TargetOptions};

pub fn target() -> Target {
    let opts = TargetOptions {
        abi: "softfloat".to_string(),
        linker_flavor: LinkerFlavor::Lld(LldFlavor::Ld),
        linker: Some("rust-lld".to_owned()),
        features: "+strict-align,-neon,-fp-armv8".to_string(),
        executables: true,
        relocation_model: RelocModel::Static,
        disable_redzone: true,
        max_atomic_width: Some(128),
        panic_strategy: PanicStrategy::Abort,
        ..Default::default()
    };
    Target {
        llvm_target: "aarch64-unknown-none".to_string(),
        pointer_width: 64,
        data_layout: "e-m:e-i8:8:32-i16:16:32-i64:64-i128:128-n32:64-S128".to_string(),
        arch: "aarch64".to_string(),
        options: opts,
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Is there any time of year when we collectively think about the past more than during the holidays? Depending on our individual experiences, the days between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day seem replete with opportunities to pleasantly reminisce about or, conversely, attempt to forget holidays past. In either case, history seems to take on extra power during a season that our culture insists is characterized by warm, fuzzy events and familial bliss.
The past is indeed powerful, and easily misunderstood. Popular platitudes tell us that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. And yet, often we seem to be held captive to a version of events that may have never actually happened, or at least not the way we remember them. Sometimes we end up becoming trapped in our own version of the past instead of learning from it.
Advent is sometimes characterized as a journey toward Christmas, that magical day when we declare that God is with us. This year at Seattle First Baptist we hope to make it another type of journey, one to a deeper understanding of ourselves and our world and ways in which we can be the hands and feet of Christ for each other. Please join us on the way.
This year we are sharing a seasonal book of meditations during Advent: Advent With My Family by Jim Segaar, a collection of 29 essays that were inspired by his memories of experiences with his family, from growing up in rural Montana and Washington State to interacting as adults who live all over the United States and Canada. The book is designed to be read one essay at a time, each day during Advent, and each one begins with a Bible text taken from readings assigned to Advent in the lectionary. Our hope is that many of us will read the book this season, and share our thoughts relating to it with each other. The book is available for sale in either paperback or eBook format on Amazon.com. The cost is $5.99 for either edition. A limited number of copies of the book will also be available from the church office in November. This book will be the topic of two Adult Learning sessions during Advent, on Sundays November 27 and December 4 at 9:30 a.m. in the Parlor. The classes will include readings from the book and discussions about the topics it covers.
During each Advent worship service we will explore the past and its impact on our present through the testimony of people who are going on to the trip to Israel that Pastor Tim is leading with Rabbi Olivier in November. Several members of Seattle First Baptist will be on the trip, and they will share thoughts about their experiences during Advent in a variety of ways. It may seem that the Middle East is a "poster child" for living in the past instead of learning from it, but perhaps we will be surprised by what members of our community experience there.


text:
Electronic signatures and the changing legal landscape
Jeeshna Radhakissoon, Rayyan Sorefan
Dentons
Earlier this year, MauSign CA, a licensed certification authority, was set up at the National Computer Board for the issuance of digital certificates to facilitate the verification of identities between users in an electronic transaction, including the use of electronic signatures. In the same breath, the National Computer Board (Certification Authority) Regulations 2021 were passed to regulate the functioning of MauSign CA.
Interest in electronic transactions in Mauritius was greatly fuelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, with companies scrambling to find secure digital solutions overnight to execute documents and process transactions electronically. Lockdown and social distancing measures resulted in "wet ink" signatures becoming unworkable, leading to the increasing use of electronic signatures. This is likely to have pushed the government to consider the implementation of a quasi-public service such as MauSign for the execution of electronic transactions.
Despite the Electronic Transactions Act 2000 (the Act) having been around since 2001, with certain provisions being proclaimed as late as 2010, it remains largely untested and, therefore, somewhat obscure.
The Act clearly provides for the effectiveness, validity and enforceability of electronic signatures but remains silent as to the degree of effectiveness, validity or enforceability of different types of electronic signatures (see below). From a commercial perspective, this begs the question – why would a business invest in a licence for the creation of digital signatures if all electronic signatures, even those created using a generic software, bear the same degree of validity in the eyes of the law?
Before we answer this question, we need to look at the different types of electronic signatures that are provided for under the Act.
An electronic signature is one which is executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign an electronic record. It is attributable to a person where it is the act of that person.
A secure electronic signature, on the other hand, is one which may be verified through a commercially reasonable security procedure agreed by the parties. It is unique to the person using it and is capable of identifying such person. It is also created under the sole control of the person using it and is not capable of being changed without rendering the electronic record invalid. This type of secure electronic signature gives rise to a legal presumption that the signature is of a person to whom it correlates and that it was affixed with the intention of signing or approving the electronic record.
A digital signature requires the use of a private key, i.e. an encryption and decryption method, for the signature.
A secure digital signature is one created pursuant to a certificate from and within the operational framework of a licensed certification authority. Currently, there are only two licensed/recognised certification authorities in Mauritius: eMudhra and MauSign CA.
Secure digital signatures provide a higher degree of security than other types of electronic signatures but, since the law provides for the effectiveness of all electronic signatures, the decision to use secure digital signatures and licensed forms remains a balancing exercise between the desirable level of security and the cost considerations for a business.
Nonetheless, it is heartening to see that the legal framework has been adapted to promote the use and enforceability of electronic signatures, with articles 1316-2 et seq. of the Civil Code Mauricien being amended to specifically provide for the validity of electronic records. Further, in the context of the modernisation of the Registrar General's department into an eService organisation, the Registration Duty Act 1804 was amended to include an electronic signature in the definition of "signature".
There remain a few categories of documents which do not fall within the purview of the Act and these include wills, testaments or other prescribed documents in the law. It is also customary for court pleadings and affidavits to be executed in wet-ink signatures, despite the use of an online e-judiciary system for the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court. It is therefore always prudent to keep an eye out for specialised legislation which renders a wet-ink signature mandatory for certain types of documents.
Number of days of annual paid leave for one-year fixed-term workers - Supreme Court Decision No. 2021Da227100 rendered in October 2021
Mauritius removed from the EU's list of high-risk third countries
The challenges of managing short-term absences
New Obligations For 2022
What does public procurement have in store for us in 2022
© Dentons | Attorney Advertising
Jeeshna Radhakissoon
Rayyan Sorefan
Digital Signature Standards
Electronic Transaction
Science, Computers & Technology
Dentons on:

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Renovation has begun on the new home of the University of Louisville Trager Institute at 204 E. Market St. Formerly the Institute for Sustainable Health and Optimal Aging, the Trager Institute will expand into the new space thanks to generous gifts from the Trager Family and Republic Bank Foundations.
"Considering the importance of the eldercare industry to Louisville's economic development, we are proud to partner with the University of Louisville. It is our hope that this gift will help develop a world-class conduit that eldercare companies can partner within research, innovation, and career development. Additionally, local citizens will become beneficiaries of the Institute's efforts through the newly established Republic Bank Foundation Optimal Aging Clinic," said Steve Trager, chairman and CEO of Republic Bank.
The complete renovation is expected to cost $1 million.
Located in what Louisville Metro Mayor Greg Fischer has dubbed the "innovation corridor," the renovated space will accommodate the Institute's leading edge research, care coordination, physical and mental health clinical practice and educational programming.
"With this new facility, we will be able to conduct research and provide care in ways that transform our understanding of health care and aging. We are working to change the way health care is provided and focus on integrating lifestyle medicine that has shown to provide extraordinary benefits to achieving optimal aging," said Anna Faul, Ph.D., executive director of the Trager Institute.
The Republic Bank Foundation Optimal Aging Clinic will specialize in comprehensive care for the aging population. This clinic, organized using the latest best-practice health care model known as age-friendly Integrated Practice Units (IPUs), will help individuals achieve optimal physical and mental health as they age. IPUs involve an interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, physical therapists, dentists, pharmacists, social workers, chaplains, community health navigators, life coaches and lawyers to meet patient needs. These health care partners facilitate patient care related to physical and mental condition, along with outpatient, inpatient and rehabilitative care and social services. The clinic will provide a patient experience that focuses on lifestyle medicine, an evidence-based therapeutic approach to prevent, treat and reverse lifestyle-related chronic diseases. The space is designed to promote telehealth to homebound and isolated older adults.
Multiple financial supporters are key to the successful work of the Institute. The clinical practice is bolstered by the financial support of John Wright, M.D., a geriatrician and professor emeritus of the UofL Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine.
His $1 million investment — originally a bequest that he decided to pay during his lifetime — supports the John C. Wright Endowed Professorship on Aging for the benefit of the Trager Institute.
His gift will help maintain the high quality of medical care by attracting the best geriatricians to enhance collaboration between the Institute, the Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine and other universities.
In addition to clinical services, the new facility expands the research capacity of the Institute to expand the number of clinical trials it offers and technology development and testing. The innovative space will have a conference room equipped with video conferencing capabilities that allow researchers to collaborate on a national and international level. The space also will support the Trager Institute's aging-care workforce development efforts with a multi-purpose training space.
Other features of the space will include a fully operational kitchen for nutrition counseling and classes, complete with its own wall garden; a fitness area for community residents to participate in mindfulness sessions, yoga and other fitness activities; and space for physical therapy and audiology testing, when needed.
Renovation completion is expected this summer.


Did you get a call from 1-888-216-1237?
The callers from this number typically ask for a person (often they have just ask to speak to some random name). Then they start a high pressure sales pitch about investing in gold, platinum, and palladium. These telemarketers do not take no for an answer, they follow up with something like "don't you want to make some money?". Usually the best approach is to be as polite as you can and end the call.
There are reports of complaints to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission as they are targeting Albertan's on the the do not call list. No word if the CRTC is taking any action on whatever company is behind this.


WARREN, NJ--(Marketwire - Nov 5, 2012) - Luke Gong, a leading architect with more than 30 years' experience in all phases of architectural practice, has rejoined Paulus, Sokolowski & Sartor (PS&S) as a Senior Project Manager. He will be based at PS&S headquarters in Warren, New Jersey.
"I am very excited to have Luke coming onboard to expand our capabilities in the Life Sciences space, and, to assist our growth in the global market," said John A. Sartor, Executive Vice President of PS&S.
Mr. Gong is a proven leader in all aspects of biopharmaceutical projects from the early planning stage through the concept and detailed design phases.
"We are utilizing a new process PS&S calls Decision Based Modelling (DBM), which incorporates input from the owner's engineering group, their end users, and our multi-discipline project team," said Gong. "PS&S takes the usually ordinary task of laying out and detailing a building into a highly interactive visual smart model. I am excited to be back at PS&S and to be a part of DBM."
With a growing portfolio of projects in the US, Asia Pacific and South America, PS&S continues to be part of its clients' global growth plans.
Founded in 1962, Paulus, Sokolowski & Sartor (PS&S) has evolved into a unique best-in-class architecture and engineering (AE) firm, providing design and permitting services to a wide range of corporate, institutional and commercial clients. PS&S is ranked among the top national design firms by Engineering News Record (and among the top 15 national engineering firms in pharmaceuticals). Recognized both for its breadth of services and depth of expertise, it is a one-stop resource for planning, permitting and design at the local, State and Federal levels.


Scholarships for postgraduate courses are available from different sources. Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation has no funds for financing participants and regrets it is unable to assist applicants in obtaining sponsorship.
The most common are the Orange Knowledge Programme, MSP and StuNed.
The Netherlands Fellowship Programmes (NFP) and NICHE entered a new phase on 1 July 2017 and will continue as 'Orange Knowledge Programme'' (OKP).
This 5-year programme aims to advance the capacity, knowledge and quality of both individuals and institutions of higher and vocational education.
OKP Fellowships will be available for a number of countries.
Please be aware that an OKP application takes time and effort, and requires several documents. Please make sure you meet the eligibility criteria of OKP and make sure your application fulfills the requirements as mentioned in the OKP admission letter. We strongly recommend that you start as soon as possible. Since the number fellowships available is limited, an application may not always lead to a positive result.
The MSP is open to professionals who are nationals of - and living and working in - one of these countries: Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria*, Tunisia.
* MSP is currently not open to professionals applying from Syria. Applicants with Syrian nationality may apply if they are residing in one of the other MSP countries.
StuNed scholarships are awarded in three different modalities (MSc studies, Short courses and Tailor Made Training) and in principle all programmes offered by Dutch higher education providers can be eligible.
The first upcoming application deadline is 19 maart 2019.
Visit the NESO website for more information on deadlines, eligibility and application form / procedures.
The Russell E. Train Education for Nature Program (EFN) is part of WWF-US, and is started to honor the WWF founder, Russ Train. The program provides funding to conservationists from Asia, Africa and Latin America to pursue education opportunities to improve and enhance conservatiopn capacity in their home countries.
Applicants must submit their complete applications to a deadline at least 90 days before the course start.
More information about this fellowship can be found on the WWF website; https://www.worldwildlife.org/projects/professional-development-grants.


text:
Switch search source
Upwork press release Below is the press release you're looking for
press@upwork.com
The Independent Workforce in America
American workers finding greater flexibility with expanded labor markets powered by growth in connectivity
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - November 30, 2016 - While self-employment has long existed, increasing connectivity is creating new opportunities for the self-employed and their clients to find each other and generate more work opportunities. So says a new study released today by Paul Oyer, Fred H. Merrill Professor of Economics at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. The study, commissioned by Upwork, the world's largest freelancing website, provides the most in-depth look available at how and why more people are choosing to join the independent workforce (IW) and the resulting impacts.
"Independent work expands opportunities for both buyers and sellers of services," said Professor Oyer, the author of the new study. "Companies, especially smaller businesses, can use independent workers to find specific services that they cannot get through traditional employment. Meanwhile, independent workers find a wider and more lucrative range of work opportunities with a high degree of flexibility."
As demographic shifts impact labor supply and demand, interstate commerce and international trade have grown, and increasing connectivity has made it easier for people to find independent work. This groundbreaking study conducts economic analysis of data found in the annual "Freelancing in America" (FIA) survey to define and profile the growth and diversity of the U.S. independent workforce. It examines the economic drivers, impacts, and facts around the growth of work performed by America's self-employed professionals. By combining independent workforce survey data from "Freelancing in America" with transaction data from buyers and sellers using Upwork's website, the study provides new facts and results that are valuable for policymakers and thought leaders studying this growing segment powering the American economy.
Here are a selection of the study's main findings:
Online labor platforms expand markets. Online platforms make labor markets "thicker," which creates the potential for better matching of the specific skills a member of the IW offers and the specific skills a client is looking for.
The IW is growing. The IW has grown by more than half from 2005 to 2015[1], with an annualized growth rate of approximately 5%.
Increasing connectivity is enabling IW growth. As many as 20 million of the American IW found clients online in 2015.
The IW enjoys greater flexibility. 68% of IW respondents to the FIA survey reported that schedule flexibility is a reason they freelance.
Online labor platforms spread wealth. 96% of transactions through the Upwork marketplace happen between parties more than 50 miles apart, spreading wealth within the U.S. from relatively affluent areas to more typically middle-class areas.
"This study dramatically increases understanding of the sizable impact the independent workforce is having within the wider American economy," said Upwork CEO, Stephane Kasriel. "Professor Oyer's findings are essential reading for any policymaker studying this vibrant and diverse segment of our economy."
Kasriel and Oyer will be joined by representatives of the R Street Institute, Progressive Policy Institute, and the freelance community for a greater exploration of the study's findings, to debate its consequences, and provide further areas of study today at the National Press Club in Downtown Washington. The study is available now at https://www.upwork.com/i/us-independent-workforce/.
[1] Katz and Krueger 2016
About Upwork
Upwork is the world's largest freelancing website. As an increasingly connected and independent workforce goes online, knowledge work —like software, shopping and content before it— is shifting online as well. This shift is making it easier for clients to connect and work with talent in near real-time and is freeing professionals everywhere from having to work at a set time and place.
Freelancers are earning more than $1 billion annually via Upwork. Upwork is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., with offices in San Francisco and Oslo, Norway. For more information, visit our website at www.upwork.com, join us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
About Professor Oyer
Paul Oyer is the Fred H. Merrill Professor of Economics and Faculty Co-Director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is also a Research Associate with the National Bureau of Economics and the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Labor Economics. Professor Oyer does research in the field of personnel economics including studies of how initial "luck" on the job market affects careers, the use of broad-based stock options, and how executives and salespeople play games with their compensation systems. In addition, he is the author of three books that explain how economics apply to everyday life (in areas such as online dating, sports, and small business management). Before moving to Stanford in 2000, Oyer was on the faculty of the Kellogg School at Northwestern University. In his pre-academic life, he worked in management consulting and high technology. He holds a BA in math and computer science from Middlebury College, an MBA from Yale University, and an MA and PhD in economics from Princeton University.
Michael McGeary
Hiring Headquarters
Upwork Blog
Freelancers by Skill
Freelancers in Australia
© 2015 - 2019 Upwork® Global Inc.


text:
Infinity War's Ross Marquand breaks silence on 'Yoda-esque' secret character
By Jacob Oller
After we sat through the credits of Avengers: Infinity War, waiting for the post-credits sting that was just as devastating as the rest of the film, we discovered that one of the movie's surprise cameos was played by a surprising name. When we see the villain from the first Captain America, we're wondering, why in Thanos' purple chin is Red Skull in space guarding an Infinity Stone? Whether or not Hugo Weaving is reprising his made-up face is beside the point.
But now we know The Walking Dead's Ross Marquand took over the role after the villain touched the Tesseract and ended up playing the character on Vormir. There was obviously drama in the replacement, but how in the world does this character even get into the movie, and how does he get played after 70 years alone in space? Luckily for us, Marquand recently opened up about the role. Speaking with EW, the actor/impersonator went deep on his Infinity War cameo.
"I think the reference they might have given is Yoda-esque," Marquand said when explaining that the directorial Russo brothers wanted a Hugo Weaving impression that had seen some heavy stuff and come out the other end. "I went over the source material in Captain America: The First Avenger and watched that over and over again," Marquand continued. "For me, it was a matter of melding [Weaving's] iconic performance in The Matrix with the German accent he brought to the character with Red Skull."
The performance needed to be "remorseful," the actor said, because Red Skull "does feel a certain degree of shame and loss, and he's conquered by his own ambition, really." "It's very much like Icarus; he flew way too high — literally, because he touched the Tesseract and got launched into space — and he got way too ambitious and lost sight of his humanity, and now he feels genuinely remorseful about that. And there is kind of a forlorn energy to him."
After a brief audition process (one tape) and a quick return flight to Atlanta (where both Infinity War and Season 8 of The Walking Dead were filmed), a one-day shoot was all he needed. Well, and then he couldn't tell anyone, until now. "These NDAs on these things are no joke! I literally did not tell anybody until it was out. I told my friend who I brought to the premiere, because she had to know how I got tickets, and I said, 'I can't tell you who I'm playing, but I can tell you I am a part of this. But you can't tell anyone.'" He didn't even tell his parents. "Because I'm scared to God! These NDAs put the fear of God in you."
While Marquand doesn't know if he'll get the chance to play Red Skull again, the actor obviously has ideas of where the character could go from here if Avengers 4 finds a place for him. Despite creating an intergalactic prison for himself, the actor says, "You have to wonder: Is there still a part of him that does have ambition?" It does seem sad to abandon the poor German out in the middle of space and time -- but in a year we'll know a bit more.
Ross Marquand
Infinity War directors explain the real reason Hulk won't come out, why we didn't see Happy Hogan
What is Groot's growth rate, scientifically speaking? How tall could he get?


HarperCollins has confirmed a firm publication date for the fifth installment of A Song of Ice and Fire.
A Dance With Dragons, which has been six years in the writing and is HarperCollins' most rescheduled book, will be published on 12th July in hardback and e-book.
The first volume of A Song of Ice and Fire has been adapted for the small screen, with HBO airing A Game Of Thrones in April on Sky Atlantic.


The pharmacy at Clara Maass is an integrated part of the health care team. Pharmacists are responsible for ensuring the safe and effective use of the most appropriate medication for each patient at CMMC. The pharmacy has decentralized pharmacists covering 9 units where the pharmacists are relied on as a drug information resource and to facilitate medication administration.
Pharmacy technicians are an integral part of the team and play a large role in medication preparation and distribution. All of our technicians have completed comprehensive education and training and are registered with the New Jersey Board of Pharmacy.
We value our role in patient care and therefore continuously monitor pharmacist interventions that influence patient outcomes. Examples of these interventions include warfarin monitoring, renal dosing, antibiotic stewardship, evaluating drug levels, monitoring blood chemistries, and patient counseling.
We strive to provide our patients with the best pharmaceutical care through our various clinical programs. The pharmacy managed anticoagulation program has shown to provide significant benefits to our patients treated with heparin and warfarin. Our antibiotic stewardship monitors the culture and sensitivity of all our patients to ensure that antibiotic therapy is appropriate. We provide counseling in our involuntary and voluntary behavioral health units as well as to patients in our medical units.
Cerner® for electronic medical records and computerized physician order entry- to be implemented in June 2013.


The low-carb, high protein ketogenic diet is one of 2018's most controversial eating plans - here's what you need to know.
Without a doubt, one of this year's most controversial diets has been the ketogenic 'keto' diet.
Despite the U.S News & World Report listing the ketogenic diet as last (tied with the Dukan diet) in their evaluation of the best 40 diets for 2018, Google searches for the keto diet in the US has tripled since July 2017 to July 2018.
Perhaps interest has piqued because of the diet's alleged ability to help people lose weight, or maybe it's the public has been swayed by the number of celebrities that have reportedly gotten on board with the diet.
Celebrities including Halle Berry, Kim Kardashian, Vanessa Hudgens, Gwyneth Paltrow, Megan Fox and LeBron James are apparently fans of the high fat, low carb keto diet - but what actually does the diet entail?
Of the keto diet, nutritionist Samantha Gemmell says: "The ketogenic diet is a very low carbohydrate, high fat diet approach. The goal is to reduce your carbohydrate intake to below 50g or even 30g of net carbs (carbs minus fibre) per day. This switches your main body energy system from using glucose (from sugars/carbs) to using ketones (from fat)."
Feng-Yuan Liu, dietitian and founder/CEO of Metro Dietetics, says on the ketogenic diet people need to get into a nutritional state of ketosis, characterised by blood ketone levels of 0.5mmol/L or higher.
"To achieve this, carbohydrate intake is reduced and restricted to a level that will allow for fats to be consistently broken down and used as fuel.
"How much the carbohydrates need to be restricted will vary person to person, based on health status, as well as metabolic and hormone function."
The keto diet first became popular in the 1920s and '30s as a way to treat epilepsy, and is now popular among those trying to lose weight.
But is the keto diet good for weight loss or is this just a myth?
Samantha Gemmell suggests the reason some people see rapid weight loss on the keto diet is because during the first week or two the weight loss is likely not all fat. Additionally, the change in diet (particularly the reduced consumption of processed foods) will have its impact.
"When you eliminate carbohydrates, you eliminate the 'hydrate', or water, that is found in those foods. So it is generally a reduction in water weight and any fluid retention," says Gemmell. "You will be eliminating a lot of processed and high-sugar foods. So you may be consuming fewer calories."
After the first few weeks your body will be running on its fat reserves rather than sugar and carbohydrates.
Dr Ryan Harvey from House Call Doctor says on the keto diet the body is forced to run on fat, therefore making it burn at an increased rate - which is an appealing thought for many.
"It can be a fast approach to weight loss but may not be effective long-term. It is always recommended to simply eat healthily and exercise regularly when looking to lose weight. Consult with your regular doctor before starting a diet in case there may be any potential medical risks."
The U.S News & World Report's evaluation of the best diets for 2018, are in line with Dr Harvey's thoughts. The two best diets of 2018 - with input from a panel of health experts - ranked the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet as the most healthy - both of which focus on the consumption of healthy foods (including carbohydrates) and less processed foods.
A healthy diet and regular exercise is the best way to lose a few kilos.
Is the Keto diet good for us?
While some argue that depriving the body of carbohydrates isn't healthy, others say that it can help us restore healthy, normal physiology, meaning our bodies will return to functioning the way they were originally designed to function.
Feng-Yuan Liu, dietitian and founder/CEO of Metro Dietetics agrees with this, explaining that many of today's common health problems could be alleviated with proper nutrition.
"So many of our current chronic health problems are easily preventable, and are also reversible through nutrition. If you think about it, these days, we all know someone with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood glucose levels, joint inflammation, depression, anxiety, food intolerances, thyroid problems and weight issues.
"These issues weren't always there in the abundance we see it today. It may seem shocking at first, but when we realise how far away from where things used to be, even a century ago, we'll start to realise that it really isn't all that much of a surprise. Our grandparents grew up with less persistent stress, no constant dinging of mobile phones. They ate freshly cooked meals, and everything was full fat. If they wanted a snack, they had to make it themselves, or buy it during business hours. Produce was local, fresh and seasonal.
"When we look at the prevalence of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancers pre-1950, it was very uncommon. So what changed in the last 60, 70 years? Our diet - and stress levels.
"I've personally used and witnessed a ketogenic diet reversing diabetes, gout, shrink tumours, normalise and stabilise blood glucose and blood pressure, and reverse cardiovascular disease risk. In addition, I have used a ketogenic diet to help my husband completely come off all meds for his Crohn's Disease (and as a side effect, lose 25kgs), and have halted all symptoms and pain of my own PCOS and endometriosis."
However, like all diets, it needs to work for the individual. Some people might thrive on the keto diet whereas others may find it's not for them - it's all about finding out what works best for our bodies.
Samantha Gemmell says: "Like most diet approaches, it can be healthy if it suits your body and if you are conscious of what you eat. If you are considering the ketogenic diet, your best bet is to consult with a nutrition practitioner who has worked with keto before."
Before you consider changing your diet or eating plan, be sure to speak to your GP and a dietitian or nutritionist first.


In this Nonprofit Quarterly article, you'll learn what networks are and how you can use them to advance social change. Check out A Network Way of Working: A Compilation of Considerations about Effectiveness in Networks.
This report examines different aspects of a transformational moment for the nonprofit sector by exploring how leaving and organization well is an often neglected aspect of a nonprofit leader's role that is a key in understanding and successfully completing the exit process.
By: Nonprofit Market Guide This report summarizes survey data from more than 2,000 nonprofits, describing what is working (and not working) in their communications strategies.
This Stop Street Harassment toolkit provides a comprehensive definition of street harassment — a common human rights violation most often recognized as leering, catcalling, flashing, groping, etc. — and offers a state-by-state guide in reporting illegal street harassment behaviors.


« It's Indianapolis 500 Race Day At IMS!
What a strange race that was! It was like three races put together that had no rhythm. But what a finish over the final twelve laps!
The first segment of the race was dominated by Tony Kanaan. He moved up from his Row Three starting spot in typical Tony Kanaan fashion, by passing cars on the start. he took the lead from his teammate, Scott Dixon, on Lap Six. He led the next twenty-two laps until his first pit stop. Surprisingly, Kanaan never led another lap. He spent most of the day between fifth and seventh and finished the day in seventh.
Once the pit stops cycled through, the lead went back and forth between last year's winner, Alexander Rossi; and this year's rookie sensation, Fernando Alonso. As the halfway point approached, Ryan Hunter-Reay joined in the mix and the three of them went back and forth swapping the lead. You figured that the winner would come from one of those three. That would be wrong.
Ryan Hunter-Reay was the victim of one of the costly Honda failures we were expecting. Just as he was battling for the lead, Hunter-Reay's engine expired on Lap 137. Charlie Kimball's Honda failed on Lap 167, but the cruelest blow came on Lap 180. That was when the car of Fernando Alonso slowed down on the main straightaway as his Honda engine let go.
That set up a very interesting scenario that had Max Chilton leading with Takuma Sato, Ed Jones and Helio Castroneves to battle for the win. But there was a five-car accident heading into Turn Two involving Will Power, James Hinchcliffe, Josef Newgarden, Oriol Servia and James Davison.
On Lap 188, Helio Castroneves and Takuma Sato both went on a tear. Within a few aps, they dispensed of Chilton and Jones to make it a two man battle for the win. Helio passed Sato on Lap 194 to take the lead, making everyone think he was well on his way to becoming the fourth member of the Four-time Winners Club. But Sato passed him back on Lap 195 and never relinquished the lead.
In 2012, Sato crashed on the last lap of the race going for the win while battling with Dario Franchitti. He may have cashed and lost the race, but he won the respect of many fans by going for broke. Fans love watching Sato because he is never content to ride around and earn points. He is always trying to win.
Unlike that day in 2012, no one booed this winner. A fourth Helio Castroneves win may have been more popular with a lot of fans, but many felt that Sato had paid his dues at this track and had certainly earned the win on this day.
He was one of the most jubilant winners I've seen interviewed after the race. Sato, Ziggy Harcus and Michael Andretti were all ecstatic. They should have been. It was a very good win.
Of course, there was the attrition with some hard and frightening crashes. The most frightening looking was the accident on Lap 53 involving Jay Howard and pole-sitter Scott Dixon. The car of Dixon flipped and struck the inside wall in a spectacular crash that saw both drivers walk away. Another hard hit involved a one-car accident involving 1996 Buddy Lazier. He was transported to Methodist Hospital and I've heard no updates since.
This will do it for now. It's been a very enjoyable Month of May and I can't believe it's over. There will be no post tomorrow, since it's a holiday. But I'll have my "Random Thoughts" post here on Tuesday. We will be travelling back to Nashville on Monday. I hope everyone enjoys your holiday on Monday. Check back here on Tuesday and thanks for following along all month.
This entry was posted on May 28, 2017 at 5:46 pm and is filed under Indianapolis 500.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
I found a theme about the 101 , The new guy sung a old song and the crowd loved him with a new rich sound of Back Home Again in Indiana .With the month of May having most of the race fans of Europe tuned into the Indy500 was a plus for the series . Just the minute that the Alonso story was done for the Month the eyes of Japan is watching one of their guys win the Indy 500 . Old & New was the theme .
Happy for Sato, unhurt drivers (well, still waiting for an update on Lazier), Back Home Again, and a dry track.
Not happy about the end of "ladies and gentlemen, start your engines".
Thanks George and Susan for all of the reports–it makes the event all the more special, especially for those of us that cannot attend. Congrats to Sato–he definitely earned the victory. I thought he showed real class in his radio interview where he thanked the Foyt team for four great years of learning experience which he said helped him this day. Am also thankful that no one was seriously injured–an unbelievable blessing given Dixon's incredible crash. Until next year!
Thank you George and Susan for your coverage of the Indy 500 on the blog. Here's looking forward to the next episode of "One Take Only" to find out about John Mc's take on this race.


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BMR Announces Expansion For 2015 As It Builds On Success
• Team Celebrates 25th Anniversary With NAPA AUTO PARTS
ROSEVILLE, Calif. (Jan. 28, 2015) – Bill McAnally Racing has announced plans to expand its lineup for 2015, as it builds on its success in the East and West divisions of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and celebrates a special anniversary.
BMR, which scored six wins and five poles last year, is looking to add to that mark in 2015 as the team commemorates the 25th year of its partnership with NAPA AUTO PARTS.
"This will be a very special year for everyone at BMR as we honor our 25th anniversary with NAPA AUTO PARTS," said BMR President Bill McAnally. "NAPA has contributed so much and been such a big part of BMR's success through the years. We want to reward NAPA and all our partners with our best year ever."
As a five-time champion in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, BMR expanded last year into the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East – becoming the only team to race full time in both the East and West divisions.
"We're looking forward to our second year of competing in the K&N West and K&N East," McAnally said. "I'm confident the teams will build on their successes from 2014."
BMR is expanding its program this year in the K&N West, meanwhile, to feature two full-time teams – with Brandon McReynolds back behind the wheel of the No. 16 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota for a second season and Chris Eggleston driving the No. 99 NAPA Filters/ H2O Fire Protection Toyota in his rookie season in the series. BMR's focus in the K&N East will have Nick Drake back in the No. 15 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota. Cole Custer will return to run select events in the East and West divisions for BMR in 2015, driving the No. 00 NAPA AUTO PARTS/HAAS Automation entry.
In his first full season of competing in the K&N West last year, McReynolds won the Most Popular Driver Award and was named to the NASCAR Next program, which spotlights NASCAR's rising stars. The 23-year-old from Mooresville, North Carolina, finished fourth in the championship standings. He garnered two poles and put together a string of nine consecutive top-five finishes. He is the son of television race analyst and former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chief Larry McReynolds.
"We have some unfinished business with Brandon in the K&N West," McAnally said. "We're looking forward to capitalizing on his consistent performance last year."
McReynolds offered a similar perspective on the season.
"I'm definitely excited after last year," he said. "It was kind of an up and down year, although our finishes were always respectable. I think we established a good foundation to build on, as I go forward into my second year at BMR.
"Speed obviously wasn't a problem all year in the NAPA Toyota," McReynolds said. "It was just a matter of closing the deal. Looking forward to this year, I know we're really going to push hard on being perfect with our preparation and try to excel and take advantage of our windows of opportunity on the race track."
Drake, also of Mooresville, capped off his rookie season in the K&N East by winning the K&N West season finale at Phoenix International Raceway. The 19-year-old, who made the transition last year from racing open-wheel sprint cars on dirt to competing in stock cars, captured attention early by winning the pole in the K&N East race at Richmond (Virginia) International Raceway.
"We look for Nick's big win at Phoenix last November to serve as a momentum builder as we head into the 2015 season," McAnally said. "As a rookie, he displayed great potential throughout the year and we anticipate his success to continue."
In addition to his win, Drake finished second overall in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East-West combination race at Iowa Speedway last May.
"We obviously ended the way we wanted to last year with our NAPA Toyota," Drake said of his win at Phoenix. "So we know we can win races. Hopefully, we can start right where we left off."
"I think it should be a really good year for BMR," he said. "Nothing's new to me anymore. We're going back to all the same tracks that we went to last year."
Drake acknowledged that his finishes in 2014 did not always reflect his performance in some of the races.
"We ran way better than we finished in some events last year," he said. "We had an opportunity to win a couple of races that slipped away from us. Some of it was out of our control. If we can get some luck on our side, hopefully we can run for this championship."
Eggleston – making just his second series start, his first with BMR – grabbed the headlines last year by winning the K&N West race at his home track, Colorado National Speedway. The 25-year-old from nearby Erie is a graduate of Colorado State University.
"We're very excited to have Chris coming on board full time for 2015," McAnally said. "He captured a lot of attention with his win at Colorado last year and we expect to see his talent continue to develop as he becomes a regular in the series."
Eggleston was one of four first-time winners in BMR's No. 99 entry last season. Drake was also in the No. 99 when he won at Phoenix. In addition, Patrick Staropoli drove the No. 99 to his first win at Irwindale (California) Speedway and Christian PaHud scored a win in the No. 99 in his series debut at All American Speedway in Roseville, California. During the season, the BMR entry will carry a special logo to commemorate the team's 25th anniversary with NAPA and its associates.
"I'm super excited and very thankful to be working with such a great team as Bill McAnally Racing," said Eggleston. "I'm thankful that we were able to put something together with NAPA Filters, NAPA Batteries and NAPA AutoCare Centers.
"This is a dream come true," he continued. "I thought it was a dream come true just to run that one race last year at Colorado in front of a hometown crowd and for us to come out of there with a victory. To put something together for the full season this year, gives us a momentum swing.
"I'm also excited to be able to work with Brandon," Eggleston said. "I think he's a great driver. I'm looking forward to working with him and learning from him. I think between the (car No.) 16 and (car No.) 99 that we can rack up a bunch of wins this year and hopefully be one-two in the championship at the end of the year."
Custer, 17, of Ladera Ranch, California, had a record-setting season in 2014. Also a member of the NASCAR Next program, Custer won the K&N West season opener at Phoenix and followed that up with a K&N East win at Richmond in April. His racing resume includes nine events in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where with a victory at New Hampshire in September he became the youngest winner in NASCAR national series history at the age of 16.
"After all of his success last year, we look for more great things to come from Cole in 2015," McAnally said.
The K&N East opens its season at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, Florida on Feb. 15 and the K&N West kicks off its 2015 schedule at Kern County Raceway Park near Bakersfield, California on March 28.


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Puerto Rico Wants to Use Blockchain Technology to Combat Corruption
In the aftermath of another corruption scandal, reports indicate that the Puerto Rican government is now contemplating using blockchain technology for improving their anti-corruption efforts. Rafael 'Tatito' Hernandez, the Puerto Rican House Speaker, disclosed that meetings will be held by lawmakers with local blockchain enthusiasts in this month to talk about the potential of adopting this technology for combating corruption. On December 6th, while speaking at the conference of Puerto Rico Blockchain Trade Association, the official stated that they could bring more accountability and transparency in the public sector by implementing smart contracts and blockchain.
Hernandez stated that they had a prominent credibility issue and blockchain could provide a solution. He also added that it was part of a broader effort of making Puerto Rico a hub for blockchain and crypto innovation. The official said that the emerging industry could provide the bankrupt commonwealth an opportunity of reviving its economy. Hernandez went on to say that the niche of manufacturing existed back in the 60s and 70s for this purpose and this was now a new niche that could help them in creating jobs. The comments from the speaker came due to the growing concerns of corruption in Puerto Rico.
Last week, a local mayor had reportedly pled guilty to accepting bribes worth more than $100,000 in cash. It is important to note that Puerto Rico is not the only one that's exploring the potential of using blockchain technology and digital currencies for dealing with corruption. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Denmark had also reported on the potential of blockchain to fight against political and administrative corruption last year. The drugs and crime agency of the United Nations had also advised Kenya to combat government corruption back in November 2020 through the use of blockchain technology.
However, there are other regions that are doing the polar opposite. Instead of looking at the underlying technology of cryptocurrencies as a tool that can be used for cutting down corruption, countries like Russia have prohibited its officials and deputies to hold crypto because of corruption concerns. Russia is one of the most corrupt countries in the world and it can undoubtedly use crypto for bringing down corruption. This was put forward by a fintech expert and legal attorney in the Russian State Duma, Maria Agranovskaya. She said that cash was a lot more popular for carrying out illegal activities like corruption because tracing it is a lot more difficult.
She said that using KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) policies in the beginning could make it a lot easier for them to trace crypto flows. She said that proper rules could prove to be very useful. This discussion about blockchain technology in Puerto Rico is another indication of the widespread popularity and adoption of this technology in a variety of industries. A number of applications of the technology have already been developed, while others are under development, which shows that the technology is here to stay and not going to go anywhere.
Previous Crowdfunding Platform Kickstarter to Shift to Blockchain-Based Model
Next Recent Advances in Quantum Computing Point to Brighter Future


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Das Naturschutzgebiet Blumenthal liegt auf dem Gebiet der der Gemeinde Prötzel im Landkreis Märkisch-Oderland in Brandenburg.

Das rund 135 ha große Gebiet mit der Kenn-Nummer 1102 wurde mit Verordnung vom 1. Mai 1984 unter Naturschutz gestellt. Das Naturschutzgebiet mit dem Großen Pichesee erstreckt sich südwestlich, westlich, nordwestlich und nördlich von Blumenthal, einem Gemeindeteil von Prötzel. Am südlichen Rand des Gebietes verläuft die B 168, am südöstlichen Rand erstreckt sich der Blumenthalsee.

Siehe auch
 Liste der Naturschutzgebiete im Landkreis Märkisch-Oderland
 Liste der FFH-Gebiete in Brandenburg

Weblinks

Naturschutzgebiet im Landkreis Märkisch-Oderland
Prötzel
Schutzgebiet (Umwelt- und Naturschutz) in Europa

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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LGBTI Rights
Crafts & Craftsmen
Agrotourism
Beaches & Seacoast
Rural & Nature
Cyprus Facts
Taste of Cyprus
News Local Police: Road policing effective in fighting crime
Police: Road policing effective in fighting crime
Police said on Friday that road policing in the past three years has brought results in their fight against crime.
The announcement was accompanied by a table showing results concerning a number of offences in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
"In Cyprus, police have been implementing road policing since 2013 with the aim of dealing with crime more effectively through traffic patrols on the road network," the police announcement said.
According to the table made public on Friday, road policing dealt with a total of 2333 offences/ cases in 2018, up on 1304 the previous year and nearly five times the 441 in 2016.
According to the breakdown, in 2018 road policing led to the detection of 49 illegal migrants (35 in 2017 and 11 in 2016) and 347 discoveries of drugs and other controlled substances (174 in 2017 and 79 in 2016).
There were also 117 cases of possession of illegal weapons (95 in 2017 and 41 in 2016) and 33 involving stolen property (52 in 2017 and 13 in 2016).
Other offences included stolen vehicles – 47 in 2018, 46 in 2017 and 26 in 2016; wanted or missing persons – 70 in 2018, 80 in 2017 and 48 in 2016 and possession of burglary tools – 28 in 2018, 14 in 2017 and 10 in 2016.
The biggest chunk – 1562 – last year involved warrants for fines. This was nearly double the 789 of 2017 and more than seven times the 213 of 2016.
By Bouli Hadjioannou
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