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Court of Arbitration for Sport to hear Canadian Nicole Walker's doping appeal
December 20, 2020, 11:29 a.m. ·2 min read
The reinstatement of Canada's show jumping team in the Tokyo Summer Olympics rides on upcoming appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Nicole Walker and Equestrian Canada are battling her doping violation at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.
Her appeal is before the Swiss-based CAS on Monday and Wednesday. Walker argues she inadvertently ingested a cocaine metabolite by drinking coca tea in Lima.
She had a hearing Dec. 4, 2019, with the Panam Sports disciplinary commission, which disqualified her scores in the individual and team events in Lima.
Walker was stripped of fourth place in the individual event. Erasing her scores in the team event dropped Canada from fourth to seventh.
Canada had to finish in the top four to be among the 20 countries competing for Olympic team gold in Tokyo. The COVID-19 pandemic postponed Tokyo's Summer Games from 2020 to 2021.
The Pan Am Games were Canada's last chance to qualify for Tokyo. Argentina moved up from fifth to claim the last Olympic berth.
Walker's lawyer Tim Danson did not respond to an email from The Canadian Press.
Walker said last year in a statement she has never used illicit drugs.
"The team deserves to go to the Olympics," Walker said then.
Walker is the 27-year-old daughter of Belinda Stronach, who is president and chairman of The Stronach Group and a former member of Parliament from 2004 to 2008.
Walker tested positive for benzoylecgonine in a sample taken the day of the team final Aug. 7 in Lima.
The coca plant contains alkaloids that can be chemically extracted to concoct cocaine.
While coca and coca leaves are illegal in Canada under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, coca tea is legal and consumed in several South American countries.
Coca tea is considered an altitude sickness remedy in Peru.
If Walker is unsuccessful in her appeal to CAS, Canada can send only one rider to Tokyo to compete in the individual event.
The Canadian team of Yann Candele, Tiffany Foster, Eric Lamaze and Amy Millar lost a jump-off for the bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
Lamaze, Ian Millar, Jill Henselwood and Mac Cone won a silver medal in 2008 in Beijing.
Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
Businesses reopen as searchers dig in Indonesia quake rubble
MAMUJU, Indonesia — Grocery stores, gas stations and other shops were reopening Wednesday in a quake-hit Indonesian city where debris still covered streets and searchers continued to dig in the rubble for more victims. Immediate food and water needs have been met and the local government has started to function again in the hardest-hit city of Mamuju and the neighbouring district of Majene on Sulawesi island, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency's spokesperson Raditya Jati said in a statement. Thousands of people are sleeping outdoors, fearing aftershocks, and the streets of Mamuju were still covered in debris. Security officers toured the city in a patrol van with a loudspeaker, urging people to observe COVID-19 health protocols as reopened gas stations and markets attracted large crowds. Disaster Task Force Commander Firman Dahlan said a navy hospital ship, a university floating hospital and field health centres were providing care to help overwhelmed hospitals. A total of 79 people died in Mamuju and 11 in Majene from the magnitude 6.2 quake that struck early Friday. More than 30,000 people had to flee from their damaged houses, and nearly 700 others were injured, many with serious injuries, according to the agency's data. Dahlan said at least 12,900 evacuees remained in shelters in Mamuju and Majene in West Sulawesi province as of Wednesday. Friday's quake was one of a series of recent disasters to hit Indonesia. The disaster agency recorded 169 minor- to major-scale disasters in the vast archipelago nation this month alone, including landslides, floods, tornadoes, tidal waves and earthquakes, that have left 160 people dead, 965 others injured and more than 802,000 displaced. The crash of a Sriwijaya Air jet on Jan. 9 killed all 62 people on board. And Indonesia has confirmed more than 927,000 infections and 26,590 deaths from the pandemic, the most in Southeast Asia. Indonesia, home to more than 260 million people, is lined with seismic faults and is frequently hit by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. Annual monsoon flooding also causes problems, and its transit infrastructure is weak and stretched beyond capacity. ___ Karmini reported from Jakarta, Indonesia. Niniek Karmini And Yusuf Wahil, The Associated Press
Inuvik's longest-serving volunteer firefighter recognized with N.W.T. service award
When David Bernhardt joined the Inuvik fire department as an 18-year-old volunteer in 1980, he never dreamed that he would still be part of the team 40 years later. "I got surprised," said Bernhardt. "I didn't think I'd go this far." Not only has he gotten this far, he's being recognized for his 'significant contributions' to firefighting in the territory with this year's N.W.T. Fire Service Merit Award. The annual award honours individual firefighters or fire departments based on nominations from the public, according to the Department of Community and Municipal Affairs. This year, Bernhardt, who is Inuvik's longest serving firefighter, was the sole recipient. Last year Bernhardt received the Canadian Volunteer Fire Services Municipal Long Service award, which recognizes achievements of long-serving volunteer firefighters in communities across the nation. Mentor In a statement from Inuvik Fire Chief Cynthia Hammond, she said Bernhardt has had multiple roles in the fire department over the years including firefighter, lieutenant, captain, and deputy fire chief. In 2013, Bernhardt had a heart attack, so he is no longer on the front lines but he still plays a communication role with the department and helps out the rookies during orientation. Hammond wrote that Bernhardt shares "his history and knowledge as a mentor to novice firefighters." He continues to show up to fire practice every Wednesday where he is part of the support platoon. Hammond said Bernhardt is "ensuring exterior operations run efficiently and more importantly, maintains a calm, steady presence with a watchful eye." 'They are like family to me' Bernhardt, who is originally from Cape Dyer on Baffin Island, Nunavut, has lived in Inuvik since the early 1960s. He said he believes Hammond nominated him for the award and he is thankful to her, the other firefighters on the Inuvik fire department, the fire marshal and the public. "We call each other brothers and sisters in the fire department and I'd like to thank them … they are like family to me ... it's good to see new equipment, new gear, new people." Bernhardt said he thinks he'll be in the department for a couple more years, and he's got some advice for anyone thinking of joining. "I always say the door is always open for you young guys. If you want to learn, it's a good choice," said Bernhardt. "Don't be scared of fire. I know fire burns you but you can also put it out."


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Katherine Gilmore Richardson
Katherine Gilmore Richardson is serving her first term as Councilmember At-Large for the City of Philadelphia. Gilmore Richardson is the youngest woman ever elected citywide and the youngest African American woman ever elected to Philadelphia City Council.
Katherine Gilmore Richardson has passed legislation that bolsters transparency and accountability in city government, requires businesses to provide information about workforce development training, cracks down on nuisance businesses, and integrates climate risk disclosure and sustainable investment decisions into the City's Pension Fund operations.
Katherine Gilmore Richardson created Philadelphia's first Apprenticeship Guidebook. The Guidebook includes information about for over 20 apprenticeship programs in Philadelphia. She is also focused on improving Philadelphia's public schools. As a result of her work, the School District is now providing Tier I conflict resolution. She has also advocated for improving Career and Technical Education curricula.
In 2021, Katherine Gilmore Richardson was appointed to the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC). She is also the Vice Chair of the LGAC's Environmental Justice Working Group.
Katherine Gilmore Richardson previously served as a staff member for Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown for 11 years in roles ranging from Constituent Services to Chief of Staff. A lifelong Philadelphian, Gilmore Richardson is a graduate of the Philadelphia High School for Girls and West Chester University. She is a member of Ridge Avenue Church of God of Prophecy and a proud life member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. Gilmore Richardson resides in Wynnefield, where she serves as the 52nd ward chair, with her husband and three children.
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Stage and studio advice from a vocal producer
April 9, 2016 April 9, 2016 Brad Chapman Audio Recording
A vocal producer is a specialist who concentrates on getting the best vocal performance possible. These eight tips come from a seasoned pro and will help you focus on how to bring your best vocal performance to the stage and studio.
Vocalists and music producers will always benefit by preparing for their time in the studio. For a vocalist, it takes time to become comfortable in the studio setting, and you need to understand what the producer wants from you so you can easily respond and adjust during the recording session. Pre-production with a vocal producer saves time and money and can improve the feel of a recording exponentially and help provide the "Emotional X Factor" which is the key to selling music. Don't go into a studio setting unprepared and waste precious time. Any record project is a major investment. Do everything you can beforehand to help your project succeed. Here are eight things you can do to help make that happen.
1. Personalized warm-up exercises
Learn how to warm up your voice with exercises specifically for you. Canned warm ups or YouTube videos likely won't work well, and they could even be detrimental. Your warms up should be specifically tailored for you.
Singing songs is also an ineffective way to warm up, as you could be tiring out your voice rather than warming it up. Being warmed up and in your best vocal condition will keep you from being distracted by your voice and keep your mind on the story line and emotions whenever you perform.
My phrase for this is "sing from feel." Feel the emotion first and then sing them out. If you do cardio or a steam room, do these before your warm ups, especially if you have an early morning performance.
2. Constantly train and be prepared
Start pre-production now – today – and never stop. You must always be preparing for the right moment. As Grammy-winner Jeff Bhasker says: "If you're not completely ready for me, I won't produce you." This is something I hear more and more from seasoned producers. They don't want to train and develop you. It's up to the vocal artist to be trained and prepared.
One area of focus should be in developing a strong head voice. This will keep the producer from having to fight levels when recording your vocals due to your overloading the pre-amp. In other words, don't yell on your high notes. If a producer has to limit the sound going to record, this results in less color in your voice. Also, intimate passages are difficult to record unless you can control the volume dynamics through a belted head voice.
3. Work with someone during vocal tracking
When you're recording, there will always be someone running your sound system or tracking your vocal tracking (at least there should be.) I know the stories of artists like Prince and Todd Rundgren self-producing, but I doubt they were alone during the vocal tracking. The reason you want to work with someone during your vocal tracking is that it is quite complicated to record, engineer, and focus on your emotional delivery.
Any totally self-produced vocals I've ever heard lack feel – and that's what the vocal needs the most! Always remember that singing is your mode of communication with your fans. Having a producer in the studio helps make sure you are communicating to someone: otherwise you're singing to yourself. Your producer should listen as an audience would and give you feedback. Your vocal expression is far more important than the sonics of the recording.
4. Know what you want in your monitors
Buy a small mixer, a microphone, headphones, and floor monitors, use them every day (even while doing vocal exercises). and learn how the equipment works. Then you can talk intelligently to your producer and make sure your audience – whether live or through your recordings – will hear you at your best. When you put headphones on in a studio, you must communicate with the engineer/producer so they can give you exactly what you need in your mix so that you are comfortable and able to sound your best. At the same time, you need to familiarize yourself with how to sound great when conditions aren't perfect. If there's a bad monitor mix or feedback on a live stage and it affects your performance, the audience won't blame the sound engineer, they'll be looking at you.
5. Feel your song's story
90 percent of your singing must have feel. Make sure that any vocal or monitor problems do not distract your conscious mind from the feel of the song. Your mind should be at least 90% on the story and how you feel about it. Producers call this "feel." They will always ask you for more and more feel, and emotional expression. They know that is the only way that they can produce a performance that means something to your fans.
6. Ignore mistakes during the performance
If you make a mistake, learn to ignore it and continue singing the song's story with emotion. Always stay in the feel of the music and the story.
7. Train until the song's technique and emotions are second nature
How is this done? Through repetition and practice. You will develop the ability to "stay in the story" from beginning to end; never being distracted. At the same time, make the story's emotions the only place you want to live in. Feel them, express them, and communicate them to your audience.
8. Enjoy your performance, enjoy the music
Do this, along with tips 1-7, and you will have a great time performing live and in the studio – and you'll sound great doing it!
Brad Chapman is an award-winning, Los Angeles-based vocal pre-producer, celebrated for his signature technique of working with singers to bring the elusive component of "feel" to their performances in the recording studio. Chapman has worked with world renown record producers including Quincy Jones, David Kahne and over 100 other Grammy winners. Clients include music legends Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Natalie Cole, James Ingram, Al Jarreau, Nina Simone, Anita Baker, Peter Cetera, REO Speedwagon, Kiss, Motley Crue, and many more. Reach Brad Chapman at bradchapmanvocals@gmail.com.
Image via ShutterStock.com.
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Brad Chapman says:
Thank you. I look forward as well.
Annella says:
You are amazing <3
Hope to work with you in the future 🙂
Love Annella


5. Add the cauliflower florets, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and fry the florets.
6. Add the potato 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder to the frying pan and fry potato.
7. Place remaining veggies onto a paper towel to drain excess oil.
8. In a large saucepan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the onion. Cook until onion gets yellowishh in color.
9. Add the 1 lb of chicken. ( I use chicken breasts only since we love white meat and it's healthier but you can use any part of the chicken or even a whole chicken). Add 2 teaspoons cinnammon, 1 teaspoon allspice, 1 chicken bouillon cube and 2 cups of water.
10. Boil the chicken for about 25-30 minutes on medium-low heat. This will allow the water to have a very tasty chicken flavor. The water should reduced somewhat.
11. Add the fried vegetables directly on top.
12. Drain the rice and add it on top of the fried vegetables and add about 2 more cups of water to ensure rice is covered in water.
13. Cover and let cook for ~40-50 minutes until all of the water is used up.
14. Turn off the stove and wait at least 20 minutes before serving this will help to ensure your rice is fluffy. It will also help to maintain the compsure of the dish when you flip it.
15. Keep in pot until you are ready to serve. When you are ready, remove cover and place serving dish on top of pot.
16.Serve with yogurt and Jerusalem Salad (recipes are coming soon).
17. Remove the pot. You can garnish with parsley or pine nuts.
Wow, that's so cool! I like the layers. Must taste delicious!
Mmmm looks delicious! I love all the ingredients and how healthy this is, definitely a keeper. Always a pleasure following your posts!
This looks so tasty and unique! Great flavors too!


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Dim Days of Dolor es el octavo álbum de larga duración de la banda de metal gótico noruega Sirenia. Fue lanzado el 11 de noviembre de 2016 a través de Napalm Records.

El 6 de octubre de 2016, se estrenó un video para "The 12th Hour". Fue realizado un video musical  para la canción "Dim Days of Dolor" dirigido por Owe Lingvall y lanzado el 11 de noviembre de 2016.

Historia
Dim Days of Dolor se compuso a principios de 2016, y grabado entre junio y julio de ese año en el estudio de grabación personal de Morten Veland (Audio Avenue Studios) en Tau, Rogaland. Se realizaron grabaciones adicionales en los estudios Sound Suite en Marsella.

El 5 de julio, Sirenia anunció que su vocalista Ailyn Giménez dejó la banda por "razones personales".  Ella no participó en ninguna de las sesiones de grabación celebradas para este trabajo.

En agosto, el álbum fue mezclado en Hansen Studios en Ribe, Dinamarca. La portada fue creada una vez más por Gyula Havancsák de Hjules Illustration And Design.

El 8 de septiembre, la cantante mezzosoprano francesa Emmanuelle Zoldan fue anunciada oficialmente como la nueva vocalista femenina, una vez terminadas las grabaciones instrumentales y las mezclas.  Más tarde, sus pistas vocales fueron incluidas.

Uno de los aspectos notables es la poca presencia de la voz gutural de Veland, y la menor participación del tradicional coro francés de ópera (The Sirenian Chor) en la mayoría de las canciones,  en comparación a sus álbumes anteriores.

Lista de canciones
Todas las canciones fueron escritas por Morten Veland.

Bonus track

Créditos

Sirenia
 Morten Veland: Vocalista masculino, guitarras, voces, bajo, piano, sintetizador, programación, batería
Emmanuelle Zoldan - Vocalista femenina

Músicos de sesión
Joakim Næss - voces masculinas limpias en "Dim Days of Dolor" y "Veil of Winter"
Damien Surian, Mathieu Landry, Emilie Bernou - The Sirenian Choir

Producción e ingeniería
Traducción al francés de "Playing with Fire" y "Aeon's Embrace" de Emmanuelle Zoldan.
Pre-producidos y grabados en Audio Avenue Studios en Tau, Rogaland, Noruega.
Grabaciones adicionales en los estudios Sound Suite en Marsella, Provenza-Alpes-Costa Azul, Francia.
Mezclado y masterizado en Hansen Studios en Ribe, Dinamarca.
Cubierta, ilustraciones, diseño y la disposición del arte por Gyula Havancsák.
Fotografía de Andreas Kalvig Anderson, Hervé Brouardelle.

Posición en listas

Referencias

Enlaces externos
 Metallum Archives

Álbumes de 2016
Álbumes de Sirenia (banda)
Álbumes de Napalm Records
Álbumes en inglés

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Did This Is Us Just Start Up Another Big Mystery? Read Recap and Weigh In
Courtesy of NBC
Tuesday's This Is Us seemed to subtly set up another of the show's signature riddles: What the heck happened to Kate when she was a teenager, and what did her boyfriend have to do with it?
Here's hoping that the revelation isn't parceled out in small bits over the whole season, as the family drama is wont to do. "How, exactly, did Jack die?" was a rough one to get through, but "How, exactly, was Kate abused?" — which is what it seems like, no? — seems even more heartbreaking.
Read on for the highlights of the Milo Ventimiglia-directed "Storybook Love." (And be sure to read Ventimiglia's thoughts on helming the episode here.)
GUESS WHO'S FLYING TO DINNER? | This episode is even more flashback-heavy than usual, so let's start with young Rebecca and Jack on their first day in their new house. She's early-second-trimester-ish pregnant and adamant that they're going to have a nice, home-cooked dinner. But it's taking forever to search their unpacked boxes for the right pans, and Jack can't find one leg of the dinner table. Then she burns the lasagna. Then a bird flies in through an open window and terrorizes Jack, who's deathly afraid of the feathered little bugger. (Side note: We don't often get to see Jack lose his stuff in this fashion. Ventimiglia is hilarious in the scene.) As Mr. and Mrs. Pearson flail about, trying to get the bird to leave, the lasagna falls on the floor. What else can they do but laugh at the absurdity? "And that's when it became a perfect night," Rebecca tells her kids years later, during another disastrous dinner that we'll get to in a minute. "We just let it be what it was."
La Brea's Natalie Zea Teases a 'Wardrobe Change for Everyone' in Back Half of Season 2 -- Find Out Why
Law & Order: SVU Recap: Did Benson and Stabler Actually Kiss?
A TOAST TO THE BRIDE, TO THE GROOM | In another flashback to the time right after Kate and Rebecca moved into their new home, Rebecca gathers all the kids and their significant others (and Miguel) for a meal to celebrate Sophie and Kevin's recent wedding. "Do you think a fancy dinner is going to make it less bizarre that Kevin got married five years after puberty?" Kate snarks.
Randall brings Beth, who gifts Rebecca with some hot sauce. Everyone tenses up at that — apparently, Jack put hot sauce on everything — but Beth explains that her father loved the condiment so much, he'd bring it as a hostess gift… but only so that he'd be assured he could use it at other people's houses. Everyone relaxes a little, and Kate uses the moment to try to get Randall to agree with her that their brother's marriage "is a little weird, right?" But he refuses to pile on, asking her instead to be supportive, for Rebecca's sake.
Which is fine and good, but then Kevin and Sophie show up and make a huge deal of calling each other "wife" and "husband," then he picks her up and carries her over the threshold. "This is how we enter buildings now," they inform everyone. "That's weird," Randall says in a low voice. "Thank you," Kate replies. One thing that seems to make it better: The record-store guy, Marc, surprises Kate and introduces himself to everyone as her boyfriend.
The dinner is stilted and strange. The food is nearly inedible. Kevin and Sophie's reasons for getting married are ridiculous. And by the time The Big Three start to argue in the kitchen, Rebecca has had enough. "So help me God," she informs them through gritted teeth, they are going to "move forward… So pull yourselves together, pretend that you like burnt, raw food, get your whiny little asses back out in those seats and enjoy my damn dinner."
AS YOU WISH | During another little break in the meal, Miguel introduces Rebecca to a vintage that got a Wine Spectator score of 90 for "Doubling as a Metaphor." He explains that conditions aren't always ideal for the wine's production, so the people who make it "have to wait out the bad years, believing there's a better year coming. And there almost always is." Rebecca nearly cries, but she pulls herself together. And then bolstered by that sentiment, announces to the gathering that she knows her dinner is terrible. Everyone chuckles, relieved that they won't die of salmonella from eating Rebecca's undercooked game hens.
They order pizza and sit in the living room while Rebecca gives Kevin and her new daughter-in-law their gift: a song. (Side note: I know I have a heart of stone, but I rolled my eyes hard at this one. Get the kids some dish towels or something, Mom!) She performs The Princess Bride theme song "Storybook Love" in honor of Kevin and Sophie's favorite movie, and all the couples seem very happy.
RANDALL'S REVVING UP | In the present, a stressed-out Tess has a panic attack at school, causing Randall to lament to Beth that he's passed his anxiety on to their daughter. She remembers right after Randall's breakdown at his office in Season 1, when William said something similar: He'd suffered from anxiety his whole life, and of all the biological attributes he could've given his son, "I hate to think that it was that."
Back in Philly, Beth calls both Tess and Randall to the kitchen to tell them that both they and William are some of her favorite people in the world, and she doesn't want to hear them badmouth any aspect of themselves — even their paralyzing anxiety. Then, using an example William said his mother used to employ to help him feel better, she pours a couple of glasses of seltzer and instructs them to remember that the bubbles will always settle, just like their anxious thoughts will always eventually calm down.
That night, Beth announces to Randall that she's found a therapist for Tess — and one for him, as well. He says he doesn't need any professional help, but she points out that his behaviors (extra-long runs, constant nervous leg bouncing) have her worried that he's headed for another rough patch. Randall firmly and curtly shuts her down, then goes to sleep without discussing the matter further.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE | Kevin meets Ryan, Cassidy's estranged husband and Matty's dad, at a hockey game. Cassidy is among the veterans being honored during a ceremony on the ice that evening, but Ryan's attitude — both about the event and toward Kevin, of whom he's deeply suspicious — is pretty sucky. When Kevin and Cassidy drop her son at his dad's house after the game, Kevin uses a private moment with Ryan to take him to task for being on his phone throughout Cassidy's big moment.
Rather than tell Kev to go to hell, which is what I think pretty much anyone in Ryan's situation would do, he tells a story about how he and Cass met in high school and have been together ever since. "That ceremony that you're talking about honored the thing that broke my favorite person in the world. I was staring at my phone because otherwise, I would've started openly weeping in front of my son. And that's not what he needs from me right now," Ryan shoots back. Kevin, chagrined, immediately apologizes. But Ryan doesn't want to hear it. "Stay away from my wife," he warns.
When Cassidy comes out, Kevin has good news for her: "He still likes you." And back at the trailer, Nicky — who'd bailed on the game when the noise and the beer and the people were too much for him — makes Kevin feel better by sharing some ice cream with him the way Jack used to… and how Jack's dad did with him and Nicky way, way back.
WHAT HAPPENED? | All Kate does this episode is call Randall and harangue him about the baby gift he warned her was going to show up that day. Rebecca comes over to see Little Jack, so they're both there when the present finally shows up: Randall and Kevin) sent his sister the family piano. She's touched.
In the seat's bench, she finds a stack of Polaroids that they took the night of Rebecca's failed restart dinner. And Kate and her mom smile at the memory… until they come to a shot of Marc and Kate. Rebecca sadly comments that she didn't see what was happening right in front of her face back then. "I didn't see it, either," Kate says, and both women are very emotionally affected by the thought.
Now it's your turn. What did you think of the episode? Does Kate's new storyline sound like it will be wrapped up soon? Or do we have another big puzzle on our hands? Let us know in the comments!
TAGS: NBC, This Is Us
GET MORE: Recaps


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Singapore Journal of Scientific Research
Publisher: Science Alert
Singapore Journal of Scientific Research is a quarterly, peer-reviewed international research journal that addresses both applied and theoretical issues. The scope of the journal encompasses research articles, original research reports, reviews, short communications and scientific commentaries in the fields of applied and theoretical sciences, biology, chemistry, physics, zoology, medical studies, environmental sciences, mathematics, statistics, geology, engineering, agricultural engineering, computer science, social sciences, natural sciences, technological sciences, linguistics, medicine, industrial and all other applied and theoretical sciences.
Singapore Journal of Scientific Research now accepting new submissions. Submit your best paper via online submission system.
Editor-in-Chief: A.K.M. Ahasanul Haque
pISSN: 2010-006x
Volume 4, Number 2, 2014
Effect of Selected Botanicals and Local Seed Storage Practices on Maize Insect Pests and Health of Maize Seeds in Jimma Zone
Waktole Sori
Singapore Journal of Scientific Research Volume 4, Number 2, 19-28, 2014
[Abstract] [Fulltext PDF] [Fulltext HTML] [XML: Abstract + References] [References]


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Women's Basketball | Kent Stated Flashes Bulled over by Buffalo
By Allen Moff Staff Writer
Mar 13, 2019 at 8:05 PM Mar 13, 2019 at 8:53 PM
Buffalo women's basketball at its best is awfully tough to beat.
Kent State ran into a Bulls squad firing on all cylinders in Wednesday's Mid-American Conference Tournament quarterfinals. Fourth-seeded Buffalo (21-9) dominated the game from start to finish and strolled to an 85-52 triumph over the fifth-seeded Golden Flashes (19-12) at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
Wednesday's Bulls resembled the stellar 2017-18 squad that won two games in the NCAA Tournament much more than the lackluster one that fell by nine points at Kent State just last Saturday.
"I was walking past (Ohio coach Bob) Boldon on the way in (to the postgame press conference). He said, 'When Buffalo's really interested, they're the best team in the league,' and he's right," said KSU coach Todd Starkey. "They're the most athletic team in the league. They have the ability to really disrupt everything you do if they stay disciplined defensively. They kind of flipped the switch and took things to a different level defensively."
Scoring was indeed a struggle for the Flashes, who shot 30 percent from the field and only took 13 free throws compared to Buffalo's 30.
Junior guard Megan Carter led Kent State with 19 points and seven rebounds, but hit just 7-of-19 field goals. Forward Lindsey Thall added 12 points but was 2-of-8 from 3, while fellow All-MAC Freshman Team honoree Asiah Dingle finished with more turnovers (6) than points (5) at the point guard slot. Dingle had scored 41 points in her previous two games.
"I thought we had a good game plan for them. We didn't execute it for the best," said Starkey. "They're going to try and disrupt what you do, and they were able to do that against us for sure."
Buffalo was equally stellar offensively, scorching a typically stingy Flashes defense for a season-high 85 points. Kent State had not allowed 70 points in over a month, and no more than 62 in four previous March outings.
The Bulls shot 50 percent from the floor and hit 26-of-30 free throws, after managing just 53 points against the Flashes on Saturday.
"I think they shot the ball a lot better than they did Saturday," said Carter. "They were just getting good looks and converting."
Watching senior guard Cierra Dillard, the second-leading scorer in the country at 25.3 points per game, post 22 points was no surprise. But sophomore guard Hanna Hall's 16-point contribution came out of nowhere. Hall did not score in last Saturday's KSU victory, and had not reached double-digits in her past 10 games before draining 4-of-5 3-pointers against the Flashes.
Hall previewed what was to come by opening the game with a 3, and Dillard added a bomb of her own to cap an 11-0 spurt to start things off.
The Flashes actually withstood that first barrage, as Carter hit a pull-up jumper and a 3 to cut Buffalo's lead to 11-7. But the Bulls unleashed another wave that Kent State was not able to answer, scoring nine of the next 11 points to go up 20-9 after Dillard sunk another 3 late in the first quarter.
At that point the Flashes' issues ran deeper than the score. Dingle picked up two quick fouls, while All-MAC Defensive Team honoree Alexa Golden aggravated a nagging shoulder injury after the senior fell on the floor following a steal.
"I think she probably is the all-time leader in NCAA history in ice bags used over four seasons, but that's the type of player she is," said Starkey. "Her shoulder has been bothering her for a few weeks now. As of a week ago, she was having trouble just lifting her arm up. So she re-aggravated that, and I think it got in her head a little bit. She was really kind of struggling to be who she is."
Golden still managed five steals and three assists.
The Bulls already led by 10 when junior forward Summer Hemphill, who entered the day 1-of-2 from 3-point range on the year, swished a shot from beyond the arc.
"It was just kind of how the day went," said Starkey. "You get a player that doesn't typically take 3s and we play her the right way, sag off of her, and she tees up a 3 and it goes down."
Kent State trailed 41-21 at halftime. Thall hit two 3-pointers early in the second half, but Hall struck right back with a pair of her own to put the Bulls up 52-29 and they never let up.
The Flashes, who finished 13-19 last year, are hoping to receive a WNIT bid when they're awarded next Monday night. Kent State entered Wednesday's action 74th in the latest RPI, and the WNIT field is 64 teams strong.
"We think we have a favorable resume to get a WNIT bid," said Starkey. "I'm really pleased with where this program is right now and where we're headed. This is just a small piece of our whole season. It doesn't define who we've been all year. It just happens to be in the conference tournament when the lights are the brightest, so it stings a little bit more."


The Pleasantville Housing Authority is seeking quotes on the following items. Award is made to the lowest responsible and responsive vendor by line item. The quotes will reviewed on the date and time posted on the relevant link..
If the amount of the contract or purchase order awarded is over $17,500, the award of contract must be authorized by a resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the Pleasantville Housing Authority.
Instructions for submitting quotes will be on the RFQ document, and will vary as circumstance dictates.
Quotes over $17,500 should be submitted in writing, in a sealed envelope.
Requests for Quotes for construction, repair, or any other type building or grounds services must be accompanied by a copy of the bidders current New Jersey Public Works Contractors License.
Requests for Quotes (RFQ) can be downloaded by clicking on the appropriate links below.


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How Do You Rebrand Sustainable Food?
Amore's identity work for a green summit in New York takes a fresh approach to a big idea.
By Jordan Kushins 1 minute Read
Sustainability–the concept, if not the earnest practice–is everywhere these days. Which presents a challenge to any design studio tasked with repackaging such a broad, pervasive idea freshly. Late last year in New York, an annual environmental summit turned its focus on green food, and its organizers at the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce sought to give the "farm to fork" movement a modern treatment.
Looking to establish a tasteful, cohesive identity for the event, (and in part for sustainable food as a whole), the SACC enlisted Amore, a Stockholm, Malmö, and New York-based creative consulting agency.
So where did Amore begin? The team believes in a methodology they call "love at first sight," and they've built their entire business model around developing the idea. "The best way of creating a connection is to base what we do on our innermost driver–our emotions," Senior Designer Jonas Hellström tells Co.Design. "What is apparent is that with the ever-increasing touch points and the immense amount of information around us, it is both easier and harder to create a true connection. The emotional bond is more important than ever in the big information flood, where you as a sender of a message [are] easily lost, missed, and not recognized."
Working with these principles, the team developed a refined handmade logotype to position the work in that intimate emotional space, and extended its mark to all the printed materials, which included save-the-date cards, invites, dinner menus, and a royal gala program for visiting Swedish dignitaries. "We were inspired by the polarity between tradition and science, history and future, and the rural and the urban landscape," Hellström says of their work.
And the effort seems to have had the desired effect. After recently winning a Core77 award for Visual Communication, Amore has already been asked to do the graphics for this year's upcoming summit.
(H/T Core 77)


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A Winter Wander Land – Miscellaneous Items
Comics Page Returns to Daily News
Newspaper industry
D. D. Degg 1 month ago 4 weeks ago 05 mins
Washington, D.C. – A Search for the Source
The Library of Congress found the cartoonist who created it (Paul Gregg) and found the newspaper it probably appeared in (The Denver Post) but it still looking for confirmation of the date (ca. early 1933).
This mystery centered on an image of a political cartoon found online. No original source information accompanied the image online, so a researcher needed help identifying where it came from. Most newspapers in the Serial & Government Publication Division are organized by title, date, and publication location. It can be tricky to find something when one of those key details is missing.
Joanna Colclough (LoC) details her search for the source.
Paris, France – Asterix and Obelix
The best selling comic book of 2023 is being prepared. From France 24:
French novelist and comic book author Fabcaro, who is known for his absurdist humour, will be the fourth scriptwriter to carry on the adventure of the indomitable Gaul who stood against the Romans.
As is tradition, the next volume will come out in an odd-numbered year, with the latest release planned for October 26, 2023, publisher Albert Rene said.
Bleeding Cool relays remarks by the author of the comic that
will have an estimated first printing of eight million copies:
FabCaro, writer/artist of the popular comic book series Zaï Zaï Zaï Zaï signed up to the gig one year ago today, when approached by Albert René Editions to pitch for the series. "At the end of December, I sent a synopsis to Albert René editions with the first storyboards. They must have said to themselves: 'This one is going to make us run'. Then it took me two months to complete everything. It was quite fast," he told RTL.
Cartoonland, Your Local Newspaper of the Past – Lichty
Animation Resources posts a number of Grin and Bear It panels from the late 1930s to the early 1950s by the great cartoonist George Lichty.
At first glance, Lichty's drawings appear sloppy, with formulaic oafish characters standing around with their jaws agape. But look closer… His compositional sense and skill at putting across a visual gag is remarkable. There's nothing sloppy about his use of perspective either. The most amazing thing is that his lines seem to be alive!
Columbus, Ohio – The Billy Ireland Christmas Newsletter
2022 has been an exciting year for us at BICLM! As of October, we returned to our pre-pandemic number of gallery visitors, and have greatly enjoyed hosting in-person programs again to reunite with old friends and welcome new guests.
The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum issued their 2022 roundup.
Just one of many items:
Thanks to funding from the Hearst Foundation, work continued on cataloging the massive San Francisco Academy of Comic Art Collection. Thousands of rare newspaper comics pages and sections have been rehoused and added to our finding aids. We are also the proud recipients of a grant from the Terra Foundation for American Art to reimagine the permanent exhibition in our Mort Walker Gallery!
New York, New York – 2023 King Features Directory
King Features Syndicate has released their product directory for 2023.
The newly obtained Candorville is included;
the soon to be lost Crankshaft, Funky Winkerbean, and Mother Goose & Grimm are not.
Previous: CSotD: This is no time for facts
Next: Richard Kemplin – RIP
Sherman Jay on CSotD: Smoke Gets In Our Eyes January 27, 2023
Along with H. Zinn I refer you to the excellent work by Daniel A. Sjursen 'A True History of the…
Carlo Coratelli on CSotD: Smoke Gets In Our Eyes January 27, 2023
I don't understand why in America there is such a need to have a gun. It is something that, for…


How much time and energy do people spend rating, reviewing and answering surveys?
Over the past year, I stopped responding to customer surveys, providing user feedback or, mostly, contributing product reviews. Sometimes I feel obligated – even eager – to provide this information. Who doesn't like being asked their opinion? But, in researching media technologies as an anthropologist, I see these requests as part of a broader trend making home life bureaucratic.
Consumer technologies – whether user reviews and recommendations, social media or health care portals – involve logistical effort that means more administrative work at home. As economic anthropologist David Graeber observes, "All the software designed to save us from administrative responsibilities [has] turned us into part- or full-time administrators." Companies may benefit when customers create content, provide feedback and do busywork once done by paid employees, but what about the customers themselves – all of us?


Sweeney's left-leaning, lighthearted corner of the blogosphere going dark will affect everyone in the Whatcom County political community. Touchingly, Sweeney received well wishes under his final post from people across the political spectrum.
Before seeing the announcement, I had wondered if the chips might fall a much different way in this important week on the elections calendar. Sweeney mentioned two years ago on his blog he had an interest in running for Bellingham City Council. He decided after all to sit that election cycle out, but I always assumed that someday, whether this year or some year very soon, I would see Sweeney's name on the ballot.
City leaders want Sweeney to continue the work Taylor did to make Ferndale's business more accessible to the public. Taylor rebuilt Ferndale's website, gave the city a lively Facebook presence and was quick to school council members in meetings about how decisions needed to be made in the open, and free of conflicts of interest.
Sweeney's job also will be to keep the lines of communications open between government and its citizens.
Sweeney's first day of duty in Ferndale is May 22. His salary will be $50,000 a year, according to city officials.
I won't miss Sweeney scooping the Herald on breaking political news, but I will miss his work greatly. Sweeney said he would have big shoes to fill in Ferndale, replacing Taylor. My concern is, the winner of the 2014 Paul deArmond Citizen Journalism Award simply can't be replaced.


So here's a little somethin' somethin' that just gives a little taste of what we did on our vacation. If you're in California, it's a given that you'll take a trip to the beach and what better way to make a statement (before you get salt and sand caked in your hair, clothes, and other undesirable spots) than wearing your beach finest? Here's mine.
Remember my J-Lo dress I made? I called it that because I saw J-Lo wearing a dress like it in a movie. Well, I got tired of it's look so I transformed it and I gotta say, I like the makeover. What do you think?
Thanks for stopping by! Can't wait to share everything that went down this week, plus, I've finally got that skirt tutorial that I've been promising all set and ready to go. What an exciting week!
Sue... I love you!! I want a re-designed J-Lo dress... you are amazing! PS... My dad says he wants you to make him a custom camera strap... for free... because he's cheap... but for real, if you tell me how much that would cost me I might consider saving up for a b-day present! Love you!
I'd love to make him a custom camera strap. Send me an e-mail or call me or something, k?
Hugs right back atcha KaLa!
I do love the makeover of the dress.
You must know San Diego! Yes, the water wasn't exactly as warm as we hoped, but the sun wrapped us in its warm embrace and we loved it... Plus, I'm an Idahoan at heart and I'm used to the freezing cold water.


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Buckle admits to interest in his players
PHILOSOPHICAL Hatters boss Paul Buckle has admitted that several clubs have been expressing an interest in Town's stars, writes Mark Wood.
A number of Luton's players including the likes of Jake Howells, Robbie Willmott and Godfrey Poku are out of contract and yet to pen new deals.
Buckle said: "We've had some interest. Sometimes that interest in them is started by the agent and the player. I'm not too worried.
"It comes down to how much that player wants to stay at Luton. I have a number of players that want to come to this club. There's the odd few we've offered contracts to and nothing is signed or sealed yet.
"Players get a month to make their minds up on any offer.
"I'm always reluctant to give anything away until there's something concrete. I'm not afraid if someone doesn't sign on as long as it doesn't hurt the club. I'm very, very mindful not to threaten the club on the finance side of it.
"If someone wants to leave Luton Town I certainly won't be standing in their way."
And while a number of players have been released by Luton, the likes of Curtis Osano and Keith Keane have chosen of their own volition to play elsewhere.
On Town stalwart Keane, who signed for League One Preston last week, Buckle said: "I'm a realist in many ways. Players do move on. Keith has been a fantastic servant to the club no doubt about that. We had a good honest chat.
"There were a couple of things. It was a League One club and a new challenge.
"He has been at the club a long time and it's a fresh challenge and we can't begrudge him that.
"It's about filling the shirt, either someone in-house or someone new.
"I've got a target list of players. I don't get bogged down with it.
"I'm very clear on the type of person and players I want to bring to the club.
"I'm certainly not going to rush into it."
And bullish Buckle was keen to make it clear that Osano chose to move to AFC Wimbledon over staying at Luton after the right-back claimed in our sister paper the Luton News / Dunstable Gazette yesterday that he hadn't received a firm offer from the club.
He said: "It's laughable. I spoke to my player Curtis Osano and asked him what he wanted before any interest from AFC Wimbledon.
"I said to Curtis if I could get you X would you sign it, he said yes. He was offered what he told me he wanted.
"In the meantime his name was given to AFC Wimbldeon.
"I then got a courtesy call back from Stuart Cash a few days later saying that we've agreed with the boy.
"I then spoke to Kevin Nicholls who has obviously got Godfrey Poku as well.
"Curtis rang me to say he wanted to speak to me. But the deal was already done. At the end of the day the boy chose AFC Wimbledon.
"I think I improved him, I'm not scared of saying that. He admitted that.
"But he felt he wanted to take the opportunity in the League."


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11 1/2"H x 17 1/2" Top Dia.


NYC Traps Coyote – Pennsylvania: Hunt. Fish. Shoot.
Who would have thought…a coyote was trapped in New York City.
A wily coyote led sharpshooters armed with tranquilizer guns on a merry chase through Central Park before being captured on Wednesday.
The coyote, nicknamed Hal by Parks Department staffers, may have wandered into the city from Westchester County, perhaps swimming across a river, Benepe said. Another coyote found its way to Central Park in 1999 and is now kept in the Queens Zoo.
I can't wait until more Hals start showing up in big cities…could our own city of Brotherly Love be next?
Questions are now being raised as to what exactly killed "Hal," the nickname bestowed upon the coyote.


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Completed release of all scarring.
This patient had breast reconstruction following a bilateral subcut mastectomy which resulted in deep tethering, where scars had become stuck to deep tissues which became worse when she moved.
Two previous attempts at fat grafting elsewhere had failed and had resulted in cysts. However, successful lipomodelling has freed up the underlying muscles for movement and has eased scar restruction of the whole chest.
These photos help tell her story.


One of the most iconic shapes, now with a whole new look. Lenses superimposed on the frame: Wayfarer meets Blaze. The new Blaze structure with lenses superimposed on the frame gives this model a futuristic line while transparency emphasizes its elegance. An explosive combination for a luminous, audacious and memorable effect.


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All Posts • Environmental Health
How public health laboratories can track and improve climate change effects
By Melanie Padgett Powers, writer
Climate change damages not only the planet but also harms human health. Public health laboratories can play an important role in defining indicators, collecting data and tracking the health and environmental effects of climate change, according to presenters in the May 20 APHL 2021 Annual Conference session "Climate Change Data Needs: How Can Public Health Laboratories Fill This Gap?"
Ann Liu, PhD, MPH, senior scientist (contractor) at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences outlined the major climate change trends in the US: rising temperatures; extreme precipitation; increased flooding in the Midwest and Northeast; hurricanes; rising sea levels along the Mid-Atlantic and Gulf Coast; drought, heat waves and wildfires, especially in the West; and increased frequency and intensity of winter storms.
"In order to detect and monitor climate change trends over time … it's important to collect the right data and to develop indicators for proxy measurements of both changes in climate and also changes in human health outcomes that are impacted by those changes in climate," Liu said.
Federal programs that collect climate change data used as indicators include the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Environmental Public Health Tracking Network, Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and US Global Change Research Program.
Laboratory presenters outlined how they have tracked and worked to improve climate change-related problems. In Pennsylvania, harmful algal blooms (HABs) occasionally close recreational lakes, preventing people from swimming, boating and fishing and cause fears about human and pet exposure to the water, explained Pamela Higgins, PhD, special assistant to laboratory operations at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Bureau of Laboratories.
HABs have increased in the state due to the combination of agricultural and urban runoff and warmer water temperatures, she said. HABs decrease the oxygen available to other organisms in the water, killing them. They can also be a danger to fish, pets and humans.
The DEP Bureau of Laboratories developed two new analyses to characterize HABs. Light microscopy allowed for identification and enumeration of the different cyanobacteria in the water. ELISA cyanotoxin assays allowed for the detection of the four most likely cyanotoxins that might be released from the bacteria.
"The laboratory results show that the cyan bloom populations are complex and dynamic in Pennsylvania, with anywhere from three to 11 different cyanobacteria present at any one time," Higgins said. In addition, the composition changes by location and time of year. The bureau will need to implement new predictive methods to be able to issue public advisories in advance, she said.
In Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) started with a water quality problem that turned out to be linked to climate change. Officials first noticed higher levels of lead in the water, although it still fell into safe health standards, explained Steve Rhode, MS, director of laboratory services at MWRA.
As they investigated, they noticed that chloride concentrations had doubled in one main reservoir over the past 20 years, although the levels still met health standards. Their research showed that this increase was a national issue and that the US Geological Survey linked the chloride jump to increased salting of roads in icy weather. In turn, more road salt has been used partially because climate change has led to more extreme winter weather events.
"So, climate change does in fact factor in to the issue of how much salt gets applied to roads," Rhode said.
However, he pointed out that climate change is not the only factor. There are now more paved areas that need salt, plus attitudes about what constitutes safe driving have changed over time, leading to more salt use.
To combat the problem, MWRA has created an educational program to inform departments of public works near the watershed about how to salt roads more effectively. In addition, a national research consortium called Clear Roads is working to identify how to improve winter maintenance.
There is an opportunity for laboratories to move from this type of targeted research and problem-solving to more of a surveillance mode. But, to make this happen more resources are needed.
"Resources are generally limiting," said Jed Waldman, PhD, laboratory chief at the Environmental Health Laboratory in the California Department of Public Health. In addition, there needs to be a discussion about "how we harmonize work in a meaningful way," he said. "Instead of having a patchwork of programs, that we build the kind of surveillance programs that work across state lines. I feel like the federal government is in the best position to organize that, something akin to the National Biomonitoring Network."
Melanie Padgett Powers is a freelance writer and editor specializing in health care and public health.
environmental health environment Massachusetts Climate change conferences pennsylvania harmful algal blooms annual conference
Celebrate Public Health Laboratory Appreciation Month 2021 with APHL
Wastewater tracking provides warning signs of local COVID-19 burden


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A SIDE TRIP FROM
Disney Goes Hawaiian, Part 29:
The News from Aulani
A Disney Resort & Spa, 2019
Yesterland usually deals with retired elements of Disneyland Park and other major theme parks. But not always.
As someone who loves visiting Hawai'i—especially O'ahu—and who is fascinated by how Disney creates immersive environments, I watched with keen interest as Disney transformed 21 acres on a manmade lagoon in sunny West O'ahu into Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawai'i. Aulani opened in 2011. My interest has continued.
This month, I spent two weeks at the Ko Olina resort. Although our room was not at Aulani, we spent time and money there. The pools, deck chairs, lazy river, and resort activities at Aulani are only for Aulani guests—but the shops, restaurants, and bars are for anyone with a wallet.
This is my 29th article about Aulani. This time, I have news from Aulani, Ko Olina where Aulani is located, and the town of Kapolei where Ko Olina is located.
, Curator of Yesterland, June 21, 2019
No construction yet at the Atlantis Resort next door
When Aulani opened at Lagoon 1 of the 642-acre Ko Olina Resort, its neighbor to the north was a JW Marriott luxury resort, which was subsequently upgraded and rebranded to a Four Seasons resort. To its south, a prime 26-acre development parcel was ready for another mega-resort.
Over the years there had been a number of announcements of a spectacular new resort coming to Lagoon 1. For example, in 2005, there was news of plans for the "Grand Ko Olina Resort, Hotel & Spa, a $1 billion project integrated with an interactive aquarium adventure lagoon and cultural center." But it was never built.
Rendering © Kerzner International Holdings Limited
Initial rendering (2016) of the Atlantis Resort at Ko Olina
In January 2016, the news was that an Atlantis Resort was on its way. According to Hawaii News Now at that time, "Atlantis Resorts is finalizing a deal to build one of its famous ocean-themed resorts in Ko Olina, which could be the most expensive resort ever built, sources said." Famous for its over-the-top resorts, the initial artwork showed a more traditional design, although still with two towers connected at the top.
Meanwhile, China Oceanwide Holdings—a Chinese conglomerate involved with property development, banking, insurance, energy, media, and technology—had been buying up other parcels at Ko Olina. In December 2016, China Oceanwide also acquired the Atlantis parcel—with plans to proceed with the Atlantis project.
Rendering © China Oceanwide Holdings
Revised rendering (2019) of the Atlantis Resort at Ko Olina, also showing Aulani
Rendering showing a ground-level view of the Atlantis Resort at Ko Olina
It's now June 2019. Earlier this year, China Oceanwide released new renderings of the Atlantis Resort. There's no resemblance to the previous art. The new design is dramatic, but does it represent Hawai'i?
According to the 2018 annual report of HOK Group, Inc., the project's architects, the answer is yes:
The site plan recalls the culturally significant shape of a traditional Polynesian fish hook, which communicates strength, integrity and a connection to nature.
The shapes have meaning too, while giving a nod to other Atlantis Resorts:
Derived from the Hawaiian surfer's dream of the "big wave," a dramatic massing of the 14-story structure is created by separating the two primary wings and connecting them with a multistory bridge that recalls classic Atlantis resorts in Dubai and the Bahamas. The building's podium, including the main lobby rotunda, resembles an exposed rock face against which a wave is formed.
The guestroom tower is capped by an undulating roof monitor that reinforces the wave metaphor. Curvilinear balconies continue this sine curve rhythm, emphasizing the design's fluidity. A signature Atlantis Bridge Suite penthouse at the crest of the wave modernizes the brand's classic aesthetic. The curved exterior expression is achieved through the design of the building skin and balcony, allowing for the stacking of the corridors and structure with only minor setbacks.
There you have it. Atlantis Ko Olina is not futuristic. It's a tribute to the Polynesian fish hook and the ocean waves of Hawai'i.
Okay, it still comes across as futuristic. And what a jarring contrast to Aulani!
Photo by Werner Weiss, June 2019
Still just an empty parcel
There has been no construction activity at the Atlantis site, aside from the demolition of a wedding chapel and temporary real estate office in April 2017, after their leases ran out.
In downtown Los Angeles, near Staples Center, a $1-billion project by China Oceanwide has been stalled this year when funds ran out. Not a good sign.
If construction ever gets underway, guests at Aulani, especially those on the south side of the Ewa Tower, will face several years of construction noise. Aulani took almost three years from groundbreaking to opening, and Atlantis Ko Olina is likely to have a similar construction schedule.
New performance times at the 'Ōlelo Room
Each evening, there's live Hawaiian music on the patio of the 'Ōlelo Room at Aulani from 6:00 p.m.to 9:45 p.m. Aulani hires wonderful acts who perform a variety of traditional and contemporary Hawaiian music, often with a story between songs.
And, each early evening, there's a Sunset Hour there from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.— which is actually two hours. Beer is $5; wine is $7; there are a couple of special pupus; and there's a big menu of regularly priced tropical drinks (with and without alcohol) and pupus.
Reading the two paragraphs above, you might think the perfect time to go is between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m.—when the music and Sunset Hour pricing overlap.
Patio of the 'Ōlelo Room at Aulani
Sunset Hour menu at the 'Ōlelo Room
Kamuela Kimokeo and Jerry Santos at the 'Ōlelo Room
But there's a catch. At the beginning of June 2019, the Makahiki restaurant adjoining the 'Ōlelo Room began offering character dinners that overlapped with the music performances four nights per week. On those nights, the performers at the 'Ōlelo Room begin their set at 6:00 p.m.—and then have to take a 45-minute break at 6:15 p.m. That's not good if you arrive a few minutes after 6:00 p.m. hoping to hear music.
Currently, the character dinners are Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The solution those nights is to arrive around 6:50 p.m., get seats, order with Sunset Hour pricing, and enjoy a long set beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Check the schedules at Aulani. Don't rely on what's written here. Things can always change.
Hawaii bans sunscreen harmful to coral reefs
The sun in Hawai'i is intense—so it's a good idea to rely on UV-blocking clothing, hats, and good sunscreen to avoid sunburn, skin damage, and long-term effects such as skin cancer.
On May 1, 2018, the state of Hawai'i passed a bill banning many sunscreens, effective January 1, 2021.
No, the state of Hawai'i is not trying to give you a sunburn. The state responded to research and evidence that chemicals commonly used in sunscreen—oxybenzone and octinoxate—damage coral reefs.
Reef-friendly chemical and mineral sunscreen from Sun Bum
Zinc Oxide product from Neutrogena (good), not to be confused with regular Neutrogena sunscreen (bad)
Some sunscreens block the sun's harmful rays with chemicals. Not all chemical sunscreens are being banned. Some are labeled reef-friendly, and will continue to be sold in Hawai'i.
Other sunscreens block harmful rays physically with minerals—zinc-oxide, titanium dioxide, or a combination of both. These are reef-safe—and possibly more human-safe too.
This Yesterland artcle is not the right place for a long dissertation on how chemicals in sunscreen damage coral and other ocean organisms—and might even be harmful to humans because the human skin absorbs oxybenzone. You might want to do some Googling.
Some stores in Hawai'i have already switched entirely to reef-friendly sunscreen. In fact, Costco did not even wait for the legislation to be introduced.
If you're buying sunscreen to bring to Hawai'i, shop carefully. Even if you're not planning to swim in the ocean, anything you put on your skin will eventually wind up in there.
Farmers Market and entertainment at Ka Makana Ali'i
If you look up the address of Aulani and other resorts at Ko Olina, the city is Kapolei, Hawai'i. It's actually part of the City and County of Honolulu, but it functions as a distinct city. Kapolei has long had big box stores and plenty of smaller shopping centers—but it finally got a real shopping mall, Ka Makana Ali'i, in 2016.
The open-air mall has a mix of national retail chains (even Macy's) and businesses found only in Hawai'i. The developer could have done a better job with landscaping and water features. (After all, this is Hawai'i!) There's too much concrete, and the main mall is too narrow.
There are good reasons for tourists to visit Ka Makana Ali'i. There are quite a few restaurants, with prices meant to attract local residents. Limon Rotisserie serves delicious Peruvian food in portions designed for sharing. The value is excellent.
Limon, one of many restaurants at Ka Makana Ali'i
Farmers Market at Ka Makana Ali'i
Brandon No'eau Serrano of Pu'oloa at the Farmers Market
Ka Makana Ali'i now has a Farmers Market twice weekly—Wednesdays from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Compared to the huge Farmers Market at Kapi'olani Community College in Honolulu, the one at the mall is modest. But you can get a meal, shop for food, and—based on the excellent singer on June 5, 2019—listen to first-rate Hawaiian entertainment. The Farmers Market will probably get bigger over time.
Hotels opening in nearby Kapolei
Until September 2016, Kapolei had no hotels other than the pricey resorts at Ko Olina. That changed when a six-story, 175-room Hampton Inn by Hilton opened at Ka Makana Ali'i at the end of the month.
Since then, the Hampton Inn has been joined by a 180-room Embassy Suites property, also part of Hilton. A 180-room Residence Inn by Marriott is scheduled to open in October 2019. A fourth, as-yet-unnamed hotel has been announced.
Hampton Inn by Hilton at Ka Makana Ali'i
Embassy Suites all-suite hotel
Residence Inn O'ahu Kapolei extended-stay hotel under construction
These new Kapolei hotels, located between Honolulu Airport and Ko Olina (closer to Ko Olina), are not marketed to tourists. But for guests at Aulani and other Ko Olina properties seeking to lengthen a vacation, they could work well—specially on arrival day from the mainland, when guests would otherwise arrive too late to enjoy their expensive resorts.
Also, given the likely difference in room rates compared to Ko Olina, these hotels could serve as a base for day trips to Pearl Harbor, the North Shore, and other other O'ahu destinations. Then, there would be no need to leave Ko Olina resorts when staying there.
Click here to post comments at MiceChat about this article.
Pirates and More Pirates
Neighbors of Aulani
© 2019 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks
Updated June 21, 2019.


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Q: How to expand this matrix exponential: $(I-AB^{-1})^{-n}$? I want to kow how to expand this matrix exponential: $(I-AB^{-1})^{-n}$.
Also, can anyone name a few applications where you may want to consider this expansion?
Sorry if the question is too naive, please consider me as from some other planet coming to earth to study maths.  I would be quick to learn if you guys can name me a few resources where I should look, or just keywords to search.
Thank you!

A: An "easy" way, without Eigenvalues and eigenvectors:
${(I-C)}^{-n}={((I-C)^n)}^{(-1)}=(\displaystyle\sum_{i=0}^{n}\binom{n}{i}(-C)^n)^{(-1)}$
Taking $C=AB^{-1}$
$C^n=AB^{-1}AB^{-1}AB^{-1}\ldots AB^{-1}$ with $n$ produts of $AB^{-1}$
Then a way to expand this could be:
$(I-AB^{-1})^{-n}=(\sum_{i=0}^{n}\binom{n}{i}(-\prod_{j=1}^{n}{AB^{-1}})^{-1}$.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Quinton de Kock replaces Faf du Plessis as ODI captain
Quinton De Kock has been named South Africa's new ODI captain, as announcement made in CapeTown. Explosive 27 year old wicket keeper batsman Quinton De Kock has made his international debut in 2013 and over the span of 7 years he succeeded Faf Du Plesis as South Africa's ODI captain. There are lots of changes […]
Pakistan vs Bangladesh 2020 Schedule Full Schedule
After so many hiccups and delays finally Bangladesh agrees to tour of Pakistan. With international cricket already started to come back to Pakistan with baby steps and so many cricket grounds in Pakistan are now getting life with support of cricketing nations. After Sri Lanka now its Bangladesh turn to play cricket in Pakistan. Below […]
Dwayne Bravo recalled as West Indies announced Squad for Ireland T20
After registering two easy wins and one tense encountered win against Ireland in 3 match ODI series, West Indies cricket board announced squad for upcoming T20 series against the same opponents starting form 15th January 2020. All rounder Dwayne Bravo recalled to West Indian squad after lay off almost 03 years form international cricket. 36 […]
England's James Anderson ruled out of South Africa Tour
England fast bowler James Anderson ruled out of South African tour due to rib injury which he sustained during second test match against South Africa which England won by 189 runs. James Anderson only manage to bowl 2 overs in South Africa 2nd innings before pulling out due to pain. James Anderson at 37 years […]
Babar Azam to rejoin Somerset in 2020
Worlds # 1 T20 batsman Pakistan's Babar Azam will be rejoining English county Somerset for 5 weeks in next season of T20 blast. T20 Blast is one of the fastest growing franchise leagues in T20 cricket world wide and feature of English Cricket Season. Pakistan's T20 captain Babar Azam who represented Somerset in last edition […]
IND vs SL 2nd T20 Live Score 07 Jan 2020
India & Sri Lanka are ready to face each other in 2nd T20 international match out of the scheduled 3 T20 match series. First abandoned due to consistent return which results in wet outfield at Baraspara Stadium, Guwahati. India vs Sri Lanka live streaming will be available as well as live broadcast channels will also be available […]
WI vs IRE 2020: West Indies Announced Squad for ODI series vs Ireland
West Indies announced squad for upcoming 3 match ODI series Ireland which will take place in Caribbean Island. Only major change occur into the host squad for West Indies vs Ireland 2020 series is axing of all-rounder Jason Holder. According to Chief Selector Roger Harper they have decided to give rest to Jason Holder in […]
Australia vs New Zealand 3rd Test Live Cricket Score 03-07 Jan 2020 – NZ Tour of AUS 2019-20
New Zealand will face Australia in the 3rd and final test match of the series at Sydney. Starting from January 03, 2020 Australia vs New Zealand live streaming will be available as well as live broadcast channels will also be available through different TV Channels. Where to watch New Zealand vs Australia 3rd Test Live […]
India vs Sri Lanka T20 Live Streaming & TV Channel, IND vs SL 2020
December 30, 2019 By Nazro Gayle Leave a Comment
India and Sri Lanka will start their New Year cricket campaigns by facing each other when Sri Lanka will travel to India for 3 T20 series starting from January 05, 2020. As both teams are gearing up of World T20 later next year this will be great opportunity for both the sides to fine tune […]
Australia's Peter Siddle retires from International Cricket
Veteran Australian fast bowlers Peter Siddle announces retirement from International cricket today. 35 year old Peter Siddle last represented Australia at international level in Sep 2019 in an ashes test.


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Electronics Production | May 09, 2009
Sony Ericsson is also to lay off in Sweden
Editor: Anke Schröter
Sony Ericsson is also to lay off at its facility in Lund. Around 400 staff could be affected there.
This comes as another blow to the Swedish city, as ST-Ericsson already announced to lay off 430 staff there (evertiq reported). Local media reports that it is not a question of if, but rather of when and how many. "We have notified 160 employees in Lund. In addition we plan a reduction of the number of consultants by 250. 100 of these contracts already ended in April", Gustaf Brusewitz, spokesperson for Sony Ericsson in the Nordic countries, told media representatives.
ST-Ericsson to lay off 430 in Sweden
ST-Ericsson to lay off 1200 worldwide
Sony Ericsson to cut 2000 jobs


Jon Rolfe was kind enough to send me his Matrix ceramic lap to play with. I had a bunch of sapphire queued up, and went to town.
I hated my old ceramic with the burning passion that only ceramic laps and sociopathic mass-murdering dictators usually rate. I'd managed to get decent polishes on sapphire with my Darkside, even with the tin lap but not amazing and not all that fast.
The Matrix starts out feeling a bit rough. I decided to break it in with 60k Diastick and the piece of synthetic ruby I keep around for use such purposes. About 10 minutes and it was smoother and ready to rock.
It's fabulous. I got clean, flat, fast polishes coming off 3k prepolish. It used very little Diastick and even less Snake Oil. I polished nearly dry. It could move facets when I needed to, which was always a bit sketchy on the softer laps.
5 sapphires later it's my go-to for corundum. I haven't tried it with anything else - yet - but will.
I think, because it is not "My" product, I can comment without ethical failure.
That weird "Off The Dop" sunstone was done on the MATRIX, and polished promptly with 60 K on the pavilion and later, chrome oxide on the table and crown.
The Ruby: I had some old badly cut Burmese ruby c.a. late 1970's early '80s. I selected one of excellent color, but with a single flaw, and cut a small octagon, which I polished on the MATRIX.
In removing the epoxy, and make it extra clean for photography, I gave it a few minutes in acetone. As it dried, A MILLION LIITLE CRACKS APPEARED. I heard of emeralds being oiled all the time. I did not suspect it was done with ruby.
I have consistently noticed a vitreous finish on all the stones I have polished on the Matrix lap.
This has become my primary lap for materials that I would polish with diamond.
Does anyone tested it with topaz?
Curious to know if the matrix has been used as a pre polish lap yet?
I never attempted to prepolish with it as that would clog many of the pores, thus defeating the porous feature of the lap. I would recommend the BATT if you want a chargeable pre-polish lap.
Prepolish range particles would fit into the First Order pores. I think they would just get in the way, though. This is not a simple sponge. There are at least two more orders of self-similar complexity, hence the high FD.
Short Version. No. It's a polishing lap. A solid vitreous ceramic can be used on any size grit, if one can get it to work. These ceramics have been more universally successful in other applications.
Lisa's post prompted me to break out my Matrix lap which has been wanting attention. It works great on Topaz and I have 2 sapphires in line to cut next. Can't wait to get to the polishing!
No detail is too small. Think about it.
Hope the ones I acquired from a different source are not the same.
I got these stones nearly forty years ago. Whoever sold me these is probably long since Worm Food, anyway.
You kill me - you make me laugh like NO ONE ELSE on the planet!!!!!!!!!!!!
Since we know the MATRIX™ works on sapphire and topaz, I suppose it is no surprise that it works on CZ.
26 Carats, 12.5 X 17mm, 129 facets.
After polishing a blue sapphire, I did the usual rinsing of my Matrix lap. This time, I decided to also give it an ultrasonic cleaning. In the ultrasonic unit, I noticed billows of cloudy substance disperse out of the lap surface into the water, making it very turbid. This material undoubtedly contained some sub-micron diamond particles, but it also may have contained cutting swarf from the stones I have polished on it. The color of the Matrix was unchanged after the ultrasonic cleaning.
I have improved my polishing technique on this lap, which differs greatly from what I used to use on a ceramic lap. I used the ceramic lap stationary or very low speed, which I could describe as a crawl. I used the Matrix with a diamond slurry at a rotation of around 60 rpms with a very slow sweep over no more than 2 centimeters. These specifications allowed a quick polish and flat facet.
So this Matrix lap sounds like a rigid structured sponge??? Particles of a certain size and smaller can be trapped in pockets in the surface?? If this is true, what prevents them from releasing from the lap, balling up and causing scratches?
Clearly the lap is working well for people. I'm not challenging its effectiveness. I'm just wondering about the maintenance. Does every one need an ultrasonic to keep this new lap clean?


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Nella lista nera durante l'era McCarthy, si trasferì a Parigi e Roma per lavorare.

Il suo contributo come sceneggiatore è consistito nel'adattamento di circa 150 traduzioni dall'italiano all'inglese fra cui quello de Il buono, il brutto e il cattivo di Sergio Leone.

Come regista di dialoghi, ha guidato molti attori non di lingua inglese a recitare esprimendosi in modo convincente in lingua inglese.

Filmografia parziale
 Pugno di ferro (Killer McCoy), regia di Roy Rowland (1947)
 Le vie della città (I Walk Alone), regia di Byron Haskin (1948)
 Delitto senza peccato (The Accused), regia di William Dieterle (1949)
 I bassifondi di San Francisco (Knock on Any Door), regia di Nicholas Ray (1949)
 Malerba (City Across the River), regia di Maxwell Shane (1949)
 Fate il vostro gioco (Any Number Can Play), regia di Mervyn LeRoy (1949)
 La furia umana (White Heat), regia di Raoul Walsh (1949)
 La gabbia di ferro (Outside the Wall), regia di Crane Wilbur (1950)
 Marmittoni al fronte (Up Front), regia di Alexander Hall (1951)
 Avvocati criminali (Criminal Lawyer), regia di Seymour Friedman (1951)
 Garden of Eden, regia di Max Nosseck (1954)
 Cafè Europa (G.I. Blues), regia di Norman Taurog (1960)
 Uno sguardo dal ponte (A View from the Bridge), regia di Sidney Lumet (1962)
 I vincitori (The Victors), regia di Carl Foreman (1963)
 Colpo grosso alla napoletana (The Biggest Bundle of Them All), regia di Ken Annakin (1968)
 La donna, il sesso e il superuomo, regia di Sergio Spina (1968)
 Bluff storia di truffe e di imbroglioni, regia di Sergio Corbucci (1976)
 Un attimo, una vita (Bobby Deerfield), regia di Sydney Pollack (1977)
 Il bandito dagli occhi azzurri, regia di Alfredo Giannetti (1980)
 Il giorno del Cobra, regia di Enzo G. Castellari (1980)
 Inchon, regia di Terence Young (1981)
 Bolero Extasy (Bolero), regia di John Derek (1984)
 Deliria, regia di Michele Soavi (1987)
 I Love N.Y., regia di Gianni Bozzacchi (1987)
 Ghoulies II - Il principe degli scherzi (Ghoulies II), regia di Albert Band (1987)
 Poliziotto in affitto (Rent-a-Cop), regia di Jerry London (1987)
 Sing Sing chiama Wall Street (Buy & Cell), regia di Robert Boris (1988)
 I fantasmi non possono farlo (Ghosts Can't Do It), regia di John Derek (1989)
 Frankenstein oltre le frontiere del tempo (Roger Corman's Frankenstein Unbound), regia di Roger Corman (1990)
 Il padrino - Parte III (The Godfather: Part III), regia di Francis Ford Coppola (1990)
 Dellamorte Dellamore, regia di Michele Soavi (1994)

Doppiatori italiani
 Pino Locchi in La gabbia di ferro
 Giorgio Piazza in Un attimo, una vita
 Arturo Dominici in Il bandito dagli occhi azzurri
 Carlo Reali in Sing Sing chiama Wall Street
 Piero Tiberi in Dellamorte Dellamore

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni


From 13-18 August we took part in the annual Week of Engineering, organised by Engineering New Zealand. Aiming to inspire young minds to think about the future of engineering, we hosted a number of school visits, inviting students into some of our New Zealand offices, and attended three Engineering Expos to showcase the important work we do and the opportunities that a career in engineering can provide.
With strong support and involvement from our team across the country, there were multiple highlights during the week. Many of our graduates led the initiative in their offices and offered to assist over the weekend - thank you! From Christchurch, Palmerston North and New Plymouth to Hamilton, Tauranga and Auckland, students immersed themselves in a wide range of problem-solving challenges. A few site visits followed for those in Wellington and Auckland, including a trip to Wellington Airport and tours of our Envirolab Geotest laboratory in Auckland.
Students from Aorere College and St Paul's College, who have an interest in STEM subjects, were invited to Beca House in Auckland for a meet-and-greet with some of our engineers and were kept engaged by our Civil, Structural and Project Delivery & Strategy teams.
Ms Kim Greig, a teacher in the Technology Department at St Paul's College, said her students walked away from the experience with a new-found appreciation for engineers – with some stating that a career in engineering could be for them.
"The Beca team were extremely generous with their time, resources and information. Each and every student learnt something relevant to take away, including many who have been inspired to follow a pathway into the many parts of engineering and would consider Beca as a possible employer in their future. A thoroughly worthwhile day," she said.
A week spent indulging the curiosity of young people was wrapped up on Saturday 18 August with Engineering Expos held in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
Targeted at children and young people, the Expos offered the chance for everyone to learn more about real-world engineering projects and the latest innovations including virtual reality and drones, and participate in interactive activities.
We look forward to an even bigger and better Week of Engineering in 2019!


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France Puts Up $39 Million To Keep its Companies in the LEO Constellation Game
by Peter B. de Selding — October 16, 2015
JERUSALEM — The French government, determined that its industry not lose out on what might be a large new business in building low-orbiting satellite communications constellations, has issued a request for bids to industry for ideas on new components and manufacturing techniques.
In a joint statement issued Oct. 16, the French space agency, CNES, and France's Bank for Public Investment (BPI) said BPI will issue contracts totaling up to 35 million euros ($39 million) for French industry to hone its skills.
The funding originates in the French government's Projects for an Industry of the Future (PIA) program to stimulate French competitiveness.
In the statement, CNES and BPI said the new low-orbiting constellations of Internet-delivery satellites "constitute new commercial opportunities for [French] industry. But they require an effort to reduce design, development and production cost and a new large-scale manufacturing of satellites."
Commercial FranceMegaconstellations


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Category: RSA Insurance
Pension payouts for top bosses tumble in face of investor ire
March 30, 2019 Kalyeena Makortoff Business, Corporate governance, Executive pay and bonuses, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, RSA Insurance, Tui Travel, UK news, UKBusiness
Companies scale back contributions as threat of shareholder revolt forces rethinkStephen Hester, the chief executive of RSA, the London-based insurance group behind the More Than brand, was last year handed a total pay and benefits package of more than…
Executive wages may have fallen, but the case for pay ratios is even stronger
August 3, 2017 Nils Pratley Business, Executive pay and bonuses, Family finances, inequality, Insurance industry, Money, Pay, RSA Insurance, William Hill, Work & careers
The government mustn't be fooled by the lower salaries seen in 2016 and stick to its plan to make remuneration more transparent
It's amazing: the fat cats of the FTSE 100 survived on smaller helpings of cream last year. Chief executives saw their average pay decline from £5.4m to £4.5m in 2016, a drop of 17%, according to calculations by personnel body CIPD and the High Pay Centre. On a rough estimate, the bosses collected "only" 129 times the average earnings of their employees, down from 145 times in 2015.
Actually, this finding is remarkable only in one way: it happened in a year in which share prices, which affect the value of stock-based incentive packages, were strong. But take a wider perspective to understand why companies may have decided that 2016 was a good moment to take the foot off the pay accelerator.
Who is liable for £20,000 worth of jewellery stolen during our house move?
April 16, 2017 Miles Brignall Banks and building societies, Consumer affairs, Consumer rights, Insurance, Money, RSA Insurance
A bag full of valuables went missing from the removals van and now the insurer won't pay out
We had jewellery worth £20,000 stolen during our house move and our insurer is refusing to pay out. In the run-up to the move I phoned our home insurance provider, Yorkshire building society, to ask whether I was covered for the house move or whether I should get extra insurance offered by the removal firm. It phoned me back to say I would be covered for the move. On the basis of this I accepted the quote from the removals firm and did not take out the extra insurance.
On the day in question I packed a number of things into a white laundry sack – including all of my jewellery and other prized possessions – and it went into the van along with about 200 boxes packed by the removal men. It took two days to pack and some of our belongings spent the night in the van. At the new house it took several weeks to slowly unpack. I kept thinking that the white bag would appear, but to my horror it never did. I reported the matter to the police.
Barclays: triple the profits, but still a work in progress | Nils Pratley
February 24, 2017 Nils Pratley Banking, Barclays, Business, Centrica, Consumer affairs, Corporate governance, Energy bills, Household bills, Insurance industry, Money, RSA Insurance, Stephen Hester, Utilities
The note of triumphalism that accompanied the bank's results jarred – it still faces issues in the US and elsewhere
Barclays has cut its dividend in half. Bonuses are running at three times the level of distributions to shareholders. And the investment bank, even after a round of pruning, still isn't earning returns greater than its cost of capital. A couple of years ago, under hapless former chief executive Antony Jenkins, Barclays would have been hammered for turning in such statistics. Under his successor, Jes Staley, however, all is apparently bright. He says Barclays is "just months" away from completing its restructuring and that 2016 was a year of "strong progress".
Hold the champagne. Yes, pre-tax profits nearly tripled to £3.2bn as misconduct charges fell way, which is undoubtedly encouraging for shareholders. It is also true that the UK retail bank is purring nicely and that Barclaycard is as reliable as ever. And the cut in the dividend can be deemed old news: it was signalled a year ago as a prudent way to clear the decks and enable "non-core" assets to be shed faster.
RSA insurance gets profits boost from pound's slide
November 3, 2016 Julia Kollewe Business, Insurance industry, RSA Insurance
Group best known for its More Than brand generates 70% of its business outside the UK
Insurer RSA, best known for its More Than brand, is set to enjoy a profit boost from the pound's slide since the Brexit vote, while its pension fund has taken a hit.
RSA generates 70% of its business outside the UK – in Canada, Ireland and Scandinavia – and the pound has declined by an average of 14% against those currencies.
FTSE falls on US rate rise hints, with mining shares down but banks higher
May 19, 2016 Nick Fletcher Anglo American, Barclays, Business, Fresnillo, HSBC, Merlin Entertainments, Mitchells & Butlers, Provident Financial, Royal Bank of Scotland, Royal Dutch Shell, Royal Mail, RSA Insurance, Standard Chartered, Stock markets, Thomas Cook, Tui Travel
Banks outperform on hopes that higher rates will support balance sheetsThe market is caught in a two way pull, with banking shares moving higher but commodity companies on the slide.It is the prospect of a US rate rise next month, as suggested by the m…
RSA on the rise as restructuring boosts profits
May 5, 2016 Nick Fletcher Business, RSA Insurance, Stock markets
Insurer cuts costs amid challenging and volatile markets
RSA Insurance is on the rise after an upbeat trading statement from chief executive Stephen Hester.
The insurer said it was on track to at least meet analysts' forecast for its full year profits, as it stepped up cost cutting in the wake of a failed £5.6bn bid from Zurich Insurance last year. The business has been concentrating on its core businesses in the UK and Ireland, Canada and Scandanavia, and has sold operations in Brazil, Russia and Argentina among others.
FTSE falls on poor Chinese and UK manufacturing, but RSA leads insurers higher
May 3, 2016 Nick Fletcher Aberdeen Asset Management, Admiral, Anglo American, BT, Business, HSBC, Rio Tinto, RSA Insurance, Stock markets
Motor insurers also roar ahead despite signs of slowdown in rates
Leading shares have started the shortened trading week in a downbeat mood after weak Chinese manufacturing data raised new concerns about the world's second largest economy.
But insurers are bucking the trend. A new survey from the AA showed a small fall in car insurance rates after recent sharp rises, but the organisation believes the upward trend will soon resume.
FTSE flags on Inmarsat slide and ex-dividends
March 3, 2016 Nick Fletcher Admiral, Anglo American, Business, CRH, HSBC, Inmarsat, RSA Insurance, Thomas Cook, Whitbread
Satellite business sees slowdown in government spendingLeading shares are flagging on continuing concerns about the global economy and the effect of a number of companies going ex-dividend.The biggest faller in the FTSE 100 is Inmarsat, down 41.5p or 4…


text:
Jean Talouzian is a Lebanese politician who has served as member of parliament since 2018. He was a member of the Lebanese Forces and its parliamentary bloc, the Strong Republic.

On 22 October 2020, Talouzian left LF bloc when he nominated Saad Hariri to form the gov unlike the rest of the LF bloc.

References

Living people
Lebanese politicians
Lebanese Forces politicians
Year of birth missing (living people)


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Photo credit - IU Hoosiers
Indiana's series with Kansas has seen national titles, heartbreak and instant classics
When Indiana and Kansas meet on Saturday in Lawrence, it will mark the 15th game in the series between the college basketball powers.
The earliest games laid the foundation for more than a half century of program greatness for IU. In their first two head-to-head meetings, IU took down KU to claim both the 1940 and 1953 NCAA Championship crowns.
The Hoosiers jumped out to a large lead in the series, but then Kansas won five straight including some soul-crushing games in the 90s.
Here are some of the more memorable moments in a series IU leads 8-6:
MARCH 30, 1940: In a game played in Kansas City, the Hoosiers won the program's first national title in 1940 by a score of 60-42 behind double-figure scoring efforts from Marv Huffman (12), Jay McCreary (12), and Paul Armstrong (10). Branch McCracken and the Hurryin' Hoosiers ran away with it despite a heavily pro-Kansas crowd at the Kansas City Municipal Auditorium.
MARCH 18, 1953: The '53 title came in a 69-68 win on the strength of a 30-point, 10-rebound outing from program legend Don Schlundt. Charley Kraak added a 17-point, 13-rebound double-double, while Bob 'Slick' Leonard tallied 12 points and hit the game-winning free throw. Once again, this game was played in Kansas City, in front of a heavily pro-Kansas crowd.
DECEMBER 6, 1971: The teams established a four year home-and-home series beginning in 1971. In just his third game as IU head coach, Bob Knight picked up his first-ever win against a ranked team with a 59-56 win over No. 14 Kansas. Steve Downing scored 22 points to lead the Hoosiers at Assembly Hall.
Indiana would go on to win the next three games from 1972 to 1974, including two games at the Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence. At this point the Hoosiers were out to a dominant 6-0 lead in the series — but things would take a dramatic turn.
DECEMBER 29, 1981: The Hoosiers first ever loss to Kansas came in the consolation game of the ECAC Holiday Festival in New York. When they meet on Saturday it will be Indiana taking on the defending national champs, but in this game 41 years ago it was Kansas taking on the reigning champion Hoosiers. And 1978 Indiana Mr. Basketball David Magley torched IU for 32 points in the 71-61 Jayhawks win.
MARCH 21, 1991: Although Indiana was the No. 2 seed, Kansas jumped the Hoosiers early in an NCAA Tournament Sweet-16 game in Charlotte. And the Jayhawks never looked back. KU led by 22 at halftime and in the end cruised to an 83-65 win over a Big Ten champion IU team that entered the game with a 29-4 record. It was at the time the worst defeat for an Indiana team in a tournament game.
DECEMBER 5, 1992: IU and Kansas inked another four-game series beginning in 1992 with games in Indianapolis, Lawrence, Bloomington and Kansas City. This game, played at the Hoosier Dome saw the Hoosiers shoot a miserable 4-of-13 from the free throw line and lose 74-69. Indiana was No. 2, and Kansas No. 3, and it wouldn't be the last time they'd meet this season.
MARCH 27, 1993: In what can only be described as one of the most difficult to stomach losses in program history, No. 1 seed Indiana lost in the Elite Eight round to Kansas 83-77. IU dominated the Big Ten in 1993 with a 17-1 record, and they were the No. 1 team in the country when the NCAA Tournament tipped. But an injury to star big man Alan Henderson left the Hoosiers unable to reach their peak form when it mattered most. Kansas dominated inside and went to the Final Four.
DECEMBER 22, 1993: The Kansas misery continued as Jayhawks freshman guard Jacque Vaughn hit a 3-pointer with 0.2 seconds left in overtime to give No. 6 Kansas an 86-83 victory over No. 12 Indiana in Lawrence. It was the fifth straight time the Jayhawks had beaten the Hoosiers, and the third in a year. Indiana's Damon Bailey had pulled the Hoosiers into an 83-83 tie with 18.3 seconds to go with a jumper that gave him a career-high 36 points.
DECEMBER 17, 1994: Indiana snapped a five-game series losing streak with a dominant effort in Bloomington. Indiana was just 4-4 entering the game, including a bad showing in Maui. But Brian Evans scored 29 points and added 12 rebounds, leading Indiana to an 80-61 win over No. 3 Kansas. The Hoosiers used a 15-0 run to open a 39-19 advantage with just over two minutes left in the first half.
DECEMBER 16, 1995: Future NBA players Scot Pollard and Paul Pierce led the way for No. 1-ranked Kansas at Kemper Arena in Kansas City. Brian Evans led the Hoosiers with 26 points and six rebounds, while guard Neil Reed had 18 points. But the Jayhawks had too much firepower in a 91-83 win.
NOVEMBER 11, 2016: This Armed Forces Classic game in Hawaii was hosted by the Navy. It coincided with the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Indiana's jerseys were stitched with "Courage" on the back, while the Kansas jerseys read "Honor." James Blackmon, Jr. scored 22 of his 26 points after halftime and Indiana won 103-99 in overtime. "That was a March game," IU coach Tom Crean said. "We found a way to win against a great team."


Terrific as traded Dumbbell Rack Package. The equipment is in good condition with just a tiny bit of general wear and tear that isn't too noticeable. Comes with 13 dumbbell pairs (see increments below). Dumbbells offered for just $2.50 per kg = $180. Rack = $250.
Buy Reebok Dumbbell Rack online. If you are interested in the Reebok Dumbbell Rack for sale, feel free to enquire above.


The Sea Dragon 2500 uses flat panel COB LED technology to closely mimic natural sunlight, bringing out amazing colors in underwater photos and videos.
The Vega packs a lot of power into a compact and travel friendly Specifications package. Switch quickly between full, half and quarter powers for video, focusing, macro photography or to use as a backup dive light.
Power level is controlled by a large, easy to turn dial on the rear of the light. A premium, high-capacity built-in rechargeable battery provides up to 3 hours run time on a single charge.
Capture beautiful, vibrant colors in your Micro 2.0 stills and video with the bright Sea Dragon 1500 Photo/Video Light. The Micro 2.0 camera is permanently sealed with 32GB of onboard memory, high capacity internal battery and WiFi.


Inspired by a life and personal growth, The Calm Collective Podcast from mindfulness blogger and photographer Cassandra Eldridge shares the beauty in the raw human experience. Cassandra explores topics like battling grief, listening to our minds and bodies, and creating a life filled with purpose and reason. She is fearless in the pursuit of wellness, sharing her own challenges and triumphs in creating a life well lived. This series reminds us that we're not alone in this journey. The ability to create a life we love is within us.