text:
Tags - product
Nokia will No longer release any Smartphones, New Product Coming Soon
Nokia seems to be over. Sadly, the Finish Giant won't be releasing any Smartphones anymore, this was confirmed by Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri at a recent analyst meeting in London. Nokia will still consumer products to its fans.
Nokia, the former biggest phonemaker in the world, could get its return as soon as tomorrow Nokia just teased that it has been working on something. It will show it off or talk about it at the #Slush14 startup and entrepreneur meetup that starts tomorrow in Helsinki and is said to gather some 10 thousand people.
The teaser itself shows a new device but we can only guess what it is a HTPC, a TV, home automation tech? Hopefully we're going to know all about it tomorrow.
It's hard to imagine Nokia not making any smartphones or phones in general but we'd wager a guess that it's not all over for the company, despite what its CEO reassures us of now. CEOs change and so do plans in the tech world and Nokia is only forbidden to make Nokia phones until December,31st of 2015.
Tags: nokia longer release any smartphones new product coming soon
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) formally recalls the Samsung Galaxy Note 7
After a few weeks of investigations, confusion and more than ninety exploding Note 7s, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission has now officially instructed Galaxy Note 7 owners in the US to stop using the smartphone immediately and return it to Samsung as soon as possible. Although the company did recall the Note 7 smartphones worldwide much earlier, there was quite a bit of confusion regarding what the situation was exactly and how to proceed with the replacement or refund. In order to make things easier, here's what the official statement from CPSC declared earlier.
"Consumers should immediately stop using and power down the recalled Galaxy Note 7 devices purchased before September 15th, 2016,"
"Contact the wireless carrier, retail outlet, or Samsung.com where you purchased your device to receive free of charge a new Galaxy Note 7 with a different battery, a refund, or a new replacement device."
If you opt to exchange your Note 7 for a brand new and safe one, the new box should have an "S" in blue, printed over the bar code to denote that it's safe. We have information from Recode that in spite of the multiple warnings, only about 130,000 customers have returned their devices so far in the US. Hopefully this formal CPSC statement will encourage more customers to opt for the replacement/refund.
Tags: nokia longer release any smartphones new product coming soon consumer product safety commission (cpsc) formally recalls samsung galaxy note
The iPhone Continues to be the Number One Best Selling Tech Product
Just as last year, Apple's iPhones have managed to hold the number one spot as the bestselling tech product of the year in 2017 as well. In fact, the iPhone has performed significantly better than last year, as is made evident by their astounding sales numbers. Apparently, Apple has sold more iPhones in 2017 than four of the other tech products on the list from 2nd till the 5th combined. Although we still have a day left in the year, it is being estimated that by the end of 2017, Apple will have sold 223 million iPhones and that's a staggering number.
It remains to be seen whether or not the recent reports about Apple slowing down its older iPhones to preserve battery affects the company's sales in any way, but given the loyalty of Apple users, that isn't very likely. The Galaxy S8, S8+ and Note 8 managed to reach a sales figure of 33 million and take the second place on the list, followed by the Amazon Echo Dot speakers at 24 million, Apple Watch at 20 million, and the Nintendo Switch at 15 million.
Tags: nokia longer release any smartphones new product coming soon consumer product safety commission (cpsc) formally recalls samsung galaxy note iphone continues number one best selling tech product


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You are at:Home»In the News»New pier in the North Clare coastal village of Doolin
New pier in the North Clare coastal village of Doolin
By The Editor on March 7, 2013 In the News
Clare County Council welcomed the announcement by An Bord Pleanala yesterday of its decision to give the go ahead for the construction of a new pier in the North Clare coastal village of Doolin, reports the Clare Herald.The Council said it has reviewed the terms of the Bord's decision and will be meeting the project consultants with a view to commencing the tendering process in the near future.
Reacting to today's announcement, Mayor of Clare Councillor Pat Daly said: "I am delighted that the green light has finally been given for this vitally important piece of infrastructure following years of open debate and discussion on what the best way forward should be. I wish to compliment Clare County Council and its officials for facilitating the process and ensuring that everyone's voice was heard. The Pier will bring increasing numbers of people to County Clare considering access to the Aran Islands from the County will be greatly enhanced once the project is completed."
Tom Coughlan, Clare County Manager said An Bord Pleanala's decision today was "the result of a comprehensive proposal submitted by the Council and extensive consultation with users of the pier as well as the local community."
He continued: "Clare County Council has invested considerable time and resources into ensuring that the Doolin Pier project is one that benefits all users of the existing pier. Once completed, this project will have significant, positive economic and social consequences for the people of North Clare and the wider region. For example, the construction phase of the project will create jobs as will the increase in business that will arise as a result of the Pier's completion."
Tom Tiernan, Senior Engineer and Doolin Pier Project Manager commented: "I wish to pay tribute to the Council Consultants, led by Malachy Walsh and Partners, who have guided the project from its inception through the various stages of planning, including the preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which ultimately facilitated An Bord Pleanala's decision today."
"He added: "The provision of this new pier will have a hugely positive impact on the operations of Ferry operators, fishermen and the local search and rescue unit, who have been finding it increasingly difficult to launch their boats at low water levels."
"The next stage of the Pier project is construction. We will shortly be meeting with the project consultants with a view to getting a tender process underway as soon as possible. We anticipate that the project will be completed during early 2015," concluded Mr. Tiernan.
Clare Fine Gael Senator Tony Mulcahy has said that An Bord Pleanala's decision to grant permission for the construction of the proposed Doolin Pier development "brings to an end an extremely difficult and lengthy process but one that will ultimately lead to the creation of lasting, positive economic benefits for North Clare and the wider region".
Senator Mulcahy said that the new pier will have a "hugely positive impact" on the livelihoods of at least two-dozen fishermen in the North Clare area and the Aran Islands. He said the development will also ensure that Doolin is accessible in all tidal conditions as there are frequent occasions when the existing pier is inaccessible to boats, including the Doolin Search and Rescue Unit and ferry operators.
"As Mayor of Clare and as a Senator for County Clare, I have been a supporter of this project and am aware of how the local authority and its consultants have worked closely with interested parties in ensuring that the completed pier benefits the entire community. I wish to pay tribute to Clare County Council and the project consultants for the manner in which they incorporated the views of everyone who participated in the process," added Senator Mulcahy.
Clare hotelier John Burke says the announcement that construction work on the proposed Doolin Pier development will be completed by early 2015 is very positive news for the hospitality and tourism sector in North Clare and across the wider County.Mr. Burke, who owns and operates Armada Hotel in Spanish Point and Hotel Doolin, said that described An Board Pleanala's announcement of its decision to give the green light for the new pier as "a positive development for the region, which will bring a fresh lease of life to the local tourism sector on a year-round basis."
He continued: "The pier will be hugely beneficial for ferry operators and local fishermen, it will also provide improved facilities for many other pleasure activities, including divers, sailors and kayakers. It's a win-win for everyone concerned and I am delighted to see one of the largest and most important infrastructural projects in this part of County Clare finally being given the go ahead."
"Concerns by local surfers, have been addressed through their engagement with the council and the redesign of the pier from the original proposal, I am sure that the surfing representatives will engage with their community openly and honestly, and endorse this development now. They contributed to the final design which should work for all users of the ocean, and give great benefits to all," Mr. Burke concluded. Source: http://www.clareherald.com/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Postgraduate Programs should make every effort to accommodate religious holidays. As stipulated in the PARO/CAHO Agreement, prior to granting any vacation or leave, it must be ensured that patient care responsibilities are met. It must also be recognized that postgraduate trainees will have to support each other at times when many trainees could be away for a certain religious holiday.
It is the responsibility of the resident to request in writing a leave day(s) for religious holidays as far in advance as possible. As per the Agreement, this request must be made at least 4 weeks ahead of time.
In accordance with the PARO/CAHO Agreement, residents are entitled to 5 days of leave over the Christmas/New Year's Eve period. If a resident wishes to waive this leave in order to take a 5 day leave at the time of a religious holiday pertinent to their faith, this request should be accommodated whenever possible, again with the caveat that patient care responsibilities are being met.
Religious holidays if taken must be requested in lieu of other hospital designated holidays and cannot be in addition to those usually taken.


Sept. 16, 2012, 4:04 p.m.
Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc(X12), Came 4m uk, unlocked, boxed,with all, all org data cable,charger,headphone,8gb card. 8mp camera with hd recording n flash android 2.3 gingerbread like brand new n without scratch. price- 50000 bdt n fixd. so any 1 wanna hav that pls contact to this num 01822656665. if um unable 2 recev ur call then pls text me, i'll get back 2 u later.


text:
#include "SamplePlugin.h"
#include "Circle.h"

/* Constructor
 */
SamplePlugin::SamplePlugin(void)
{
}

/* Virtual Destructor
 */
SamplePlugin::~SamplePlugin(void)
{
}

/* Creates a control from the provided control data
 */
Otter::Control* SamplePlugin::CreateControl(Otter::Scene* pScene, const Otter::ControlData* pControlData, Otter::Control* pParent)
{
	if(pControlData == NULL)
		return NULL;

	if(pControlData->mFourCC == FOURCC_CIRC)
	{
		return new Circle(pScene, pParent, (CircleData*)pControlData);
	}

	return NULL;
}

/* Destroys a previously created control
 */
bool SamplePlugin::DestroyControl(Otter::Control* pControl)
{
	if(!pControl)
		return false;

	const Otter::ControlData* pControlData = pControl->GetData();
	if(pControlData->mFourCC != FOURCC_CIRC)
		return false;

	delete pControl;
	return true;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The perfect cooking event happens when you have everything you need right there in front of you. You don't have to go dashing off at the last minute because you're missing a crucial ingredient.
I like to avoid those types of situations.
It took me a few weeks of observing the ingredients I use most, as well as examining what I was always running to the store for, or short of, to put together this list.
Your mileage may vary depending on the type of cuisine(s) you're fond of preparing. But this list covers most of the basic necessities that allow you to put together a variety of meals.
While totally unscientific, you can go a long way with this list. You won't be caught off guard at the last minute or forced to cook something else-or worse yet, compromise.
Red Wine vinegar-One of the first go-to vinegars for making a vinaigrette, and my preferred vinegar other than apple cider vinegar. Also useful in marinades, on vegetables, and for pickling.
Chipotle Peppers-Chipotle peppers are jalapeño peppers that have been dried and smoked. They're my go-to ingredient for adding some heat and smokiness to many dishes. You can make spicy chipotle hummus, add it to your chili, make it into a chile powder (try sprinkling on fries!), create awesome chicken Tinga for taco filling, among other things. You can buy them canned whole "in adobo" which is a vinegary sauce, in the Mexican section of your supermarket. They will keep for weeks in your refrigerator-I like to blend this form up with a hand blender and store, and just scoop out as needed. Or you can buy the dried ones pictured here, grind them up in a spice blender, or prepare your own adobo and keep them moist and ready to use.
Soy Sauce-For a hint of Umami flavor in just about everything. You can add a dash to your salad dressing to give it that extra something, or make an actual soy based vinaigrette-and it pairs well with things like tahini and ginger. Also absolutely necessary for many rice dishes and marinades for meat or Asian dishes.
Whole Grain Mustard-Another crucial item to always have on hand, I'm partial to the whole grain type, often labeled "a la ancienne" aka old style on the jar. Necessary for many vinaigrettes, meat and poultry dishes, marinades and of course for sandwiches.
Ginger-A staple in Asian cooking that's made its way into the mainstream, ginger is also a healthy addition and good for digestion and inflammation. Put some chopped ginger in your tea for its most basic use, or use grated ginger in marinades, salad dressings, and soups.
Tahini-Another previously "foreign" item, tahini has gone mainstream and is crucial to hummus and baba ganoush. You can use it standalone but thinned out a bit for a dip for falafel or vegetables, or combined with ginger and other ingredients for an amazing vinaigrette.
Garlic-So many uses-just chopped up and lightly sautéed, or softened and browned in its skin in a hot pan, or made into garlic confit, garlic is probably the most omnipresent staple.
Ketchup-Ok, it might not jump right out at you all the ways to use ketchup, but trust me, there are many. Horseradish sauce for shrimp cocktail, Thousand Island dressing, barbecue sauce base, made spicy with chipotle peppers…ketchup is sort of like mayonnaise-leave it to your imagination to what you can add to ketchup to change it up.
EVOO-Extra virgin olive oil. Many people think you can't sauté or deep fry in EVOO, but you certainly can. It's also useful for vinaigrettes, coating for meats, poultry and fish before grilling to prevent them from sticking, and marinades.
Tabasco Sauce-I know, we already have one type of spice on here. But tabasco sauce is such a wonderful flavor enhancer. Use a dash in your salad dressing to give them some extra zing, same for your soups. As a standalone ingredients its awesome on pizza, pasta, in soups, sauces and tomato based sauces.
Heavy Cream-While it doesn't keep as long as many of the other ingredients here, it's easy to find ways to use heavy cream. Add to soups for an extra touch of richness, or to many tomato based sauces. Crucial for many basic pasta sauces. And finally, easily whipped up with some vanilla sugar or other flavoring for desserts.
Olives-preferably fresh kalamata. Nothing that comes in a can-go to the olive bar please! Olives can be used in so many dishes, and are bursting with flavor. Chop them up or pulse them in your blender with some garlic, citrus zest, and dry or fresh herbs for tapenade. Then use the tapenade for toasts, or as a topping for fish or chicken. Use them on pizzas, in tomato sauces for pasta, in salads or tossed with vegetables. Or just snack on them whole.
You'll find this list useful even if you don't use all these items. Let me know in the comments what are your "must have" pantry items!


Sélectionner a durée qui termine à ou plusieurs pouces moins de vos genoux. Tote Bags. absolute for any season and oh-so useful, personalized tote bags create excellent wedding favors. Plain tote bags are inexpensive, and they are simple to customize yourself, should you hope to make your own wedding favors. quick on time? Some wedding shops provide personalized totes, but they will cost you more than if you design them yourself.
Contemporain keyword Architecture. Sunglasses. Having the ideal summer wedding? Candies and chocolates might not be the best wedding favor to leave for guests in the warm summer sun. Sunglasses are a great exaggeration to save your guests suitable and to remind them of your special day for years to come. A plus? Frames arrive in a variety of styles and can be personalized in in view of that many ways. You are limited solitary by your imagination! taking into account tote bags, sunglasses can furthermore be personalized professionally by many wedding and party vendors.
S'mores Kits. absolute for weddings in tardy summer or at the forefront fall, individual s'mores kits are option creative swing to more pleasing wedding favors. These can be as basic or as decadent as you prefer, and so they can action for any budget. all you craving are some graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate bars and lovely craft supplies to create these adorable and unforgettable gifts for your guests.
Candy in Personalized Wrappers. A bit more upon the standard side, personalized candy wrappers and candy seem to be mainstays once it comes to wedding favors. From those oft-present Jordan almonds to the more avant-garde chocolate bars, this is marginal easy and within your means pretension to mount up a personal adjoin to your wedding. Why mess gone a classic? pick your candy and choose out those personalized candy wrappers. It's a good quirk to make an song on wedding guests in the manner of a sweet-tooth, and it afterward makes for a well-appreciated shower or bachelorette party gift.
Individual Bath Salts. Do-it-yourself bath salts are all the rage these days. Whether they are for personal use, a Christmas present for a relative or birthday present for a relative, chances are you've already got a recipe or two upon one of your Pinterest boards. Individual bath salts are a unique and affordable showing off to pamper your wedding guests. Luxurious, little jars of bath salt moreover make astounding bridal shower favors.
Hangover Rescue Kits. Hangover rescue kits or "cures" are a must-have if your guests will be drinking. From a personalized bottle of water, to a hangover remedy-packed kit, you can create this wedding favor as easy or as highbrow as you like. As taking into consideration the other do-it-yourself ideas, this concept is lithe and budget friendly. Hangover rescue kits plus make good bachelor and bachelorette party favors!
Sachets. You probably already know that sachets are tiny bags of perfumed flowers or aromatic herbs that people typically place in drawers or closets to create the impression smell pleasant. What you might not know is that these herb and flower-filled pouches make creative wedding favors as well. As taking into consideration sunglasses or totes, these forward-looking wedding party favors can either be bought or made at home.
Travel Kits. Whether you're having a summer or winter wedding, a homemade travel kit can be a useful and memorable wedding favor that doesn't rupture the bank. This idea is severely versatile, as the kits can be made in a variety of ways upon very nearly any budget, and it's the absolute favor for a destination wedding.


text:
Q: opencv fails to open avi with ffdshow codec I am currently using OpenCV to try and open an AVI file that was made using ffdshow. The program manages to open the video file and play however, the video file is in black and white and is slightly skewed. VLC and windows media player can run it fine. Is there anything that I am able to do to install the ffdshow codec into OpenCV or do I have to covert each file with ffdshow used into appropriate OpenCV codec formats? Thank you in advance for your help.

A: ffdshow isn't a codec it's a package of codecs.
You can determine what codec is actually used by either the options you passed to ffdshow (particulalrly the fourcc) or with gspot
openCV can only use the fourcc information to determine the codec, it doesn't do a good job of handling any extra features. It may be that it is picking up a different decoder than the one provided by ffdshow (see sherlock to determine which are installed).
Or it may be that you have selected some option in the encoder that it doesn't understand

A: OpenCV is managing video files in different manners depending your OpenCV compilation and configuration, like Video for Windows (Vfw), Win32, ffdshow...if your codec is installed only as a filter for DirectShow and OpenCV is trying to open this video with VfW32.dll the codec cannot be seen.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Who lives in Little Village?
72,071 people live in Little Village. The median household income is $32,245.
Little Village is a neighborhood in Chicago with a total population of 72,071. It occupies approximately 4.85 square miles.
Overall, expenses in Little Village are 51% higher than the National Average. Most people in the neighborhood rent their home, with 66% of households being occupied by renters.
As for the demographics in the neighborhood, the median age is 28, 37% of residents are married, and 52% of residents have at least one child. About 4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher.
The overall risk of crime in Little Village is 23% higher than the National Average. As for weather, the average summer temperature is 75.4°F, while the average winter temperature is 25.3°F.


I wrote about the MCT Dining In last year and to be honest not much changed between this year and last year... except maybe the fact that I am pregnant! I definitely felt sort of huge that night and wearing 4 inch heels (even though they are my super comfy go to heels) was not the best decision! My feet definitely hurt long before the night was over and I am surprised I made it through the toasts with all the standing up and sitting down over and over again.... it was a little rougher for sure this year.
The picture above is the only one I really like. My husband has zero patience for pictures and any time we tried to get someone to take a full length shot of us it did not turn out well for me!
Just the way I am standing and the angles were not flattering so I just look larger rather than pregnant. Plus my face was seriously swollen/puffy by the end of the evening due to pregnancy swelling (and probably slight dehydration and the heels)! At least my husband looks dashing as always. I am not biased at all.
I did get upgraded to Mrs. instead of Sgt's Guest this year, which is always nice. Plus, you know, cheesecake!
This one came out so badly for me I had to make it black and white to try and mask the dress and slight bump disaster the color version provided! I am glad we went, I always love the ceremonies and traditions of the Marine Corps, and this year was no exception (even though I sound complain-y over my appearance, but that is totally on me). I love laughing at the "fines" they give out, the stories, the guest speaker (a WWII veteran who served through Korea and Vietnam and now works at the exchange on base who had zero filter), the toasts, and seeing the people my husband works with. Plus any time I see my husband in his dress blues is absolutely perfection by me!


訂閱 主題: SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE (關鍵字)RSS您的檢索結果 19 筆紀錄. 紀錄顯示 1 至 10.
1. 選擇 Understanding sustainable architecture [electronic resource] / Terry Williamson, Anthony Radford, and Helen Bennetts.
2. 選擇 Sustainable architectures [electronic resource] : cultures and natures in Europe and North America / edited by Simon Guy and Steven Moore.
xiii, 269 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.
New York , 2005 : Spon Press.
3. 選擇 Special issue on renewable energy for sustainable development and the built environment [electronic resource] / Guest Editor Fernando O. Pereira.
[Bradford, West Yorkshire] , 2002 : Emerald.
4. 選擇 Green building handbook [electronic resource] : a guide to building products and their impact on the environment / Tom Woolley and Sam Kimmins. Volume 2 /.
6. 選擇 Construction ecology [electronic resource] : nature as the basis for green buildings / edited by Charles J. Kibert, Jan Sendzimir, and G. Bradley Guy.
7. 選擇 Buildings, culture and environment [electronic resource] : informing local and global practices / edited by Raymond J. Cole & Richard Lorch.
xii, 404 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 25 cm.
Oxford, UK ; Malden, MA , c2003 : Blackwell Pub.
8. 選擇 Arquitectura y ciudad [electronic resource] : del proyecto al eco-proyecto / [Roberto Fernandez + T.I.P.U.].
142 p. : ill., plans ; 21 cm.
[Buenos Aires] ; M歋xico, D.F. , c2003 : Nobuko : Juan O'Gorman Librer毃as.
9. 選擇 XS : small structures, green architecture / Phyllis Richardson.
223 p. : ill. (chiefly col.) ; 19 cm.
10. 選擇 Rematerial : from waste to architecture / Alejandro Bahamon, Maria Camila Sanjines.
339 p. : ill. (chiefly col.), plans ; 25 cm.
摘要:Never before in history has the impact of man on this planet been so important. The construction industry is one of the most polluting in the world, so contemporary architects can play a fundamental role by using waste-and, what's more, ingenuity---to convert it into structures that are useful, imaginative, and beautiful. In our society, garbage is considered filthy, and we want only to hide it from sight.


Explore Ephesus Ruins, Fountains of Trajan, Polio, Temples of Hadrian and Domition, Library of Celcius, Bouloterion and the Great Theatre, House of the Virgin Mary, Archaeological Museum in Selcuk and much more.
Arrival to Istanbul. Your personal COS Agent will meet you at the A/P. You will get the tour documents and briefing about your tour. Transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.
Your Tour Guide will meet you at your hotel lobby at 09:00 and you will have a full day city tour. (Topkapi Palace, St.Sophia, Lunch at a charming restaurant, Blue Mosque, Hippodromme, Grand Bazaar) After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel at around 18:00. Overnight in Istanbul.
Your Tour Guide will meet you at your hotel lobby at 08:00 and you will have a full day city tour. (Spice-Egyptian Bazaar, Bosphorus Cruise by Boat, Lunch at a charming restaurant, Beylerbeyi or Dolmabahce Palace, Camlica Hill) After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel at around 18:00. Overnight in Istanbul.
Pick up early from your hotel and transfer to A/P to take a flight to Izmir. Upon arrival your Tour Guide will meet you at A/P and you will have a full day city tour. (Ephesus Ruins, Fountains of Trajan, Polio, Temples of Hadrian and Domition, Library of Celcius, Bouloterion and the Great Theatre, Lunch at a local Restaurant, House of the Virgin Mary, Archaeological Museum in Selcuk) After the tour, you will be transferred to your hotel at around 18:00. Overnight in Kusadasi.
Your Tour Guide will meet you at your hotel lobby at 09:00 and you will have a full day city tour. (Pamukkale Travertens, Hierapolis Ancient Site, Lunch at a local Restaurant, Hot Thermal Pools) After the tour, drive to Fethiye. Overnight in Fethiye.
Transfer to Fethiye Port. Departure from Fethiye marina around 11:00. There are opportunities to swim at Turunc Bay or Karacaoren, before lunch is served. Overnight is spent in St. Nicholas Island with the ruins of old settlement and the ancient church that is said to be the first church where Santa Clause first preached.
Breakfast is served on deck before continuing the cruise for Butterfly Valley, Oludeniz area, and directly to Cleopatra's Bay or Merdivenli Bay. The overnight will be spent either in Sarsala or Tasyaka.
Sailing to Tersane (Dockyard) Island to swim, snorkel or just laze in the sunshine. After lunch, cruise to Yassicalar (Flat Island) and stop in Red island or Samanlik Bay. The last overnight is spent in Fethiye harbour.


Healey and Baker's report about European Cities (best cities to locate a business today). In the overall rating of best cities for business the top cities of London, Paris and Frankfurt remain unchanged. The other cities to move up this year are: Manchester (19th to 13th), Geneva (15th to 14th), Lisbon (17th to 15th), Lyon (20th to 19th), Warsaw (26th to 22nd), Budapest (25th to 23rd), Oslo (29th to 27th), and Moscow (30th to 28th). Access to markets just pips the availability of qualified staff as the single most important factor. Communication factors remain very important. Cost factors come next, with cost of staff the most important of these. Quality of life factors are the least significant.


text:
/* Raytheon wireless LAN PCMCIA card driver for Linux
   A  PCMCIA client driver for the Raylink wireless network card
   Written by Corey Thomas
*/

#ifndef RAYLINK_H

struct beacon_rx {
    struct mac_header mac;
    UCHAR timestamp[8];
    UCHAR beacon_intvl[2];
    UCHAR capability[2];
    UCHAR elements[sizeof(struct essid_element)
                  + sizeof(struct rates_element)
                  + sizeof(struct freq_hop_element)
                  + sizeof(struct japan_call_sign_element)
                  + sizeof(struct tim_element)];
};

/* Return values for get_free{,_tx}_ccs */
#define ECCSFULL  (-1)
#define ECCSBUSY  (-2)
#define ECARDGONE (-3)

typedef struct ray_dev_t {
    int card_status;
    int authentication_state;
    dev_node_t  node;
    window_handle_t amem_handle;   /* handle to window for attribute memory  */
    window_handle_t rmem_handle;   /* handle to window for rx buffer on card */
    void __iomem *sram;            /* pointer to beginning of shared RAM     */
    void __iomem *amem;            /* pointer to attribute mem window        */
    void __iomem *rmem;            /* pointer to receive buffer window       */
    struct pcmcia_device *finder;            /* pointer back to struct pcmcia_device for card    */
    struct timer_list timer;
    long tx_ccs_lock;
    long ccs_lock;
    int   dl_param_ccs;
    union {
        struct b4_startup_params b4;
        struct b5_startup_params b5;
    } sparm;
    int timeout_flag;
    UCHAR supported_rates[8];
    UCHAR japan_call_sign[12];
    struct startup_res_6 startup_res;
    int num_multi;
    /* Network parameters from start/join */
    UCHAR bss_id[6];
    UCHAR auth_id[6];
    UCHAR net_default_tx_rate;
    UCHAR encryption;
    struct net_device_stats stats;

    UCHAR net_type;
    UCHAR sta_type;
    UCHAR fw_ver;
    UCHAR fw_bld;
    UCHAR fw_var;
    UCHAR ASIC_version;
    UCHAR assoc_id[2];
    UCHAR tib_length;
    UCHAR last_rsl;
    int beacon_rxed;
    struct beacon_rx last_bcn;
    iw_stats	wstats;		/* Wireless specific stats */
#ifdef WIRELESS_SPY
    struct iw_spy_data		spy_data;
    struct iw_public_data	wireless_data;
#endif	/* WIRELESS_SPY */

} ray_dev_t;
/*****************************************************************************/

#endif /* RAYLINK_H */


1. Place a pressure cooker (or a pressure pan) over medium flame.
3. Add the cumin seeds and fry for 30 to 45 seconds.
4. Add tomatoes, green chillies, coconut, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt.
6. As soon the water has almost evaporated, add the coriander leaves and pour 2 cups of water.
7. Add the rice and cover with the lid.
8. Cook till 1 whistle and reduce flame to low.
9. Simmer on low flame for 5 minutes.
10. Remove the pressure cooker and keep aside to cool.
11. Once cool enough, open the lid and stir to mix well.
Feel free to comment or share your thoughts on this Tomato Biryani Recipe from Awesome Cuisine.


Inscr. 'H. Gaudier-Brzeska. 1913' on left side of base.
Bronze, 30½ x 7 x 7¾ (77½ x 18 x 19½).
Presented by Sir Edward Beddington-Behrens 1965.
Lit: Mervyn Levy, Gaudier-Brzeska: Drawings and Sculpture, 1965, pp. 16–17, 29, repr. pl. 70.
One of three casts made from the plaster (Tate Gallery T03726) at the Fiorini Foundry in 1965 at the expense of Sir Edward Beddington Behrens. The other two casts belong to the Musée d'Art Moderne, Paris, and Christ Church, Oxford. Two earlier casts were made for Sydney Schiff, one of which was exhibited at the Leicester Galleries in 1918 (No. 11): these are now in the collections of Sir Edward Beddington-Behrens and Eardley Knollys.


BATON ROUGE - Governor Bobby Jindal announced Tuesday he was directing state health officials to investigate claims Planned Parenthood was selling fetal body parts harvested after abortions.
That claim was made by a pro-life advocacy group called the Center for Medical Progress, which posted a hidden camera video on YouTube which appeared to show a meeting with Planned Parenthood Senior Director Deborah Nucatola. The video, dated July 2014, claims to show Nucatola describing the possibility of obtaining aborted fetus organs to actors hired by CMP to pose as organ buyers.
Planned Parenthood called the eight-minute video a "heavily edited" attempt by a group whose sole purpose is to damage the organization's reputation. They said the practice Nucatola was describing was tissue donation for medical research, which they derive no profits from and follow all ethical practices.
"Similar false accusations have been put forth by opponents of abortion services for decades. These groups have been widely discredited and their claims fall apart on closer examination, just as they do in this case," said Eric Ferrero, Vice President of Communications for Planned Parenthood.
Jindal seized the chance Tuesday to put a hold on Planned Parenthood's license applications for a new clinic in New Orleans. Planned Parenthood began construction on the $4 million facility in March and applied for a license to perform abortions there, which drew challenges from the Archdiocese of New Orleans and regulatory roadblocks from lawmakers.
"I have instructed Louisiana's Department of Health and Hospitals to conduct an immediate investigation into this alleged evil and illegal activity and to not issue any licenses until this investigation is complete. I am also asking the FBI to assist DHH in investigating this alleged criminal activity by this organization," Jindal said.
A DHH spokesperson said they are "actively monitoring the facts and allegations" and will ask Planned Parenthood to provide them with information to ensure they're in compliance with state and federal laws. DHH said Planned Parenthood is not authorized to perform abortions in the state, and their facility is not at the stage of development where they need to apply for one.


text:
Category: broadcasting
Alex on the radio
I featured as a guest on Today FM's Sunday Supplement with Sam Smyth yesterday. The other panellists were Mary O'Rourke TD and Senator Shane Ross.
You can listen to the show in full by clicking here.
Alex on Today FM
Last Sunday, I joined Mary O'Rourke TD and Leo Varadkar TD on The Sunday Supplement on Today FM.
Make blasphemy a referendum issue
The Seanad should take careful note of what has been said by a representative of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe in relation to adding blasphemy to the Defamation Bill. His comments were reported in yesterday's newspapers. I ask the House and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to consider a proposal I would like to make. According to the Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, he needs to resolve a constitutional dilemma in this area by means of legislation or by means of a constitutional amendment. I am a member of the All-Party Committee on the Constitution which recently recommended that the relevant section of the Constitution should be deleted.
Senator Regan is also a member of the all-party committee, which clearly recommended that this provision should be removed from the Constitution. That view is clearly shared across the board in these Houses. That is the correct way to proceed.
My suggestion to the Minister, through the Leader, is that if the parties in the Oireachtas agree that a series of amendments to the Constitution should be put to the people at an appropriate time, perhaps, although not necessarily, in October of this year, a referendum on the question of blasphemy should be put on that list of matters to be determined by the people on referendum day.
It would be proper to remove the provision in question from the Constitution. If the Minister's comments are to be taken in good faith, it appears he believes he must do one thing or the other. He seems to be concerned about the possibility of addressing this issue by means of a constitutional amendment. We do not need to have a referendum on this issue tomorrow or the day after. It does not even need to take place this year, although it should not be put on the long finger.
In fairness, this matter has been on the table for ten years. We have lived with other interpretations of the Constitution. We have not rushed to introduce legislation to cater for the outcome of the X case, for example, although I believe we should have done so. In such circumstances, I propose that the Leader of the Seanad should try to secure all-party agreement to ask the Minister to address the matter of blasphemy by means of constitutional amendment at an appropriate time in the future. We should not have to deal with the legislative distraction the Minister is considering.
More :: Listen to the interview with Justice Minister Dermot Ahern on Morning Ireland (begins at 8mins 15secs)
"Those employed in broadcasting need to be trusted to make important decisions"
We must exercise great care in a debate on broadcasting standards. There is a long tradition of politicians in chambers repeatedly having a go at broadcasters and broadcasting. We must be extremely careful regarding the way we proceed and not just for the reason that many politicians cannot afford to be critical of the media because the day might come when those in the media might turn the tables and have a go at them. I am more concerned about the issue of principle.
Despite what we might like to think, we politicians occupy a privileged position. What we say in the House is included in the Official Report, broadcast on television and published in the media, and people pay some attention to it.
What we say can and often is broadcast, or at least we hope it will be. Our words are also published in the media and people pay attention to them. That is a privilege we ought not to abuse or take lightly. We should resist the temptation, and I am not saying anybody has not done so during this debate, to grab the opportunity to engage in partisan or sometimes even personalised attacks on broadcasters, especially in the political field.
The word "liberal" has been repeated many millions of times in recent weeks in America – who is a liberal, who is more liberal, if Senator Obama is liberal and what does "liberal" mean anyway.
It is another of those words. It is often used by people who are not socialist but they have a good view about what they think socialism is or should be and they indulge themselves in that. To come back to the notion of liberal, Senator Walsh went on to speak about people who wish to shape public opinion on an issue. Often when that point is made, it is a case of somebody saying: "I do not like those people shaping opinions; I would prefer opinions to be shaped by me or somebody who holds my viewpoint on an issue." It is not an objection on principle but an objection to the person doing the opinion shaping.
This issue struck me quite often during the debate on a slightly different subject. It is an analogy worth drawing, although not many Members might agree with me. During the debate on political censorship and section 31 of the Broadcasting Act, as a broadcaster I was strongly opposed to the section for reasons which Senator Walsh might describe as liberal in the sense that I believe in freedom of speech and freedom of expression. I do not believe broadcasting should ever be permitted to be used for incitement, but we have legislation to prevent that. However, in terms of the exclusion of views or the expression of views on radio and television, it is necessary to exercise considerable care that we do not leave ourselves open to the accusation that we are simply trying to exclude views with which we disagree from being broadcast.
Listener and viewer must be central to our broadcasting regime
Today, the much anticipated Broadcasting Bill 2008 was at Second Stage in the Seanad. Below is my speech on the Bill.
I welcome the Bill's publication. As the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources stated last week, it is detailed and comprehensive legislation that proposes to amend and repeal broadcasting legislation dating back more than 50 years. It is a significant and unprecedented achievement and I congratulate the Minister and his officials on putting together in one Bill all of these initiatives and regulations in respect of the independent and public broadcasting sectors.
I agree that the listener and the viewer should be central to the debate and our broadcasting regime, an aspect of the Bill that the Minister emphasised. It must not be a matter of the promotion of individual interests, including those of public or private sector broadcasters. I will revert to this issue when I address the Sound and Vision Fund referred to in the Bill. It is a question of putting the listener and the viewer centre stage in determining what type of broadcasting regime we desire.
The Bill contains a number of welcome innovative provisions. For example, section 8 proposes to involve the joint committee in the appointment of members of the authority's board and the RTE board. The Minister stated that some Members – he seemed to refer to Fine Gael Members, but they can speak for themselves – may have favoured a procedure for vetting proposed board members as opposed to a formal proposing role. He indicated his preference for the latter, in respect of which I support him. The committee should have a more proactive role in the appointment of board members of the authority and RTE and its involvement should have substance.
As well as addressing the broad sweep of requirements in a broadcasting regime, the legislation maintains RTE and TG4 but deals with them separately. The relevant sections seem faithfully to repeat what has gone before while also seeking to modernise and streamline many of the provisions relating to public broadcasters. The legislation includes several significant and innovative changes. The Minister referred to the introduction of an Oireachtas channel. This is something we have raised in the House on previous occasions. It is an important development and I hope it will be operational sooner rather than later. There was a suggestion that it would be launched next year. I urge the Minister to do what he can to expedite it.
I reflected on the Minister's statement on the last occasion that one of his objectives in bringing forward this legislation is to shift the legislative basis of the television licence regime from wireless telegraphy to broadcasting legislation. One may wonder what that means. For many years, we have had an anachronistic approach to broadcasting, although there has been some change in this regard in the last ten or 20 years. For a long time, however, the attitude of the Government, Civil Service and of many politicians was proprietorial.
It is not so long ago that the Taoiseach's hero, Mr. Seán Lemass, declared that RTE had been set up by legislation as an instrument of public policy and, as such, was responsible to the Government. He further stated that the Government rejected the view that "RTE should be, either in general or in regard to its current affairs and news programmes, completely independent of Government supervision". Mr. Lemass made that statement in the 1960s in reference to the 1960 legislation which will be repealed by this Bill. There are echoes of this attitude from time to time in this Chamber when Members are upset by something they see on RTE. However, in general, the view put forward by Mr. Lemass is no longer part of our culture. It is important that we have put our view of broadcasting onto a new plane, one that is more intelligent and more faithful to the purpose of broadcasting. Public service broadcasting should not be an instrument of public policy – and especially not of Government policy – but rather a vital aspect of our democratic system and culture in the broadest possible sense.


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It is a water conservation project , which involves rejuvenation of Paapnaashi river and tributaries, which flows near most of the 15 villages. The project is divided into phases. First phase involves deepening and widening of the river. Second phase is repairing and building 41 check dams in total to increase the percolation of water in the area and boost the water table. The project which is estimated to be around 60 lakhs is being funded by villagers, government schemes and private donations with villagers taking the lead.
Global Parli's inception took place with the initiative to provide water to these drought hit villages and bring it back on its feet. Last year, when the situation in Marathwada had reached its worst in 40 years with stored water going below 8% and they faced a drought for the 4th consecutive year, we ended up supplying over 1 crore liters of water to the thirsty villagers of Beed. After supplying water through tankers, the focus turned towards the current water utilization and conservation as we knew that this problem had to be addressed and uprooted from the base. A detailed survey of the Paapnaashi River was conducted to ascertain the reason for scarcity. The results were shocking.
The survey revealed the river's old structure was a deeper and wider version of the current water body. The banks of the river has been encroached by the villagers resulting into the blockage and narrowing of the river, which led to erosion and reduction in the depth and width of the river leading to reduced water percolation into the earth and less conservation of water.
Initially, we started with a water literacy campaign, where villagers were educated on proper water usage. The villagers were extracting water from the ground through bore wells; there were many bore wells within short distance of each other, giving very little space for the water to percolate in the ground, moreover there were no mechanism to store the water received during rains. This resulted into low levels of water stored. So the villagers were given training on farm bunding, watershed development, drip irrigation etc to increase their awareness on water restoration and conservation. Our main learning has been that with proper guidance and imparting of knowledge to villagers, most of the water related issues can be solved. The next step was the revival of the Paapnaashi River.
The ambitious project needed tedious government approvals, part funding from government schemes and private funding. The decision to include funding from the villagers was a short in the arm with villagers contributing 20 and 30 rupees each which totaled up to around 20 lakhs.
The enthusiasm of the villagers to gather the contribution was built over the past one year, as a result of the developmental activities carried out by Global Parli including distribution of chicks and goats to encourage alternative sources of income, re-charging of over 50 bore wells, distribution of vegetable saplings for nutritional security, e-learning in schools, organisation of general and specialized medical camps like breast cancer and Pap smear (screening procedure for cervical cancer) detection for women, football and marathon training camps to engage youth etc .
After having completed the decisive step of collection of funds from the villagers, we started phase one of the project on 4th April 2017. It covers the widening and deepening of 15.61 kms of the river and building of a few check dams. It is expected to be completed in just 30 - 45 days despite the scorching sun in temperatures as high as 42 degrees.
This is the most crucial project as water is the most pressing need of the villagers and thus Global Parli is not going to leave any stone unturned, literally!


Before Uber existed, getting a ride home required a special skill. Passive people would take longer to reach home because they allowed aggressive taxi hailers to steal their rides. Innovation improved technology, creating a reliable ride platform to secure rides in real-time and monitor this status.
An UberX client shared that before Uber arrived, hailing a taxi would pose a challenge. On a past New Year's Eve, this individual failed to secure a taxi and had to walk 14 miles to get home.
Why would this person struggle to get a ride home? On New Year's Eve, taxi services are usually in extremely high demand. There is no guarantee to find a cab ride home. Limited supply of taxis/cabs and high demand for ride would mean that many riders got stranded and/or waited longer to reach home.
With UberX, Lyft and Sidecar, riders on these platforms have access to many vehicles. If there are no vehicles within the intermediate area, this ride app will send out a request to the closest driver in furthermost regions.
This ridesharing driver has 20 seconds to accept the ride request. Therefore, an unclaimed ride request can continue to repeat in the system until a driver accepts it. It may time time to secure a ride, but at least riders now have multiple options to get a ride.
Imagine life before these ride apps hit the transportation scene. One previous UberX client shared that he would hail a cab until his arm got numb. Then, this client would move into another area to repeat this same process again. It was like a working a job to secure a cab ride.
Uber, Lyft and Sidecar make getting a ride much easier. As competition continues on, the cost of rides and new promotions will drive down prices. Riders are the real winners.
Be thankful there are additional alternatives to get a ride. The cost of a trip is historically at an all-time low. The same ride that would cost $100+ would now run you $60, give or take $10.


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Grammar is one of most important issues for students and teachers. Teachers are not expected to know every aspect of grammar. However, they are expected to have a good knowledge about what they are teaching. Therefore, it is necessary for a teacher to be able to classify each word in a sentence according to its purpose and meaning. This is called parts of speech.This lesson is about conditionals and reported speech. Being that both of these topics, although similar, are quite long and full of difficult tense changes, I believe it might be a good idea to split them in two, so learners have a chance to stop and repeat what they learned before continuing. Beside this, I found the summaries in the video lesson very helpful.


text:
Syrian Assad regime to cut spending after Ukraine invasion
Bashar Assad's Syrian regime moved to cut spending on Thursday, hoping to blunt the economic fallout of Russia invasion of Ukraine, amid fears oil and wheat prices will soar in the economically battered nation, the state news reports the agency.
The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that after an extraordinary Cabinet meeting, officials decided to manage the reserves of main staple foods such as wheat, sugar, cooking oil and rice for the next two months, watch the distribution carefully of foodstuffs and ration them.
The economics of the scheme minister, Mohammed Samer Khalil, said that Crimea offered to export wheat to Syria. He said the Assad regime was considering the offer. SANA said that the government also decided to follow the exchange closely rate and to "ration public expenses in a way which covers only the priorities of this period.
Syria, struggling after more more than a decade of war, rests mainly on wheat imports from Russia and oil shipments from son another ally, Iran. As Russia pounded Ukraine on Thursday, Syrian authorities saw danger panels in rising Oil prices on on both sides of the Atlantic and wholesale prices jumped for fuel oil, wheat and other commodities.
Russia is a main funder of President Bashar Assad's regime and its military intervention in 2015 helped tip the balance of power in his favor. The Assad regime described the attacks on Ukraine as "military operation of the Russian allies to preserve their national security and stability".
Russia's war effort pushed the Syrian Assad regime to manage its own resources. SANA, the state news the agency, said the issue was discussed during an extraordinary council of ministers on Thursday on the path forward given Russian invasion.
the decision came like oil prices on on both sides of the Atlantic jumped towards or above $100 a barrel at their highest levels since 2014, up more by 6%.
The Syrian conflict that began in March 2011 a left almost half a million people dead and moved half the country's pre-war population of 23 millions people. The war has also lead to severe shortages in fuel and wheat. the dollar today is worth around 3,600 Syrian pounds per with 47 pounds to start of the dispute.
The country's largest oil wells are under control of US-backed YPG terrorist group in the east of the country, depriving government access for them. The fertile agricultural areas of the country, where wheat is planted, are also out of government control.
Earlier on On Thursday, Russia invaded Ukraine, striking towns and bases with airstrikes or shelling, as civilians piled into trains and cars to flee. Ukraine government said Russian tanks and troops crossed the border in a "fullwar on a large scale" which could rewrite the geopolitical order and whose fallout already echoed around the world.
Assad's Regime move came hours after the UN warned that 14.6 millions people are in need of aid in war-torn Syria, an increase of 1.2 million people compared with with last year. The Bureau's report for the coordination of Humanitarian cases were released on Wednesday evening.
The UN and its partners reach 7 millions people every month, "but more support East requiredtweeted Mark Cutts, the UN's deputy regional humanitarian coordinator. for the Syrian crisis.


text:
Road To WWI: July Crisis
Finally a situation arises when a Great Power can no longer just look on but must draw the sword. German Kaiser Wilhelm II to the Austrian Chief of General Staff, July 6 1914
Remembering a revolution and a war
July 14 is Bastille Day and it celebrates the storming of the notorious Paris prison during the French Revolution of 1789. It is France's National Day and this year, on the hundredth anniversary of the start of World War One, there have been special ceremonies as well as dramatic fireworks around the Eiffel Tower.
It was in July 1914 that the great powers of Europe were faced with the possibility of fireworks of a different kind. Could they prevent a minor crisis in the Balkans leading to major war?
Serbia is implicated in the assassination
The killing of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Bosnia-Herzegovina in June 1914 was seen in Vienna as a challenge to Austria-Hungary's right to rule the area. (See: http://kapitiindependentnews.net.nz/road-to-wwi-july-crisis/#more-32921 )
Neighbouring Serbia, as a supporter of Pan-Slavism – uniting Slavs in the region – was clearly involved.
~ Assassin Gavrilo Princip was a Bosnian-Serb.
~ The assassination team had been trained and armed in Serbia by the Black Hand.
~ Serbian border officials had turned a blind to the armed group crossing into Bosnia.
~ The Serbian government knew that the Black Hand was plotting something, but its vague warning to the Austro-Hungarian government was not recognised as being serious.
There had also been tensions with Serbia in recent years, and many in Austria were convinced that it was now time to deal with Serbia once and for all.
Austria-Hungary checks things out with its ally Germany
Franz Ferdinand was the nephew of Franz Josef, Emperor of Austria-Hungary (pictured alongside), and heir to his throne. Franz Josef was normally opposed to war, but realised that the assassination was a threat to his empire.
He wrote to his ally, the German Kaiser, Wilhelm II.
The crime against my nephew is the first consequence of the agitation carried on by Russian and Serbian Pan-Slavists whose sole aim is to weaken the Triple Alliance and shatter my empire.
The Emperor referred to the Triple Alliance which included Italy, as well as Austria-Hungary and Germany.
He also emphasized the influence of Russia:
the biggest Slav nation
the most populous Great Power
a staunch supporter of Serbia.
Russia was part of an allied group called the Triple Entente which included the other two European Great Powers: France and Britain.
All six nations in the alliances had been involved in an arms build up since the late 1890s, to ensure they were ready for war, should it occur.
Austria-Hungary would not take action against Serbia, without the support of Germany, which was probably the strongest military power of the six. Discussions in Berlin during July 5 and 6 between the two powers, resulted in the Kaiser (pictured alongside), giving Austria-Hungary what has become known as the blank cheque.
Basically the Germans would support any action their ally decided to take against the Serbs.
The Kaiser said: I am with you there (with Austria-Hungary against Serbia) The others (other great powers) are not prepared. They will do nothing against it. Within a few days you must be in Belgrade (capital of Serbia.) I was always a partisan of peace, but this has its limits… Finally a situation arises when a Great Power can no longer just look on but must draw the sword.
Nothing to worry about?
For over two weeks Austria-Hungary did nothing. The Sarajevo assassinations had been big news in late June and there was general sympathy throughout Europe for the victims. However as time passed it was felt that this was just another act of violence in Southeast Europe – The Balkans – where assassinations and conflict were common.
Things would get sorted, if necessary by the great powers getting together. In the previous 10 years there had been a number of crises and small wars, however none had lead to a major conflict.
Despite being in different alliances, the major powers had sorted out
two crises in Morocco: 1905 and 1911
a crisis in Bosnia: 1908
the First Balkan War: 1912-13
The Second Balkan War of 1913 only lasted two months and the participants brokered a settlement amongst themselves.
Surely in the aftermath of the Franz Ferdinand assassination, good sense would prevail and a settlement between Austria-Hungary and Serbia would be worked through?
Danger time: Austria-Hungary acts against Serbia
July was summer time in Europe and in the middle of the month many of the politicians went on holiday. Then seemingly out of the blue, more than three weeks after the death of Franz Ferdinand, Austria Hungary presented Serbia with an ultimatum.
Basically Vienna demanded that the Serbian government accept all 10 clauses otherwise the country would be invaded.
Serbia was prepared to accept eight of the clauses, which required them to end anti-Austrian groups and propaganda, and arrest anybody who had supported or been involved in planning the assassination.
What it wouldn't agree to was
Clause 5: Accept the presence of Austrian authorities in Serbia to see that anti-Austrian activities ceased
Clause 6: Open an inquiry into the assassination and allow Austria-Hungary to take part in it.
The government knew that if they agreed to these two clauses, they would be giving up their independence as a country.
British Foreign Minister, Sir Edward Grey, described the ultimatum as the most formidable document that was ever addressed from one State to another.
Late July: the road to war?
Serbia accepted everything except allowing Austro-Hungarian officials to operate inside its borders. The German Kaiser was delighted, commenting on July 27
A brilliant achievement… It is more than one could have expected! A great moral victory for Vienna; but with it all reason for war is gone…
He wanted his ally to accept the Serbian answer in principle and negotiate on the other points. However his government officials did not pass on this message immediately.
On July 28 Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Then the following day Austria-Hungary shelled the Serbian capital Belgrade.
However there was no invasion at this point as the Austro-Hungarian army would not be fully mobilised until August 12. Surely wise heads and diplomacy could prevent a war breaking out?
(To be continued. The next article will cover the failure of diplomacy)
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text:
Donation bolsters technology at Saint James School
Anita Ferrante
Saint James School
Donation will provide several significant technological enhancements to the school
The Saint James Preschool will receive a SMART Table
BERNARDS – A generous donation of $150,000 has been given to Saint James School in Basking Ridge. The parish school, which is part of the Diocese of Metuchen, received the gift from the Laurie H. Wollmuth Charitable Trust. The Wollmuth family are parishioners of Saint James Catholic Church.
"The generosity of the Wollmuth family will enhance the learning experiences of all Saint James School students by providing additional interactive technology tools to foster a more collaborative learning environment" said Monsignor Sylvester Cronin, Pastor of Saint James Church.
The donation from the Laurie H. Wollmuth Charitable Trust will provide several significant technological enhancements to the school, which houses a preschool and grades kindergarten through eight. These upgrades will allow students to further engage in one-to-one learning. The school's existing technology infrastructure will be upgraded with several new products. Monsignor Cronin learned of the intended donation in February and installation of the technology has already begun at the school.
Technology for all
The impact of this generous donation begins in the school's preschool. The Saint James Preschool will receive a SMART Table, which will encourage social and academic development. The device will promote interactive play and collaborative learning among students. It features an engaging 360-degree, multitouch surface with a brilliant 42-inch high-definition LCD display. The SMART Table enables up to eight students to interact simultaneously.
Teaching with enhanced tools
The Saint James School Computer Lab currently houses 25 Windows 7 Workstations. The Laurie H. Wollmuth Charitable Trust gift will allow for the addition of a new Smart board in the lab. But that's just the beginning of how the donation will impact the students' learning experience. It has also afforded the school the opportunity to install Epson Interactive Projectors in every single classroom, from grades kindergarten through eight. This exciting technology allows for content from a wide range of sources, including Apple, Microsoft and Android devices to be displayed on any wall or whiteboard. The Epsons are an invaluable tool which allow the teachers greater flexibility in bringing a wealth of information to their students.
Google Chromebooks and ELMOs
More than 220 Google Chromebooks are also on the way to Saint James School this spring, as a result of the prolific donation. These laptops will provide the students with personalized learning experiences and access to advanced educational content. Middle school students (grades five through eight) at Saint James will travel from class to class with their Chromebooks and seamlessly transition from subject to subject on the laptops. Children in grades kindergarten through four will also explore their various subject matter on their Chromebooks, from their homerooms.
The Laurie H. Wollmuth Charitable Trust gift will also allow Saint James School to purchase additional ELMO Document Cameras. This will bring to fruition the goal that every classroom have the ability to easily and readily display documents and other objects. The ELMOs are used by teachers to create dynamic lessons designed to enhance learning, creativity and academic performance.
The donation will allow for all of this technology to be in place at Saint James School over the next two months.
Saint James School will be hosting an Open House from 9:30 to 11:15 a.m. and 12:45 to 2:30 p.m. on April 21.


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musicDXB is an exciting and innovative initiative bringing music into the world's busiest airport.
The musicDXB project is an example of a campaign on which we provide all of our services - PR, brand strategy and events consultancy.
In a destination airport and true global hub, which acts as gateway to the four continents, music is the ultimate universal language to connect the 85 million passengers passing through DXB each year. The airport's strap line, "Connecting the world" has been extended through this project to, "Connecting the world through music". This activation has brought the brand to life and creates a three-dimensional experience for passengers to connect and engage emotionally with the airport through its music programme.
Brilliantly launched by the airport's team in November 2015 with a performance by Katy Perry, we were brought in to elevate the activation to make it more multi-faceted and relevant to the way consumers enjoy music in 2016. From a physical stage inside the airport hosting live performances to curating content on line, via streaming and on screen through the development of brand partnerships, press outreach and creative strategy, the project platforms both local, regional and emerging talent, as well as showcasing some higher profile artists recognisable to the airport's audience. With 80,000 of its 230,000 daily passengers making use of free wi-fi within the airport each day, the initiative has the perfect promotional platform at its fingertips and full control over messaging, content and customer interaction.
The highlight of the activation in 2016 was a live performance from X Factor Arabia winner, Hamza Hawsawi. Born in Saudi, living in the UAE and having recorded his album in both Dubai and at the world-famous Metropolis Studios in London, combined with the fact that he sings in English, Hamza was the perfect artist to reflect the local and international appeal of this project. Our role in this show was the talent acquisition - negotiating with management and booking his appearance, collaborating with the airport team on brand and social media strategy around the event and press and PR. Coverage of the performance reached over 20 million and included an interview and live on air performance on the region's biggest radio show, Kris Fade's Virgin Radio Breakfast Show, with an estimated audience of 700,000.
Exciting brand partnerships as well as a series of fantastic live shows are planned across 2017 for musicDXB.


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Skills in facilitation are essential for anyone working in the field of learning and development. It is also an extremely vital skills for managers across the organisation, and can be a useful addition to the skill set for anyone leading focus groups, research and for those who want to work with their teams in a different way.
Evaluate the outcomes of the facilitation process.
All CIPD programmes can be run in-house, tailored to your organisation's unique needs.
Review, reflection, action planning and evaluation.
Fill out your details to find out more about Facilitation Skills.


What about Wes for his first comp?
Wes..the very best thing is to practice a cook with a real time line for all meats....a dry run and document exactly the time you need to do each step...I have a written sheet that is color coded and I set individual alarms on my Iphone for each task I have 28 alarms starting at 4;15 comp morning....Its about hitting your timeline...if you follow a schedule you will get everything done...for your first comp give your big meats a longer rest in case they dont get ready ....schedules eliminate stress.
Keep your cooking area clean in real time....if you let the mess build up you end up with a sloppy cook. All counter tops clear of clutter and clean after every procedure.
The biggest issue is the cook getting away from you and in summary a clean well organized cook that stays on the timeline always works.
Set simple realistic goals, hit your timelines, and get everything turned in. That would be a successful first cook. Don't forget to have fun, that's our rule numbero uno.


Example: 1. Typing "buildtype d on" at the command prompt causes the buildtype to be set to Debug type with D2 flag set. 2. Typing "buildtype d off" or "buildtype d" at the command prompt causes the buildtype to be set to Debug type with D1 flag set. 2. Typing "buildtype r" at the command prompt sets it to Release Build type.
The make process runs only under WinNT shell. The NetWare makefile is located under the NetWare folder. This makes use of miniperl.exe to run some of the Perl scripts. To create miniperl.exe, first set the required paths for Visual c++ compilier (specify vcvars32 location) at the command prompt. Then run nmake from win32 folder through WinNT command prompt. The build process can be stopped after miniperl.exe is created. Then run nmake from NetWare folder through WinNT command prompt.


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COVID causes NSW to accelerate Shield move
NSW's Sheffield Shield players are set to fly to Adelaide on Thursday, earlier than planned in a bid to bypass any potential COVID-19 issues.
The Blues had initially planned to fly into South Australia next week, but had a number of contingency options in place including leaving as late as October 19.
One of those alternatives included flying interstate at short notice if required, and was set in train by the confirmation of three cases in western Sydney on Wednesday.
The move from Cricket NSW is understood to ensure the team does not become caught up in any border-restriction changes, which have so far not been raised by either state.
Team officials were in discussions with the organisation's chief medical officer throughout Wednesday before the decision was made late in the evening.
A number of the players' families will also travel across into the bubble, prompting some significant last-minute planning.
Most state teams were already due to arrive in South Australia this week to begin a month-long stint in the bubble.
All matches for the first four rounds will be played in Adelaide, between this weekend and November 11.
Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia all begin their campaigns on Saturday.
NSW and Victoria do not play their first match until October 22, allowing for Victoria to have two weeks in quarantine on their arrival in South Australia given case numbers in Melbourne.
Cricket Australia have worked extensively to get the first-class season off the ground, with the schedule for the first four rounds before the Big Bash only announced last month.
© AAP


I Corinthians: A Study of the Book is a "Practical Commentary" on Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians. It is designed to enable the reader to concisely and accurately understand what the Apostle Paul is expressing to a group of Believers for whom he cares greatly. This 410 page Bible-based commentary is built upon an Instructive Outline, and it is an excellent teaching tool. While this book is not a running narative, such as Matthew Henry's, it does include some devotional/meditative material. And, while this book is not designed as a complete verse-by-verse exegesis of Paul's epistle, there is a good measure of this, as well.
An looseleaf bound Instructor's Manual of the full commentary is available; as well as a 62 page companion Study Guide. The Study Guide features an abbreviated outline in a fill-in-the-blank format. All answers required to complete the Study Guide are included in both the full Commentary and Instructor's Manual: appearing as Bolded, Double-Underlined text.
Orders may be placed by downloading and completing the following order form, or by calling: 662-202-5518.
The Seven Churches of Revelation is a Commentary on Revelation chapters two and three. It provides an indepth study of the seven churches of Asia Minor which existed in the days of the Apostle John. Key historical and archeological information is given regarding each church, which allows the reader to gain a better understanding as to why Jesus references each church as He does. The background of many key words and phrases are provided, with a detailed explanation of their Greek language roots.
This 300 page Bible-based commentary is built upon an Instructive Outline, and it is an excellent teaching tool.
An looseleaf bound Instructor's Manual of the full commentary is available; as well as a companion Study Guide. The Study Guide features an abbreviated outline in a fill-in-the-blank format. All answers required to complete the Study Guide are included in both the full Commentary and the Instructor's Manual: appearing as Bolded, Double-Underlined text.
A Biblical Overview of History, is written and designed by Dr. Bob Hill. This Commentary, along with its colorful companion chart, provide a study of Biblical chronology (i.e., a study of Time as revealed in the Word of God). The study provides an understanding of history given in terms of the Bible rather than a study of the Bible in terms of history. The course covers the entire Bible from Genesis through Revelation.
A Biblical Overview of History features a panoramic history (past, present, and future) of mankind on earth. The course begins with a study of the nature of God, His creation of the universe and mankind, and the spiritual fall of man in sin. It presents key Biblical truths as revealed by God throughout history - identifying unique periods in which God deals in distinguishable ways with mankind. Placing man's history on earth (i.e., Time) in the midst of Eternity, helps the student understand the purpose of God's creation of man, God's plans and purposes for the ages, and the fulfillment of God's designs in eternity.
Within A Biblical Overview of History are a series of interesting "Inserts," covering such topics as: the Creation of the Universe and Mankind, the advent of Sin and the Fall of Satan, the spiritual Fall of Man, the Old Testament Tabernacle, and an introduction to the Seven Churches of Revelation. Although the Commentary is in book form, a looseleaf bound Instructor's Manual is also available. The Instructor's Manual, also includes Review Sheets which may be copied and freely distributed. A formal Study Guide, suitable for classroom use, offers a Fill-in-the-Blank approach. Answers to all questions in the Study Guide are provided in both the Commentary book and the Instructor's Manual. All Scripture citations used in the course are from the King James Version (KJV) of The Holy Bible.
Both the looseleaf bound Instructor's Manual and the plastic spined Study Guide are printed in a 5.5" x 8.5" format.
The Gift of the Magi - Listen Now Free!
The Gift of the Magi is a short story written by O. Henry, a pen name for William Sydney Porter. This story, about a young married couple and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money, was one of several hundred written by O. Henry between 1903 and 1910. It was published in a New York City newspaper in 1905 and in a collection, The Four Million, in 1906.
We hope you enjoy as the Hill Family Radio Drama presents an adaptation of The Gift of the Magi.
Each volume consists of six study units that include the text, vocabulary words, questions, quizzes, and projects. Each unit also has a removable final test. The answer key for all six study units has been printed its own bound volume.
Many schools throughout the State of Mississippi are using this course. These schools have expressed their appreciation for the fact that this course is written by Christian Educators from a Biblical viewpoint. The course traces God's Hand behind the scenes of the development of the state and encourages students to let God work in their lives.
Because of the six-unit design, this course can be used with individual students or can be used with an entire class. It is recommend that this course be used with students on the seventh grade level who are required to complete a state history course. Mississippi State History: From a Christian Viewpoint may also be used for a half credit high school elective.


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Olympus Tough TG-6
Olympus Tough TG-6 Review
The Olympus Tough TG-6 is a compact camera with a 12Mp 1/2.33-inch sensor. What makes it special is that it's built to survive being dropped from 2.1m, crushed by 100kg, frozen down to -10°C and being taken 15m below water without a housing. That waterproofing also means it's dust-proof so you can use it on the beach and not worry if you drop it.
Olympus has paired the Tough TG-6's sensor with the TruePic VIII processing engine. That's the same engine as is in the Olympus OM-D E-M1 II (and the TG-5). In the Tough TG-6 it enables a sensitivity range of ISO 100-12,800.
Like the TG-5 it replaces, the TG-6 has a lens with a focal length range that's equivalent to 25-100mm. At the wide-angle end of the lens, the maximum aperture is f/2.0 and at the telephoto end, it's f/4.9. That's a useful range for general photography and the large aperture means the shutter speed can be kept up even in low light or underwater.
While the Olympus Tough TG-6's target market might be adventurers, divers and families who want a childproof camera, the TG-5 proved popular with experienced photographers who want a camera that they can use in extreme conditions. I think the TG-5's ability to record raw files may be part of the draw so it's good to see that continue with the TG-6.
Like the TG-5, the TG-6 has Super Macro and Microscope modes. Super Macro mode reduces the closest focusing distance down to just 1cm from the lens while Microscope mode adds zoom capability to make objects larger in the frame.
In addition, there's a logging system that can record a GPS, pressure, depth, temperature and altitude data, along with an electronic compass to show the direction of travel.
The Olympus Tough TG-6 is available from Wex Photo Video, Park Cameras and Amazon UK in the UK and BH Photo Video, Adorama and Amazon.com in the US.
Continuous Shooting
The Olympus Tough TG-6 is designed with adventure in mind so it's handy that there's a top continuous shooting rate of 20fps (frames per second). However, Pro Capture mode can make it easier to get the shots you want. In this mode the top shooting rate is 10fps but there's a 5-image rolling buffer.
This starts with a half-press of the shutter button and when the button is pressed home, the last 5 images are saved to the card while the camera continues to shoot. The recording only stops when you release the shutter button. This means that you can capture action at 10fps from half a second before you press the shutter release fully.
Pro Capture mode is perfect for shooting fleeting and unpredictable moments.
The Olympus TG-6 is capable of shooting 4K 93840 x 2160) video at 30p or 25p and up to approximately 102Mbps. In addition, Full HD (1920×1080) video can be shot at up to 120fps. That means you can capture action for dramatic slow-motion playback.
Videos are recorded as Mpeg4/H.264 Mov files.
Sensor: 12Mp 1/2.33-inch CMOS
Lens: 4.5‑18.0mm (25-100mm equivalent) f/2.0-4.9
Screen: 3-inch LCD with 1,040,000 dots
Focusing: TTL iESP contrast detection system, Single AF, Face Detection AF, Spot, AF
Tracking, Manual focus, Super Macro Mode
Closest focusing distance: 1cm
Exposure modes: i-Auto, Programme, Aperture priority, Custom shooting, Underwater,
Microscope, Scene Modes, Art Filter, Movie
Continuous shooting: 20fps for up to 14 raw files or until the card is filled with Jpegs, Pro
Capture mode at up to 10fps
Max video resolution: 4K (3840 x 2160) at 30p, 25p (approx. 102Mbps)
Storage: SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS‑I compatible)
Dimensions: 113 x 66 x 32.4mm (without protrusions)
Weight: 253g (including battery and memory card)
Build and Handling
Olympus clearly decided to stick with a winning formula for the TG-6 because it looks just like the TG-5. It's not the most attractive camera around, but it's designed to be used where other cameras can't.
To maintain the waterproofing, the doors over the battery/memory card port and cable connection have dual locks. This means you have to flick the small latch open then flick open the larger lock to open the door. It takes a bit of force to close the doors properly so they can be locked. Opening and closing the doors is a nail-splitting procedure but it keeps everything safe.
There's a switch marked Off/Log on the left side of the top plate. I'd advise keeping this off if you don't need it as the logging system saps the life out of the battery even when the camera is turned off. If you leave it on and don't use the camera for a few days, you're likely to find the battery is flat when you need it.
Helpfully, you don't need to activate the logging system to tag images with GPS data.
There's a toggle switch around the power button for zooming the lens in and out. And just to the right of this, is the main control dial. This has knurled finish to make it easy to use with or without gloves. However, it's also knocked out of position fairly easily and that can result in a change in the exposure.
As with the TG-5, the shooting mode dial is on the back of the camera. The movie record button is just above it while the navigation pad (with shortcut options) is below. Fairly standard stuff as shown in the image below.
Read our GoPro Hero7 Black Review
In one of the few improvements made upon the TG-5, the Tough TG-6's 3-inch screen has 1,040,000 dots (up from 460,000 dots). It gives a reasonably clear view of the scene. Initially I was concerned that it was too bright and that I was applying negative exposure compensation unnecessarily, however, I later found it was showing the images accurately.
The menu is surprisingly brief, so it's easy to find the options you need. However, if you're looking for aspects such as the file type, AF mode and white balance, you need to press the OK button to access the Live Control or quick menu. The parameters are shown in a column on the right of the screen and you can see the available settings along the bottom as you scroll up and down.
Read our buyers guide to the best action cameras
Read our buyers guide to the best compact cameras
I used the Olympus Tough TG-6 is heavy rain and sunny conditions, and everything in between, as well as in a river. I'd summarise the results as being good for a waterproof compact camera.
I find that the TG-6 is prone to overexposing images. As a result, most of the shots I have taken so far were shot with -0.7Ev exposure compensation. This seems to be because the camera is calibrated for bright conditions. When I was shooting around a river, with lots of reflections, the exposure was good. This seems like a sensible move given that it's very likely to be used on the beach, in snow or surrounded water.
At the lower sensitivity settings, the TG-6 captures a good level of detail for a camera with a 1/2.33-inch sensor. You can find a hint of noise in ISO 400 images at 100%, and it's more apparent at ISO 800. I'd aim to make ISO 3,200 the maximum setting you use, but ISO 1,600 is a better choice if possible.
Provided the exposure is good, the TG-6 handles colours well in the default settings. As you'd expect, the colours are insipid if the image is overexposed. However, the auto white balance system copes well with most situations.
Chromatic aberration can be an issue towards the corners of images with high contrast edges. It's easily dealt with in post-capture processing if you have the image-editing software and inclination.
The AF system is pretty snappy, but it's not the best at tracking moving subjects.
One area that is bound to impress is the TG-6's Macro capability. It can get incredibly close to subjects and even zoom-in if necessary yet still deliver 12mp images. It's worth shooting raw files in these situations as the images can benefit from a tweak to the contrast yo bring out the best of the subject. Luminance noise becomes quite visible in Macro images captured at ISO 800 or above, so you're unlikely to want to make large (A3 prints), but they're fine for smaller prints and sharing on social media etc.
Read our buyer's guide to the best waterproof cameras
The Olympus Tough TG-6 captures a good level of detail in 4K video mode, but the audio is quite noisy. In addition to any handling and zooming noise, there's a hissing sound. This means that unless the audio is quite loud and masks the hiss, you'll probably need to replace it on any videos.
You can hear the hiss, handling and zooming noise in the sample video below. Initially, I thought the hiss was the sound of the wind in the trees, but it's present in video shot inside in quiet conditions as well.
The TG-5 was a popular compact camera and while the TG-6 doesn't make a major upgrade, it still meets a need in the market. It's also easy to use and can deliver good quality images in a range of conditions. However, if you're using it for general photography, away from the beach or ocean, it pays to keep an eye on the exposure and nudge it down if the images are too bright.
The macro mode is great fun and produces impressive results.
It's also capable of shooting decent 4K video, but avoid zooming the lens while recording, keep your hands still on the camera and listen out for the hiss. You can overlay royalty-free music post-capture if necessary.
The Olympus Tough TG-6 is also available from Park Cameras and Amazon UK in the UK and BH Photo Video, Adorama and Amazon.com in the US.


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There will be a food drive next week for the Food Net for Families at the Wendy Lacour Allstate Office on the corner of St Peter and Center Street next to Meche's Donuts. The first 10 people to bring nonperishable foods or donations, get a free T-Shirt. Wendy Lacour 337-365-8156 401 East St. Peter St. New Iberia wendylacour@allstate.com Allstate. You're in good hands. Insurance and discounts subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Indemnity Co. Northbrook, Illinois © 2010 Allstate Insurance Co. There will be a food drive next week for the Food Net for Families at the Wendy Lacour Allstate Office on the corner of St Peter and Center Street next to Meche's Donuts. The first 10 people to bring nonperishable foods or donations, get a free T-Shirt. Wendy Lacour 337-365-8156 401 East St. Peter St. New Iberia wendylacour@allstate.com Allstate. You're in good hands. Insurance and discounts subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co., Allstate Indemnity Co. Northbrook, Illinois © 2010 Allstate Insurance Co.
Allstate Insurance - Wendy Williams-Lacour
401 E St Peter St, New Iberia, LA
Insurance Brokers Car Insurance


Understand that your own life and the way you feel, is important. Even if you think you're not important to anyone, the truth is that you are probably important to someone, and probably important to more people than you can imagine. You are unique and that there is no one like you! you are therefore very special, a limited edition! Remember that no one is perfect, but you are the only you, and you are the perfect you. You don't even have to try to be unique, as you already are.
Looking at what is unique about yourself and others, helps you to stop making superficial judgements. Remind yourself that each person is the sum of a unique combination of life events that no one else has ever experienced in the same way.
Be yourself, accept your unique experience, and then build upon it in positive ways. Gaining a positive outlook and accepting who you are can be a difficult personal journey and often takes incredible determination. Being influenced by other people's action and emotions can lead you away from your own. Hold onto your unique nature and listen to your own inner voice. By all means take on ideas that help you to be a better person. After all being unique is not a matter of being stubborn or ignorant. Return to your own perspective when you know something is not right.


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Accelerating Rural Electrification in Myanmar
Pariphan Uawithya Associate Director, The Rockefeller Foundation
Topics: Smart Power for Rural Development, Power
Photo by Julien de Salaberry on Unsplash
An early-morning fresh market in the middle of Salingyi town in Central Myanmar is bustling with farmers, traders, and entrepreneurs coming from surrounding villages to sell assorted agricultural produce and handicrafts. Piercing noises and acrid fumes from a welding shop, a rice milling machine, and oil pressing equipment fill the air when the diesel generators are switched on.
Villages in Salingyi are among 31,000 villages in Myanmar that are not connected to the main national utility grid but are powered instead by diesel generators, solar home systems, car batteries or other sources of electricity. We must ask: What other businesses could open their doors here and how many more jobs could be created if this village were given access to reliable, productive electricity?
Myanmar has one of the lowest electrification rates in Asia, with more than 60% of the population without access to a modern form of electricity, denying people the ability to work, weakening health and safety, education, and limiting the opportunity to rise out of poverty. Energy poverty constrains socio-economic development. Electricity is not only critical to human well-being, it is the undercurrent of a thriving economy.
In partnership with the World Bank, the Government of Myanmar developed a National Electrification Plan that aims to achieve universal energy access by 2030 through grid extension and decentralized rural electrification via mini-grids and solar home systems. According to World Bank, the government will connect 2 million households from 2015 to 2020 and an additional 5.2 million households from 2021 to 2030. To achieve this goal, the World Bank launched a USD $400 million initiative to provide technical assistance and finance grid extension and off-grid electrification in 2015. Through this initiative, energy service companies are incentivized to participate in building and operating decentralized mini-grids in rural areas.
Despite the fact that a number energy service companies (ESCOs) are building mini-grids with support from the Department for Rural Development (DRD), World Bank, GIZ or privately led efforts, ESCOs encounter several issues in scaling their business. These include: 1) generating demand in villages, 2) finding micro-loans to assist rural customers to procure new electrical appliances and buy power from mini-grids, 3) selecting viable sites for setting up mini-grid systems, 4) accessing different financing options, 5) collecting data and using it to improve performance. ESCOs are also concerned with the arrival of the main grid in villages where their mini-grids are constructed because there is no policy or mechanism to sell power to the main grid or buy power from the grid and distribute it to communities.
To address these challenges and accelerate electrification in Myanmar, The Rockefeller Foundation has selected Pact, the largest international non-governmental organization in Myanmar, to establish the Smart Power Myanmar facility in May 2018. The facility aims to advance public-private partnerships that significantly accelerate universal rural electrification and improve the lives of all people, including women and ethnic nationalities, by enabling access to productive power that will spur economic development.
The founding Members of the facility—The Rockefeller Foundation, World Bank, USAID, and Yoma Strategic Holdings—will seek to align and coordinate existing and potential future investments in decentralized renewable energy mini-grid systems with the services provided by the Smart Power Myanmar facility. Specifically, the facility will focus on three priorities:
project development support and demand (household and productive loads) facilitation for energy service companies (ESCOs) and developers
investment facilitation and business modeling for last-mile electrification models; and
policy support and industry coordination.
Underpinning the three priorities will be a powerful data analytics and knowledge function designed to build policy evidence, strengthen the investment case, and better equip developers with world-class capabilities.
Our work will focus on geographical areas where the private sector, government, and communities have a shared interest in establishing mini-grid projects. It will seek, wherever possible, to advance rural electrification based on integrated plans that identify a clear roadmap for mini-grids and other distribution systems to be rolled out, and in line with the country's National Electrification Plan.
We decided to undertake this work based on the success we've experienced in our Smart Power India effort. In India, we've incubated several models with private energy service companies to extend electrification through mini-grids that now power more than 120 villages in some of India's most energy-starved states. Fueled by a network of partners, Smart Power India has energized 5,000 enterprises and is transforming the lives of more than 60,000 Indians. And it taught us a valuable lesson in India: People are willing to pay for access to productive, reliable power and their ability to pay is often very reliable. With these lessons and a commitment to bring access to reliable power to millions of poor and vulnerable people, we've expanded Smart Power not only to Myanmar but to parts of Sub-Saharan Africa as well.
In addition to launching the Smart Power initiative in Myanmar, The Rockefeller Foundation's support for the people of Myanmar is focused on strengthening civil society organizations and governance and facilitating dialogues to promote inclusive development planning and cultural diversity and awareness.
Beyond the Grid: Solar Power for Everyone
November 07, 2014 by Pariphan Uawithya
New Report Says Off-Grid Systems Can Solve Energy Poverty in Rural Areas
January 29, 2015 by Pariphan Uawithya, David Taylor
To Electrify Myanmar, Build The Grid From The Outside In
June 26, 2019 by Deepali Khanna, Pariphan Uawithya
Driving Systems Change with Data
June 26, 2019 by Zia Khan