ps4 controller not charging: Well, if you are the PS4 gamer in various individuals, you need to maintain a value of wireless PS4 controller in all over the market and also at gaming experience well. All the thing you just imagine the complete scenario whenever your PS4 controller getting an error. Like the ps4 controller not charging and unable to start anymore. In that situation how can you handle it? Is there any exact or perfect solution to solve the issue ps4 controller not charging?
For all these queries, you get the right solution for playstation 4 controller not charging when you read the whole write-up. As I provide here different steps in the different way to solve such ps4 controller not charging issue within a very short time. So do have a look, read and follow so that can easily solve successfully. Hence I straightforward provide you the solutions in clear and understandable format. Let me introduce certain methods which help in fixing the issue in a more successful way.
Here, we focus on various possible solutions that help to fix this particular ps4 controller not charging issue to the greater extent. So let us go, follow to fix the issue as it acts like a steering wheel for the PS4 console, the whole game experience. And this becomes not that useful when the controller malfunctions or else stops working. The user can replace or buy the new/ original one only if you do not prefer to lose the various lists of games you like to play on PS4. So try it out all these solutions to get rid of the issue ps4 usb ports not working very well.
Supply power towards USB ports.
Well, this is the simplest method to fix PS4 Controller and moreover can perform a click on reset button. So that the rest button will simply override all the settings completely on the particular device and sets to the factory defaults. In order to reset the PS4 controller, the user must and should place the safety pin inside the tiny hole which is available at the left side of the right screw on the back of the controller.
Now press for a while and this automatically resets the whole PS4 controller and then can try plugging the controller in a perfect way so that it gets charging very well.
Do enable the supply power to all the USB ports as an option on the PS4 settings. Go to Settings-> devices and then power saving settings-> set functions which are available in the rest mode. Now you enable supply power to USB ports. So that it gets to charge the controller in the rest mode in a perfect way.
Once after the rough use of using charging cable, it might not get work properly. So in simple, the PS4 controller might go fault rather than charge cable. The one and only best way are to check in making an attempt to connect using another charging cable. Also, can borrow a PS4 cable from any of your belongings when you are in need.
Charging the controller on the upside as well down will definitely work for most of the PS4 users. For instance, if the PS4 controller is not charging enough with no lights, you need to try charging it upside because there are greater chances if you perform so. Hence, you also try this by a single attempt, as it, in turn, might help you in solving ps4 controller wont hold charge very well.
If all the above methods do not work in solving playstation 4 controller not charging, try this out. As such the PS4 controller uses the Lithium-ion cell battery. And these batteries will have limited number of charge cycles. Once you reach the limit, all the batteries will run out drastically. For instance, if you are the PS4 gamer and continuously charging the controller, it is the root cause for the PS4 controller but it is not charging anymore. And now the battery is dead and ultimately you can replace with the new for continuing through the PS4 controller.
For suppose, if the PS4 gets heated up/ playstation 4 controller won't charge due to some excessive gaming, will face this issue continuously. Charging the adds up may lead to more heat and most of all the electronic devices will be programmed not to function over temperature level. If it assumes hotter, wrap the controller in a plastic bag. Now and then put around freezer for at least 10-15 minutes. Just make a trial by keeping the PS4 controller more and more than 15 minutes in the freezer as it might be in damaging stage.
Hope you are cleared about the complete concept ps4 controller won't charge provided in clear and understandable format. Also, if you like the article, can share on social networking sites. Moreover, feel free to share your opinion about my ps4 controller won't charge. Thank you for the visit. Stay in touch with fix guruji for more latest updates.
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Zya frowned as she rolled out of the hug, replying "Awww... ok, when would I be able to see you again?" giving her a slight smile. Creeping up beside her, giving her another nuzzle. "You know you don't have to go...." giving her the 'puppy' eyes, clearly he didn't want her to go.
Chibi looked back at him. "I would, but I have training tommorow, and then after that I get tested to be able to see if I'm worthy to become a Guardian. I need to get some rest. I will see you agin though." She told the Skywing. She nuzzled him and gave him a hug. Prepared to walk away she stopped for a second.
Zya frowned with a sad look on his face, "How will I find you again..." he whimpered, he didn't want her to leave knowing that this could be the last time he laid eyes on her. Zya sat up and watched Chib begin to walk away, he hoped to see her again after all he started to have feelings for her.
Chibi turned around at the dragon. "Don't worry, we can meet again! the tunnels remember? They all lead to the same spot no matter where you enter. Besides, it will be easy to find each other again if we go through there, right?" A tear scliently ran down her face. She didn't want to go ,but she knew that she had to if she wanted to become a Guardian. Chibi then outstreached her wings, and flew off.
Zya sighed, "Alright, see you tomorrow" he noticed a tear run down her face, he smiled slightly and watched her take flight. Moments later Zya also headed back to Skywing territories.
The next day, it was coming up to late afternoon when Zya arrived at the meadow where they last saw each other, he began to wonder when Chib would turn up, laying under the same tree from last night, he fell asleep since last night he was up quite late from traveling back to Skywing lands.
Chibi, just finished her training, and headed back. The calling was put on delay, but that didn't stop her from meeting Zyalor. She zipped, and flew all the way through the tunnels. She expected him to be hungery, so she took a stop to catch two rabbits, both large. Weighing here down, it took Chibi longer to fly through the tunnels. She threw the rabbits out through the hole she dug last night first, then popped out herself. "I'M HERE!" she called, looking for the dark dragon.
Chibi responded to him with a nod. "It went food, I learned something new about guarding, well, I actually taught it to myself, I just pretended that I didn't know it to make volcanis happy." She then plopped the rabbits down, and puchs one forwards for Zyalor to eat. She scratched at her chin, for it was, itchy, then began to prepare her food for eating.
Zya smiled, walking up to the rabbit he began to slice it up with his claw into sizable chunks for him to eat, lowering his head he began to gulp down the chunks. Feeling better after finishing he crept towards Chibi and rolled onto his back in the grass. Giving her a smirk, he purposely tripped her over onto him, resulting in him hugging her. "I' couldn't wait to give you a hug again all day" he smiled.
Chibi blushed, then smiled. She laughed as right then she kicked him up in the air so that he landed on his back in front of her(a flop thing.). She pounced onto him and nuzzled him. "I couldn't wait to see you. Anyways, after we finish. Wanna fly?" She asked right before she leaped off of him to finish her rabbit. Chibi put its skin with the other rabbits skin under the rock.
Zya frowned slightly and replied "Well we could... but I'm a bit tired from flying all day" and continued "But I do wana spend some time with you!" as he continued to hug her squeezing tighter and nuzzling her snout. "Its up to you Chib" giving her a cheeky smile.
Chib looked into his eyes and gave him a warm hug. "Can we run around on the ground with our wings outstreched and pretend that we are flying? I heven't realled moved them all day. I swear I'm going to forget how to fly!" She joked as she streched out her body to get ready to run around.
Zya laughed, "Sure I guess" as he got up he span in a circle getting ready to run, he suddenly tapped Chib on the shoulder yelling "Tag!" following up with him dashing away towards the large tree pausing for a moment giving her a smirk.
Chibi turned around and saw him by a tree. She spoke aloud. "Oh, it's on!" She darted towards the skywing and leaped into a bush, then swiftly, and unoticably, leaped into the branch above him. She waited for his move.
Zya watched as Chib darted towards him and leaped up onto a branch above him, he reacted with swiftly running towards the pond nearby, using his strong legs he jumped and bounced into a glide over the cold waters. Finally landing on the over side awaiting Chibi's chase.
Noticing his move, chibi darted towards him and used her wings as gliders. Not afraid to get wet, she grabbed his paw and dragged them both into the pool behind him. "I got ya!" She shouted with glee, then quickly crawled out, since she realized that she was in water.
Zya let out a yelp as he was dragged into the cold waters, causing a large splash. As he resurfaced he laughed and replied, "Yep you got me.." Falling on his back floating ontop. Noticing Chibi's scurry out of the water he followed suit and tackle jumped her leading for them to roll in the grass. Finally stopping Zya was ontop of Chibi giving her a hug. "That was fun" he smiled not wanting to let go.
Chibi smiled back and giggled. "Yeah it was! Wanna do something else now before the sun sets? We could go hill rolling." She told Zyalor while hugging him back. She then rolled around so that she was on her back and could see the sky. Her blue eyes searched through it, not exactly knowing what they were looking for. A feeling burst into Chibi's heart, one that she never felt before, or remembered. Her thoughts swirrled around until it seamed like they all just went down the drain. At the moment all she wanted was to be with Zyalor. She wanted to be with him forever.
Chib then nodded and smiled back. She darted for a hill and leaped. In mid air she turned on her side and landed at the top of the hill. She rolled down quickly, her wings tucked in, and a wide smile on her face. Chibi's fur was getting a little dirty, but not too much that it had to get cleaned. When she reached the bottom of the hill she let her body roll ontil it stopped. When she got up she called Zyalor over. "Come on down! It's fun!"
As Zya watched Chib roll down, he suddenly felt a bit nervous biting his lip he smiled and dived into a roll down the hill, also tucking in his wings his tail spined almost slapping himself. Finally slowing down into a complete stop he felt dizzy trying to get onto his feet but falling over from losing his balance, he started to laugh rolling on his back taking a moment to regain clearness. "Whoa... that made me dizzy..."
Chibi nodded. "Yeah that normally happens the first time, but I bet that the next time you will get the hand of it!" She walked up to him and gave him a hug, trying to make Zyalor feel better.
Zya finally getting some clarity, he smiled returning the hug, while giving her a lick blushing slightly. "So.... what you wana do now?" he asked with a curious look. Sitting on his hindlegs, curling his tail around him awaiting for her response.
Chibi placed her paw on her chin. She really didn't know. She sat there and though while making weird "hmmmmm" noises. She couldn't figure it out. She the reached it out of her mind and spat her idea out. "We could play ninja. Or maybe something else, my orld has a bunch of fun games."


14k Gold Filled 1/2 oz Krugerrand Coin Bezel trimmed with a Plain Edge design. A small mounting screw at the top the bezel keeps the coin in place. The bezel fits the Gold 1/2 oz Krugerrand Coin (Coin is not included) Approx. Weight: 1.5 grams Metal: 14k 1/20 Gold Filled Bail holds up to a 3mm Chain Diameter: 27mm Thickness: 2.24mm Encasing your coin with our bezel helps keep your precious coins from becoming lost or damaged. Each bezel includes a bail for your chain. Allow Flintski to take care of all of your coin jewelry needs. We stand behind our products which are made in the USA and have a 30 day no questions asked return policy. Simply return the product back to us undamaged. Flintski is the name in coin jewelry! Visit our Store Front on for Coin Bezels, Gold Chains, Sterling Silver Chains, Sterling Silver Bracelets, Coin Pendants, 14k Gold Bezels, Sterling Silver Bezels, and much more! Shop with us for all your Coin Jewelry needs. We accept PayPal We ship to the US, Canada and Australia International Buyers – Please Note: Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding or buying.


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Filtering by: Language English Remove constraint Language: English Place Houston, Texas Remove constraint Place: Houston, Texas Type Image Remove constraint Type: Image Time Period World War I, 1914-1918 Remove constraint Time Period: World War I, 1914-1918
Houston Post-Dispatch, Vol. 43, No. 48, May 22, 1927, front page
Houston Post-Dispatch, Vol. 42, No. 142, August 24, 1926, front page
Houston Post-Dispatch, Vol. 40, No. 307, February 5, 1925, front page
Houston Post, Vol. 39, No. 92, July 5, 1923, front page
Houston Post, Vol. 34, No. 221, November 11, 1918, front page
Houston Post, Vol. 31, No. 364, April 3, 1917, front page
Houston Post, May 6, 1910, front page
Houston Post, April 22, 1910, front page
Map of 24th infantry camp, Houston, Texas
Camp Logan Map
Newspapers8
Camp Logan2
Riots2
Twain, Mark1
Houston, Texas[remove]10
maps (documents)2
World War I, 1914-1918[remove]10
U.S. Army1
Historic Maps2
University of Houston Libraries Special Collections10
George Fuermann 'Texas and Houston' Collection8
Houston & Texas History Research Collection8
Rare Books and Maps Collection2

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Cut carbs to lose belly fat.
It means that you feel fuller for longer, and your appetite gets reduced.
Well, it actually slows down food as it passes through your stomach, dramatically slowing down digestion. Cut carbs to lose belly fat Grains and Belly Fat Unlike their refined counterparts, whole grains are packed with fiber and other essential nutrients.
Exercise also leads to reduced inflammation, lower blood sugar levels and improvements in all the other metabolic abnormalities that are associated with excess abdominal fat Diet Type Whether you cut calories by cutting fat, carbohydrates or a combination of the two doesn't make a big difference over time. Consider cooking your foods in coconut oil. If you're a vegetarian or vegan, then check out this article on how to increase your protein intake.
That means eating more unprocessed eggs, poultry, dairy, seafood, meats and fish products.
Like starch, fiber is made of long strings of sugars, but your body can't make the enzymes necessary to break the bonds forming fiber so the fiber passes through your body undigested. The amount of fructose you get from fruit is negligible compared to what you get from a diet high in refined sugar. It cuts the fat off your body, and if you keep it up, it prevents you from gaining the fat back.
But if you want to make a difference, try pledging to track your consumption for a few days. How can this be? Added sugar is very unhealthy.
Summary Exercise can be very effective if you are trying to lose belly fat. Resistance Training Resistance training can cause you to burn calories for up to 48 hours after exercising.
Summary Excess sugar consumption may be the primary driver of excess fat in the belly and liver. This will put your body into ketosis, killing your appetite and making your body start burning primarily fats for fuel. To flatten your stomach as much as possible, plan a total diet and exercise strategy that trims fat from your entire body.
There are three areas from cut carbs to lose belly fat you can cut calories: They can have life-saving effects in type 2 diabetics, for example People think they're eating "high protein," "low-carb" or something else, but tend to drastically over- or underestimate.
In one 5-year study, eating 10 grams of soluble fiber cut carbs to lose belly fat day was linked to a 3. The best way to do it is eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, as well as legumes. The best way to get more weight loss after six months is to eat a lot of plant foods like vegetables and fruit.
Make a decision to minimize the amount of sugar in your diet, and consider completely eliminating sugary drinks. Is there a way to fix this problem and get rid of belly fat once and for all?
6 Proven Ways To Lose Belly Fat (#3 and 4 are the Best) After you've lost the weight, keep up your routine to help prevent the pounds from creeping back on.
However, keep in mind that I'm not talking about abdominal exercises here. I think that for anyone who truly wants to optimize their diet, tracking things for a while is absolutely essential. Summary There is some evidence that soluble dietary fiber can lead to reduced amounts of belly fat.
Carbohydrates to Choose Consume mainly carbohydrates low in energy density and high in nutrient density, such as fruits and vegetables. Listing all of the amazing health benefits of exercise is beyond the scope of this article, but exercise does appear to be effective at reducing belly fat.
I personally do this every few months. Importance of Exercise Carb intake may play a role in stomach bulge, but exercise has an even greater impact on visceral fat, according to Kerry Stewart, a professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
There have been more than 20 randomized studies that demonstrate that low carb diets will give you 2 to 3 times as much weight loss than low fat diets. Perform your cardiovascular exercise early in the morning and hit the gym in the evening. It increases belly fat and liver fat, which leads to insulin resistance and a host of metabolic problems 6.
So make an effort to increase your intake of high-protein foods such as whole eggsfish, seafood, legumes, nuts, meat and dairy products. Losing Body Fat Ultimately, your total body-fat levels will determine how flat your stomach becomes.
This gel can dramatically slow the movement of food through your digestive system, and slow down the digestion and absorption of nutrients. Just avoiding the refined carbs sugar, candy, white bread, etc should be sufficient, especially if you keep your cut carbs to lose belly fat intake high.
If you struggle with getting enough protein in your diet, then a quality protein supplement like whey protein is a healthy and convenient way to boost your total intake. I weigh and measure everything I eat lose fat 15 days see what my current diet looks like.
If you want to lose weight, eating more protein is probably the most effective thing you can possibly do. Energy-dense foods include chocolate, candy, full-fat cheese and fried foods. Not only will it help you lose, it also helps you avoid re-gaining weight if you ever decide to abandon your weight loss efforts As body fat is lost, you cannot specifically reduce it just from your stomach.
Consult your physician before beginning any diet or exercise program. Cut carbs to lose belly fat addition, engage in strength-training exercises two orlistat does it really work three times weekly. These are fibers that bind water and form a thick gel that "sits" in the gut. These shape muscles for a tighter appearance, and also help speed up your metabolism.
It means that all the excess fructose gets turned straight into fat. Exercise also has a number of other health benefits and can help you live a longer life. If you have already made the decision to follow a low-carbohydrate diet, you still need to diet for becoming slim enough protein and fat to ensure your metabolism does not drop, which can happen with severe caloric restriction.
Long training sessions are not recommended as they can depress hormonal output, including the hormones that burn lose fat 15 days. If weight loss is your goal, then adding protein is perhaps the single most effective change you can make to your diet. At first, cut your calories by no more than per day.
Crunches and V-ups will tone your stomach nicely, but also work the rest of your muscle groups by lifting weights or performing squats, pushups and other body-weight exercises. Check out orlistat does it really work articles here for a calorie calculator and a list of free online tools and apps to track what you are eating.
Another study found that exercise completely prevented people from re-gaining abdominal fat after weight loss, implying that exercise is particularly important during weight maintenance For the greatest benefits, perform 30 to 60 minutes of cardio most days of the week.
If you do not gain or lose any weight, this is your maintenance level. Instead of shunning grains altogether, choose smart carbs that help remove belly fat rather than create it.
Some studies have shown that 30 mL about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil per day reduces belly fat slightly 17 This is particularly true of sugary beverages like soft drinks. Low-carbohydrate diets have been shown to be just as effective at promoting fat loss as low-carbohydrate diets, according to the "Journal of the American Medical Association.
You can enjoy carbs and still shrink your stomach. Cutting out carbohydrates cut carbs to lose belly fat one method of losing fat. This is true even when the low-carb groups are allowed to eat as much as they want, while the low-fat groups are calorie restricted and hungry. This should cause major improvements in metabolic cut carbs to lose belly fat and reduced risk of several diseases.
Heavy resistance training using compound exercises does not just build muscle, it stimulates the hormones that burn fat, including your adrenal hormones. Another article, published in "American Family Physician" in Junefound that while people on low-carb diets lost more weight during the first 6 months, after one year the amount of weight weight loss stall 3 weeks after vsg achieved on these diets wasn't significantly different from that achieved by following a low-fat diet.
This is supported by numerous studies. When you eat a lot of added sugar, the liver gets overloaded with fructose and is forced to turn it into fat 4. Just throw them all in the trash. The fat that accumulates in your abdominal cavity 3.
So if you're serious about shrinking your belly, stick with a diet of 1, to 1, calories per weight loss prize ideas, the optimal amount for women's weight loss according to the University of Minnesota Medical Center.
However, if you are trying to cut body fat, limiting added sugars can help, as these provide a lot of calories without any nutritional benefit and tend to be found in foods that are less healthy.
After you've lost the weight, keep up your routine to help prevent the pounds from creeping back on. Well, the answer is protein. If you combine this with a low-carbohydrate diet, the fat might melt off of problems areas, including your stomach. Then I know exactly where to make adjustments in order to get closer to my goals.
One study showed that the amount and quality of protein consumed was inversely related to fat in the belly. Foods to Limit The most quickly digesting type of carbohydrate is sugars, so foods high in sugars don't help you feel full.
This is when the subjects in the low carb diets were allowed to eat as much cut carbs to lose belly fat they want while the low fat subjects had to count calories cut carbs to lose belly fat watch what they ate. Eating fiber has been shown again and again to help you lose abdominal fat — but not all types of fiber.
Protein has even been shown to be most effective against belly fat. Also limit foods that are high in energy density, which are often high cut carbs to lose belly fat sugar and fat and low in fiber, since eating a relatively small amount of these foods can use up a large part of your recommended daily calories. Eat More Protein Want to know maybe the most important factor when it comes to losing abdominal fat?
These are the best protein sources how to lose 6 kg weight in 1 month the diet. During the digestive process it adds bulk, helping you feel full, and slows digestion, keeping you full for longer, which means you'll eat less.
There is also some evidence that protein is particularly effective against belly fat. Choosing the right foods, including those that are low in energy density and nutrient dense, will help keep you satisfied without consuming too many calories. Starchy foods that are high in fiber, such as whole grains and legumes, are also good options. This allows your body to run on ketones, or fatty acids for energy.
Want to get rid of your belly fat. People who eat more than one serving of processed grains per day typically have higher levels of visceral fat, according to a study published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in But cutting added sugar from your diet is a fantastic way to cut belly fat. Eric Brown About the Author: Examples of refined carbs include white bread, white pasta and white rice.
It is among the best cut carbs to lose belly fat you can do if you want to live a long, healthy life and avoid disease. Want to get more fiber? How to lose 6 kg weight in 1 month seems to be mostly the soluble and viscous fibers that have an effect on your weight When people cut carbs, their appetite goes down and they lose weight Summary Eating plenty of protein can boost your metabolism and reduce hunger levels, making it a very effective way to lose weight.
This study also showed that refined carbs and oils were linked to increased amounts cut carbs to lose belly cut carbs to lose belly fat belly fat, but fruits and vegetables linked to reduced amounts.
Exercise Cardiovascular exercise, such as biking and running, helps you burn more calories and thus lose weight without having to drastically limit the calories you consume. Summary Studies have shown that cutting carbs is particularly effective at getting rid of the fat in the belly area, around the organs and in the liver. There are also studies comparing low-carb and low-fat diets, showing that low-carb diets specifically target the fat in the belly, and around the organs and liver 23 This includes sugar-sweetened beverages, sugary sodas, fruit juices and various high-sugar sports drinks.


With rising electricity consumption and costs, and the need to balance increasing levels of intermittent RE (renewable energy) generation from wind and solar systems, EES (electrical energy storage) solutions are being pursued. These use and store energy efficiently and help improve grid stability and flexibility. Long-established pumped-storage hydropower currently represents the largest and most flexible EES solution and is experiencing significant growth.
The IEC is a strong supporter of EES. The IEC MSB (Market Strategy Board) recently published two White Papers, the first on EES, the second analysing the role of large-capacity EES systems, integrating large-capacity RE sources. Both White Papers stress the crucial importance of EES in future installations.
A number of new energy storage technologies under development contribute to compensate for the variations in availability and grid fluctuation of some renewable energy resources. Of them all, pumped-storage hydropower is the most cost effective and technically viable. It has also been around the longest – its first reported use was in Italy and Switzerland in the 1890s. The 1930s saw the development of reversible hydroelectric turbines that could operate both as turbine-generators and (in reverse) as electric motor driven pumps (see article on hydropower ine-tech, January 2012).
The technique provides the most widely used form of bulk-energy storage in the short term. Pumped-storage hydropower currently accounts for more than 99% of installed storage capacity for electrical energy worldwide: around 127 GW (gigawatts), according to the EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute – the research arm of America's power utilities) and Germany's Fraunhofer Institute.
A combination of water and gravity is used to capture off-peak power and release it at times of high demand. Pumped-hydro facilities typically take advantage of natural topography, using two reservoirs built at different heights.
The "head" refers to the vertical height of the fall of the water stream (or river) from the upper reservoir. Higher heads provide a greater pressure and therefore greater hydropower potential. Because reservoirs for pumped storage can be built at sites fed by small streams, which also make up for water lost through evaporation, topographical restrictions for selecting the sites to construct large capacity plants are far less significant than with conventional hydropower.
Off-peak electricity is used to pump water from the lower to the upper reservoir, turning electrical energy into gravitational potential energy. When power is needed, water is released back down to the lower reservoir, spinning a turbine and generating electricity along the way.
They are highly cost-effective, reducing electricity costs by using electricity produced at off-peak times when the price is lower. Systems demonstrate low maintenance costs and typically achieve one of the highest cycles per lifetime at some of the lowest costs. High-performance hydropower equipment can frequently run without interruption for extended periods of time and hydroelectric plants have a life-time of at least 50 years, making hydropower a profitable long term investment.
EES systems offer support for users needing to improve power supply reliability as well as to compensate for variations of availability and fluctuations in intermittent RE sources such as wind and solar.
EES maintains and improves power quality, frequency and voltage by providing spinning reserves that can come online quickly and are needed to maintain system frequency stability during emergency operating conditions and unforeseen load swings. While thermal plants are less able to respond to sudden changes in demand, pumped-storage plants, like all hydroelectric plants, can respond to load changes within seconds, helping instantaneously maintain the balance between generation and net load so as to avoid brownouts, blackouts and overloads.
The market for energy storage is dynamic, reflecting the current state of development in the industry as well as fluctuations within it. Demand is driven by several key trends, including the proliferation of intermittent RE sources and the resultant need for spinning reserves, the onset of the smart grid concept and a shift to plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles. Although utilities are building capacity to meet so-called needle peaks in electricity usage, these only occur for a small number of hours each year. It is therefore expensive and inefficient to size capacity to these peaks, and energy storage can play a large role in providing peaking generation.
Hydroelectric technology storage facilities have always provided the highest capacity in terms of electricity-generating forms of energy storage. While continuing to perform this critical task, facilities are also making a valuable contribution to power grid efficiency and flexibility.
The hydro industry maintains its dynamism through the exploration of improved and optimized technologies, development of innovative business models for long and short duration applications and cost-effective technology and project development. Long-established hydro facilities with large storage reservoirs, including pumped-hydro storage, continue to perform as global technology leaders in both developed and emerging markets.
Most of the global installed pumped-storage generating capacity is to be found in Asia – which currently holds over 60 GW of cumulative installed capacity – in Europe and in the USA.
The October 2012 TC 4 Plenary Meeting took place in Japan, which is a prime global user of pumped-storage facilities. The country's complex geological features and an abundance of rainfall have created a number of small river systems that provide opportunities for the development of hydropower. As hydropower resources have been developed, Japan has tapped into pumped-storage as a way of increasing the supply of peaking power.
Recently commissioned units are in operation at the 1 200 MW Omarugawa pumped-storage project, where the head is 646 m. These currently offer the world's highest head adjustable speed, although a higher adjustable unit (where the head exceeds 700 m) is now being constructed at the Kazunogawa pumped-storage facility and will be commissioned in 2014.
China is also developing pumped-storage facilities. It is to start building a 3 600 MW hydroelectric pumped-storage facility in Hebei Province, according to HydroWorld.com. The first phase of the project, offering a capacity of 1 800 MW, is expected to take seven years to complete. The plant is intended to help retain some of the province's high wind turbine output, some 5% of which was reportedly lost last year. In the same province a 1 024 MW pumped-storage plant was completed in 2008.
In September 2012 an official from India's West Bengal state said the government was planning a 1 000 MW pumped-storage plant in the state's Purulia District. The official indicated that the USD 470 million project would help diversify the region's energy portfolio which currently places a reliance of "90% on power generated from thermal power stations".
In 2009 the European Union had 38,3 GW net pumped-storage capacity (36,8% of world capacity) out of a total of 140 GW of hydropower, which represented 5% of total EU net electrical capacity.
The 1 060 MW Goldisthal pumped-storage plant on the Schwarza River, which started commercial operation in October 2004, is the biggest hydroelectric project in Germany and the most modern in Europe. The Goldisthal project is unique because two of the four vertical Francis pump-turbine units feature variable-speed (asynchronous) motor-generators. This benefits its operator, Vattenfall Europe, by providing power regulation during pumping operation, improved efficiency at partial load conditions, and – for grid stabilization purposes – high dynamic control of the power delivered. There are other projects in Slovenia, Austria, and Switzerland.
In 2010 the United States had 40 pumped-storage plants which accounted for about 16% of renewable capacity and 2% of the country's energy capacity, supplying 21,5 GW of pumped-storage generating capacity (20,6% of world capacity for this category).
Some 40 pumped-storage projects providing an additional 31 GW could be developed in the US in the future to balance variable generation from wind and solar sources. The largest hydroelectric pumped-storage plant in the world, with 2 100 MW peak power, is the Bath County plant located in Virginia, USA.
TC 4 hydro experts are in demand for their technical expertise in the construction, operations and maintenance of pump-turbine storage sites. Without their work and involvement, it would be impossible to develop such facilities, although they are vital to ensuring the future of the world's energy supply.
TC 4 has frequently scheduled Plenary Meeting locations that also include technical visits to turbine-pump storage installations. Recent trips have been to the Goldisthal pumped-storage plant in Germany; the Kazunogawa pumped-storage power station in Japan was visited in October 2012. The technical contributions of TC 4 experts enable the developing energy mix to be optimized, including proper integration with new sustainable energy sources, and increasing demands for improved power grid efficiency and flexibility to be met.
The development of many new pumped-storage projects and the modernization, operation and maintenance of the numerous existing installations mean that the agenda of TC 4 hydro experts is likely to remain full for the long term .


Have you ever wanted to run for office or work as a manager for someone else's campaign? We have a training course just for you! This will be a 2-3 hour commitment once per week for six weeks with a small cost involved to cover expenses, including a book. At the end, you'll have created a campaign plan. Don't wait to register — the first session is February 24!
Those who want to run for office themselves.
The workshops will provide participants with the practical, hands-on tools needed for successful campaigns. The presentations will be based on the Wellstone Action organization's training and will follow the Wellstone book, Politics the Wellstone Way: How to Elect Progressive Candidates and Win on Issues. Each participant will be given a copy of this book. Participants will also be given information and materials specific to Coconino County, City of Flagstaff, and Arizona Legislative elections.
The workshop will consist of six sessions covering different topics. Participants will be asked to work together in groups to develop a campaign plan for a candidate running for a local office and/or a legislative district and a ballot question campaign.
The instructor, Patty Hansen, has successfully run for office herself and has worked as a staff member on statewide and congressional campaigns. She has also developed campaign plans and provided political targeting for senatorial, gubernatorial, legislative, county and city campaigns. Local Democratic elected officials will be sharing their knowledge and expertise, too.
There is a $28 registration fee for the entire series which will cover the costs of materials and the book. The fee may be waived for those that find it financial hardship. Pre-registration is required. Participants must be registered Democrats. Participants must be registered Democrats. Start your registration by writing info@ccdem.org or mailing a check with your name and contact info to Coconino County Democratic Party, POB 701, Flagstaff, AZ 86002.
All sessions will be held at the Coconino County Democratic Headquarters, Historic Ice House, 201 E Birch Ave, Suite 6, Flagstaff unless the group size exceeds our capacity, in which case we will notify you of the venue change.


Great weather, beautiful bay, rolling hills. San Francisco is one beautiful city.
San Francisco is a popular tourist destination found on California's coast, known for it's steep hills, colourful Victorian houses, the red Golden Gate bridge and cable cars that run in the city center. San Francisco is also nicknamed 'Fog City' after the fog which can occur year round. The city has marshlands that run through the area, easy to point out from a plane.
The original inhabitants of the area were Native Americans who lived in the area as far back as 3000BC as evidence suggests. The Bay area supported the Native Americans who were hunter gatherers living in small villages. The Spanish exploratory party who colonised the area in the late 18th century named the the Ohlone.
The San Franciso area gained independance from Spain in 1821 and formed part of Mexico. It was in 1835 that one of the first major homesteads were established by an Englishman, William Richardson. He had a vision for the settlement's expansion and established a town named after an abundant herb found in the area called Yerba Buena (today Portsmouth Square). It was during the American-Mexican war in July 1846 that San Francisco changed hands and was claimed by the Americans.
The Californian Gold Rush brought a flood of gold seeking immigrants to the area in 1848 and the total population grew from a small number of just 1'000 to 25'000 people. When silver ore was discovered in the area it continued the population boom and the city needed to concentrate all efforts to accommodate the new arrivals. Narrow streets which still seen today are a result of their efforts. Chinese workers were a large portion of the population growth, working in the gold mines and the Transcontinental Railroad that was developed later. Today 1/5th of the city is home to Chinese communities. Visitors are able to explore the famous Chinatown in the area.
In 18 April 1906 80% of the city was devastated by an earthquake estimated 7.8 on the Richter scale as well as a fire which ravaged the city. The original city street grid was restored and the city was re-planned and constructed.
Between 1843 and 1890, 23 manually operated cable car systems where established throughout the city. Today it is the world's oldest manually operated cable car system and there are 3 cable car lines which are still in operation and are a popular tourist attraction. As a tourist, it's the perfect way to get up and down the hills in the city. Depending on the time of day that you try and catch a cable car, you might be in for a long wait.
The Northern Waterfront area of San Francisco takes it's name from the time of the Californian Gold rush where Italian Fishermen set up shop to feed the influx of people to the area, setting a scene for an excellent business opportunity.
Today it's a popular attraction with seafood restaurants, souvenir shops, scenic walks along the wharf. Boat trips to Alcatraz also depart from the wharf.
There are a few chocolate stores to check out at the Wharf. One I visited intrigued me tremendously. It's called the San Francisco Chocolate Store and it has everything from hand crafted chocolate, candies, ice cream, caramel apples and a few of the weirdest candies I have ever seen (and might not try!). The oddities I found were bug lollies (with ACTUAL BUGS!! WHAT KID WANTS A BUG LOLLY?!) and Harry Potter's Bertie Bott's Beans which was actually tempting.
Unfortunately this is the closest I got to Alcatraz! You can see it in the distance of the photograph. If you know you want to go to Alcatraz on your trip to San Francisco, make sure that you book in advance because if you are as spontaneous as I am when it comes to day trips you might be disappointment that tickets are fully booked. https://www.alcatrazislandtickets.com/Compare-Tours/ You can book either a day or a night tour up to 90 days in advance.
Only 2.1 km from San Francisco, Alcatraz can be reached by a short ferry trip. The island is a mere 22 acres (0.089 km), has the oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast of the United States and an abandoned prison. It was in 1934 that the island became a federal prison, known for it's high security and the impossibility of escaping. Al Capone, George 'Machine-Gun' Kelly and Alvin Karpis were some of the famous in-mates incarcerated. Eventually in 1963 the prison closed down as it was deemed too expensive to run.
This is easily one of the most photographed bridges in the world, known as one of the most iconic landmarks in San Francisco. It was opened in 1937 and at that time it was the world's longest and tallest suspension bridge: total length of 2'737 m and 227 m height.
San Francisco is along the San Andreas fault line which results in what I experienced between one and two mini earthquakes each day of 1 – 2 on the Richter Scale. Hardly noticable. The bridge's earthquake resistance has been increased in a project completed in 1980 and now the bridge can survive an earthquake of 8.3 on the Richter scale. (According to a study done by the University of Bath, Architecture and Civil Engineering Department).
Sausalito is a city on the Northern side of the bridge and has a real holiday feel about it, complete with colourful boat houses, boutiques, cafes and restaurants and wooden houses perched on top of the hills, with big leafy trees.
The Painted Ladies are beautiful houses built in Edwardian and Victorian architecture that is so often seen in the city. The Painted Ladies were built between 1892 and 1896 and are famous for appearing on postcards, TV programs, movies and adverts. Full House and Fuller house are examples. The Painted Ladies also has a great view of the city center from the Alamo Square park from which I took this photo.
Golden Gate Park is a large urban park in fact 20% larger than Central Park in New York to which it is often compared. It's full of large trees of which Blue Gum Eucalyptus (Australian species), Monterey Pine and Cyrus, Giant Redwoods.
The Flower Observatory is the oldest building in the park, having been constructed in 1879. It houses rare and exotic plant species that shows off the different levels of a rain forest setting.
When you walk into the observatory you are caught up in a humid setting in which it's easy to imagine yourself in a tropical location.
The majority of my time in the San Francisco area was in Mountain View – at the Google Headquaters for the IO event. The Googleplex is a grand total of 290,000 m2 space with great walks past the buildings. Guests are able to visit the Merchandise shop and purchase anything from the latest tech to a pen or a shirt.
The Lawn Statues are also worth a visit.
Embassy Suites by Hilton – San Francisco Airport has a lovely view of the Bay and some great local craft beers to taste. Well paired with a burger or pizza!


my family, my friends, music (w/o which I might die), films (also w/o which I would likely perish), literature, theatre, art/photography, hiking (year round), backpacking, mountain biking, camping, snowshoeing, good conversation, burritos (and tacos!), candlepin bowling, Skee-Ball, walking in the woods, reading in the shade, warm days, cool nights, dancing w/ myself (♫oh oh oh-oh♫), the outline of dead trees against the sky, the sound of the wind in a serene place.
honesty, modesty, generosity, politeness, respectfulness, selflessness, healthy lifestyles.
collect Blu-rays, CDs, records & the occasional comic book, prefer the country to the city, alphabetize just about everything, do not like professional sports or competition, have a mildly cynical sensibility, feel simultaneously blessed & cursed by technology.
a vegan (of 13 years and was a vegetarian for 3 years previous), drug-free, a list maker.
Arrow Video, Blue Underground, The Criterion Collection, Mondo Vision, Shout!/Scream Factory, Synapse, Warner Bros.
"My life's a natural high, the man can't put no thing on me."
"However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light."
"A furious work pace and good professional collaboration can construct a fine corset against the onset of neuroses, threatening breakdowns, and disintegration."
"Love is the best, most insidious, most effective instrument of social repression."
"I only know that every act which has no heart will be found out in the end. Every gesture."
"You see what you want to see."
"My indifference to my fellow man has cut me off from their company. I live now in a world of phantoms, a prisoner of my own dreams."
"All who look up feel small and lonely."
"In my mind the words are right. In my mouth they're wrong."
"It is the brain, the little gray cells on which one must rely. One must seek the truth within - not without."
"Perversity: the human thirst for self torture."
"For sorrow is a thing, that is swallowed up in death, and death and dying are the very life of the darkness."
"Man can find no better retreat from the world than art, and man can find no stronger link with the world than art."
"The spectacle is not a collection of images, but a social relation among people, mediated by images."
"Love is stronger than hate and humility is stronger than pride."


text:
Stocks soar, S&P 500 at record on vaccine hopes
The S&P 500 rose 1.2% after Pfizer said an early peek at its vaccine data suggests the shots may be 90% effective at preventing COVID-19, though that doesn't mean its release is imminent.
By Associated Press Updated Nov 9, 2020, 3:25pm CST
Share All sharing options for: Stocks soar, S&P 500 at record on vaccine hopes
World markets rocketed higher after Pfizer said early data show its coronavirus vaccine is effective.
NEW YORK — Brimming hopes that people will again return to office buildings, shopping centers and normal life sent markets rallying worldwide on Monday, following encouraging data about a potential coronavirus vaccine.
The S&P 500 rose 1.2% after Pfizer said an early peek at its vaccine data suggests the shots may be 90% effective at preventing COVID-19, though that doesn't mean its release is imminent. The index had been up as much as 3.9% earlier in the day, above its record high. Drops in Big Tech companies like Apple and Microsoft, which have thrived during the pandemic, dragged the Nasdaq composite lower.
Global markets also got a boost from a resolution to the long, market-bruising battle for the White House. Democrat Joe Biden over the weekend clinched the last of the electoral votes needed to become the next president.
Treasury yields and oil prices burst higher as the vaccine news allows investors to feel confident about a stronger economic recovery on the way. The yield on the 10-year Treasury shot up from 0.81% before the announcement to 0.95%, a very big move for the bond market and one that shows stronger confidence in the economy. The key rate touched its highest level since March earlier in the morning, according to Tradeweb. U.S. oil jumped 8.3%.
Stocks of companies that most need the economy and the world to return to normal for their profits to heal led the way. An 11.9% surge for Chevron and 12% jump for The Walt Disney Co. amid hopes that people will start driving and flying to theme parks again helped the Dow Jones Industrial Average leap 1,255 points, or 4.4%, to 29,582, as of 2:38 p.m. Eastern time.
Cruise operators and owners of office buildings and shopping centers were among the market's biggest winners on expectations people will feel comfortable again riding elevators to a desk or shopping in enclosed stores.
Carnival surged 34.1%, though it's still down by more than half for 2020 so far. It led a resurgence for what are called "value stocks," ones whose prices look cheap and had gotten left behind by the rest of the market through the pandemic.
"People are buying those because they see a light at the end of the tunnel," said Todd Morgan, chairman at Bel Air Investment Advisors.
The Big Tech companies that earlier drove the market higher in the pandemic, in large part because they didn't need a "normal" economy to succeed, were lagging behind. That kept a lid on the gains for the Nasdaq composite, which rose by less than 0.1%
Companies whose fortunes soared directly because the pandemic kept everyone hunkered at home, meanwhile, fell sharply. Zoom Video Communications, whose online meetings allow millions of remote students and workers to communicate, sank 14.9%. Grubhub, which benefited from people ordering in for dinner, dropped 10.2%. Etsy, whose online marketplace rode a wave of popularity for handmade masks, lost 12.6%.
If a vaccine for COVID-19 does indeed pan out, analysts say it's a "game changer" and just what the market had been waiting for. It underscores again how the coronavirus and its effect on the economy are the dominant concerns for investors, much more than who wins what in Washington.
The 90% effectiveness rate for Pfizer's potential vaccine is what struck Ajay Rajadhyaksha, head of macro research at Barclays.
"If that proves to be correct, it is a significant positive surprise and increases the odds of a quicker return to normalcy," he said.
Building on last week's gains, the S&P 500 is up more than 10% in November. Still, analysts caution that several risks remain that could trip up the market's big recent gains.
Coronavirus counts continue to rise at troubling rates across much of Europe and the United States, so much that several European governments have brought back restrictions on businesses. In the U.S., confirmed coronavirus cases topped 10 million on Monday, the highest in the world.
In Washington, markets are banking on control of Congress remaining split between Democrats and Republicans, which can keep low tax rates and other pro-business policies the status quo in Washington, but that hinges on the result of run-off elections in Georgia in January.
Potential gridlock also makes any potential rescue package for the economy from Congress likely to be smaller than if Democrats had swept control of all of Washington. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has refused to concede the election.
For now, though, euphoria about a possible return to normal is the dominant force across markets, particularly as it layers on top of the tremendous aid the Federal Reserve has already put in place for the economy.
"Keep in mind that when you remove the virus from the equation, we are set up tremendously well for growth given the unprecedented easy money policies of the Fed," said Chris Larkin, managing director of trading and investing product at E-Trade Financial.
Pfizer jumped 8.7% as its announcement indicates the company and its German partner, BioNTech, are on track to file an emergency use application for their COVID-19 vaccine with U.S. regulators later this month.
Some investors weren't able to participate immediately, though. Customers were complaining about problems across several brokerages in the morning. By midday Monday, brokerages said they had resolved some technical issues.
In markets around the world, stocks strengthened amid expectations that a Biden-led White House could tamp down trade tensions that had built under Trump's administration. Stock markets across Europe jumped more than 4%. In Asia, many markets rose more than 1%.
Chicago stores exploit legal loophole to sell THC-O, a 'psychedelic' 3 times stronger than weed Military scientists once investigated the compound as a potential nonlethal incapacitating agent. Now, a hemp-derived version is touted for its powerful, mind-bending effects.
Cop who bungled homicide case involving Daley's nephew promoted to lieutenant Sam Cirone was reprimanded for his role in the investigation which initially cleared then-Mayor Richard M. Daley's nephew in David Koschman's 2004 death. A Sun-Times investigation changed that.


text:
BlackPOS Malware used in TARGET Data Breach developed by 17-Year Old Russian Hacker
January 17, 2014Swati Khandelwal
The Holiday data breach at TARGET appeared to be part of a broad and highly sophisticated international hacking campaign against multiple retailers, involving the heist of possibly 110 million Credit-Debit cards, and personal information.
Target confirmed last weekend that a malicious software was embedded in point-of-sale (POS) equipment at its checkout counters to collect secure data as the credit cards were swiped during transactions.
The Malware called 'BlackPOS' also known as "reedum" or 'Kaptoxa' is an effective crimeware kit, that was created in March 2013 and available in underground sites for $1800-$2000.
Investigators from IntelCrawler found a 17-years old hacker who actually developed the BlackPOS crimeware kit. His nickname is 'ree4' and original name: 'Sergey Taraspov' from St.Petersburg and Nizhniy Novgorod (Russian Federation).
IntelCrawler's sources mentioned that the BlackPOS malware was created in March 2013 and first infected the Point-of-Sales environments in Australia, Canada and the US.
Alleged Russian hacker and malware developer Sergey Taraspov (ree4) sold more than 40 builds of BlackPOS to cybercriminals from Eastern Europe and other countries.
BlackPOS is a RAM-scraping malware totally written in VBScript i.e. It copies credit-card numbers from point-of-sale machines' RAM, in the instant after the cards are swiped and before the numbers are encrypted.
In December, after the TARGET data breach, the Symantec antivirus firm discovered the malware and dubbed as 'Infostealer.Reedum.C'.
'He is a very well known programmer of malicious code in underground and previously he has created several tools used in hacking community for brute force attacks, such as "Ree4 mail brute", and also earned some first money with social networks accounts hacking and DDoS attacks trainings, as well as software development including malicious code.'
More details about Sergey Taraspov (ree4):
E-mail 1: ree4@list.ru
E-mail 2: ree4@yandex.ru
Skype: s.r.a.ree4
Now any of his toolkit buyer is possibly the culprit behind the Target data breach. According to researchers, the attackers somehow managed hack one of the TARGET server and uploaded the POS malware to the checkout machines located at various stores.
IntelCrawler didn't accuse him of the Target heist, but "He is still visible for us, but the real bad actors responsible for the past attacks on retailers such as Target and Neiman Marcus were just his customers". They said.
BlackPOS, data breach, hacking news, IntelCrawler, Malware, point of sale, Russian hackers, Sergey Taraspov, target hacked


Mike Blackstone started working at JPL in 1972, and later worked at NASA Goddard and for other government agencies. It took him a long time to realize that the high point of his "career" was achieved in 1972. He can be reached at [email protected].


Is Daisy safe hiding in an unreachable place?
Should I tiptoe downstairs in barefoot curves?
So much for all of that bravado about how music always trumps writing fiction. Ha!
Here's what happened… I had an amazing songwriting day yesterday. I couldn't wait to hit the studio this morning and start banging out more songs. I did a little keyboard practice. I did some vocal warmup. And then I listened to yesterday's song. It sucked! I got scared. I felt so intimidated. The imposter syndrome struck. So what's a girl to do?
Pull out my favorite manuscript in progress and start writing? That's what stopped me the day before, when I decided I should focus on music – not writing. So I pulled up a different manuscript. Perhaps the muse wants me to work on that one today.
Okay, so maybe I won't really know who wins until I've done enough work that something crosses the finish line. Maybe that's how the muse works and I should just obey the muse when it strikes.
Yesterday's artist date inspires today's writing, reflections, and musings.
Raining Men now available for Kindle on Amazon, Smashwords, and other Online Retailers.


text:
---
navtitle: Developer
sort: 5
---

# Developer information

You are encouraged to [contribute](/project/contribute/) to Nikita. There are multiple ways to offer assistance to the project. To fix and write actions, you will have to get your hands dirty and dive into the source code. This page describes how to setup your developer and testing environment and how tests are organized and executed.

Before starting with Nikita development, read the [project architecture](/project/architecture/), it presents how to project is organized in the Git repository.

## Tests execution

Nikita targets Unix-like systems including Linux and macOS. Windows is not supported as a targeting node where actions are executed. It is however known to work as a Nikita host. This means you can run Nikita from a Windows host and target Linux nodes over SSH.

Nikita use [Mocha](https://mochajs.org/) and [Should.js](https://shouldjs.github.io/). All tests are all located inside the `test` folders.

### Running all tests

The command `yarn test` run both on the local machine as well as on containerized and virtualized environments to simulate various operating systems and execution contexts. Lerna can run multiple commands in parallel with the `--concurrency` option:

```
npx lerna run test --stream --concurrency 8
```

### Running local tests

For the local tests to execute successfully, you must:

* be able to ssh yourself (eg `ssh $(whoami)@localhost`) without a password
* be online (attempt to fetch an FTP file)

Local tests are executed with the command `yarn test:local`. It can be executed globally from the project root directoy or selectively inside each package. Inside a package, to speed test execution, you can pass the `--parallel` Mocha argument, for example:

```bash
cd packages/core
yarn run test:local --parallel
```

To execute a subset of the tests, go to the package folder and pass a globing expression to Mocha such as `cd ./packages/{package} && npx mocha 'test/**/*.coffee'`.

For example, to only test the `nikita.file.ini` actions, run the following:

```bash
cd packages/file && npx mocha test/ini.coffee
# Or
yarn workspace @nikitajs/file exec mocha test/ini.coffee
# Or
npx lerna --scope @nikitajs/file exec mocha test/ini.coffee
```

### Running environment tests

For the environment tests to execute successfully, you must:

* Install and configure a [Docker client](https://www.docker.com/).
* Install and configure an [LXD client](https://linuxcontainers.org/lxd/introduction/).

Environment tests are executed with the command `yarn test:env`. To execute a single environment, go to the targeted `env` folder such as `./packages/{package}/env/{env}` and execute its `run.sh` script.

## Configuration customization

Tests load a configuration file. Its purpose is to parameterize the Nikita sessions and to filter the execution of tests with a tagging system.

By default, the configuration files are located in each package folder. They are named `test.coffee`. A sample file is provided as well named `test.coffee.sample`. If a configuration file does not exists, the sample file is copied.

You can also customize the path to the configuration module by setting the `NIKITA_TEST_MODULE` environmental variable.

## SSH or locally

Why even choose? When it makes sense, the majority of tests run twice. Once without an SSH connection and once with an SSH connection pointing to `localhost` by default. To achieve this behavior, we extended [Mocha](https://mochajs.org/) by providing an alternative to the `it` function in the name of `they`. You can find it in the [mocha-they package](https://github.com/adaltas/node-ssh2-they).

For example, this test will only be executed locally:

```js
const nikita = require('nikita');

describe('Simple Test', () => {
  it('Check a file is touched', () => {
    nikita
    .file.touch('/tmp/a_file')
    .fs.assert('/tmp/a_file')
  })
})
```

While the same test using `they` will be executed locally and remotely using provided configuration:

```js
const nikita = require('nikita');
const {config} = require('./test');
const they = require('mocha-they')(config);

describe('Simple Test', () => {
  they('Check a file is touched', (ssh) => {
    nikita({$ssh: ssh})
    .file.touch('/tmp/a_file')
    .fs.assert('/tmp/a_file');
  })
})
```

## Environments

Some tests depend on particular settings to run successfully. Some actions are specific to a particular Linux distribution or issue internally alternatives commands which must be validated. Other actions depend on a service that is not always available on the host machine such as a database connection.

The environment tests require the presence of [Docker](https://www.docker.com/) and [LXD](https://linuxcontainers.org/lxd/introduction/) clients.

Based on your environment support, targeted tests can be activated from the configuration. Tests are labeled with tags. The environment defines the test coverage by activating tags in their `test.coffee` configuration file. For example, to activate the MariaDB tests located in the ["db" package](https://github.com/adaltas/node-nikita/blob/master/packages/db/env/mariadb/test.coffee), set the `tags.db` property to `true` and configure the `db.mariadb` properties accordingly.

## Docker

To ensure tests are executed in a proper environment, we leverage [Docker](https://docs.docker.com/) and [Docker Compose](https://docs.docker.com/compose/). To each environment corresponds a directory inside the "./env" folder. Inside each folder, you will find the "docker-compose.yml" declaration file and its associated resources.

- `docker-compose.yml`
  The [Docker Compose](https://docs.docker.com/compose/) file declares the Nikita container with its test environment as well as its service dependencies such as databases services.
- `Dockerfile`
  The [Dockerfile](https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/builder/) declares instructions to build the containers.
- `test.coffee`
  The configuration file is used to activate selected tests and configured the Nikita sessions executed inside.

The commands to execute the tests are common to every Docker environment and provide a lot of flexibility. From any environment directory, you can run:

* `docker compose up --abort-on-container-exit`
  Run the all test suite from the host shell.
* `docker compose run --rm nodejs`
  Enter inside the Nikita container and execute your commands.
* `docker compose run --rm nodejs 'test/**/*.coffee'`
  Run a subset of the tests from the host shell.

Here's an example to run tests on CentOS 7:

```bash
# Download the source code
git clone https://github.com/adaltas/node-nikita.git nikita
cd nikita
# Install dependencies
yarn install
# Navigate to the target environment
cd packages/core/env/centos7
# Run all tests
docker compose up --abort-on-container-exit
# Run a subset of the tests
docker compose run --rm nodejs test/actions/execute/*.coffee
# Enter bash console
docker compose run --rm nodejs
```

## LXD

Some tests are executed using [LXD](https://linuxcontainers.org/lxd/introduction/). The tests require a local LXD client. To install it on a Linux host, you can follow the [installation instructions](https://linuxcontainers.org/lxd/getting-started-cli/). On non-Linux hosts, you can set up the client to communicate with a remote LXD server hosted on a virtual machine. However, you will have to mount the project directory into the "/nikita" folder of the virtual machine. The provided [Vagrantfile](https://github.com/adaltas/node-nikita/blob/master/packages/lxd/assets/Vagrantfile) definition inside the "packages/lxd/assets" folder will set you up.

For Windows and macOS users, the procedure is abstracted inside the `./bin/cluster start` command:

```bash
# For Windows and macOS users
cd packages/lxd
./bin/cluster start
yarn test
```

The manual commands to make it work are below:

* Install:

```bash
# Initialize the VM
cd packages/lxd/assets && vagrant up && cd ../../
# Set up LXD client
lxc remote add nikita 127.0.0.1:8443
lxc remote switch nikita
# Navigate to the target environment
cd ipa/env/ipa
# Initialize the container
npx coffee start.coffee
```

* Update the VM:

```bash
lxc remote switch local
lxc remote remove nikita
# Note, password is "secret"
lxc remote add nikita 127.0.0.1:8443
lxc remote switch nikita
```

If you are running into an issue with permission on the "tmp" folder as below:

```bash
[1/29]: configuring certificate server instance
[error] IOError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/tmp/tmp_Tm1l_'
```

Host must have `fs.protected_regular` set to `0`r, eg `echo '0' > /proc/sys/fs/protected_regular && sysctl -p && sysctl -a`. In our Physical -> VM -> LXD setup, the parameters shall be set in the VM, no restart is required to install the FreeIPA server, just uninstall it first with `ipa-server-install --uninstall` before re-executing the install command.

Here's a complete example to run tests for the ["ipa" package](https://github.com/adaltas/node-nikita/tree/master/packages/ipa):

```bash
# For Windows and macOS users
./packages/lxd/bin/cluster start
export NIKITA_HOME=/nikita
cd packages/ipa
# Start the server
npx coffee ./env/ipa/start.coffee
# Run all the tests
lxc exec nikita-ipa --cwd /nikita/packages/ipa npx mocha 'test/**/*.coffee'
# Run selected tests
lxc exec nikita-ipa --cwd /nikita/packages/ipa npx mocha 'test/user/exists.coffee'
# Enter the IPA container
lxc exec nikita-ipa --cwd /nikita/packages/ipa bash
```

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Playing the Mother Card: Why We Need a Winning Hand
Dr Misty Hook, PhD 2 Comments
Photo by in pastel - http://flic.kr/p/76Tc7h
National discussions about mothering seem to crop up during presidential campaigns, so it is time now to analyze honestly what these rare discussions say about our values.
Every four years. That's how often the national conversation focuses on mothers. Sure, we regularly hear discussions about the outcomes of mothering — the kids — but it is only when politicians can use "mothering" to their gain do we get a discussion about mothers themselves. The rest of the time we get ignored.
The last time mothers held center stage was during the 2008 election. I was very excited by that election because, at first glance, it seemed that the presence of three very strong mothers — Hillary Rodham Clinton, Sarah Palin and Michelle Obama — would mean something positive. Mothers were finally getting some national attention and that was great, right? However, much to my chagrin, nothing really changed. Interestingly, each woman played the mother card (as it were) differently, and yet the results were the same.
Hillary Rodham Clinton played the mother card only rarely. She still hardly uses it because, after having gotten burned in 1992 (remember, only during presidential election years do we seem to care about mothers) over some non-stereotypical mothering comments, she learned her lesson. However, during the 2008 election, Hillary's mothering status was in evidence through Chelsea's formidable presence on the campaign trail, and in Hillary's convention speech. Yet for the most part, Hillary kept the mother card close to her chest because she knew that it would be used against her.
While Hillary emphasized her accomplishments and extensive knowledge, yet kept relatively silent about being a mother, Michelle Obama did the exact opposite. Any student of history knows that a potential President and First Lady will face heavy criticism for being equal partners, so Michelle used her family as a way to appear less threatening. During her convention speech and in press appearances, Michelle talked about her parents, her brother and, most especially, her daughters. Press reports approvingly stated that her main role in the White House would be as mother to Sasha and Malia or, as The Daily Beast labeled it, Mom-in-Chief. Thus, Michelle used the mother card to reassure the country that she would be a traditional First Lady who knows her place, and she hasn't strayed from that plan. Her main causes have been childhood obesity and military families, pretty much home and hearth causes, so her mothering has kept her both relatable and contained.
Sarah Palin used her mother card quite blatantly, as being a mother was an integral part of her campaign strategy. At first, her brash use of motherhood appeared quite empowering. It was great hearing a powerful woman on a national stage talking about how being a "mom" was one of her qualifications for office. I especially enjoyed seeing Todd hold the baby while Sarah held the national spotlight at the Republican convention. And I celebrated the fact that Sarah's mother card forced Joe Biden to talk during the vice presidential debate about his experiences as a single father — something I doubt he would have done had his opponent been a man.
However, even as important as family was to her campaign, it quickly became apparent that the policy decisions she espoused ran contrary to what is good for families, even her own. Sarah talked firmly about giving families of special-needs children a friend in the White House, yet she reduced funding in Alaska for that very group. She is a staunch advocate for abstinence-only sex education, yet her oldest daughter had an unplanned pregnancy at the age of 17, and she eventually admitted that abstinence-only education doesn't work. She is a steadfast proponent of the war, something that literally destroys families and could hurt or kill her oldest son. Moreover, she was silent about true mothering issues like childcare, family leave, and family/work balance — things that could shake the core of our value system. Thus, Sarah's mother card was, essentially, a sleight of hand. We thought we were seeing a new card but, upon closer inspection, it was the same one we've been seeing for decades and, in the end, Sarah's mother card was just as non-threatening as that of Hillary and Michelle. None of them emphasized the true issues that are plaguing mothers and, by extension, families and the country. None of them offered a different interpretation of the role. In the end, mothers got just as little attention as we always have, and nothing was gained.
Now with the latest brouhaha over mothering, we're seeing the exact same mother card at work. For those unfamiliar with the latest controversy, Democratic political pundit Hilary Rosen gave an interview on CNN, in which she stated that Ann Romney, stay-at-home mother of five boys, is a poor (heh) political consultant on women's economic situations because she "never worked a day in her life." Rosen was discussing the economics of mothering but, fast as lightning, the good ole mother card was played and the discussion now centers upon the importance of 'good' mothering rather than on mothers themselves. Even Sarah Palin weighed in and, with her clever obfuscation about "mama grizzlies," reduced the discussion from the specific to the general, from reality to the fantasy (in some people's minds at least). Even the Democrats came down on the side of traditional mothering and, in so doing, helped keep the topic of mothering safe so that we won't have a real discussion on the problems inherent in our economic system. All politicians know that if they can keep mothers from being revolutionary, or even just plain honest, then we can maintain the status quo.
So let's elevate the discussion into something honest and let's start by saying that this isn't just about mothers, it is about families. We are a nation that claims to revere "family values" while actually having very little. If we cared about families, we would focus on providing a world in which they are valued. We would offer a family-friendly workplace, in which employees could go home to their families at reasonable hours (roughly 30 work-hours per week); take paid time off to deal with illness, emergencies and family transitions; have flextime so that they could volunteer at schools and/or attend their child's events; and even have paid vacations so that families could bond, or simply rest and rejuvenate. A country that values families would ensure that issues important to families, like education, childcare and healthcare, are affordable, accessible and of high quality. We would make certain that there are good community resources and infrastructure that enhance the lives of families. A nation that venerates families would see to it that libraries were bigger and better; bicycle lanes would be common instead of rare; there would be large swaths of greenery in which to play, picnic, hike and roam; the arts would be accessible, affordable and celebrated; there would be lots of preventative programs focusing on relationship skills; and air and water would be clean. In other words, a lot of the issues causing many families to live lives of quiet desperation would be relieved and everyone would win. Instead, what we have is a conversation every four years about the sanctity of traditional motherhood.
Whenever I do family counseling, one of my goals is to help people understand more effective communication. One way in which I do this is to get them to focus on the process of the conversation instead of the content: don't hear what they're saying, listen to how they say it and why. And that's what needs to happen in this conversation about mothers. If you can ignore what it is they're saying, then you will clearly see that this is a game of misdirection. If the powers-that-be can trumpet the importance of traditional mothers, then they look wholesome while ensuring that our lives continue to be difficult. If they place the responsibility for families solely at the feet at mothers, then they can ignore the role that fathers play. And by making families just a woman's issue, they can ignore true family values until the next presidential cycle, when they can once again use mothers for political gain. Wouldn't it be lovely if for once we could listen, not hear, and then hold their feet to the fire and achieve positive change?
Mother's Day is coming up. It started as an activist holiday, so maybe the time is ripe for it to be a force for change again.
parenting and children
The Power of Blame is a Curious Thing
Mothering Along the Fault Lines
Reflections on the Mothering Experience
Time is Not on Our Side Because We're All 'Mom Enough'
Mothers Can Make the Difference: A Mother's Day Plea
It's Time to Stop Talking about Choice and Start Talking about Rights
Psychology, Philosophy and Real Life
All clinical material on this site is peer reviewed by one or more clinical psychologists or other qualified mental health professionals. This specific article was originally published by Dr Misty Hook, PhD on April 23, 2012 and was last reviewed or updated by Dr Greg Mulhauser, Managing Editor on April 23, 2012 .
https://counsellingresource.com/features/2012/04/23/playing-mother-card/
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Also by Dr Misty Hook, PhD
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text:
Tobacco smugglers thrive on EU's eastern border
EURACTIV.com, based on reporting by EURACTIV.pl
cigarette_isp.jpg
Languages: Français
Prohibitive prices of cigarettes and alcohol encourage smuggling, according to participants at a recent conference in Warsaw on smuggling across the EU's eastern border. EURACTIV Poland reports.
The conference, organised by EurAcitv Poland with the support of the Philip Morris tobacco company, took a look at the draft update of the EU Tobacco Products Directive but expanded the debate to look at wider smuggling issues.
The European Commission proposed larger health warnings on cigarette packets and a total ban on flavourings such as menthol, as part of proposal to update the directive, presented in December. Industry representatives have balked at the draft rules, saying they were illegal.
>> Read: Draft EU rules open door to plain cigarette packs
Cigarette sales in the 27-nation EU have fallen sharply in recent years but – at about 33% – Europe still has a higher proportion of smokers than any other region of the globe, according to data from the World Health Organization.
Speaking at the Warsaw conference, Tadeusz Zwiefka, a Polish MEP from the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), said the updated directive should be carefully prepared to avoid a further increase in smuggling.
"Instead of contributing to better health of Europeans, the possible rise in smuggling or production of illegal cigarettes from tobacco of unknown origin means that they will be more harmful to health," he told the participants at the conference.
Moving cigarettes across the eastern border
The EU's eastern border is the place of choice for cigarette smugglers, who can make easy profits from the price differences with Ukraine, Russia and other Eastern countries. A pack of premium cigarettes costs €5.26 in Belgium, €3.41 in Poland, €1.33 in Ukraine and less than €1.74 in in Russia, and less than €1 in Belarus.
According to data presented by Waldemar Micewicz, head of the Customs Office in Bia?a Podlaska, in 2010 Polish authorities seized over 700 million illegal cigarettes, the biggest number in the EU.
In the next year Poland was also ranked high in the EU statistics, being surpassed only by UK and Greece.
Micewicz identified many reasons why smuggling is such a common activity. One of the most important is its profitability.
A telling example is also a wholesale price of 500,000 packs, that is, the number that an international road transport, or TIR, vehicle can haul. "In Belarus it stands at €150,000, in eastern Poland – €500,000, in Germany – €1.25 million and in Scandinavia even at €2.5 million," Micewicz said.
But cigarettes are not smuggled only in trucks. Tomas Kucirek, of the Directorate General for Taxation and Customs Union, said that 50% of smuggling took place via ports and maritime transport.
He added that smuggling of cigarettes brings huge losses to member states. In 2011 they were estimated at €10 billion. "Smuggling causes losses of revenue and is harmful for producers, retailers and customers," he said, adding that profits coming from smuggling can be used to finance terrorism.
Antonio Saccone from Department of Risk Analysis at the European border agency Frontex stressed that the scale of the problem is on the rise, giving Latvia as an example. In March-April 2011, 600,000 cigarettes were seized, while in November-December the same year this number rose to 9 million.
Higher prices boost smuggling
According to Marcin Kraszewski of the Polish Chamber of Commerce, the reason behind the increasing smuggling is the prohibitive pricing policy of European states which may lead to the expansion of the black market. That is why this problem should not be considered from the supply side only, but also from the demand side.
This view was supported by Professor Wies?aw Czy?owicz from the Warsaw School of Economics. He made reference to the Laffer curve which explains why the prices cannot grow endlessly – at some point the customers will switch to cheaper, smuggled or counterfeited goods.
He also pointed out at another important aspect of the problem, namely the social acceptance of the phenomenon.
New trends in illicit trade
Panellists pointed out that smuggling is not a static activity – it evolves and develops.
Micewicz drew attention to the growing fragmentation of the smuggled quantities. While earlier the average seizure was of 200 packs of cigarettes, now it has dropped to 50 packs.
This was explained by the increasing profitability.
Saccone added also that smugglers are better organised. He described the discovery of a 700-metre tunnel on a Slovak-Ukrainian border. He estimated its 'cost' at €1 million.
Not only cigarettes are smuggled
According to speakers, cigarettes are not the only products that are smuggled across the eastern border. Gasoline, alcoholic beverages and stolen cars are all being smuggled into the EU.
Smuggling is not limited to the eastern border. Other European states are also challenged by their leaky borders, speakers said.
Spain and France were named as the countries that are most vulnerable to drug trafficking. Illegal weapons are detected most frequently in Italy, Netherlands, France and Finland.
Bulgaria and Greece were named as the top two countries in terms of smuggling of counterfeited products. Reportedly, the Bulgarian-Turkish border is also the place where the biggest number of attempts of luxury car smuggling was detected.
Panelists pointed out at the need of cooperation and dialogue with third countries – mostly EU's eastern neighbours – to exchange information about the entities and regulations.
Vygantas Paigozinas, representing the Department of Customs Policy of Lithuanian Ministry of Finance, said his country was increasingly seeking international cooperation to fight smuggling. Task forces were being established, comprising representatives of both national institutions and neighbouring countries. Those helped the exchange of information as well as the cooperation on a regional level.
Another method described by Paigozinas was the installation of automatic number plate recognition systems and scanning equipment. Such equipment was placed not only on the EU external borders but also on the internal ones, aiming at curbing the transit of illegal goods.
Paigozinas called for setting up a special EU fund to help such cooperation, as well as for simple rules for granting such support.
MEP Tadeusz Zwiefka (EPP, Poland) presented legislation currently being prepared by the European institutions.
The first one is the Directive on the Freezing and Confiscation of Proceeds of Crime. It envisages the possibility of freezing assets before the final judgement of the court is issued.
"It is a very bold approach but it seems to be inevitable" – Zwiefka commented. He added that such a solution has been introduced in some countries, e.g. Serbia, and is very effective.
The second project presented by the Polish MEP is the European Investigation Order in Criminal Matters. In Zwiefka's words, it should simplify the rules of collecting evidence, limit the grounds for refusal of issue and set deadlines for them to be carried out.
Professor Wies?aw Czy?owicz from the Warsaw School of Economics suggested a technical solution to fight counterfeit cigarettes– placing signs indicating the legality of the products which would allow tracing the chain form the producer to the consumer.
The conference 'Smuggling of goods across the EU eastern border' took place on 30 January at the European Parliament Information Office in Warsaw.
The event was organised by EURACTIV Poland with the support of Philip Morris Poland. It gathered experts from EU and national institutions, think tanks, universities and businesses.
Oil and Industry
22 Nov, 08:54 // Billionaire Michael Bloomberg files paperwork to run for US president
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text:
Fears more than 100 missing schoolgirls were kidnapped by Boko Haram
in International
A relative of one of the missing schoolgirls in Nigeria (Picture: Reuters)
More than 100 schoolgirls remain unaccounted for after suspected Boko Haram militants attacked a town in Nigeria.
Parents have released a list of the 105 girls they say are still missing nearly a week after the town of Dapchi in Nigeria's Yobe state was ambushed by the jihadi group.
Death row inmate in 'great pain' after surviving his own execution
The fate of the girls is not yet known, though many fear they have been abducted as brides for the Boko Haram extremists, who in 2014 kidnapped 276 girls from a boarding school in Chibok and forced them to marry their captors.
About 100 of the Chibok girls have never returned to their families nearly four years later.
The militants arrived on Monday evening, sending many fleeing into the surrounding bush amid the hail of gunfire.
A sign for the Government Girls Science and Technology College is pictured in Dapchi, in the northeastern state of Yobe, where dozens of schoolgirls went missing (Picture: Reuters)
It has only been four years since 276 girls were abducted from a boarding school in Chibok (Picture: AP)
While Nigeria's president has called the disappearances a 'national disaster', local officials falsely indicated that some had been rescued while others would return from hiding in the coming days.
Yobe state Governor Ibrahim Gaidam on Friday put the number of missing girls in Dapchi at 84, but family members quickly refuted those figures.
School bans backpacks to make it safer after deadly Florida shooting
Bashir Manzo, who has been heading up the relatives' efforts, said they only took information when a girl's mother or father appeared in person to report a missing child.
His daughter Fatima is among those still unaccounted for.
'This list did not come from the school management or any government source but collated by us from the parents of the girls,' he said.
Classrooms lie empty after the students went missing (Picture: Reuters)
Officials have disputed the amount of girls that have gone missing (Picture: AP)
Students fled into the bush when the militants began shooting (Picture: Reuters)
'As far as we are concerned, the governor is still being fed with fake information about these poor girls.'
While it appears that many students at the school did go into hiding, Mr Manzo said those children are now back with their families.
'All those that fled into the bush had been brought back to the school on Tuesday, and a roll call was taken after which they had all gone home to meet their parents,' he said.
The Nigerian minister of information, Lai Muhammed, visited Dapchi on Thursday where he told the media that the government still needs 'some few days' to confirm the actual number of missing girls.
More: World
Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has said no effort will be spared to locate them.
He said: 'The entire country stands as one with the girls' families, the government and the people of Yobe State. This is a national disaster.
'We are sorry that this could have happened and share your pain. We pray that our gallant armed forces will locate and safely return your missing family members.'
He said the government was sending more troops and surveillance aircraft to the area to help the search.
Phillip Schofield reveals the one surprising habit he cant tolerate from This Morning co-presenter Holly Willoughby
'Cyborg' fined after implanting travel chip under skin


The long-term health consequences are deadly serious: Overweight children are almost twice as likely as to become overweight adults, compared to normal-weight children. That puts them at greater risk in the future for numerous diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes , and certain types of cancer.
The role of sleep : Results of recent studies on weight and sleep show that children who get the most sleep are the least likely to become overweight or obese. The results are similar for boys and girls, and the connection stays consistent across different children's age groups.
Routines, rules, and schedules matter : Two recent studies confirm the importance of raising children with consistent routines, rules, and schedules.
The center offers a children's Obesity Package that includes a variety of diagnostic tests and procedures to make sure your child is within the healthy weight range for his or her age and size. For more information, call the Children's Center at +66 2011 3791, send us your inquiry, or make an appointment online.


text:
Panellists (L-R) Marcus Schreiber, Louise Reynolds, Christopher Decker and Mark Roberts
How game theory can turn procurement professionals into 'market designers'
posted by Sponsored by TWS Partners
This piece of content is sponsored by TWS Partners.
More than nine in 10 procurement professionals (93%) believe game theory can provide an advantage in negotiations, according to a recent CIPS and TWS Partners survey.
The results were revealed at an exclusive event for procurement leaders, hosted in London by Supply Management Insider and TWS Partners.
TWS Partners director Sebastian Moritz said it was interesting then that only 40% of the people surveyed were actually applying game theory in their own organisations, but he was encouraged by the fact that application of the theory is increasing, with this figure up 9% from 2017.
Game theory is a tool to shape procurement strategies
Game theory is the scientific modelling of interactions between different parties each pursuing their own interests. In procurement, the design of tendering processes and negotiations are the most prominent examples. The methodology enables procurement departments to thrive as entrepreneurial value drivers capable of significantly reducing costs, increasing overall company performance and value, and competitive advantage.
TWS Partners founder and CEO Marcus Schreiber described game theory "as a way of changing the landscape to your advantage". Procurement professionals are becoming "market designers" who actively shape their supply markets to their advantage, he said.
Schreiber used the Spanish conquest of the Aztec empire, led by Hernán Cortés, as one of the first examples of game theory at work. "Cortés arrived at the Mexican coast to conquer the land for its gold and other riches. He was up against the Aztec empire with only a few hundred Spanish soldiers.
"His men had the advantage of armour and horses, but because they were so outnumbered they would only have a chance if they were keenly motivated. So what did he do? He burned his own ships."
"I'm not sure how this would work in the modern corporate world. As a consultant, if I were to suggest to a client that destroying several million pounds worth of assets would provide a huge strategic advantage, I'm pretty sure it would not be welcomed.
"But what Cortes did with this strategic move was he changed the game. It was a way of communicating to his own people that there is only one way: you win or you die. And to the Aztecs: we aren't going anywhere. He was thinking from the very end and coming up with a decision that helped ensure victory. He changed the strategic landscape, by making a very strategic and counter-intuitive move."
Schreiber said that game theory techniques makes procurement more of a strategic partner. Advanced strategic thinking brought by game theory allows procurement to influence and shape the markets companies operate in. It ensures that procurement becomes the driver of a working competitive landscape rather than accepting the "rules of the game" set by other players in the market.
This also allows procurement to foster and leverage competition between suppliers and thus drives better results for the whole organisation in all dimensions – commercial and non-commercial. Using such an approach, procurement can incentivise suppliers to deliver a company's strategy. For example, getting suppliers to invest more into R&D and innovation, to deliver better quality, more reliable supply chains and market leading commercial terms.
Game theory is a success story across academia and business
In the panel discussion, Christopher Decker, research fellow for the University of Oxford, described game theory as "one of the great success stories of economics... and particularly over the past 20 years".
"Game theory gives you the ability to understand and predict what will happen in situations of interdependency... it gives you the tools to work it through in a formalised way. That's what people tend to see as its biggest advantages, that it formalises these intuitions," said Decker.
Mark Roberts, continuous improvement director at the Government Commercial Function, described the adoption of game theory as akin to a "Matrix moment".
"It's great opportunity for us as a profession to open our eyes and have a wider understanding of the possibilities," he said.
Global purchasing director of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Louise Reynolds said much of the automotive firm's recent success can be attributed to the methodology. She said the application of game theory had contributed to "millions" in savings.
At JLR, purchasing has been brought into the centre of the decision-making process, with other departments encouraged to give their input. "The great thing about the evolution of game theory in our organisation is that now our internal stakeholders get disappointed if we are not applying it – because they want to know their opinions are being baked into the negotiation design. And this allows us to make sure we're making the right total cost decision for our company."
TWS have been close partners with JLR since it was bought by TATA Motors in 2008.
"We are now initiating advanced training for staff members so we can deploy experienced practitioners throughout our teams," said Reynolds. "I believe it's fundamental that all my buyers should be trained practitioners in game theory."
Game theorySponsored Content
10 success factors for game theory in procurement
Organisations missing out on the power of game theory
The power of game theory in procurement


text:
Q: cwRsync could not resolve hostname I previously used cwRsync to backup files from WIndows XP to a Linux server
Now I am trying to use cwRsync on a Windows 7 PC (64-bit) to backup to a different Linux server
I installed the free version of cwRsync and set up the environment as in the included cwrsync.cmd except I set CWRSYNCHOME=%PROGRAMFILES(X86)%\CWRSYNC as that's where cwRsync installs on 64-bit Windows.
I can ping the Linux server by name and I can resolve it's IP-address using nslookup but when I run rsync I get an error message
C> ssh -V
OpenSSH_5.3p1, OpenSSL 0.9.8l 5 Nov 2009

C> rsync -rvz cygdrive/d/Foo xxxx:/home/RGB/Bar
ssh: Could not resolve hostname xxxx: Non-recoverable failure in name resolution
rsync: connection unexpectedly closed (0 bytes received so far) [sender]
rsync error: error in rsync protocol data stream (code 12) at io.c(610) [sender=  3.0.7]

cwRsync includes both ssh and plink in it's bin subdirectory. WHen I run ssh directly I get the same error. However if I run plink directly it connects OK.

*

*Is there a way to get rsync to use plink?

*Is there a way to get cwRsync's  ssh to resolve hostnames correctly?

A: If this software respects system-level host information, you could edit the system host file:

*

*C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\host

It may instead honor your Cygwin host settings:

*

*${cygwin_root}\etc\hosts

Try editing one or both of these files to include the remote host's IP address and name:
1.2.3.4  hostname
Be careful not to delete or overwrite any existing name/IP pairs.  Also your anti-virus/malware software (if any) may prevent changes to this file, in which case you may need to authorize the change or temporarily disable the software until after the change.

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