text:
Distinction or Discrimination: Honouring the female special agents of the Second World War
The names of 75 courageous women from 13 nations are etched into a beautiful memorial at RAF Tempsford, home of the Special Duties Squadrons during the Second World War. These are the female special agents who volunteered for active service behind enemy lines as couriers and wireless operators, running escape lines and leading partisan armies. All were brave, and all deeply committed to the Allied cause, but they had little else in common. Although most were British or French, there were also women from the Soviet Union, Belgium, The Netherlands, Ireland, America, Switzerland, India, Australia and Chile, as well as two from Germany, sent in to support the domestic resistance, and two from Poland, including Krystyna Skarbek, aka Christine Granville, the subject of my last biography. Some were lucky, others not, many were beautiful which had its own pros and cons, some were plain, and one had a prosthetic leg. Most female agents were effective, at least for a short while, and Skarbek survived in active service for six years. The huge contribution of this diverse group of women came at a high price. 29 were arrested and 16 executed. One more chose suicide with her lethal 'L' pill.
Some of the names on the Tempsford Memorial
Today there is increasing interest in these women. Over the last few years there have been many new biographies and anthologies about them and several memorials. Tempsford is important in that it is the only one that pays tribute to all the women by name. Its marble column stands on a granite plinth collectively honouring the two special duties squadrons that flew them into enemy occupied Europe, but there is no reference to the male agents. Perhaps now we need to ask why is it that we still distinguish heroines from heroes. After all, the Special Operations Executive, better known as SOE, was in many ways a great gender leveller. Selected women and men went through the same training, including in the use of guns and explosives, and silent killing, and were armed and sent to work alongside each other in the field.
It was, however, precisely because they were women, that these female agents were so valuable during the war. Unlike able-bodied men, civilian women travelling around France by train or bicycle attracted relatively little attention. This meant they were better-placed to serve as couriers between different resistance circuits or groups of Maquis hiding in the hills. Women transported messages, micro-film and radio codes, as well as heavy equipment such as weapons and wireless transmitters to arrange the delivery of agents and equipment, etc. Some of them, notably Pearl Witherington and Nancy Wake, went much further, commanding resistance armies of 2,000 men, and, among other achievements, Skarbek persuaded a German garrison on a strategic pass in the Alps to defect.
Skarbek, the first woman to work for Britain as a special agent, was employed in December 1939. Eighteen months would pass, during which time she served both across Eastern Europe and in the Middle East, before SOE was even officially established. The first female covert radio operator to be flown into France, Noor Inayat Khan, left England in June 1943. Even at this point, women in the British military were not officially allowed to carry guns or explosives. To circumvent this, SOE enrolled women into the FANYs, which officially operated outside of the Armed Forces but still theoretically offered some protection under the Geneva Convention in the event of capture, and provided pensions should the women become casualties.
Krystyna Skarbek, aka Christine Granville,
courtesy of Christine Isabelle Cole, Bill Stanley Moss papers
Churchill had approved the employment of women in SOE, but their role was not made public until some time after the war for fear of a backlash. Meanwhile the women who had survived found their achievements were underplayed and their skills undervalued. While Skarbek's male colleagues were reassigned to roles overseas, after she turned down a series of secretarial jobs for which she was monumentally unsuited, Skarbek was dismissed as 'not a very easy person to employ'. Meanwhile the official papers sent to her were accompanied by belittling notes such as 'Hope you are being a good girl!' Even the honours the women received were less than their male counterparts, as women did not qualify for British military awards. Many felt bitter about this, but none expressed it as succinctly as Pearl Witherington. After being awarded the MBE (Civil), she famously commented that 'there was nothing civil' about the work she had undertaken.
It was only in the 1950s that the women's stories began to be told. Having signed the official secrets act, many of the women, like the men they served with, refused to talk. Others, such as Odette Hallowes, spoke out, or like both Hallowes and Violette Szabo who had been executed at Ravensbrück, had their stories retold in biographies and films. And so the myth-making began. All too often, female agents and other women in the resistance have been honoured more for their courage and great sacrifice, than for their actual achievements. It has been judged more important that they tried, than that they succeeded. When the women did achieve, they still seem to have been feminised in the retelling, their beauty and sacrifices emphasised and their rough edges smoothed over. In order to be celebrated they have been, in effect, often recast as victims, rather than simply as heroes.
Ironically perhaps, today we need to reconsider the female special agents not only because historically they were marginalised but because, all too often, when given attention they have been judged as women, rather than as individuals doing an extraordinary job. If you have been the business of special operations, it is clearly self-defeating to be elevated as a heroine if at the same time you are diminished as an independent agent.
courtesy of Pawel Komorowski
Posted by Clare Mulley at 14:29
Labels: Christine Granville, Clare Mulley, female special agents, female spies, Krystyna Skarbek, Lest We Forget, Memorial, Poland, Remembrance, The Spy Who Loved, Women, women and war, World War 2, WW2
custom research paper writing service 13 September 2017 at 16:53
Such a great initiative that took place to admire the women effort during tough times. Wish people could acknowledge their work in routine life as well.
valentinejacobo 17 January 2022 at 03:42
mlb oddsshark legalbet 카지노사이트 카지노사이트 クイーンカジノ クイーンカジノ 181돐지더 방법: Situs Slot Online | 애토방 프로토 승부 식 방법
Do Bunny Down: when shared war stories can help to...
Distinction or Discrimination: Honouring the femal...
10 books in 10 days (1)
99 Test (1)
Battle of Britain (1)
Bill Tutte (1)
Blue Plaque (1)
Boat Race (1)
Brian Sanders (1)
Brian Unwin (1)
bronze bust (1)
centenary (1)
Chigwell (1)
children and war (9)
Christine Granville (20)
Clare Mulley (59)
Comic Strip (1)
Crete (1)
DDay (1)
Eglantyne Jebb (8)
English PEN (1)
Evacuee (1)
Family History (5)
female special agents (9)
female spies (8)
Ford Maddox Ford (1)
Francis Cammaerts (2)
Gallipoli (1)
Geoff Hulett (1)
Hanna Reitsch (7)
Harry Gray (2)
Hide and Seek (2)
Hiroshima (1)
Ian Wolter (2)
Jan Karski (1)
John Alan Ottewell (1)
John Batchelor (1)
Joyeaux Noel (1)
Katy Carr (1)
Kazik Piechowski (1)
Kobieta Szpieg (1)
Krystyna Skarbek (20)
Kwame Nkrumah (1)
Len Mulley (1)
Lest We Forget (8)
Lyra McKee (1)
Mark Williams (1)
Mary Ellis (1)
Mary Smith (1)
Melitta von Stauffenberg (7)
Nick Snow (1)
Olga Tokarczuk (1)
Paddy Ashdown (1)
Paddy Leigh Fermor (1)
Patron of Reading (1)
Project Propeller (1)
Rebecca Lenkiewicz (1)
Remembrance (15)
Romanov (1)
Royal Albert Hall (2)
SOE (3)
special agents (7)
Steve Shirley (1)
The Spy Who Loved (21)
The Woman Who Saved the Children (9)
The Women Who Flew for Hitler (7)
WAAF (1)
Warsaw Uprising (1)
Wiener Library (1)
women and war (24)
women in the resistance (13)
women in war (15)
World Book Day (1)
World War 1 (16)
WW1 (16)
WW2 pilots (9)
Xan Fielding (2)
Secrets of a Spy's Jewellery
Secrets of a Spy's Jewellery As a biographer I hope to get under the skin of my subjects, to trace their emotions, hopes and attitude...
My Weapon is My Writing: Olga Tokarczuk at the London Book Fair.
First published by English PEN, 12 May 2017 'I treat language like a tool, like a fork and knife when you have to eat reality', the m...
Sapper Smith's Gallipoli diary
Last weekend marked 100 years since the start of the First World War's tragic Gallipoli land offensive, aimed at securing the strategic peni...
Meeting the Nazi test-pilot Hanna Reitsch
Published by the Alderney Literary Festival where Clare will be speaking in March 2019 One of the great joys of researching my two books a...
Eglantyne Jebb bust unveiled
100 years and one day since Eglantyne Jebb and her sister Dorothy Buxton launched Save the Children at a packed public meeting at the Royal ...
Twickenham's Rose and Poppy Gates of Remembrance
Article first published in History Today , 12 April 2016. 'I shall never play at Twickenham again', twenty-five year old Lt Ronald Poul...
Ford Maddox Ford argued that if you open a book at page 99, "the quality of the whole will be revealed to you". Here Clare applies the Page 99 Test to The Women Who Flew for Hitler
Blogpost written for the Campaign for the American Reader. Clare Mulley applied the "Page 99 Test" to The Women Who Flew for Hitler a...
Do Bunny Down: when shared war stories can help to heal
Do Bunny Down: when shared war stories can help to heal When researching biographies I am privileged to meet and exchange letters with man...
10 books in 10 days, 'no explanations'
Clare Mulley, September 2018 I have just been nominated to post '10 books in 10 days, no explanation' on Facebook. To choose only 10 books...
Pioneers of flight: Hitler's forgotten Valkyries
First published by Pan Macmillan on 28th June 2017 Hanna Reitsch and Melitta von Stauffenberg were talented and record-breaking wo...
Clare's Main Website
Can be found here


No stranger to creating buzz with their advertising, the marketing innovation by Swedish agency Åkestam Holst, has been running the ad in the country's popular Amelia magazine. The ad contains similar technology to a pregnancy test. If, after women pee on the marked area, it indicates they are pregnant, the ad reveals a previously invisible text offering a discounted price on an IKEA crib.
And important note is that the ad is not a coupon. Therefore, you don't have to bring an ad soaked in urine to IKEA to get the discount. Rather, the discount is available to all members of the IKEA Family program; merely functioning as a simple, free pregnancy test. The ad encourages readers who are pregnant to join IKEA Family and reap the benefits.
"People think it's a strange, funny and likable ad. Well, mostly," said Magnus Jakobsson of Åkestam Holst.


'Mad' is lifted from LAOISE's recently released sophomore EP.
Upcoming Irish newcomer LAOISE recently released her anticipated sophomore EP and its title track 'Mad,' which has now been given the video treatment. The off-kilter pop gem is less helpless romanticism and more so self-realization that she can so much better. For an artist of just 22 years of age, LAOISE demonstrates a huge maturity within her writing and a strong sense of female empowerment which will serve her well as her fanbase naturally increases.
The video sees the songwriter playing an animatronic style character, controlled by the male forces around her. The visuals explode in line with 'Mad''s racing chorus as LAOISE breaks away from the clasps of the conventional. The track itself is a distinctive, sugary dose of pure pop with an infectious melody reminiscent of Carly Rae Jepsen and Tay-Sway.
Check out LAOISE's music video for 'Mad' above.


Accelerator-driven, subcritical lead / bismuth cooled systems have several safety advantages. The critical accident initiators in such systems lead only to a relatively slow coolant heat-up that should be noticed by the reactor operators who will initiate a shutting down of the accelerator. This decreases the reactor power to decay heat levels. If the coolant temperature increase should go unnoticed, passive systems will lead to an automatic shutdown of the accelerator or a blocking of the proton beam. Emergency decay heat removal by natural air circulation cooling of the vessel outside is an attractive option for such a system. If no active or passive beam shut-off took place during a coolant overheating due to a significant Loss of Heat Sink (LOHS) accident, a core melt could eventually occur. Oxide fuel would probably mix with the heavy metal coolant with its high boiling point and circulate in the primary system in a coolable fashion. This type of scenario seems to have happened in a core melt accident in a Russian Alpha submarine with its lead / bismuth cooled critical reactor.


text:
Q: What is the fastest route to drop off weight when time is proportional to weight x distance? You have a lorry at the starting point which is carrying all the parcels for the day.
$$\rm Time\ taken = Total\ Lorry\ Weight \times Distance\ travelled $$
After visiting each zone you have to return to the starting point.
Lorry's weight is $30$. You must take all undelivered parcels with you on every trip. Your fuel has no weight, your fuel is everlasting and you lose no time when dropping off packages.
What is the optimal route to delivering all the packages and returning to the starting point?

My initial thoughts for solving this was to work backwards and work out which delivery would add the smallest amount of total time across the whole journey. Then repeat this until I got to the first stop.
I have been told that isn't the correct way to work this out so not sure what would make the route I got for that more optimal.

A: This is not an answer as I can't prove it, but perhaps others can (or show the error of my ways).
If all parcels weighed the same, the optimal strategy would be to unload the nearest parcels first. This means we could rank the zones to visit first by ranking them by their distance $d$, i.e. rank $r=d$.
If all distances were the same, the optimal strategy would be to unload the heaviest parcels first. This means we could rank the zones to visit first by ranking them inversely by their weight $w$, i.e. $r=\frac{1}{w}$.
Putting these two observations together, it would seem a good first approximation would be to rank zones according to $r=\frac{d}{w}$. If I do this, then computer simulation shows this gives exactly the optimal route for the first $2$ zones, the first $3$ zones, etc up to the first $6$ zones (after which my recursive algorithm encountered overflow).
It seems to me then that a simple ranking of the zones by $r=\frac{d}{w}$ will give the optimal route.
EDIT
Changed my simulation from recursive to non-recursive and found the answer holds up to at least $8$ zones.
EDIT2
Improved simulation shows it works for $11$ zones. I'm convinced. :) It only remains to prove it will always work.

A: The answer by @Jens is correct: it is sufficient to rank the zones by means of $\frac dw$ from lowest to highest and follow this order.
Let us compare two different orders of delivery that differ just by a swap in two consecutive destinations. So suppose that in the first case at a certain point you serve zone A at distance $d$ and weight $w$, and immediately after you serve zone B at distance $d'$
and weight $w'$. In the second case you reverse the order of these two destinations. The cost for the other zones is the same in the two cases, so it is sufficient to compare the costs of these two. Say that before  serving zone A you have weight W. Then the cost in the first case is
$$C_1=Wd+(W-w) (d+d') +(W-w-w')d'.$$
In the second case the cost is
$$C_2=Wd'+(W-w')(d+d')+(W-w-w')d.$$
Then
$$C_1\leq C_2\iff  -2wd'\leq - 2w'd\iff \frac{d}{w} \leq \frac{d'} {w'}. $$
Since through consecutive swapping we can reach any permutation then we can lower the cost until we reach the desired increasing order, when we can not decrease anymore.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Franconia and the German Danube Travel Guide
Franconia and the German Danube Things To Do
Franconia and the German Danube Hotels
Franconia and the German Danube Restaurants
Franconia and the German Danube Top Places
Franconia and the German Danube Travel Tips
Franconia and the German Danube News
Franconia and the German Danube Gallery
Franconia and the German Danube Sights
Franconia and the German Danube Performing Arts
Franconia and the German Danube Shopping
Franconia and the German Danube Nightlife
Franconia and the German Danube
Photo: Rudy Balasko / Shutterstock
Few visitors to Bavaria venture this far off the well-trodden tourist trails, and even Germans are surprised when they discover medieval Regensburg. The town escaped World War II with no major damage, and it is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Germany.
Regensburg's story begins with the Celts around 500 BC. In AD 179, as an original marble inscription in the Historisches Museum proclaims, it became a Roman military post called Castra Regina. The Porta Praetoria, or gateway, built by the Romans, remains in the Old Town, and whenever you see huge ashlars incorporated into buildings, you are looking at bits of the old Roman settlement. When Bavarian tribes migrated to the area in the 6th century, they occupied what remained of the Roman town and, apparently on the basis of its Latin name, called it Regensburg. Anglo-Saxon missionaries led by St. Boniface in 739 made the town a bishopric before heading down the Danube to convert the heathen in even more far-flung lands. Charlemagne, first of the Holy Roman emperors, arrived at the end of the 8th century and incorporated Regensburg into his burgeoning domain. Regensburg benefited from the fact that the Danube wasn't navigable to the west, and thus it was able to control trade as goods traveled between Germany and Central Europe.
By the Middle Ages Regensburg had become a political, economic, and intellectual center. For many centuries it was the most important city in southeast Germany, serving as the seat of the Perpetual Imperial Diet from 1663 until 1806, when Napoléon ordered the dismantling of the Holy Roman Empire.
Today the ancient and hallowed walls of Regensburg continue to buzz with life. Students from the university fill the restaurants and pubs, and locals tend to their daily shopping and run errands in the inner city, where small shops and stores have managed to keep international consumer chains out.
Explore Regensburg
Sights 14
Elsewhere In Franconia and the German Danube
Sitting majestically on seven hills above the Regnitz River, the entire Alstadt of this beautiful, historic town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's a...
The small town of Bayreuth, pronounced "bye-roit," owes its fame to the music giant Richard Wagner (1813–83). The 19th-century composer, musical revolutionary, ultranationalist, and Nazi...
See All Places In Franconia and the German Danube
5 Reasons to Visit Nuremberg

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


From the phone screen to the main stage- Nicholas Megalis is proud to bring his weirdness to San Diego! Megalis's brand new DIY concert experience is a personalized opportunity for dedicated fans to get a sneak peek at his upcoming record. His energetic and highly-engaging mixture of intimate storytelling and punk rock musical performance is unlike anything you've ever seen. Lose your mind with Nicholas Megalis LIVE!!!
Take advantage of pre-ordering a limited edition CD of the new Nicholas Megalis EP "Not Funny" with your ticket purchase and receive the CD at the show a month before its release!! Don't forget to grab a limited edition tour poster as well!
This show is happening in a SECRET location that will be revealed to ticket holders only. If you purchase a ticket, you will receive an email from Eventbrite the day before the show with the location information. Please make sure you enter a legitimate email address when buying your ticket so that you get the location address email.
Bring your own refreshments & snacks!
Doors at 8, show will start promptly at 9.
Any questions? Please feel free to reach out to us via Eventbrite (click "Contact Organizer") and we will respond asap.


The film opens on the night of 30 April to 1 May 1994 in Chungking House, a mazelike commercial complex in Hong Kong. A Chinese woman in a blond wig is busily trying to stash some heroine among the belongings of a group of Pakistanis hired to slip the drugs out of the country. May 1 also marks an entire month since police office No. 223 got dumped by his girlfriend. He swears he's going to fall in love with the first girl who walks through the door: it turns out to be the blond drug smuggler....A fast-food restaurant where Faye, a young tomboy, listens to the hit pop song "California Dreaming". Another policeman, a regular costumer, has just lost his girlfriend, who has deposited his apartment key at the restaurant. Faye intercepts the key and secretly lets herself into the cop's apartment and proceeds to upset his domestic order.
ButterflyJoe May 05 2010 9:29 pm Great movie from WKW an awesome director, by the end of the movie you'll be singing "California Dreaming".


Order and Purchase Glass Ball Ornament Words of Aloha by Madden of Red color for only $19.99 .
Hand-blown classic glass ornaments measure approximately 3 1/8"in diameter. Each ornament is nestled safely in an acetate blister encased in a sliver tone on tone box with a cut out window.


Purchase seasonal hospitality at the Amex.
Brighton & Hove Albion fans can watch the team take on reigning Premier League champions Chelsea in style this Saturday, with a very limited number of hospitality seats still available.
A number of seats are still available to non-members in the West Stand, which includes hospitality in the Mayo Wynne Baxter restaurant.
To ensure you do not miss out, please call 01273 878278 or contact commerical@bhafc.co.uk.


text:
Bailout Addiction: Greece Craves Cash Injection
September 28, 2011 RT 0 Comments
Prime Minister George A. Papandreou is fighting for another vital cash injection for his collapsing country. He is in Berlin, convincing creditors that his country is enforcing its reforms and can successfully emerge from its debt crisis.
Speaking to members of German industry in Berlin, Papandreou used very positive rhetoric, saying that he "can guarantee that Greece will live up to all its commitments."
Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was also at the conference, said that she has "absolute respect" for structural reforms pushed through by Papandreou's government. She believes that the most important thing for Greece is to regain confidence, and said that "whatever Germany can do to support that, [it] will do."
The Greek PM is expected to hold talks with Merkel over the best way to cut Greece's budget deficit and drag the country out of crisis.
In support of the prime minister's commitment, Greek Parliament members passed a controversial new property tax bill. A majority of members in the 300-seat Parliament voted Tuesday in favor of the bill, which aims to boost revenue as the country struggles to meet its fiscal targets.
The property tax hike forms part of a package of austerity measures put together to convince the EU and IMF to hand out an €8 billion bailout loan.
Protesters have gathered outside parliament in an effort to prevent the new austerity measures being passed. The deep unpopularity of these cuts could make them very hard to deliver, as RT's Sara Firth discovered.
A series of austerity measures has hit the Greek people hard: they have endured cuts in government spending and suffered cuts to their pensions. A lot of people have lost their jobs and the unemployment rate is skyrocketing. And now many see this new property tax as the last straw.
Publicly, EU leaders say a default by Greece is not an option. However, it appears that privately, they are looking at a controlled default as a very realistic plan B, Sara Firth said. And the people are really wondering whether their leaders have the political capabilities to defuse this crisis situation.
George Katroungalos, a professor of constitutional law, believes a default is inevitable. The question is, who is going to control it?
"Either we are going to have a default, a default that we can organize and protect our interests accordingly, or we are going to have a kind of controlled bankruptcy in a way that Brussels and the lenders are going to dictate to us," he said.
Experts say EU leaders cannot afford to let Greece to leave the Eurozone, because if it can leave, then anyone can. A dangerous precedent would be set, opening an exit route for such countries as Spain and Italy, whose problems could result in the collapse of the entire monetary union.
"The EU is trying to avoid a domino effect," says Katroungalos. "So practically they are trying to isolate us for us not to contaminate the rest of the Eurozone. Maybe we are going to be a useful sacrifice for them in order to show this kind of austerity measures are necessary – and if they are not followed by the letter, then the disaster is the only possible way out."
← Profile: Anton Siluanov – Analysis
Trial Of Ex-Ukraine Prime Minister Tymoshenko Resumes →
RT, previously known as Russia Today, is a global multilingual television news network based in Russia. RT was the first all-digital Russian TV network.


Recurring payment and shipment every month, cancel anytime by logging in.
Don't love it? Return it for a full refund within 30 days.
Energize & Recharge Your Cells!
No Maltodextrin or Added Sugar!
Convenient Packets to Carry Around!
Check out these minerals in 1 scoop: 1000 mg of potassium, 75 mg of calcium, 120 mg of magnesium, 15 mg of chloride, 10 mg of sodium and 100 mg of trace minerals. But the best part about this complex is there is NO maltodextrin or sugar – it's just straight electrolytes in a lemon raspberry flavor with a touch of stevia.
SIDE NOTE ON MALTODEXTRIN: Manufacturers use maltodextrin as a food additive, a thickener; basically it is a filler so companies can increase the volume. It can spike your blood sugars due to the high glycemic rating. Maltodextrin is a white powder made from corn, rice, potato starch, or wheat. However, maltodextrin's glycemic index is higher than table sugar, ranging from 106 to 136. This means that it can raise your blood sugar level very quickly.
Dr. Berg's Electrolytes has the most potassium of any electrolyte power mix!
Disclaimer: The dietary and other substances, and/or materials, equipment or devices discussed on this site may not have undergone evaluation and/or testing by the United States Food and Drug Administration or like agency of any other country. Risks that might be determined by such testing are unknown. Click here to read the full disclaimer text.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Information on this site is provided for informational purposes only, it is not meant to substitute medical advice provided by your physician or any other medical professional. You should not use the information contained on this site for diagnosing or treating a health problem, disease, or prescribing any medication. Please read product label before use. Best results are only achieved when combined with diet and exercise program. Results not typical for any or all claims.


Click here to get your PROMO CODE!
Change Black Friday for a Colourful Barcelona!
This year we are joining the Black Friday madness! Because, who doesn't love a juicy discount??
Book with us from the 19th to the 26th of November and get 25% OFF!!
Book now and get your present!
Because it is Christmas, we want to surprise our guests with a present.
Book directly with us for a minimum of 2 nights and you will receive a gourmet present! Something nice to give your stay a traditional taste of the Catalan Christmas!
For bookings received through our website.
For stays until de 28th of December (included).
Book now to get your discount!
Stay 5 nights, get 5% discount!
We want you to feel at home when you stay with us, so wishing that you will want to stay longer, we would like to offer a 5% discount for bookings of a minimum of 5 nights.


Westport CC annual night away and presentations took place last Saturday 20th of October in The Station House Hotel.
A hardy group cycled out via Leeaun for the coffee stop thanks to Gaynors, then progressed along two different routes to Clifden.
After the meal the club presentations took place lead by chairperson Aidan Gill ably assisted by Nuala Currid with photos on the night by Sean Hyland.
The presentations started with the regular "boobie prizes" handed out for super rain avoidance, super baking, super cycling apparel, super long worded award and worlds best chowder sniffer outer!
Next we moved onto the Time Trial league where Mary Daly topped the league sporting a dress which woooed the crowd.
Next up we presented the Covey League Winners. The league was a tight affair only decided on the final night. Coming out on top was Joe Moran.
Joe accepted his trophy from Nuala Currid and league winners sponsor Stephen Breheny.
The club made a special presentation to Stephen Breheny to recognise the contribution of Stephen and his family business to the Westport community and further afield. The doors of Breheny cycles closed last August ending one of Mayos longest running businesses in operation since 1854 overseen by 3 generations.
Stephen and his family have been part of the Covey Wheelers and its previous incarnations for over 100 years. Stephens uncle Tom cycled from Westport to Dublin in 1907 in 12 hours.The following year, on the 12th of September he did in again, this time in 11hrs 15mins setting a new record. He did it quicker than the train at the time and he had to call in at several Garda stations along the way to confirm that he wasn't cheating.
Stephen has been involved in cycling since a young lad, after a brief spell playing rugby he returned to do the Maracycle in the 80s. This was a trip from Dublin to Belfast one day and return the following day. Bob Kilkelly was instrumental in getting him started again. Paul Kilkelly, Gary Kennedy, Eamon Duffy, Eamonn Berry and several others were involved at this stage.
Stephen was also one of the organisers of the Covey Wheelers Valentines Ball for many years and raised in excess of €20,000 for various charities.
He also did Mizen to Malin in the 1990s, itself a great feat.
Stephen was presented with a bronze plague on by Aidan Gill on behalf of the club.
The full list of winners is below. Anyone who wasn't in attendance please pick your trophy up from Michael Flynn at Flynn Computers on James Street.


text:
Olympuse-m5
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera review
More Info Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera preview (video) Cameras, Olympus OM-D E...
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera to ship on March 31st? (update: now April)
If a ship date pops up on Amazon for a date in the not-so-distant future, we're typically inclined...
Olympus black E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera and internals eyes-on
By now we're quite familiar with the Olympus E-M5's attractive external appearance, but what does i...
Olympus OM-D E-M5 five-axis sensor-shift image stabilization hands-on (video)
Olympus's inaugural OM-D mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, the E-M5, boasts the world's faste...
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera preview (video)
Olympus has embraced the camera designs of yesteryear for several generations, from its first Micro...
Olympus OM-D E-M5 leaks continue, 'super fast' AF and 3D tracking system on the way?
A certain purported Olympus Micro Four Thirds shooter has been anything but shy prior to its offi...


Mary King's is top for Edinburgh residents!
The Real Mary King's Close is celebrating yet another award, this time voted for by the listeners of Radio Forth. Lisa Robshaw and Susan Dunnet from the Close collected the award for 'Favourite Visitor Attraction in Edinburgh, Lothians and Fife' at a star studded ceremony at the Assembly Rooms on Thursday November 18th.
Next PostNext Stop The Plague Returning To Edinburgh!


text:
<?php
declare(strict_types=1);

namespace ManaPHP\Http;

use ManaPHP\Http\Client\Response;

interface ClientInterface
{
    public function rest(string $method, string|array $url, string|array $body = [], array $headers = [],
        mixed $options = []
    ): Response;

    public function request(string $method, string|array $url, null|string|array $body = null, array $headers = [],
        array $options = []
    ): Response;

    public function get(string|array $url, array $headers = [], mixed $options = []): Response;

    public function post(string|array $url, string|array $body = [], array $headers = [], mixed $options = []
    ): Response;

    public function delete(string|array $url, array $headers = [], mixed $options = []): Response;

    public function put(string|array $url, string|array $body = [], array $headers = [], mixed $options = []): Response;

    public function patch(string|array $url, string|array $body = [], array $headers = [], mixed $options = []
    ): Response;

    public function head(string|array $url, string|array $body = [], array $headers = [], mixed $options = []
    ): Response;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The following videos are an excerpt from a presentation Carol Ann Hontz gave at the Holistic Health Center in Peoria, Illinois.
Heal your relationships: Accepting self and others as they are is the key to moving freely in interactions with others. Correct the reasons why you fail in relationships and then create the kind you want, both personal and professional. Bring peace, harmony and understanding into those relationships.
Subscribe to Carol Ann Hontz YouTube Channel and receive more videos as they become available.


text:
Q: the best way to implement a check guess function, where the function will compare letters in guess and user word
Implement a function check_guess()that takes two parameters. The first
is the guessed word and the second is the word the user has to find.
check_guess() returns a string containing the following characters:

*

*X for each character in the guess that is at the correct position.

*O for each character in the guess that is in the word but not at the correct position.

*_ for each character in the guess that is not part of the word. For example, check_guess("birds", "words") should return __XXX.

If a letter is used twice in the guessed word and exists only once in the
word to be found, then only one letter in the return string is marked.
In case one of the two letters is positioned correctly, then this
letter is marked with an X in the return string. For example,
check_guess("carat", "train") should return _OO_O. Another example,
check_guess("taunt", "train") should return XO_O_

here is my code for the problem, but is not giving me the solution
def check_guess(guess, word):
        string = [ ]
        for i in range(len(word)):
            for j in range(len(guess)):
                if guess[j] == word[i]:
                    string.append("x")
                elif guess[j] != word[i]:
                    string.append("0")
                elif i != j:
                    string.append("_")
                else:
                    print(string)
                    return string
    guess = "train"
    word = "after"
    print(check_guess("train","after"))

A: The caveat at the bottom make this a bit trickier than the others, but I think the easiest way to test this would be to take advantage of a Counter.
Start by creating a Counter using the letters required in the final word:
>>> from collections import Counter
>>> letters = Counter(word)
>>> letters
Counter({'t': 1, 'r': 1, 'a': 1, 'i': 1, 'n': 1})

As we loop through each letter in the guess we can remove values from this counter. Only place the O if we haven't already exhausted all the occurrences of a particular letters in the original word, otherwise print the _.
We'll also want to first subtract all of the letters that are already in the correct spot first, to ensure we don't count a single letter more than we should.
To collect the results, we can use a list, and then str.join them together.
from collections import Counter

guess, word = "taunt", "train"

letters = Counter(word)
answer = [""] * len(word)

for i, letter in enumerate(guess):
    if word[i] == letter:
        answer[i] = "X"
        letters.subtract(letter)

for i, letter in enumerate(guess):
    # We already handled this above.
    if word[i] == letter:
        continue

    if letters[letter] > 0:
        answer[i] = "O"
        letters.subtract(letter)
    else:
        answer[i] = "_"

print(''.join(answer))


text:
6-й чемпионат Европы по лёгкой атлетике среди юниоров проходил с 20 по 23 августа 1981 года на стадионе «Овервехт» в Утрехте (Нидерланды). В соревнованиях, согласно правилам, могли принимать участие юниоры 1962 года рождения и моложе, юниорки — 1963 года рождения и моложе.

На старт в 38 дисциплинах чемпионата вышли около 700 легкоатлетов из 26 стран Европы.

Результаты
Сокращения: WJR — мировой рекорд среди юниоров | EJR — рекорд Европы среди юниоров | NR — национальный рекорд | NJR — национальный рекорд среди юниоров | CR — рекорд чемпионата
Курсивом выделены участники, выступавшие за эстафетные команды только в предварительных забегах

Юниоры

Юниорки

Медальный зачёт
Медали в 38 дисциплинах лёгкой атлетики завоевали представители 15 стран-участниц.

Ссылки

Чемпионаты Европы по лёгкой атлетике
Чемпионаты Европы среди юниоров
Август 1981 года
Спорт в Нидерландах в 1981 году
Соревнования по лёгкой атлетике в Нидерландах
Международные спортивные соревнования в Утрехте
Чемпионаты Европы в 1981 году
1981 год в лёгкой атлетике
Чемпионаты Европы в Нидерландах

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Are you tired of being scr*wed around by customers who ask for a custom order and never end up buying it? Or even more frustrating, people who ask for so many changes to the original item that you end up creating a product you don't even like? It's time we talk about the right way to offer custom orders in your handmade shop, the kind of way that doesn't give you a headache and doesn't make you lose time or money.
– Or have a full custom order service.
We have to set boundaries here because, if not, you're going to lose time, money and your sanity. Let's look at each of these options.
The key here is that this is a service and not a product. The difference is important because you have to introduce yourself as an artist or a designer.
A custom order service means that you have to put in place a process that starts with an inquiry form and then a questionnaire so you can get to know in detail what your customer would like made in terms of the colors, the vibe, what they're actually looking for. You would then design a draft, get the green light from your customer and get a deposit. You need to get 50% of that product price upfront as a contract between you and your customers indicating that they agree to the design proof and that you can start working on it. The balance would be paid once you deliver the product.
This is important because custom orders are really time-consuming, and you need to design an entirely new product. You might even need to source some new materials, you therefore need to charge for your time.
Usually when customers see your products and the pricing on your website, they try to tweak a few things; like a couple of materials, the colors and the shapes.
They expect to pay the exact same price that they saw initially on the website but they're getting a completely different product and that doesn't make sense for you and your business.
With this approach, you actually have a business model where people come to you asking for your help as a designer because they like what you do. They trust your sense of style and aesthetics, and they want to have a product made custom by you.
This is different from taking an item from your Etsy store or your online store and trying to change it so much that it's a completely different product at the end…while trying to pay the same price!
You have to be comfortable with charging more, charging for your time and having a process in place that really takes your customers from inquiry up until the full payment is made. This could be your entire business model, and you could be making only custom orders or this could be a service that you offer on top of your regular collections. In this case, you could have a listing just for it, asking customers to contact you or you could have a page on your website saying, "Work with me," that has an inquiry form embedded onto it.
The other end of the spectrum is offering custom options for your products.
It's not actually a full custom order service, but it gives the impression to your customers that they have the choice and that they can get a custom product made just for them.
You would offer custom options such as colors, sizes, etc. and it would be limited to a few choices.
So you would say: "This comes in blue, red or green" knowing that you are never going to do "yellow" which means that you have a stock and pricing ready for each "option" you are offering and you know exactly how much your products are going to cost you.
Even if your customers feel like it's a custom order, to you it's actually just a variation of the same product.
It's also a great way to refer custom order requests that you might be getting to a page on your website where you'd say, "I offer customization which you can see on this page." Then you have a list of options.
You can't let people decide on the product entirely or you fall back into the full custom order service. It's really black and white here, no more grey areas.
This approach also simplifies things in terms of payment because the price is SET. You know exactly what colors, materials and sizes you offer, and you have a price set for each of these options.
The customer can pay upfront before you even start making the product. This guarantees you get paid so you won't spend time on something that a customer is actually never going to end up paying for.
Let me know in the comments: How do you deal with custom orders? I'd love to know!
If this article was helpful, you'll definitely love the free resource library for makers and handmade shop owners that you can access just below!


text:
Publications on People Living With H...
Publications on People Living With HIV (PLHIV)
Resource | Guidelines, August 2022
These guidelines focus on the collection and use of person-centred data across the HIV cascade – from prevention, testing and treatment to longer-term health care – building upon 2017 and 2020 strategic information guidelines. The updated guidelines present a standard minimum dataset, priority indicators and recommendations to strengthen data use across HIV prevention, testing and treatment, and linkages to services for sexually transmitted infections, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis and cervical cancer.
HIV/AIDS and ART Registry of the Philippines: February 2022
Resource | Fact Sheets, April 2022
In February 2022, there were 1,054 confirmed HIV-positive individuals reported to the HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Philippines (HARP) and were accounted to the total (96,266) reported cases since January 1984. Moreover, 28% (297) of individuals reported in February had advanced HIV infection at the time of testing.
People Living With HIV (PLHIV) Slides 2022
Resource | Presentations, March 2022
Get an overview of the HIV/AIDS situation for People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in the Asia-Pacific region.
Safeguarding the Future: Giving Priority to the Needs of Adolescent and Young Mothers Living with HIV
Resource | Publications, December 2021
In 2019, WHO and Coalition for Children Affected by AIDS convened a learning session of scientific and programmatic experts to consolidate the evidence on why HIV-affected adolescent mothers and their children are being left behind and to deliberate on the multiple-level changes needed to improve their outcomes. This technical brief follows on from that session and will be useful to HIV programme managers in health ministries and other adolescent- and youth-linked line ministries, especially those in in sub-Saharan Africa, in implementing, monitoring and evaluating adolescent and youth-responsive and -friendly health services for young mothers living with HIV. This technical brief aims to inform and support global dialogue and accelerate action on prioritizing services and support for adolescent and young mothers living with HIV. It details core programmatic examples and key strategies actions from across sub Saharan Africa that demonstrate how governments, health facilities, social services, communities, families and adolescent and young mothers are working together to bridge the gap between adolescent and adult-focused HIV and maternal health services. The programme examples provided serve to highlight potential and ongoing learnings in countries.
A Briefer on the Philippines HIV Estimates 2020
Resource | Publications, September 2021
The Philippines has been using HIV estimates to aid programmatic response since 2007. Results of the modelling and estimation have been used to determine the state and trend of the Philippines HIV epidemic, to set targets for the Health Sector Plan for HIV, forecast ARV stock requirements, and measure the accomplishment in the national HIV care cascade, among others.
Clinical Features and Prognostic Factors of COVID-19 in People Living with HIV Hospitalized with Suspected or Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Resource | Publications, August 2021
This report describes the demographics, clinical presentation, clinical outcomes, and risk factors among people living with HIV (PLHIV) who have been hospitalized for suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
Leaving No One Behind: Treatment and Care Concerns of People Living with HIV in the Time of COVID-19 (A Philippine Situationer)
Resource | Publications, July 2021
This report highlights several challenges faced by people living with HIV in the country across the HIV care continuum. Issues on various facets of HIV care continuum such as access to HIV facilities and psychosocial support are surfaced and discussed. Policy and program recommendations that will help the in development of the national HIV program that is more robust, with or without the threats of COVID-19, are also presented.
Scoping Consultation on Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Conditions in People Living with HIV
Resource | Publications, June 2021
In April 2019, WHO convened an expert scoping consultation in Geneva, Switzerland consisting of policy-makers, academics and partners from the HIV, noncommunicable diseases and mental health communities to discuss current evidence of chronic noncommunicable disease, the burden and risk among people living with HIV, review current norms and standards and ultimately to set priorities for technical areas and interventions for co-managing major non communicable diseases and mental health conditions among people living with HIV; and to inform the update of the 2016 WHO HIV consolidated guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for treating and preventing HIV infection.
Converging Epidemics: COVID-19, HIV and Inequality
Resource | Publications, May 2021
Other key and evolving needs during the pandemic that, if left unaddressed, will continue to have a devastating impact on the health, well-being, and human rights of people at risk of or living with HIV include: increased mental health issues (anxiety, depression, trauma), gender-based violence (GBV) and violence at the hands of law enforcement and security structures, as well as lack of access to technology for information, care and services which have increasingly shifted on-line. Throughout this period, communities and CBOs have demonstrated incredible resilience, flexibility, and creativity in meeting their own needs—as they always have—and examples are shared in this report.
Updated Recommendations on Service Delivery for the Treatment and Care of People Living with HIV
These guidelines provide new and updated recommendations and good practice statements in the following areas: starting ART, including initiating treatment outside the clinic and support for same-day ART start; frequency of clinical visits and ART refills; measuring adherence; tracing and re-engagement in care for all populations; psychosocial support for adolescents living with HIV; task sharing for diagnostic services; and service integration. This guideline seeks to provide support to Member States, programme managers, health workers and other stakeholders seeking to achieve national and international goals to end the HIV epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.


text:
Back to Customer Site
Intermediary login
1st charge 2nd charge Short-term lending
Lending criteria Affordability calculator Documents Product guide Resources
Lending criteria ICR calculator Documents Product guide Resources
2ND CHARGE
Lending criteria Affordability calculator ICR calculator Documents Product guide Residential Resources
Short-Term Lending
Lending criteria Documents Resources
Lending criteria Quick Quote Calculator Documents Resources
About us Get in touch
Our modern slavery statement is below. Alternatively, download it here.
Modern Slavery Act Statement 2021
This statement comprises the Slavery and Human Trafficking statement of Masthaven Bank Limited ("the Bank") pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 for the financial year ending 30 April 2021.
The Bank is a UK-based lending and savings bank launched in November 2016. The Bank is a growing UK specialist bank with a focus on secured residential property lending and digital retail savings products. The whole ethos of the Bank is designed to treat customers fairly, and make sure that it delivers what it promises.
Given the nature of the Bank's operations, there is a very low risk of exposure to Slavery and Human Trafficking issues. However, the Bank continues to take its responsibilities seriously and has sought ways to champion better work and working lives to raise awareness of the issues of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.
Our Supply Chains
The Bank does not act as a manufacturer, producer or retailer of any physical goods and as a financial services provider lending solely in the UK, it has a relatively straightforward supply chain compared to other sectors.
The Bank strives to achieve mutually advantageous supplier relationships built on common values and expectations. It is the Bank's commitment to conduct business in a responsible and sustainable manner that underpins our engagement with third party suppliers, that resonate with our core values.
Due Diligence Processes and contract process
In order to take a proactive stance against Modern Slavery, the Bank asks that all its staff and suppliers to behave ethically at all times during the sourcing and the supply of goods and services to the Bank.
The Bank has a rigorous supplier assessment process which includes questions focused on Modern Slavery activities and signals, this is deployed on a risk basis, according to the nature of services provided. Suppliers are required to report on staff training and the audit process they conduct regarding identifying the risks of Modern Slavery in its own supply chain.
The Bank will request suppliers comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and require businesses to make an annual statement of compliance.
The Bank's policy first approved by the board in October 2020, confirms that the Bank will conduct all business with integrity and that we have a zero-tolerance toward Modern Slavery.
The Bank has various policies in place which aim to minimise the risk of Modern Slavery or human trafficking, and encourage the reporting of any related concerns including;
Third Party Supplier Procurement & Performance Management Policy
External Outsourcing and Supplier Policy
All employees are required to undertake awareness training of Modern Slavery on an annual basis. For those employees purchasing goods or services they follow the Modern Slavery process that has been embedded within the Bank to ensure they conduct checks prior to engaging with new suppliers.
Our effectiveness in combating slavery and human trafficking
In 2021 there were no reported instances of Modern Slavery within the Bank or its supplier relationships. The Bank will continue to review and monitor its approach to Modern Slavery amongst our colleagues and suppliers on a regular basis.
Board Approvals
This statement has been reviewed and approved by the Board 30 June 2021.
Leigh Bartlett
For intermediaries only
020 7036 2000 15-18 Rathbone Place, London, W1T 1HU [email protected]
terms & conditions online security privacy notice cookie policy modern slavery
©2022 Masthaven Bank Limited All Rights reserved.


Learning Standards: 1.B. Communicate effectively using language appropriate to the situation and audience.
31.A. Develop positive relationships with peers and adults.
Benchmarks: 1.B.ECa. Use language for a variety of purposes.
30.A.ECe. Use materials with purpose, safety, and respect.


These annual seminar meetings aim to bring together academics and established researchers, as well as post-graduates, post-doctoral researchers and early career researchers in neurodevelopmental disorders.
The seminar meetings primarily aim to explore COGNITION AND BEHAVIOUR associated with a range of neurodevelopmental disorders. A seminar meeting includes a one-day meeting during which there will be two parallel sessions of talks, two keynote presentations (one early career speaker and one established leading academic) and a poster session throughout the day to allow a wide range of issues to be discussed with presentations from researchers at all stages of their careers. The event will also be a great social opportunity to engage with others in the field.
We aim to hold the seminar meeting once a year and colleagues throughout the UK are able to volunteer to organize / host the conference each year. We hope that by moving around the UK the seminar meetings will attract different delegates all with a common interest in cognition and behaviour associated with developmental disorders. Of course delegates from abroad are welcome to attend all meetings.
A key criterion for attendance at the neurodevelopmental disorders seminar day is that delegates must be active researchers. An active researcher is defined by having their name as an author on an abstract submission that is accepted for the meeting (either a poster or an oral presentation). In this manner we aim to keep the meeting relatively small (max registration number will be between 75-100 per year).
The seminar meetings will be organized mainly electronically as we aim to keep costs down, meaning that registration costs for delegates can be low. The main vehicle for advertising the conference is the neurodevelopmental-disorders-seminar@googlegroups.com email list. Please sign up for this mailing list to receive information on the seminar meetings.
The next meeting will be organised by Prof Emily Farran and her team, and will take place at University of Surrey on Thursday 20th of June 2019, followed by a workshop on Friday 21st of June 2019.


Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) are attempting to reach the rebel-held capital Kauda with multiple units moving west and north through South Kordofan State. As of March 30, fighting continued in Karkaria, Reif Asharqi County, one of the main routes westwards to Kauda, according to Nuba Reports journalists. Fighting is also taking place in Haluf, Heiban County and Kega Hills, Talodi County, south of Kauda. Meanwhile rebel forces, the Sudan People's Liberation Army-North (SPLA-N) hit the state capital, Kadugli, with at least four shells, according to sources on the ground and reports.
Simultaneously, Sudan picked up its aerial attacks in the Nuba Mountains, hitting Heiban and Um Dorein hardest, according to witnesses. Three women – a mother, teacher, and student – and two children, ages 16 and 6 months, were injured when an Antonov bombed a village in Heiban. Bombing has also reached the outskirts of Kauda this week. Nuba Reports has identified 38 wounded at a local hospital in the Nuba Mountains.
Rebel and government officials both claimed victory in the recent fighting.
SAF Military Spokesman Col. Khalifa Al-Shami said on March 29 the government had captured seven locations, according to news reports andNuba Reports monitoring, including Um Serdiba, a strategic town along the road linking the state and rebel capitals. The rebel's political wing, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement—North (SPLM-N) deny these claims and have repulsed the SAF forces, rebel spokesman Arno Ngutulu said.
Since 2011, the government of Sudan and the SPLA-N have been at war in South Kordofan state, where the Nuba Mountains are located, and Blue Nile state. The conflict started after the government reneged on a popular consultation designed to provide the two states greater political autonomy and insisted on what the SPLM-N considered a premature disarmament of their forces. In Blue Nile State, Khartoum has primarily resorted to Antonov attacks using crude shrapnel bombs with at least 86 reported incidents in Marchtargeting Kurmuk County. With a rebel headquarters base in Kurmuk, SAF bombings are designed to empty the area of civilians, forcefully displacing them to government-controlled areas, Ngutulu and sources in Blue Nile said.
So far, the 2016 fighting season has been far less active than previous years. Sudan warplanes have dropped roughly 105 bombs this year, compared to 816 in January 2015 alone.
The SPLA-N went on the offensive in February, conducting a series of ambush attacks on government forces as a preventive measure to curb SAF troop build-up, SPLA-N Colonel Koko Jazz told Nuba Reports. Retired general and lecturer Mohamed Al-Abbas says the SPLA-N is slowly draining SAF's resources with these hit-and-run tactics, but not holding ground to win the war.
In previous years the conflict started much sooner – as early as November when the dry season starts and roads are traversable. But SAF is employing a new tactic, Ngutulu told Nuba Reports, by attempting an offensive close to the rainy season (roughly May to November), when the Nuba Mountains' muddied landscape predominates. Sudan is also launching multiple, simultaneous attacks unlike previous concentrated, singular SAF offensives, he added.
The late offensive may be more logistical rather than strategic. SAF is relying on increasingly diverse forces from pro-government militias marking an organizational challenge, according to local sources and a report by the security think tank Small Arms Survey.
Militias and local recruits familiar with the territory are leading the government attacks, sources in the Nuba Mountains told Nuba Reports. The SPLM-N claim SAF is training and even using a South Sudanese militia to carry out attacks in Tess, Buram County and the Al-Hamra area in neighboring Um Dorein County,reports said. The government denies the claim.
Militia recruitment since the beginning of 2015 has also been problematic for Khartoum. The government has been unable to pay the militias, leading the state-sponsored militia, the Rapid Support Force, to loot northern Khartoum in protest last September. Youths from another militia, the Popular Defense Force, are deserting the battlefield due to lack of payment, local sources said.
But SAF Spokesman Al-Shami says the delay in fighting is after exhausting attempts at peace. The African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) on March 18 held a consultative meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, between the government and SPLM-N, along with other Darfur-based rebel groups and the opposition National Umma Party to discuss the resumption of the peace process between the groups.
The government and Chief Negotiator, Thabo Mbeki, signed the document calling for a peace agreement without requiring the disarmament of SPLM-N forces. The framework agreement also required opposition parties and rebel groups to participate in a National Dialogue, a state-led peace initiative launched in October 2015 in the capital, Khartoum.
The opposition and rebel groups ignored international and regional pressures and refused to sign, claiming the dialogue is subjective to government manipulation and would not procure genuine peace. "Our ultimate goal is peace in Sudan – which this document will not achieve," SPLM-N Chairman Malik Agar said in an interview with Radio Dabanga.
Sudan authorities are now using the collapsed peace deal as a pretext to launch their offensive. The SAF spokesman said they will now "fight all the rebels across Sudan" with five campaigns focusing on the Nuba Mountains. "Now we are sure the rebels are using the way of war since they are refusing to sign the Mbeki plan," Al-Shami said.


text:
Ludwig Top Hat and Cane set restoration project.
I've been working on restoring a 1941 Ludwig Top Hat and Cane "Swing Sensation" set for the last couple of years. Good things take time. This is definitely a good thing and DEFINITELY taking some time!
For those of you who are not familiar with this set the Ludwig Top Hat and Cane set was a special edition set available in 1940 and 41. It was basically the same as their regular "Swing Sensation" outfit but was unique in it's art deco top,hat, gloves and cane pattern superimposed over the regular white marine pearl finish. It was the absolute pinnacle of the drum industry at the time. The best that money could buy. Very few were ever made and only about 15 of these sets are known to still exist today. By some strange twist of fate 6 of these sets have come my way. I sold one to U2 producer Daniel Lanois, one to Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones and one to actor Johnny Depp. I still own 3 of these sets. This set includes a 26″ bass, 11, 13 and 16″ toms and a 7×14 snare drum. The set actually began as 2 sets. I got the bass and snare from one party and the toms from another. Fortunately they all match perfectly. The toms came from the daughter of a mid-western drummer named Henry "Hank" Andrew Leja who had recently passed away. I purchased them from her about a year ago. Initially she was only able to locate the 13 and 16″ toms. I was thrilled when she contacted me earlier this summer and informed me she had found the missing 11″ tom. The bass and snare came from a store also in the mid-west that had had them in stock for many years.
Although all of the drums were in extremely nice condition for thier age, each of them had had some sort of modification that needed to be restored to it's original condition. All the drums needed a good cleaning and polishing. I sent the set to drum restoration artist Jack Lawton. He masterfully filled extra holes and buffed and polished the shells and hardware. It took a long time but he did an amazing job. You cab see in the photos how he finished the repaired holes with matching pieces of vintage wrap and in some cases artfully re-created the drilled through Top Hat pattern by hand. I just received the missing 11″ tom and sent it to Matt Sinyard of the Bonzo Drum Company to be restored.
You can also see in the original photo from the 1940s the hoops on the 11 and 16 toms are wood and the 13″ tom is metal. I had never seen a Top Hat set with wooden hoops. How or why this set ended up with a combination of wood and metal hoops is anyone's guess. I figure it was just yet another Ludwig anomaly. They were probably out of metal hoops the day they finished the set and so they used whatever was available at the time. I plan to put wood hoops on all of the toms so they match. I'm still hunting for a pair of era correct 13″ wooden hoops and a set of nickel claws and rods. Anyone have some ?? I expect to have the 11″ tom restored before too long. That will be the final piece in restoring this set to it's original magnificent condition. I will definitely post photos of the set once it's complete. Watch for updates and please let me know if you can help me with any of the parts I still need. The set will be for sale once it's complete. I don't know the price yet. I'm going to wait until it's complete before I even start thinking about that. Enjoy!!


These four lovely young ladies wanted to do something special for their dad who is currently deployed. I was so grateful they were willing to try a portrait that was a little bit outside of the norm. Considering Memorial Day is a day to honor our veterans, I couldn't think of a better image to share with all of you.


text:
Game 3 loss, and history, spell trouble for the Utah Jazz
By Brad Rock @therockmonster
Published: May 4, 2018 11:05 pm
Jacob Wiegand, Deseret News
Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder reacts to a call as the Utah Jazz and the Houston Rockets play game three of the NBA semifinals at the Vivint Smart Home Arena on Friday, May 4, 2018, in Salt Lake City.
Twitter reactions: Utah Jazz fans upset over poor start
Clint Capela outplays Rudy Gobert as Houston Rockets beat Utah Jazz in Game 3
Early turnovers dig Jazz a hole they can't climb out of in big loss to Houston
SALT LAKE CITY — George Santayana, a Spanish-born author, poet and philosopher coined this famous phrase: "Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it."
That's not good news for the Jazz.
History says the Houston Rockets are going to win this conference semifinal series. So did the eyeball test in the Rockets' 113-92 Friday win.
Being down 2-1 in a playoff series has usually held dramatic consequences for the Jazz. Throughout their playoff history, they have won 18 series when they went ahead 2-1 and lost just four. But when they fell behind 2-1 in a series, they won six and lost 15.
Friday at Vivint Arena, the Jazz got obliterated.
It has been a wild run of playoff ups and downs. Their theme this year has been "Take Note." Good choice. They've certainly hit both the high and low tones.
In their first-round series with Oklahoma City they led by 12 but trailed by 18 in the opening game, and lost. The Jazz won Game 3 by building their lead to 20. In Game 4 the Jazz won after taking a 21-point lead. In Game 5, the Jazz led by 25 but lost.
In Game 1 against Houston, the Jazz trailed by 27 in a loss. Game 2 saw the Jazz lead by 19, only to see it evaporate, yet they hung on to win.
Momentum swings have been a fact of life in the postseason.
"I think it happens because we're playing really explosive teams. We've played teams capable of scoring in bunches," said coach Quin Snyder. "I think we've been able to sustain some of those and respond, because it's kind of who we are."
Right now they're a team with its momentum missing.
Quickly on Friday the Rockets jumped to an 8-3 lead, convincing Snyder to call timeout 1½ minutes into the game. The Jazz had two air balls and one shot blocked in the first two minutes. They drew a defensive 3-second call. Royce O'Neale lost the ball out of bounds on the way up for a dunk. Joe Ingles had a pass stolen. Donovan Mitchell missed his first three shots and drew a charge.
Shots were rushed, while open ones simply didn't land. Their shooting percentage was abysmal. The Rockets spent most of the first half doubling the Jazz's field goal percentage, and nearly their points. Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert had dunks blocked. Several layups rolled off.
Utah looked much like the team in Game 1 that came in fatigued after only 1½ days' rest.
The Jazz had none of the rhythm, lift or interest they had in winning Game 2, trailing by 30 at the half and falling behind by 38 in the third quarter.
Flat as the Jazz looked, the two-day turnaround can't come too soon for them. It has been a rough few days for the Jazz and their fans. National media reports have been appearing with regularity, accusing Jazz fans of being rude, crude and backward, triggered by an accusation by Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook and some taunting incidents caught on video.
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, during an on-air debate, said Mormons weren't Christians. He quickly clarified in a tweet where he said he "misspoke" and that he knew otherwise.
All the better to fuel playoff hysteria in Utah.
Before Friday's game, the team unveiled a "Take Note" banner that covered three entire seating sections.
Pleas by team management for civility in the series seemed to have an effect in this game.
Getting the fan base energized hasn't been a problem this year. The Jazz are pushing some new stuff. First, they've unleashed the Donovan Mitchell whirlwind. Meanwhile, the Jazz shrewdly took a new direction by adding "City" uniforms. They have liberally used them, as well as their custom Canyonlands-themed court. They wore the orange multi-shaded uniforms again Friday.
This isn't your father's Jazz.
But neither the current Jazz nor your father's Jazz could lose like this and feel confident about the outcome.
Brad Rock Brad has been a sports columnist at the Deseret News since 1994.
@therockmonster
rock@deseretnews.com
Sports yesterday Mike Sorensen: Jazz, Utes fans might want to temper their optimism a bit at this point
Sports 8 hours ago Rock On: Why not thank Gordon Hayward, too?
Sports 15 hours ago Best 100 college football players for the 2019 season? Utes and Aggies get some love


What is another word for entrap?
To catch, as in a trap; to ensnare; to catch by artifices; to involve in difficulties or contradictions.
let go, lose, clear, turn off, disenchant, disentangle, disgust, discourage, repulse, release, exclude, free, dissuade, liberate.
give up, untangle, fall short of, restore, miss, throw away.
The poor baby's dead hand had retained its old power to entrap a simpleton unawares.
Perhaps she thought to confirm her suspicions and entrap some admission from Mount; perhaps, in the light of later events, her purpose was very different.