text:
EQOL (2009) 33-37
VERTICAL JUMP PERFORMANCE AND POWER DROP
AFTER 35 DAYS OF BED REST
Gregor Cankar*, Boštjan Šimunič* , Jörn Rittweger**, and Rado Pišot*
* Institute of Kinesiology Research, Science and Research Centre of Koper, University of Primorska,
Koper, Slovenia
** Institute for Biomedical Research into Human Movement and Health, Manchester Metropolitan
University, UK
Physical - sport inactivity is often associated with loss of muscle mass, positive energy balance, fat gain,
injuries, motor incompetence, and many others negative effects. The goal of this study was to evaluate
loss of muscle function and performance as a response to total physical inactivity. Ten healthy male
volunteers (age: 23.3 ± 2.2 years; body height: 179 ± 7.1 cm; body mass: 75.2 ± 9.3 kg) were measured
before and after 35 days of horizontal bed rest. Energy intake was adapted from the beginning of the bed
rest and associated with weekly changes in body mass and fat mass. Peak muscle power and maximal
jump height was measured during vertical jump test, performed before and after bed rest. Maximum
jumping power and jumping height decreased significantly after bed rest, for 10 W·kg-1 (19.2 %;
P<0.001) and 11.2 (22 %; P<0.001), respectively. Inter subjects' variability of the jumping height results
was in the range from 8.6 % to 49.1 % and for jumping height from 6.8 % to 31.3 %. Results of this study
confirm that vertical jump test demands vigorous human performance and should be conducted after bed
rest studies in special care and considering huge inter subject variability in designing studies.
Keywords: bed rest, skeletal muscle, vertical jump, jump power, jump height
Nowadays many athletes have problems with injuries which consequently lead to loss of training days,
muscle mass, muscle strength, and consequently to loss of performance. Lack of sport exercise leading
into unbalanced (positive) energy intake reflects mainly in fat deposits. Sport exercise physiology is well
investigated area in science and sport. To understand positive effects of sport activity we have to
understand also effects after periods of inactivity. There are many different approaches to study how
physical inactivity reflects on human organism. Some scientists have been studying effects of long
duration space flights (Pavy-Le Traon et al.,1998; Le Blanc et al., 2000a; Blottner et al., 2006), other
studies were done with simulation of weightlessness (Adams et al., 2003; Mekjavić et al., 2005; Rittweger
et al., 2006; Rittweger et al., 2007; Pišot et al., 2008), or immobilization of healthy (Rittweger et al.,
2006; Ferrando et al., 1996) or injured (Hyeteok et al., 2003; Pathare et al., 2005) body parts.
Recent findings have shown that effects of bed rest on human organism are similar as effects
sedentary lifestyle and ageing, but different mechanisms involved. Effects can be seen in all human
systems: loss of bone mass (Lang et al., 2004; Le Blanc et al., 2000a and 2000b), loss of muscle mass
(Adams et al., 2003; Kawakami et al., 2001), changes in body composition (Kawakami et al., 2001; Kubo
et al., 2004; Šimunič et al., 2008), loss of muscle function (Pathare et al., 2005; Duchateau et al., 1987;
Alkner & Tesch, 2004; Lang et al., 2004) and impairment of cardiac circulatory system (Mekjavić et al.,
Jumping power and jumping height is used as a performance test in many sports. Therefore,
scientists use the test to evaluate short- and long- term adaptations on various training/detraining
impulses. The data from different studies and within the same studies show great discrepancies. So far we
know that muscle power declines with exposure to bed rest from 9 to 16 % per month (Rittweger et al.,
Cankar G. et al.
2007; Ferretti et al., 2001), while jump height 10.7 % per month (Rittweger et al., 2007). Furthermore,
Rittwegger et al. (2007) reports inter subjects' variations in loss of jump power and loss of jump height
from 9 to 31 % and from 14 to 48 %, respectively. Additionally, scientists evaluate jump performance
typically after 2 to 4 days after reambulation. Rittwegger et al. (2007) was the first to demonstrate jump
power measurements immediately after reambulation. He reported particularly strong muscle soreness
during the first days of recovery and therefore only 70% of jumps performed and some of them performed
sub-maximal.
Maximal jump test is very vigorous performance test containing elements of explosiveness with
maximal force production in short time and is widely used in sports. Therefore, our concern was in test
results obtained immediately after bed rest deconditioning and reporting inter subjects' variability.
PARTICIPANTS: Ten healthy males without history of cardiovascular and musculoskeletal illnesses
were selected for study of 35 days of 6° head down tilt bed rest. Bed rest study was performed in
Orthopaedic Hospital Valdoltra. The experimental protocol was approved by the Ethical Committee of
the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia and conformed to the standards set by the Declaration of Helsinki
(2002). All volunteers were previously informed about procedures and risk factor involved and submitted
written informed consent.
VERTICAL JUMP TEST: Jump test was performed before bed rest (BDC) and immediately
after reambulation (POST). Vertical countermovement jumps, with athletic shoes and with the hands
posed on the hips, were performed on a 'Leonardo' ground reaction platform
(Novotec Medical,
Pforzheim, Germany). Every participant performed three maximal jumps from which highest jump and
corresponding power was selected for the further analyses. Data were sampled at 2000 Hz and stored on a
PC. The instruction to jump was to elevate the head as high as possible.
OTHER MEASUREMENTS: Body height and weight were measured with standard tools.
Muscle mass and fat mass were measured with bioimpedance method (Maltron BioScan 916S, UK).
STATISTICS: Personal data are presented as mean ± standard deviation, while variables' data as
mean ± standard error. Results were analyzed with a repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA).
All comparisons were considered statistically significant at the conventional
0.05 level. Statistical
analysis was performed using SPSS statistical software (version 15; SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL).
All data are summarized in table 1. Participants have lost 3 kg (4 %; P<0.001) of body weight after 35
days of bed rest. Muscle mass after bed rest dropped for 1.1 kg (-3.4 %; P<0.001), while fat mass did not
decrease significantly (P=0.598).
Table 1: Average data collection before and immediately after bed rest
Height / cm
Body Weight / kg
Muscle mass / kg
Fat mass / %
15.8 ±3.6
Jumping Power / W·kg-1
Jumping Height / cm
BDC: Baseline Data Collection; POST: After bed rest data collection; P statistical significance
Maximum jumping power and jumping height (Figures 1, 2) decreased significantly after bed
rest. We noted reduction of relative jumping power for 10 W·kg-1 (19.2 %; P<0.001) and similar
reduction of jump height of 11.2 (22 %; P<0.001).
Inter subjects' variability for jumping height and jumping power was from 8.6 % to 49.1 % and
from 6.8 % to 31.3 %, respectively.
In this study we evaluated performance drop in vertical jump after 35 days of physical inactivity. As far
as we know there was very little known about human performance deterioration in early minutes after bed
rest reambulation. On the other hand scientists also reports huge inter subject variability in the drop at
maximal performance tests after bed rest studies. Therefore our aim was to establish immediate leg power
and jumping height deterioration after 35 days of bed rest.
Our test was done within 30 min after reambulation, literally first 10 to 20 steps were made on
ground reaction platform. We found decrease of peak jump relative power and jump height after 35 days
of bed rest for 19.2 % and 22 %, respectively. Our findings are not in line with earlier reports made by
Rittweger et al. (2007), where they found reduction of jump peak power and height, after 90 days of bed
rest, by 25.8 % and 29.5 %, respectively. But are in line with Ferretti et al. (2001) where he found after 42
days of bed rest 22.7 % loss of maximal muscle power. He concluded that drop in calf plantar flexors
cross sectional area can be explained as reduction of muscle power output, if appropriately normalized.
1: Maximum jump
height before and after bed
Figure 2: Maximum relative
jump power before and after
bed rest.
BDC: Baseline Data Collection; POST: After bed rest data collection;
Furthermore, inter subjects' variability was in line with findings of others. The lower and upper
limit for jumping height and jumping relative leg power was from 8.6 % to 49.1 % and from 6.8 % to
31.3 %, respectively. Rittweger et al. (2007) reported similar variability in jumping power from 8 % to 31
%, while in jumping height from 13 % to 48 %. In our study one subject sprain his ankle but performed
the jump test without pain. He reported the pain next day. Other subject next day complained about the
pain in the instep area. After physician examination he could continue the other tests during following
days. Both incidents confirmed that jump test demands vigorous human performance. Test as such is
standard evaluation test not just in sport but also in space studies and therefore should be considered with
special care. Large inter subjects' variability should be considered carefully before applying such test in
future studies.
1. Adams, G.R., Caiozzo, V.J., Baldwin, K.M. (2003). Skeletal muscle unweighting: spaceflight and
ground-based models. European Journal of Applied Physiology; 95: 2185-2201.
2. Alkner, B.A., Tesch, P.A. (2004). Efficacy of a gravity independent resistance exercise device as a
countermeasure to muscle atrophy during 29-day bed rest. Acta physiologica scandinavica; 181: 345-
3. Blanc, S., Normand, S., Ritz, P., Pachiaudi, C., Vico, L., Gharib, C., et al. (1998). Energy and Water
Metabolism, Body Composition, and Hormonal Changes Induced by 42 Days of Enforced Inactivity
and Simulated Weightlessness. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism; 83(12): 4289-4297.
4. Blottner, D., Salanova, M., Püttmann, B., Schiff, G., Felsenberg, D., Buehring, B., et al. (2006).
Human skeletal muscle structure and function preserved by vibration muscle exercise following 55
days of bed rest. European Journal of Applied Physiology; 97: 261-271.
5. Duchateau, J., Hainaut, K. (1987). Electrical and mechanical changes in immobilized human muscle.
Journal of Applied Physiology; 62(6): 2168-2173.
6. Ferrando, A.A., Lane, H.W., Stuart, C.A., Davis-Street, J., Wolfe, R.R. (1996). Prolonged bed rest
decreases skeletal muscle and whole body protein synthesis. American Journal of Physiology -
Endocrinology and Metabolism; 270: 627-633.
7. Ferretti, G., Berg, H.E., Minetti, A.E., Moia, C., Rampichini, S., Narici, M.V.
Maximal instantaneous muscular power after prolonged bed rest in humans. Journal of
Applied Physiology. 90(2): 431-435.
8. Hyeteok, K., Iwasaki, K., Miyake, T., Shiozawa, T., Nozaki, S., Yajima, K. (2003). Changes in bone
turnover markers during 14-day 6° headdown bed rest. Journal of Bone and Mineral Metabolism; 21:
9. Kawakami, Y., Akima, H., Kubo, K., Muraoka, Y., Hasegawa, H., Kouzaki, M., et al. (2001).
Changes in muscle size, architecture, and neural activation after 20 days of bed rest with and without
resistance exercise. European Journal of Applied Physiology; 84: 7-12.
10. Kubo, K., Akima, H., Ushiyama, J., Tabata, I., Fukuoka, H., Kanehisa, H., et al. (2004). Effects of 20
days of bed rest on the viscoelastic properties of tendon structures in lower limb muscles. British
Journal of Sports Medicine; 38: 324-330.
11. Lang, T., Le Blanc, A., Evans, H., Lu, Y., Genant, H., Yu, A. (2004). Cortical and trabecular bone
mineral loss from the spine and hip in long-duration spaceflight. Journal of Bone and Mineral
Metabolism; 19: 1006-1012.
12. Le Blanc, A., Schneider, V., Shackelford, L., West, S., Oganov, V., Bakulin, A., et al. (2000a). Bone
mineral and lean tissue loss after long duration space flight. Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal
Interactions; 1(2):157-160.
13. Le Blanc, A., Lin, C., Shackelford, L., Sinitsyn, V., Evans, H., Belichenko, O., et al. (2000b). Muscle
volume, MRI relaxation times (T2), and body composition after spaceflight. Journal of Applied
Physiology; 89: 2158-2164.
14. Mekjavić, I.B., Golja, P., Tipton, M.J., Eiken, O. (2005). Human thermoregulatory function during
exercise and immersion after 35 days of horizontal bed-rest and recovery. European Journal of
Applied Physiology; 95:163-171.
15. Pathare, N., Walter, G.A., Stevens, J.E., Yang, Z., Okerke, E., Gibbs, J.D., et al. (2005). Changes in
inorganic phosphate and force production in human skeletal muscle after cast immobilization. Journal
of Applied Physiology; 98: 307-314.
16. Pavy-Le Traon, A., Sigaudo, D., Vasseur, P., Maillet, A., Fortrat, J.O., Hughson, R.L., et al. (1998).
Cardiovascular responses to orthostatic tests after a 42-day head-down bed-rest. European Journal of
Applied Physiology; 77: 50-59.
17. Pišot, R., Narici, M., Šimunič, B., DeBoer, M.D., Seynnes, O., Jurdana, M., Biolo, G., Mekjavić, I.B.
(2008).Whole muscle contractile parameters and thickness loss during 35-day bed rest. European
Journal of Applied Physiology; 104(2): 409-414.
18. Rittweger, J., Winwood, K., Seyness, O., De Boer, M., Wilks, D., Lea, R., Narici, M.V. (2006). Bone
loss from the human distal tibia epiphysis during 24 days of unilateral limb suspension. Journal of
Physiology; 577: 331-337.
19. Rittweger, J., Felsenberg, D., Maganaris, C.N., Ferretti, J.L. (2007). Vertical jump performance after
90 days bed rest with and without flywheel resistive exercise, including a 180 days follow-up.
European Journal of Applied Physiology; 100: 427-436.
20. Ritz, P., Acheson, K.J., Gachon, P., Vico, L., Bernard, J.J., Alexandre, C., et al. (1998). Energy and
substrate metabolism during a 42-day bed-rest in a head-down tilt position in humans. European
Journal of Applied Physiology; 78: 308-314.
21. Šimunič, B., Rittweger, J., Cankar, G., Jurdana, M., Volmut, T., Šetina, T., Mekjavić, I.B., Pišot, R.
(2008). Odziv sestave telesa, mišične togosti in ravnotežja po 35-dnevni odsotnosti gibanja pri mladih
in zdravih preiskovancih. Zdravstveno Varstvo; 47(2): 60-71.


After years of slumber, Tyler Talbot wakes to find himself alone in a world that has changed – a world that has revived beyond his people's wildest dreams. Unable to believe he is the last human standing, he goes in search of other survivors, but what he finds is not quite what he expected.
And if you like the main story, be sure to check out the short story: Love Symptoms!


text:
06 Oct President's Decision on Recertification Alone Doesn't Change Iran Deal in National Security and Defense
As part of its attempt to create appropriate oversight of the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Congress mandated that the president, every 90 days, certify that the deal meets four specific criteria. The next deadline for certification looms on October 15. According to media reports, President Trump is expected to announce on October 12 his decision to withhold certification. While there is much that is not yet clear about what such non-certification means for U.S. policy on Iran and the future of the Iran deal, there are certain things we know that it does not mean.
1. It does not mean Iran is not complying with the deal
The certification requirement is often described as certification of Iranian compliance with the JCPOA. While this is a useful shorthand it can also be misleading; compliance is not all that certification is about. In fact, the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 (INARA) put in place four conditions that the president has to certify are true every 90 days:
Iran is transparently, verifiably, and fully implementing the agreement;
Iran has not committed a material breach;
Iran has not taken any action to advance its nuclear weapons program; and
The terms of the deal are vital to the national security interests of the United States.
The operative word in all of this is the one joining these four certification criteria: "and." All four conditions must be in place for certification to be appropriate. Thus, if the president believes that any of the criteria is not being fulfilled, he would be justified and required under INARA to not certify the deal. Given President Trump's past statements about JCPOA being the "worst deal ever," it is highly likely that he believes the deal to not be in the national security interests of the United States and could withhold certification on that ground alone (criterion #4). And, as past BPC analysis of the deal has shown, the president has some good reasons to be dubious of the deal's long-term value. Indeed, the president could even have grounds to find that the deal is not being fully implemented (criterion #1).
By itself, the president's decision to not certify the Iran nuclear deal will change nothing.
Criticism of the president's planned announcement focused solely on Iranian compliance with the deal is misplaced. Even though Iran is largely complying with the terms of the deal and not in material breach, that alone is not sufficient reason, under the terms of INARA, to recertify the deal.
2. It does not mean the United States is pulling out of the JCPOA
The certification requirement created by INARA is entirely separate and distinct from the JCPOA. There is no condition in the JCPOA that requires the U.S. president to certify the deal in order for the deal to remain in place. Indeed, there is no provision that prevents the president from harshly criticizing the deal. The obligations imposed on the United States by the JCPOA have to deal primarily with sanctions relief. So long as the sanctions that the deal requires to be lifted remain lifted, the United States is complying with the JCPOA. By itself, the president's decision to not certify the deal will change nothing.
3. It does not mean automatic or even certain reintroduction of U.S. sanctions on Iran
Under the terms of INARA, lack of presidential certification of the deal opens the door to reimposition of sanctions against Iran. But that process is not automatic. Instead, per the legislative text, "In the event the President does not submit a certification…, qualifying legislation introduced within 60 calendar days of such event shall be entitled to expedited consideration."
Thus, first a senator would have to introduce specific legislation within the allotted time period of 60 days to reimpose sanctions and then a majority of the Senate would have to vote for it. But so far there has been little indication that there is any desire in Congress, or even sufficient bandwidth between October and December, to take up such legislation. Even Sen. Tom Cotton, calling for the president not to certify the deal in a speech earlier this week, has suggested that Congress would not yet act to put sanctions back on Iran.
4. It does not mean renegotiation of the deal
President Trump has made no attempt to hide his dissatisfaction with the Iran deal or his belief that the deal needs to be renegotiated. Refusal to certify the deal will, by itself, be yet another opportunity to restate this position. As discussed above, nothing automatically follows from the president's non-certification. It does nothing to alter the deal, put in place any sanctions or other form of leverage against Iran, or open any chapter of negotiations on Iran's nuclear program. The most that can be said of non-certification is that it puts Iran, as President Trump's first national security advisor, Michael Flynn, said, "on notice."
The most that can be said of non-certification is that it puts Iran… "on notice."
5. It is not an Iran policy
Given these limitations of what non-certification accomplishes, on its own it does not amount to a policy on Iran's nuclear program let alone a comprehensive U.S. Iran policy.
There are legitimate concerns about the deal itself, namely that it will allow Iran to obtain a legitimate nuclear weapons capability in the next 15 years. There are legitimate concerns about issues outside of the scope of the JCPOA, such as Iran's rapid development of new ballistic missiles. And there are regional issues that include Iran's support for terrorist and insurgent proxies that have brought death, destruction, and upheaval to Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, and threaten many of America's partners in the Middle East. All of these issues must be addressed for the United States to protect its significant and enduring interests in the region; none of them are addressed by non-certification of JCPOA alone.
Hopefully, the president's speech will contain, as media are now reporting, more than just an announcement of non-certification and instead lay out a strategy that addresses all these concerns.
Iran, Iran Deal, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Nuclear Weapons, President Donald Trump

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


When moles or gophers are causing damage to your Valley Glen property and need Gopher Removal service call Rodent Guys to rescue your yard. Our Gopher Removal service in Valley Glen, CA is offered using pet friendly methods with well trained technicians. Please dial us at 909-599-4711 to service Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange and Riverside counties.
A gopher control Valley Glen Ca . needs is from the pocket gopher which is exactly the same thing as a gopher. Just about all harm will be to new plants since they're immature, un-established and so it doesn't require a lot of gnawing for a gopher to eliminate or eat it. Turf can also be highly effected by gophers with damages from both the feeding on of the grass and also the earth shoved on top and staying on the turf which usually smothers it.
Big trees normally takes biting for a little bit so no worries. Smaller trees might be killed because of a gopher promptly given that the roots supplying the life for your tree are young. You might find particular branches of trees or bushes start to die when gophers are destroying them. This is the result of the roots providing life for that portion of the plant is weakened or destroyed by the gopher and without any longer providing life for that section of the plant that you are raising.
Pocket gopher burrows are almost always filled with dirt like in the picture above. This helps to differentiate them from other burrowing rodents like moles. They can dig 1-3 mounds a day reason behind the fact of why you want to eradicate gophers immediately on your home. Gopher removal (not gofer removal ) is usually done by a qualified pest control company with experience with how to eradicate gophers for your home. Always make sure they have an agriculture pest control license as required by California state law in and not only a structural license.
Gophers consume plants, tree roots, flowers and vegetables on your lawn – if it's a plant they most likely will eatwll consume|like} it. Most damage is to new plants because they are young, un-established and it does not} take much for a gopher to destroy or consume it. Grass is also highly impacted by gophers with damage from both the eating of the lawn and the soil pushed up and staying on the lawn which smothers it.
Large trees can take chewing for a little bit so not to panic. Smaller trees can be destroyed by a gopher right away because the root system supplying the life to the tree are young. You will see certain branches of trees or bushes begin to dry out when gophers are eating it. This is caused by the roots supplying that part of the plant is damaged or killed by the gopher and no longer supplying nutrients to that part of the plant you are growing in.
The common control methods for gopher extermination are burrow fumigants, poison, burrow blasting, Tunnel Fill, and trapping. Trapping, Tunnel Fill and baiting are techniques that a home owner can use with some success. Burrow Blasting is usually performed by a company dedicated to gophers (we use a Varmint Getter for burrow blasting) because of the cost of the equipment.
Flooding can work on farms where the entire crop area is flooded and there is nowhere for a gopher to escape. On your property you are going to try to flood the gopher with a garden hose in the hole. The problem is the water typically never fills up the burrow and the gopher simply raises his nose above the water line until you start to think about about the cost of water in Valley Glen and shut it off.
There are no repellents in Valley Glen available at the present time that have been proved to provide good Gopher Removal. Several plants, such as gopher purge and cantor bean have been said to offer control, but these claims have never been proved. If they really worked to get rid of gophers no one would be reading this site including you.
Keeping gophers out of your garden using physical barriers can be effective for small projects. Any large project, such as placing fencing around the perimeter of your backyard would be cost prohibitive. Plus this would at best only offer short-term control. At some point gophers find a way in.
When gophers are causing damage to you Valley Glen property, they are allowed to be taken by any legal means. Allowable methods include gopher traps and poison bait placed by the owner or tenant of the property. Any poison bait used to kill gophers must be labeld for gophers on the product label and follow the instructions carefully.
Rodent Guys will come out to provide Gopher Removal services in Valley Glen using the best methods based on each property such as fumigation. Depending on tunnel locations poison baits are used in place of fumigation of tunnels. Gopher Removal is a tough job for the beginner, we have a lot of experience with it.
This is head honcho of Rodent Guys, Nick Nielsen, with 2 gophers, one caught in a gopher trap and one removed with strychnine. Nick and his team of Gopher Removal experts will be showing off trophies like these at the end of your project.


text:
Q: Singular Cohomology satisfies the Mittag-Leffler Condition on CW complexes? Is this true?

Let $H$ be singular cohomology. On an arbitrary CW complex $X$, given a filtration $X^0 \subseteq X^1 \subseteq \cdots X^n \subseteq \cdots \subseteq X$. Then
  $$H^*(X) \cong \varprojlim H^*(X^n)$$

I have looked this up, and it seems to me, this only holds for cohomology theories satisfying the Mittag Leffler condition.
But this has been an essential ingredient in the proof of Leray Hirsch Theorem. On page 12, Part 6.) of this notes.
What am I missing?

A: This isn't true for arbitrary filtrations.  But the filtrations used in the proof of the Leray-Hirsch theorem are very special, such that for fixed $i$, the maps $H^i(X^{n+1})\to H^i(X^n)$ are isomorphisms for all sufficiently large $n$.  This in particular implies the Mittag-Leffler condition.
Alternatively (and I think this is the argument the notes you are reading has in mind), these filtrations have the property that for fixed $i$ the map $\pi_i(X_n)\to \pi_i(X)$ is an isomorphism for all sufficiently large $n$.  By Hurewicz this then implies the map $H^i(X)\to H^i(X^n)$ is an isomorphism for sufficiently large $n$ which immediately implies the map to the inverse limit is also an isomorphism.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Having seen Dan Luu's tweet of the table "Time to load 3 GB file, insert character at start and exit" here, I want to see how vi does file I/O and also very briefly demonstrate strace.
Now it is time to strace.
This traces open, close, write and read system calls during the vi session, outputting the log to file named log.
In the vi session, I deleted the first character in the file.
So basically, vi reads the file in 64K blocks, and then writes it out in 8K blocks.
strace is a great utility to examine system calls.


For better or worse, you can now opt to receive direct messages from anyone on Twitter.
Twitter is making it easier to hold private conversations on the social network.
If you'd like to open up the lines of communication with your fellow tweeters, Twitter now allows you to accept direct messages from anyone, even if you don't follow them.
"Previously, if you wanted to send a Direct Message to the ice cream shop down the street about how much you love their salted caramel flavor, you'd have to ask them to follow you first," senior software engineer Nhu Vuong explained in a blog post.
Now, that ice cream shop can choose to receive DMs from anyone—friend, foe, or follower—so a private conversation is a lot easier.
To allow DMs from anyone, iOS users can tap the gear icon in the Me tab; select Settings and tap the appropriate account username. Under privacy, click "Receive Direct Messages from anyone."
Similarly, Android users can click the overflow icon (three horizontal dots), choose a username, and under other, turn on "Receive Direct Messages from anyone."
The ice cream shop can then thank you for your kind words and remind you to tell all your friends about their flavors in a reply; Twitter's update includes the ability to reply to anyone who sends a DM, whether or not they follow you.
Plus, a new Direct Message button can be found on the Android and iPhone app profile pages, moving you one step closer to DMing anyone who looks remotely interesting.
Don't expect to be privately conversing with Justin Bieber or Beyonce any time soon; it's unlikely celebrities or other personalities will opt into the program.
In 2011, there were reports that Twitter would let verified accounts receive private messages from users they did not follow, but Twitter shot down those reports, saying that it only extended the option to a "limited number of accounts ... in cases where having that capability may be beneficial."
"We hope these changes help you connect more easily—and directly—on Twitter with the people, causes and businesses you care more about," Vuong said, adding that unwanted DMs can still be stopped.
The changes are rolling out around the world today. Vuong promised "more in the works" to improve the system, "so that the private side of Twitter is just as fulfilling as the public side."


text:
Q: nx: use @tailwind keyword in a lib I'm creating a styling library in my monorepo, and I want this library to import classes from the tailwindcss library, as well as define a couple more custom classes (with @apply keyword), like so
/*libs/shared/ui-styles/src/lib/styles.css*/
@tailwind base;
@tailwind components;
@tailwind utilities;

@layer components {
  .btn {
    @apply focus:outline-none py-2 px-4 rounded transition ease-in-out duration-150 inline-flex items-center;
  }
}

With the following update to the build target options in my workspace.json file
"styles": ["apps/example/src/styles.css", "libs/shared/ui-styles/src/lib/styles.css"],

This does not load the tailwindcss classes when I run my application.
If I add the tailwind imports to the css file of my application, it does work, but I want to extract this to my styling library.
Can someone tell me how to make the @tailwind keyword work in my library?
Thank you
Ps. any other "normal" css (for example css variables) in that library file works just fine.

A: I'll answer my own question as a found a solution.
I've installed the postcss-import plugin, and added it to the postcss.config.jsfile in my application.
Now I can have a library for all my global styles (including the @tailwind imports), and then simply import this stylesheet from the library in my applications with the @import keyword.
This will still purge all the unnecessary classes that are not used in my applications.


text:
Q: How to push entered text in field input and textarea to json angular How do I place comments with Angular, when someone is clicking on the button. Everytime if I enter some text in the field input and textarea, the text will be gone. There will be an empty block showing without any name, country and comments. The entered text must be push after the existing json.

angular.module("forum-page", ["myApp"])
 .controller("Forum", function($scope) {
  $scope.comments = [
   {
   "name": "Kevin",
   "comment": "Wat een mooi toestel vandaag ontvangen, zeer blij met mijn bestelling :)",
   "country": "Nederland"
   },
  ];

 $scope.addComment = function() {
  $scope.comments.push({"name": $scope.name, "comment": $scope.comment, "country": $scope.country});

  $scope.dataObject = {
   name: $scope.name,
   comment: $scope.comment,
   country: $scope.country
  };

  $scope.name = "";
  $scope.comment = "";
  $scope.country = "";
 };
});

<input type="text" id="comment-name" class="comment-form" ng-model="dataObject.name"/>

<input type="text" id="comment-country" class="comment-form" ng-model="dataObject.country"/>

<textarea type="text" id="comment-box" class="comment-form" ng-model="dataObject.comment"/></textarea>

<button ng-click="addComment()">Place comment</button>

A: Push dataObject to comments array and create new dataObject with empty fields:

    {{comment.name}}
    {{comment.comment}}
    {{comment.country}}

    <input type="text" id="comment-name" class="comment-form" ng-model="dataObject.name"/>
    <input type="text" id="comment-country" class="comment-form" ng-model="dataObject.country"/>
    <textarea type="text" id="comment-box" class="comment-form" ng-model="dataObject.comment"/></textarea>
    <button ng-click="addComment()">Place comment</button>


1.	This document should be read in conjunction with the 'Thesis for the World Situation' agreed at the 2013 meeting of the International Executive Committee and circulated for discussion at our national congress, alongside other party material, including the last two years' British Perspectives documents. The background to developments in Britain is the continued global crisis of capitalism. In the face of capitalism's inability to meet its needs, the working class has struggled heroically in many countries. We have seen mighty mass movements, dominated by the working class, in Turkey, Brazil and elsewhere. At the same time the working class of Greece has continued to defy the life-destroying misery being heaped upon it, which an incredible 31 general strikes to date. Europe as a whole remains convulsed by struggle.
2.	Right-wing Labourite commentator Nick Cohen blurted out, during his rant against Russell Brand for calling for revolution (Observer, 26 October 2013): "Today's crisis has left Europe in a pre-revolutionary situation." It would be more accurate to say parts of Europe are in a pre-revolutionary situation, but Cohen's throwaway remark is an inadvertent admission of the profound changes in consciousness that are taking place continent-wide, and for that matter worldwide, under the hammer blows of the continued capitalist crisis. This year's Davos World Economic Forum has concluded that inequality is the most pressing threat to the world economy because of its impact on stability. In the same week Oxfam published a report stating that the richest 85 people in the world have the same wealth as the bottom half of the world's population. In one article on the Davos summit, the warden of an Oxford college creates the picture of an imaginary 1914 equivalent, in which the civilised discussions would have taken place without any understanding of the war and revolution that lay ahead, except from a few "keen observers - such as obscure Russian journalist Lev Trotsky".
3.	The number of articles in the capitalist press expressing vague fears about revolution is not accidental but represents the growing fears of the most far-sighted sections of the capitalist class. Christine Lagarde, director of the IMF, has also warned about the threat posed by income inequality. Her statement that it is not "a recipe for stability", is a coded warning of the danger of uprisings and revolutions. Klaus Schwab, the founder of Davos, warned that capitalism will not survive if wealth is concentrated in too few hands. As Larry Elliott has pointed out, however, the only reason there was a decrease in inequality in the middle part of the 20th century was because the capitalists, "feared the Russian revolution would provide a template for disaffected workers in the West" (Guardian, 20 January 2014). Elliott goes on to point out that the discussions on inequality at Davos will be filled with representatives from the big corporations such as "Google (UK 2012 turnover: £3 billion; UK profits: £900 million; corporation tax: £11.6m) pretend[ing] they are good global citizens". The growing inequality of modern capitalism is inherent in its very nature. Karl Marx famously described capitalism as: "Accumulation of wealth at one pole is at the same time accumulation of misery, agony of toil, slavery, ignorance, brutality, mental degradation, at the opposite pole." In the past this claim was derided by capitalist economists, but today Time magazine (25 March 2013) quotes it as proof of Marx's prescience.
4.	In Britain, too, consciousness is beginning to be transformed under the impact of events. The popularity of Russell Brand's call for revolution, one of the UK's ten most watched YouTube clips in 2013, is an indication of how the outlook of millions is changing. Another is the campaign by economic students for Marx and Keynes to be taught on their courses. Of course, consciousness is very far from homogeneous. At the outset of the crisis a considerable proportion of the working class was stunned. Others hoped that, if they kept their heads down, life would return to 'normal'. For some, the flickers of this hope will have been fanned into life, as we go onto explain, by the propaganda that the economic crisis is coming to an end.
5.	However, for the majority austerity remains endless. Workers are on average £1,600 a year worse off than they were when this government was elected. At the same there has been a polarisation of the labour market, mainly as a result of the loss of public-sector jobs leaving increasing numbers of working-class people forced into low-paid, insecure work. So from 2008 until today the lowest skilled section of the economy gained 190,000 jobs, while the highest skilled gained 140,000, but the middle section of skilled workers and 'professionals' lost 170,000. The headline figures showing a decrease in unemployment mask the reality that it is only in London and the South East that the number of jobs has increased - and there the extortionate cost of living leaves many workers in dire poverty. Average rents in London are now an astronomical £1,100 a month. There has been no increase in jobs in the North East, North West, Wales or South West. In the West Midlands, where there has been a recent pick-up, the long-term decline in the number of jobs has not been reversed. It is also a question of the kinds of jobs that are available. Britain now has over five million workers on zero-hour contracts, many of them working only a few hours a week. In reality this is a disguised form of mass unemployment.
6.	Enormous visceral class anger is developing towards the super-rich, the bankers and the capitalist politicians. In an opinion poll on 27 December 2013 respondents were asked 'how or what you instinctively feel about politics and politicians' - 47% responded with one word: "angry". Yet this anger has been far from fully reflected in strikes or protests during 2013. On the contrary, in the first part of 2013 in particular, strikes remained at the same very low level as they had been in 2012, with less than a fifth of the number of strike days lost than there were in 2011, which had the highest number since 1990. It would be extremely superficial, however, to conclude that therefore workers in Britain are unwilling to struggle. The legacy of the period before the crisis means that the working class was largely unprepared for the economic tsunami it has faced. This is beginning to change, particularly for the most class conscious layers, on the basis of the hard experiences of the last five years. Nonetheless, given the woeful role of the majority of trade union leaders, the vast majority of the working class cannot currently see a viable outlet for their anger. Whenever a lead has been given trade unionists have responded enthusiastically, as was demonstrated by the rash of strikes in the latter stages of 2013, including the fire-fighters, teachers, and higher education workers. However, in the battle against austerity the leadership of the TUC, and in many cases of the individual trade unions, have shown themselves utterly incapable of organising a serious, determined struggle against the government and employers. Faced with eye-watering government attacks, and increasingly hard-nosed employers, the majority of the leadership of the trade union movement have responded, at best, with hesitation, vacillation and retreat.
7.	The capitalist class at least partially understand that the seeming calm on the surface of society will not last. The revelations about police spies infiltrating the anti-racist and environmental movements in the 1990s and 2000s, including our party, have shown the character of the capitalist state. Today, however, it is being dramatically beefed up. The Snowden revelations, along with attempts by the police to be given permission to bring water cannon onto the streets of Britain for the first time (they have up until now only been used in Northern Ireland), on the basis they are needed to control protests resulting from "ongoing and potential future austerity measures", are indications that the capitalist class in Britain, as in other countries, is trying to create a repressive apparatus powerful enough to defend its rule from uprisings by the working class. This does not mean that they are able to use the full weight of the state apparatus against the workers' movement at this stage, given the class balance of forces, but is nonetheless an indication of their fears for the future. Democratic demands are an important part of our programme, and can mobilise a new generation as the pre-Christmas 'cops off campus' movement demonstrated. That movement was also an indication of the political limits to the state's ability to act against movements at the moment. Having initially enraged students by using brutal methods against students protesting in support of striking workers, the Met police were clearly given orders to stand back from later protests, even turning round and driving off when students tried to attack riot vans outside the Mark Duggan inquiry. No doubt this showed the government's fear of sparking a new mass student movement, which in turn could trigger a broader movement. A new upturn in the student movement could take place, not just over democratic rights but also on economic issues, including selling-off the student loan book.
8.	Under capitalism the legal system, like other aspects of the state, has never be a neutral arbiter, but always ultimately acted to defend the interests of the capitalist class. Under this government, however, the legal system has become dramatically more biased against the working class. The cutting of legal aid and the recent rises in employment tribunal charges, plus the swift introduction of retrospective law to nullify court rulings against Poundland's extensive use of workfare contracts shows the increasing difficulty faced by workers trying to make use of the legal system to defend their interests.


text:
Help us evangelize
Search for: Filter by Publisher Art Community Formation News Church Shalom World Opinion Peace Society Sem Categoria Testimony Uncategorized@en
The Shalom Mission in Madagascar
"Being a Shalom missionary in a foreign land is a Grace of God. I am touching the lives of a people that was previously unknown to me and now they have become my people", says Vanda Santos who has been the Responsible for the Shalom Community Mission for 7 years in the city of Antsiranana, Madagascar.
According to Vanda, as the nation is very poor, the Missionary reality of Madagascar is very different from other Shalom Missions, because it is surrounded with not only material poverty but also spiritual. "I feel completely exposed to so many difficult realities, but I also feel fully protected by God's Grace, realizing that His powerful actions perform in all extremes."
Evangelization and mission
The Mission has 6 missionaries and apostolates. We work with about 40 children, evangelize door-to-door and have prayer groups including one in the city's prison, where we also provide a guitar course for the inmates. "The people had no hope and had little dignity; but since the Community arrived 11 years ago, we can see in the faces of the Malagasy people a newly found hope and joy, a desire to know and experience the love of our Lord Jesus Christ."
The Shalom missionaries in Madagascar work hard day after day without expecting anything in return except the gift of Joy. "In addition to children and young people, we enhance the life of the local Church. It is a poor church, but wants to bring hope."
One of the major challenges of the Mission, which shares its food with five other families, is a financial one. In this country, 90% of the population is poor: children are malnourished, the head of a family earns just over 20 cents a day- there is no basic income for buying sufficient food and clothes. "In Brazil it is very easy to tell a person 'Jesus loves you' in an evangelization. But in Madagascar, in the African lands, we cannot say something like this when we evangelize because life is so different as there is such widespread poverty. We must go to the poor man's house with food so that he can truly understand that Jesus loves him through sharing."
Vanda has lived in several Shalom Missions and has had many different experiences, but for her what is common to all of them is the realization that as a missionary she has the Grace of God's sovereignty to give and preserve human dignity, not only on a spiritual level but on a practical one as well. The cooking classes she and her team teach is a good example. "In the course, people come without any food and without knowing how to feed their children. They learn how to make a simple cake and at the end of the course, they receive a sum of money to buy the ingredients. They can then make cakes at home and sell them and so begin to have the financial resources to feed their children."
In Madagascar, Vanda has truly known human, spiritual and moral poverty. But nonetheless, she and the other Shalom members have experienced a lot of happiness.
This and various other initiatives of the Shalom Catholic Community are carried out with the help of benefactors who take up with us the commitment to promote a culture of peace in the world which awaits the manifestation of the children of God (Rom 8:19).
Do you want to take this mission with us? Support us!
If you'd like to donate by bank transfer, here are the Banca Prossima codes:
COMUNITA' CATTOLICA SHALOM – International Assistance
Current Account: 100000008887 | Bank: Banca Prossima
MILAN BRANCH | 20121 – PIAZZA PAOLO FERRARI 10 – MILAN
For the transfer from abroad the following codes must be used:
IBAN: IT40W0335901600100000008887
BIC receiving bank (SWIFT): BCITITMX
By Angela Barroso
International Shalom Acamps Summer Festival in Hungary
Warning: Comments are the responsibility of the authors and do not represent the opinion of the Shalom Community. It is forbidden to post comments that violate law, morality and good manners or that violate the rights of others. The editors may delete comments that do not comply with the criteria set forth in this notice or that are not within the topic with no notification.
O seu endereço de e-mail não será publicado. Campos obrigatórios são marcados com *.


text:
license: Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
         or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
         distributed with this work for additional information
         regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
         to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
         "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
         with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at

           http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0

         Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
         software distributed under the License is distributed on an
         "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
         KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
         specific language governing permissions and limitations
         under the License.
---

# LocalFileSystem

This object provides a way to obtain root file systems.

## Methods

- __requestFileSystem__: Requests a filesystem. _(Function)_

- __resolveLocalFileSystemURI__: Retrieve a `DirectoryEntry` or `FileEntry` using local URI. _(Function)_

## Constants

- `LocalFileSystem.PERSISTENT`: Used for storage that should not be removed by the user agent without application or user permission.

- `LocalFileSystem.TEMPORARY`: Used for storage with no guarantee of persistence.

## Details

The `LocalFileSystem` object methods are defined on the `window` object.

## Supported Platforms

- Amazon Fire OS
- Android
- BlackBerry 10
- iOS
- Windows Phone 7 and 8
- Windows 8

## Request File System Quick Example

    function onSuccess(fileSystem) {
        console.log(fileSystem.name);
    }

    // request the persistent file system
    window.requestFileSystem(LocalFileSystem.PERSISTENT, 0, onSuccess, onError);

## Resolve Local File System URI Quick Example

    function onSuccess(fileEntry) {
        console.log(fileEntry.name);
    }

    window.resolveLocalFileSystemURI("file:///example.txt", onSuccess, onError);

## Full Example

    <!DOCTYPE html>

        <title>Local File System Example</title>

Example

Local File System

# requestFileSystem

> Request a file system in which to store application data.

     window.requestFileSystem(type, size, successCallback, errorCallback)

- __window__: reference to the global window object
- __type__: local file system type, see LocalFileSystem Constants
- __size__: indicates how much storage space, in bytes, the application expects to need
- __successCallback__: invoked with a FileSystem object
- __errorCallback__:  invoked if error occurs retrieving file system

## Request File System Quick Example

    function onSuccess(fileSystem) {
        console.log(fileSystem.name);
    }

    // request the persistent file system
    window.requestFileSystem(LocalFileSystem.PERSISTENT, 0, onSuccess, onError);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Perfect variety for Juicing. Store seeds in a cool and dry location, perhaps a plastic container in a refrigerator or a pantry on the North side of your home. Soak time is 6 to 12 hours. 9 to 12 Days to harvest!


Foreningens navn stammar fra Aniara : en revy om människan i tid och rum (1956), et bok-langt science fiction-dikt av den svenske Nobel Pris-vinneren Harry Martinson (1904-78). Du kan lese mer om diktet her. Aniara har tidligere hatt lokaler på Chateau Neuf (Slemdalsveien 7). Tidligere har Aniara også gitt ut tidsskriftet Algernon, samt organisert den norske science fiction- og fantasy-festivalen Norcon. Aniaras samling med science fiction- og fantasy-verker ble lånt ut til science fiction-biblioteket på UiO i 2014 (les mer om dette her), og foreningen flyttet til nye lokaler i science fiction-biblioteket i 2015. Det nåværende styret har planer om å gjenopplive både Algernon i nærmeste fremtid. Denne offisielle nettsiden ble opprettet i august 2017.
The name of our organization comes from Aniara : en revy om människan i tid och rum (1956), a book-length science fiction poem by the Swedish Nobel Laureate Harry Martinson (1904-78). Read more about it here. Aniara was formerly located at Chateau Neuf (Slemdalsveien 7). Aniara also used to publish the journal Algernon, as well as organize the Norcon, the Norwegian Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention. Norcon 27 was held in 2014, and Norcon 28 will be held in 2017. The organization's science fiction collection was loaned to the UiO Science Library in 2014 (read about it here), and the organization itself moved its events and arrangements to the Science Library in 2015. There are plans to revive the journal in the near future. This current website/blog was created in August 2017.


text:
Geography »
CYCLONES ARE HAZARDOUS weather conditions distinguished by extreme blasts of wind moving in a circular pattern. Cyclones generally appear over tropical waters; however, some are able to reach land, where they inflict significant damage on buildings and communities.
Cyclones can be placed into categories such as hurricane (Western Hemisphere) and typhoon (Eastern Hemisphere). The categorization assigned to a cyclone is dependent upon where it originated. Wind speeds in cyclones can surpass 100 mi per hour (160 km per hour). Tropical cyclones with milder conditions are known as tropical storms.
Cyclones build over tropical seas. Heat gives cyclones their energy. Consequently, the ocean over which a cyclone forms must be warm. Other conditions required for a cyclone include a rapidly cooling atmosphere, a minimum of 300 mi (500 km) distance from the equator, and a slow vertical wind not exceeding 23 mi per hour (37 km per hour). This vertical wind is the product of differences between winds in the lower and upper portions of the atmosphere. The major contributor to the formation of a cyclone is a disturbance in the form of a thunderstorm or group of showers.
When all of these factors come together, conditions are right for a tropical cyclone. However, cyclones are spontaneous; a minute variation in one variable can be the difference between a hurricane and a thunderstorm.
Known as the "eye," the circular area in the center of a cyclone has an environment quite different from the area it surrounds. Calmness and a light breeze characterize the eye. Temperatures and air pressure are normally higher, and the sky is generally very clear.
Strong cyclones can cause damage ranging from crop destruction to the total devastation of buildings, depending on the severity of the cyclone. Cyclones become most dangerous as they hit land and spawn tornadoes, which are formed when tropical cyclones begin to lose their power. The major variation between tropical cyclones and tornadoes is their size. While the diameter of a tornado is measured in meters, the diameter of a tropical cyclone is measured in kilometers. One of the most destructive cyclone-spawned tornadoes in the United States caused around $100 million worth of damage to the Austin, TEXAS, area in 1980.
Besides property damage, cyclones (and the ensuing tornadoes) cause death. Objects lifted from the path of the extreme wind are flung about as high-speed projectiles. In 1964, 22 people were killed by a tornado that hit the LOS ANGELES area in CALIFORNIA.
Meteorologists have come a long way in the forecasting of tropical cyclones. In their forecasts, they gather information from the global numerical weather prediction model, which is also used by many meteorological centers, to aid them in producing accurate warnings. The World Meteorological Organization has created Regional Specialized Meteorological Centers (RSMCs) that issue warnings to nations, which then issue warnings to the public.
Warnings are issued when a cyclone is likely to affect communities within 24 to 48 hours. The warnings include a forecast that predicts which communities may be affected, severity, movement, etc. depending on how severe a cyclone is, residents may be asked to take certain precautions or even evacuate the possible affected area.
CATEGORY WARNINGS
Cyclones are divided into five categories determined by wind speeds, with category 5 being the worst cyclone of all. A category 1 warning is issued when wind gusts are less than 77 mi per hour (125 km per hour). A category 2 warning is issued when wind gusts are from 77 to 105 mi per hour (125 to 169 km per hour). When winds are from 106 to 139 mi per hour (170 to 224 km per hour), a category 3 warning is issued. Category 4 is when winds reach speeds from 140 to 173 mi per hour (225 to 279 km per hour ). The most destructive of all is a category 5 cyclone with winds faster than 174 mi per hour (280 km per hour).
In order to avoid confusion when tracking the development of these storms, cyclones are regularly named. The naming of cyclones began during World War II when meteorologists in the U.S. armed forces unofficially named the cyclones giving them female names. During the early 1950s, tropical cyclones that formed in the North ATLANTIC OCEAN were named from the phonetic alphabet. In 1979 the U.S. National Weather Service used both male and female names. When an exceptional cyclone occurs, its name is taken out of use to avoid confusion. More than one cyclone can occur at the same time, and if names are given, there is less confusion about which cyclone is being described. Cyclones can range from simple tropical storms to devastating hurricanes spinning at furious speeds. Their effects can be disastrous and long-lasting.
core and periphery
continentality
continental shelf
continental drift
computer mapping


text:
The Best Drupal University Websites in the Middle East
Dmitrii Susloparov June 26, 2016
There are several interesting rankings of top government sites built with Drupal. However, Drupal is good not only for Ministries and NGOs - it is also a great choice for schools and universities. Harvard, Yale, MIT and many other of the most prominent schools worldwide choose Drupal as a CMS for their sites because of its scalability, flexibility, and security.
Complete list of Drupal advantages
But what about the Middle East? Do Arab universities and schools realize the benefits that Drupal can give them or do they still use cheaper solutions? Only a deep dive into the knowledge pool of various universities' websites can help us reach a conclusion. Thus, we made a detailed study into the same and prepared the list of 10 most popular Arabic educational Drupal websites according to Alexa global rank.
Being formatted in ascending order, the list contains the basic introduction about each university, its Drupal version, Alexa global rank and the general features of its website witnessed by a common visitor. Here are the top 10 universities located in the Middle East.
10. Princess Sumaya University For Technology
Alexa Global Rank: 293,597
Drupal Version: 7.3x
Founded by the Royal Scientific Society in 1991, Princess Sumaya University for Technology is actually the most prominent Applied Research Center situated in Jordan. It is a non-governmental and non-profit university that offers Bachelor & Master programs in all the engineering disciplines. Apart from this, the university offers higher education programs in Business Management as well.
Princess Sumaya University for Technology consists of four schools; each school delivers quality education in its specialized discipline. This means Computer Science, Engineering, Business Management, and Research each have their own specialized school at the university.
The university website is a unique blend of creativity and technical capabilities. The design itself displays an excellent thought process utilized in its development. The usability, user experience, and easy navigation are the features this website contains. The high definition pictures of the university kept in homepage slide add a feather to the cap of this user-friendly website.
A homepage in 5.97 MB size takes only 4 seconds to load shows its feature of speed friendly website. Rather than filling the homepage with so many elements, the most prominent features such as e-services, e-learning, media, video gallery, sitemap etc. have been given a highlighted space. All other informative links have their perfect position in the header and footer.
9. German Jordanian University
German Jordanian University, founded in 2005 in Mushaqqar, Jordan comes on 9th position among top 10 Universities in the Middle East. The university was established with a motto of enhancing knowledge transfer between Jordan and Germany by blending together their best educational models.
Currently, the university is offering 20 undergraduate and graduate programs to approximately 5000 students in which female students are almost the half. The university has its own specific curriculum different from all the other Jordanian universities because it has been developed in relevance to the German Applied Sciences model.
Just like its unique curriculum and rich education methodologies, the Website of the German Jordanian University is also a unique one in its thought process. The best designed and the easiest usability makes it better than all the previous options. The homepage slide containing the real pictures of university students and campus displays everything you want to know about the university. The color theme, graphics, and other technical elements are excellently utilized and thus, make it a user-friendly website.
The Homepage is 4.1 MB, but still, takes only 3.34 seconds to load. Both the header and footer contain links that directly navigate you to the information you are looking for. Thus, the usability, user experience, and speed are better than your expectations. See the announcements slide below the university pictures. You are kept updated with all the latest announcements on the Homepage itself.
8. University of Bisha
The eighth position among top 10 universities in the Middle East has proudly been secured by University of Bisha located in Saudi Arabia. Founded only a couple of years ago the university has achieved a worldwide recognition by offering quality higher education. Certain features such as quality education, modern infrastructure, students' friendly campus especially for girls and latest educational & technical amenities are responsible for giving the best learning experience to students, here, at the University of Bisha.
'Simplicity dipped into soberness' is the easiest phrase to describe its website in short. The homepage itself exhibits the uniqueness of thought process, utilized while developing the website. The very first positivity that hits a visitor is its multilingual accessibility. The website is accessible both in Arabic and English language making it easy for non-Arabic visitors to find the information they need.
Apart from this, the header is designed with a feature of easy navigation, especially for the students and faculty. Here the students and employees are given an easy navigation to the links they need the information in these links each has its specific page. And in the footer, every link has been individualized with a specific logo.
When we look into the technical features of the website, we find it perfect here also. The homepage is made of 7.8 MB size that takes only 6.50 seconds to load making a speed-friendly. In a nutshell, the university website has all the features to recognize it as a user-friendly website.
7. Gulf University for Science & Technology
Drupal Version: 7
Founded in 2002, Gulf University of Science & Technology (GUST) commonly known as Gulf University is a private university located in West Mishref, Kuwait. It seems really surprising that a young University that celebrated its first commencement ceremony in June 2007 stands on the 7th position among the top 10 universities in the Middle East.
Currently, Gulf University has been inculcating capable professionals in various technical and professional disciplines. Approximately 145 well-known academic faculty members from 31 different countries have been saturating their meticulous knowledge and skills to thousands of students.
The blue and white color combination of the website makes it catchy and attractive. The website has been developed in relevance to the usability and user experience. Though the heavy homepage of 2.4 MB slows down its speed as it takes 7.61 Seconds to load yet the easy navigation and smooth functioning makes a visitor forget the speed issue. And also, the website is available in English version only, it sometimes creates language problem for Arabic native speakers.
Simple but impressive exhibition of all the website elements and relevant links makes it a user-friendly website. There is no hustle-bustle of content, sections, or links on the homepage. You will find only the required information on it. Thus, it can be called a cutting-edge website that has the capacity to grab good reviews from the visitors.
6. Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University
Alexa Global Rank: 38,831
Among top 10 universities in the Middle East, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University owns the proud position of being on the sixth rank. Formerly known as Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz University or the University of Al-Kharj, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University was established in 2007 in the city of Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
The current name of the university was adopted in the beginning of 2015. Currently, the university is delivering higher education to approx 30,000 students in 80 different programs. It is only the quality education that has brought various national and international accreditations for different programs.
The university has an excellently designed website that is built with the latest Drupal 8. It greatly speaks about the university, its features, academic programs, and guidelines for a new visitor. The header in the website contains everything in a nutshell. Whatever information is required related to administration, courses, jobs, research programs, and more, the header will provide a direct link to the same. Thus, the website features an easy navigation for a visitor.
Main reasons to migrate to Drupal 8
The homepage that acquires a size of 1.1 MB takes 4.2 seconds to load. It designates the website to be speed-friendly. The social media platforms of the university have been given a place at the right top. All the other useful links have been placed in the footer. The website, thus, provides a user-friendly experience as well. So, the overall experience of the website is very positive.
5. Majmaah University
Founded in 2009 in Al Majma'ah region, Majmaah University can be regarded as one of the youngest universities located in Saudi Arabia. Having a total number of 13 academic schools, the university has been established with a motto of expanding higher education around the region and providing quality education to the growing number of young graduates in the Middle East.
It is one of the only perfect utilization of educational resources and the unified efforts of management, faculty, and students established just within 7 years; Majmaah University stands tall on the fifth rank among top 10 universities in the Middle East with Drupal website. Currently, the university offers diploma, bachelor, masters, and research programs in various disciplines.
The university website has also played a major role in bringing the university to its heights. The Website of Majmaah University is an outcome of rich creativity and professional capabilities. The beautiful layout of the website, the extraordinary color combination, and unique design concept is really a treat to the eyes when visited for the first time. The high definition picture on the homepage showing students from various streams brings an artistic touch.
In technical terms, the website is capable enough to provide an excellent experience to its users. A size of 1.5 MB takes only 1.28 seconds for the homepage to load. The header has all the sections and subsections with links that take the visitor directly to the page he/she wants. So the navigation feature of the website is just as a user likes. Thus, the website contains all the features of being speed-friendly and user-friendly.
4. King Khalid University
Being established in 1998 in Aseer region, KKU has evolved into a premier institution in Saudi Arabia just within a short span of time. The various factors such as modern infrastructure, latest educational amenities, a wide gamut of undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate programs, a large number of disciplines, meticulous faculty and much more have elevated the reputation of the university throughout the Middle East.
Recently, King Khalid University (KKU) has secured the 604 rank among top 700 universities in the world and also achieved a prominent position among the best universities in the Middle East. Inculcated from the merger of two schools, King Khalid University also enjoys the designation of the biggest academic institution saturating quality higher education to approx 72000 students.
The university website exhibits really a different design and thought process. The whole website designed on a white background looks so beautiful in the first look. The pictures have been utilized on the website just in accordance to the theme of the page.
The website's homepage having a size of 3.0 Mb is overfilled with the informative links yet it only takes 5.36 seconds to load. And also, the visitors find it easy to operate due to its well-designed header & footer. Thus, the website is sure to get good reviews from the visitors in relevance to the user experience.
3. Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University
The third rank among the top ten Middle East universities goes to the University of Dammam located in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The university that was established in 1975 with two colleges – College of Medicine and College of Architecture has now expanded into 21 colleges in the Eastern province. From graduate to research programs, the University of Dammam is providing quality education to approx 45000 students. Currently, the University has been offering a broad spectrum of bachelor, masters, and research courses in Medicine, Engineering, Science and Management and Arts disciplines.
The university website has been developed and maintained meticulously. The very first advantage of the website is its rich content framework. Every section, every landing page contains a rich informative content. Secondly, the color combination of the website is really fantastic. The beautiful combination of blue, white and cream colors make it look more beautiful. And the multicolored main menu on homepage looks like a rainbow on a white sky. Thirdly, each page link is available on the homepage that makes the website navigation an easy task. The header and the footer have all the required links that make it easy to navigate to the required page.
The website homepage takes only 3.20 seconds to load due to its speed-friendly size of 585.6 KB. Therefore, the website is not only easy to operate but provides a speedy navigation as well. Thus, the website provides a better user end experience.
2. The American University in Cairo
Being established in Egypt in 1919, The American University in Cairo was founded by Charles A. Watson. Though AUC was the first English-University in the Middle East, yet it was established with a motto of contributing to the intellectual, social and cultural growth of the Arab World. In the beginning, it was both a preparatory school and a university with only men allowed to get admission.
Since its inception, AUC went through various changes and advancements that shaped it into the 2nd most famous university in the Middle East. Currently, AUC is spread over 260 acres having 25 departments and institute and offering approximately 36 undergraduate, 44 masters, and two research programs.
When it comes to the AUC website, the very first thing that strikes in a visitor's mind is that the university website is so simple and sober. A beautifully designed yet an easily accessible website that makes a visitor grab his/her required information by going directly to the specific link. Both the main menu navigation and the footer have all the required links to navigate on the specific page you require. You can also see all the social media symbols on the footer that will direct you on the social platforms of the university.
The website saturates a pleasing user end experience due to its perfect design, impressive landing pages, good speed, and easy navigation. The homepage is so impressively designed that it attracts a visitor to explore more into it. The real pictures of the university add beauty to the website. And mainly the homepage that is of 1.0 MB takes only 2.11 seconds to load. Thus, in terms of speed and navigation, the website is really user-friendly.
1. King Saud University
Alexa global rank: 6,098
Drupal version: 7.43
Established in 1957, King Saud University owns the pride of being not only the first but also the most famous University in Saudi Arabia. In 1953, Abdulaziz al Saud announced to establish the first higher education institution in Saudi Arabia to enhance the cultural and scientific knowledge in the country along with spreading Islamic faith among the coming generations. Subsequently, King Saud University was founded in Riyadh.
Today, the university has been accelerating higher education in all the streams such as Engineering, Medical Sciences, and Humanities and so on. Being a premier institution with 24 colleges, King Saud University has been ranked no. 1 in the Middle East. The greatest feature of the university is that it has separate colleges for girls just to initiate higher education among girls in a country where girls don't enjoy much freedom in their social life.
The Website of King Saud University presents an actual display of the university itself. The very first feature of the university website is its compatibility in the English language along with Arabic. It enables the visitors throughout the globe to find the information they require. Secondly, the website has been designed and executed in a way that stresses more on giving the detailed knowledge into everything rather than focusing on designs only. Thirdly, each informative topic on the website has a different page for it and is easily accessible for a visitor to find his/her relevant information.
If we talk about the user end experience, everything on the website such as design, speed, content, and information is capable enough to grab good reviews and a five-star rating from its visitors. The homepage size is only 1.3 MB that just consumes 3.50 seconds to load.
As promised, we have presented a deep insight into every university's basic information. Though all the information is just true as it is taken from reliable sources yet only the figures may differ sometimes according to the changing trends.
Although the most of these websites are relatively new, they have achieved great popularity and high rankings. On one hand their popularity depends on high academic level and a number of students, but on the other hand, Google doesn't rank high websites that have problems with the code and are not SEO-optimized. The success of sites listed in this article is also achieved with their powerful CMS.
Drupal is the latest Content Management System in vogue these days. Having various versions, Drupal saturates the achievements for a website far above the expectations. And that's the reason why most of the academic institutions or schools in the Middle East prefer Drupal distributions when building their websites.
If you have plans to build a site and achieve highest rankings, Drupal is the right fit for you. For assistance migrating to Drupal or building a modern website for your university, contact Vardot.
Higher-ed & Schools
5 Reasons Drupal is the Best CMS for Educational Sites
How Core Web Vitals Improve Your SEO in 2021
A Drupal Glossary: An Introduction to Web Lingo


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Fri, Nov 27 2020
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American Prodigy: Freddy Adu
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Bet Online with DraftKings Sportsbook - Sports Betting and More
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Sources: LA duo Alvarez, Araujo in USMNT squad
ESPN – Tom Marshall – Nov 26, 2020, 7:36 PM
LA Galaxy's dual Mexico - United States nationals Efrain Alvarez and Julian Araujo will be in the USMNT camp next week in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, sources have told ESPN. The news 18-year-old Alvarez will be attending camp under head coach Gregg…
Soccer on TV: USWNT-Netherlands, Chelsea-Tottenham, MLS playoffs
The Philadelphia Inquirer – Jonathan Tannenwald – Nov 26, 2020, 7:20 PM
The U.S. women's national team returns to action for the first time since March 11, and it does so in spectacular fashion: a visit to the team it faced in last year's World Cup final. Here's your viewer's guide to all of the weekend's top soccer…
Leah Culver


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Posts Tagged 'Olympics'
Heroes of British cycling: Bradley Wiggins and the pavement cyclist
I loved Bradley Wiggins' victory punch as he crossed the line on Saturday's final time trial. To launch his fist like that, from an incredibly fast-moving and twitchy machine, having just ridden it all out for 64 minutes and 13 seconds, was no mean feat. But then nor was winning the Tour de France …
The clenched fist is a potent symbol, perhaps because it's ambiguous. Triumphant? Defiant? Both? Wiggins' powerful finishing pose reminded me of the work of the Mexican painter David Alfaro Siqueiros, through whose hands the human hand is made to mean so much. This is a self-portrait …
Images are open to interpretation, but Wiggins' closed and punching fist seems to express defiance as well as triumph. He wasn't 'just' winning the Tour; he was also achieving – executing – his potential; and he was answering his critics and responding to nay-sayers too. As seems so often to be the case with Wiggins, the celebration seemed real and honest precisely because there was a touch of anger about it.
Will anger and defiance now broaden, as many more people feel inspired to get onto bikes in the wake of British cycle sport's success?
I think it might, as people who have until now shown little interest in cycling sit up and notice Bradley Wiggins and the Tour de France, and look forward to seeing more cycling at the Olympics. I think it might, more importantly, as they pull bicycles from sheds, fix them ready to ride, and think about where to go.
This is the hope, isn't it? That the phenomenal success of British professional cycle racers will translate into more people climbing onto bikes. Chris Boardman – a man whose cycling exploits certainly inspired me – made this explicit connection during post-Tour analysis and comment on ITV4 this past weekend.
During Wimbledon, tennis courts across Britain are suddenly in demand. Following the London Marathon, more people get out running. But cycling is different, because the majority of the environment in which cycling occurs has other things in it – and roads are especially full of cars.
Thrilled by Bradley's success? Moved to ride? Then get outside and … and confront (and perhaps truly notice for the very first time, because now it matters to you, personally) the brute reality of roads full of speeding cars and trucks, a fair proportion of whose drivers act as if they have very little – if any – concern for your well-being.
Compared to tennis or running, then, there is for cycling a more complicated translation from inspiration to action. You might have seen the Tour, you might have been inspired, you might feel ready to ride. But where do you go?
We must beware the gap here, which only critical thinking can fill. It's great that we've got a buzz around cycling, and we must certainly seek to capitalise on it. But it's just naive to imagine that euphoria around cycling will automatically convert to a big boom in everyday cycling journeys. For that to happen, other things need to change, or rather be changed.
Velodromes and sportive riding away from the city can to some extent cater for people keen to try cycle sport. Canal towpaths, sea-front promenades and converted railway lines can cater for those wanting to experience the cycling buzz in a leisurely and rural way. But I'm also wondering whether the pavements of our towns and cities will start to teem with cyclists, trying their best simply to get around using the machine about which there is – quite rightly – currently such a hubbub.
Pavement cyclists aren't seen as heroes, but perhaps they should be. (To be clear here, by 'pavement' I mean what in other countries is called the 'sidewalk'; a space which is traditionally considered the preserve of the pedestrian (although there's a longer story to be told there). So in Britain we are taught that pavement cycling is a problem and that it's wrong; though in truth it is neither.) Today, Bradley Wiggins is the great hero of British cycling, and I hope he enjoys all the adulation he richly deserves. But in the meantime, the great unsung heroes of British cycling – pavement cyclists – bravely pedal on, or try to any which way they can. They are not celebrated; they are seen as deviant, and are demonised.
Because the vast majority of people feel there is nowhere safe to ride, everyday cycling across the UK is being very effectively and very systematically blocked. Much premature talk of 'a cycling revolution' conveniently ignores the fact that a big majority of people are afraid to cycle, and will not start anytime soon unless something fundamentally changes. In the meantime, in most places most of the people who do ride a bicycle do so (either always or mainly) on the pavements. They ride either because they have no alternative – for example, needing to get to shift work (rendering public transport infeasible) at a location beyond walking distance – or because they actually like cycling but they just don't like cycling in roads full of cars, trucks and buses.
I have no figures to back this up (I don't think any exist), but I'm sure that pavement cycling is also subject to a huge amount of what transport researchers call 'churn', which means the life of a pavement cyclist tends to be brief. This is because to pedal through the disapproving and hostile gazes of society is difficult to do. People who want or need to cycle but who have nowhere safe to go are made to feel guilty. And cycling guiltily is no way to make cycling stick, or big, or inclusive, or aspirational. For cycling to be embraced big-time, the cyclist needs to feel welcomed, not apologetic. (The resilient cyclists – those who do stick with cycling over the longer-term – are those, like me and perhaps like you, who ride on the road, but we form a very small proportion of all cyclists, and an absolutely tiny proportion of the whole population.)
But even though pavement cycling demonstrates a huge repressed demand for cycling, it is seen as a problem rather than a potential.
We badly need to invert the standard moral tale here. According to that tale, people who ride on pavements are committing a crime.
No, no, no. These people are heroes. Any crime is in endorsing cycling but then providing nowhere for people to ride. Any crime is showing how magnificent is cycling, inspiring people to give it a go, but then dashing their opportunities to do so under half-way decent conditions – conditions which the 'average person' regards as acceptably safe, comfortable and enjoyable.
I hope and expect that right now, at the start of the summer holidays, there are thousands upon thousands of children across Britain who have noticed and been touched by British cycle sport's current success. But what a travesty that the very big majority will be unable simply to jump on bikes and discover the delights of riding for themselves? Long days of summer spent exploring their neighbourhoods, let alone further afield, have been closed off to them by an increasingly car-centric society. To taste the joys of cycling, they'll have to wait until they're somewhere their parents deem it's acceptable to ride. And they'll probably be taken there by car.
There's something deeply sad about this, isn't there? We have rafts of policy and pronouncements in favour of cycling. And to add to this we now have a superb and historically unprecedented collection of role models – led by Bradley Wiggins, but including many other remarkable men and women – inspiring people to give cycling a go. And then we have towns and cities which are so dominated by speeding motorised vehicles that we've eliminated people's ordinary habitat as a place to ride.
If we've got the 'crime' wrong, so also the punishment.
Instead of scolding and/or fining people for riding bicycles on pavements, we should be congratulating and rewarding them for giving cycling a go at all. Meanwhile, this Government should take the lead on making the changes required for people to cycle safely from their front doors, and punish any local authority which fails to adopt those changes quickly enough. Such changes include reducing the amount of urban space devoted to parked and moving cars, radically slowing down the cars which remain, and building top-quality cycling infrastructure where for whatever reason cycling needs (for the time being, at least) to co-exist with other (whether faster or slower) modes of mobility.
The Tour and Olympics combined should encourage many more people onto bikes, before realising there's really nowhere safe to go.
Rather than giving up before they've even got started, which is what tends to happen, we must hope that many will find ways to cope with currently atrocious cycling conditions and – like many of the people I saw cycling during three years of research towards the Understanding Walking and Cycling project – at least sometimes take to the pavements. (The danger is that because cycling on pavements is hard to do, most people who are inspired to cycle will not do so – they might cycle 'invisibly' on a Sunday morning somewhere safe, but their cycling – and more importantly their desire to cycle – will be easy to miss; their invisibility can then be used as evidence by Government that "there's no demand for cycling, so we cannot justify spending money on it".)
There are obvious ways to make our cities fit for cycling, but they are not being done. London journalists might believe things are changing fast, but they should get on a bike in Leeds or Worcester or Lancaster or pretty much anywhere outside of the capital. In most of these places, what we have is a huge gulf between rhetoric and reality. I've recently been trawling through transport policy documents produced at different levels of UK Government. Reading these, you'd be forgiven for thinking that a sustainable transport revolution – in which walking and cycling dominate our towns and cities and short journeys by car become practically obsolete – is just around the corner, about to happen.
The (excellent) aspiration of one local authority, for example, is "to make it easy to get from any part of the city to any other part of the city without using a car. Pivotal to achieving this is making sure that, when any plans are considered, pedestrians and cyclists are considered first". But this kind of progress at the discursive level is, so far, completely unmatched with any notable changes on the ground, the place where we actually live out our day-to-day, intensely mobile, lives. We've had decades of empty rhetoric about sustainable urban transport, yet politicians remain intent on driving a massive, new and hugely unsustainable road through my home town.
Hordes of people suddenly cycling on Britain's pavements might be the most effective route to building the pressure to get something done, to create safe space for cycling. If British cycling's sporting success brings this massive tension – created by encouraging something which it is so hard to do – to a climax, we'll have its stars and orchestrators to thank. But from where I'm currently sat, that's a big 'if'.
I think what's most likely to happen is lots of fine words, rhetorical flourish, and vague and vacuous pronouncements of 'a cycling revolution', accompanied by very little change in the ideological and material structures which currently underpin and reproduce our society in car-centric ways. We need to do what we can to prevent this from happening, and instead make these potentially pivotal moments stick, whether it's out of respect for cycling, respect for the health of ourselves and our neighbourhoods, respect for our towns and cities, or respect for our planetary home, the one which cycling rather than driving helps make viable.
As a tribute to Bradley Wiggins and Mod I'll finish with the words of Mod revivalists Secret Affair, "this is the time, this is the time for action".
Tags:Bradley Wiggins, cycling, Olympics, pavement cycling, Tour de France, Understanding Walking and Cycling project
City centre cycling, in Lancaster!
I remember how excited I was, going to watch city centre cycling in Birmingham in the 1980s, as a teenager who'd recently fallen in love with the sport. Remember the Kelloggs series, which was televised on Channel 4? Riders such as Joey McLoughlin (for some reason, my favourite), Steve Joughin, John Herety, Malcolm Elliott, Alan Peiper, Sean Yates – many of the best English-speaking riders rode, including occasionally the really big stars such as Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche; I remember seeing my hero Robert Millar one year, and the great Australian Phil Anderson too. I'd go with my cycling mates (Pete Young, Steve Sollis, Andy Betts … are any of you guys out there?!) to see these professional riders, who we of course respected big-time, race really close-up. It was brilliant to see the world's best bike riders hurl themselves round our home-town centre, time after time, and cheer them on. Then we'd rush home to watch the race again, on TV – I think the series was raced and screened on a Friday night, maybe? There's real drama to crits, and when it's top riders in your city, riding streets on which you pedal, the drama's magnificent.
So of course I'm thrilled that – following the efforts of a whole team of people, and on the back of the rising profile of cycling not just nationally but also in our district specifically – city centre cycling is now coming to my adopted home town of Lancaster.
The date is Friday 22nd June, the day the Olympic torch passes through north Lancashire. Here's some spiel I've just sent to local media to publicise the event. If you're in the area, come along and get a taste of the action.
What promises to be a thrilling evening of racing starts at Dalton Square at 7pm. There are two races, each lasting just under an hour. In the second race, stating at 8pm, top riders from across the district will compete with elite cyclists from further afield, in what's sure to be a super fast and hard-fought spectacle. Riders must tackle the steep climb out of Dalton Square, short straights, tight corners, and lots of cobbles as they complete lap after lap of a one kilometre city centre circuit at high speeds, sometimes likely to be in excess of 40 miles per hour.
With a beer and food tent, live race commentary, and lots of activities in Dalton Square, it's the perfect way to gear up for the Olympics, which starts with the Men's Cycling Road Race just over a month later. In the London race BBC Sports Personality of the Year Mark Cavendish has a real chance of bagging Britain's first gold medal. Everyone is welcome to get in the mood locally, and to roll up to watch the action, which is not only free but also sure to be a compelling evening's entertainment for all the family.
Local businesses are generously supporting the event, with a big range of great prizes to the best riders in both races on the night. The route will showcase some of the splendours of Lancaster's historic city centre, with the focus on Dalton Square and the Town Hall. It's hoped the evening will be the first of a regular annual cycling event, raising the district's profile, particularly as a place it's great to cycle.
It's come about through the initiative and enthusiasm of local cycling groups, alongside the support of Lancaster City Council. A big team of volunteers, all eager to support cycling in the heart of their city, is ready and raring to go, to make the event run smoothly, and be a big success on the night.
Fingers' crossed for fine weather and a big crowd. And for this being just the start, with bigger and better still to come. With Team Sky's amazing results so far this year, local hero Bradley Wiggins riding spectacularly well, the Tour de France just round the corner, and the Olympics following soon after, cycle racing has never enjoyed such a high-profile in Britain. So if you're in the Lancaster area on 22nd June, come and get a feel for the sport, and a sense of what all the fuss is about. I guarantee you'll love it.
Tags:cycle racing, cycling, Lancaster, Olympics
Posted in CYCLING PROMOTION | 1 Comment »


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Q: How to disable setOnMapClickListener in google maps v2? I have an action bar icon (Plus icon) clicking on which I have enabled (called) setOnMapClickListener inside which I create markers on the map based onClicks on the map.
@Override
public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {

    if(item.getItemId() == R.id.action_addItem) {

        invalidateOptionsMenu();

            mMap.setOnMapClickListener(new OnMapClickListener() {

                @Override
                public void onMapClick(LatLng point) {

                if(canAddMarker){

                    mMap.animateCamera(CameraUpdateFactory.newLatLng(point));

                    mMap.addMarker(new MarkerOptions().position(point).title("Test Title").snippet("Test snippet"));

                }

                }
            });

    else {

               //Code to disable listener
    }

    }

The problem is once I click on any other icon on action bar, I'd like the listener to stop/disabled so that any more touch on the map shouldn't result in new markers being created.
Any thoughts on how to disable listener ?

A: To disable a listener simple set it to null since it will only be called if it's not null.
mMap.setOnMapClickListener(null);