The Catholic bishops of Pennsylvania offer the following guide as an aid in preparing for the sacrament of penance. (See their complete statement on the sacrament here.) Find a parish church in the Philadelphia Archdiocese that offers special times for confessions, in many cases on Wednesday evenings, here.
The priest welcomes the penitent warmly and greets him or her with kindness.
Then the penitent makes the Sign of the Cross, which the priest may also make.
The priest invites the penitent to have trust in God using one of the formulas in the ritual or similar words. If the penitent is unknown to the priest, it is proper for the penitent to indicate his or her state in life (married, single, or clergy), the time of his or her last confession and anything else that may help the confessor in exercising his ministry.
The penitent confesses his or her sins and accepts the prayers or deeds that the priest proposes as a penance.
The priest continues: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good." The penitent responds: "His mercy endures for ever." The priest then dismisses the penitent, using one of the formulas found in the ritual.
As you prepare to make a good confession, you want to ask God's forgiveness for any way in which you have offended him but particularly for any serious sin. If you are not certain what you should bring to the priest in confession, do not be afraid to ask him for help. The priest is there to assist you and to share with you God's love and mercy.
Many people find the Ten Commandments to be a good frame of reference for an examination of conscience. Brush up on them here.
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.
I need to go to Confession. It's been too long.


Congratulations to Faye Hooper, South Metropolitan TAFE's 2014 International Student of the Year!
Born and raised in South Africa, Faye spent every second weekend of her childhood on her family's game farm in neighbouring Botswana and followed her passion for the environment into a Diploma of Environmental Monitoring and Technology course.
Ms Hooper aims to further her studies at university and a career dedicated to the environment in Western Australia.
"At a very young age I was exposed to Mother Nature and revelled in learning about and experiencing everything I could about wildlife and the bush," Ms Hooper said.
That confidence led to outstanding results and acceptance into a Bachelor of Science degree course at Murdoch University.
The Diploma of Environmental Monitoring and Technology is offered at Challenger over three semesters and can lead to occupations such as an environmental technician or technical officer, assistant field hydrologist, water resource officer or catchment coordinator for local government and, with suitable experience, a supervisory role.
Challenger lecturer Linda Davies described Ms Hooper as extremely enthusiastic and said her voluntary activities outside of her studies had contributed to her success as a student.
A fervent advocate for the environment, Ms Hooper has served as a member or volunteer of a host of local environmental organisations and groups, including the Swan River Trust, Save Point Peron Group, Native Arc Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and public awareness campaigns in which Challenger has been a partner.


QUINIMAR is a Portuguese company founded in 1989 that manufactures and markets various high quality textile and chemical products for public works and industry. Quinimar has more than 30 years of experience in construction works at airports around the world, mainly in Europe and Central and South America.
Within the wide range of Quinimar products, stand out two products of high performance destined mainly to applications of high exigency in airports: the polymers QUINIRESIN® AIRPORT and the geogrids QUINIROAD®.
QUINIRESIN® AIRPORT is a high performance product for the sealing and fixing of lights and covers on airport pavements, which allows air traffic opening in just 1 HOUR.
What makes it truly unique is the alliance between its excellent mechanical characteristics and its extremely fast curing, which is essential in airport works where construction work usually needs to be performed in a short space of time.
QUINIROAD® geogrids are made of fiberglass and coated with oxidized bitumen for the reinforcement and retardation of cracking in airport pavements. Its application is fundamental in works of rehabilitation, requalification and recharges in airport runways or taxiways.


In education, mathematics and science are often taught in a manner that lacks opportunities for students to engage in creativity, and the arts are allotted less time with fewer resources. This study focused on integrating STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) lessons with arts-themed activities to create interdisciplinary STEAM education in order to simultaneously address these two contemporary challenges. Teams of pre-service elementary teachers used multimedia production technologies to develop original STEAM lessons. Participants (n = 124) completed a total of 2,436 peer-evaluation surveys designed to measure the extent to which the STEAM lessons met specific creativity-related objectives. Participants also answered open-ended questions regarding similarities and differences between their own STEAM lessons and those of the other teams. The results showed general overall similarities among the three participating groups of bilingual generalist (BG), regular generalist (RG), and undecided generalist (UG) pre-service elementary teachers in regard to their peer evaluation scores for achievement of creativity-related objectives in the STEAM lessons. In addition, a substantial portion of participants from each group recognized the two highest and two lowest scoring achievement categories in their discussions of similarities and differences, and this qualitative data assisted in confirmatory triangulation of the quantitative findings.
Tillman, D.A., An, S.A. & Boren, R.L. (2015). Assessment of Creativity in Arts and STEM Integrated Pedagogy by Pre-service Elementary Teachers. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 23 (3), 301-327. Waynesville, NC USA: Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education. Retrieved April 25, 2019 from https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/151568/.
Sadler, P., & Tai, R. (2007). The two high-school pillars supporting college science. Science, 317(5837), 457-458.
Sherman, B., & Wither, D. (2003). Mathematics anxiety and mathematics achievement. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 15(2), 138-150.


text:
«Всемирная литература» — издательство при Наркомпросе, организованное в 1919 году по инициативе и при ближайшем участии М. Горького.

Заведовал издательством А. Н. Тихонов. Горький привлёк к работе в издательстве многих крупнейших деятелей русской культуры. В коллегию, которая редактировала переводы, входили А. Блок и М. Лозинский. Китайский отдел возглавлял академик В. Алексеев, монгольский — академик Владимирцев, арабский — академик Крачковский, персидский — академик С. Ольденбург. Активно участвовали: Зиновий Гржебин, К. Чуковский, Е. Замятин, А. Волынский, Николай Гумилёв, А. Левинсон,  Е. М. Браудо и другие.

«Всемирная литература» собиралась издавать лучшие произведения мировой художественной литературы XVIII—XX веков. Горький предполагал, что изданные книги составят «обширную историко-литературную хрестоматию, которая даст читателю возможность подробно ознакомиться с возникновением, творчеством и падением литературных школ, с развитием техники стиха и прозы, со взаимным влиянием литератур различных наций и вообще всем ходом литературной эволюции в её исторической последовательности».

С этой целью было намечено издание двух серий книг: основной и народной библиотек, со вступительными очерками, историко-литературными примечаниями, библиографическими справками и т. п. Основная серия в целом составила бы систематически подобранную библиотеку, способную служить не только для чтения, но и как пособие по изучению мировой литературы. Основная серия намечалась примерно в количестве 1500 томов, по 20 печатных листов в каждом. Серия народной библиотеки, предназначенная для массового читателя, помимо основных произведений мировой литературы, включала и произведения занимательные, исторические, авантюрные, юмористические и т. д. Количество книг народной библиотеки должно было составить 2500 томов, около 4 печатных листов каждый. Выходили также серии «Новости иностранной литературы», «Серия детских книг».

Основание и деятельность издательства «Всемирная литература» в 1918—1920 годах целиком опирались на технический потенциал типографии «Копейка» — крупнейшей в России.

Однако условия полиграфического производства в первые годы после революции 1917 года не были благоприятны для осуществления поставленных задач, а издательские планы могли быть осуществлены лишь в незначительной мере.

Так, за все время существования издательства (до 1924) были изданы, как в новых, так в старых, но заново проредактированных переводах, избранные произведения литературы: Англии и Америки (Байрон, Диккенс, Кольридж, Дж. Лондон, Джозеф Конрад, Эдгар По, Роберт Саути, В. Скотт, Э. Синклер, Марк Твен, Уитмен, Оскар Уайльд, Уэллс, Бернард Шоу и другие), Австрии, Германии, Скандинавских стран, Голландии, Швейцарии (Герман Банг, Лили Браун, Гейерстам, Генрих Гейне, Э. Т. А. Гофман, Ф. Грильпарцер, Г. Клейст, Новалис, Шамиссо, Ф. Шиллер и др.), Франции, Италии, Испании, Португалии, Бельгии и Латинской Америки (Д'Аннунцио, Бласко Ибаньес, Бальзак, Беранже, Верхарн, Вольтер, Гольдони, Э. Гонкур, К. Гоцци, В. Гюго, А. Доде, Эмиль Золя, Ш. де-Костер, К. Лемонье, Лесаж, П. Мериме, Октав Мирбо, Ж. Мишле, А. де Ренье, Р. Роллан, Стендаль, Флобер, Анатоль Франс и др.).

Кроме того, «Всемирной литературой» изданы некоторые произведения восточных литератур (Аравия, Персия, Турция, Монголия, Китай, Япония). Из памятников античной литературы вышли переводы: «Сатирикона» Петрония и древнегреческого романа «Левкиппа и Клитофонт» Ахилла Татия Александрийского. Всего издательством выпущено около 120 томов.

Издательство выпускало журналы «Современный Запад» и «Восток».

Своеобразной достопримечательностью «Всемирной литературы» была торговка Роза Васильевна.

В 1924 году издательство «Всемирная литература» было объединено с Ленгизом.

См. также
 Библиотека всемирной литературы

Примечания

Источники

Ссылки

 Голубева О. Д. Горький-издатель. М., 1968
 И. Ф. Мартынов. Гумилев и «Всемирная литература»; Список переводов, выполненных Н. С. Гумилевым для издательств «Всемирная литература» и З. Гржебина / Гумилевские чтения // Wiener Slawistischer Almanach. Sonderband 15. Wien, 1984. С. 77-96.

Издательства, основанные в 1919 году
Издательства России
Организации, закрытые в 1924 году
Максим Горький

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Mystery of Auburn student's disappearance might be solved with discovery of car 45 years later
By Doug Evans
Was there foul play in 45-year-old Georgia missing person case?
A 1974 Ford Pinto may hold the key to solving a decades-old disappearance case. Troup County resident and Auburn University student Kyle Wade Clinkscales went missing and arrests were made in the case.
TROUP COUNTY, Ga. - The father of missing Auburn University student Kyle Clinkscales wrote a book titled Kyle's Story - Friday Never Came. It was the day of the week John and Louise Clinkscales thought they would see the son again in 1976 after he left LaGrange for the campus. John passed away in 2008 and his wife died just this past January. For them, Friday never came. But it apparently has for Troup County investigators who pledged to find their son and bring him home to LaGrange.
HUMAN REMAINS FOUND IN CAR LINKED TO MISSING COLLEGE STUDENT'S 45-YEAR-OLD COLD CASE
Troup County Sheriff James Woodruff said on Wednesday that Chambers County, Alabama, authorities on Tuesday pulled Clinkscales' 1974 Ford Pinto from a creek that runs under State Road 83, just ten miles from the state line.
With that, the 45-year-old mystery of what happened to the missing student may be closer to unraveling.
Police photo of Clinkscales's car
Woodruff said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was sifting through the Pinto and had already discovered bones, Clinkscales' wallet as well as his driver's license.
He expressed regret that the discovery was made after the death of Kyle's mother 11 months ago. Woodruff said decades of leads and interviews had been conducted with the goal of bringing the couple's son back to them.
Sheriff James Woodruff talks with reporters on Tuesday
But time passed, leads dwindled and community rumors and speculation seemingly obscured the facts investigators had known for 45 years.
Woodruff told FOX 5 when Chambers County investigators called claiming they had recovered a 1974 Pinto, he expressed doubt that it could have been Clinkscales' car. He said they checked the license plate number in the file and it matched. The car is now in protective storage at the sheriff's office where the nearly half-century-old investigation has resumed.
Police photo of the license plate that confirmed the Ford Pinto belonged to Clinkscales
Creek in Chambers County, AL, were a 911 caller told authorities Tuesday of a submerged car
Questions remain: How did Kyle's car end up in the creek? Had he wandered off Interstate 85, just a few miles away, and drove off the road? Was he murdered? Was his car pushed into the water?
Two arrests were made in 2005 by Troup County Sheriff's investigators. Arrested then were Jimmy Earl Jones, 61, and Jeanne Johnson, 57, both from Troup County, and both accused of hindering the investigation. Investigators quoted in a FOX 5 story at the time said a witness claimed Jones and Johnson were present when Kyle was murdered and his body placed in a drum of concrete. Neither was charged with murder.
Authorities Wednesday would not comment on that investigation or the arrests, saying it was the work of a previous sheriff and prosecutor.
Sheriff Woodruff said with the discovery of the car and possibly Kyle's remains that all theories were back on the table.
John and Louise Clinkscales from a 2005 interview with FOX 5
"He could have run off the road, or it could be connected," Woodruff said. "We may never know."
No information was given out about the 911 caller that alerted authorities to the submerged car. The name and number have been turned over to Troup County investigators.
GET BREAKING NEWS EMAIL ALERTS FROM FOX 5
DOWNLOAD THE FOX 5 ATLANTA APP FOR BREAKING NEWS AND WEATHER ALERTS

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Questa pagina tratta la storia del Ballspielverein Borussia 09 Dortmund.

Dalla fondazione alla seconda guerra mondiale

La storia del Borussia Dortmund inizia il 19 dicembre 1909, quando un nugolo di giovani decide di dare vita ad un nuovo club; i fondatori sono Franz e Paul Braun, Henry Cleve, Hans Debest, Paul Dziendzielle, Franz, Julius e Wilhelm Jacobi, Hans Kahn, Gustav Müller, Franz Risse, Fritz Schulte, Hans Siebold, August Tönnesmann, Heinrich e Robert Unger, Fritz Weber e Franz Wendt. Siccome provengono tutti dalla Dreifaltigkeits-Jugend, la squadra della locale parrocchia, il loro atto viene giudicato da molti come ribelle. Non ha, però, successo il tentativo di Padre Dewald di bloccare l'incontro organizzativo che si sta svolgendo in un ristorante a nord-est della città, lo Zum Wildschütz. Il nuovo club viene così fondato col nome Borussia: si tratta del nome latino della Prussia, che viene scelto prima di tutto in riferimento a un omonimo birrificio situato lungo Steiger Strasse.

Inizialmente la squadra scende in campo con una casacca a strisce blu e bianche con una cintura rossa in diagonale. Nel 1913 la società si fonde con altre due e da qui in avanti i colori della maglia diventano quelli usati tuttora: il giallo e il nero, che sono anche gli stessi della città di Dortmund.

Il Borussia inizia a giocare nelle divisioni locali con risultati modesti, e nel 1926 si trasferisce nel primo storico stadio, il Weisse Wiese. Sono però proprio le spese per ammodernare questo impianto a portare il club sull'orlo del fallimento nel 1929: la sopravvivenza finanziaria è però garantita dell'ex presidente Heinz Schwaben, che si fa carico personalmente del debito.

Nel 1933 in Germania si assiste all'ascesa del nazismo: il regime riforma subito il campionato secondo i propri scopi, e contemporaneamente esercita pressioni sul club, che portano presto all'allontanamento del presidente Egon Pentrup. È degna di nota la prima convocazione in nazionale di un giocatore giallonero, August Lenz, che il 28 aprile 1935 scende in campo contro il Belgio segnando anche due gol. Sempre in questo periodo il Borussia inizia a giocare allo stadio Rote Erde ("stadio Terra rossa"), poco dopo essere stato promosso nella Gauliga Westfalen, una delle massime divisioni locali del periodo. Qui il club milita fino alla fine della seconda guerra mondiale, ma senza molto successo: tutte le edizioni di questo campionato sono infatti vinte dallo , comunque una delle migliori squadre del tempo. I nero-gialli si devono così accontentare di due secondi posti, che sono ottenuti nel 1938 e nel 1942; questi non consentono però l'accesso alla fase nazionale.

Gli anni in Oberliga e i primi successi
Nel dopoguerra Dortmund diventa parte della Germania Ovest. Qui vengono create cinque massime divisioni locali, e solo le prime due squadre di ciascuna accedono alla fase nazionale. Il Borussia gioca in uno di questi campionati, l'Oberliga West, che vince per tre volte di seguito a partire nel 1948. Nel 1949 il club giunge anche alla finale nazionale, tuttavia il titolo viene vinto dal Mannheim.

Intanto però sono arrivati in squadra giocatori importanti: la porta è infatti difesa dal neo campione del mondo Heinz Kwiatkowski, mentre l'attacco è guidato dai tre Alfred, Preißler, Kelbassa e Niepieklo. I primi successi importanti non tardano quindi a venire: dopo aver conquistato l'Oberliga West anche nel 1956 e nel 1957 il Borussia, guidato da Helmut Schneider, raggiunge la finale nazionale in entrambe queste occasioni, e qui batte prima il Karlsruhe, poi l'Amburgo. Questi titoli garantiscono altrettante partecipazioni alla Coppa dei Campioni, e i tedeschi raggiungono come miglior risultato i quarti nell'edizione 1957-1958: sono eliminati dal Milan poi finalista.

In seguito il Borussia non vince più l'Oberliga West, fermandosi così a sei successi totali. Ottiene però due secondi posto in questo campionato, e quindi altrettante partecipazioni alla fase nazionale. Qui il cammino è di tutto rispetto: se i nero-gialli sono sconfitti in finale nel 1961 dal Norimberga, nel 1963 battono il Colonia e conquistano il loro terzo titolo. La squadra, che ha Hermann Eppenhoff in panchina, sfiora nella stessa stagione il double raggiungendo anche la finale della DFB-Pokal: il trofeo viene però sollevato dall'Amburgo.

I primi anni in Bundesliga e la Coppa delle Coppe
Nell'agosto 1963 la formula del campionato tedesco cambia: nasce infatti la Bundesliga, un unico girone all'italiana che raccoglie le migliori squadre della nazione. Tra queste c'è ovviamente il Borussia fresco campione, che però esordisce perdendo 3-2 contro il ; è tuttavia il nero-giallo Timo Konietzka a realizzare il primo gol del torneo, dopo meno di un minuto dall'inizio dell'incontro. In questa stagione la squadra è protagonista anche nella Coppa dei Campioni: qui, dopo aver eliminato una delle migliori squadre di questo periodo, il Benfica di Eusébio, viene fermata in semifinale dai futuri campioni dell'Inter. Il Borussia conquista poi nella stagione successiva la prima DFB-Pokal, in seguito alla vittoria in finale contro l'Alemannia.

La squadra partecipa così alla Coppa delle Coppe 1965-1966, e intanto Hans Tilkowski è stato eletto calciatore dell'anno in Germania. Nella manifestazione continentale i tedeschi eliminano in semifinale i campioni in carica del West Ham, e il 5 maggio 1966 giocano a Glasgow la partita decisiva contro il Liverpool; questa viene vinta 2-1 ai tempi supplementari grazie alle reti segnate da Sigfried Held e Reinhard Libuda, e in questo modo la squadra di Willi Multhaup è la prima a portare in Germania un trofeo internazionale. Parte del merito va sicuramente a Lothar Emmerich, che si laurea capocannoniere segnando il più alto numero di gol di sempre in un'edizione di Coppa delle Coppe, quattordici. Il giocatore è il miglior marcatore anche in campionato; qui i nero-gialli perdono quattro delle ultime cinque partite e si classificano al secondo posto, tre punti sotto al Monaco 1860 dell'ex Konietzka. Arriva anche un terzo posto nel campionato 1966-1967, e anche in questo caso sono decisivi i gol di Emmerich, il miglior marcatore del torneo.

Dalla retrocessione agli anni 1980
Il Borussia ottiene un quinto posto tre anni dopo, ma spesso finisce nella parte bassa della graduatoria. La squadra retrocede in Regionalliga al termine della stagione 1971-1972, e rimane al secondo livello per quattro anni. Però, proprio in questo periodo si trasferisce nel più capiente Westfalenstadion, impianto che è stato costruito per ospitare alcune partite del Mondiale 1974.

I nero-gialli vengono promossi al termine della Zweite Bundesliga 1975-1976, dopo aver vinto il play-off contro il Norimberga. Gli anni immediatamente successivi al ritorno in massima divisione non sono però particolarmente felici: la squadra si classifica sempre nella metà inferiore della graduatoria, inoltre subisce nell'ultima giornata del campionato 1977-1978 la più pesante sconfitta nella storia del torneo, un 12-0 contro il Borussia Mönchengladbach; questo risultato costa il posto a Otto Rehhagel.

Per la stagione 1979-1980 la dirigenza ingaggia uno degli allenatori tedeschi più vincenti dell'ultimo decennio, Udo Lattek. In campionato il Borussia parte subito bene, arrivando anche ad occupare la prima posizione verso la metà del girone di andata, tuttavia finisce al sesto posto, un solo punto sotto la zona UEFA. In questo periodo giocano in squadra Eike Immel e Miroslav Votava, che diventano campioni d'Europa con la Nazionale, e Manfred Burgsmüller, uno dei più prolifici calciatori nella storia del club. È anche grazie a loro che l'accesso alle competizioni europee non sfugge due anni dopo, quando in panchina c'è Branko Zebec; il cammino nella Coppa UEFA 1982-1983 termina tuttavia nel primo turno, dopo aver incontrato i Rangers Glasgow.

Il Borussia accusa però presto un nuovo calo: il picco negativo viene raggiunto al termine del campionato 1985-1986, quando per conquistare la salvezza è necessario battere il Fortuna Colonia nello spareggio promozione/retrocessione. Ad ogni modo già l'anno successivo i nero-gialli sono quarti, e possono così tornare in Coppa UEFA. In questa manifestazione i tedeschi incontrano negli ottavi il Bruges, che viene sconfitto 3-0 nella partita di andata ma ribalta la situazione vincendo 5-0 nel ritorno; questa è ancor oggi la peggior sconfitta in campo europeo

Gli anni d'oro e la vittoria della UEFA Champions League (1989-2002)
Il Borussia Dortmund, guidato ora da Horst Köppel, vince la seconda coppa nazionale nel 1989, dopo aver battuto per 4-1 il  nella finale. Questo trofeo viene sollevato a ventitré anni di distanza dall'ultimo, la Coppa delle Coppe, ed è seguito nella stagione successiva dalla Supercoppa di Germania. Poco dopo i tedeschi sono però eliminati negli ottavi della Coppa delle Coppe dai futuri campioni della Sampdoria.

Un cambiamento si profila comunque al termine della stagione 1990-1991: il club finisce decimo in campionato, e alla guida della squadra subentra Ottmar Hitzfeld. Già nella prima stagione i nero-gialli comandano la classifica nella prima metà del girone di ritorno, ed hanno anche la possibilità di vincere il titolo nell'ultima giornata; arrivano però secondi a causa della peggior differenza reti nei confronti degli avversari. Nella stagione successiva il Borussia è invece protagonista di una buona prova nella Coppa UEFA 1992-1993, dove elimina anche la Roma nei quarti prima di raggiungere in seguito la finale. Qui subisce però il peggior passivo di sempre nell'ultimo atto di questa manifestazione, un pesante 6-1 complessivo contro la .

Questo però è solo l'inizio: la società ingaggia ora giocatori di primo piano, tra i quali Matthias Sammer, e nel 1995 conquista anche il quarto titolo in Bundesliga. Il club ha la certezza di conquistarlo solo nell'ultima giornata del campionato 1994-1995: in questo torneo infatti i nero-gialli rimangono a lungo in testa alla classifica, tuttavia sono tallonati fino alla fine dal . È invece più netta la vittoria del quinto titolo l'anno successivo, e intanto i tedeschi raggiungono la semifinale nella Coppa UEFA 1994-1995, dove incrociano nuovamente la Juventus, e i quarti nella UEFA Champions League 1995-1996, dove sono sconfitti dai futuri vice-campioni dell'Ajax; a fine anno comunque Sammer vince il Pallone d'oro.

Il Borussia ottiene però il primo grande successo internazionale vincendo la UEFA Champions League 1996-1997. In questa manifestazione i tedeschi hanno anche la meglio sui campioni inglesi del Manchester United prima di arrivare alla finale, che si tiene a Monaco di Baviera. Qui trovano nuovamente la Juventus, che è detentrice del trofeo ed è anche favorita dai pronostici. I bianconeri sono tuttavia battuti 3-1 grazie alla doppietta nel primo tempo di Karl-Heinz Riedle ed al più veloce gol realizzato in una finale di Champions, quello dal ventenne Lars Ricken: costui entra in campo per sostituire Stéphane Chapuisat e segna undici secondi dopo.

Dopo la conquista del prestigioso trofeo, però, Hitzfeld lascia. La squadra viene affidata a Nevio Scala, e intanto Jürgen Kohler viene nominato calciatore dell'anno. In questa stagione i Campioni d'Europa perdono la doppia sfida col Barcellona valida per la Supercoppa UEFA, e finiscono solo decimi in campionato, tuttavia sono protagonisti di una buona prova nella Champions League: inizialmente vincono un gruppo contenente anche il  e raggiungono in seguito la semifinale, dove sono eliminati dai futuri campioni del Real Madrid. Ad ogni modo questa stagione sarà ricordata principalmente per la vittoria della Coppa Intercontinentale: a Tokyo i tedeschi sconfiggono infatti 2-0 il Cruzeiro grazie alle reti di Michael Zorc e Heiko Herrlich; i nero-gialli diventano così Campioni del Mondo.

Scala lascia però il club dopo una sola stagione, in anticipo rispetto alla naturale scadenza del contratto, e viene sostituito da Michael Skibbe. Il nuovo allenatore ottiene un quarto posto in campionato ma l'avventura nella Champions League 1999-2000 è breve, inoltre il tecnico non termina la stagione.

Nell'estate 2000 la dirigenza assume quindi Matthias Sammer. L'ex giocatore conduce i nero-gialli al terzo posto in Bundesliga nel primo anno, e alla conquista del sesto titolo l'anno successivo: in questa stagione la vittoria arriva dopo un'insperata rimonta ai danni del : i rossoneri hanno cinque punti di vantaggio a sole tre giornate dal termine ma finiscono un punto indietro, inoltre Márcio Amoroso diventa capocannoniere.

Intanto il Borussia è protagonista anche in campo continentale: infatti, pur non riuscendo a passare la fase a gruppi della Champions League arriva alla finale della Coppa UEFA. In questa manifestazione sconfigge per 4-0 il Milan nell'andata della semifinale e si qualifica in seguito per l'ultimo atto, che è tuttavia vinto dal Feyenoord: gli olandesi hanno comunque la fortuna di giocare nel proprio stadio. Nella stagione successiva i nero-gialli arrivano alla seconda fase a gruppi alla Champions League, classificandosi terzi in un girone vinto dal Milan futuro vincitore del trofeo.

Le difficoltà di inizio millennio (2002-2008)

Intanto però il club si ritrova pesantemente indebitato a causa di una cattiva gestione societaria. Questa situazione viene ulteriormente aggravata dalla mancata partecipazione alla UEFA Champions League 2003-2004: i tedeschi sono infatti eliminati nel terzo turno preliminare dal Bruges. La situazione peggiora nel 2005, quando il club viene salvato del fallimento grazie dall'ingresso di nuovi sponsor; tra questi figura Signal Iduna, che dà il proprio nome allo stadio.

Sul campo però il Borussia, che ha in Alexander Frei, Christoph Metzelder, Sebastian Kehl e Roman Weidenfeller i suoi giocatori più rappresentativi, si classifica al settimo posto nella Bundesliga 2005-2006, ma arriva a sfiorare la retrocessione in Zweite Bundesliga nella stagione successiva: in questo campionato nero-gialli sono condotti al nono posto finale dal neo-assunto Thomas Doll, tuttavia sono penultimi alla ventisettesima giornata.

La squadra si classifica tredicesima nella Bundesliga 2007-2008, ma a questo peggioramento in campionato fa da contraltare il raggiungimento della finale della DFB-Pokal. Anche se il trofeo viene vinto dal  il Borussia partecipa comunque alla Coppa UEFA 2008-2009; è però eliminato dall' nel primo turno.

La rinascita e il ritorno al vertice (2008-oggi)

Nell'estate 2008 la dirigenza ingaggia Jürgen Klopp alla guida della squadra, e il Borussia comincia a risalire posizioni in classifica: conclude infatti la Bundesliga al sesto posto, ma con il rammarico di aver perso all'ultima giornata la qualificazione all'Europa League. Questa arriva al termine del campionato successivo, tuttavia ora a sfuggire ai nero-gialli è la partecipazione alla più quotata Champions League.

Intanto sono arrivati in prima squadra Robert Lewandowski, Shinji Kagawa, Mats Hummels e Mario Götze, e il Borussia Dortmund torna a vincere il campionato dopo nove anni. Se i nero-gialli iniziano perdendo in casa contro il Bayer Leverkusen ottengono però quattordici vittorie ed un solo pareggio nelle successive gare. Si laureano quindi campioni d'inverno con un margine di dieci punti sulle inseguitrici, e nel girone di ritorno mantengono il consistente vantaggio: alla fine sono sette i punti di vantaggio sul Bayer Leverkusen secondo, e arriva così il settimo titolo. Anche la stagione successiva inizia con una sconfitta, rimediata ai rigori contro lo  nel derby valido per la Supercoppa di Germania. Comincia poi la Bundesliga, ma dopo sei partite il Borussia ha già subito tre sconfitte, e si trova in undicesima posizione.

La squadra di Klopp si riprende comunque presto: da qui alla fine del campionato concede solo cinque pareggi, e vince tutte le altre partite. La vetta viene conquistata alla ventesima giornata e mantenuta sino alla fine, quando il  viene distanziato di otto punti. Gli stessi bavaresi sono poi battuti nella finale della DFB-Pokal per 5-2, e in questo modo i nero-gialli centrano il double. La stagione 2012-2013, invece, sarà ricordata per l'ingresso di Puma, nuovo sponsor tecnico e principalmente per il cammino del Borussia nella Champions League: qui i tedeschi vincono un difficile girone iniziale, ed avanzano alla fase eliminatoria. Da menzionare è la vittoria sul  in semifinale, che viene sconfitto per 4-1 nella gara di andata. Questo risultato spalanca di fatto le porte della finale, che si gioca a Londra. Qui per la prima volta nella storia della Champions League si affrontano due squadre teutoniche: l'avversario è infatti quel  che in Germania è spesso il principale antagonista. La sfida viene vinta però per 2-1 dai bavaresi, che trionfano anche in campionato: i nero-gialli secondi sono infatti distanziati di ben venticinque punti.

Nelle due stagioni successive il Borussia perde prima Mario Götze poi Robert Lewandowski, entrambi accasatisi al Bayern e sostituiti con Henrix Mxit'aryan e Ciro Immobile. Se arrivano due Supercoppe di Germania, conquistate sempre battendo i bavaresi, il cammino nella Champions League si interrompe però precocemente: i tedeschi sono infatti eliminati prima nei quarti dell'edizione 2013-2014 per mano dei futuri campioni del Real Madrid, poi negli ottavi l'anno successivo dalla Juventus poi finalista. Diverso è il rendimento in Bundesliga: al secondo posto del 2013-2014 segue un campionato a tratti disastroso, in cui la squadra arriva all'inizio del girone di ritorno anche ad occupare l'ultima posizione. Nel 2014-2015 i gialloneri ottengono comunque un settimo posto finale, che tuttavia non è sufficiente per qualificarsi in Europa League. La qualificazione alla manifestazione arriva tramite la Coppa di Germania, la cui finale viene raggiunta per il secondo anno consecutivo, ma si conclude con un'altra sconfitta (3-1 contro il ) dopo quella patita nel 2014 (2-0 contro il Bayern dopo i tempi supplementari).

Il 15 aprile 2015 Klopp annuncia di voler lasciare a fine stagione la squadra, dopo sette anni di permanenza. La dirigenza nero-gialla solo quattro giorni più tardi rende noto di aver raggiunto un accordo per la successiva stagione con Thomas Tuchel. Il nuovo tecnico conduce il club giallonero al secondo posto in Bundesliga, ai quarti di finale di Europa League e alla finale, la terza consecutiva, della Coppa di Germania, persa ancora, stavolta ai rigori (4-3 dopo lo 0-0 dei 120 minuti) contro il Bayern.L'11 aprile 2017, prima della partita di andata dei quarti di finale di Champions League contro il Monaco a Dortmund, il pullman del Borussia viene colpito da tre esplosioni, che causano il ferimento, non grave, del calciatore Marc Bartra. La partita, disputata il giorno seguente, vede le tifoserie delle due squadre affratellate e unite nella condanna dell'attentato (i tifosi monegaschi rimasti in Germania sono stati in molti casi ospitati dai tifosi della squadra tedesca.Il Borussia di Tuchel esce di scena in Champions League dopo due sconfitte (3-2 in casa e 3-1 allo Stade Louis II) e termina il campionato al terzo posto, alle spalle del Bayern e del sorprendente . Si riscatta vincendo finalmente la sua quarta Coppa di Germania (2-1 in finale all'), dopo tre finali perse consecutivamente. Con questo successo si chiude la gestione di Tuchel.

Più difficile si rivela la stagione 2017-2018, iniziata con la sconfitta ai tiri di rigore nella partita di agosto valevole per la Supercoppa di Germania. L'annata è segnata da un cambio in panchina: il tecnico Peter Bosz è sostituito il 10 dicembre da Peter Stöger. La squadra delude in Champions League, dove totalizza due pari e quattro sconfitte in sei partite, uscendo dopo la fase a gironi. Retrocessa in Europa League, elimina a fatica l' ai sedicesimi di finale, per poi essere estromessa dal torneo dal . In campionato si piazza a molti punti di distanza dalla vetta, ma riesce a ottenere il quarto posto, valevole per la qualificazione alla Champions League. Qui il club tedesco viene inserito nel girone A assieme ad Atletico Madrid, Club Brugge e Monaco, gruppo che viene concluso al primo posto con 13 punti (alla pari con gli spagnoli).

Dal maggio 2018 siede sulla panchina del Borussia Dortmund Lucien Favre. Nella Fußball-Bundesliga 2018-2019, dopo 15 partite senza sconfitte e con un +9 sui rivali del Bayern Monaco, i gialloneri subiscono la prima sconfitta in campionato, nella partita persa per 2-1 sul campo del Fortuna Düsseldorf. Il percorso in UEFA Champions League, dopo la vittoria del girone con l', si conclude agli ottavi di finale contro il , contro cui il Borussia perde entrambe le sfide. Nella stagione 2019-2020 il Borussia vince la Supercoppa di Germania contro il Bayern e si piazza al secondo posto in Bundesliga, mentre in UEFA Champions League la squadra viene eliminata agli ottavi dal . La stagione 2020-2021 si apre con la sconfitta in Supercoppa di Germania per 3-2 contro il Bayern Monaco e prosegue con buoni risultati in Champions, ma alcuni passi falsi in campionato inducono la dirigenza a esonerare Favre dopo undici giornate, con la squadra al quinto posto. Il successore Edin Terzić, che assume la guida della squadra ad interim sino alla fine della stagione, riesce a condurre i suoi alla vittoria della Coppa di Germania, ottenuta battendo in finale l' per 4-1.

Note

Collegamenti esterni
Sito ufficiale

Borussia Dortmund


text:
Le menhir de la Bergerie des Étennevaux, appelé aussi Grosse Pierre, est un menhir situé à Saint-Germain-des-Vaux, dans le département français de la Manche, en Normandie.

Description
Le menhir est constitué d'un bloc de granite de forme parallélépipédique. Il mesure  de hauteur sur  de largeur, pour un périmètre de  à la base.

Des signes gravés désormais effacés se voyaient jadis sur la pierre.

Toponyme
Le microtoponyme Étennevaux est mentionné sous la forme Estennewant en 1207. Le premier élément Estenne- représente sans doute l'ancien scandinave steinn « pierre », déjà rencontré dans le nom de la pierre Gélétan, et le second, -want, est une forme altérée de l'ancien scandinave vangr, « champ, pré » (peut-être influencé phonétiquement par le vieil anglais wang de même sens), d'où une forme initiale *Steinavangr, *Steinawang, avec steinn au génitif pluriel steina « des pierres », d'où le sens global de « champ, pré des pierres », ce qui correspond au site. En revanche, -want a été altéré en -vaux par attraction du français vaux, pluriel de val, et du nom de la commune Saint-Germain-des-Vaux.

Notes et références

Annexes

Bibliographie

Articles connexes
 Sites mégalithiques de la Manche

Menhir dans la Manche


text:
July 20, 2017 By Otis White
If I could change things in cities . . . well, the list would be long. But one item in the top 10 would be making community leadership programs better at doing what they set out to do—train people in civic leadership.
I come to my criticism with respect for these programs and some knowledge. I've spoken to dozens of civic leadership programs in the last 35 years. I've studied them on behalf of a foundation. I'm an alumnus of two leadership programs myself. And I'm a member of the national Association of Leadership Programs.
I'm impressed by the people who participate in the programs and those who run them. The participants are exactly who you'd hope they would be: people in their 30s and 40s who are ready to step up to civic leadership and eager to learn how. The program managers often do their jobs with the skimpiest of resources.
And perhaps it's too much to think people would emerge from these programs ready to lead. We don't expect brand new college graduates to be fully accomplished in their professions. Surely civic leadership demands the same level of on-the-job learning as the law, medicine, or city planning.
And, yet, I think community leadership programs could do better.
Their greatest limitation is their structure. Most programs are nine-month affairs with monthly meetings, starting or closing with a retreat. In these sessions, the programs try to shoehorn two massive courses of study. The first is what is called "community awareness," which is an introduction to the community's issues and processes. So a class of 40 might visit the courts to learn how the criminal-justice system works, a charity hospital to learn about health issues, or the mayor's office to learn the ins and outs of local government.
On top of this, some programs layer a second set of courses dealing with leadership skills. They might include sessions on diversity, team building, group facilitation, or conflict resolution—all things civic leaders need to know to be effective.
That's a huge amount of learning for nine sessions. At the end, graduates are given a certificate, a better grasp of the community's issues, a new set of friends and contacts, and an exhortation to get involved. Then it's time for the leadership program to choose the next class of 40.
What more could a leadership program do? After all, participants' time is limited (most have demanding jobs). The fees they pay barely cover expenses. Few of these programs have other financial resources.
Answers: You could stretch the learning process and take on a third level of leadership training. To do all this, you need to create a graduate program that invites alumni to return regularly and deepen their learning.
What would they learn in these sessions? They'd learn about strategy. In the community context, this means where you get started with change, how you overcome the obstacles you're sure to face, and how you assemble the team and resources for the journey.
Where could a cash-strapped leadership program find people to teach this? All around. In every city, there are veteran leaders who would be delighted to explain how they mounted a successful referendum, raised money for building a museum, or took on a major community problem like homelessness. Oddly enough, they're rarely asked about these things.
Leadership programs are the natural homes of this transfer of knowledge. And by bringing graduates back on a regular basis for "how to" seminars, the programs could increase their worth to their communities, deepen alumni support, and offer new opportunities for philanthropic and business sponsorships.
More important, when you hear enough of these stories of successful change, you notice they have common elements. That's because in every city there is a path to success, a way good ideas become reality. Collect the stories, mark the path, and in no time the leadership program could do more than educate would-be leaders and award them certificates. It could offer them guidebooks.
A version of this posting appeared on the Governing website.
Photo by Josh Hallett licensed under Creative Commons.
May 14, 2015 By Otis White
Twenty-five years ago, as I was growing interested in how cities produce leaders and leaders shape cities, I heard a state business association president define leadership. A leader, he said, "is someone who helps people get where they want to go."
He was speaking to a community leadership class, and I could sense the audience deflate. That's it? Help people go somewhere? Like a bus driver? What about organizing constituencies, offering a vision, and persuading the public? What about standing up for people—or standing up to the powerful? What about holding office?
And, yet, I had to admit he was on to something. Organization and persuasion are skills. Visions can be supplied by others. Standing up to the powerful and holding office are roles. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that helping people get where they want to go (and, one hopes, need to go) isn't a bad definition of what leaders do. It's just . . . incomplete.
So allow me to complete the definition. A leader is someone who helps people get where they want to go . . . by seeing the opportunity for getting there.
Seeing the opportunity—the narrow, sometimes temporary passage through which change can happen—is the genius of leadership. And herding people through that passage is the practice of leadership. What the genius and the practice require is a sense of how things fit together, a tactical vision, a willingness to learn from experience, and a saintly patience with people—but a patience that's bounded by the resolve to do something meaningful.
If this sounds abstract, trust me; there are examples all around you. Here in Atlanta, I've seen these traits in people who nurtured projects great and small, from the creation of the BeltLine, a circle of parks and trails that's transforming entire neighborhoods, to the building of a roundabout that fixed an impossible intersection at the gates of Emory University and breathed life into a small retail district.
In both cases, the leader was someone who recognized the value of these projects, sized up the difficulties, figured out the path forward, and patiently guided others along it. (Interested? You can hear the BeltLine story here and the roundabout story here.)
But how exactly did they do it? What are the steps in seeing and seizing opportunities? And how can you become one of these everyday geniuses?
You can find some of the answers in a book called "A Kind of Genius" by Sam Roberts, the New York Times' urban affairs reporter. It's about a man who took on some of New York's toughest problems in the 1960s and 1970s, figured out practical, even elegant solutions, and got them implemented. His name was Herb Sturz.
Herb who? Roberts' point exactly. Sturz was an "unsung hero, shrewd social engineer and social entrepreneur" who had an impressive but largely unnoticed impact on New York, first by reforming New York's bail bond system (and inspiring similar reforms around the country), then pioneering ways of dealing with substance abuse. His final challenge was the one most apparent to residents and visitors today, the cleanup of Times Square.
You'll be impressed by these stories. But the real reason for reading Roberts' book is to learn how Sturz worked: by listening carefully, studying systems, proposing small-scale experiments, quantifying the results, answering objections, and winning over even the most skeptical officeholders. You won't be surprised to learn that, as a child, Sturz spent a long illness learning to play chess and could see six moves ahead in his mind.
Here's how Roberts explains the Sturz approach: "He spotted things other people hadn't seen, even things that had been staring them in the face every day. He would pose questions that they hadn't asked, even when those questions seemed mundane. And by peppering participants at every level with even more questions, by meticulously dissecting the responses, by crafting hypothetical fixes and subjecting them to challenging testing and experimentation, he tried his hand at transforming illusions into practical answers."
Herb Sturz was a remarkable leader, but I've seen similar traits in others who've accomplished big things in public life. They ask good questions. They listen intently. They experiment, observe, and quantify. They see how systems respond. They answer objections. They're patient. But when an opportunity presents itself and the way forward opens, they are decisive and relentless.
At the end of the day, these leaders get people where they want to go, but often by a road no one else could have imagined. And that's what makes them a kind of genius.
Photo by Steven Fettig licensed under Creative Commons.
The Leader as Strategist and Persuader
August 31, 2012 By Otis White
I've met a lot of mayors over the years. Some were smart, a few were philosophical, many were shrewd, but only a handful were strategic. One of the few, Frank Martin, died a few weeks ago.
Martin was the mayor of Columbus, Georgia who, in a single term in office in the early 1990s, changed his city. Yes, you read that right: He served a single four-year term. (It was his decision. He finished his term to acclaim but chose not to run again.) And in that single term he set in motion changes that are still being felt, 20 years later.
I met Mayor Martin when I was researching a book about the remarkable turnaround of Columbus' downtown, which was a desolate and hopeless place in the 1970s, only to be reborn three decades later as a thriving business, cultural, entertainment, and educational center. I wanted to know how these things happened, and that led me to the political leader who had changed the arc of the city. (If you're interested in the book, you can find it here.)
We had three long conversations, one by phone, one in his office, and a third for a podcast. Each time we talked I was impressed by how his mind worked. He had the ability to look at something familiar (the city he had lived in his entire life or the government he presided over), see assets and opportunities that others couldn't, and move decisively toward them. And, in a nutshell, that's what great strategists do.
And one more thing: He knew how to change people's minds. That's important because, in civic work, it's not enough to see the right thing to do. You have to bring others along with you. Martin knew that words weren't enough. If you wanted to change people's minds, you needed actions as well. Bold actions.
When he became mayor in 1991, Columbus was at a very low ebb. For 15 years, a handful of business and civic leaders had been searching for ways to turn around the downtown, without much success. For one thing, there was the sheer size of the problem: Block after block of empty storefronts, sleazy bars and porn shops, and some of the tackiest retail imaginable. The good stores had moved out of downtown in the 1960s, and many of the offices had joined them in the 1970s. (No one lived downtown then.) A few new projects had been built—a convention center, a hotel, a new office building or two—but the tide was still running out for downtown.
And beyond that, there was a huge impediment to change, which was the citizens' deep-seated cynicism. After seeing decades of decline, they thought the downtown was hopeless and any effort to help it was throwing good money after bad. In fact, they thought the same of the city itself. In the citizens' minds, Columbus was, if not declining, going nowhere and nothing could change it.
So, where do you begin when you're trying to save a city that doesn't believe in itself? Martin's answer was to start with a bang, with what he called his "man on the moon project," a project so ambitious and difficult to achieve that, when it does succeed, the civic self-doubt fades away. He found such a project on his first day in office, when he opened a closet in the mayor's office and discovered a complete set of plans for a civic center. A previous mayor had commissioned the plans and then quietly rolled them up and stowed them away, defeated by the project's politics and finances.
That, Martin decided, would be his "man on the moon project." He would build the civic center that a line of mayors had talked about but been unable to deliver. To make a long story short, he did just that, and Columbus has an impressive new civic center today. But Martin didn't stop there. While he was working on the civic center project, he put together a huge bond referendum that in addition to financing the civic center would make sewer improvements, build sidewalks and parks, and construct a major new softball complex near downtown. He campaigned furiously for the referendum and got it passed.
From the outside, this may not seem like much, but in the sleepwalk that was Columbus in the early 1990s, it was a huge awakening. And Martin was just getting started. The sewer project had an interesting feature, he came to understand. It involved running miles of storm water pipes alongside the Chattahoochee River. And here's where Martin's knack for strategic thinking came in: Why not turn this sewer project into a major new public asset by placing a river walk on top of it? (The idea wasn't his, but he once he heard it, he grasped what it could mean.) He approached the city's foundations and businesses, and they agreed to put up the additional money. The result is one of the largest and most attractive urban river walks in America today, stretching more than 20 miles.
And the softball complex? It became the way that Columbus got a share of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, when it served as host for the women's softball competitions. The city that doubted itself was suddenly seeing itself on international broadcasts, with its beautiful new riverfront improvements as a setting.
I could go on and on about Martin's accomplishments and how they laid the groundwork for the downtown's revival. (Again, if you're interested, read the book.) But at the center of things was a civic leader who combined the mind of a strategist with a shrewd understanding of human nature and what it took to move people.
And these are the things the best leaders do: They see unnoticed assets, find ways of making them greater and far more apparent, and bring others along on the journey. Cities need an army of such people, but sometimes it takes only a few. Or, at the right time and in the right place, just one.
Photo of the Columbus Riverwalk from The Great Project, used with permission
What Glengarry Glen Ross Teaches Us about Change
October 21, 2011 By Otis White
The 1992 film "Glengarry Glen Ross" is a downbeat, almost claustrophobic film with a stream of profanity. But it's also a great movie, not least because some of its lines, once heard, can't be forgotten. Here's one, delivered by the boss (played by Alec Baldwin) to an office full of cut-throat salesmen: "A-B-C," he says. "A-Always, B-Be, C-Closing. Always be closing, always be closing."
Thankfully, communities aren't much like desperate sales offices, but there's a similar acronym that civic leaders may want to commit to memory: A-B-B-R. Always be building relationships.
Successful change, I believe, starts with knowing and articulating community needs. But change is fueled by relationships—the people you know or can get to know. Long before beginning a change process, then, you can strengthen your leadership ability simply by building more relationships.
How many relationships and with whom? As many as you can and the more diverse the better. That's because the best leaders are connectors who put together people, ideas, and resources. And the most valuable connections are the unexpected ones, the ones no one else would have thought of.
Good example: The inspired effort to turn an abandoned elevated rail line in New York into one of America's most exciting and successful new urban parks, the High Line. The project was started by two determined citizens who looked up and saw something no one else did: a park in the sky. By the time it was opened, the High Line required all three elements coming together: unlikely people, unexpected ideas, and unanticipated resources.
And that suggests another thing about relationships: You never know which ones will be valuable in the future, so being overly strategic is probably a mistake. Knowing only existing leaders, for instance, means you'll miss the ones on the rise. And knowing what's important at city hall or the chamber of commerce won't help in a crisis, when leaders need to learn what people elsewhere are thinking.
Steve Jobs, for one, would have approved of indiscriminate relationship building. In his famous 2005 Stanford University commencement speech, Jobs urged graduates not to limit themselves in their careers or lives because, he said, you never know what will be important in the future. "You can't connect the dots looking forward," he warned. "You can only connect them looking backward."
So while you're waiting for a cause to lead, meet as many people as you can, from as many parts of the community as possible. Ask what people are thinking about. Keep an eye out for unexpected resources. Or, if you like things simple, A-B-B-R.
Photo by Sharon Mollerus licensed under Creative Commons.
The Skills of Small-P Politics
June 9, 2010 By Otis White
Not long ago, I wrote about Alan Ehrenhalt's classic book about local politics, "The United States of Ambition." In it, Alan, a longtime political journalist, documents the decline of deference, the rise of "freelance" politicians who come to office without deep community connections, and the erosion of traditional community leadership.
Alan is not the only one to notice this erosion. Writing from the other side of the desk, Willie Brown, the former mayor of San Francisco and one of the shrewdest political operators around, has also written about the sea change in how communities work. In his 2008 memoir, "Basic Brown," Brown discussed the decline of what he called the "leadership class" of cities, "a brigade of people of wealth and interest who could be counted upon to support the city, its institutions, and its needs."
These leaders, Brown said, would respond to almost any appeal that was couched in civic patriotism.
In an afternoon, you could reach a dozen or so people and help a worthy institution get its special fund-raising under way. You really didn't have to explain very much. You just said, "The museum needs help. Everybody's pitching in. Will you? And will you call people you know?" They did.
And today?
. . . (T)he people who feel this way are dying away with no one to replace them. It's not that fortunes are disappearing—we have more billionaires than ever in San Francisco. It's simply that this kind of local civic spirit is disappearing.
The problem, Brown wrote, was globalism, which has loosened the connections between the wealthy and the places they (or their forebears) made their fortunes. For example, he said,
I used to keep a Rolodex of real estate developers, builders of big apartment houses and office buildings, whom I could call upon for help with civic matters. These guys have almost all disappeared. Very few locals are directly involved in local real estate anymore. They don't invest in buildings; they invest in global real estate trusts. They're not San Francisco landlords; they're market investors.
I, too, have written about the decline of long-term business leaders. In a 2006 op-ed article in the New York Times, I focused on the loss of bankers as local leaders, but I agree with Mayor Brown: It's more than the banks, it's most of our local businesses. Globalism may (or may not) be good for us as consumers and business people, but it has made communities much harder to lead.
So what do we do? Well, I don't think we can reverse globalism. And I think Alan was right that the decline of traditional leadership has left many places with a set of "freelance" politicians whom nobody sent and, in a sense, no one is responsible for. So when you subtract traditional business leaders and deeply connected politicians, it leaves us . . . on our own. And that may be OK.
It means that if communities are going to be led in the future, the leaders will have to be us. You and me. Average people without corporate backing or generations of civic involvement. People who care about their communities and are willing to work to make them better, but can do so only part time because they have day jobs.
But if this is going to work, the part-time leaders will need to learn a few skills. First, they're going to have to learn how power works and how to accumulate it to do important things. Second, they're going to have to master the skills of "small-p politics," how to introduce new ideas, build interest in them, remove obstacles, gain approval from permission givers and drive the ideas forward. This isn't the "big-p politics" that we associate with campaigns and legislative chambers, the stuff you see on CNN or C-Span. Small-p politics is quieter, more patient, far less glamorous "" in other words, it's grunt work. (In an earlier posting, I called it "removing the boulders" and "building the wall.")
So while I agree with Alan's analysis and understand Mayor Brown's frustration, I think the days of depending on the few to lead us are over, and we need to get on with teaching power and political skills to the many. And, oh, Mr. Mayor, it's time to trade in that Rolodex for a database.
Photo by Wally Gobetz licensed under Creative Commons.


One of our ELI Forums readers submitted to us a brand-new extortion letter never seen before. We call it the "Aldrich Law Firm Settlement Demand Letter" and we have included it within the ELI Document Library on Scribd. This time around, it comes from Attorney Russell Aldrich from the Aldrich Law Firm in San Antonio, TX. The client being represented is Hawaiian Art Network, a company that continues to be a recurring topic of discussion on the ELI Forums.
The interesting thing about this letter is how it includes a FAQ that is nearly identical in wording to the FAQ provided by Getty Images. Is this a coincidence? Have we caught a lawyer red-handed plagiarizing the FAQ letter from Getty Images? Does Getty Images know about this?
In looking at Russell's LinkedIn profile, he has been a lawyer since November 2011 (less than 3 months)! And he moonlights as an Executive Officer for the 321st Military Intelligence Battalion, Charlie Company.
Hawaiian Art Network continues their "excellent" record of using young, inexperienced lawyers to do their collection work. We wonder how long this one will last.


The Giver – Christian Themes and Response!
The Giver is a movie that has been completely off my radar. I have no knowledge of the book, and I didn't even really know it was a movie, besides that fact that I tuned out as soon as I heard it had Meryl Streep in it. She has completely lost me as a viewer after her Oscar attempting stunts with that horrible movie she did with Tommy Lee Jones and her old, crazy lady performance in The Iron Lady, oh, and that other old, crazy lady performance in Osage County. But then… a post on Facebook caught my attention. It was a link to an article entitled, "Three Reasons Why The Giver is the best Christian Movie Since "Narnia"' The same day I read that article, Nolan J Matter sent me a review of a the article! So yes, The Giver, has caught my attention, but I'm not sure yet if I will see it.
Last night I went to the cinema and sat through the production of The Giver. Now it is important to note that I had recently read an article entitled "Three Reasons Why The Giver is the Best Christian Movie Since 'Narnia.'" After skimming the article, which I found quite interesting, I put it down…perhaps dismissing its relevance. But after watching the movie its relevance was all I could think of.
You see, during the last few years in my education, I have come across more than one professor who has outlined the atrocities committed by America; highlighting the bad, but some how forgetting the good. It seems that in the class room I hear daily of all the evil in the world; specifically all the evil America has committed. For my most recent assignment I had to read an article on the interment of Japanese Americans by the American Government. The article is titled "Then Came War" by Yuri Kochiyama, if you are interested in researching it. This article like many others from my classes seems to be outlining all the terrible things that America has done. The professors only want to discuss these types of articles; the type that talk about society's mistakes. The premise of The Giver is that society has done away with evil; by creating a neutral society there is no evil—but there is also no good. In order to make life meaningful the Giver has to find a way to go against the society and bring back the memories of the past. The Elders in The Giver are against bringing back any past memories because they do not want evil and pain to be a part of their society.
At one point in the article "Then Came War" the author talks about an experience she had while she was on her way to the internment camp. Her train was stopped at the station when an older gentleman asked her to write letters to him. This act of kindness form a passerby, someone who she thinks could have viewed her as less than American, speaks volumes to the great good that humans can have—and give.
Of course there is great evil in the world, but would we as a society trade in love to get rid of hate? To be neutral so everyone can be normal? The Giver recognizes society's flaws, he sees the evil of the world—he is the only one who sees it, and yet he is willing to unleash it on society? Why? Because he perceives the good—greater than any evil.
Most people have looked at America and said you have always been putting people behind walls, but shouldn't our mindset be like the Giver and his rationale for wanting to eradicate the neutral society. Yes America has put people behind walls but America has also set people free. I will let you decide what has a greeter impact.
We cannot highlight the bad and leave out the good! We as Christian are called to share the good news not the bad news. Yes I understand that there is bad news, but if we are standing on a street corner condemneding people we are letting the evil have power over the good—are job is not to condemn, but to redeem. We as Christians need to emphasis the fact that all the evil in the world will be eradicated by the strongest good—Jesus Christ.
There will come an end to evil for all of those that are found in Christ Jesus. Amen, Nolan.
Having not read the book or seen the movie, I assume this man is either The Giver or one of the elders.
Previous Post The Blind Men and the Elephant – The Response!


text:
Fix Issue # .

## Changes
(Please provide a brief description of the changes here.)

### Checklist
- [ ] I ran Unit Tests locally.
- [ ] CHANGELOG.md updated with one line description of the fix, and a link to the original issue if available.

For significant contributions please make sure you have completed the following items:

- [ ] Design discussion issue #
- [ ] Changes in public surface reviewed

The PR will trigger build, unit tests, and functional tests automatically. Please follow [these](https://github.com/Microsoft/ApplicationInsights-dotnet/blob/develop/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md) instructions to build and test locally.

### Notes for authors:
- FxCop and other analyzers will fail the build. To see these errors yourself, compile localy using the Release configuration.

### Notes for reviewers:

- We support [comment build triggers](https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/devops/pipelines/repos/github?view=azure-devops&tabs=yaml#comment-triggers)
  - `/AzurePipelines run` will queue all builds
  - `/AzurePipelines run <pipeline-name>` will queue a specific build

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Billy Martin, född William George Martin 15 juni 1981 i Annapolis, Maryland, är en amerikansk musiker som spelar gitarr och på senare tid även keyboard i poppunkbandet Good Charlotte. Han har tidigare varit sångare i bandet Overflow, som han startade tillsammans med Steve Sievers.

Billy Martin uppträdde i filmen Not Another Teen Movie från 2001 tillsammans med bandkompisarna i Good Charlotte.

Utöver musiken ägnar sig Martin även åt måleri och kläddesign. Han har ett klädesmärke tillsammans med vännen Steve Sievers som heter Level 27 Clothing. Martin lade ner Level 27 Clothing i december 2009.

Martin illustrerade Good Charlottes tredje album, The Chronicles of Life and Death, och har även en egen hemsida för sin konst.

Martin är vegetarian och en aktiv medlem i djurrättsorganisationen PETA.

1. mars 2008 giftade Martin sig med hårstylisten Linzi Williamson. Paret fick sonen Dreavyn Kingslee Martin 26. januari 2009 i Pasadena, Kalifornien.

Diskografi
Album med Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte (2000)
The Young and the Hopeless (2002)
The Chronicles of Life and Death (2004)
Good Morning Revival (2007)
Cardiology (2010)
Youth Authority (2016)
Generation Rx (2018)

Referenser

Externa länkar

level27online.com
Billy Martins konst

Födda 1981
Amerikanska rockgitarrister
Amerikanska keyboardister
Män
Levande personer


text:
Gia Giudice has a new song, and you have to read the lyrics
by Jessica Arnold
Jessica Arnold
Jessica's Most Recent Stories
21 Valentine's Day Movies That Will Make You Laugh Instead of Cry
The Most Memorable Super Bowl Halftime Moments of All Time
18 Celebrity Halloween Couples Costumes We Love
January 26, 2015 at 7:56pm PM EST
3KT's new music video for their song, "Just 13," will have you reaching for some tissues.
More: Teresa Giudice hits the slopes before heading to the slammer
Related story Bravo Announces The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City As the Franchise's Newest Installment
Though Gia Giudice raised some eyebrows last week when she described visiting her Real Housewives of New Jersey mom in jail as "fun," it's clear from her girl group's new song that the struggle hasn't been easy for the teen or her family. They are all just trying to make the best out of a bad situation.
Giudice cowrote the song with her music teacher and said that the two just "poured out our thoughts," according to the Hollywood Gossip.
More: 7 things to know about Ruby Rose before she joins Orange Is the New Black
Giudice sings, "Guess the elephant is getting too big for the room/Maybe these walls are closing in/Mama said be strong/So against the storm I stand through it all/It's just a joke to you/I'm just another hashtag/And if a camera crew followed you/What would they see/You're just like me/So go on and talk about it/Enjoy your life, go ahead and tweet about it/And although it may sting I am a queen/And I fear nothing/Filled with strength and dignity you won't break me/You're not that strong/I've got moxy and the best is yet to come/Just let me be me/I'm just 13/Do you know what I'm going through?/Just 13/Do you even care?/Just 13."
More: How early will Teresa Giudice get off of her prison sentence?
The video ends with a clip of Teresa Giudice kissing her daughter goodbye and promising, "It's not saying goodbye. It's saying see you soon," while blowing her daughter a goodbye kiss, which makes Gia laugh. Teresa is currently serving a 15-month sentence for bankruptcy fraud charges and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
The video features photos of the Giudice family, otherwise it is just Gia Giudice in the spotlight around a dark stage singing about her life. The teen hasn't had it easy and it's a reminder that everyone needs support. She's barely a teenager. (Shortly after recording the video, Giudice had her 14th birthday.)
Watch the full music video below.
www.youtube.com/embed/c03ncctEjFQ
What do you think of 3KT's new music video, "Just 13"?
Real Housewives of New Jersey


doubt whether it is there large no# RSs.  Do you have some data Rajesh Babu?
> to store (index value, entity key) pairs.
> point-gets via an index) in some linear correlation with its size.
>> how things worked out.
>>> in the case where there is no change).
>>> in the presentations James linked.
>>>>> values of the entity still match with the index.
>>>>> entities are ordered independently from the index - hence the index)?
>>>>> after an index rebuild).
>>>>> what I ended up doing considering the first post.
>>>>> secondary-indexes.html a while back.
>>>>>  The devil is often in the details. On the surface it looks simple.
>>>>>> Is deletion handled correctly?Does it work with multiple versions?
>>>>>> What happens when the client dies 1/2 way through an update?
>>>>>> without transactions are tricky.
>>>>>> to detect stale index entries.
>>>>>> that HBase has no transactions.
>>>>>> indexes are trimmed and accurate.
>>>>>> but as a toolbox / utility style library.


text:
ForeverPen Reviews – Does Forever Pen Work? Inkless Key Ring Worth It?
Have you ever been asked to provide someone with a pen, but you didn't have any with you? No cutter available to open packages? A typical pen has a short lifespan, especially for those who write more often than they type. Moreover, the likelihood of a normal pen cracking in two when used to open a package is substantially higher than the likelihood of it remaining in one piece. That's what our editorial team generally believed about pens until we discovered the tiniest pen known to humankind. In addition to being discrete and portable, it also doesn't require refilling and it doubles down as a little tool. This review's goal is to shed light on ForeverPen™.
What is ForeverPen™?
The ForeverPen™ is the world's smallest pen, measuring only one inch in length. The main selling point of ForeverPen™, which was designed to be attached to a set of keys, is that it supposedly never needs to be refilled. According to the creators, this pen substitute arose from a simple idea: "Having something with you all the time, small enough to never forget and functional enough to need often." Matter-of-factly, the team responsible for this innovation made it clear that their mission is to go small while increasing functionality. Here are a couple of words as found on the official KickStarter page:
"We combine versatile items with the most durable materials to disrupt old trends and change the way you carry."
It goes without saying that the product's name is attention-grabbing on its own, but there are also many other factors to consider. Before we get into the features of the ForeverPen™, let's take a look at how the creators came up with such a unique and creative pen.
How does ForeverPen™ work?
The ForeverPen™ is based on silverpoint principles. Leonardo DaVinci is said to have used silverpoint as a drawing technique. Using this knowledge, a long-lasting silver tip was created by combining material science and modern engineering. Consequently, the pen can be used to write on almost anything and anywhere. Furthermore, the tips are said to be made of non-toxic silver composite, while the body is made of grade 5 titanium. Speaking of the overall structure of the ForeverPen™, it is worthy to mention that it supports solid ink, which outperforms liquid ink in every way. With this framework in place, we can now investigate the precise mechanisms by which ForeverPen™ surpasses all others.
What features does ForeverPen™ have?
At first glance, people may dismiss ForeverPen™, but one thing is certain: the pen's size does not completely expose its utility. Our editorial team was astonished by the following features after analyzing the various layers of this pen:
Machine-Milled & Long-Lasting Tip
ForeverPen™ was machine milled, specifically its silver composite, which allegedly takes both weight and balance into account for maximum precision. In terms of precision, the design is said to have a bold and contemporary look that is also smart and practical. Pertaining to the tip, the creators guarantee that ForeverPen™ has been scientifically and structurally stress examined to ensure sturdiness.
Despite being marketed as a pen, the ForeverPen™'s use of strong silver lets people tear boxes, gently prod open lids, and even open packets. As a pen, the nib helps protect the user's fingers from marks and smudging. In fact, this pen is best suited for quick note taking. It will definitely leave visible strokes on paper, cards, plastic, wood, and other surfaces.
Weather-Proof, Fire-Resistant & Extremely Durable
ForeverPen™, as the name implies, was purposefully designed to last as long as it could. The creators claim to have used tough and inert materials to make this possible. This means that the ForeverPen™ can be used in the most extreme conditions (including underwater), hence, the reason why it is considered as a weather-proof, fire-resistant, and extremely durable pen.
Easy Attachment
The ForeverPen™ has a keychain loophole built in so it can be carried around, whether it be by attaching to a keyring, zipper, or anything that supports prompt attachment. This is an important feature because most people who are suddenly asked to sign a document or to lend a pen usually end up scrambling for one.
Reduces Waste
Traditional pens contribute significantly to plastic waste and toxic material accumulation. Individuals will not need to replace ForeverPen™ as frequently because it is long-lasting. It's also important to remember that ForeverPen™ was never made with plastic or any other abrasive material.
Will ForeverPen™ really last forever?
No, as put by the team, the name "ForeverPen™" was coined to imply that the pen is highly likely to last much longer than any other pen. That said, each ForeverPen™ is deemed equivalent to 500 traditional pens.
What is ForeverPen™ made from?
The tips are made of non-toxic silver composite whereas the body is made of grade 5 titanium.
Does ForeverPen™ contain heavy metals?
No, since ForeverPen™ is free of lead and other heavy metals.
Why is there a hole in ForeverPen™?
The hole has been included to help attach the pen to keys, carabiner, and zippers among others. By attaching it to something else, individuals will reduce the risk of losing ForeverPen™.
Is ForeverPen™ TSA safe?
Yes, ForeverPen™ is TSA safe, which means individuals can travel with it. This pen neither constitutes blades nor toxic pieces of metals.
How small is ForeverPen™?
The length is about an inch, and the diameter is about 0.3 inch.
ForeverPen™ is so small, is it actually possible to write with?
Apparently, it is easy to write with. Individuals will simply have to hold onto their respective keys to achieve this.
Is ForeverPen™ protected by a warranty?
All ForeverPen™ units have been protected by a one-year warranty, which is meant to cover all manufacturing defects.
Is ForeverPen™ protected by a money-back guarantee?
Yes, ForeverPen™ has been protected by a 30-day money-back guarantee. Individuals should get in touch with customer service to start the refund procedures if they change their minds. Naturally, this implies that each pen must be new and in its original package. To learn more about the warranty and refund policies, send an email directly to foreverpen@giddyup-support.com.
How much does ForeverPen™ cost?
At present, ForeverPen™ can be purchased at the following rates:
1 ForeverPen™ pen: CAD$35.73 each
3 ForeverPen™ pens: CAD$28.53 each
As far as we can tell, ForeverPen™ is a versatile pen that was developed using the silverpoint drawing technique. The creators were able to design a pen that might survive far longer than 500 pens put together and this is all thanks to the fusion of modern materials with traditional techniques. In addition to being long-lasting, ForeverPen™ has received praise for its performance even in the most difficult situations and for minimizing waste.
Before placing an order, users may wish to get in touch with the customer support staff. This is due to the fact that ForeverPen™ is now being promoted on KickStarter, where a large number of backers are eagerly anticipating their shipments. 90% of the supplies, according to the team, have reportedly been dispatched as of now, but nobody appears to have received their tracking information. This is likely due to shipment delays created by COVID, but at the end of the day, we advise continuing with caution. For now, more information on ForeverPen™ can be gathered by visiting here! >>>>
Keilini Lightbulb Security Camera Reviews
Hims Review
Whale killed by possible ship strike beaches near Ruby Beach
Grays Harbor readies for tsunami drill
Flat Belly Melts Reviews – Does It Work?
Metabolism is a term commonly used in the supplement industry. People are usually taught that the lower the metabolic rate,…
Abdomax Reviews – Does It Work?
Abdomax is a daily supplement that helps consumers to improve their gut health by increasing pepsinogen levels. This formula uses…
DuoTrim Reviews – Safe Daily Digestion Hack Protocol for Belly Fat Weight Loss?
Has your journey toward weight loss experienced many highs and lows since you started? Feel as though you are never…


In April 2017, Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd (HCM) acquired ownership of Bradken Limited.
HCM is a leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, headquartered in Japan with over 20,000 staff globally. They market their products worldwide through a global network of company owned and independent dealers.
This partnership signifies a new era for Bradken that will deliver all of our customers improved value as we make the most of synergies with HCM to build a stronger, more advanced business.
Bradken's expertise in designing, manufacturing and maintaining parts for construction and mining equipment naturally complements HCM's large fleet of equipment.
Bradken will be working to increase its and HCM's value for customers through a constantly improving value chain. We will enable HCM to provide comprehensive solutions for client productivity enhancements and develop a stronger after-sales business. We will be looking to improve the life cycle cost of products and have our parts not only on HCM's equipment, but also on its competitors as we become the core service parts supplier across the globe.
Bradken's offering to its broad customer base is only strengthened by this relationship as we have increased effective means to work closely with our customers to develop and deliver the best solutions to their challenges.
HCM is part of the overall Hitachi Group, founded in 1910 by Namihei Odaira, a Japanese electrical engineer who was determined to produce original products and technologies in Japan.
Over the years, the Hitachi Group has grown to supply products and services that meet society's demands across diverse industries and is now a respected global infrastructure solutions company with more than 320,000 employees worldwide.
Today, Hitachi leverages its diverse range of expertise to drive its Social Innovation Business on a global scale. Through its Social Innovation Business, Hitachi aims to refine technologies and develop new ones to meet tomorrow's challenges, creating value that will last for future generations.
Learn more about Hitachi Construction Machinery.


text:
Karol Bogumił Schütz (ur. 18 maja 1741 w Dreźnie, zm. 15 stycznia 1818) – warszawski architekt i budowniczy.

Życiorys
Karol Schütz przybył do Polski z Saksonii ok. 1765 roku. Od 1778 roku reprezentował wydział budowlany warszawskiej parafii ewangelicko-augsburskiej. W 1784 roku został mianowany budowniczym Rzeczypospolitej.

W końcu 1794 roku został budowniczym wojskowym w randze kapitana wojsk koronnych, a w 1817 roku był adiunktem przy Piotrze Aignerze, profesorze architektury na Uniwersytecie Warszawskim.

Ważniejsze prace
 Ratusz w Grzybowie, który został wzniesiony w 1786 roku w stylu klasycystycznym. Po likwidacji jurydyk był m.in. więzieniem, a zlicytowany w 1820 roku został rozebrany około roku 1830;
 kamienica Wasilewskiego (późniejsza kamienica Wilhelma Malcza) na Krakowskim Przedmieściu w Warszawie po południowej stronie zbiegu z ul. Bednarską (na tym miejscu stoi obecnie północne skrzydło Dziekanki).

Życie prywatne
W małżeństwie z Chrystianą Elżbietą z Weberów (1750–1818) miał 3 dzieci: syna Fryderyka Adolfa, również architekta i budowniczego, Annę Juliannę Henriettę zamężną Gronau oraz Adelę Krystynę Mariannę zamężną Daszkow.

Należał do warszawskiej masonerii, w której pełnił funkcję sędziego loży Göttin von Eleusis od 1787 roku, a w okresie Księstwa Warszawskiego był członkiem Najwyższej Kapituły tej loży.

Został pochowany na cmentarzu ewangelicko-augsburskim w Warszawie (aleja 2 nr 12).

Przypisy

Bibliografia

Ludzie związani z Królewskim Uniwersytetem Warszawskim
Kapitanowie armii koronnej
Ludzie urodzeni w Dreźnie
Polscy architekci
Polscy wolnomularze
Urodzeni w 1741
Zmarli w 1818
Pochowani na cmentarzu ewangelicko-augsburskim w Warszawie


Please see theObtaining Police Reports page.
1. How an individual can obtain information relation to their own previous criminal history?
Please see the	Obtaining Personal Criminal Records page.
2. How can I pay my parking ticket?
Parking tickets can be paid by mail (see ticket instructions), in person at the Department of Public Safety, at 474 Broadway, Floor 2 in City Hall, or on line by credit card (Visa and Mastercard only).
3. What is the city noise ordinance?
4. What is the city curfew?
The definition the curfew can be found in Part 2, General Legislation, Chapter § 96-1 of the Code of the City of Saratoga Springs.
5. Is possession of an open alcoholic beverage legal in public outdoor areas?
Open containers of alcoholic beverages are generally illegal in certain public areas of the city. More information about this law can be found in Part 2 General Legislation, Chapter 61: Alcoholic Beverages the	Code of the City of Saratoga Springs.
6. Where can I find information about child safety seats?
For information about NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law regarding child safety seats, as well as general information, refer to the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee.
7. How do I obtain a copy of a police report?
Please see the	Obtaining Police Reports page.


I adore pets, especially dogs! I love being around them and being able to help out others when needed.
I have had dogs my whole life, I currently have a beagle and a staffy who I take for walks everyday!
I offer pet sitting/house sitting. Whilst away on holidays or need someone to look after the pets at home without a worry, I offer to stay in the house and attend to other small tasks as well as looking after the pets.
Elly's service is located in or nearby Bowral, New South Wales. Book via PetBacker for Insurance, Payment protection & 24x7 support.
If you have hired Elly before, leave a review now.
Contact Elly now with your pets info. If Elly is busy, we can help include similar Backers.


Part of managing a town or city is about measurement: using data from various places to tell whether we are having a positive influence or not. But that variety is also a problem: many disparate sources, all telling us different things. What if we could join them all together into a single, detailed model – a virtual and complete copy of our place – that we could measure, forecast and experiment with?
When I first launched Noggin it was in response to a local city gathering data but doing very little with it. They wanted to know what they could do with all the footfall data they had & knew it had value but didn't have the resources to turn that value into a positive. Pretty soon after, it became clear that one monitoring device (footfall camera) wasn't enough and, with budgets constrained, I developed a series of cheap sensors to help them see more of the city; to build a bigger picture.
This still wasn't enough. Anybody running high street events will know huge footfall doesn't necessarily relate to spending at the till, or if it does, it depends on the event itself. So, while we could see where the visitors were, there was a whole heap of unanswered questions about what attracted them, where they came from and how to encourage spending while they were here.
Meanwhile, technology – particularly for the high street – has progressed enormously over recent years, as has the availability of data. We now have public wi-fi with detailed visitor metrics; loyalty card schemes gathering enormous amounts of data; charge card systems that open up spend data in local shops; mobile data aggregators that show how people move in and out of towns. These are just a few of the options. Traditional stalwarts of high street data are evolving as well, whilst their data provides important national trends and commentary.
Other data sources are becoming ever more available: councils regularly collect data on traffic; many car parks broadcast their live space counters. Environment sensors document our local environment … and with smart cities edging ever closer, that data is expected to grow significantly.
It's one thing to have all this data. It's an entirely separate thing to use it; to understand and communicate it.
I firmly believe that the next step in this journey is in modelling. Essentially, creating a virtual copy of our towns in a simulation, and using all of this data to perfect the model. With that, we open up the means to interrogate the data more effectively, in ways that aren't limited by physical capability.
Imagine clicking on a map of your town at any point, and seeing all the footfall for that location, even if there isn't actually a camera there.
Then imagine seeing a profile of all those people. What their interests are. Why they're in town. How much they could spend. How they feel about the look & feel of the area.
Think about the value for commercial property agents – the perfect location finder for a new coffee shop or hairdressing salon. For the existing retailers, to see how they might target advertising and when best to open. Or even better: when best to close up for a much needed break.
People don't tend to throw darts at a map to figure out where to shop or have lunch. Much is based on experience, marketing and need. So, now imagine how we might start by understanding why people choose your town. How they heard about it, and whether your social media campaign might've influenced their decisions.
And when they come in, do they take the car or a train? Do they use the park & ride or prefer to spend more on inner-city parking? What is the environmental consequence – per person – of a parking space in the centre of town?
And, after a (hopefully) nice day out, they return home. What did they think? Will they come back or recommend to friends?
Nowadays, all of this is in some degree measurable. We can already collect data on much of this, but how can we possibly see the entire story?
The ability to create a simulation of a town allows us to use the data we collect to improve it; constantly make it better and more accurate. So, a model could potentially tell us not just how many people there were, but all the factors and consequences of their visit (positive or negative), at any point in time and at any location.
The primary trade-off is accuracy vs cost.
Using just a few cheap data sources will give relatively poor accuracy. Buying the biggest and the best will cost a small fortune, but accuracy will be much better. I suspect many will settle for the middle ground.
Importantly, these sources can be substituted. Footfall can be collected by wi-fi systems – it's just a little different. A cheap camera will be less accurate than a more expensive one, but it'll still give you something of use. The individual providers you choose will again be a trade-off between cost and accuracy (as well as other value-add considerations), but they can all contribute to the model as a whole.
Once you've built a model, you can start to forecast. Now we look into the future, based on the experience of the past and the advice of analysts. What will next Christmas look like?
With a forecast model, we can also have a what-if model. What if it rains for the Christmas Lights Switch-on this year? What if you close the High Street for urgent roadworks in January versus April? What if your big brand anchor store closes? What if Brexit kills off foreign tourism to the UK, or encourages it?
Some of this might sound recognisable, and that's because many parts of it already exist. Highways engineers have long used forecasting models to work out traffic levels in 2025, for instance. It's also how we talk about the business case for HS2 or a third Heathrow runway. These are based on a similar philosophy: collect data, add experienced opinion, ask the model.
And this sort of work is already happening in cities – to a certain extent. There's an annual exhibition in Olympia to showcase companies building models for all kinds of pedestrian movements. One UK company is building a fascinating platform – originally intended for video games – but re-purposed to create virtual cities.
Not just understanding people in town, but why & how: the implications of town centres extend far beyond a visit. They influence where we choose to live, work and relax.
This is my goal: to better understand towns, cities and all those that interact with them. It's stupidly ambitious – I'm merely putting a flag in the ground and don't expect to achieve it all myself – but everything I do now is influenced by this master plan, and I want to work with others who share these sorts of ideas.
So, please, let me know your thoughts; findings; opinions. Are there any towns or cities elsewhere in the world already attempting this?


Why Winterline? Why Gap Year Programs? Why Skills?
Winterline Global Education offers skills-based gap year and short programs for young adults with an adventurous spirit and an interest in the world around them. You will learn real-world skills to prepare you for college, life, and your career while traveling the world and exploring your passions.
Are you ready to travel? Gain practical life skills that you didn't get in high school and won't get in college? Develop friendships that will last a lifetime? Then come join us!
Launch a business. Learn to scuba dive. Build a robot. Practice making delicious Thai meals and French pastries. And so much more.
Our nine-month gap experience is specifically designed to introduce you to different parts of the world and expand your knowledge of global cultures, issues and contexts, while teaching you real-world life and career skills.
Our shorter programs allow you to experience your interests or future fields of study with a global perspective before you commit to a college major or a career.
Join us for a global adventure and to gain real-world skills that will last a lifetime!
Some people think of a gap year or a gap semester as a holding pattern between one school year and another. We at Winterline don't agree. We think a gap experience is something else entirely: Something that will move you closer to the person you want to be … that will give you skills that make you more confident in yourself … that will help you understand what's important to you … that will reveal fundamental truths about who you are and how you fit in the world.
That's the Winterline Global Education vision. Our programs are about exploration. Observation. Discovery. They're about curiosity and the ability to learn when there's no one to teach you. About unearthing your connection to our planet … and the vastness within yourself.
Just as important, it's about developing real-world skills … and gaining confidence to deal with whatever you encounter. Because you'll only be the best version of yourself if you can deal with challenges large and small, from a broken ankle to a torn shirt, from cooking a meal to speaking in public.
Through our combination of global travel and skills-based discovery, Winterline helps participants become better equipped to make decisions, handle situations, and realize their own potential. And they have an awesome time doing it.
Because self-discovery should be the journey of a lifetime. And now is the time to start.
Find out about our programs here.


Felt restricted to go for a holiday but just needing that extra help to pull through that extra stretch? As the saying goes, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" We all need a little time off from work from our hectic schedule but sometimes, we just need that extra financial mileage. Golden Credit is here to help, contact us and our loan officers will help to tailor a personalised loan package just for this purpose.
Why engage us for Holiday Loans?