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Tag Archive: Tea Leaves
Kansas Family Spends Small Fortune To Find Out Why SWAT Raided Their House After Finding Tea Leaves In Garbage
Filed under: Arrogance, Barbarism, Civil Liberties, Conspiracy, Constitution, Corruption, Cronyism, Culture, Hypocrisy, Law, Law Enforcement Thuggery, Police State, Shame, Spending, Statism — 1 Comment
THE DARK STATE: Discarded Tea Leaves, False Positive Drug Tests Prompt Search Warrant Of Family Home
" The Sunflower State has very little sunshine for law enforcement records. Most Kansans are unaware of their inability to see records collected about themselves or loved ones. They're either forced to spend thousands of dollars to open them or can't afford to even try. This story is part one of a three part investigation that shows what can happen when records are restricted in Kansas. Read about the other two and watch our documentary at KSHB.com/darkstate.
Bob Harte groggily opened his front door and found a fully-armed Johnson County SWAT team in front of him early in the morning of April 20, 2012.
It was 7:30 a.m. when he'd heard a knock at the door and pulled himself out of bed to answer it while his wife and two kids slept. A SWAT team surrounded his home, and a deputy had a battering ram ready to charge through the door had Bob had not opened it.
The deputies pushed Bob to the floor of the entry way of his home and stood over him with rifles screaming, "Where are the children in the home?" Bob told them they were in their rooms and the deputies ran to find them.
The commotion woke his wife Addie Harte who came downstairs to find out what was going on.
" We just kept saying 'You're in the wrong house!' said Addie.
Deputies searched the sofa and then allowed the family of four to sit on it, in front of their picture window, as armed deputies searched the home. For two hours, the family sat on that sofa, afraid and puzzled as to why deputies were in their home.
" On television, they always come to the door and say 'we have a search warrant' and hold it up. Here it is. Let us in. We were told in Kansas, they don't have to give you the search warrant until they leave," Bob Harte said.
The Hartes' kept asking deputies why they were in their home but deputies would only say that they were looking for "narcotics."
At the end of the raid, deputies handed the warrant over to Bob. On it, they had written they hadn't seized anything. They had not found anything illegal in the home. Bob would end up taking that warrant door to door in their neighborhood to convince his neighbors nothing inappropriate had happened at their home.
After the raid, the couple thought they could access public records to find out why law enforcement suspected drugs were in their home. They told 41 Action News they were shocked to find out they could not access any of those records under Kansas law.
EDITOR'S NOTE: HB 2555, which would've opened some records to the public, was all but killed the night of March 25, by the Kansas Legislature.
" We were chosen more or less at random for this drug raid and we were like 'what do you mean we can't get the records? They raided our house," said Addie.
The Hartes spent $25,000 hiring an attorney to fight to get access to the records. It took a year, but the Johnson County Sheriff's Office eventually released the records. The Hartes were surprised by what they read.
Records showed on Aug. 9, 2011, a Missouri Highway Patrol trooper observed a man leaving the Green Circle hydroponics store in Kansas City, Mo., in a KIA with his children and a small bag.
Bob said he had been to the store to get supplies for a science project he was working on with his son: a basement hydroponic garden.
Troopers had been observing customers at the hydroponics store because hydroponic supplies are often used in cultivating indoor marijuana plants.
The Missouri Highway Patrol didn't turn over the information to Johnson County authorities until March 20, 2012—seven months after the initial tip was observed. The records contain no information about why MHP waited so long to contact Johnson County law enforcement and no information about what triggered them handing over this information.
Records show Johnson County deputies traced the tag number on the KIA observed by MHP to Bob and Addie Harte. On April 3, 2012, investigators visited the Harte's home at 5 a.m. They went through the Harte's trash and found wet plant material. At this time, investigators reported they didn't know what it was so they failed to test it.
A week later, on April 10th, investigators returned to the home. Again, deputies searched through the trash. This time, when they found plant-like material, they performed a field test which indicated the substance was marijuana.
Deputies went to the home a third time on April 17th, 2012. Again, deputies found plant material in the Harte's trash. They performed another field test which again indicated a positive result for marijuana.
The Hartes say they knew immediately what police had located.
" Bob instantly said, 'It's your tea!' because I drink loose tea and those are saturated leaves," said Addie, who told 41 Action News she often threw the leaves in the kitchen trash.
Though field tests are known to be unreliable, reports obtained from the Johnson County crime lab indicate the deputies did not send any of the samples to the crime lab for confirmation. The records also note that deputies did not intend to, but changed their minds when the Hartes started questioning why deputies raided their home.
When the crime lab processed the evidence, their tests came back negative for marijuana. The results came back in May of 2012. The Johnson County Sheriff's office had that information months before the Hartes were able to get the records that the material was not marijuana.
The embarrassing misstep for deputies would have remained hidden if the Hartes had not had the means to spend money to gain access to the records.
Along with taking legal action in federal court over the incident, Bob and Addie Harte have also testified in Topeka to encourage Kansas lawmakers to open police records. Bob believes if police had known the media would be able to analyze the warrant information in their case, deputies never would have gone through with the raid.
" Nobody wants to be on the nightly news or front page of the paper explaining a scandal, and they don't worry about that in this state because they know the media isn't going to get ahold of it," Bob Harte said.
The family has also been contacted by people across Kansas trying to figure out how to access records about themselves. Addie said many of the people who have reached out to her do not have the same resources financially to fight to get records released.
"This not what justice in the United States is supposed to be. You shouldn't have to have $25,000, even $5,000. You shouldn't have to have that kind of money to find out why people came raiding your house like some sort of police state," Addie Harte said."
Read the whole thing from kshb.com and be sure to watch the three part video on Kansas secrecy laws
Tags: Addie Harte, Anonymous Tip, Bob Harte, Drug War, Hydroponics, Johnson County, Johnson County Sheriff's Office, Kansas, Missouri Highway Patrol, Searching People's Trash, Secrecy Laws, SWAT Raids, Tea Leaves

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Visual Impact will open during the 12-14 September in Halls 5 & 6 of the Sydney Showground at Sydney Olympic Park.
According to organisers Visual Connections, VI Sydney is already 95% subscribed, guaranteeing a comprehensive display of the very latest innovations in technology, equipment, materials and media for the thousands of business owners and key decision makers who are expected to attend.
Peter Harper, General Manager – Trade Shows & Publications for show organisers Visual Connections, said he expects the show to be one of the best ever, with an expanded focus and several new initiatives which organisers hope will extend the reach and relevance of the show, and increase its value to visitors.
"As in previous years, the list of exhibitors for the Sydney show includes everyone from the industry's largest and most comprehensive names, to smaller specialist and niche suppliers, all under the one roof," Harper said today.
"This year, however, we'll also have a significant focus on the latest innovations in screen printing, alongside more familiar offerings like wide-format, design and MIS, POP, display and expo systems, laser cutting and engraving, and structural and illuminated signage technologies.
As well as the exhibition, visitors can of course expect to benefit from a program of seminars and workshops, which add enormous value to the show experience.
"This year, we're introducing daily breakfast information sessions, giving visitors a head-start on the day by enjoying a delicious and nutritious meal while taking advantage of high-quality education," Harper says adding that he expects to confirm topics and open registrations for these sessions within the next few weeks.
Visual Impact Sydney will run from 10am – 8pm on Wednesday 12, from 10am until 6pm on Thursday 13, and from 10am till 4pm on Friday 14 September.
"We're also making it even easier for visitors to get to the Sydney Showground, with a morning and afternoon shuttle bus between Homebush and Darling Harbour, and extended hours on the Wednesday evening until 8pm," Harper says.
Registrations for the show are now open, with visitors encouraged to pre-register to skip the queues and make the most of their time at the show.


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Columbus AFB Airmen compete, place at 2019 USA Powerlifting Military Nationals in Texas
Photo By Tech. Sgt. Christopher Gross | Second Lt. Brett Albertson, 14th Civil Engineer Squadron chief of project management,...... read more read more
Photo By Tech. Sgt. Christopher Gross | Second Lt. Brett Albertson, 14th Civil Engineer Squadron chief of project management, performs a chest exercise March 8, 2019, on Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. Albertson competed in the 2019 USA Powerlifting Military Nationals alongside Staff Sgt. Thomas Buena, 14th Contracting Squadron NCO in charge of Base Operating, Support and Services team. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Gross) see less | View Image Page
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, MS, UNITED STATES
Story by Airman 1st Class Keith Holcomb
14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
Powerlifting is a sport in which an individual performs a single repetition over numerous sets of the squat, bench press and deadlift to the best of their ability; and during competition the individual with the highest combined weight, in their respective category, is the winner.
During the past several months, 2nd Lt. Brett Albertson and Staff Sgt. Thomas Buena from Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, have been training for the 2019 USA Powerlifting Military Nationals, which took place March 16 in Killeen, Texas.
With over 75 competitors present, Buena finished runner up in his category, tying the winner with a combined weight of 1,593 pounds but lost the tiebreaker which is determined by the lighter competitor. Albertson was on track to place first in his class, however none of his squats counted. He said he was disappointed, but it was part of a great learning experience.
Albertson and Buena each took away valuable lessons from their first competition. They said they learned about the structure of powerlifting competitions, how to help other competitors with commands, and how to listen to lifting ques before, during, and after their lift.
Every uniformed Airman has to uphold physical standards and each Airman works to meet those standards in their own ways. Buena, 14th Contracting Squadron NCO in charge of Base Operating, Support and Services team, said powerlifting is his own passion helping him stay active and fit to fight.
"I lifted in high school for football," Buena said. "When I was stationed in Germany my thing was rugby. Then in 2015 I was deployed and had to fill the athletic void so I started powerlifting."
Buena came to Columbus AFB soon after finding enjoyment in lifting heavy weights, but the lifting community was much smaller than his previous assignment. He began lifting in the mornings alone, but noticed a few of the same people in the gym every day. He eventually worked with Albertson, 14th Civil Engineer Squadron chief of project management, to help spot during heavier lifts.
"We had seen each other because 14th CES works closely with the 14th CONS," Albertson said. "So we talked about different lifts we enjoy, some of the professionals we look up to, spotted each other a few times, now we're competing in the USA Powerlifting Military Nationals competition ."
Buena said having an end goal, like a powerlifting competition, really gave them something to work towards. He noted how in many aspects of life it helps to keep short and long term goals in mind when perusing anything.
"I started football in high school, like Buena, and started lifting during practices, eventually gaining muscle to reach about 270 pounds," Albertson said. "I decided football wasn't for me and in college lost a lot of that muscle. At the end of sophomore year I started lifting a little bit here and there, but was mostly doing cardio based exercises."
Albertson began working with a nationally recognized powerlifter from the U.S. Air Force Reserve who helped him recover from past injuries while improving his form. Albertson said he's very happy with his progress and was excited to get out of his comfort zone while competing in the military national event.
When practicing for anything people can hit training plateaus and Buena said they each hit a few.
"It was a hard mental thing to hit walls," Buena said. "You find where your limits are and you really have to step back to move forward if that makes sense. I was kind of prepared for it, but it's never fun to see your progress slow down."
They relied on each other to help get past these barriers. Albertson and Buena both agreed having an accountability partner motivated them to get up and work hard early in the mornings.
"This has been a good avenue for me to set goals," Albertson said. "When I got to Columbus AFB my goal was to complete three full distance Spartan Races. I competed last year with some friends and my next goal was to compete in a powerlifting competition. I had done the cardio side and now I've completed the strength side."
Albertson said both sides have different pros and cons, noting it's opened his eyes to the aspects of fitness he most enjoys as well as how his body responds to different demands throughout certain workouts.
Buena and Albertson both said the powerlifting community has a lot to offer to those who are interested and mentioned some of the many network opportunities powerlifting communities have, even across DOD branches.
"The CrossFit, running, Alpha warrior, and things like that have been popular in Air Force culture," Buena said. "I've ran a half-marathon before and done different races, but take it from me you don't have to be super athletic to pick up some heavy weights."
Both athletes are continuing their fitness journey; Albertson wants to continue powerlifting style training; in addition to intense cardio workouts. Buena said his goal is to work towards a lower weight class and keep the same strength in each of the three major lifts.
Location: COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, MS, US
This work, Columbus AFB Airmen compete, place at 2019 USA Powerlifting Military Nationals in Texas, by SrA Keith Holcomb, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
Physical training
Fit to Fight
14 FTW
14 CONS
14 CES


text:
Interpretation difficulties of pile set-up in sand
Jit Kheng Lim, Barry Lehane
Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference paper › Conference paper
© 2015 Taylor and Francis Group, London. The compelling evidence for displacement pile set-up (i.e. capacity gains over time after installation) of shaft friction in sand has led to increasing attempts to incorporate time effects in design practice as well as in probabilistic analyses and numerical modelling. The progression is, however, based on a range of dubious inferences from case history data and trends that display a wide degree of scatter. The existing database of field tests indicates that the majority of the reported cases of set-up were assessed from dynamic load tests and static re-tests and, as a consequence, the interpreted degree of set-up differs from that of a virgin pile. In addition, these cases are usually characterised under the assumption that shaft friction increases vary with the logarithm of time. Recent research also reveals that the jacking procedures commonly employed in pile experiments (to model driven piles) lead to a different ageing behaviour to driven piles. Some of these difficulties are highlighted in this paper with the aim of reflecting current understanding of the phenomenon of pile set-up in sand.
Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics III - Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics, ISFOG 2015
ISFOG 2015
https://doi.org/10.1201/b18442-79
Interpretation difficulties of pile set-up in sand - Oslo, Norway
10.1201/b18442-79
Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'Interpretation difficulties of pile set-up in sand'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
pile Earth & Environmental Sciences
sand Earth & Environmental Sciences
shaft Earth & Environmental Sciences
friction Earth & Environmental Sciences
test Earth & Environmental Sciences
history Earth & Environmental Sciences
trend Earth & Environmental Sciences
modeling Earth & Environmental Sciences
Lim, J. K., & Lehane, B. (2015). Interpretation difficulties of pile set-up in sand. In Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics III - Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics, ISFOG 2015 (Vol. ISFOG 2015, pp. 605-611). Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/10.1201/b18442-79
Lim, Jit Kheng ; Lehane, Barry. / Interpretation difficulties of pile set-up in sand. Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics III - Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics, ISFOG 2015. Vol. ISFOG 2015 London : Taylor & Francis, 2015. pp. 605-611
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author = "Lim, {Jit Kheng} and Barry Lehane",
doi = "10.1201/b18442-79",
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booktitle = "Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics III - Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics, ISFOG 2015",
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Lim, JK & Lehane, B 2015, Interpretation difficulties of pile set-up in sand. in Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics III - Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics, ISFOG 2015. vol. ISFOG 2015, Taylor & Francis, London, pp. 605-611, Interpretation difficulties of pile set-up in sand, 1/01/15. https://doi.org/10.1201/b18442-79
Interpretation difficulties of pile set-up in sand. / Lim, Jit Kheng; Lehane, Barry.
Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics III - Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics, ISFOG 2015. Vol. ISFOG 2015 London : Taylor & Francis, 2015. p. 605-611.
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N2 - © 2015 Taylor and Francis Group, London. The compelling evidence for displacement pile set-up (i.e. capacity gains over time after installation) of shaft friction in sand has led to increasing attempts to incorporate time effects in design practice as well as in probabilistic analyses and numerical modelling. The progression is, however, based on a range of dubious inferences from case history data and trends that display a wide degree of scatter. The existing database of field tests indicates that the majority of the reported cases of set-up were assessed from dynamic load tests and static re-tests and, as a consequence, the interpreted degree of set-up differs from that of a virgin pile. In addition, these cases are usually characterised under the assumption that shaft friction increases vary with the logarithm of time. Recent research also reveals that the jacking procedures commonly employed in pile experiments (to model driven piles) lead to a different ageing behaviour to driven piles. Some of these difficulties are highlighted in this paper with the aim of reflecting current understanding of the phenomenon of pile set-up in sand.
AB - © 2015 Taylor and Francis Group, London. The compelling evidence for displacement pile set-up (i.e. capacity gains over time after installation) of shaft friction in sand has led to increasing attempts to incorporate time effects in design practice as well as in probabilistic analyses and numerical modelling. The progression is, however, based on a range of dubious inferences from case history data and trends that display a wide degree of scatter. The existing database of field tests indicates that the majority of the reported cases of set-up were assessed from dynamic load tests and static re-tests and, as a consequence, the interpreted degree of set-up differs from that of a virgin pile. In addition, these cases are usually characterised under the assumption that shaft friction increases vary with the logarithm of time. Recent research also reveals that the jacking procedures commonly employed in pile experiments (to model driven piles) lead to a different ageing behaviour to driven piles. Some of these difficulties are highlighted in this paper with the aim of reflecting current understanding of the phenomenon of pile set-up in sand.
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Lim JK, Lehane B. Interpretation difficulties of pile set-up in sand. In Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics III - Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Frontiers in Offshore Geotechnics, ISFOG 2015. Vol. ISFOG 2015. London: Taylor & Francis. 2015. p. 605-611 https://doi.org/10.1201/b18442-79


Day by day, Istanbul looks more and more like a giant construction playground than a city whose history dates back 1500 years. With ever more narcissistic projects signed off by the bulldozer-happy Prime Minister Erdoğan, it is becoming increasingly hard to keep track of exactly what is going and what is staying. The map below zeroes in on the top ten most gruesome development projects.
1. Third Bosphorus Bridge: The Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge will link the European and Asian sides, from the tiny fishing village of Garipçe in Sarıyer to Poyrazköy in Beykoz. Plans were approved in 2012, and the project awarded to İçtaş-Astaldi consortium in May 2012. The foundation stone was laid on May 29, 2013, anniversary of the conquest of Constantinople in 1453. Work was briefly halted in July 2013 when it became evident that the site had been miscalculated, but by then thousands of trees had already been destroyed. With two bridges already linking the two sides, the question remains: is a third bridge really necessary?
2. Third airport: A third airport promises to wipe out a significant proportion of the Belgrade Forest, the lungs of the city, and Terkoz Lake, its chief drinking-water source. The new airport is to be constructed around the areas of Arnavutköy, Göktürk and Çatalca, covering almost 80 sq k of land near Terkoz Lake. Some 62 sq k of this are state-owned forestland. Studies conducted into the environmental impact, published in April 2013, reported that very large numbers of trees would need to be cut down or moved. The Turkish Chamber of Environmental Engineers (ÇMO) has taken the project tender to court on the grounds that it has violated existing legislation by failing to conduct an environmental impact assessment report. Days after an Istanbul administrative court suspended construction in February this year, government officials pledged that it would continue.
3. Kanal Istanbul: A project to build an artificial sea-level waterway connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, bisecting the European side. Aimed at minimising shipping traffic on the Bosphorus, completion is intended for the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic in 2023. Environmental experts express very grave concerns, primarily that the Black Sea will drain into the Marmara. If the present height difference between the Black Sea and Sea of Marmara (currently 30 cm) decreases to 28 cm, a catastrophe could occur, causing major disruption to the ecological balances formed over the past 3,500 years – not to mention all the land wiped out to make way for the canal.
4. Shopping centre in Gezi Park: All hell broke loose in May 2013 when plans to turn Gezi Park in Taksim into yet another shopping centre resulted in thousands of protesters occupying the park. The consequent demonstrations erupted into the hottest (politically speaking) summer in Turkey's recent history. But all the bloodshed and the tears and the tear gas were for nothing in the end. Though in late May a court issued an injunction preventing construction in Gezi Park, a higher court unanimously lifted this injunction in late July.
5. Fancy villas and a housing project in Sulukule: Istanbul's 1,000-year-old neighbourhood, home to the largest Roma community in the city, fell victim to urban transformation in 2008, when 3,400 Roma living in Sulukule were forced to sell their homes for TL500 per sq m to private investors and the Fatih Municipality. Despite worldwide protests, a UNESCO warning and court cases, forced evictions and demolitions came into full force. The residents were forced to move to Public Housing Project (TOKI) apartments in Taşoluk, 40km away. A source of much anger and frustration, this horrendous project provided the basis for a brilliant video work by the Turkish artist Halil Altındere, exhibited at the 2013 Istanbul Biennial.
6. A development of shops and cafes at the Yedikule bostans: Our hearts bled at the news in July 2013 that the Fatih Municipality has ordered the destruction of one of the last bostans (market gardens) inside Istanbul's city walls. The land, acquired by the Municipality in 2010, stands in the shadow of the Byzantine/Ottoman fortress of Yedikule, in one of the Old City's most historically important districts. Among other plant species these 1600-year-old gardens are home to exquisite cos lettuce or marul in Turkish (Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia). Alexander Sapov, a PhD student at Harvard and an expert in Ottoman agricultural practices, spent most of the summer and autumn in Istanbul with a team of ardent supporters fighting the good fight against the destruction of these gardens.
7. 'Regeneration' of Fener–Balat on the Golden Horn: Part of the Golden Horn has already been destroyed for the ghastly Vialand, Turkey's own version of Disneyland, but that's not all. The seeds for the Fener–Balat urban regeneration project were planted in 2003. This project was originally planned to be sustainable, aimed at supporting the inhabitants of the neighbourhood, but it was terminated in 2007, at which point the Fatih Municipiality embarked on a new project to replace the individual buildings with large-scale luxury housing, hotels and shopping centres. A massive redevelopment has already destroyed neighbouring Ayvansaray and there's more to come.
8. Train and boat stations: Kadiköy's Haydarpaşa Station was closed at the end of 2012 and is for sale. And a few weeks ago it was announced that the historic Sirkeci station is also under threat. Not to mention the century-old Beşiktaş boat station, behind the Shangri-La Hotel, which is to be sold or leased off.
9. A mosque on Çamlıca Hill: Istanbul's highest hill (268m) and an important bird-migration point is to be developed and dwarfed by a new mosque. Besides environmental concerns, images of the new mosque reveal a 'pastiche' Ottoman-style concrete monstrosity. Erdoğan announced plans in 2012 but just a month later – following strong public discontent – the minister of culture and tourism, Ertuğrul Günay, denised the existence of any such plans, at least not concretely. A few weeks later, however, it became clear that the mosque would indeed be built. Erdoğan appointed Hacı Mehmet Güner, the public works director of the Kahramanmaraş Municipality, as the project's chief architect.
10. A shopping complex at the site of Emek Cinema: Istanbul's oldest and most famous cinema will be pulled down to make way for a shopping and entertainment centre. After a lengthy legal battle, a local court approved the developer's plans in December 2012. The wolves behind the redevelopment, Kamer Construction, told Radikal newspaper that the Emek Cinema 'is not being torn down, it is being saved from being torn down'. 'Under our project, Emek Theatre is being preserved in its entirety while being placed on a higher floor of the structure to be built through a technique called "moving". According to our project, Emek will be accompanied by 10 other movie theatres. The aim here is to create a movie complex with Emek at the centre of it," Kamer continued. Demonstrators against this development included some of the biggest names in the Turkish film industry, a specific initiative has been set up to fight the construction, and the 33rd Istanbul Film Festival is being used a timely platform.
For more, visit the excellent (both in terms of design and information) Istanbul Mega Projects website. Unfortunately, it is only in Turkish, but the interactive map doesn't need proficiency in a language to understand it.
Main image is of the construction in Sulukule, taken from the Global Post.


As expected KES Stars were far too strong for the less experienced GBH Smuuch team and had a good lead by the half time break of 10 points. However Smuuch made a strong effort in the 3rd quarter to only lose this quarter by 3 points. With the final score of 42 – 26 in favor of the Stars, it was their turn to advance to the Championship game on Tuesday.
The second semi provided everything we expected. The SDA Queens took control fron the start and had a handy lead of 27-17 at the long break. In fact the Queens led up until the final 4 minutes of the last quarter when the Lady Dolphins got a wake up call and started to close the gap in scores to take a 1 point lead and send their supporters into a frenzy of cheering. From thereon it was point for point, first MES had the lead and then SDA.
The big players of the Queens were dominating play around the boards and the Lady Dolphins main rebounder, Talika Raikadroka seemed out of the play until the final 2 minutes when she took several rebounds to send their main scorer, Sarabeth Ksano down court on fast breaks that finally won the game, 43-40.
So it will be SDA Queens and GBH Smuuch in today's Consolation Final for 3rd place and then tomorrow (Tuesday) KES Stars will face off against KES Lady Dolphins for the Championship.


Rene of Paris™ introduced the world-famous Noriko® Collection, designed by Noriko Suzuki, in 1995. All of these unparalleled-quality products are manufactured by Aderans' own factory in Thailand, which was especially built for the wig & hairpiece industry.
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Utilization of steelmaking slag is indispensable for sustainable growth of steelmaking industry. Steelmaking slag contains nutrition such as phosphorus, silicon and iron and may be utilized as a fertilizer if elution of environmentally regulated elements is negligible. Chromium is contained in stainless steel slag as an oxide and stabilization of this chromium oxide in the slag is very important in the view of environmental protection.
Elution behavior of elements from chromium containing phases into seawater was investigated to observe the stability of phases that may exist in steelmaking slag. It was found that the existence of 2CaO·SiO2 enhanced the dissolution of chromium into seawater. Elution behavior of chromium from especially synthesized stainless steel slag into seawater was investigated. Finally, fixation of chromium was conducted by control of mineralogical phase with SiO2 addition to stainless steel slag. Addition of SiO2 to the slag was very effective for prevention of chromium elution into seawater.


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Justia › US Law › Case Law › Federal Courts › Courts of Appeals › Fifth Circuit › 1983 › Donald R. Barber, Plaintiff-appellee,texas Employers' Insurance Association, Intervenor-appellee, v....
Donald R. Barber, Plaintiff-appellee,texas Employers' Insurance Association, Intervenor-appellee, v. Texaco, Inc., Defendant-appellant, 720 F.2d 381 (5th Cir. 1983)
Summary Calendar.
United States Court of Appeals,Fifth Circuit.
Oct. 27, 1983.As Amended on Denial of Rehearing Dec. 12, 1983.
Michael C. Farrow, Houston, Tex., for defendant-appellant.
Maner, Nelson & Reaud, Glen W. Morgan, Beaumont, Tex., for Barber.
Mehaffy, Weber, Keith & Gonsoulin, Arthur R. Almquist, Beaumont, Tex., for Tex. Employers' Insurance Association.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
Before CLARK, Chief Judge, RUBIN and JOLLY, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:
Texaco, Inc. appeals from an adverse judgment for compensatory and punitive damages in this negligence action. The action was initiated by Donald Barber to obtain damages for injuries he suffered after inhaling hydrogen sulfide gas emitted from a tank located at a Texaco oil refinery where Barber was working for an insulation company hired by Texaco. A six-member jury found Texaco, Inc. to be negligent and grossly negligent, and awarded $10,600 in compensatory damages and $50,000 in punitive damages. Texaco alleges error in the trial court's submission of the negligence and gross negligence issues to the jury, instruction on the theory of res ipsa loquitur, refusal to charge the jury with an instruction requested by Texaco, and failure to submit to the jury the issue of Barber's employer's negligence. For reasons explained below, we affirm the judgment of the trial court based on the jury finding of negligence, and reverse the finding of gross negligence.
In August 1979, Barber was working for B & B Insulation Company at an oil refinery owned and operated by Texaco in Port Arthur, Texas. Barber was working in the vicinity of a "sour water tank," part of a unit that processed crude oil with a high sulfur content. The tank held processed water with hydrogen sulfide dissolved in it. While working in an area downwind of the tank, Barber was exposed to a "cloud" of hydrogen sulfide gas. He immediately thereafter became dizzy and nauseated, and subsequently was taken to a hospital emergency room after passing out at home. He was treated and released, and has suffered chronic chest and lung problems since.
Texaco alleges that the evidence adduced at trial was insufficient to support the jury findings of negligence and gross negligence, and that the trial court therefore erroneously denied Texaco's motions for a directed verdict and a judgment notwithstanding the verdict. Boeing v. Shipman, 411 F.2d 365 (5th Cir. 1969) (en banc) supplies the test to be used by this court in assessing challenges to evidentiary sufficiency in a federal diversity suit. We must consider all evidence in the light most favorable to Barber in an effort to determine whether there existed "evidence of such quality and weight that reasonable and fair minded men in the exercise of impartial judgment might reach different conclusions...." 411 F.2d at 374.
The evidence presented in this suit was sufficient to present a question for the jury of whether Texaco was negligent. Michael Thompson, Texaco's safety supervisor in charge of the area containing the gas-emitting sour water tank, testified by deposition that the tank was equipped with relief valves that protected the tank from undue pressure buildup by releasing hydrogen sulfide gas. Texaco maintained a monitoring device that signals an alarm system when it detects a certain level of hydrogen sulfide in the atmosphere. On the day after Barber's accident, tests indicated that the tank was discharging hydrogen sulfide at a rate exceeding that level. The monitoring system was located downwind of where Mr. Barber was working, and had not been activated by the emissions that overcame him. Mr. Thompson also stated that the sour water tank had a history of hydrogen sulfide problems, that exposure to hydrogen sulfide could cause death or injury, and that after the Barber incident, he had recommended an engineering change to prevent release of vapors into the atmosphere.
Other witnesses testified that Texaco had in place on the sour water tank a sign that stated "Warning: Poisonous Gas. Stay Out of Area"; and warned its own employees of the danger of working near the tank. The B & B employees were working in the area which the parties stipulated was in Texaco's exclusive control and supervision, under a Texaco-issued "safe work permit." No one testified as to the contents of this specific permit, but the testimony revealed that safe work permits explain hazards in the work area and mandate the use of any safety equipment necessary. No safety equipment was provided to B & B employees.
From the foregoing evidence, the jury could reasonably infer that Texaco was negligent in allowing the tank to emit hydrogen sulfide gas, or in allowing workers into the area without adequate warning or protection. Further, the evidence presented as to the physical problems Barber suffered immediately after being exposed to the gas and the chronic nature of his problems thereafter, was sufficient to support the jury verdict that Texaco's negligence proximately caused Barber's injuries.
The record does not support submission of the issue of gross negligence to the jury, however. Gross negligence is differentiated from simple negligence by the mental attitude of the defendant: a plaintiff must show that the defendant knew about the danger, but demonstrated by his acts or omissions that he didn't care. Burk Royalty Co. v. Walls, 616 S.W.2d 911, 920 (Tex.1981). This court has interpreted Burk Royalty as rejecting a bright line test for determining whether a defendant's conduct is grossly negligent in favor of one focused on "whether, in light of all the surrounding circumstances, the requisite mental state is shown." Maxey v. Freightliner Corp., 665 F.2d 1367, 1374 (5th Cir. 1982) (en banc). Barber's counsel emphasizes Texaco's knowledge of the emissions and Mr. Thompson's statement that Texaco was not worried about emissions. However, the evidence showed that although Texaco designed the tank to emit hydrogen sulfide, it installed a warning sign and a monitoring and alarm system to keep the emissions at a safe level and to reduce the danger that workers would be exposed to emissions. Notwithstanding whether these steps were inadequate or whether Texaco was negligent in allowing any emissions, a jury could not reasonably find from this evidence such want of care as would amount to "conscious indifference" to the rights of others, id., required by the Texas courts for a finding of gross negligence.
Texaco's remaining claims are without merit. The trial court's instruction on the theory of res ipsa loquitur must be upheld if there is a rational basis in the evidence from which the jury could find the prerequisite elements of the doctrine, as defined by state law. Kicklighter v. Nails by Jannee, Inc., 616 F.2d 734, 740 (5th Cir. 1980). The necessary elements under Texas law are:
(1) The character of the accident is such that it would not ordinarily occur in the absence of negligence; and
(2) The instrumentality causing the injury is shown to be under the management and control of the Defendant.
Marathon Oil Co. v. Sterner, 632 S.W.2d 571, 573 (Tex.1982). Texaco stipulated that it had exclusive control of the sour water tank. The jury could rationally conclude from the evidence that the accident would not have happened absent Texaco's negligence, and was not due to mechanical failure (a theory which Texaco now urges but which it did not attempt to prove at trial). Moreover, the trial court instructed the jury both on the elements of negligence and on the theory of res ipsa loquitur, which raises a presumption of negligence. Our conclusion that the evidence supports a finding of negligence renders any error in the trial court's instructions harmless.
Texaco also claims that the trial court erred in rejecting Texaco's requested instruction that the mere fact that an injury occurred on its premises is not enough to support liability. The court instructed the jury that:
Texaco, as a possessor of land, is subject to liability ... if, and only if, Texaco [knew] or in the exercise of reasonable care, should have discovered the condition and should realize that it involved an unreasonable risk of harm.
Secondly, fails to exercise reasonable care to protect those persons against the danger.
This instruction adequately conveyed to the jury the controlling law on the issue and the principles contained in the requested instruction; therefore, the court did not err in refusing the proposed instruction. See Ullman v. Overnite Transport Co., 563 F.2d 152, 157 (5th Cir. 1977).
Finally, Texaco alleges error in the trial court's refusal to submit the issue to the jury of the negligence of Barber's employer, a "subscribing employer" under the Texas Worker's Compensation Act, Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat.Ann., art. 8306 et seq. (Vernons 1967). Texaco sought submission of this issue not for the purpose of obtaining contribution or indemnification, which is clearly forbidden by Texas law, see Paradissis v. Royal Indem. Co., 507 S.W.2d 526, 529 (Tex.1974); Grove Mfg. Co. v. Cardinal Constr. Co., 534 S.W.2d 153, 156 (Tex.Civ.App.--Houston [14th Dist.] 1976, writ ref'd n.r.e.); Superior Commercial Carpet Service, Inc. v. American Chain & Cable Co., Inc., 623 S.W.2d 747, 749 (Tex.App.--Houston [1st Dist.] 1981, writ ref'd n.r.e.), but for the purpose of determining the percentage of negligence attributable to Texaco. The Texas Supreme Court has recently decided this issue adversely to Texaco's position. See Varela v. American Petrofina Co., 658 S.W.2d 561 (Tex.1983). Therefore, we must reject this allegation of error.
For the reasons given above, we affirm the trial court judgment of negligence, and reverse the finding of gross negligence and the concomitant award of $50,000 in punitive damages.
AFFIRMED IN PART AND REVERSED IN PART.


Tactical turn-based combat set in the weird west sums up Hard West. That wasn't a typo. A Kickstarter backed game being developed by Creative Forge Games, Hard West is turn-based with deep mechanics that will ll have players crunching numbers before shooting bullets. Legendary gunslingers, myths, and a dash of the occult sets up a story that will bring them together in an epic clash. The choices you make will unfold different scenarios, such as choosing to press play on the interview to hear more.


The Indiana Senate passed a bill on Wednesday that will remove the state from the Common Core national standards. The bill, which was already passed by the House, is now headed to Governor Mike Pence's (R) desk for signature.
I have long believed that education is a state and local function and we must always work to ensure that our students are being taught to the highest academic standards and that our curriculum is developed by Hoosiers, for Hoosiers.
Indiana's original state standards were among the highest ranking in the nation. Exiting the Common Core will allow Indiana to either use their former standards, which were among some of the best in the country, or to pursue other innovative paths using an array standards supplementing what they once had in place.
Indiana's bill also adds a requirement that the new state standards should prepare students adequately for the ACT and SAT college entrance examinations. But with news this week that the SAT is being revamped in part to reflect Common Core, real questions have been raised about the impact this will have on states like Indiana that are working to reclaim their standards-setting autonomy.
In addition to Indiana, 15 states to date have withdrawn from the federal testing consortium, downgraded their involvement, paused implementation of the standards, or introduced measures against the standards.
Utah led the way in state push-back, withdrawing from the Common Core–aligned, federally funded Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) in August 2012 and opting for its own tests, keeping testing control within the state. Utah's actions were followed by Indiana when Pence halted implementation of the standards to allow the Hoosier State to assess the cost to taxpayers and the quality of the content. Pennsylvania also hit the pause button on the standards last year, as did Massachusetts, providing an opportunity for a closer examination of the quality of the standards.
Alaska and Kentucky joined push-back in January.
Alaska never formally adopted the standards but joined SBAC in April 2013 in an advisory state capacity. But less than one year later, America's Last Frontier became one of the first states to drop the national tests entirely in favor of developing its own testing options. Kentucky announced its withdrawal from Common Core–aligned, federally funded Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for Colleges and Careers tests shortly after the Alaska decision.
Kentucky and New York were two of the first states to have implemented Common Core fully. New York saw its test scores plummet, and Kentucky was forced to discontinue scoring of all "constructed-response questions" in each of the four Common Core high school end-of-course exams.
Common Core proponents are scrambling to keep the coalition together as local actors have to deal with the task of implementation. The one-size-fits-all national standards approach has created massive centralization of education in America with clearly laid federal fingerprints. In the last stretch toward the implementation deadline, states and parents are reclaiming control over their tests and questioning the quality of the standards. Indiana's actions put them at the head of this class and will allow their excellent state standards to guide public education in the Hoosier State.


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Electric guitar hello kitty?
Home » Instruments » Guitars » Electric guitar hello kitty?
Hello, I am looking for an electric guitar hello kitty. I have been playing the acoustic guitar for a while, but I really want to get an electric guitar so I can start a band. My budget is around $300. I have been looking online and I found a few options, but I really don't know what to look for in an electric guitar. I was wondering if anyone could help me out.
There is no such thing as an electric guitar hello kitty.
How much does a Hello Kitty electric guitar cost?
The price of this guitar has increased significantly in recent years. It is now selling for over $700, and in some cases people have paid over $1,000 for it. The demand for this guitar has increased greatly, which has driven up the price. If you are considering purchasing this guitar, you should be prepared to pay a high price.
The Fender Squier Hello Kitty Stratocaster is a great beginner guitar for those who love the Hello Kitty character. It features a super-simple electronics setup with just a single humbucker and volume control, making it easy to get started with.
When did Hello Kitty guitar come out
The Hello Kitty Stratocaster guitar, originally released in 2005, was initially aimed at pre-teen girls. However, the guitar has been used by notable guitarists including Krist Novoselic, Courtney Love, Dave Navarro, and Lisa Loeb. The guitar has a unique design and is a popular choice for those who want to stand out from the crowd.
The Stratocaster is double cutaway body design, providing access to the neck on both sides of the fingerboard. The Telecaster is single cutaway body design. The Stratocaster is commonly outfitted with three single coil pickups while the Telecaster has two.
What is a good cheap starter electric guitar?
The Yamaha Pacifica 112V is the best beginner electric guitar for small budgets. It's a great all-rounder with a wide range of features, making it perfect for those just starting out. The Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster is the best beginner electric guitar overall. It's a great choice for those looking for an affordable, high-quality instrument. The PRS SE Standard 24 is another great option for beginners. It offers great value for money and is a great all-rounder. The Epiphone Les Paul Studio is a great choice for those looking for a high-quality, affordable guitar. The Gretsch G2420 Streamliner is another great option for beginners. It's a great all-rounder with a wide range of features.
There are a few vintage guitars that are worth a lot of money. The 1963 Maton Mastersound MS500 is one of them. Robbie Robertson's 1965 Fender Telecaster John Lennon/George Harrison 1966 Vox Kensington is another. David Gilmour's 1958 Gretsch White Penguin is also worth a lot of money. George Harrison's 1958 Hofner Club 40 is another valuable vintage guitar. Jimi Hendrix's 1964 Fender Stratocaster is also worth a lot of money. Lastly, Les Paul's 1954 Gibson 'Black Beauty' is worth a lot of money.
What brand owns Hello Kitty?
Hello Kitty is one of the most iconic and beloved characters in the world, and her popularity shows no signs of slowing down. Hello Kitty was created by Sanrio Ltd., a Japanese company founded in 1960 by Shintaro Tsuji. The Hello Kitty brand has become a global phenomenon, with products ranging from clothes and accessories to food and even airplanes. There is no doubt that Hello Kitty is here to stay, and we can't wait to see what new products and adventures she will be a part of next!
A handmade guitar can cost thousands of dollars in the western countries, but while the price is significant lower in Vietnam, the quality is very good, Anh said. A premium, custom order can take four months of work, making the guitar stand out high-end wood and intricate carvings.
Are guitars made in Japan good
There's no denying that Japanese guitar brands are some of the most popular in the world today. Industry-leading manufacturers like Yamaha, Takamine, ESP guitars, and Ibanez produce high quality instruments that fit all budgets and experience levels. Whether you're a beginner just starting out, or a seasoned pro looking for your next piece of gear, you're sure to find a Japanese guitar that's perfect for you.
The Fender Mustang is one of the most popular electric guitars of all time, and for good reason. It's affordable, versatile, and sounds great, making it perfect for beginner and experienced players alike. And while it may not be the most efficient or best-sounding guitar out there, it's definitely one of the most fun to play. Thanks, Kurt!
How can you tell how old a guitar is?
The serial number of a US instrument indicates the decade in which it was manufactured, with the first character being a letter. The second character is usually a number, which indicates the specific year. For example, S9 means 1979, E4 means 1984, N8 means 1998, Z5 means 2005, and US11 means 2011.
Dylan has always been a master of both the acoustic and electric guitar. He has played a lot of acoustics throughout his career, mostly Gibsons and Martins, with some exceptions. And while we're all aware of the infamous "Judas!" electric guitar debacle, now looking back it's easy to appreciate the full oeuvre of Dylan. He is truly a guitar legend.
Which electric guitar is easiest to play
If you're looking for an electric guitar that's easy to play, a solidbody guitar is the way to go. Solidbody guitars are made without any resonating chambers, so they're less feedback-prone than other types of electric guitars. That means you'll be able to play them at higher volume levels without worrying about the guitar making unwanted noise. Plus, solidbody guitars are typically more comfortable to play thanks to their lighter weight and smaller size.
The Telecaster is a classic electric guitar that has been around for decades. It's known for its simple, yet unique design and its great sound. The Telecaster typically has two single-coil pickups, with the bridge pickup being wider and longer than its Strat counterpart. What's more, it is mounted on the Tele's metal bridge plate, which can give it a more powerful tone. Fender also makes Stratocaster and Telecaster models with humbucking pickup options, so you can choose the sound that's right for you.
How many hours does it take to master guitar?
What does it take to become a proficient speaker of a language? The answer may vary depending on who you ask, but there are some general benchmarks that can be useful in gauging your progress.
If you're just starting out, you can expect to need around 625 hours of practice, or about 156 days worth of daily practice, to reach a proficient level. Intermediate speakers should be able to get by with 1250 hours, or about 10 months of regular practice.
For advanced speakers, the number jumps to 2500 hours, or 18 years of dedicated practice. And for those who want to reach the expert level, they'll need to commit to 5000 hours, or 35 years, of daily practice.
Of course, these are just numbers and your mileage may vary. But it's still useful to have a general idea of how much effort it takes to reach different levels of proficiency. So if you're feeling discouraged, just remember that even the most fluent speakers had to start somewhere.
Electric guitars are perfect for beginners because they require less hand strength. Players with small hands might also prefer an electric for its slimmer neck, which warrants an easier grip and shorter reach.
Hello Kitty is a popular character that many people enjoy. She can also be found on various items, including an electric guitar.
Hello Kitty is a cute and popular character, and many people enjoy playing music on electric guitars that are shaped like her. While these guitars may not be the best quality, they are still a lot of fun to play. If you're looking for a fun and unique guitar to play, then a Hello Kitty electric guitar is a great option.


AkzoNobel has reported an enthusiastic response to its Imagine Chemistry initiative. It has attracted in more than 200 innovative ideas from chemistry start-ups, scientists, research groups and students around the world.
Developed in conjunction with KPMG, Imagine Chemistry was launched to help solve real-life chemistry-related challenges – such as finding ways to revolutionize plastics recycling – as well as uncovering sustainable opportunities for AkzoNobel's Specialty Chemicals businesses.
From the 200 submissions received, AkzoNobel will now select 20 finalists to attend a three-day event in June at the company's principal research facility in Deventer, the Netherlands.
There are also "open challenges" for broad ideas in two further areas: Highly reactive chemistry and technology; and sustainable alternatives to current technologies.
Recent innovations from AkzoNobel's Specialty Chemicals business include Bolikel XP, a next generation, biodegradable micronutrient to efficiently combat iron deficiency in crops; and Berol DR-B1, a safe and sustainable surfactant for consumer and commercial cleaning applications that involve direct release.
Open innovation initiative will lead to new commercial opportunities for chemicals business.
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Henty now home to a Delta branch
It's long been known as the 'Home of the Header', in celebration of the late local wheat farmer Headlie Taylor, whose invention of the header harvester revolutionised the grain industry, its population swells to more than 60,000 for a three-day machinery field days event each year, and for more than 100 years and three generations, the Whitlock family ran a successful rural supplies business in the rural township. Now, a new generation of rural supplies specialists will take over the Whitlock family legacy stationed in Henty in southern NSW, with the opening of the Delta Agribusiness branch in the former Whitlock's building on the Olympic Highway. When I visit the new team – Branch Manager Hugh Nott, Agronomist David White, and Animal Health Specialist Sophie Perrett – the fresh white paint is still wet on the walls, the offices are being fitted out, and the products are being stocked on the shelves in the showroom and large storage shed at the rear of the building. Hugh, who had most recently been working from Delta's Yerong Creek branch, is excited to embark on his new role and maintain the services the community had become accustomed to under the ownership of Peter and Bruce Whitlock. "Even from when we were at the field days this year meeting people, there seemed to be excitement in the community that we are providing services here again and the building will no longer be empty on the highway. We've had a lot of contact with Peter and Bruce and we really want to mirror a majority of the services they had as well as providing the extra services that Delta can offer. We will even be hoping to reinstate the popular 'chook day' in which a supplier comes to deliver chicken orders once a month as well as provide some support to community organisations," Hugh says.
Hugh now resides in Wagga, after having grown up on a sheep and cattle property at Mudgee. He began with Delta Ag three years ago in a casual role as he finished an agricultural business management course at CSU. He has been actively involved in Delta's business management traineeship program developing his leadership skills, and he is now poised to lead the team at this new location. The branch will service the rural districts including Henty, Culcairn, Alma Park, Walla Walla, Cookardinia, Holbrook, and Morven, in agronomy, livestock health and nutrition advisory, chemical, fertilizer, produce, troughs, fencing, feeders, rural property sales and grain marketing. Henty locals will also recognise Agronomist David White, who grew up on a mixed farm south west of the township, also to be based from the new branch. He had been servicing Yerong Creek growers since starting with Delta in late 2014 after studying in Wagga and then working in Coonamble, Junee and in irrigation areas at Coleambally. "It's certainly good to really get back to an area I've grown up in and what I am most comfortable with, but it was good to gain experience in other areas too. There's a real positive vibe around the community with more shops opening and families investing here as well and I'm looking forward to being a part of another service being offered." David is also particularly positive about focusing on precision agriculture and explaining its accessibility to local growers. "Delta has developed an impressive precision ag offering in the last 4 years. The platform offers services such as NDVI imaging and yield mapping and using these layers to develop zone mapping and variable rate prescriptions.
As an example of the practical application of these services, this spring we were able to use NDVI imagery to develop zones, that were then ground truthed with dry matter cuts and used to give accurate and objective yield measurements to assist with decisions around cutting crops for hay versus taking them through to grain. "We've really got good technical systems now and the agronomic support for farmers in the paddock as well." After growing up in south west Queensland on a beef property, Sophie Perrett studied animal science at CSU in Wagga and worked in Young and Forbes, before she started with Delta at Yerong Creek in an animal health and merchandise sales role in August. "We really feel like there are great opportunities down here with diversification and mixed farming enterprises too. Farmers have the opportunity to put something in the ground and then have it put back through the animals, and there are many market opportunities close by and with easy access," Sophie says. The Henty township has undergone a refurbishment with streetscape works, the opening of a bakery, a change in local ownership of the popular Doodle Cooma Arms Hotel in recent years, a new fire station opened, the community bank celebrated 20 years of operation, and there is the potential for other new businesses. So, as the paint dries on the façade of the new Delta premises, the doors open on an exciting new era and a new generation of rural service suppliers in this historic farming community.


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Clodagh's Prizewinning Speech Now Online!
Congratulations to 5th year student Clodagh Boyce, who triumphed at the Action Aid Ireland Speech Writing Competition. Her speech, entitled 'Men and boys need to play a larger part in tackling gender equality for women', impressed the judges. As part of her prize she will visit Action Aid Hellas in Greece to see their work with refugees there. Watch her speech here!


Rules exist in the business world for a reason. They keep things in order. And when it comes to your business finances and data, the right rules can keep your business safe from hackers, thieves and the rest of the not-so-honest among us.
Payment Card Industry (PCI) guidelines are one of those sets of business rules designed to protect your assets. While some of these guidelines may be challenging for those with a non-technical background, full PCI compliance is integral to the security of your business. If you're new to PCI, here's a simple checklist to get you started on the road to safer business transactions.
Use effective security software solutions. A simple antivirus software package won't hold up; implement a layered hardware and software solution that includes secure firewalls.
Choose strong passwords on EVERYTHING-this includes routers and webcams, too.
Create strict policies on who can access sensitive data.
Implement information security awareness and risk management procedures. If a disaster occurs-and this happens from time to time make sure there is a way to recover the data affected so that it isn't lost for good.
Monitor and test frequently to track access to cardholder data.
Additionally, credit card companies may require an on-site visit to your business to validate PCI compliance and to conduct a network scan by an approved scanning vendor.
Rules are different than laws. If you don't comply with PCI DDS, you most likely won't get put in jail, but you might face a stiff PCI compliance fine. But what's even worse than that, is that non-compliance may lead to a severe security breach for your company. The truth is, most companies with low or nonexistent PCI compliance levels probably won't be in business for very long. After all, it's difficult for a business to survive without the trust from customers. And those companies that do face data and security breaches will have a long, uphill road to climb to make things right with their customers and their public image.
Remember a few years back, when Target's customer's credit cards were compromised? Or just last year when Sally Beauty Supply had a breach on its network? Data breaches have skyrocketed over the last 10 years, and in 2012 alone, resulted in nearly $12 billion worth of damages.
The best way to protect your business-and your customers-from credit card breaches is with proper PCI compliance training, which educates all employees on the dangers of non-compliance to ensure that breaches can and are preventable. But if your company falls short every once in a while and doesn't comply with a PCI standard, there are punishments in place to remedy the situation-hopefully before a significant data breach occurs.
Mistakes happen. Guidelines get overlooked. Standards sometimes get pushed to the side. We're all busy, after all! But when these happen, consequences are imminent. PCI compliance fines are around to keep companies in check-and as a safeguard against data breaches. These fines range from $5,000- $100,000 per month, in addition to any fees needed to get a company back on track.
Another consequence of non-compliance is the termination or increased transaction fees imposed by a bank. And for small businesses that rely on low transaction fees, this has the potential to close operations down for good.
A recent study conducted by Verizon discovered that while most businesses are PCI compliant in their first year of operation, those levels start to drop as time goes on. According to the study, only 11.1 percent of businesses remained compliant between each formal assessment-mainly as a result of the ongoing PCI DSS compliance process.
As mentioned above, one of the best ways to stay PCI compliant-and to avoid dangerous security breaches and costly fines-is to conduct a company-widePCI security awareness training. Informed employees tend to make better-and safer-decisions that not only protect sensitive data, but lower the risk of a security breach and increase the company's revenue.
To help you ensure your company adheres to these guidelines, we've compiled a PCI compliance checklist to keep you on point-and away from costly penalties and fines.
In 2013, only four out of ten companies met this requirement. But on the bright side, it jumped nearly threefold from the compliance levels recorded the previous year. It's easy for merchants to turn to outside vendors for assistance in meeting security requirements, but when it comes down to it, your company is responsible for your company. If you choose to outsource your liability, you have to be willing to accept the risks that come along with that decision.
Simple, right? So simple, that you'd expect more than 51 percent of companies to be fully compliant with this requirement, but unfortunately, that's not the case. One of the biggest issues here is that old systems that have been around for years historically weren't made to include advanced security measures. And as we can imagine, revamping those systems to meet 2015 security standards can be costly and cumbersome. Do it anyway!
As we mentioned, mistakes happen. You can be 100% compliant and still face a data breach-though you're not nearly as likely to if your company meets PCI DSS standards. But one easy way to protect your information and your customer's data is to track and monitor all of the access given to that sensitive information.
Additionally, it's important to make sure that anyone who has access to your system has their own, separate and auditable account. That way, if there is a breach, it will be easier to determine which account(s) were compromised. All accounts should feature strong, unique passwords and two-factor authentication to add another layer of security. In the previously mentioned Verizon study, nearly three-fourths of all security breaches were reported as the results of weak or stolen credentials.
We can't emphasize this step enough: an aware employee is more likely to be a compliant employee. And a compliant employee can save your business and your customers a lot of money and a lot of headaches. Invest in training courses, and make sure all employees-from the C-Suite to the cashiers-are aware of the guidelines and any changes that are made in the future. As we've noted, PCI DSS is a constant; so it's imperative to your success and security to stay abreast of these standards at all times. When they adapt, you adapt!
Perhaps one of the most basic security measures, over 30 percent of companies are still lacking constant firewall protection. A firewall works when it's set up and fully functional at all times. Not just after a breach or when your company is being audited. Verizon reported that only 12.5 percent of data breaches occurred at companies that had a fully compliant firewall in place. Talk to your tech guru to get a firewall set up ASAP.
Your company most likely has a lot of moving parts. All companies do. That's why it's extra important to keep written documentation of all system activities, who has access to what when and a complete audit trail to demonstrate to an auditor that your company and your employees are PCI compliant. Regularly reviewing this information could also serve as a way to prevent security breaches before they happen, and can also help in maintaining an ongoing PCI DSS regimen.
Access to sensitive data (like credit card numbers, social security numbers, etc.) should be limited to ONLY those employees who need it. Companies need to establish control over the creation and removal of access, while also providing daily reports and real-time alerts of any modifications. One area to pay close attention to while auditing access is any change made by an admin account that gives higher levels of access to themselves or others.
We can't emphasize it enough: the more frequently you change things up, the less likely your system is to become impaired or hacked by an outside party. But make sure you track all moves when you're reconfiguring and changing access controls. Switching up your auditing methods helps to provide a complete audit trail with detailed access information. This makes it easier to spot areas that aren't secure, and also lets you take proactive precautions where PCI is concerned.
PCI compliance isn't necessarily fun, but it is necessary if you want to conduct business without breaches. Give your employees the most complete PCI education possible and you'll be able to rest easy knowing that your company, your clients, and all payment card data stays safe and sound.


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The Gen Z Effect - Blending Personality, Branding & Social Media
I would definitely have loved to begin with probably explaining who the Gen Z's are, but I think almost everyone has had enough of all the varying definitions attached to it. So I'll simply put it briefly - Gen Z's are the new age. The new generation popularly called the mobile generation or the computer crazy age. And rightly so.
Technology has seen an upward surge since the Gen Z era with noticeable improvements in the digital world, along with the well, metaverse. Of course, trust me to pipe in the metaverse. With the blooming NFT market, one can only be close to the stone age to claim that they have not heard of that single term, metaverse at least more than once.
Not to derail, what exactly is the point of this article? Give me a minute to catch my breath will you? Whew!
Much research has gone into trying to discover the recipe for the Gen Z's remarkable success with regards to branding and social media. Don't get me started on the sheer amount of TikTok influencers, Instagram stars and YouTube creators who have snagged 7 figure endorsement deals and ambassadorial gigs. It's almost as if these teens have stolen the show from former celebrities, Hollywood icons and the likes of artists who used to be the sole beloved face of the industry. And from the outside view, it looks like they're having fun doing so. Meh! too bad for the millennials
I did some digging of my own and as a Gen Z myself, I figured out the almost magical recipe that has culminated to the sheer increase of more Gen Z's getting breakthroughs in the media world and their efficient use of social media. One sentence - Blending Personality with Branding & Social Media.
Khaby Lame, TikTok Influencer
Bella Poarch, TikTok breakout star/artist
I am going to use Khaby Lame and Bella Poarch, two sensational TikTok Influencers who have gone from merely making videos for entertainment to being worldwide stars as case studies. Khaby holds the record for signing endorsement deals and collaborations with brands such as Xbox, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Juventus and more. In his videos, he is often silent only making gestures with his face and hands. But those gestures were enough to make a million people react and share his videos. What was the winning trick?
Khaby was able to infuse elements of his personality into his contents and made that his selling point. By infusing his personality, he was able to relate to his audience so much that he didn't need to say a word for anyone to get his point. Repeatedly in interviews, Khaby has opened up to his struggles with introvertedness and self confidence. But these flaws were what made Khaby special. The silent tiktoker who mimicked real life situations and offered more easier ways out of problems was fast becoming an internet sensation and brands with an eye for the next big thing could not wait to hunt him out for deals.
Now, let's talk about Bella.
Bella Poarch is a fast rising TikTok star who skyrocketed to fame for posting a lip sync video - no more, no less. It might sound easy to you, but a trial will convince you otherwise. I'm not trying to discourage you, I'm actually serious.
While it certainly isn't the first time the internet is seeing a lip-sync video, there is some extra spice about Bella responsible for her instant fame. When glossy.co interviewed Bella in 2021, she revealed tidbits about herself such as her love for anime and beauty aesthetics. Alright, let me explain.
Bella's concepts are simple. A lip-sync along with an anime looking makeup effect and her signature hairstyle. Her personality is calm and almost like Khaby, she is silent only with some music on. This unique infusion was the ultimate branding for Bella. Wherever you saw someone else doing something similar, you just know it is a Bella Poarch inspired video.
That brings us back to where our story began. The recipe for the sudden breakout of more GenZ's in the social media world.
With the rise of the likes of Khaby and more, attention has been turned to finding one's uniqueness within self and capitalizing on that. Dancers, fitness enthusiasts, foodies, artists, fashion enthusiasts and more have begun to find a way to do what they love while getting what they need - money. This is a change in the game. Now, we see people simply engaging in stuff that is both fun and lucrative.
Now how can brands tweak this recipe to reach their target market and subsequently improve their branding.
''Give life to your brand.'' Make it come alive. Give it a personality, a relatable characteristic or a concept that resonates or appeases the audience you target. If you treat your brand like an abstract thing - well, be prepared to return to the millennial ages. Just as you would nurture a child - nurture your brand. Once you have given your brand an identifying element, a unique feature or something that just isn't copied from anywhere, but authentic and original, market on that.
Not much of a marvel fan, but what makes Thor who he is without his hammer? And would Superman ever be the same without his blue, red and yellow suit?
That's branding!
What image would you like to portray to your target audience? What is your concept? And how much of a common ground does it have with the people you intend to sell to?
The first step is having a tagline. A tagline draws you 70% closer to your target audience. A good one nonetheless, because a bad tagline will take you farther as much.
How then can you get started on a tagline that helps capture the very essence of your brand?
There's a post by FAVES_PEN on LINKEDIN that provides all the basics you need to get started, courtesy of your brand buddy.
Find out what and how to get started on creating a tagline that serves the purpose for its creation.
The Gen Z reign is far from over and 2022 is proof of it. One can only try to move with the waves or fight it. The later often more precarious than the first.
It's a Gen Z world and to survive, one must learn to keep up with the constantly evolving digital world. It's not so hard after all. With a few clicks and an intense desire, you whether a Gen Z or not, might be on your way to finding your own breakout.
When you do of course, do not forget where you first saw it. On this page of random branding advice and tips from your favorite ghostwriter and brand consultant.
Happy branding!
JB FAVOUR
JB is the founder of a content creating & branding agency, FAVES_PEN that offers content creation, content management, branding/marketing support as well as target market research for brands, businesses and companies. When she is not directing contents at FAVES_PEN, she is ghostwriting memoirs, autobiographies and other works of both non fiction & fiction. Her passion for infusing storytelling with her copies have made her content super relatable and niche versatile.
You can connect with her on Linkedn or reach her via email favourjoshua366@gmail.com
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I'm a fan of Dr. Bronner's Peppermint 18-in-1 Pure Castile Soap. I've used it off and on for decades. I like my soap like I like my food -- it needs to burn a little. And it's truly a simple multi-purpose product. Sinuses clogged? Pour a little on a washcloth and drape it over your face while in a hot shower. It's like a nuclear blast in your nose holes. It's good stuff. Smells great, wakes you up, and a bottle lasts forever.
Anyone who has used Dr. Bronner's soaps has noticed that the label is covered with what appears to be the ramblings of a religious madman. I never really paid a whole lot of attention to it. The small snippets I've perused here and there seemed to be part of the charm -- as if Dr. Bronner was perhaps a crazy hippie who happens to make awesome soap. I never really looked into it. I knew nothing at all about Dr. Bronner.
This week, while showering, I decided to read the label a little more closely (it was a long shower). It reads like the carnival barking of a schizophrenic street preacher-slash-soap salesman. It's a strange mix of homeopathy, new age rhetoric, science fiction, Evangelical Christianity and Judaism.
"THE 2ND COMING OF GOD'S LAW!" Mohammed's Arabs, 1948, found Israel Essene Scrolls & Einstein's "Hillel" prove that as certain as no 6-year-old can grow up free without the abc, so certain can no 12-year-old survive free without the Essene Moral ABC the mason, tent & sandalmaker, Rabbi Hillel taught carpenter Jesus to unite all mankind free in our Eternal Father's great All- One-God-Faith! For we're All-One or none: "Listen Children Eternal Father Eternal One!"
Absolute cleanliness is Godliness! Who else but God gave man Love that can spark mere dust to life! Poetry, uniting All-One! All brave! All life! Who else but God! "Listen Children Eternal Father Eternal One!"
More good is caused by evil than by good, do what's right! Enlarge the positive! Replace the negative with the Moral ABC of All-One-God-Faith that lightning-like unites the Human race! For we're All-One or none! As Mao found in Redbook '51, "Marxism once in power, is unworkable! Has less value than cow dung! Its power is the gun!" Khruschev added, "Without profits, farmers won't deliver food, we starve!"
There are brave souls who dare to dream that men are brothers and not foes, That hands may clasp across the seas to common good, to common woes. That beneath God's Law, the Essene Moral ABC, that 6 billion strong unites All-One- God-Faith men will embrace in brother-love to never kill in bitter hate. Who dare to hear the mighty truth, reverberating through long years, that faith- love-courage conquer fear & teamwork heal a nation's tears. Though flood & fire sweep the old earth's sod, & raging wars and evils wreck its calm, still through the awful tumult there is God our glorious world within His upraised palm. Among the journeying stars, the moon, the sun that have not failed because of that great might, with other pilgrim planets, we are one held in His hand, kept in His steadfast sight. Amidst the cannons roar you can hear God's voice: "Replace half truth, our real enemy, that age old hate" with full truth, hard work, God's Law uniting mankind in All-One-God-Faith! For centuries man struggles half asleep, half living, small & jealous, bickering with mountains of red tape to be awakened, the night God chose giving His great reward for hard work: Poetry, uniting Love, evolving man above the ape! Machine age man is full of sense & nonsense, fear, greed & jealousy, destroy his every land; Today, this whole wide world craves love-faith-courage united by the Moral ABC we stand!
It's unclear whether anyone but Dr. Bronner understood all of what is printed there.
That's the way it is with a philosophy of peace, unity and environment that simultaneously pays tribute to the qualities of Jesus, Karl Marx and Mark Spitz.
"He never thought small," said his son, Ralph, a longtime resident of Menomonee Falls who taught English and reading at Milwaukee's Muir Middle School for 32 years. "He was a brilliant soap chemist trying to unite the world."
Bronner wasn't a doctor, if that makes any difference. Growing up in his family's business in Germany, he gained a soapmaster's degree, which he considered the equivalent of a doctorate.
He wasn't really a rabbi, either, though he sometimes called himself that in later years, using the meaning of teacher.
He was Jewish, all right, even though he had his three children baptized Lutheran. Two sons and a daughter were born when Bronner was living in Milwaukee, but that was before he was forced into an Illinois mental institution and long before he habitually greeted visitors in California clad in leopard-print bathing trunks.
Bronner, among the biggest self-promoters in the nation, and blind the last 30 years of his life, was a self-proclaimed visionary.
Bronner has had an eventful life. The son of a Jewish German soap maker, he emigrated to the U.S. and pleaded with his father to do the same when the Nazis came to power. The old man refused. One day Bronner got a postcard with the words, "You were right. — Your loving father." He never heard from his parents again.
Later Bronner was arrested while trying to promote his plan at the University of Chicago and was committed to a mental hospital. He escaped three times, finally fleeing to California in 1947. He's been there cranking out soap and soap labels ever since.
Despite his eccentricities, Dr. Bronner has built his soap company into a prosperous concern, mostly by sheer force of personality. In the early days he would set up a table at health food conventions. If a dealer strayed within ten feet, Bronner would pounce and not let go until he'd gotten an order.
But things didn't really take off until he was discovered by the counterculture during the 60s. With the aid of his sons Jim and Ralph, who handle production and sales, he currently sells some 400,000 gallons of liquid soap and 600,000 pounds of bar soap a year. He says he's now worth $6 million — not bad, he notes drily, for somebody who's supposedly nuts.
The Straight Dope article was written before Dr. Bronner's death in March of 1997. His family continues the business, and the inspired writings of the doctor remain. The family has vowed to leave the labels untouched as a memorial.
According to the Jounral-Sentinel, one particular soap user, "who adopted Bronner's religion and his punctuation, wrote: "Until I read one of your soap labels, I was an atheist. Now I have found the words in which I can believe!""
So what are your thoughts on the continued use of the soap? ...Just out of curiousity. I would struggle with that, personally.
Interesting good luck with your marketing.