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Home / News / emissions
VW Board vs ex-CEO Piech: rancor erupts over diesel cheating lies
John Voelcker February 9, 2017 Comment Now!
Statements from the boards of directors of automakers are generally dry, dispassionate, and formal.
So the language of a terse item issued yesterday by the board of Volkswagen Group was remarkable in its directness.
Not to mention its inferences about the company's former CEO Ferdinand Piech, who remains a powerful and major shareholder.
DON'T MISS: VW's home state calls diesel actions 'inexcusable' as scandal expands (Nov 2016)
The statement summary read, "The Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG emphatically repudiates the assertions made by Ferdinand Piëch as reported recently in the media."
The main body of the English-language version posted on the group's corporate website said:
A similar account, which alongside the former CEO was directed above all against a number of current and former members of the Executive Committee of the Supervisory Board, was already given by Ferdinand Piëch in spring 2016 in the context of the internal, independent investigations.
Consumer Reports tests 2015 Volkswagen Jetta TDI diesel in 'cheat mode,' October 2015 [video frame]
This account was subsequently examined in close detail by law firm Jones Day. No evidence was forthcoming indicating the accuracy of these allegations, which were classified as implausible overall.
In addition, all affected members of the Executive Committee of the Supervisory Board, acting independently of each other, have unequivocally and emphatically rejected all assertions made by Ferdinand Piëch as untrue.
The Board of Management will carefully weigh the possibility of measures and claims against Mr. Piëch.
READ THIS: 5 more VW diesel execs indicted, including R&D head, after U.S. arrest
To be clear, that means that VW Group is considering taking legal action against the scion of the family that founded the company, who ran it as chairman and CEO from 1993 until he was deposed in April 2015.
The impetus for this remarkable eruption, as reported by the Associated Press, was the pre-publication release of an article from Bild am Sonntag, the German business newspaper.
That article asserted that Piech had given early warnings to four members of the supervisory board about the use of "defeat device" software in its diesel vehicles.
2015 Volkswagen Golf TDI SE
That software was designed specifically to violate U.S. law by making the cars stay within legal emission limits during EPA tests.
In real-world driving, however, they were found to emit up to 35 times the highest amount of nitrogen oxides permitted under U.S. emission laws.
That scandal ultimately spread to almost 600,000 4-cylinder and V-6 diesel vehicles of multiple models by Audi, Porsche, and Volkswagen in the U.S.
Ferdinand Piech, chairman and CEO of Volkswagen Group, at 2000 Paris Motor Show
Globally, more than 11 million diesel vehicles from Volkswagen's various brands were found to include the software.
That does not mean they were all illegal in the countries where they were sold; the U.S. emission standards were among the strictest in the world when they took effect on January 1, 2008.
Thus far, the scandal has cost VW Group more than $20 billion in the U.S. alone. The company also pleaded guilty to three felony charges of violating U.S. law.
CHECK OUT: VW diesel probe finally reaches to top; Winterkorn investigated by German prosecutors
The company has continued to maintain that the deception was a localized affair confined to a small number of engineers.
But a report summarizing the results of a thorough independent investigation by U.S. law firm Jones Day into the affair has still not been made public, despite a promised delivery date of last April.
In part, that's because legal probes by German states and Germany itself continue, drawing in part on that material and further questioning of VW executives.
Martin Winterkorn, (now former) CEO of Volkswagen AG, at opening of VW engine plant, Silao, Mexico
Two weeks ago, those investigations finally reached former CEO Martin Winterkorn, a longtime protege of Piech who succeeded him as chairman after Piech attacked him and was then ousted by VW's board in a remarkable shakeup in April 2015.
The Bild am Sonntag article says Piech told investigators he had asked Winterkorn about the matter in March 2015, after learning of it from an informant.
After that, it says, he told the four board members.
Winterkorn, on the other hand, testified in front of the German parliament that he only learned of the diesel cheating problem shortly before the EPA announced it publicly in September 2015.
In yesterday's statement, the VW supervisory board emphatically rejected Piech's claim that he had informed four of its members.
Whether the board takes legal action against him for that claim should prove fascinating to watch.
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Diesel emissions Ferdinand Piech Green Martin Winterkorn News Volkswagen diesel scandal VW VW Group
John Voelcker - Contributor
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Chinese buyers from Mainland China and Hong Kong accounted for 27% of buyers of new homes in London in the past year.
The largest group of buyers, Chinese favour high-rise, contemporary buildings in waterside locations, according to Savills.
Showing a marked preference for new properties, many Chinese buyers seek prime new homes for their families and children pursuing an education in the UK.
"Far from being 'buy to leave' investors, most overseas buyers in London live and work in the U.K.," Ms. Barnes said in the Savills report.


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Q: Negative lookbehind and square brackets I 'd like to create a regex that matches unmatched right square brackets. Examples:
]ichael ==> match ]
[my name is Michael] ==> no match
No nested pairs of of square brackets occur in my text.
I tried to use negative lookbehind for that, more specifically I use this regex: (?<!\[(.)+)\] but it doesn't seem to do the trick.
Any suggestions?

A: Unless you are using .NET, lookbehinds have to be of fixed length. Since you just want to detect whether there are any unmatched closing brackets, you don't actually need a lookbehind though:
^[^\[\]]*(?:\[[^\[\]]*\][^\[\]]*)*\]

If this matches you have an unmatched closing parenthesis.
It's a bit easier to understand, if you realise that [^\[\]] is a negated character class that matches anything but square brackets, and if you lay it out in freespacing mode:
^              # start from the beginning of the string
[^\[\]]*       # match non-bracket characters
(?:            # this group matches matched brackets and what follows them
  \[           # match [
  [^\[\]]*     # match non-bracket characters
  \]           # match ]
  [^\[\]]*     # match non-bracket characters
)*             # repeat 0 or more times
\]             # match ]

So this tries to find a ] after matching 0 or more well-matched pairs of brackets.
Note that the part between ^ and ] is functionally equivalent to Tim Pietzker's solution (which is a bit easier to understand conceptually, I think). What I have done, is an optimization technique called "unrolling the loop". If your flavor provides possessive quantifiers, you can turn all * into *+ to increase efficiency even further.

About your attempt
Even if you are using .NET, the problem with your pattern is that . allows you to go past other brackets. Hence, you'd get no match in
[abc]def]

Because both the first and the second ] have a [ somewhere in front of them. If you are using .NET, the simplest solution is
(?<!\[[^\[\]]*)\]

Here we use non-bracket characters in the repetition, so that we don't look past the first [ or ] we encounter to the left.

A: You don't need lookaround at all (and it would be difficult to use it most languages don't allow unlimited-length lookbehind assertions):
((?:\[[^\[\]]*]|[^\[\]]*)*+)\]

will match any text that ends in a closing bracket unless there's a corresponding opening bracket before it. It does not (and according to your question doesn't need to) handle nested brackets.
The part before the ] can be found in $1 so you can reuse it later.
Explanation:
(           # Match and capture in group number 1:
 (?:        # the following regex (start of non-capturing group):
  \[        # Either a [
  [^\[\]]*  # followed by non-brackets
  \]        # followed by ]
 |          # or
  [^\[\]]*  # Any number of non-bracket characters
 )*+        # repeat as needed, match possessively to avoid backtracking
)           # End of capturing group
\]          # Match ]

A: This should do it:
'^[^\[]*\]'

Basically says pick out any closing square bracket that doesn't have an open square bracket between it and the beginning of the line.

A: \](.*)

Will match on everything after the ]:
]ichael -> ichael
[my name is Michael] ->

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Sirius – the Bright Star in the Dairy Sector
Innovative collaboration from farm to fork has set new standards for quality in Danish dairy.
Arla Unika has grown out of a big idea – to bring Danish dairy to a world-class gastronomic level through a collaboration between passionate dairy professionals, chefs and culinary entrepreneurs.
By 2002 Arla was already a leading global dairy brand exporting products as well as know-how. However, progressive Danish chefs at the time expressed a need for alternative gastronomic dairy products made from culinary virtues such as diversity and unique tastes.
Through a continuous development and collaboration, the outcome is a wide range of cheese and milk products that has set new standards for quality
Collaboration from farm to fork
Arla eventually listened to the chefs and entered the fruitful collaboration. The starting point was artisanal skill, new knowledge, and curiosity – all set in a creative environment where ideas were flowing and failures seen as natural and necessary steps towards a final uniqueness.
Through a continuous development and collaboration, the outcome is a wide range of cheese and milk products that has set new standards for quality, creating culinary uniqueness without compromising the highest food safety standards.
The shining example
A shining example is Sirius. Named after the brightest star in the northern sky, this cheese cuts across the cheese processing tradition to resemble the methods used in the production of charcuterie products.
Created as a white and blue mould cheese, it is dehydrated, washed in red rind culture, stored moist and then, finally, dehydrated again. The process results in a new type of cheese with a firm texture and well-balanced mould flavour, complementing the round butter and cream notes.
A Gastro Collaboration for High-End Innovative Beer-Brewing
World-Class Cuts Direct from the Gold Room
Sønderhøj 14
8260 Viby
https://www.arla.com/ +45 8938 1000
Download the case here

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Welcome to the world of action-packed games, where you are going to play unlimited missions. If you love to play shooting games in the action category, we have got what you need. you'll find your favorite action game here. '' Sniper 3D Gun Shooter'' is this sniper game has achieved huge milestones so far and it is now among the top games of a sniper shooting.
We have developed this game according to users' interests. Finding your required target is just an awesome task you've to perform at each level. You get a description of the target and then you do not miss. You never miss. That's why they always choose you. Clean the city from the criminals. Thefts and murders are unforgivable. Just aim and shoot. Find the exact description of the target. The color of T-shirt, trousers, hair. Everything matters. One mistake and you will be fired. In this game, you will find a variety of guns in the store. Upgrade them to the maximum level and see what you have got. Buy your favorite sniper guns from the arsenal. This huge variety of guns makes this game categorized among shooting games with guns and people.
All Above mentioned stories are fictitious and they are not occurring in the real-world environment. This game never tends to harm any person. It's totally free to play, so download this fps game. Come to play this gun shooter game on Pokicom.com for free. Much fun! Have fun!
- Thrilling sniper shooting experience.


Breastfeed a Toddler—Why on Earth?
Because more and more women are now breastfeeding their babies, more and more are also finding that they enjoy breastfeeding enough to want to continue longer than the usual few months they initially thought they would.
UNICEF has long encouraged breastfeeding for two years and longer, and the American Academy of Pediatrics is now on record as encouraging mothers to nurse at least one year and as long after as both mother and baby desire. Even the Canadian Paediatric Society, in its latest feeding statement acknowledges that women may want to breastfeed for two years or longer and Health Canada has put out a statement similar to UNICEF's.
Breastfeeding to 3 and 4 years of age has been common in much of the world until recently in human history, and it is still common in many societies for toddlers to breastfeed.
Perhaps this is said, but it is patently wrong. That anyone (including paediatricians) can say such a thing only shows how ignorant so many people in our society are about breastfeeding. Breastmilk is, after all, milk. Even after six months, it still contains protein, fat, and other nutritionally important and appropriate elements which babies and children need. Breastmilk still contains immunologic factors that help protect the baby. In fact, some immune factors in breastmilk that protect the baby against infection are present in greater amounts in the second year of life than in the first. This is, of course as it should be, since children older than a year are generally exposed to more sources of infection. Breastmilk still contains special growth factors that help the immune system to mature, and which help the brain, gut, and other organs to develop and mature.
And breastfeeding makes the toddler dependent? Don't believe it. The child who breastfeeds until he weans himself (usually from 2 to 4 years), is generally more independent, and, perhaps, more importantly, more secure in his independence. He has received comfort and security from the breast, until he is ready to make the step himself to stop. And when he makes that step himself, he knows he has achieved something, he knows he has moved ahead. It is a milestone in his life.
Often we push children to become "independent" too quickly. To sleep alone too soon, to wean from the breast too soon, to do without their parents too soon, to do everything too soon. Don't push and the child will become independent soon enough. What's the rush? Soon they will be leaving home. You want them to leave home at 14? If a need is met, it goes away. If a need is unmet (such as the need to breastfeed and be close to mom), it remains a need well into childhood and even the teenage years.
Possibly the most important aspect of nursing a toddler is not the nutritional or immunologic benefits, important as they are. I believe the most important aspect of nursing a toddler is the special relationship between child and mother. Breastfeeding is a life-affirming act of love. This continues when the baby becomes a toddler. Anyone without prejudices, who has ever observed an older baby or toddler nursing can testify that there is something almost magical, something special, something far beyond food going on. A toddler will sometimes spontaneously, for no obvious reason, break into laughter while he is nursing. His delight in the breast goes far beyond a source of food. And if the mother allows herself, breastfeeding becomes a source of delight for her as well, far beyond the pleasure of providing food. Of course, it's not always great, but what is? But when it is, it makes it all so worthwhile.


We are in a bit of a dry spell here, the river/sanctuary where i usually stalk is just a trickle of its former self. It is theoretically possible to put my boat in, but it would difficult with one so well..matronly. I should have bought a kayak….but we know where that would have ended…with me in the drink more often then not. Moby is delighted with his new hangout. He can see everyone and no one can see him.
I recently broke the 50 species mark in my inventory of the Nevins Bird Sanctuary. This place hasn't really been 'birded' in a few decades, so this is trippy. I have NO idea what I am doing but I am having a hell of a time.
YES, this is what I do with my summers….I try to stay busy or pretending I am so, because the orders are few and far between. If i had another steady source of income i'd just close Sicpress.com in the summer. I never did figure out why orders slow to a crawl, but they do. I ship a couple everyday, but not enough comes in to keep body and soul together nevermind pay for product restocks. I try to double up on the other incomes what there is of it. I will confess to NOT rebuilding any bikes this summer, we have had too many 90 degree days. I suppose I should just do it in the living room like a normal person. Perhaps I will do that this weekend….unless there is water in the river.


All India Institute of Medical Science Jodhpur has already published fresh employment news through its main web portal, regarding AIIMS Jodhpur Recruitment 2015 to fill up 221 available posts of Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor and Additional Professor (Group 'A'). It is very good news for interested candidates who were searching latest govt jobs in Rajasthan can utilize this best opportunity by filing AIIMS Online application form. Due to huge reputation, Institute is looking for talented, experienced and knowledgeable personnel with excellent academic records for above particular posts.
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences is group of autonomous public medical collages of higher education. These institutes have been declared by Act of Parliament as institutions of national importance. AIIMS Jodhpur is a medical collage and medical research pubic university based in Jodhpur city of Rajasthan, India. The institute will operate autonomously under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India). On 31 January 2004, then Finance Minister Jaswant Singh had laid the foundation stone of this institute. The AIIMS institutes are also located in New Delhi, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Patna, Raipur, Rishikesh other than Jodhpur.
All the passionate contenders who wish to apply for AIIMS Jodhpur Professor Vacancy 2015 should have passed post graduate qualification (MD/MS) or its equivalent from a recognized University/Institute. Qualified applicants can submit application for on-line registration which will be hosted in official web portal till 14th September, 2015 for the above job recruitment. We notify to aspirants who do not have requisite qualification up to the last date for submission of application, will not be considered.
While applying for the posts, aspirants seeking for latest Jodhpur jobs should ensure that he/she fulfills the eligibility and other norms mentioned in the advertisement no. AAdmn/Faculty/1/2014-AIIMS.JDH. Applicants should make sure that they have a valid personal Email ID & Contact details, working through out recruitment process.
All the brief details about vacancies, age limit, qualification, pay scale, application fee, selection procedure, important dates etc. are well mentioned below.
1.1.1 How to fill AIIMS Jodhpur Recruitment Form 2015?
Type & Location of Job: State Government Job in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
For General Category Applicants: Upper Age Limit will be 50 (Fifty years).
For OBC Category Applicants: Upper Age Limit will be 53 (Fifty Three years).
For SC/ST Category Applicants: Upper Age Limit will be 55 (Fifty Five years).
For General Category: Age relaxation up to a maxi. period of 10 years.
For OBC Category: Age relaxation up to a maxi. period of 13 years.
For SC/ST Category: Age relaxation up to a maxi. period of 15 years.
The period of probation is two years.
Interested applicants must have passed post graduate qualification (MD/MS) or its equivalent from a recognized University/Institute.
For Post wise complete qualification details please refer the official notification.
Note: Fee shall be paid through NEFT/online transfer only.
General/OBC Category Applicants: Rs. 1,000/- only.
SC/ST Category Applicants: Rs. 500/- only.
Physically Handicapped Category Applicants: NIL.
Bank Account Details: Bank of Baroda, Saving bank A/c No. 18720100014715, IFSC Code BARB0INDJOD.
Professor Posts: Rs. 37,400/- to Rs. 67,000/- with Academic Grade Pay of Rs. 10,500/- (Plus NPA for medically qualified candidates only) with the mini. pay of Rs. 51,600/- and AGP of Rs. 10,500/-.
Additional Professor Posts: Rs. 37,400/- to Rs. 67,000/- with Academic Grade Pay of Rs. 9,500/- (Plus NPA for medically qualified candidates only) with the mini. pay of Rs. 46,000/- and AGP of Rs. 9,500/-.
Associate Professor: Rs. 37,400/- to Rs. 67,000/- with Academic Grade Pay of Rs. 9,000/- (Plus NPA for medically qualified candidates only) with the mini. pay of Rs. 42,800/- and AGP of Rs. 9,000/-.
Assistant Professor: Rs. 15,600/- to Rs. 39,100/- with Academic Grade Pay of Rs. 8,000/- with a minimum of Rs. 30,000/- plus NPA. (NPA for medically qualified candidates only) with provision to move to PB-4 after three years (Rs.37,400/- to Rs. 67,000) with Grade Pay of Rs. 8,700/-.
Lecturer in Nursing: Rs. 15,600/- to Rs. 39,100/- with Grade Pay of Rs. 6,600/-.
The final selection candidates will be based on bio-data, the selection committee may short-list them for interview.
How to fill AIIMS Jodhpur Recruitment Form 2015?
Log on to official website of All India Institute of Medical Science, Jodhpur.
On home page, click on link named 'AIIMS Jodhpur Professor Recruitment 2015'.
Please read all the important instructions carefully in notification before applying application form.
Fill up all the mandatory fields in application form without making any types of grammatical or spelling mistakes.
At last, save it and take printout of filled application form for future reference.
Starting Date for registration of online application: 14th August, 2015.
Last Date for registration of online application: 14th September, 2015.


hacked by cyber_hunter Lovers of animals!
There could be various occasions when you might have to relocate to an all new location with your family, either temporarily or permanently, may be either for work, or on a short term basis. You would have made all arrangements for your relocation or shift to a new place, called your "Packers and Movers", arranged for your own vehicle etc., but many a time it becomes too difficult to transport your most loved pets, whom you treat as your own members of your family. Reason may not be that you want to leave your pet back, but you are looking at some safe options to transport your pet to your new place with as minimal stress on your pet as possible. Cats and dogs find it stressful and irritating to travel in a car along with you, if the place is uncomfortable for them, cats behave unpredictably, and they may run out too. So, transporting your pets safely should be your utmost priority.
Buying a comfortable cat cage, if you want to use a transport vehicle would help a lot. Even if you want to carry the pet along with you, the cat cage would prove out to be very handy. The cat cage could act like a special bag or basket which can be fastened to a seat belt of your car to prevent any injuries to your loved pet. If you are using a special cat transporter vehicle, then you should take care and train your cat to get accustomed to the cat cage, else it might feel uneasy to stay in the cage for a long duration when being transported. Speak to the transportation people and check that the vehicle is well ventilated and insect proof. Provide enough food, water and toilet trays for your pet that might be required all along the journey. Also, talk to the veterinary about "motion sickness" for the cat and how could you handle it safely without causing too much of anxiety to the pet.
A cat carrier or a cage, or a cat basket is a very helpful thing to buy if you want to transport them safely to the required destination. There are various options available for you to buy the cat carriers, before you send them to the cat transporter vehicle. You have the soft shelled and the hard shelled ones. Hard shelled ones have bars on them with solid sides. You could shop for these cages on the internet. The price of these cages depends on the size of the cages. Cats adapt to the new situations and new places very fast, so training your pet to the new cage should not be a difficult task.
Making your feline comfortable and having his journey a very peaceful and relaxed one depends on how well you plan it, and acquaint your cat to the new cat carrier and pet transportation vehicle will make your pet comfortable.
Where To Leave Your Pets?
How To Pick The Right Pet Sitter For Your Pet?


Investors and credit rating agencies (CRAs) are ramping up efforts to consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in credit risk analysis.
Shifting perceptions: ESG, credit risk and ratings (Part 1: The state of play) is the first in a three-part series to enhance the systematic and transparent consideration of ESG issues in the assessment of the creditworthiness of borrowers in fixed income (FI) markets.
It provides a snapshot of the current state of play on ESG in credit risk analysis (in terms of thinking and activities) to better understand what investors and CRAs are already doing, what they are aiming for and what their expectations are. Parts two and three will provide more in-depth coverage on existing challenges as well as future opportunities.
Some efforts made by investors in ESG integration are incipient; some are partial, and some are more advanced.
Overall, ESG analysis is yet to be systematically integrated into credit risk assessment. It can be advisory in nature and the responsibility often falls on ESG analysts alone to raise "red flags". Hence, at this stage, full ESG integration appears some way off.
CRAs are integrating many ESG factors into their credit rating analysis, but must communicate this better.
While an assessment of governance has traditionally been included, CRAs acknowledge that they need to be more explicit and transparent about other ESG factors – namely social and environmental ones – too.
Investors may not have realistic expectations of CRAs.
This is partly due to confusion around what ratings measure and expectations that ratings need to be calibrated to capture risks that they are not designed for (i.e. beyond default risk).
CRAs are bolstering their research efforts.
CRAs are increasingly researching ESG topics beyond traditional rating analysis. This is contributing to the development of evaluation tools and deeper understanding of the issues at stake. However, it remains to be seen whether research insight is embedded in rating analysis going forward.
There are no perfect time horizons for assessing these, as they depend on the nature of the factors. Investors are asking for more guidance from CRAs, about the direction of risks; while this is provided to an extent by Credit Watches, Outlooks and Outlook statements, CRAs could take a more granular approach to ESG consideration and include scenario analysis to address long-term trends and risk trajectories. These are particularly important when it comes to assessing the possibility of upgrades or downgrades on which markets trade. There is also a lack of agreement on which time horizon to focus on, since ESG analysts tend to be more long-term oriented than portfolio managers (PMs), while CRAs vary.
It is important to differentiate the ESG factors that may affect the financial performance of an issuer, its risk of default and the trading performance of its securities. These are not always straightforward to identify, however, due to data restrictions, confusion about which metrics to prioritise, and the nature of ESG risks (which may be new to both investors and CRAs). When considering the risk of default, some thought should also be given to how ESG factors may affect expected losses.
CRAs and investors most frequently cite governance as the ESG factor that is likely to directly impact creditworthiness. However, recent research by investors and CRAs suggest their focus is intensifying on environmental and green factors in particular, and less so on social factors which are less tangible.
Improvements are needed on both sides: CRAs generally agree that they need to enhance their external communication and transparency with investors. At the same time, investors have to improve internal dialogue (and cooperation) between ESG analysts and portfolio managers, who have the final investment call.
How can investors and CRAs address the issue of timeframes for long-term ESG risks?
How can investors and CRAs use their improving ESG competence to enhance information disclosure by issuers?
Should investors give consideration to non-credit rating tools (i.e. an ESG score) that can help them assess risks beyond default risks?
Do regulators play a role in facilitating the systematic and transparent integration of ESG consideration in credit assessment?
How could institutions on both the investor and the CRA side – and their credit analysts – be incentivised to enhance their ESG competence and incorporate it systematically in their analysis?
As ESG factors are often intangible, how can qualitative assessment be improved for the purpose of credit risk analysis?
We welcome all feedback on this initiative; the challenge is to channel efforts constructively, efficiently and effectively to drive real change.
This report is only the beginning of more work that lies ahead. We acknowledge that these findings may not necessarily reflect industry views across the board, particularly on the investor side, and strongly encourage interested parties to work with us in taking this important project forward by getting involved in the activities being planned with the help of the ACCR.
What are the ESG implications of the Saudi Aramco debut bond issue?
Roundtable discussions began considering the various steps that need to be taken to help build a more structured and systematic framework for ESG consideration in credit risk analysis. Three potentially significant steps have been identified so far.


How can recover corrupted Canon CR2 and jpg images from a damaged windows system?
My computer a System 32 problem and all folder icons turned to shortcut icons. My pics from Yosemite were gone! I have had the hard drive sent to two reputable places with no luck. (although expensive) I ran a file recovery and have some CR2 and jpeg files, but they are corrupted. (See file below.) Can anyone help? These are/were some of my favorite pictures!!
I've had good results with EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard and with Data Rescue.
I don't suppose you had Time Machine running or Carbon Copy Cloner?


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Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects
Headquarters & Office Buildings
Healthcare & Research
Hotel & Residential
+ Details - Details
Hartford, Connecticut, USA
160,000 square feet / 15,000 square meters
The Connecticut Science Center captures the excitement and wonder of science. This arresting science museum is part of the Adriaen's Landing development, which includes a convention center, a major hotel, and other attractions along the Connecticut River.
The Science Center is comprised of three major elements: a tower in the shape of a parallelogram, with dramatic, tilting walls; a terraced volume that steps back on one side and cantilevers outward on the other; and Science Alley, a narrow six-story space between the two. Science Alley is topped by an iconic S-shaped roof, the "magic carpet" — the building's signature image. The building is clad in transparent glass, lightly reflective metal panels, photovoltaic panels, and a large LED screen.
Visitors enter the Science Center at street level on the west side and immediately ascend a generous staircase into Science Alley, a grand hall crisscrossed by pedestrian bridges. This striking space serves as a central circulation point from which visitors can discover all of the museum's exhibitions and attractions. With its soaring, east-facing glass wall, the space draws visitors out to a landscaped plaza on the Connecticut River.
To the south of Science Alley, exhibition areas are contained within the parallelogram-shaped tower, whose east wall tilts toward the river, creating a large observation deck. The exhibition spaces to the north of Science Alley are contained within a volume that is akin to a pair of long, stacked boxes. On the street side to the west, the second story cantilevers over the entry, and the full projecting elevation is clad in LED panels, broadcasting abstract images. The entire north volume is covered in a roof garden.
The building uses multiple strategies to achieve its LEED Gold rating. Energy saving mechanisms, locally manufactured building materials, recycled content building materials including 95 percent of the steel from recycled cars, the use of high-performance glazing on the exterior envelope, and a fuel cell that generates energy on site are some of the features that contribute to the sustainability concept of the Center.
© 2021 Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects


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Business Edge | Buhari Approves Reopening of Four Land Borders
Home » African Business News & Stories » Business Edge | Buhari Approves Reopening of Four Land Borders
Samagbeyi Afolasade
On Business Edge, Tolulope Adeleru-Balogun hosted Tunji Andrews and Nasir Agbalaya. They talked about pension contributions that Nigerian governors are seeking to borrow to fund projects in their state; the pension fund that had become a source of comfort for many workers, who lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, Nigeria re-opens four of her land borders, with plans of opening others by December 30, 2020.
Nigeria's Annual Exports to South Africa Reach $3.8Bn
AfDB Appoints Aissa Toure as Rwanda Country Manager
Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari and nine other African Presidents have received awards for their contributions to the kick-off of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the President of African Development Bank (AfDB), and some heads of institutions also received awards for their roles in the enforcement of the AfCFTA.
The award ceremony was organised virtually by the African Union (AU) with the private sector in the AU headquarters at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The presidents given the awards were Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria; Akufo-Addo of Ghana; Felix Tshekedi of Congo; Ahmed Fattah Al-Sisi of Egypt; Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger; Alpha Conde of Guinea; Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and Chairperson of the AU; and Paul Kagame of Rwanda.
Others are King Mswati III, Ngwenyama of Eswatini; Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia; two former heads of states – Hailemariam Desalegn, former Prime Minister of Ethiopia and Mr Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria.
The President, Africa Business Council (AfBC), Amany Asfour, was also presented with an award for her role in that respect.
Some heads of African institutions and other prominent individuals were also awarded for their exceptional contributions to the AfCFTA process.
The awards were received by the various countries' ambassadors and representatives of institutions present while those absent will receive through courier services to the recipients.
One of the award recipients, Amany Asfour said the ceremony showed the commitment of the private sector towards the implementation of the AU Agenda 2063.
"We need an architecture where the organised private sector would cater for the implementation of the AfCFTA and it is such a pleasure now it has been constituted by the efforts of the AU Commission," she said.
Asfour urged the players in the private sector to ensure the implementation of policies regarding the agreement.
"We need the legislation that will make it happen with the AfCFTA, the policies can be on paper but the implementation is our role as the private sector.
"It is a must to empower our Small and Medium Enterprises, youths and women. We are the richest continent in the world but we need to manage our own resources," she said.
In her remarks, Saratu Aliyu, President, Federation of West Africa Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (FEWACCI) apd governments, private sector players and contributors to the success of the AfCFTA implementation.
Aliyu expressed optimism that the agreement would promote e-commerce and e-business infrastructure and develop a roadmap for the development of a digital economy to support the growth in member states.
She also reiterated the support of FEWACCI to achieving economic development and growth in Africa.
West Africa Business News
U.S.-based Nigerian billionaire, Dr Oluleye Adigun has disclosed ongoing efforts to invest N3Bn ($6.8million) in Fidelity Bank through shares acquisition.
Dr Adigun, in a recent interview, said the acquisition is part of his planned investment in the Nigerian economy, adding that the process of buying Fidelity bank was almost done, attributing the little delay to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The Fidelity bank purchase is almost done. COVID-19 delayed the process a little due to everything closing down, but the process just picked up again. I was told I have to open a bank account and will need BVN. I am planning to come to Nigeria to do that as soon as possible.
The Osun State-born billionaire is the owner and Chief Operating Officer of Golden Glades Treatment Centre as well as Adigun Investment Group with stakes in nine companies operating in commercial real estate, several e-commerce companies. as well as wind and solar energy.
Others are aviation, with four private planes, a technology company, which owns computer software/applications, and six clinics in the healthcare industry.
Peter Aletor, Managing Director for Apel Asset Limited, and a friend, Mr Tosin Afolabi, have been very helpful on it. Afolabi will be partner in my bank venture in Nigeria with small share," he said of his foray into the Nigerian economy.
Adigun expressed willingness to bring his airline company, healthcare, technology as well as solar and wind energy to Nigeria in the future.
"I am interested in investing in Nigeria because it's my father land. I believe there has to be a way of doing something in my own country and be successful in it.
"I have touched almost every industry here in the U.S. and very successful in it. I have done business with people in other countries like South African, Zimbabwe, Jamaica and Europe. I want to do same in my own country," he said.
He added: "The Nigerian economy has great potentials. Nigeria has everything to be giant in the world. We have the smartest people in Nigeria.
"With the right people, with great mind and good intentions, Nigeria can be like U.S. and other thriving countries. I need to build my own too. Nigeria is my home regardless of what I have here in U.S. ."
He narrated how his previous efforts to purchase failing Polaris Bank in Nigeria was thwarted, on the grounds that he was not known in Nigeria.
"When I decided to start investing in the Nigerian economy, I first heard of Polaris Bank. So I decided to buy a failing bank and Polaris came up through my connections with CBN.
"We are going through with the process of buying into Fidelity Bank now and that should be completely done in a few weeks. This is a billion naira project and hope it goes well. I have built myself from making less than 30,000 dollars yearly to having a net worth of over 100 million dollars within the last four years.
"We are all Nigerians and looking to better our country together. We can't fix Nigeria if we are all divided. As Nigerians, we need to change our mindset to fix and make Nigeria better together," he said.
He said he is also in the process of applying for a banking license with CBN to dive into fintech
Adigun is an old student of Olivet Baptist High School in Oyo, Miami Dade college, Florida Atlantic University and Walden University.
He has served in several U.S. organisations as a Police Officer, Substance Abuse Counselor and Clinical Director before he opened his first business in 2017.
Heirs Holdings (HH) an affiliate of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (Transcorp) has acquired 45 per cent participating interest in Nigerian oil licence OML 17 from Shell Petroleum, Total and ENI.
A statement by Mr Chike Anikwe, Acting Group Company Secretary, Transcorp, said on Friday that the transaction is one of the largest oil and gas financings in Africa in more than a decade, with a financing component of $1.1 billion, provided by a consortium of global and regional banks and investors.
It said that the transaction was through TNOG Oil and Gas Limited (a related company of Heirs Holdings and Transcorp), which will have sole oparatorshio of the asset from Shell Petroleum Development Nigeria Plc, Total E&P Nigeria Limited and ENI.
Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, said in the statement: "We have a very clear vision: creating Africa's first integrated energy multinational, a global quality business, uniquely focused on Africa and Africa's energy needs.
"The acquisition of such a high quality asset, with significant potential for further growth, is a strong statement of our confidence in Nigeria, the Nigerian oil and gas sector and a tribute to the extremely high-quality management team that we have assembled.
"As a Nigerian, and more particularly an indigene of the Niger Delta region, I understand well our responsibilities that come with stewardship of the asset, our engagement with communities and the strategic importance of the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.
"We see significant benefits from integrating our production, with our ability to power Nigeria, through Transcorp, and deliver value across the energy value chain," he said.
Elumelu further said: "I would like to thank Shell, Total and ENI, for the professionalism of the process, the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, and the NNPC for the confidence they have placed in us," he noted.
Speaking on the investment, Mr Owen Omogiafo, the President and Group Chief Executive Officer, of Transcorp, said that the transaction was an evidence of the company's strategy to power Africa.
"This deal further demonstrates Transcorp's integrated energy strategy and our determination to power Africa."
Heirs Holdings was advised by Standard Chartered Plc, as Global Coordinator, and United Capital Plc, with a syndicate of lending institutions including Afreximbank, ABSA, Africa Finance Corporation, Union Bank of Nigeria, Hybrid Capital, and global asset management firm Amundi.
The deal also involves Schlumberger as a technical partner, as well as the trading arm of Shell as an offtaker.
According to the statement, OML 17 has a current production capacity of 27,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day and, according to our estimates, 2P reserves of 1.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent, with an additional 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent resources of further exploration potential.
The investment demonstrates an advance in the execution of Heirs Holdings' integrated energy strategy and the Group's commitment to Africa's development, through long term investments that create economic prosperity and social wealth.
Heirs Holdings' heritage and approach to business fundamentally underscores its commitment to inclusive development and shared prosperity with its host communities. Heirs Holdings is fully invested in the development of the Niger Delta region.
The statement also reported that Heirs Holdings' strategy of creating the leading integrated energy business in Africa is executed through a series of strategic portfolio holdings.
Transcorp is one of the largest power producers in Nigeria, with 2,000 MW of installed capacity, through ownership of Transcorp Power Plant and the recent acquisition of Afam Power Plc and Afam Three Fast Power Limited.
Transcorp closed the US$300 million Afam acquisitions in November 2020. Transcorp supplies electricity to the Republic of Benin, as part of an emphasis on promoting regional integration and delivering robust power supply to catalyse development in Africa.
Transcorp also operates OPL281, under a production sharing contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ("NNPC").
Similarly, Heirs Holdings' subsidiary, Tenoil is the operator of OPL 2008, under a production sharing contract with NNPC.
Tenoil also owns the Ata Marginal Field which will commence production in Q2, 2021, with 3,500 barrels of oil per day.


text:
Hand Signed by Roger Moore, Live and Let Die (1973)
Home » Vintage Posters Gallery » Hand Signed by Roger Moore, Live and Let Die (1973)
More than 30 years after the release of the last James Bond film featuring Sir Roger Moore (as you and I should now call him), to many die hard fans he remains the ultimate 007. A living legend with seven (yes, really!) unforgettable Bond films to his name, in a remarkable acting career over almost seven decades. Posters of James Bond films starring Roger Moore have been among the most sought after 007 posters for years. But those personally autographed by him remain limited in number and command much greater value. We are now proud to offer a selection of posters recently signed by Sir Roger Moore especially for At The Movies clients.
Title: Live and Let Die
Actor / Actress: Roger Moore, Yaphet Kotto
Condition: Folded as-issued
Man with the Golden Gun, The (1974)
Hand Signed Live and Let Die Poster Guy Hamilton Tom Mankiewicz Roger Moore Yaphet Kotto Jane Seymour Action Adventure Thriller Bond 007 1970 30 x 40 Original British Quad


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posted Friday, May 13, 2011 - Volume 39 Issue 19
Cameroon: 'Sodomy' Law Violates Basic Rights
Eliminate Law Used to Entrap for Sexual Orientation
(Johannesburg, May 17, 2011) - The March arrest, conviction, and sentencing of Roger Jean-Claude Mbede to three years in prison for being homosexual is a gross violation of Mbede's rights to freedom of expression and equality guaranteed by the Cameroonian constitution, Alternatives-Cameroun, Association pour la Defense de l'Homosexualité (ADEFHO), and Human Rights Watch said in a letter to Cameroon's top leaders.
Under section 347 bis, a person who engages in sexual relations with a person of the same sex' can face a prison term of up to five years. Mbede was sentenced after admitting to his sexual orientation while in police custody. However, the law directly contravenes international human rights treaties, which, the Cameroonian constitution states, apply directly in the country.
'This law criminalizes consensual sexual conduct and violates the fundamental rights to privacy, equality, and freedom of expression of all Cameroonians,' said Alice Nkom of ADEFHO. 'The fear and stigma attached to homosexuality is such that the police use the mere existence of the law to trap individuals with impunity. And courts convict those accused even in the absence of evidence.'
In their letter, ADEFHO, Alternatives-Cameroun, and Human Rights Watch urge Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Hon. Amadou Ali to initiate a review of the law criminalizing consensual sexual conduct and the conviction in this case, and call on the General Delegate of Security Martin Mbarga Nguélé and the Secretary of State for Defence Jean Baptiste Bokam to cease arrests under section 347 bis of the Cameroonian penal code.
Mbede sent an acquaintance a text message and arranged to meet him on March 2, 2011. When he arrived at the designated meeting place, he found his acquaintance in the company of policemen, who took him into custody. The police questioned Mbede who admitted that he was homosexual. Cameroonian law dictates that a person cannot be held in custody for longer than 48 hours without being charged. Mbede was held for seven days at the Gendarmerie du SED Yaoundé before he was charged and transferred to Yaoundé Central Prison.
Mbede made three appearances at the Court of First Instance in Yaoundé and on April 28, he was found guilty and sentenced to three years in prison. Mbede is currently serving his sentence at Yaoundé Central Prison. Cameroonian activists say that Mbede faces threats to his physical safety in prison because of his sexual orientation.
'The Cameroonian criminal justice system is failing to uphold basic rights,' Yves Yomb of Alternatives-Cameroun. 'In other cases, an accusation from a third party suffices as 'evidence.' The existence of this law and its use with such impunity makes a mockery of civil liberties in the country.'
In 2010, four human rights organizations, including ADEFHO, Alternatives-Cameroun, and Human Rights Watch, jointly published a report documenting the many violations of fundamental rights faced by lesbians, gay men, and bisexual people in Cameroon. The report exposes arbitrary detention, scant regard for due process, and sentencing without evidence under section 347 bis. The report documents abuses in detention, both pre-trial and in prison, by police and prison personnel, including beatings, torture, and verbal abuse. Even written complaints by prisoners about abuse from guards receive no response from the authorities.
Prison authorities often inform other inmates about the presumed sexual orientation of individuals incarcerated under section 347 bis. This results in constant threats, violence, and insults against such prisoners. The report documents cases in which inmates presumed to be homosexual have been physically beaten as well as sexually assaulted by other inmates, with prison personnel failing to protect them and even encouraging such violence.
Prison authorities provide no materials or information about safer sex in prison despite the fact that coerced as well as voluntary sexual activity takes place among inmates. Despite the government's stated commitment to including men who have sex with men in Cameroon's HIV and AIDS national strategy, conditions in prison are such that not only is the risk of HIV transmission among inmates high, but also that HIV positive inmates often receive no treatment while in prison, which places their lives at extreme risk.
'A prison term can be life-threatening for inmates, particularly those who are presumed to be homosexual,' said Dipika Nath of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. 'Cameroon's police, judges, and other government officials are allowing their prejudices against lesbians and gay men to override legal standards they have sworn to uphold.'
ADEFHO, Alternatives-Cameroun, and Human Rights Watch said that section 347 bis and the abuses faced by individuals because of their presumed or actual sexual orientation and gender expression violate rights enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, which Cameroon acceded to on June 27, 1984, and June 20, 1989, respectively. These rights include the rights to privacy; health; freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention; protection against torture and inhuman and degrading treatment; freedom of expression, association, and information; non-discrimination and equal protection of the law; the rights of prisoners in detention; and the rights of women.
The constitution of Cameroon affirms its 'attachment to the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights... the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, and all duly ratified international conventions....'
For more Human Rights Watch reporting on LGBT rights, please visit:
http://www.hrw.org/en/category/topic/lgbt-rights
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The international editions of Time magazine circulated in Australia and New Zealand will carry a monthly supplement drawn from Sports Illustrated starting in January, the sports magazine said last week. Joe Marshall, Sports Illustrated's director of special projects, said the inclusion of a 32-page supplement would begin with the Jan. 7 issue of Time. The supplement will include three to five articles taken from the previous month's issues of the weekly sports magazine. It will include 9 1/2 pages of advertising along with 22 1/2 pages of editorial material. Time and Sports Illustrated are both published by Time Warner Inc.


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Available now to add to your cherub's special occasion wardrobe, this chic day dress will ensure your girl is always looking smart. Whether she needs a designer gown for a holiday, family gathering or formal event, this modern springtime edition will add instant star quality into the mix. Featuring a timeless black colour palette with bold white daisy appliqué at the waist, this contemporary gown guarantees to update your angel's S/S17 edit. Pretty yellow accents add a touch of springtime colour contrast. A-line flared silhouette with structured fabric and full pleated skirt. Full-length zip fastening.


text:
Time to pull the trigger? Examining the ethical permissibility of minimum age restrictions for gun ownership and use
Stephanie R. Morain, Cassandra K. Crifasi
A series of prominent mass shootings in the United States (US) has prompted renewed interest in revising gun policy. One proposal that has gained political traction is raising the minimum age for purchase and possession of guns to 21. While some commentators have suggested that the public mood may be shifting on gun policy, proposals to raise the minimum age have nevertheless provoked controversy. In this manuscript, we examine the ethical acceptability of raising the minimum age of purchase and possession of guns to 21. First, we examine the nature of the rights claim at issue. Second, we examine liberty-based objections to minimum age laws, and offer counter-arguments to these claims. Then, we examine the nature of the harm to be prevented via minimum age laws. We conclude that gun ownership is an important right, but one that nevertheless is ethical to regulate. We argue that liberty-based objections to minimum age laws are not as strong as critics of these laws claim. While we acknowledge the data limitations on assessing their likely success in reducing gun-related harms, we argue that minimum age laws are an ethically permissible policy strategy. We conclude with several recommendations for further research and policy responses to addressing the toll of gun-related morbidity and mortality.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.11.003
Firearms/legislation & jurisprudence
Gunshot/prevention & control
Policy making
10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.11.003
Dive into the research topics of 'Time to pull the trigger? Examining the ethical permissibility of minimum age restrictions for gun ownership and use'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Ownership Medicine & Life Sciences 100%
Firearms Medicine & Life Sciences 95%
Law Social Sciences 31%
time Social Sciences 29%
possession Social Sciences 24%
ethical acceptability Social Sciences 19%
Traction Medicine & Life Sciences 12%
Morain, S. R., & Crifasi, C. K. (2019). Time to pull the trigger? Examining the ethical permissibility of minimum age restrictions for gun ownership and use. Preventive Medicine, 118, 205-209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.11.003
Time to pull the trigger? Examining the ethical permissibility of minimum age restrictions for gun ownership and use. / Morain, Stephanie R.; Crifasi, Cassandra K.
In: Preventive Medicine, Vol. 118, 01.2019, p. 205-209.
Morain, SR & Crifasi, CK 2019, 'Time to pull the trigger? Examining the ethical permissibility of minimum age restrictions for gun ownership and use', Preventive Medicine, vol. 118, pp. 205-209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.11.003
Morain SR, Crifasi CK. Time to pull the trigger? Examining the ethical permissibility of minimum age restrictions for gun ownership and use. Preventive Medicine. 2019 Jan;118:205-209. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.11.003
Morain, Stephanie R. ; Crifasi, Cassandra K. / Time to pull the trigger? Examining the ethical permissibility of minimum age restrictions for gun ownership and use. In: Preventive Medicine. 2019 ; Vol. 118. pp. 205-209.
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title = "Time to pull the trigger? Examining the ethical permissibility of minimum age restrictions for gun ownership and use",
abstract = "A series of prominent mass shootings in the United States (US) has prompted renewed interest in revising gun policy. One proposal that has gained political traction is raising the minimum age for purchase and possession of guns to 21. While some commentators have suggested that the public mood may be shifting on gun policy, proposals to raise the minimum age have nevertheless provoked controversy. In this manuscript, we examine the ethical acceptability of raising the minimum age of purchase and possession of guns to 21. First, we examine the nature of the rights claim at issue. Second, we examine liberty-based objections to minimum age laws, and offer counter-arguments to these claims. Then, we examine the nature of the harm to be prevented via minimum age laws. We conclude that gun ownership is an important right, but one that nevertheless is ethical to regulate. We argue that liberty-based objections to minimum age laws are not as strong as critics of these laws claim. While we acknowledge the data limitations on assessing their likely success in reducing gun-related harms, we argue that minimum age laws are an ethically permissible policy strategy. We conclude with several recommendations for further research and policy responses to addressing the toll of gun-related morbidity and mortality.",
keywords = "Adolescent, Firearms/legislation & jurisprudence, Gunshot/prevention & control, Policy making, United States, Wounds",
author = "Morain, {Stephanie R.} and Crifasi, {Cassandra K.}",
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doi = "10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.11.003",
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AU - Morain, Stephanie R.
AU - Crifasi, Cassandra K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2018
N2 - A series of prominent mass shootings in the United States (US) has prompted renewed interest in revising gun policy. One proposal that has gained political traction is raising the minimum age for purchase and possession of guns to 21. While some commentators have suggested that the public mood may be shifting on gun policy, proposals to raise the minimum age have nevertheless provoked controversy. In this manuscript, we examine the ethical acceptability of raising the minimum age of purchase and possession of guns to 21. First, we examine the nature of the rights claim at issue. Second, we examine liberty-based objections to minimum age laws, and offer counter-arguments to these claims. Then, we examine the nature of the harm to be prevented via minimum age laws. We conclude that gun ownership is an important right, but one that nevertheless is ethical to regulate. We argue that liberty-based objections to minimum age laws are not as strong as critics of these laws claim. While we acknowledge the data limitations on assessing their likely success in reducing gun-related harms, we argue that minimum age laws are an ethically permissible policy strategy. We conclude with several recommendations for further research and policy responses to addressing the toll of gun-related morbidity and mortality.
AB - A series of prominent mass shootings in the United States (US) has prompted renewed interest in revising gun policy. One proposal that has gained political traction is raising the minimum age for purchase and possession of guns to 21. While some commentators have suggested that the public mood may be shifting on gun policy, proposals to raise the minimum age have nevertheless provoked controversy. In this manuscript, we examine the ethical acceptability of raising the minimum age of purchase and possession of guns to 21. First, we examine the nature of the rights claim at issue. Second, we examine liberty-based objections to minimum age laws, and offer counter-arguments to these claims. Then, we examine the nature of the harm to be prevented via minimum age laws. We conclude that gun ownership is an important right, but one that nevertheless is ethical to regulate. We argue that liberty-based objections to minimum age laws are not as strong as critics of these laws claim. While we acknowledge the data limitations on assessing their likely success in reducing gun-related harms, we argue that minimum age laws are an ethically permissible policy strategy. We conclude with several recommendations for further research and policy responses to addressing the toll of gun-related morbidity and mortality.
KW - Adolescent
KW - Firearms/legislation & jurisprudence
KW - Gunshot/prevention & control
KW - Policy making
KW - United States
KW - Wounds
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JO - Preventive Medicine
JF - Preventive Medicine


text:
Q: How to calculate spatial averag for certain area in abinary file using R? I have been searching for long time to find out how we can calculate a spatial average by R.However,i failed to find something.I have a binary file has 720 columns and 360 rows,float of air temperature. and I want first to calculate the spatial average over the whole area and to calculate the spatial average over an area of (500-600 colu and 200-250rows) and then extract the area.
t<- file("C:annual_Prc2000_without999_1.img","rb")
 e=readBin(t, double(), size=4,n=720*360, signed=TRUE)

from answer 1 :
             mean(e)
                I got
                NaN

from answer 2:i got
              spat_mean = apply(e, c(2,1), mean)
            Error in apply(e, c(2, 1), mean) : dim(X) must have a positive length

let me explain it:
assume
       m <- matrix(rnorm(10000),4,4)
         > m
            [,1]       [,2]         [,3]       [,4]
   [1,]  0.7930132  2.1973895  0.063493345 -0.5484056
   [2,]  0.5222513  0.4331308 -0.002393336  0.1725495
   [3,]  1.7462222 -1.5701996 -2.276781240  0.5628531
   [4,] -1.2713361 -0.9349057  0.757412225  1.5118180
        > mean(m)
      [1] 0.134757
        now I want this:
          [,1]       [,2]         [,3]       [,4]
   [1,] 0.134757   0.134757     0.134757    0.134757
   [2,]  0.134757   0.134757     0.134757   0.134757
    [3,]  0.134757   0.134757       0.134757   0.134757
    [4,] 0.134757    0.134757     0.134757     0.134757

I did this manually but i want to do it thru R

A: Assuming you have a regular spatial grid, you probably want something like this:
set.seed(42)
m <- matrix(rnorm(10000),100,100)

#calculate mean of all values
mean(m)

#calculate mean of region 1:10 * 1:10
mean(m[1:10,1:10])

A: From your comment to the other answer I gather that you want to calculate the mean value per x,y pair. For this you can use apply. Assuming you have a multi-dimensional array with x,y,time dimensions, getting the mean per x,y pair is done like this:
spat_mean = apply(multi_dim_array, c(1,2), mean)

spat_mean is now a 2d array with x,y dimensions, giving the spatial mean.


Designer, engineer, manufacturer, and supplier of aerostructure components for the aerospace industry in the United States. The company's products include metal, fiberglass, and carbon composite aerostructures; tooling and adhesive bonded assemblies; and fuselage structural panels for aircraft. It also provides composite and metal bond structures and assemblies, including aircraft wing spoilers, helicopter main and tail rotor blades, flight control surfaces, and engine components.
This information is reserved for PitchBook Platform users. To explore Composite Structures's full profile, request access.


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The Company is an independent investment management group. The Company provides an array of investment management products on a domestic international and global investment basis.
AVZ (AVZ) has the following price history information. Looking back at AVZ historical stock prices for the last five trading days, on May 17, 2007, AVZ opened at $24.35, traded as high as $24.47 and as low as $24.30, and closed at $24.40. Trading volume was a total of 608.40K shares. On May 18, 2007, AVZ opened at $24.42, traded as high as $24.68 and as low as $24.39, and closed at $24.68. Trading volume was a total of 555.80K shares. On May 21, 2007, AVZ opened at $24.27, traded as high as $24.48 and as low as $24.26, and closed at $24.36. Trading volume was a total of 787.90K shares. On May 22, 2007, AVZ opened at $24.20, traded as high as $24.25 and as low as $24.00, and closed at $24.21. Trading volume was a total of 742.60K shares. On May 23, 2007, AVZ opened at $24.24, traded as high as $24.46 and as low as $24.16, and closed at $24.28. Trading volume was a total of 1.27M shares.
Below, we examine the compound annual growth rate — CAGR for short — of an investment into AVZ shares, starting with a $10,000 purchase of AVZ, and working forward through the historical stock price information to today. AVZ -- use the split history when considering split-adjusted past price performance.


text:
Algos (Ἄλγεα) è, secondo la mitologia greca, il dio del dolore. Nasce, come racconta Esiodo (VIII-VII a.C.) nella sua "Teogonia", da Eris (divinità della discordia) figlia di Zeus ed Era (secondo Omero) oppure, secondo altre fonti, figlia di Era e di un fiore da lei toccato, o ancora figlia, secondo Esiodo stesso, della Notte.

Divinità infere della religione greca

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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You will need a voucher, please contact the foodbank on how to obtain a voucher.
We also provide Emergency Food & Crisis Support at our food bank.


← My Kind of Tweets: Canadians All!
Not sure what is up that way (besides the place he had to work), but hubby is coming home from Edmonton, Alberta.
Beautiful there too! Most of Canada is if you get out of town!
Gorgeous photographs with thought-provoking captions.
Thank you for appreciating & visa versa to u x 2!
Must have been a great experience in this national park. Very good pictures!
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Home / 2014 / October / Agrarian Dreams
A decade later: How the organic foods movement has grown and evolved
Book's second edition investigates changes in a popular industry
Ten years ago, UC Santa Cruz professor Julie Guthman's book Agrarian Dreams: The Paradox of Organic Farming in California, was hailed as precedent setting, the first social science study of organic foods in the United States.
A lot has happened in a decade. Sixty percent of consumers now say they buy organics at least occasionally. Most supermarkets feature an organics section or private label for organics. For a while organic sales grew at a 20 percent a year clip.
In a new second edition just published (University of California Press) Guthman, a professor of social sciences and UC Santa Cruz alumna (Kresge, '79, sociology), takes a new look at the state of the organic food movement and some of the strange puzzles that afflict it.
"We've seen the increased legitimacy of organics in the policy arena," Guthman said. "Many conventional growers talk about trying organics or have even converted some acreage to organics. They may be doing it solely for market demand, but they no longer see it as this this weird fringe movement."
But along with political and market acceptance have come some contradictions and restrictions on further growth. Some niches are successful while others areas are more marginal.
For one thing growth has slowed to 7 percent per year and the percentage of land in the U.S. devoted to organic production is still tiny–about 1 percent–compared with conventional agriculture. Many growers go into organics and then get out again depending on market conditions.
This happened during the 2008-2009 recession, Guthman says, and "really speaks to the vulnerability of the organic industry to economic downturns."
Guthman has updated her second edition of Agrarian Dreams and added a new chapter eight: "California Organics, Fifteen Years On." As she explains, the new edition reflects changes over a 15-year-period from 1998 when she completed her initial research as a graduate student and last year when she finished the update.
Guthman said she finds that the smaller "artisanal" growers make up only about 7 percent of the market but many do quite well. They sell direct to consumers through farmers markets or through specialty stores and restaurants.
Larger "quasi-conventional" growers that sell to chains or processing companies are more vulnerable to price fluctuations and a weak or unstable economy. This is an area that could grow further and faster if policies were different.
Guthman still has concerns with the organic label and the standards mandated to earn the label. The current system of regulation does not encourage widespread transformation, she says.
"By and large organic material are safer than conventional ones, and some organic techniques are better than others," she said. But she finds the certification system can work against a wider adoption of organics. "The whole system of regulation, in which growers agree to abide by a set of standards and go through the bureaucratic rigmarole of third party certification in return for a price premium means that consumers must necessarily pay more," she said. "If people won't or can't pay, (growers) won't convert their farms to organic."
Guthman calls for other polices beside labels and suggests that more university research focuses on biological, mechanical and other less-chemical intensive techniques. "We also need to look at our current pesticide regulations and subsidy systems and develop other ways to encourage the reduction of harmful chemicals," she said.
"Lot of growers would like to experiment with new techniques," she said. "But with organics you're either all in or all out."
Last modified: October 13, 2014 128.114.113.74


Because of her profound hearing loss, Edna Whitted would pass notes back and forth in church with her granddaughter in order to understand what was being said. Now, the 90-year-old Upper Marlboro, Md., resident can hear every word the minister relays thanks to a recent cochlear implant.
That was indeed the case for Whitted, who for nearly five years could not hear due to a 92 and 88 percent hearing loss in her left and right ears, respectively.
Sensorineural hearing loss–or presbycusis–is a natural part of aging, explains Dr. Briggs. Hearing aids are a natural first step in assisting with progressive hearing loss, however, should those no longer offer any improvement, implants are an option.
A cochlear implant is a small, surgically implanted electronic device that provides sound to a person who is deaf or severely hard of hearing. Unlike hearing aids, which amplify sounds, cochlear implants provide signals to the brain by stimulating the auditory nerve. The brain then recognizes these signals as sounds.
Dr. Briggs notes there is no age limit to having a cochlear implant and the implants are designed to last a lifetime. They are also covered by insurance and Medicare. The implants have two parts, an external piece that sits behind the ear and an internal part that is placed under the skin and secured to the skull. The procedure takes 1-2 hours and can be done on an outpatient basis.
In addition to improving hearing, cochlear implants also relieve tinnitus, or the perception of noise or ringing in the ears, in 75 percent of patients.
If you or a loved one is experiencing severe hearing loss and is interested in learning more about cochlear implants call 855-546-1974 or click below to make an appointment.


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