My life is different because I no longer fetch water from the river which is located several kilometres away from where I live. I used to strain a lot by walking for long distances before getting tot the only source of water we had around. Moreover, I am so proud of owning this solar powered panel that I purchased using GDs transfers. Using the solar panel is very convenient as compared to using the paraffin lamps that chocks the users and generally prove to be harmful to human beings health due to the soot emitted from such lamps.
I believe that the organization has been at the forefront in helping the neediest in society by uplifting their living standards. There are people who have built very nice houses which maybe they would have never built were it not for the transfers from GD.
I used part of the money to pay school fees for my kids who had some pending balances that had to be sorted as fast as possible. I also bought a solar powered panel which I now use to illuminate my house especially during the night hours which means that I no longer have to be used paraffin lamps that are quite harmful to our health. I also used another portion of the money to drill a borehole because this area normally experiences acute water shortages, especially during the dry seasons. Finally, there are around four domestic animals that I bought using the cash from GD which maybe I would never have bought were it not for the transfers.
The biggest difference in my daily life is that my family no longer walk for a long distance to look for water for domestic use. It was hectic and both time and energy consuming fetching water to be used for the whole day. Aside from that, I won't be relying on the rain for farming because I can now irrigate my farm thus I expect to have an improved food supply for the family.
Normally I switch the phone off while sleeping to save on power and switch it on the first thing in the morning. The moment I switched on the phone I received a confirmation message that I had received money from GiveDirectly. I felt so happy, shared the message with the spouse, and we celebrated together.
Water has been a challenge in our area for a long period of time and we had to walk for a long distance to look for water, especially during drought. The moment when I received the first transfer I constructed a borehole to help curb the water challenge. We no longer walk for a long distance to look for water. In addition to that, we can use the water to irrigate our farm during the drought so that we can get a good harvest that can last the family for a longer period. I also bought a solar panel with part of the money for lighting to relieve me from the dangerous fumes that were emitted while I was using a tin lump.
Receiving this money means that I will be able to buy a new generator so that I can pump water which will be used to irrigate my farm in order to grow kales and tomatoes. I will buy a dairy cow using part of the transfer and the remaining amount will be saved so that it can be used to pay school fees for my child who is in primary school once he joins secondary school.
The happiest part of my day is in the morning when I go to my farm to plough kales and tomatoes. This makes me happy because I am able to sell part of it in order to support my family with other basic needs like food and clothes.
The biggest hardship I face in my life is that my income is not stable and it makes it impossible for me to save cash for my child's education. This makes me to be worried as oftenly he is sent home for school fees while other children are learning.


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Pedestrian killed by car in White Plains; driver expected to be charged with DWI
Michael P. McKinney
WHITE PLAINS — A Bronx woman in her 50s was killed Saturday morning when she was struck by a car as she stood near the traffic circle by the Westchester County Center, the police said.
It happened at about 6:40 a.m., and the police said the car also struck and knocked over the clock tower located nearby.
The driver, a 26-year-old Westchester man, is expected to be charged with driving while intoxicated, according to the Westchester County Police. The driver, who has not been identified, was taken to a hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
The car was heading north on Central Avenue when it left the road and struck the woman, according to police. Central Avenue leads into the traffic circle, which feeds into the Bronx River Parkway.
WHITE PLAINS: Long-vacant Nathan Miller nursing home approved to become multi-family rental apartments
DEVELOPMENT: Increased street life in White Plains City Square's future: Demolition underway, construction nearing

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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HotelsAsia
Avani Hotels to expand in Vietnam with three properties
By Christian Tolentino	 On Mar 19, 2019
Avani Saigon, scheduled to open 2021
Expanding its current portfolio in Vietnam, Avani Hotels & Resorts has announced the signing of three new properties in Ho Chi Minh, Vung Tau, and Cam Ranh.
Adding to the two Avani hotels currently operating — Avani Quy Nhon Resort and Avani Hai Phong Harbour View — Avani Hotels & Resorts seeks to strengthen its foothold in the country while building on its relationship with Novaland Group.
Scheduled for an opening at the end of 2021, Avani Saigon will be located in District 1 of Vietnam's largest city – Ho Chi Minh, surrounded by a blend of colonial and modern architecture with street-side cafes and coffee shops. The hotel will be a 30-minute drive from the Tan Son Nhat International Airport and will be part of a 38-story mixed-use complex that includes retail shops and residences.
Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor Hotels, the parent company of Avani Hotels & Resorts said: "Vietnam is one of the region's most dynamic economies with tremendous growth potential in both domestic and international tourism, thanks to a winning combination of cultural attractions and natural beauty. We look forward to expanding our footprint in Vietnam with Novaland Group and to creating an exceptional product for Avani guests."
Avani Cam Ranh Resort & Villas
Set for the end of 2022, Avani Cam Ranh Resort & Villas is another planned property, which will sit right on the south-central coast of Vietnam. The resort will feature 300 rooms and suites, as well as 315 private villas, an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty bistro, and a beach club, while 1,200 square metres of meeting and banquet space will allow for beachfront events.
In addition, Avani Vung Tau Resort will be located in the port city of Vung Tau, just two hours by car or hydrofoil from Ho Chi Minh City. The oceanfront hotel is scheduled to open by the end of 2019 and will feature both oceanfront and hillside rooms, totalling 149 keys.
Avani currently operates 24 hotels and resorts in 15 countries and has 15 new hotels in the pipeline, including a recent signing in Kota Kinabalu, Dubai, and a second Avani in Busan.
Dillip RajakarierAvani Hotels & ResortsAvani SaigonAvani Cam Ranh Resort & VillasAvani Vung Tau Resort
Minor adjusts hotels operations
Avani debuts in South Korea with Busan hotel
Anantara Hotels extends footprint in Europe, launches first luxury resort in Spain
Avani Hotels to open two resorts in Krabi


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Bloomington Public Library
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History of McLean County (VIRTUAL)
Jan 15 2022 Sat
Virtual Room
In-Person Program
The program will be offered virtually.
The in-person session of this program has been cancelled due to the increased number of COVID-19 cases in our area.
The planned in-person book signing will take place at a yet-to-be-determined future date.
Freedom, Land, and Community:
A History of McLean County
(Virtual Session)
Join local historian Greg Koos as he discusses his new book Freedom, Land, and Community: A History of McLean County Illinois, 1730‐1900. Koos' book tells the story of the diverse people and events which make up our county's history. Koos relates the struggle to shape the land, build community, and secure freedom as these residents — indigenous peoples, African Americans, Irish immigrants, and German immigrants — knew and defined it. People whose voices have not been heard in previous works about Central Illinois are included here.
Koos led the McLean County Museum of History in Bloomington, Illinois from 1977 to 2016. His work there was recognized with numerous state and national awards. His historical research has been published in the United States and Ireland. Koos lives with his wife, Carol, in his hometown of Bloomington, Illinois.
Registration for this program can be completed online below. You may also register by calling 309.590.6168 or by visiting the Adult Services Desk at the Library and registering in person. As soon as registration is complete, you will receive an email with a link to access the online discussion.
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It makes yours appositive and it plays against dealer of the table. Already you know, pods not to have 21 more than. A game of very simple letters.
Description Text » It makes yours appositive and it plays against dealer of the table. Already you know, pods not to have 21 more than. A game of very simple letters.


The cuisine of Peru's northern coast fits perfectly with its warm climate and offers a delectable variety of seafood and fish to the most discriminating tastes of our visitors. A delicious way to savor the varied flavors of ceviches and sudado stews is by accompanying it with a cold beer or corn-based chicha de jora.
The northern regions have a warm climate and seas teeming with fish and seafood. Their most prized dishes include ceviches and sudado stews, which combine ingredients harvested from the sea with sour and spicy flavors, and aromatic herbs that provide fresh and intense flavors. Ceviches are made with fish, seafood or black shellfish, all marinated in lemon juice, hot peppers, salt, and served with onions, sweet potatoes and corn in kernels or on the cob.
Chinguirito is a special type of ceviche made with the salted and dried meat of the guitarfish. Main dishes include sudado de pescado fish stew or steamed fish. Fried cassava, clams with parmesan and chifles (round slices of fried plantain) are great hors d'oeuvres to share. All food in the north is accompanied by an ice-cold beer or chicha de jora corn beer.
Many people in this area raise goats, so seco de cabrito (stewed goat meat) is a common dish. Another dish is the seco de chabelo, prepared with grilled beef and roasted and shredded plantain. Rice with duck, flavored with dark beer, is also a classic. Sopa teóloga (Priest's soup), a broth prepared with turkey, and shámbar, another soup prepared with beans, pork and beef, are also emblematic of northern cuisine.
The north, like any region, has its desserts: the popular quince jellies and the King Kong, a huge alfajor cookie filled with pineapple jam and white manjar (caramel).
Aside from restaurants, these flavors can be sampled in chicherias, where the cooking is done over a wood fire and with clay pots, or in "huariques," famous for their special homemade flavor.
By air: daily flights from Lima to Tumbes, Piura, Chiclayo and Trujillo.
By land: on the Pan-American Highway North to Tumbes (1,268 km), Piura (982 km), Chiclayo (765 km) and Trujillo (560 km).


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Stacey Epstein
How to Use the Future of Work as a Business Opportunity
October 26 - Sarah Ashlock
FIRST THOUGHT: Working Without Desks
I'm writing this at a cafe. On my third try, I finally connected to the Wi-Fi. People with laptops and tablets sit on grey-and-white rattan chairs. The price for this pseudo-office? A coffee, açaí bowl or the like. This is the new normal, in case you were unaware. It's the gig economy, and as with any trend, there are pros and cons: Flexibility, variability and autonomy can be major perks. At the same time though, if you're a freelancer, you've got costs many clients don't recognize, like health insurance and a real punch in the gut come tax season. But here's the thing: Having multiple gigs doesn't look like a craze that'll fizzle. It's here to stay.
WOMEN IN NUMBERS: 2.7 Billion
Whether companies are transitioning more to remote work or peeps are looking to spend their days outside of the office, one thing's for sure: Deskless workers are on the rise. The world is full of 2.7 billion people that work without a traditional, stagnant workplace. Part of being sans desk also means you're able to shape your career much differently than those who work in an office.
WOMAN TO WATCH: Stacey Epstein, CEO of Zinc
One of the ways working without a desk can be different? You can pause, pick up your kid from daycare and dial into a conference call in the car. That's what the business of today's Woman to Watch, Stacey Epstein, is totally trying to make happen.
Stacey studied journalism, with her career sights set on broadcasting. (Spoiler alert: That career didn't quite happen.) Stacey jumped from job to job every six months or so, taking on roles in fields like sales. While on maternity leave from a particular job at a marketing communications firm, Stacey decided to never come back. Her priorities shifted, big time, but she still wanted to strengthen her expertise, while also being there for her child.
While being a woman never held Stacey back, becoming a mama seemed to complicate her relationship with work. For one thing, senior-level roles with a 9-5 schedule simply didn't exist for Stacey. She'd have to compromise on pay and ambition unless she wanted to continue her 70-hour weeks.
From managers failing to let remote workers know what the heck is going on to colleague misunderstandings out the wa-zoo, there are some serious flaws to having a deskless vocation. According to Stacey, whether you're without a desk or bound for the cubicle, there's still one obstacle that continues to stand in the way of the future of work: motherhood.
When Stacey became CMO of a company that would later be acquired by GE, she had five women working for her who all had small children. She let them be highly skilled contributors with fewer hours or more flexible workdays depending on their needs, so they could still go home to their kids. Stacey claims this didn't jeopardize the company at all, as women are often experts at getting it done.
Now, Stacey leads by example by starting a company called Zinc. Though she's at the helm of a 50-person team, she's still home by dinnertime. Zinc has been heralded as a startup comparable to the uber-successful company Slack. Zinc's mission aligns with what Stacey herself experienced as a worker bee on the go: It centers on the idea that because so many people work anywhere and everywhere, those working on a team or in a duo must communicate seamlessly.
Zinc is the first all-mode communication platform, meaning it allows messages, voice conversations, video chats and content sharing. For example, in lieu of old-fashioned walkie talkies, big companies like Hyatt uses Zinc to cut out the static. A medical group opts for Zinc instead of emails to keep things in order while staying HIPAA-compliant.
One of Stacey's pet peeves is the overused expression "future of work," which she's been hearing since the early 2000s. Looking ahead for career gals is great and all, but Stacey asks, "What about now?", as in, like, today.
Gina Carey said:
"A strong woman looks a challenge dead in the eye and gives it a wink."
January 18 Kristin Neff: She's a Self-compassion Sage
May 12 Tiffany Wilson: She's Innovating Health Care
May 1 Kristina Guerrero: How to Stare Down Stereotypes
January 19 Natasha Adamo: She's the Expert on Post Male Syndrome
April 22 Lauren Flanagan: Learn to Lead


A PENSIONER is getting ready for her tenth South Downs Way Annual Walk and has encouraged residents across Sussex to join her at this year's 'fantastic' nine-day event.
Molly MacCreadie, from Brighton, said she started the nature trek ten years ago to prove that she was still young and able at 70 years old.
Organised by Steyning's Keith McKenna and Sally Dench of Footprints, which specialises in walking holidays, who took over the event in 2001 and have since attracted avid ramblers from across the country, and even overseas.
This year's event will start on June 6 in Eastbourne and finish on June 14 in Winchester, stopping at countryside locations along the way, like Devils Dyke, Washington and Queen Elizabeth Park.
"It's always in June because that's when the wild orchids are out and the Chalkhill blue butterflies arrive," said Keith.
The whole event totals more than 100 miles and each day includes around four to five hours of walking. Coaches will collect participants from four pick-up points including Shoreham, Worthing, Arundel and Chichester.
Keith and Sally have urged people to book promptly as spaces go fast. "So if you want the pick-up point that suits you it's better to book before Easter time," said Keith.
The walk costs £227 and the coaches will pick people up and drop them off each day.
To book, visit www.footprintsofsussex.co.uk or call 01903-813381.


April | 2015 | Illuminations Now!!
"If you find someone who makes you smile, who checks up on you often to see if you are okay, who watches out for you and wants the very best for you don't let them go.
What wonderful words. Who do you care for, and who cares for you? Have you thought about that recently? The essence of love is not in the attraction, but in the caring shared.


As you'll know if you read this post, I've now been running this site for a year. I recently spent some time reflecting on the lessons I've learned so far. If you're just starting out or looking to refresh your direction, I hope you find the following advice helpful.
My professional background is in planning, writing and editing content for blogs, social media, websites, press and print marketing. As much as I enjoy doing this for organisations, I wanted to develop an online space for myself too.
If you're considering starting a blog, what are your key skills? What can you do well? How can you interest people within and beyond your immediate network? Will you focus on one area (like reviews or recipes) or cover many topics?
Personally, this has meant improving my photography, website development and SEO skills. Spend some time thinking about your weaker spots. How could you build on them? Can you teach yourself, phone a friend or find online courses? It's also wise never to assume that you know everything. There will always be a new tool, technique or trend you could work with.
My most vulnerable posts have been some of my most popular ones. You don't need to mine your personal life for content, but writing about certain topics can be cathartic and beneficial to others. It can help your readers get to know you better too. Although your content doesn't always have to be about you, your writing, personality, style and design are key.
Use stats and feedback to figure out what your readers like seeing. How can you entertain or support them? What's going to make your post the one they read on their commute home or with a cup of tea on a Sunday morning? Be creative and original, but make the most of the track record you have.
Whilst I don't advise constantly checking page views and follower counts, setting goals can help you to stay focused and produce better content. Even so, remember that having 10,000+ Instagram followers doesn't mean much if 80% of them are spam accounts or disengaged. Although building an interactive community may take longer, the genuine views and feedback are worth it. This is a case of quality over quantity, but you can still work towards both.
Do you have any other lessons from your blogging experiences?
If you like this post, please share it with anyone else who may find it useful.


Instead, pack one or two of these rescue valves with your recovery gear. They mount from the outside of your wheel and are a permanent replacement valve stem. They work with all wheels with tubeless tires. The 1/2" brass hex nut or the plastic wing nut tighten in seconds for a quick fix that will last as long as your wheel.
In fact, the first thing we do at the shop when we get new wheels for our off-road rigs is install a set of these. We prefer the brass hex nut as the plastic wing nut is more prone to breaking (but works great in an emergency when you leave your tools in your other rig).


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10/13/14: AIMCo, Allianz and Hastings Successfully bid for Acquisition of Porterbrook
AIMCo, Allianz and Hastings Successfully bid for Acquisition of Porterbrook
Today Alberta Investment Management Corporation ("AIMCo"), on behalf of certain of its clients, Allianz Capital Partners ("ACP"), the in-house investment platform for alternative investments of Allianz Group and Hastings Funds Management ("Hastings") have reached an agreement to purchase Porterbrook Rail Finance Limited (Porterbrook), one of the three major rolling stock leasing companies in the UK. The parties have contractually agreed not to disclose the purchase price.
Porterbrook owns a diverse portfolio of passenger and freight rolling stock and leases this stock to train and freight operating companies in the UK under long-term lease agreements. It owns and manages a modern fleet of approximately 5,900 passenger and freight vehicles and its portfolio represents approximately one third of Britain's passenger rolling stock fleet.
All Consortium members are long-term infrastructure investors with a similar investment strategy and have considerable experience in acquiring and managing infrastructure assets across the globe.
Paul Francis, the Managing Director of Porterbrook, said, "We are delighted to welcome AIMCo, Allianz and Hastings as new investors to our business. Their long term approach and capital resources will position Porterbrook well to lead the next phase of growth in the rail industry."
The Consortium said, "We are excited about the opportunity to invest in Porterbrook. We understand the importance of rail infrastructure to the UK economy and we look forward to developing long-term relationships with each of the Company's many stakeholders."
The transaction is expected to complete by the end of October.
06/23/14: Succesful refinancing of Selecta
06/20/14: Privately Speaking with Michael Lindauer


Aruba offers training credits for you to purchase and apply to the course of your choice. Each course has a specified number of training credits. Use your purchased credits for any of the offered Aruba classes. Training credits are available for customers and partners and must be used within one-year of their purchase.
Using Training credits gives you maximum flexibility for your course selection. With a Training credit system, you are not locked into any single class. If today you are not sure what class you want or need to take, simply purchase Training credits now and decide later what course to take. The same Training credits apply to any class. Just be sure you meet the course prerequisites before registering for them.
How many Training credits do I need?
Different courses require different levels of training credits.  Please see the price list at the bottom of this page for training credit pricing in your region.
How long do the credits last?
Unfortunately, Training credits expire just like milk, only a little slower. Your Training credits must be applied to a course registration within one-year of their purchase and for training that takes place before expiration.
How to purchase Training credits?
Training credits can be purchased by submitting a purchase order to your Aruba distributor for part number H1EJ9E.
How to register with Training credits?
Click here for step by step instructions on how to register with your training credits.
Can I use my Aruba training credits towards training at Atmosphere or other HPE events?
No, Aruba training credits are for the sole use of training with Aruba Education Services and our Authorized Training Centers.
Region 1 includes all countries not listed in Region 2 below.
* Our vILT classes run one more day than listed,for fewer hours each day. This schedule works better for many busy students.
Region 2 includes: Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Macau, China, Taiwan, India, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal & Timor Leste.
* Our vILT classes run one more day than listed, for fewer hours each day. This schedule works better for many busy students.


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Q: JSF selectOneMenu not saving Value to SessionScopedBean I have a problem with the JSF selectOneMenu.
Here is my menu:
<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8' ?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">

    <ui:composition template="./../WEB-INF/templates/templateLC.xhtml">

        <ui:define name="headtags">
            <title>Title</title>
        </ui:define>

        <ui:define name="left">
            <ui:include src="./../WEB-INF/templates/userCenterNavigation_left.xhtml"/>
        </ui:define>

   <ui:define name="content">

<h:form>

           Kategorie:
           <h:selectOneMenu value="#{zbnEditController.zbnCategory}">
               <f:selectItems value="#zbnEditController.zbnCategoryMap}"/>
               </h:selectOneMenu>

      <h:commandButton value="Hinzufügen" action="#{zbnEditController.doSave()}" />
      <h:commandButton value="Abbrechen" action="index.xhtml?faces-redirect=true" />
</h:form>

This is a part of my template:
<h:head>
    <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />
    <h:outputStylesheet name="/css/newCssLayout.css"/>
    <ui:insert name="headtags" />
</h:head>

This is my Bean with the Map property:
@Named
@SessionScoped
public class ZbnEditController implements Serializable {

@Inject
private ZbnCategoryService zbnCategoryService;

.
.
.

private Map<String,ZbnCategory> zbnCategoryMap = new HashMap<>();

//Getter & Setters...

public void doSave(){

    //persist Entity Code
}

public void loadZbnCategoryMap(){

    getZbnCategoryMap().clear();
    List<ZbnCategory> zbnCategoryList = zbnCategoryService.getAllZbnCategorys();

    for(ZbnCategory zbnCategoryInList : zbnCategoryList){
        zbnCategoryMap.put(zbnCategoryInList.getZbnCategoryName(), zbnCategoryInList);
    }
}
}

Before the page is rendered, a Controller, calls loadZbnCategoryMap() and fills the map with the String and the object.
There are no nested forms, no ui component has a rendered=false attribute and I included the "h:head" tag instead of "head".
If I use the code above and click the commandButton, the doSave() method IS NOT called. If I remove the h:selectOneMenu, everything works fine.
I don´t know how I can solve this problem. Can someone help please?

A: I somehow "solved" the problem. It seems, that h:selectOneMenu has problems with saving objects to a bean.
Found a workaround that I save a String to the bean and just before persisting the Object, I use that String to load the entity from the database.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


There are plenty of list cataloguing the world's wealthiest people, but can you measure power in monetary terms?
Research firm Wealth-X reckons you can and says it is business and political associations that makes people power wealthy and not just personal fortune.
The wealth research firm has come up with a system to give social capital a monetary value – a value distinct from the individual's personal fortune, taking into account connections as well as wealth.
Topping its list as the most powerful person is Bill Gates. Not only is he the US's richest man with a fortune of $61 billion (€41.1 billion) according to Forbes, he's also got a wealth of business connections, runs an investment vehicle and is active in philanthropy. Wealth-X pegged his influence value at $227 billion.
Former US president Bill Clinton came second. Although his personal fortune of $38 million was dwarfed by the wealth of others on the list, his influence value was $227 billion – Clinton's support is worth billions of dollars because of his political clout and his connections with leaders across the globe.
Leaders of long-established family businesses were thin on the ground, perhaps due to the fact they are often determined to stay out of the public gaze. But family business founders Warren Buffett and Rupert Murdoch came in at number five and number eight respectively.


WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton's (D-DC) bill, H.R. 4185, to give the District of Columbia Courts, Public Defender Service (PDS) and the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) authority that will modernize their operations passed in the House today by voice vote. The Norton bill gives the three agencies authority other federal agencies already have. Among other technical changes, the bill would allow the courts to collect debts owed by its employees to the courts; would allow PDS to accept and use public grants, voluntary and uncompensated services, such as unpaid law clerks and interns, and private contributions made to advance PDS's work; and would authorize CSOSA to receive and use gifts for the purpose of advancing its work. Norton thanked Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Ranking Member Elijah Cummings (D-MD) for their assistance.
"This bill will help make our local justice process more efficient and, therefore, more effective for the residents of the District," Norton said.


The Meta Keywords tag is used to reinforce the keywords appearing on the web page. It is a list of keywords that search engines get for the page telling them what you think are the most important keywords on the page. Although Google is not using the META Keywords tag anymore, some of the other search engines might still give some weight to this tag.
What to write in the Meta Keywords field?
Make a list of the most important terms you see in the body of the page, the META Title and META Description.
Or you can leave this field blank!
How to optimize the Meta Title tag?
How to optimize the META Description tag for better search engine results and social media sharing.
The Google SERP Preview Tool is a visualization plugin available in the ThinkCMS SiteManager interface that shows how your site will might look like in Google's results.


text:
Nantwich Garden Guild celebrates 50th anniversary
A GARDENING celebrity is to join the Nantwich Garden Guild to celebrate the group's 50th anniversary.
Chris Beardshaw will visit Malbank School on Welsh Row in March to talk to guild members and interested members of the public.
The Garden Guild invited Chris to help mark its golden milestone, and his talk will be about 'The English Garden'.
A guild spokeswoman said: "Many of you will know Chris from his long broadcasting career, which spans nearly 15 years and includes BBC 2 hit television series such as Hidden Gardens and the hugely popular The Flying Gardener, among many others.
"He is also heard by millions on the weekly Radio 4 Gardeners' Question Time panel where he fearlessly faces a live audience of gardening enthusiasts!"
Chris will give his illustrated talk in the main hall at Malbank School at 7.30pm on Tuesday, March 12.
Tickets are £12, to book call Janet on 01270 662911 or Margaret on 01270 626952.


This is my first ever blog post, so some introductions seem in order. Why Skunk Corners? And who is the Ninja Librarian?
Skunk Corners is the home of the Ninja Librarian, hero of my Young Adult novel of that name. So I'm just the author, but I like to think that he'd approve. Skunk Corners is a highly fictional town in a mythic past in a place that might look a fair bit like the California foothills around 1900. Just don't look too close, because the stories are tall tales, and sticking to the history isn't the point.
But this is a blog, so I get to write about whatever I want, right? Today, what I want to write about is my book. This week, I submitted the final text for approval and am awaiting my final proof. To celebrate, I went for a swim, then went to work on the sequel. Because that's the funny thing about writing: the more you do, the more you want to do. And after a lifetime of writing, I am finally sharing my work.
But going for that swim was important, too. I've been pretty absorbed in putting the finishing touches on the book. That's been fun, but it's stressful, too. I needed that break, time to think about nothing (if you are experiencing productive thoughts, you probably aren't working out hard enough).
When I'm not writing or working or being a Mom, I like to swim, bike, or run every day. Last year, I tried something new: I bicycled two "Centuries," 100-mile bike rides. Here I am on the road about 3/4 of the way through the second one. I'm the rider in neon yellow green. I really want to be seen when I'm on the road!
And when the summer rolls around and everyone's out of school and we're free to travel, you'll find the whole family in the mountains somewhere, enjoying the scenery. There really is nothing like a morning in the mountains.


Portmarnock's Geoff Lenehan knows exactly why Ireland's Top 12 world ranked players are missing the 76th edition of the CityNorth Hotel sponsored East of Ireland Amateur Championship at County Louth.
The Munster interprovincial and former Mullingar Scratch Cup winner might be the bookies' favourite for the classic, 72-hole stroke play event, but he perfectly understands why the top Irish players in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) are away at the clashing St Andrews Links Trophy, which began yesterday at the Home of Golf.
World No 10 Jack Hume, East of Ireland holder Stuart Grehan, Irish Amateur champion Colm Campbell, internationals Alex Gleeson, Dermot McElroy, Colin Fairweather, John-Ross Galbraith and Robin Dawson as well as West of Ireland winner Jonathan Yates and his Naas clubmate Conor O'Rourke are all in Scotland.
"You can't dismiss St Andrews as a tournament venue," said Lenehan, who would be there too but for the fact that he took time off work to play the Scotland Amateur Open last week.
"And the St Andrews Links Trophy is one of the top 10 amateur events in the world, so if you are eligible to play and you're playing well and have a chance, you have to go.
The Leinster Branch has looked at moving the Category D "East" to a different date that doesn't clash with a Category A event such as the St Andrews Links Trophy.
But they admit there simply isn't a suitable alternative and might even lose their June Bank Holiday slot if the moved and decided they wanted to go back there again.
While the GUI does not send official teams to overseas events that clash with national championships, Irish team captain Tony Goode can understand why his troops are not in County Louth today. It's called WAGR points.
"The players want to improve their world ranking and golf is a selfish game," said Goode, who would clearly prefer to be in Scotland but is prevented from going on official GUI business because of the clash.
The positive for Goode is that will get to play close attention to one of his future stars in 17-year old County Louth and Leinster talent Thomas Mulligan as well as Hermitage international Rowan Lester, both of whom are expected to contend over the final 36 holes on Monday.
1330/0830 J Fletcher (Warrenpoint), C McCaughey (Dungannon), C O'Connor (Corrstown).
1430/0930 S Moran (Co. Meath), B McSweeney (Royal Dublin), C Dullaghan (Greenore).


A new year is here and the second Perth Transition Town Conference is shaping up.
Like last year, it will be an opportunity to share experience and knowledge all about Transition Towns. Come meet others near you invovled in this global movement or find out how to start your own group.
Discussion on the Paradoxes of voluntary simplicity and How should Transition groups operate?
This year we will be self catering, so please bring a plate to share for morning tea or lunch. If possible, please include a label with dietary information (vegetarian, vegan, contains nuts, gluten, diary etc…). Coffee/tea will be provided.
BYO cutlery/crockery and feel free to bring your own name tag.
This entry was posted in Event, Perth Transition Hub (PTH) and tagged Fremantle in Transition, Gosnells in Transition, Joondalup in Transition, Kwinana Community Share, Mundaring in Transition, Transition Mount Hawthorne, Transition Town Conference, Transition Towns Stirling, Vic Park Transition Network. Bookmark the permalink.


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Reward Circuit Protein Could Influence Addiction, Suggests Mouse Study
News Dec 05, 2019 | Original story from Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine
The reward pathway of the brain causes feelings of happiness but is also involved in behavioral disorders like schizophrenia and addiction. A breakthrough study by scientists in Japan has now identified the role of a protein called Npas4 in the reward pathway, mediated by the well-known proteins MAPK and CBP, opening doors to potential therapies for associated disorders. Cocaine-treated mice with inactivated Npas4 exhibited considerable reduction in cocaine-seeking behavior, emphasizing the relevance of the protein.
The human brain consists of innumerable intricate networks or "circuits." One such complex circuit, called the "reward circuit," is involved in reward-associated learning, a process in which nerve cell activity changes in response to a "reward" stimulus (something that the brain perceives as a reward). This process is what usually causes feelings of desire and motivation, but excessive stimulus may also cause dependence and addiction. The main regulator involved in the reward circuit is dopamine, a chemical popularly called the "happy hormone." In a region of the brain called the nucleus accumbens, this chemical targets a specific group of neurons, called the medium spiny neurons, and induces a series of molecular changes.
Unfortunately, irregularities in this pathway are associated with several behavioral and cognitive disorders, including Parkinson's disease, compulsive behavior, autism, and schizophrenia. Drug addiction, especially to potent stimulants like cocaine and amphetamines, is also dependent on this pathway. Unequivocally, to develop effective therapies, it is important to understand exactly how the reward pathway works.
In a new study published in Cell Reports, a team of scientists in Japan, led by Prof Kozo Kaibuchi and Dr Yasuhiro Funahashi from Nagoya University, has identified a novel protein function involved in the reward circuit of the brain. They based their study on the fact that dopamine, when released in the brain, activates several proteins in response, and these proteins then cause certain changes in brain activity, such as reward-related gene expression and changes in nerve transmission or plasticity. But how these changes happen at the molecular level was not well understood.
The scientists at Nagoya University wanted to dig a little deeper. Prof Kaibuchi says, "Very little is currently known about how dopamine works in neurons to establish reward memory and cause addiction. This motivated us to pursue this study." What was known so far was that dopamine activates multifunctional proteins, such as CREB-binding protein (CBP), which in turn promotes gene expression through interactions with other proteins. To find more detailed information, the scientists searched for proteins interacting with CBP in mice that experienced a conditioned reward. Using protein interaction-based experiments and database analyses, they successfully identified many such proteins. Of these, one protein, called Npas4, a "transcription factor" (a protein that binds to specific DNA sequences and regulates transcription from DNA to mRNA), was known to function in reward-related learning, and so the scientists moved on to find out its mechanism.
In a first for the scientific community, the group showed that a protein kinase called MAPK adds a phosphate group to Npas4 (a well-known intracellular process called phosphorylation, which "activates" proteins to carry out their functions), thereby facilitating its interaction with CBP. The scientists even identified the exact sites where MAPK phosphorylates Npas4. Moreover, they found that dopamine activates Npas4 in striatal medium spiny neurons, and so promotes the expression of genes related to "neural plasticity" (changes in neural connections). Thus, the three dopamine-stimulated proteins CBP, MAPK, and Npas4 interact with each other, leading to profound neural changes—Dr Funahashi and Prof Kaibuchi had unraveled a major mechanism of how dopamine affects the brain.
To investigate the function of Npas4 in reward-related behavior, the scientists then "knocked out" or inactivated Npas4 in the reward circuit neurons of mice. These mice and normal mice learned to expect a cocaine reward in only one of two chambers, after which chamber preference was measured. Compared to normal mice, the Npas4-deficient mice showed a >50% reduction in drug-seeking behavior, indicating a significant reduction in reward memory. Importantly, the drug-seeking behavior was restored after exogenous administration of Npas4 but not by phospho-deficient mutants of Npas4. This was exciting, as it confirmed that Npas4 and its phosphorylation play an important role in reward-related behavior.
These unprecedented findings by Prof Kaibuchi and his team shed some light on the pathways involved in the reward circuit of the brain. Faulty functioning of the reward circuit is seen in various neuropsychological and cognitive disorders. By explaining in detail, the function and reward-associated mechanism of Npas4, these scientists have paved the way for new, effective therapies. Talking about the applications of the study, Prof Kaibuchi says, "Our study can help develop treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. It can also be useful in tackling addiction to or dependence on cocaine and other stimulants."
Could a reward for this exciting study come in the form of a potential new treatment for behavioral disorders? Only time will tell. But, Prof Kaibuchi's team and their study certainly offer hope for the future.
Reference: Haupeltshofer, S., Leichsenring, T., Berg, S., Pedreiturria, X., Joachim, S. C., Tischoff, I., … Kleiter, I. (2019). Smad7 in intestinal CD4+ T cells determines autoimmunity in a spontaneous model of multiple sclerosis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1905955116
This article has been republished from materials provided by Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.
Ambidextrous Squirrels Perform Best in Learning Tasks
Squirrels that strongly favor their left or right side are less good at learning, new research suggests. The University of Exeter study found that grey squirrels which strongly favored a side did less well on a learning task. They had to learn to use a paw, rather than their mouth, to get nuts.
How Infants Decide When To Try
According to a new study that has implications for how people learn, infants do not try things at random or simply mimic what they see adults doing. Instead, they combine information from their own firsthand experience and the experiences of other people to decide whether to persist in trying to solve a problem.
Global Efforts To Contain Antibiotic Resistant Infections Under Threat
According to the World Health Organization, a weak development pipeline for new antibiotics is undermining efforts to combat drug-resistant infections.
Drug Discovery Genomics Research Neuroscience
Sourcing Fresh Human Blood Products for Research
The Key to the Plasma Proteome
Ligand-Receptor Binding Kinetics on the PHERAstar® Microplate Reader
Progression of Eye and Cardiac Disease Halted by Food Supplement
Exposing Racial Disparities in Dementia Drug Prescriptions


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Three selected for All-State Boys Basketball teams
The Iowa Newspaper Association announced its 2017 All-State Boys Basketball teams for Class 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A Tuesday, Mar. 14. Three local boys basketball players were awarded as All-State selections.
Adel-DeSoto-Minburn Tiger Tajen Ross was chosen as a Third Team All-State member in class 3A. Ross had 506 points and averaged 22 points per game to lead the timers this season. He was the third leader of rebounds for the Tigers with a total of 100 and an average of 4.3 rebounds per game. Ross finished the season with 34 assists, 21 steals and two blocks.
Dallas Center-Grimes Mustangs' Trevor Grove was also recognized as a Class 3A Third Team All-State selection. Grove led the Mustangs in points this season with a total of 384. The senior averaged 15.4 points per game. With his 27 offensive rebounds and 119 defensive rebounds this season, Grove led the Mustangs with 146 rebounds this year. Grove also had 40 assists, 33 steals and 24 blocks on the season.
Jacob Rau, of the Waukee Warriors, was recognized as a Class 4A Second Team All-State selection. Rau was the second leading scorer for the Warriors. He averaged 11.9 points per game and finished the season with a total of 262 points. Rau was the leader of rebounds for the Warriors with an outstanding 222. He had 75 offensive rebounds and 147 defensive rebounds averaging 10.1 rebounds per game. The senior finished his season with 23 assists, 13 steals and 27 blocks.


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News Research Findings
Not just for Christmas: Study sheds new light on ancient human-turkey relationship
September 27, 2021 January 15, 2022 Benadine Nonye 0 Comments Agric. Research Findings
For the first time, research has uncovered the origins of the earliest domestic turkeys in ancient Mexico.
The study also suggests turkeys weren't only prized for their meat with demand for the birds soaring with the Mayans and Aztecs because of their cultural significance in rituals and sacrifices.
In an international collaboration, researchers from the University of York, the Institute of Anthropology and History in Mexico, Washington State University and Simon Fraser University, studied the remains of 55 turkeys which lived between 300BC and 1500 AD and had been discovered in Mesoamerica an area stretching from central Mexico to Northern Costa Rica within which pre-Columbian societies such as the Mayans and Aztecs flourished.
Analysing the ancient DNA of the birds, the researchers were able to confirm that modern European turkeys are descended from Mexican ancestors.
The team also measured the carbon isotope ratios in the turkey bones to reconstruct their diets. They found that the turkeys were gobbling crops cultivated by humans such as corn in increasing amounts, particularly in the centuries leading up to Spanish exploration, implying more intensive farming of the birds.
Interestingly, the gradual intensification of turkey farming does not directly correlate to an increase in human population size, a link you would expect to see if turkeys were reared simply as a source of nutrition.
Lead author of the paper and Marie Sk?odowska-Curie Fellow in the Department of Archaeology at the University of York, Dr Aurélie Manin, said: "Turkey bones are rarely found in domestic refuse in Mesoamerica and most of the turkeys we studied had not been eaten some were found buried in temples and human graves, perhaps as companions for the afterlife.
This fits with what we know about the iconography of the period, where we see turkeys depicted as gods and appearing as symbols in the calendar.
Read Also: Converting waste water from dairies to animal feed and aviation fuel
"The archaeological evidence suggests that meat from deer and rabbit was a more popular meal choice for people in pre-Columbian societies; turkeys are likely to have also been kept for their increasingly important symbolic and cultural role."
The fact that some of the turkey bones were uncovered outside of the natural range of the species also suggests that there was a thriving turkey trade in live birds along Mesoamerica's expanding trade routes.
Senior author of the paper from the Department of Archaeology at the University of York, Dr Camilla Speller, said: "Even though humans in this part of the word had been practicing agriculture for around 10,000 years, the turkey was the first animal, other than the dog, people in Mesoamerica started to take under their control.
"Turkeys would have made a good choice for domestication as there were not many other animals of suitable temperament available and turkeys would have been drawn to human settlements searching for scraps"
Some of the remains the researchers analysed were from a cousin of the common turkey — the brightly plumed Ocellated turkey. In a strange twist the researchers found that the diets of these more ornate birds remained largely composed of wild plants and insects, suggesting that they were left to roam free and never domesticated.
"Why two biologically very similar species living in the same area were treated so differently remains a mystery," added Dr Speller.
Story Source: Materials provided by University of York.
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DELTA FINANCE / Global Markets / Deutsche Bank set to return to roots with radical reboot
Deutsche Bank set to return to roots with radical reboot
July 8, 2019 Nassos DrakosGlobal Markets
The German lender is cutting thousands of jobs and shedding whole business lines as part of a massive overhaul. Analysts say cost cutting alone is not going to rid Deutsche Bank of its current woes.
Less than a decade after giving its US rivals — then reeling from the global financial crisis — a run for their money, Deutsche Bank is significantly scaling back its global ambitions.
The troubled German lender is cutting 18,000 jobs — about a fifth of its global workforce — as Chief Executive Christian Sewing seeks to stop the bleeding at the lender's beleaguered investment banking division that contributed more than half of the bank's revenue last year.
The bank said on Sunday it would exit its loss-making global equities trading business completely and cut some operations in its relatively stronger fixed income business as part of the restructuring plan that will cost €7.4 billion ($8.3 billion). The plan would help bring down Deutsche's annual costs by a quarter to €17 billion.
Deutsche, which was the world's biggest bank by assets at its peak, will also set up a so-called bad bank to house €74 billion of riskier assets.
The measures are part of Sewing's efforts to turn around the investment bank, which has struggled to post sustainable profits since the 2008-09 financial meltdown and has seen its share price tank to record lows, hit by a succession of scandals, regulatory troubles, higher funding costs, talent drain and a failed merger with smaller rival Commerzbank.
JPMorgan analysts called Deutsche's latest restructuring plan "bold and for the first time not half-baked" but said questions remained, including about credibility of execution, revenue growth details and employee motivation.
Ratings agency Moody's said the bank faced "significant challenges" to executing the plan swiftly and said it would keep its negative outlook on the flagship German lender.
The restructuring is expected to delay further some of the bank's goals, including achieving a return on tangible equity — a key profitability target — of 4% this year. Deutsche reported a return on equity of 0.5% in 2018 compared with JPMorgan's 12.6% and Citigroup's 9%.
Deutsche Bank shares, which opened up more than 3% in Frankfurt on Monday to touch their highest level since May, were trading in the red in midday Frankfurt trading.
Lack of high-return platform
Most analysts reckon that getting rid of expensive staff and downsizing loss-making businesses is a step in the right direction for Deutsche, valued at just a quarter of book value. But they warn that job cuts alone will not restore the lender's health. After all, successive Deutsche CEOs have axed staff in an unsuccessful bid to rein in costs and shore up profits.
"Strategic end-game as yet unclear, to us," Goldman Sachs analysts wrote in a note to clients. "We continue to see Deutsche Bank's main strategic challenge as being the absence of a high-return platform."
Deutsche is pinning its hopes on its transaction banking — the best-performing division at Deutsche for several years now — and asset management divisions.
In May, Sewing told investors that Deutsche had "frequently paid too little attention" to its transaction bank, which facilitated financing for companies' global trading activities and manages cash for firms and governments.
Deutsche's ambitions for transaction banking are likely to be tested in an increasingly difficult global trading environment driven by a rise in populism globally. The bank will also have to deal with competition from nimbler fintech companies, which have driven down margins by offering faster and cheaper payment services.
Sewing is also pivoting to the bank's asset management business, separately-listed DWS group, which contributed less than 10% of the lender's revenues in 2018. The chief executive wants DWS to become "one of the world's top 10 asset managers" — an ambitious target in an industry which is becoming increasingly crowded as more and more banks scale down riskier activities in favor of managing the rapidly growing wealth.
Deutsche's plans could get a boost if it finds a partner for DWS. The bank has held talks with Swiss bank UBS Group about merging their asset management businesses. The merger talks are said to have stalled.
Back to retail banking roots
With the scaling back of its investment banking operations, a lot of Deutsche's success would depend on the performance of its legacy retail banking division which generates the bulk of its revenue from Germany.
The business has struggled to grow amid cut-throat competition in the crowded home market and negative interest rates.
After years of indecision over the fate of its Postbank unit, which it acquired in 2010 and sought to dispose in 2016, Deutsche Bank now intends to integrate it with its own retail business with the aim of saving at least €900 million annually.
"The Retail Banking franchise is large and performs well, but it has been underexploited in the past so there is definitely some potential there, which can only get better with the Postbank integration," Fitch Ratings analyst Patrick Rioual told DW. "Although the German market is highly competitive, retail is an area offering stronger opportunities for banks to earn money in Germany. If Deutsche manages to streamline its product offering and continues to cut costs, it should be able to mitigate the pressure that comes from competition and low interest rates."
The ratings agency downgraded Deutsche's long-term debt last month, citing "difficulty and limited progress in improving its profitability and stabilizing its business model." It said its outlook for the bank was "evolving," reflecting the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of Deutsche's reorganization efforts.
One of Deutsche Bank's biggest problems has been its antiquated technology infrastructure. The lender has lagged behind its rivals in investing in IT upgrades.
"If Deutsche Bank is to escape from mediocrity, it will need substantial investment, especially in technology: its vast spaghettilike heap of ancient IT systems seriously impedes its ability to compete with newer, more nimble entrants," banker-turned-financial-writer Frances Coppola wrote in a column for Forbes business magazine.
"Sadly, the level of technological investment that is needed does not seem to feature on the management's agenda," she wrote.
Source:dw.com


The Umpqua Wholesale Catalog is known as one of the premier publications in the fly fishing industry. And one of the really cool things about the Umpqua catalog is that we do not purchase any stock photography to populate its pages. All of the non-product photography is donated by our friends, colleagues, relatives, customers... AND YOU!! We strongly believe that this approach makes the catalog unique and fun to look at. And at around 400 pages long, we need a lot of photos!
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ONE OR MORE OF YOUR PHOTOS published in this industry hallmark, we'd love to take a look at what you have! In order to submit photos for consideration, please send an email to: marketing@umpqua.com. We will gladly take a look at whatever photos you send in and will let you know if we would like to use one or more of your photos. Some of those whose photos are selected will receive a little gift from us as our way of saying "Thank you!".


In the aftermath of Morgan le Fay's war on Camelot, the once great kingdom struggles to rebuild. Knights scour the world, attempting to restore the Round Table's glory by locating Avalon and the Holy Grail before the dreaded Black Knight can do so first. Vivienne, Merlin's former apprentice, toils in secret day and night on orders from the Lady of the Lake to build an aeroship. The Lady has seen the future and promised that the ship will ensure Camelot's knights succeed in their quest. But when a company of knights goes missing--including Owen, Vivienne's brother, and Marcus, her beloved--Vivienne changes the plan and commandeers the aeroship for a rescue mission, altering the fates of all involved. Now, the Lady sees danger in Vivienne's future. And for Marcus, either betrayal or death.


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Q: where to place the mutagen folder I'm making an app in a cloud9 workspace and I need to import mutagen. I used the command:
$ hg clone https://bitbucket.org/lazka/mutagen

as they say in the docs. The thing is that I want to import it in my views file without having to write a very long path. Where should I place the mutagen folder so I can import it the same way I import the 'os' and 'sys' libraries?
By that I mean:
import os
import sys
Sorry for the absolutely dumb question, but this is wrecking my nerves.

A: Case closed.
In case someone else is struggling to install python libraries, if you have pip installed, just run:
~ sudo pip install mutagen


Suffering from chronic pain can be quite an experience. People may need to learn and manage the pain they more effectively. There are various drugs that some may use to treat chronic pain. But there are also more unique, alternative ways to manage the pain without resorting to conventional medicine. Here are just some of them.
This ancient Chinese medicine practice has been known to help provide pain relief to a lot of people who suffer from chronic pain. Acupuncture nevertheless has its own share of believers as well as non-believers. One reason may be that it may be quite difficult to determine in tests whether the pain relief that people feel with using acupuncture comes from a so-called placebo effect or an actual one. But what it has shown so far is that acupuncture has helped quite a lot of people better manage the chronic pain in one way or another and many more are trying to consider this method as an alternative to using conventional drugs and pain killers.
Exercise may also help some of the pain of fibromyalgia. It may help strengthen the muscles and provide more flexibility as well as help improve one's sensitivity to pain. People seem to feel more of the pain after a period of inactivity. Regular exercise can help relieve such pains and may also improve one's quality of life be being more active. But it is also important not to overdo it since too much exercise itself may also contribute to the pain.
This type of meditation encourages people to focus on the present moment while meditation and avoiding reflecting in the past or anticipating the future. Although some may consider dealing with the present chronic pain situation may make the pain to get worse, some preliminary studies show otherwise. Research on college students given three 20 minute training and meditation practice sessions were able to show an improvement on their pain thresholds.
The study trials involved each person being tested to see how much of an electrical current applied on the forearm would one consider low or high pain prior to the study trials. For those who were went through the meditation training, the students later on require higher currents to cause similar levels of pain.


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Centella asiatica is an ingredient believed to boost the antioxidant activity at the site of wounds, strengthening the skin and increasing blood circulation.


You'll hit the road in Barlow, United States of America, with a smile on your face when you reserve a rental car through CarRentals.com.
If you're wanting to get a rental as soon as you can after arriving at Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport, go to Enterprise Marietta. You'll find it at 832 Pike St, 13 miles away.
Add some adventure to your vacation by taking a day trip to McConnelsville, 20 miles from Barlow. Don't forget to bring your camera to Miners' Memorial Park and the Big Muskie's Bucket, two of the most well-known attractions here. The Morgan County Historical Society Museum is an additional place to spend a few hours. Alternatively, Caldwell is 25 miles away and also promises to be an excellent day out. Upon arriving, many travelers stop by Thorla-McKee Well and the Baker Family Museum. Another well-liked site is Wolf Run State Park.
Geneva State Park is among the most iconic sights in this region. Located 170 miles away, you can be sure that the drive will be half the fun!
Who doesn't love a road trip? Pickens is 95 miles from Barlow, and it's certainly worth the effort. Another possible option, Danville is 95 miles out of the city.


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Hard Science Ain't Hard
Hard science ain't hard, it just takes a little thinkin'
Science Topic Index
The Shelter Saga
Tag: gaussian
Heisenberg's Area
On November 23, 2015 March 17, 2020 By rolcottIn Physics: Quantum Mechanics, UncategorizedLeave a comment
Unlike politicians, scientists want to know what they're talking about when they use a technical word like "Uncertainty." When Heisenberg laid out his Uncertainty Principle, he wasn't talking about doubt. He was talking about how closely experimental results can cluster together, and he was putting that in numbers.
Think of Robin Hood competing for the Golden Arrow. For the showmanship of the thing, Robin wasn't just trying to hit the target, he wanted his arrow to split the Sheriff's. If the Sheriff's shot was in the second ring (moderate accuracy, from the target's point of view), then Robin's had to hit exactly the same off-center location (still moderate accuracy but great precision). The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle (HUP) is all about precision (a.k.a, range of variation).
We've all encountered exams that were graded "on the curve." But what curve is that? I can say from personal experience that it's extraordinarily difficult to create an exam where the average grade is 75. I want to give everyone the chance to show what they've learned. Each student probably learned only part of what's in the unit, but I won't know which part until after the exam is graded. The only way to be fair is to ask about everything in the unit. Students complained that my tests were really hard because to get 100 they had to know it all.
Translating test scores to grades for a small class was straightforward. I would plot how many papers got between 95 and 100, how many got 90-95, etc, and look at the graph. Nearly always it looked like the top example. There's a few people who clearly have the material down pat; they clearly earned an "A." Then there's a second group who didn't do as well as the A's but did significantly better than the rest of the class — they earned a "B." As the other end there's a (hopefully small) group of students who are floundering. Long-term I tried to give them extra help but short-term I had no choice but to give them an "F."
With a large class those distinctions get blurred and all I saw (usually) was a single broad range of scores, the well-known "bell-shaped curve." If the test was easy the bell was centered around a high score. If the test was hard that center was much lower. What's interesting, though, is that the width of that bell for a given class stayed pretty much the same. The curve's width is described by a number called the standard deviation (SD), proportional to the width at half-height. If a student asked, "What's my score?" I could look at the curve for that exam and say there's a 66% chance that the score was within one SD of the average, and a 95% chance that it was within two SD's.
The same bell-shape also shows up in research situations where a scientist wants to measure some real-world number, be it an asteroid's weight or elephant gestation time. He can't know the true value, so instead he makes many replicate measurements or pays close attention to many pregnant elephants. He summarizes his results by reporting the average of all the measurements and also the SD calculated from those measurements. Just as for the exams, there's a 95% chance that the true value is within two SD's of the average. The scientist would say that the SD represents the uncertainty of the measured average.
Which is what Heisenberg's inequality is about. He wrote that the product of two paired uncertainties (like position and momentum) must be larger than that teeny "quantum of action," h. There's a trade-off. We can refine our measurement of one variable but we'll lose precision on the other. If we plot results for one member of the pair against results for the other, there's no linkage between their average values. However, there will be a rectangle in the middle representing the combined uncertainty.
Heisenberg tells us that the minimum area of that rectangle is a constant.
It's a very small rectangle, area = h/4π = 0.5×10-34 Joule-sec, but it's significant on the scale of atoms — and maybe on the scale of the Universe (see next week).
~~ Rich Olcott
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Come and try out your Welsh!
This article was first published in the Western Mail
"Learning a language is like learning a musical instrument – it takes a lot of practice," says Helen Prosser, Director of Strategy at the National Centre for Learning Welsh. A new festival for Welsh learners, Ar Lafar, is set to provide lots of opportunities for people to use and enjoy their Welsh – Helen Prosser explains more:
I was fortunate to learn Welsh at Tonyrefail Comprehensive School way back in the seventies, and from there I went on to Aberystwyth University to study Welsh which meant opportunities for total immersion in the language. Adults learning Welsh, unless they live in a Welsh speaking family, rarely have this opportunity for total immersion and this is why providing regular social opportunities for adults to practise their Welsh is so important for the National Centre for Learning Welsh, its providers and its partners.
Ar Lafar (the Welsh word for 'spoken') on 22 April is a new initiative between the Centre, National Museum Wales and the National Library of Wales. It is a festival to celebrate Welsh learning and there will be a full programme of activities for learners and their families at four different sites: the National History Museum at St Fagans, the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea, the National Slate Museum in Llanberis and the National Library in Aberystwyth. Among the activities on offer will be talks introducing some of our national treasures at these sites, theatrical performances and craft sessions. There will also be short, Welsh taster sessions available for non-Welsh speakers who'd like to learn some very basic Welsh. It will be a fun day to round off the Easter holidays, and all free of charge.
The saying goes that no-one can learn a language in a classroom. This isn't meant to undermine the importance of attending a course, but rather is meant to emphasise the importance of regular practice to achieve fluency. Throughout Wales, the Centre's providers and other partners provide regular opportunities for practice in events such as coffee mornings, luncheon clubs, book clubs, walking clubs, visits to Welsh language theatre productions and quiz evenings, to mention just a few. Ar Lafar has a similar aim but is on a bigger scale and will give people the opportunity to meet with learners from different areas. Buses are being arranged from north-east Wales to Llanberis, and from north-west Wales and Pembrokeshire to the National Library in Aberystwyth.
The National Centre for Learning Welsh has been responsible for Welsh for Adults since August 2016, and this is its first large scale national event for learners to enjoy practising their Welsh. It couldn't have happened without the co-operation of the National Museum and National Library. It has been so heartening to meet with national bodies throughout Wales who want to open their doors to Welsh learners and help them on the road to fluency by offering the opportunity to practise.
Other partnership initiatives include working with the National Theatre to provide a pack for learners to help them understand and enjoy the recent Welsh language production of Macbeth at Caerphilly Castle, working with the Urdd Centre at Llangrannog to hold a Welsh for the Family residential course during the half-term February break, and working with our Welsh language broadcasters, S4C and Radio Cymru to make Welsh language programmes more accessible to learners. The Welsh Books Council has recently announced significant funding to provide a suite of reading books for learners which will be published to correspond with the launch of new course materials for learners in September 2018.
Practice can involve passive enjoyment of the language – particularly reading and enjoying the Welsh media, and these activities are a great help with learning vocabulary. But there is nothing quite like the buzz of trying out your newly acquired skills with another person. Ar Lafar will provide that buzz. Yes, learning a language takes a lot of practice, but it is well worth the effort. See you on 22 April. Events kick off at 11am.


text:
Q: RISC-V: Do 12-bit immediate logical operations operate on the whole register? I am trying to write a simulator for a RISC-V CPU and can not find a definitve answer to my question.
Let's say I want to use
ANDI rs1, rd, 0xFFF

with rs1 containing 0xFFFFFFFF and the immediate value being 0xFFF.
Does the ANDI operate on the full register and just fill the remaining 20 bit of the immediate with zeros so the result in rd will be 0x000000FFF?
Or are the higher 20 bits ignored and the result in rd will still be 0xFFFFFFFF?
Same question for XORI and ORI commands.

A: The Immediate value is sign extended,
12 bit FFF will translate to 32'hFFFFF_FFF for RV32
so the values being AND-ed will be
rs1_data & 0xFFFFF_FFF


text:
Hospitality Representation
AGENT TOOLBOX
© 2019 Bennett + Mercado Hospitality
Just for Palazzo Margherita guests - Extraordinary openings of Italian National museums and unique dinner in museum contexts
One of Francis Ford Coppola's main purposes with the opening of Palazzo Margherita was the promotion and the support of the LAND OF BASILICATA: so not only food, wine, preservation of thousand-year-old traditions and uses, but of course also the promotional support of our ART heritage.
We are very happy to offer a unique new experience JUST FOR OUR GUESTS: extraordinary evening-openings of National Museums.
Guests can choose among different Museum-sets: either the close-by area of Metaponto, one of the main places of the Magna Grecia time or the main Matera Unesco Heritage Town and the European Capital of Culture 2019.
In the first case, they would visit the National Museum of Metaponto containing the rich heritage of archaeological materials found in the Greek colony of Metaponto plus on a hill the ruins of the extra urban temple dedicated to Hera. Built in Doric style in 530 B.C., it is the only worship monumental building whose external colonnade has been partly preserved.
In case they choose Matera, UNESCO World Heritage site, guests will have the pleasure to see the most outstanding, intact example of a troglodyte settlement in the Mediterranean region, perfectly adapted to its terrain and ecosystem. The first inhabited zone dates from the Paleolithic, while later settlements illustrate a number of significant stages in human history. A fascinating collection of archeological artifacts can be admired at the Domenico Ridola National Museum. But Matera is also a town that looks up to modernity! So for those who are interested in the contemporary aspect of this amazing town, we would like to suggest also a visit to Palazzo Lanfranchi, which is currentlythe Modern Art Museum of Basilicata; home to an impressive collection of works by Carlo Levi as well as numerous 17th and 18th century Neapolitan School oil paintings, and wooden sculptures and paintings from other towns in the Province of Matera. All works on exhibition have been restored by the Italian Cultural Heritage Department. Palazzo Lanfranchi hosts major art shows on a regular basis making it an important location for events in Matera.
Moreover these special visits can be enriched with a unique and traditional dinner in the same taking-breath-away museum contexts.
Palazzo Margherita
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The APL Users Group had several machines on display including this amazing APL portable computer.
This was the APL Users Group's display.
Norm Aleks' and Brian Knittel's display showed their IBM 1130 web site and other IBM 1130 information. Head on over to their site and encourage them to bring the whole machine to next year's VCF!
Eduardo Trama showed off his Portuguese speaking MIDI monster.
The Computer History Museum, currently housed at Moffett Field, hosted the VCF this year.
Dale Luck showed a ton of Commodore Amiga stuff including a massive t-shirt collection.
Here's Dale's display from a slightly different perspective.
Old IBM gear is often hard to find. Wayne Smith has several interesting IBM systems. Also pictured is David Cavanaugh who owns the IMSAI 8080 in the background.
More of the IBM display.
My personal favorite of Wayne's is his IBM 5100. This machine represented the first IBM attempt at a "Personal Computer." While it was a powerful machine in its day, it was far to expensive and never really caught on.
Bruce Damer's Digibarn was represented at the VCF.
Several of the Digibarn's coolest machines were on display.
Bruce brought out his "black Mac" - a Mac modified to greatly reduce RF emissions that might be spied upon.
He also brought out his Commodore Pet 2001.
Eric Smith had an amazing vector graphics terminal from DEC on display.
Yours truly showed off this IBM PC.
Many of my oldest general computer magazines were on display.
As were many of my oldest PC related magazines.
This IMSAI 8080 system was brought by David Cavanaugh.
Showing both strength and lunacy, John Lawson brought in this fully functional PDP 11/44. He even mounted a vintage oscilloscope in the rack, just for laughs.
The first ever Kim 1 (serial number 00001) was on display. It's owner, Hans, was never still long enough to be photographed.
Larry Anderson is a true Commodore nut. He had these machines to show.
And these as well. Larry's exhibit was one of the more popular ones during exhibition hours.
It looked like Paul Zurakowski brought one of every style of Mac ever built.
Peter Jennings had a fascinating exhibit on computer chess.
The VCF 5 registration table even hosted some older machines.
Richard Harrington's SGI equipment was probably the newest stuff on display, but it was certainly obsolete enough to be considered vintage.
Tim Swenson had a ton of Sinclair machines to show.
This display replaced the Digibarn exhibit when they went on their road trip.
The vendor areas were as much fun as the exhibits. Kevin Savetz brought tons and tons of stuff to sell.
Stuff that was piled high under tables.
Stuff that was piled high on top of tables.
Stuff that was piled high between tables.
And stuff that was piled high next to tables.
Marvin Johnson brought a van load of items to sell.
Memorybilia was selling a Cray-1 super computer - one part at a time and all sealed in lucite.
Other computer parts were for sale as display pieces as well.
Holy Smokes, this looks like fun! Ive gotta go to one of these shows!
When and where is the next one? Ill bring cash, baby!!!


American stand up comedian, radio personality, bestselling author and actor, Jim Norton is the morning co-host of The Jim Norton & Sam Roberts Show on SiriusXM Satellite Radio. For 14 years, Norton was 3rd mic on the Opie and Anthony Show. Earlier this year, he was announced as co-host of UFC Unfiltered Podcast with Jim Norton & Matt Serra, which has routinely been on the top charts on iTunes. As an author, his two books, Happy Endings: The Tales of a Meaty-Breasted Zilch and I Hate Your Guts were New York Times bestsellers and since 2014 he has contributed eight articles to Time.com. He has 4 one-hour comedy specials that can be seen on Hulu and HBO GO and can currently be seen in a recurring role on the critically acclaimed Starz series, Power. He has had regularly guest-starred on The Tonight Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, Tough Crowd With Colin Quinn, @Midnight, Kennedy, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Inside Amy Schumer and Louie.


text:
John Richard Martin
Passionate about innovation in learning
Thank You, Goodbye and Merry Christmas!
Dear Friends and Colleagues at Sanoma Learning,
Passion for Learning
It has been an exciting sprint to the very end with the announcement of the acquisition of Clickedu in Spain this week, bringing not only a great new company into the family but also a bit of extra sunshine 😊. In the meantime this will be my last message to you all as CEO, with my 10 years at Sanoma coming to an end. I've loved leading our company and been inspired by the "passion for learning" that can be felt in the teams everywhere who have worked tirelessly to make a positive impact on teaching and learning. Thank you all for your dedication and excellent work!
Major transformation
Our company has gone through a major transformation during recent years:
Our reach has increased from some 10m to 15m learners and from 5 to 10 core countries
Our sales have increased from some €290m to close to €500m in 2020
Employment at Sanoma Learning has grown to almost 2100 FTEs
We have grown our market share and made great leaps forward on the digital transformation
We have delivered strong profitability and profit growth, amongst the highest in the industry
We have achieved good success in building one European company out of the 5 original units, through the High Five program
We have made a number of important acquisitions, this year adding Iddink Group, itslearning, Essener and Clickedu to the family.
This has been quite a journey and I believe we are well prepared and well positioned for the next phase of growth at Sanoma Learning. I see a bright future ahead for our company!
Thank you to the teams!
What I remember and appreciate most looking back at the last 10 years is the people: the friends and good colleagues I have made along the way. I feel a strong sense of dedication in our teams everywhere. People are eager to learn new things and looking to the future. Striving to do the right thing for education and for the company. Although it has sometimes been challenging, it has also been truly inspiring to work in an organisation with such commitment and potential.
I would once again like to thank each and every one of you for your dedication in doing a great job and moving Learning forward. It has been a privilege to be able to lead this successful company and I would like to wish you all the best for the future. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or Twitter or reach out to me at johnrichmartin@gmail.com if you want to stay in touch.
Finally I would of course like to wish everyone a well-deserved break and a very Merry Christmas with your loved ones! I hope you will have a wonderful time and get plenty of rest ready for an exciting new year ahead 😊. Cheers!
Looking forward >>
CEO Sanoma Learning
Give the gift of education: www.camfed.org
This entry was posted in Sanoma Learning on 20/12/2019 by johnrichardmartin.
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text:
'use strict';

const path = require('path'),
      chai = require('chai'),
      expect = chai.expect,
      should = chai.should(),
      StringUtils = require(path.resolve(__dirname, 'numbers-utils.js'));

describe('StringUtils Test Suite', function () {
  describe('Reverse the given string', function () {
    it('should return an empty array when there are not pairs', function () {
      expect(StringUtils.findLongestConsecutiveSubseq([1, 2, 3])).to.be.equal(3);
    });
  });

});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Do your kids need rain coats and boots this season? If Finances are too tight we can help! Contact the Family Resource Center at 221-6808 ext 4321 or drop by and see us Monday-Thursday 9-4pm. We have gear to keep your kids warm and dry.


Quality, when not done right, can cause major repercussions to any organisation. Be they reputational, financial or political repercussions, quality must be at the forefront of any organisations mind when it comes to solution delivery.
The majority of people we talked to (CIOs, Project Managers, Technology Professionals) said that in their organisation it is the Business Line that owns quality. Through this ownership the Business Line is accountable for the reputation of the organisation, it places control of quality with the Business Line, including budget, time, resources and the importance placed on it. Doesn't it?
We then asked Project Managers what they viewed as the most common reason for a project running over. The large majority (52%) stated that poor requirements which evolve into delays were the most common reason. These results suggest projects could enhance IS quality by focussing more on requirements during the business analysis phase of projects.
Irrespective of the development methodology, and how these requirements are garnered, the 'requirements' stage becomes the most vital point of the whole project. It outlines what is to be delivered, setting the tone of what is to come.
If the requirements have been poorly built, this can lead to their misinterpretation. Consequently there will be holes in the development, and an increased risk that the final product won't meet expectations.
When scoping the project and building the requirements, quality needs to be a key consideration the whole way through. Understanding user expectations when compiling the requirements, ensuring their testability, and undertaking a quality check on the requirements documents are all ways that ensure quality throughout the project.
Planning and undertaking testing throughout all the different facets of the project can save a significant amount of time and money. Instead of building something to later learn that it fails to meet expectations, testing should occur in the first instance and save the organisation from failed components. Including a test strategy that covers all aspects of the project will ensure quality and success for each different component within the project.
Understanding user expectation is a huge part of the process. Countless projects and systems have failed because the users requirements aren't fully understood. Even if they don't fail, misunderstandings can add months and countless thousands of dollars onto a project as redevelopment is required to bring it up to scratch. Agreeing user expectations from the start and building these into the requirements will avoid costly mistakes and ensure quality and success.
The final inclusion is a quality check on the business requirements themselves. It can often pay to bring in an objective third-party who can look over your requirements and ensure they are rock solid. Assumed understanding can lead to meanings and context being lost further down the chain, or complete miscommunications. Engaging a third-party can ensure that quality is present right from the requirements stage and is set up in a way that it will flow through the rest of the project.
One company who realised the potential of an IS project through early engagement with quality is PGG Wrightson. When scoping the project and building the requirements, they considered the user's problems and needs, and made allowances for testing in their budget.
So while IS quality is a big, scary, and potentially risky aspect of a business, it is something that is vital to the success of a project. Business Line need to be engaging with it early in their projects and setting themselves up well for the full run. Working with a third party, as PGG Wrightson did, can be a useful way to ensure quality in a project.
To find out more about how PGG Wrightson realised the potential of their project through early engagement with quality with Qual IT's help, download the case study here.


A pair of morning news anchors nearly fell out of their chairs after an interview with Ryan Lochte.
The Olympic champ stopped by "Good Day Philadelphia" to promote his new reality show, "What Would Ryan Lochte Do?" but the swimmer's inability to answer simple questions left Sheinelle Jones and her co-anchor Mike Jerrick buckling over with laughter.
But things soon turned complicated. When asked what pickup line would get his attention, Lochte's response was six seconds of pure silence that seemed to last a lifetime on live TV.
After Lochte signed off, the anchors could no longer hold it together and burst out laughing.
"Seriously, how are they gonna get enough material [for an entire season]?" Jerrick asked.


Addiction brings with it many hardships for spouses, friends and family: a sense of betrayal, unexpressed anger, grief, fear. Betrayed by the one you want to trust most, closing your mouth when you want to yell, watching your loved one's life wrenched away, as addiction takes hold. Addiction thrives in darkness.
Only when you usher it into the light, can addiction start to heal. Maybe you're ready to take that next step, but concerns begin to surface: Will my Highmark insurance help with drug rehab? How much will I need to pay? Will Highmark help with treatment for my child or loved one?
Government statistics for substance abuse in the U.S.
Highmark insurance coverage for adults with Substance Use Disorder (SUD).
Coverage for children with substance abuse issues.
Prior authorization required for Highmark insurance coverage benefits.
Out-of-pocket expenses associated with drug rehab.
Where you can turn for support as you take this journey into healing.
Reports from drugabuse.gov show that 1 out of every 15 people on non-prescription opioid pain relief will try heroin within ten years of when the opioid use began. Also, 90% of fatalities from poisoning have been directly linked to drug overdose, and ER visits from prescription medication abuse have skyrocketed to nearly 135% in the past five years.
7.7 million people meet the criteria for a co-existing mental disorder, along with chemical dependency.
20 million people in the U.S. meet the criteria for Substance Use Disorder (SUD).
1 in every 12 people in the U.S. struggles with addiction to drugs or alcohol.
Based on this information, the chances of you facing addiction at some point in your life is very high. Knowing how Highmark insurance can help, will empower you on this journey to recovery.
In compliance with the Affordable Care Act of 2010, all insurance companies are required to cover, at least in part, drug and alcohol treatment services. Because addiction is now medically recognized as a brain illness, it is seen more as a priority.
Healing from addiction begins with healing the body. The body of an addict has been assaulted at the deepest level, and requires detoxification to purge itself of toxicity and regain healthy functioning.
Most Highmark insurance plans cover medically supervised detox services in an approved detox facility. During detox, medical staff will monitor withdrawal symptoms and address any need for detox medication.
Withdrawal symptoms are usually very uncomfortable and sometimes painful, so it is helpful to have professionals near who can help you know what to expect. The detox medications that Highmark will cover vary depending on your plan. While some plans pay for 100% of the medications, others may just offer to pay a portion of the costs.
Usually, inpatient treatment facilities have programs for 28 to 45 days. But some programs can last as long as a year. The amount Highmark will cover depends on the medical necessity of each program, its length, and your individual insurance plan.
While outpatient treatment may be less expensive, studies have proven that inpatient treatment significantly decreases the chances of relapse. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, it is highly recommended that you complete inpatient treatment first before moving into an outpatient recovery program.
Most Highmark insurance plans provide an 80% co-insurance for inpatient rehab, but some plans will cover 100%. Highmark may even cover out-of-state residential rehabs in full or in part, based on your individual plan. Highmark typically covers out-of-network services at 50%.
If you're interested in trying out a program with an intervention considered "experimental," you can choose to pay for the additional intervention yourself. Highmark will usually cover the remaining services as explained in your health insurance coverage binder.
It is important to speak with your insurance provider or check your Summary of Benefits to find out exactly what they are willing to pay for your child. Remember that a "child" is often considered as such under insurance coverage up until he or she is 21 years old. Check your policy for additional information.
Prior authorization is meant to act as a cost-saving element by having the insurance agree to pay for a particular intervention before treatment begins. Many addiction procedures require prior authorization, and you'll want to find out which ones are required for your particular plan.
With Highmark insurance plans, you'll probably be responsible for at least 15% of the entire treatment. Your Summary of Benefits should let you know what your responsibility will be.
The amount covered by each plan varies greatly, depending on the amount of the deductible and whether or not you have met your deductible for the calendar year. Your deductible will reset each year.
Most treatment facilities offer a payment plan on a sliding scale, taking into consideration your income level and ability to pay for care.
We at Adrugrehab.org know that it can feel intimidating sifting through your insurance's fine print. For this reason, we provide a free, 24/7 national helpline staffed with licensed counselors to answer all of your questions and concerns. We offer you confidential referrals to some of the best treatment facilities your insurance will cover. Pick up that phone, and let us help you take that brave next step today!