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Performance of galvanized steel in fire
The high cost of passive fire protection, usually with the help of different painting systems, is an economic disadvantage of steel and composite structures compared to simple concrete constructions. If the corrosion protection system also protect from fire it would be of great benefit. Steel components are non-flammable and do not contribute to fire loads, but the mechanical properties of the steel are temperature dependent.
The calculated yield strength (above 400 °C) and the modulus of elasticity (above 200 °C) decrease with an increasing temperature. For example, if a steel member reaches a temperature of about 600 °C, about 53% of the initial strength is lost. This must be taken into account when dimensioning steel structures in case of fire.
Fire consists of different phases:
A slow start and smouldering phase at the beginning.
Full fire phase with flashover and a corresponding increase in temperature.
Afterwards, the fire subsides and the cooling phase starts, as the time progresses.
The time of the phases differ between different fires.
The zinc layer has a positive effect up to the steel reaching about 550 °C. That limit probably depend on the melting point of zinc and the intermetallic phases:
Pure zinc: 419.5 °C
Zeta phase: 530 °C
Delta phase: 530-670 °C
Several benefits with HDG in fire
The results of practical tests with fire showed that the hot-dip galvanized steel had several advantages in comparison with the uncoated:
-Lower emission factor
-Slower heating
-Longer time until the critical temperature is reached
One important thing for the infleuence of the emission factor is the colour of the coating. To get a low emission factor like in the table above the coating should be bright or light grey.
Type of steel Emission factor up to 500 C Emission factor over 500 C
Carbon steel 0,70 0,70
Stainless steel (1) 0,40 0,40
HDG Steel (2) 0,35 0,70
According to Annex C
Steel galvanized according to EN ISO 1461 and with steel composition according to Category A or B of EN ISO 14713-2, Table 1.
Table 1.Emission factors for black steel, stainless steel and galvanized steel.
If the coating is dark grey the emission will be higher, so it is important to use the right type of steel. According to the foot note to the table above the steel should be aluminum killed, or silicon killed with a silicon content of maximum 0.25 %. To be on the safe side it might be better to recommend a little lower maximum Si- content, depending on the construction.
Fire resistant class Fire resistant time (Minutes) Symbol in the construction inspection rules
F 30 ≥ 30 Fire resistant
F 90 ≥ 90 Fire proof
F 120 ≥ 120 Fire proof
F 180 ≥ 180 Very fire proof
Table 2. Fire resistance classes. Studies has shown that F30 is possible with galvanized steel without any further protection.
Interesting business case
The large business interest for fire protection with galvanizing could easily be understood from the picture below. If protection with paint is used there is demand for maintenance on a regular basis. With galvanizing no maintenance is needed and the intital costs are on the same level.
Fig. 1. Comparision of costs and life time of galvanized steel and intumescent paint.
The Galvanizers Association in UK and Ireland , has with the aid of Steel Construction Institute (SCI) recently published a design guide which greatly simplifies the design of galvanized steel members in fire, avoiding any need for complex calculations. The text below describes the background.
Due to the reduction in surface emissivity of the zinc coating described in the previous section, galvanized steel members may experience a smaller temperature increase equivalent non-galvanized steel members.
The benefit of the reduced emissivity is most significant for structures that require shorter fire resistance periods, such as car parks or single storey industrial buildings, where the temperature reached by the galvanized steel members is around 500 °C. The reasons for this are:
for temperatures lower than 500 °C, the rate at which the temperature increases in a galvanized steel member is given by a surface emissivity of 0.35, while for a non-galvanized steel member this is given by a surface emissivity of 0.70;
steel strength is most sensitive to temperature at around 500 °C, and so in this temperature range, small differences in temperature have a pronounced effect on strength loss.
For temperatures below 400 °C, steel does not show any loss in strength. Therefore, for temperatures of around 400 °C, even though the temperature in a galvanized steel member is lower than that in an equivalent non-galvanized steel member, this does not necessarily translate into a significant difference in strength.
On the other hand, for temperatures higher than 500 °C, the surface emissivity of galvanized steel is the same as that of non-galvanized steel (0.70), and therefore, as the temperature increases, galvanized steel and non-galvanized steel temperatures converge.
Another important factor that affects the rate at which the temperature in a steel member increases is the section factor. In EN 1993-1-2, the section factor is defined as the surface area of the member exposed to a fire per unit length, Am, divided by the volume per unit length, V. Therefore, a beam exposed to a fire on four sides has a higher section factor than an equivalent one exposed on three sides.
This factor has the same effect irrespective of whether the section is galvanized or non-galvanized, as it only depends on the geometric proportions of the cross-section. That is, the larger the section factor, the faster the temperature in the member increases. As a result of this, the largest benefit of using galvanized steel over non-galvanized steel can occur in different cross-sections at different fire exposure times, depending on the section factor of the cross-section.
Figure 2 compares the rise in steel temperature of galvanized and non-galvanized steel beams for three different Universal Beam sections:
– 533 x 210 x 22
The beams are exposed to fire from three sides with section factors ksh [Am⁄V]m of 75 m-1 109 m-1 and 170 m-1, respectively. The figure indicates that for a fire exposure period of 15 minutes, the galvanized steel sections can achieve 3.5 minutes, 3.5 minutes, and 2.0 minutes longer fire resistance period compared to the equivalent non-galvanized steel sections, respectively. For a fire resistance period of 30 minutes, the galvanized steel section with a section factor of 170 m-1 (UB 254 x 146 x 43) performs very similarly to the equivalent non-galvanized steel section. This is because at 30 minutes fire exposure, the temperature in the galvanized section is 820 °C, which is significantly higher than 500 °C. For the section with a section factor of 75m-1 (UB 533 x 210 x 122), however, at 30 minutes fire exposure, there is still a noticeable gain in fire exposure time of 3 minutes.
Figure 2. Temperature rise of galvanized and non-galvanized steel sections subject to the standard nominal fire curve.
If the gains in fire exposure time using galvanized steel are translated into increased resistance, the advantages are more pronounced. Figure 3 compares the resistance versus time behaviour for the galvanized and non-galvanized steel beams previously discussed.
In the figure, the resistance is represented by the maximum utilization that can be achieved by the member, calculated as the ratio of the cross-sectional resistance of the beam in the fire situation to the cross-sectional resistance at room temperature. A degree of utilization of 0.7 is indicated by a horizontal line which corresponds to the largest practical value for which a laterally restrained beam can be designed in the fire situation. This is because beams designed in fire for a degree of utilization larger than 0.7 are likely to fail at room temperature.
Bearing this in mind, at 15 minutes of fire resistance, despite the galvanized sections UB 533 x 210 x 122 (with a section factor of 75 m-1 and UB 254 x 146 x 43 (with a section factor of 109 m-1) being able to achieve a greater utilization than their non-galvanized counterparts, there is no benefit in using galvanized steel over non-galvanized steel for these sections. On the other hand, for section UB 406 x 140 x 39, which has the largest section factor (170 m-1), the maximum utilization of both galvanized and non-galvanized cross-sections is below 0.70 at 15 minutes fire exposure. In this case, using galvanized steel leads to an increase in load carrying capacity of 35% compared to using non-galvanized steel.
For sections UB 533 x 210 x 122 and UB 254 x 146 x 43, the maximum utilization that can be achieved by the non-galvanized steel sections decreases below 0.7 at noticeably shorter fire exposures than that of the galvanized sections. For example, for the steel section with the lowest section factor (UB 533 x 210 x 122), at 23 minutes fire exposure, when the maximum utilization of the galvanized section decreases to 0.70, it can carry 70 % more load than the non-galvanized section. At 30 minutes of fire exposure, even though the gain in fire resistance time is low for sections UB 533 x 210 x 122 and UB 254 x 146 x 43 (see Figure 2), they show a modest gain of 9% and 14% in load carrying capacity, respectively.
Generally speaking, a laterally restrained beam or a tension plate constructed from galvanized steel and with a section factor in the range of 105 m-1< ksh [AmV]m < 182 m-1 can carry above 30 % more load than a non-galvanized section at 15 minutes fire exposure. For laterally restrained beams, the lower bound of this section factor range depends on whether the beam is exposed to fire on three or four sides, or if it works compositely with the slab. Thus, while for beams exposed to fire on four sides the lower bound for the section factor is 105 m-1, for a beam exposed to fire on three sides, and for a composite beam this value is 145 m-1 and 115 m-1 respectively. For galvanized steel columns a similar increase in fire resistance at 15 minutes fire exposure is achieved if the section factor is in the range of 81 m-1 < ksh [Am⁄V]m < 190 m-1 For the design at 30 minutes fire exposure, an increase in fire resistance of more than 30 % can be achieved when the galvanized steel member has a section factor in the range of 33 m-1 < ksh [Am⁄V]m < 64 m-1.
Figure 3. Maximum utilization for galvanized and non-galvanized steel beams exposed to fire on three sides.
Laboratory research – full scale testing
A number of researchers have observed that galvanized steel members reach lower temperatures during fires than equivalent non-galvanized steel members. It was postulated that this effect was due to the lower emissivity of the galvanized surface.
Emissivity values of 0.29 – 0.40 were proposed in several studies, compared to the emissivity of a non-galvanized steel surface of 0.7 which is widely used in the prediction of steel temperatures during a fire.
Although this effect has been recognized for several decades, it is only recently that sufficient weight of evidence has allowed a standardized emissivity value for galvanized steel to be determined.
According to Sala1, radiation of metal surfaces is based on atomic and molecular vibrations which depend on the chemical composition of a surface layer up to approximately 10-10 m thick. As the outer zinc layer of a galvanized surface has a thickness of 5 to 20×10-6 m, it is this layer which determines the radiation behaviour of galvanized steel.
The first tests of galvanized steel fire resistance
The first calorimeter tests to indicate the favourable influence of a galvanized coating on the temperature of steel during a fire were carried out by Heinisuo2. The specimens were subjected to a heat flow from a cone calorimeter. The derived value of emissivity of galvanized steel members below 420 °C was determined as 0.2.
The Czech Technical University in Prague validated the surface emissivity of galvanized steel in typical fire conditions by carrying out two full scale furnace tests and also testing specimens in a compartment in an experimental building (Figure 4)3.
Figure 4: Test specimens suspended from the compartment ceiling
Open and closed steel specimens, one metre in length, were hung from the ceiling of the compartment at the location of the highest expected gas temperature. The arrangement of the specimens ensured an even temperature distribution. Profiles were arranged in pairs (galvanized and non-galvanized). Specimens were isolated at both ends by mineral fibre wool such that the sample simulated an infinite length element and that heat transfer occurred only at the outer surface.
The temperature of each specimen was measured by one 2 mm diameter thermocouple, which was placed at the mid-point of each specimen. The gas temperature in the fire compartment was measured by twenty 3 mm thermocouples and seven plate thermocouples. Figure 4 shows the temperature rise of the specimens in the compartment.
Figure 5. Measured temperature rise during fire tests: gas temperature (φ1), galvanized IPE (TZ4) and non-galvanized IPE (TZ3).
The measured temperature rise was compared against the predicted rise assuming a value for the surface emissivity of 0.32, which had been measured previously in horizontal furnace fire tests. Figure 6 shows the good correlation between the measured and predicted results, especially in the first 20 minutes of the fire.
Figure 6. Temperature rise during fire tests: measured gas temperature (φ1), measured and predicted temperature for galvanized IPE (TZ4), assuming an emissivity = 0.32.
More recently, Gaigl4 carried out two full-scale tests and 147 laboratory tests to measure the emissivity of galvanized steel. In small-scale laboratory tests, different types of galvanized specimens were heated and the emissivity was deduced by measuring the temperature of the specimens with thermocouples and infrared sensors.
These studies demonstrated consistent emissivity values for a range of galvanized steels with different silicon content. Silicon content is important because its presence can influence the thickness and structure of the galvanized coating. The ranges of silicon content associated with consistent emissivity values of 0.35 were those normally encountered in modern structural steels and are defined by Category A and B of EN ISO 14713-25.
Gaigl also observed that whereas an emissivity of 0.35 was reliably measured for temperatures up to 500 °C, at higher temperatures, changes to coating morphology will increase emissivity to approach that of non-galvanized steel (i.e. 0.7).
An amendment to Eurocode 3, Part 1.2 Structural Fire Design (EN 1993-1-2)6, largely based on the work of Gaigl, will be included in the next revision of the standard, which is due to be published in 2023. The revision is summarised in Table 2.
Table 2. Proposed revision of EN 1993-1-2 (as at June 2020).
Further fire tests on galvanized steel
Further supporting studies have been carried out in France. Three sets of standard fire tests were performed at Effectis, France in a joint project by CTICM, Galvazinc and EGGA . In 2016, fire tests were carried out on I and H profile steel columns exposed on four sides. In 2017, further tests were carried out on I and H profile beams exposed on three sides and I profile and hollow section columns exposed on four sides (Figure 7).
Figure 7. Specimens in CTICM- Galvazinc-EGGA tests[9] beam tests (left) and column tests in 2017 (right).
The proposed emissivity for 60 minutes fire resistance was validated through analytical prediction models at CTICM7 and in Prague8. The comparison of predicted and validated results for the surface emissivity εm = 0.35 is shown in Figure 8 for 15 minutes and 30 minutes exposure. These tests show good agreement between the measured and predicted temperatures assuming the surface emissivity = 0.35.
Figure 8. Comparison of predicted surface emissivity εm= 0.35 and measured results for 15 and 30 minutes exposure.
Studies have shown that the zinc layer has a positive effect on the heat generation during fire exposure. In many cases is it possible to withstand F30 in fire resistance of a hot-dip galvanized steel structure, without any additional fire protection. This means that the hot-dip galvanized construction can withstand 30 minutes of fire exposure according to the standard EN 13501-2 (Fire classification of construction products and building elements).
SALA, A. Radiant Properties of Materials: Tables of Radiant Values for Black Body and Real Materials, PWN and Elsevier, 1986
HEINISUO, M. Effect of zinc coating to the resistance of WQ-beam bottom flange in fire, Tampere University of Technology, 2014
JIRKU, J. and WALD, F. Influence of Zinc Coating to a Temperature of Steel Members in Fire, Journal of Structural Fire Engineering, Vol 6, 2015
GAIGL, C. and MENSINGER, M. Fire resistance of galvanized structures, 25th International Galvanizing Conference (Intergalva 2018), Berlin, Germany, 2018
EN ISO 14713-2: 2020 Zinc coatings. Guidelines and recommendations for the protection against corrosion of iron and steel in structures. Hot dip galvanizing, CEN, 2020
EN 1993-1-2: 2005 Eurocode 3: Design of steel structures – Part 1-2: General rules -Structural fire design, CEN, 2005
BIHINA, G. Temperature assessment of galvanized steel profiles: validation of proposed emissivity values for bath galvanized steel, Technical report A 30.4.2018), Centre Technique Industriel de la Construction Métallique for the European General Galvanizers Association, 2017
RASZKOVA, S. Emissivity of hot dip galvanized steel, MS thesis, Czech Technical University in Prague, 2019


Volunteers are incredibly important to the Trust as they are the vital manpower we need to help deliver our habitat projects. They also make a much more rounded project by taking an active role in protecting local rivers and streams – this helps to ensure that the river is looked after in the long term and that the work done is sustainable.
Did you know that th e Ribble Catchment covers over 800 square miles and is home to over 1.25 million people? Our volunteers are the eyes and ears of this vast area.
With their help we monitor the water quality and report on pollution incidents, as well as keeping track of the whereabouts of key species like otters and water voles. Throughout the year there are also opportunities to take part in surveys which range from riverfly monitoring to river walkovers. People are often surprised at just how full of fish, invertebrates and other wildlife our rivers are.
We also monitor invasive species like Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed and American mink; they are a significant threat to our native wildlife and will continue to spread unless they are monitored and controlled. This is something which couldn't be done without our volunteers who can not only report sightings but can also take an active part in helping to control the spread of plants and weeds.
Volunteers also play a major role in our efforts to clean up the Ribble Catchment, every year we get help from hundreds of people! In a few hours you can make a huge difference and you will see the rivers transformed. Many hands make light work, all we need is a few hours of your time!
Another of our activities are fencing and tree planting which often go hand in hand! Putting up fences along river banks we can help flora to flourish and improve the quality of the river and trees help to provide more stable river banks, filter pollution, reduce flood risk and maintain cool water temperatures. It doesn't matter if you've never done it before, as we provide training and tools.
With over 1,400 miles of rivers and streams in the catchment there are opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to get involved. It is incredibly rewarding and an excellent opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors and meet like-minded people, as well as gaining experience and learning new skills. All your help is appreciated and volunteers can do as much or as little as they can manage, basic training is provided free of charge.
We can't be everywhere at once, but with a dedicated team of volunteers on the ground, we can get pretty close!
If you would like to volunteer please send an email to admin@ribbletrust.com to put your name on the mailing list and you will receive notifications of upcoming volunteer events. If you haven't got time to volunteer but would still like to contribute why not become a member? For further details visit our membership page.


A private tour of The Museum of Russian Art's multimedia presentation of one of the most tragic events of WWII: the 900-day siege of Leningrad in 1941-1944.
Limit 20. Pay admission at the door, free to museum members.
As part of Hitler's Operation Barbarossa, German forces laid siege to Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), resulting in an estimated one million deaths among its residents. The exhibition will focus on the city's struggle and survival through photographs, films, maps, and stories of the war period. It will highlight both the gruesome side of the war and the life-affirming effort of the people who lived through the horrible ordeal.


To understand how tower cranes work, it is imperative to know their definition and their main components.
Tower cranes are major construction equipment normally seen at sites involving tall building under construction. Tower crane are often used to lift steel, concrete, large equipment like generators, and other construction materials.
The base is bolted to a large concrete slab.
If the crane height is more than 265 feet, then some means of sturdy support is required. It may be some steel wires fixed from the crane mast to the different parts of the building.
Counter weights – 20 tons (16.3 Metric Tons).
The maximum weight that a tower crane can lift is 18 Metric Tons. However, it has to be understood that the quantity of weight to be lifted keeps on decreasing as the distance from crane center increases. So, it is always better to lift loads keeping them as close as possible to the crane's center.
The factor 300 tonne-meter is instrumental in understanding the load limitation. It is the moment of the load lifted about the crane's center. So moment = load * distance.
A 300 tonne-meter limit can be inferred as a load of 10 tons being lifted at a distance of 30 meters from the center of the crane. So moment about the crane's center is 10 tons * 30 meters = 300 tonne-meter.
This switch along with its accessories monitors the pull (strain) on the cable and thus does not allow the maximum load limit to cross 18 tons, after which it trips the motor and gives audible and visual alarms.
This limit switch along with its accessories ensures the load-moment (tonne-meter) rating does not exceed beyond the given limit, after which the hoist motor and traversing motors are tripped with audible and visual alarms.
These towers are held at the base by concrete structures/pads, with the help of anchor bolts. These concrete slabs are made ready several weeks before the arrival of the tower cranes. These concrete pads weigh about 2 tons.
The erection sequence must be strictly followed as even a small error may create huge devastation.
For erecting and before put into use, surveyors are designated for inspections and checks to be carried out on the crane structure and the load limits.
Trained operators are licensed and examined before operating these cranes. Their education includes various levels of examinations and fitness check for operating at huge heights.
These operators are well-versed with the load distribution systems and they keep monitoring the stresses and abnormalities when lifting through a computer which is programmed to calculate the bending and load moment calculations.


text:
Armada Argentina ARA
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Re: Armada Argentina ARA
« Responder #90 em: Junho 30, 2021, 03:44:30 pm »
Espetacular quando se começa a ter inveja ....da Argentina
Inveja não diria, mas pelo menos não se esqueceram de comprar a Marlin.
Os seguintes utilizadores agradeceram esta mensagem: P44
« Responder #92 em: Setembro 23, 2021, 10:24:09 am »
A.R.A. Contraalmirante Cordero was launched Tuesday 21 September in Concarneau. Naval Group picture.
Naval Group Launches Fourth And Final OPV For Argentine Navy
The last of the four Offshore Patrol Vessel 87 (OPV 87) ordered to Naval Group by the Argentine Navy, the A.R.A. Contraalmirante Cordero, has been launched this Tuesday 21 September in Concarneau.
Naval News Staff 22 Sep 2021
Naval Group press release
This launch is part of the contract signed by Naval Group with Argentina in 2018 to provide four multi-mission offshore patrol vessels. A.R.A. Bouchard (ex-L'Adroit) had been delivered in December 2019 and A.R.A. Piedrabuena on 13 April 2021. A.R.A. Storni was launched on 10 May 2021 and will be delivered next October, in accordance with the original contractual schedule and despite the global health situation.
The last vessel of the series will offer the same assets and characteristics as the A.R.A. Piedrabuena and Storni. It benefits from an optimised motorised system, an active stabilisation system and a bow thruster. It is also "Ice proven", i.e. adapted to navigation in the cold waters of Antarctica.
Olivier Michel, Vice-president Sales for Latin America, said
"We are delighted with the excellent cooperation that exists between the Argentine Navy, Naval Group and Kership on this program. The vessels already delivered are currently in operation on an almost permanent basis and allow the Argentine Navy to carry out the operations essential to the defence of Argentina's sovereign interests. We are delighted that this new unit will strengthen this operational capacity. Beyond this project, Naval Group remains fully mobilised to offer its solutions to the Argentine naval forces."
Jean-Claude Flandrin, Program Director, added:
«Benefiting from the innovations offered by Naval Group and proven by the French Navy, these four latest generation multipurpose vessels have been designed specifically for the needs of the Argentine Navy to enable crews to carry out their missions in optimal safety conditions. We are proud of the trust that the Argentine Navy has placed in us and salute the commitment of the Argentine Navy teams as well as that of the design and production teams, which allow us to ensure the delivery in Concarneau of the A.R.A. Storni and the A.R.A. Contraalmirante Cordero in the coming months, in accordance with the contractual schedule."
OPV 87, an innovative vessel
The Argentinean Offshore Patrol Vessels benefit from innovations developed by Naval Group and sea proven by the French Navy, which has operated L'Adroit in several oceans for six years for multiple maritime security operations, either alone or in cooperation with other Navies:
• Very high endurance and excellent sea-worthiness;
• An innovative design inspired by the best techniques used in the naval defence industry;
• A 360° visibility from the bridge and a unique mast for a panoramic radar coverage;
• The discrete and safe implementation in less than five minutes of fast crafts for Special Forces thanks to an ingenious ramp system at the bow of the patroller;
This range of ships also benefits from Naval Group's expertise in information and command systems, allowing for extensive surveillance of the maritime space and the detection of suspicious behaviours. The A.R.A. Contraalmirante Cordero is equipped with the Polaris system and NiDL tactical data link system, specifically developed by Naval Group for state missions at sea and sea-proven by the French Navy.
The Offshore Patrol Vessel is able to stay on deep seas during more than three weeks, to reach a speed of 20 knots and to accommodate a helicopter. Implemented by a reduced crew of 40 members, it is also able to accommodate about twenty extra passengers.
• Length: 87 meters
• Beam: 14 meters
• Displacement: 1,650 tons
• Max. speed: over 20 knots
• Accommodation: 59 (crew and passengers)
• Endurance: > 7,000 nautical miles
• Boarding capacity: two light crafts of 9 meters and one 10-ton class helicopter
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/09/naval-group-launches-fourth-and-final-opv-for-argentine-navy/
OPV 87 A.R.A. Storni Handed Over To Argentine Navy
The third of the four Argentinian offshore patrol vessel (OPV) ordered by the Argentine Navy, OPV 87 A.R.A. Storni, was delivered on October 13 in the presence of Captain Santiago Villemur representative of the Argentine Navy in France.
Naval News Staff 13 Oct 2021
A.R.A. Storni has been delivered to the Argentine Navy today in Concarneau in the presence of Captain Santiago Villemur, representative of the Argentinian Navy in France, who also handed over the commandment of the ship to Commander Óscar Latorre.
This delivery was carried out by teams from Naval Group and Kership, a joint-venture between Piriou and Naval Group. It is part of the contract signed by Naval Group with Argentina in 2019 for the delivery of four multi-mission patrol vessels. A.R.A. Bouchard (former L'Adroit) was delivered in December 2020 and A.R.A Piedrabuena on April 13th this year.
With the delivery of A.R.A. Storni, the program keeps progressing as scheduled to conclude with the delivery of the last vessel scheduled for April 2022. A 44-people crew from the Argentine Navy has been trained in the operation and maintenance of the vessel.
This third patrol vessel of the series acquired by the Argentine Navy offers the same assets and features as those of the A.R.A. Piedrabuena. Better armed and motorised than the Bouchard, equipped with an active stabilisation system and a bow thruster, it is also Ice proven, i.e. adapted to navigation in the cold waters of Antarctica.
Naval Group picture
Jean-Claude Flandrin, Program Director, said: "The delivery of this third patrol vessel marks a very important milestone for the program, which was achieved on time despite the health crisis that has marked the last two years. The teams are still mobilised to finalize the training of the crew that will leave for Argentina with the vessel. Once the training is completed, we will concentrate our efforts towards the delivery of the last of the series, which was launched last month".
Olivier Michel, Sales Director for Latin America, added: "We are proud of the trust that the Argentine Navy has placed in Naval Group for the supply of these latest-generation multipurpose vessels that will enable the country to carry out its sovereign missions. This delivery is another demonstration of Naval Group's and its partners' capacities and commitment towards its customers to respond to their operational needs."
About the OPV 87
The Argentine offshore patrol vessels benefit from innovations developed by Naval Group and proven by the French Navy, which has operated L'Adroit in several oceans for six years for multiple maritime security operations, alone or in cooperation:
• The rapid, safe and discrete deployment of intervention crafts launched by a double system of ramps at the stern of the patrol vessel.
This range of ships also benefits from Naval Group's expertise in information and command systems, allowing for extensive surveillance of the maritime space and the detection of suspicious behaviours. The A.R.A Storni is equipped with the POLARIS® system and NiDL® tactical data link system, specifically developed by Naval Group for state action missions at sea and sea-proven by the French Navy.
The Offshore Patrol Vessel is able to stay on high seas during more than three weeks, to reach a speed of 20 knots and to accommodate a helicopter. Implemented by a reduced crew of 40 members, it is also able to accommodate about twenty extra passengers.
• Boarding capacity: two light crafts of 9 meters and one 10 ton class helicopter
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/10/opv-87-a-r-a-storni-handed-over-to-argentine-navy/
« Responder #94 em: Novembro 05, 2021, 07:22:09 am »
ARA BOUCHARD
Em 15 de novembro de 2017, a Armada Argentina perdeu comunicação com os 44 tripulantes a bordo do ARA San Juan. Eles nunca voltaram para casa. Um ano e um dia depois, o Ministério da Defesa e a Armada Argentina informaram ′′ foi dado identificação positiva ′′ da nave. ′′ Tendo-se investigado o ponto de interesse n° 24 informado pela Ocean Infinity, observação feita com um ROV a 800 mts de profundidade, foi dada uma identificação positiva ao Ara San Juan ′′
Fonte: Comunidad Submarinista Latinoamericana
« Responder #96 em: Dezembro 08, 2021, 08:56:09 am »
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=icPuHrOQUV4
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Are There Any Good Non-Alcoholic Drinks Available for Christmas Party?
December 2, 2020 by Annie
Drinking has become a staple in Australia. May it be any occasion, Australians love to get a pint from the nearest pub with friends and family. According to the National Alcohol & Drug Knowledgebase (NADK), 59% of Australians can drink up to 4 standard drinks.
However, alcoholic drinks can cause serious health issues. The National Drug Research Institute (NDRI) has reported that 5,785 Australians had died in 2015. Their deaths were the result of diseases and injuries related to alcohol drinking.
Even though the statistics were posted many years ago, it is still impactful with today's society. With Christmas around the corner, others might want to cut back on alcoholic drinks and switch to alcohol-free drinks.
Benefits of Non-Alcoholic Drinks
Australians nowadays prefer non-alcoholic drinks more than their counterparts. This preference can be seen more in the younger generation. Here are some of the benefits that non-alcoholic beverages can give to anyone:
Stay hydrated – alcoholic drinks with alcohol by volume (ABV) of 2% or more can make anyone feel dehydrated. This feeling is due to the diuretic effect of alcoholic beverages. However, zero-alcohol drinks can help people stay hydrated by lessening the urine output.
Fewer calories – alcoholic beverages contain a lot more calories than expected. According to MedlinePlus, beverages with alcohol can have a calorie count of 97 and can reach up to 200. Although there are still some calories in a non-alcoholic drink, anyone can still guzzle many of these beverages without getting fat.
Less hangover – chugging down an alcoholic drink with high ABV can result in intense hangovers the next morning. Unlike with a zero-alcohol liquid, there will be less chance to experience hangovers.
Better sleep – alcoholic and zero-alcohol drinks have a sedative effect on its drinkers. However, alcoholic beverages make anyone's sleeping a bit harder. A non-alcoholic drink has a much subtler effect and can make drinkers fall asleep faster.
Types of Non-Alcoholic Drinks
There are several non-alcoholic drinks in the market today. Primarily, there are two main categories of zero-alcohol beverages, and they are the following:
Alcohol-free drinks – this kind of zero-alcohol beverage has no alcohol at all. People who avoid alcohol are more inclined to get alcohol-free drinks. Moreover, recovering alcoholics favours these drinks more.
Low-alcohol beverages – this kind of drink contains less alcohol than usual. A low-alcohol drink has less than 0.5 ABV. The chances of being drunk are minimal, and they are best with moderate drinkers.
Non-Alcoholic Drinks for Christmas Parties
Choosing the right zero-alcohol beverage for any party may become a challenging task. Here are some examples of non-alcoholic drinks Australia that will light up any Christmas party:
Lindeman's Low Alcohol Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir
Founded in 1843, the Australian winery Lindeman concocts inexpensive yet quality wine. With the rise of sober conscious generation, Lindeman created a sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir with an ABV of 0.5%. Like other Lindeman sparkling wines, this one has a crisp taste and inviting bubbles.
The drink also has a distinctively sharp yet dry taste, which most people favour with their sparkling wines. This sparkling chardonnay works well as a great way to warm up the party. It's also best served with any seafood or chicken dishes due to its fruity flavour.
NON-Non-Alcoholic Box
Based in Melbourne, NON is a company that makes zero-alcohol wine alternatives. They pledge to improve the selection of drinks with full flavour like alcoholic drinks but with no alcohol. NON's alcohol-free drinks are best relished after a hard day's work at the kitchen preparing food for the Christmas party.
NON's concoctions are technically called a tisane, an infusion of spices, herbs, and dried fruits in hot water. NON's Non-Alcoholic Box comes with three different flavours, and all of them are equally flavourful and have no alcohol. The flavours are Raspberry & Chamomile, Yuzu & Cinnamon, and the newest edition, Hibiscus & Lemon.
Sobah Low Alcohol Finger Lime Cerveza
Entirely Aboriginal owned, Sobah is run by Clinton and Lozen Schultz. It is the first non-alcoholic craft beer company in Australia. Sobah was formed to give Australians possible, practical, and mindful drinking and soberness choices. Sobah's Finger Lime Cerveza has only 0.3% ABV, which is low compared to low-alcoholic beverages.
The Finger Lime Cerveza is brewed Mexican style, making it tangy, light, and hoppy. However, it also gives a sweet and nutty taste. Its main ingredient, the finger lime or 'gulalung,' is native around Northern NSW, SE QLD, and throughout Bundjalung Nations lands. The fruit is packed with folate, potassium, and Vitamins C and E, making the drink a healthy choice.
Carlton Zero Non-Alcoholic Beer
One of Australia's non-alcoholic drinks, Carlton Zero, is 100% Carlton but without the hangover or calorie count. Carlton Zero Non-Alcoholic Beer boasts itself with its 0% ABV. Its unique flavour has a rich and fruity scent and visible hops in the background.
Lyre's Non-Alcoholic American Malt Spirit
Non-alcoholic beverages are a thing of the past with Lyre's American Malt Spirit. This beverage encapsulates the essence of the classic American bourbon. Its flavour mainly consists of vanilla and roasted nuts flavour with herbal notes. Lyre's American Malt Spirit has 0% ABV, which is excellent for an evening of fun-filled Christmas parties.
The Hills Cider Company Virgin Apple Cider
Launched in 2010, The Hills Cider Company aimed to create the best-tasting apple cider in Australia. After a decade, it has produced their Virgin Apple Cider with 0% alcohol. The company boasts itself with no added concentrate, water, sugars, or flavours.
The Hills Cider Company's Virgin Apple Cider has an incredible apple taste with a lemon and lime sherbet. Moreover, it has a fresh and sweet yet zesty taste. The flavour is made possible with its ingredient, especially 100% fresh Adelaide Hills grown apples.
Jiva Kombucha
Locally made, Jiva Kombucha is excellent with Christmas dinner parties and barbecues. Jiva Kombucha comes with an array of flavours, from its original one to blueberries. All the ingredients are locally sourced and are always fresh. Even though it has less sugar and calories, it still preserves the great taste. Moreover, this kombucha has no preservatives or flavouring.
Seedlip gives a very distinctive alcoholic taste but without the punch. The company has a selection of drinks, from cocktails to aperitifs, all are zero-alcohol drinks. Seedlip creates their signature drinks by combining fruits and herbs to give them subtle yet complex flavours.
PS Soda Myrtle Soda
PS Soda is a Sydney-based beverage manufacturer that specializes in craft soda. Its non-alcoholic drink is vegan and free from gluten, eggs, nuts, and soy. They use locally harvested native ingredients to create seasonal beverages.
PS Soda's Myrtle Soda is light soda water with no sugar, acids, or preservatives added. The soda water only has two ingredients, water, and lemon myrtle. It has been filtered thrice for extreme clarity, like a vodka. Myrtle Soda is best on its own but can be mixed with other zero-alcohol drinks to make mocktails.
Reducing alcohol consumption is optimal for one's health, but holding back from drinking can often leave anyone sad. Moreover, deciding to switch from alcoholic to zero-alcohol beverages is a bit tough, especially during Christmas. However, with a myriad of non-alcoholic drinks Australia, it will become an easy transition.


market is known to make very volatile moves during month end time.Either way quick moves are part of such volatile moves.
Euro and GBP quickly gained the levels during start of japanese session and made the slide.
early european session quick gain followed by immediate drop are the expected moves.Late european session again a quick rise may be seen to make swing and drop move during US session.
Currenly except AUD and EURO other currencies are showing negative net change.there may be a move to show all currencoes in negative net change during mid european session.Later denominator currencies may gain for the day.
what do you expect on euro/gbp? its 9040?
EURO/GBP is expected to make nominal slide today and more tomorrow.
could eur/usd slide to 1.4200 again in this week?
SIR ANY WORD ABOUT EUR/USD PLZ ??????
Doc do you expect EURO to drop ? ECB is expected to raise interest rates next week.


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In case you want to build a robot with a PC based controller there a lot of possibilities. You can use commercial software or you can choose Free or Open source platforms. This article describes a few frameworks or software libraries. Of course this list is not complete. If I forgot your favorite platform, let me know.
The Player project is an open source network server for robot control. It provides a simple interface to the sensors and actuators over the IP network (TCP). Player runs on Linux, Solaris and BSD variants. The Player project is aligned with Stage and Gazebo Simulators. The Player project supports 914 PC BOT, Amigobot, Clodbuster, ER 1, ERRATIC, ERSDK robots, Garcia, Khephera, NOMAD200, Obot d100, Pioneer, RFLEX, RMP (Segway), Roomba. The Player project is released under the GNU General Public License.
URBI ( Universal Real-time Behavior Interface) is an platform based on its own scripted language. The platform has a client/server architecture. The main features are simplicity, modular, parallel control, event based programming and is optimized for speed. URBI can be used with Aibo, Boe-Bot, Boiloid, Create, ER 1, KHR2, Mindstorms NXT, Nao, Pleo, RBT-1, Robonova, and Spykee. The platform comes with and SDK and URBI is free for educational use and hobbyist.
RoboRealm is an windows oriented application and is focused on processing video images for use in robotic applications. The main feature is the image processing pipeline which contain the filters to get the result you want. You can use VBscript to take action on the filtered images. RoboRealm is an commercial product now, but you can use it for 30 days after registration. The software before version 2.0.0 is free. I did some experimenting myself.


What Does the Lao Private Sector Need to Sustain its Rapid Growth?
Lao PDR's GDP is growing at a projected 7% per year, making it one of the world's fastest growing economies. However, with concentrations of economic activity in mining and hydropower, diversification is needed. Lao has a small but active local entrepreneurial ecosystem and requires a strong legal and financial framework from the government.
MBI's focus in Lao PDR is on startup and SME support policies, as well as direct engagement with business associations, entrepreneurs, and investors.
Lao PDR is hosting the 2nd Annual Mekong Startup Ecosystem Summit from March 23 – 25, 2017. The Summit will help to establish regional ecosystem activities, push regional startups to the next level through the TechSauce tour, increase collaboration in the region while highlighting the growing startup scene in Laos. Summit participants will include the top startup programs in the Mekong region, including investors. An important part of the Mekong Ecosystem Summit will be the Techsauce tour giving Mekong startups a chance to compete with their counterparts later in Bangkok.


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Lasioptera cratavae är en tvåvingeart som först beskrevs av Mani 1934.  Lasioptera cratavae ingår i släktet Lasioptera och familjen gallmyggor. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


You are visiting the placeholder page for Linda Bolton. This page is here because someone used our placeholder utility to look for Linda Bolton. We created this page automatically in hopes Linda Bolton would find it. If you are not Linda Bolton, but are an alumni of Hattiesburg High School, register on this site for free now.


This sale is for a 5 Casino Chip made by the MGM GRAND Las Vegas, NV to commemorate the 2010 WORLD SOCCER TOURNAMENT held in South Africa. Chip is 1-1/2" in diameter. UNCIRCULATED Send email if you need additional details about this chip. Buyer is responsible for 3.95 for postage anywhere in the USA. Visit this store for lots more LAS VEGAS Collectibles. Thank you for stopping by !


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Link to Review of "Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker"
Here's a link to my review of "Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker" available at WIMZ.com. https://wimz.com/blogs/stan-movie-man/1723/review-of-star-wars-episode-ix-the-rise-of-skywalker/
The Christmas holiday brings Oscar contenders and family fare to a local theater near you. I'll likely see and review at least one of these features:
Listen to Comedy Tragedy Marriage, a podcast about life, love and entertainment, available wherever you get podcasts. Follow me on Twitter @moviemanstan and send emails to stanthemovieman123@gmail.com.
December 22, 2019 stanthemovieman Adam Driver, Billy Dee Williams, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, Ian McDiarmid, John Boyega, Kelly Marie Tran, Keri Russell, Lupita Nyong'o, Mark Hamill, Movie review, Oscar Isaac, Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker Leave a comment
Review of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi"
After taking out a First Order dreadnaught with heavy Resistance forces losses, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) is demoted by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) for failing to follow orders. Finn (John Boyega) finally wakes up after nearly dying from his encounter with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) on the Starkiller base. His first words are to ask about Rey (Daisy Ridley) who is with Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) on the planet Ahch-To where he's been in self-imposed exile since Ben Solo turned to the dark side of the Force and took the name Kylo Ren. Luke fears his failure with Ben will be repeated with Rey once he feels just how strong she is with the Force and he refuses to teach her the ways of the Jedi. When the Resistance lead ship drops out of hyperspace the First Order cruiser is right behind. The First Order has figured out how to track them in hyperspace and with their ship low on fuel making another jump is impossible. The First Order attacks and Leia is injured and unconscious. Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern) takes command of the Resistance but Poe is unsatisfied with her seemingly cautious strategy. A young maintenance worker Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) and Finn come up with a plan to disable the First Order's tracking of the Resistance in hyperspace but have to do it from onboard their lead ship and they need an expert code hacker. Contacting Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong'o), she tells them to go to the casino on the planet Canto Bight and look for the man with the red flower pin on his chest. Meanwhile Luke relents and begins teaching Rey the ways of the Force. Rey starts having long distance chats via the Force with Kylo Ren. She believes he can be turned from the dark side and help the resistance win but Luke is dubious.
As I sit at my keyboard I mimic a scene from "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" where Luke encourages Rey to reach out with her feelings. I try to do the same when it comes to how I feel about this movie. It's a mishmash of joy, sadness and yearning for the next two years to hurry up and go by so I can see how the sequel trilogy ends. There is also a scene in the film where a character is encouraged to pay attention to what's happening now and not look ahead to the future. So I am going to focus on what I feel from what I saw in the two and a half hours of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" and share it with you here. The short version can be summed up in one word: Wow!
"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is a brave bit of filmmaking. It takes a beloved franchise and turns it on its head with character choices and character deaths that come out of nowhere while still feeling grounded in the universe in which many of us have invested decades of fandom. Director and writer Rian Johnson has essentially given the franchise a clean slate from which to create whole new stories that don't rely on Luke, Han and Leia while also giving the long-time fans plenty of nostalgia to soothe any fears that history will be set aside for the newer characters.
While Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver and Oscar Isaac get the majority of screen time, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher are likely to be the most remembered performances of this film. While only sharing the screen once, Hamill and Fisher bring it alive whenever they are shown. Hamill is an angry and disillusioned Skywalker, hiding on an island that houses an ancient Jedi temple while refusing Rey's pleadings to return to join and lead the new Rebellion. Skywalker is something we haven't seen much of in any "Star Wars" film: Truly afraid. Hamill gives Luke a brief glimmer of the boyish enthusiasm of old while also showing us a mature and more measured man. Hamill is able, despite Luke's reluctance, to show there is still some of the old fighter left in the Jedi master.
Despite what happens in the story we know this is the last time we'll see Carrie Fisher's General Leia. Media reports from not long after her death state Disney and Lucasfilm won't use old, repurposed footage of Fisher nor will they digitally recreate her as was done in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story." That makes her performance in this film all the more powerful. Fisher is mesmerizing as Leia. Her regal yet down-to-Earth countenance makes Leia a born leader and her leadership is desperately needed if the Rebellion is to survive the events of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi." Fisher's ability to be both tough and motherly is what makes her an appealing character as Leia. It makes me wish for the ability to turn back time and take whatever precautions are necessary so she survives the heart attack that took her away too soon. "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is dedicated to her memory.
I enjoyed all the twists and turns of the film immensely; however, there are a few things that with more time to reflect stand out to me as issues. There are primarily three underdeveloped story threads through both this and "The Force Awakens" that seem to be unimportant to Lucasfilm and Disney. First, who is Supreme Leader Snoke? Where did he come from and who trained him in the ways of the Force? How did he accumulate the resources to establish the First Order? While secondary characters in the "Star Wars" universe have been largely unexplored (i.e. Jabba, the Sand People, Jawas, Boba Fett and others) none has been as major a player as Snoke. He's responsible for blowing up most of the New Republic and that kind of power and influence attracts attention. Why is so little known about him? Second, what/who are the Knights of Ren? Other than Kylo we know of no other members of this mysterious order. Sith Lords from the original and prequel films aren't as well regulated a group as the Jedi Knights but they do have some known history and a reason for being so what's the story with the Knights of Ren? Third, who is Captain Phasma? While her chrome armor makes her stand out from the rest of the Storm Troopers we don't know anything else about her. Before only a patch that was a different color designated any kind of rank but Phasma looks like she must spend hours keeping her armor shiny. She's also a woman in an organization whose members had been exclusively male. There must be a reason for this and it must be somewhat interesting so why hasn't it ever been mentioned? I would prefer to not have to read every extended universe novel and comic book to find out some backstory on these aspects of the story. It doesn't have to be extensive, just a couple of lines of dialog between characters to flesh out people that are apparently very important to the events in these films.
"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" is rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and violence. People are shot by blasters and stabbed by light sabers. One character is cut in half while another is stabbed through the head. Two characters are threatened with beheading. The Force is used to torture a character while they float in midair. Other characters are picked up and thrown around by the Force. There is only the mildest foul language.
There is some complaining on the Internet (imagine that) about the film. How some characters are used or underused and that it tries to copy "The Empire Strikes Back" (didn't see that at all) along with other complaints. It may be a tad too long, sending characters off on side missions that don't make a great deal of sense and ignoring the backstories of several important players, "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" also gives a needed creative boost to the franchise and wipes the slate clean for the characters introduced in "The Force Awakens." And it cannot be argued against that there are moments in the film that are jaw-dropping. There are an infinite number of directions the story can take and I for one look forward to going along on the ride.
"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" gets five supernova stars.
This week your choices include getting small, chasing after a wayward dad and hitting a high note one more aca-time. I'll see and review one of the following:
Listen to The Fractured Frame podcast available wherever you get your podcasts. Follow me on Twitter @moviemanstan and send emails to stanthemovieman123@gmail.com.
December 18, 2017 stanthemovieman Adam Driver, Benicio Del Toro, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Movie review, Oscar Isaac, Star Wars The Last Jedi Leave a comment
Review of "Kingsman: The Secret Service"
For weeks, the only thing anyone heard about as far as movies were concerned was "Fifty Shades of Grey" and how it would dominate (pardon the expression) the box office over Valentine's weekend. It lived up to expectations tying up (again, pardon the expression) over $81-million in ticket sales. While the rest of the competition was mostly spanked (see apologies above) there was one new movie that managed to pull in a respectable amount of money despite lacking any whips, riding crops and blindfolds. "Kingsman: The Secret Service" is what I saw and I suggest you see it as well.
Gary "Eggsy" Unwin (Taron Egerton) is an intelligent young man who seems to be wasting his life with alcohol, drugs and petty crimes. He's approached by a Harry Hart (Colin Firth), a dapper gentleman, who tells Eggsy he knew the boy's deceased father. Hart is a member of a secret British intelligence organization called the Kingsmen. Hart, whose code name is Galahad, operates out of a tailor shop. While the average patron can be fitted for a custom-made suit, a Kingsman agent can access specialty weapons and an underground pneumatic transport system that goes directly to a villa in the English countryside, the headquarters of the Kingsmen. Galahad informs Eggsy his father was a Kingsman and died on a mission when Eggsy was a very young boy. Galahad encourages Eggsy to try out for a recent opening due to the death of an agent codenamed Lancelot. Lancelot died trying to rescue Professor James Arnold (Mark Hamill), an environmental and global warming expert who had been kidnapped by Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) and his accomplice Gazelle (Sofia Boutella). Gazelle has prosthetic legs armed with razor sharp swords which she uses to kill Lancelot. Valentine, a tech billionaire, has been trying for years to get politicians to do something about carbon emissions without success. He has developed a new plan and approaches many celebrities and world leaders for their support, offering them deals they cannot refuse. For those who turn Valentine down, they are locked up in his mountain headquarters. While Valentine wants to save the planet, he doesn't care how many billions of people have to die to make his plan succeed. Eggsy and several other young people are led through the many tests and trials to become a Kingsman by Agent Merlin (Mark Strong) while Galahad continues his investigation into Valentine's plan.
"Kingsman: The Secret Service" has a very light, jaunty feel to it. It doesn't take itself seriously and is able to create both humor and excitement, often simultaneously. The film succeeds at being entertaining for several reasons. First, the story moves at a quick pace, rarely staying in the same place for very long. The filmmakers know the target audience doesn't like taking the time for a huge amount of backstory so much of that is handled in a few sentences at appropriate times. This cuts down on long scenes of exposition and keeps the plot moving forward.
A second reason is the cast. A film like "Kingsman: The Secret Service" rarely has a group of actors with this many A-listers. Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Strong, Michael Caine and Mark Hamill all in one film based on a comic book is not something one sees every weekend. The lesser known members of the cast, Taron Egerton, Sophie Cookson and Sofia Boutella, are a nice garnish to an already stellar mixture of actors. Everyone in the film is excellent and they all seem to be having a great time.
The script seems to have its tongue firmly planted in its cheek. The style and tone of the dialog, usually delivered in either an upper crust or working class British accent, just feels like fun. Even when the movie has its bloodier moments, and there are plenty, the script manages to keep things light. It also doesn't mind taking a look at other films of the genre, including the granddaddy of them all the "Bond" series. Firth's character makes reference to the darker tone of the most recent films and says he prefers the earlier incarnations of Bond. The movie seems to pay homage to those films with the number of gadgets a Kingsman has at his disposal. I won't try to mention them all here but they run the gamut from classic (knife popping out of the toe of a shoe) to fantastic (a bulletproof umbrella with other built-in weapons). Some of these gadgets are more believable and hence more effective than others. Still, one must suspend some disbelief if the movie is to be enjoyed. The film uses technology heavily throughout the story including the main plan of the villain. The movie may actually depend too much on gadgets to keep the action moving. A spy movie should be mostly about the spy doing some spying. That isn't so much the case here; however, this is a minor fault when compared to how entertaining the rest of the film is.
"Kingsman: The Secret Service" is rated R for sequences of strong violence, language and some sexual content. There are numerous violent and bloody deaths in the film including numerous head shots, limbs severed, a person cut in half down the middle and numerous images of heads exploding. Surprisingly, the exploding heads are handled in a rather tasteful way. There is very little gore and it mostly looks like colored smoke billowing up from the neck. There is an early passing reference to sex then late in the film we get a brief glimpse at a young woman's backside with the understanding that anal sex is about to occur. Foul language is common throughout the film.
"Kingsman: The Secret Service" is a spy film populated with very interesting characters including Samuel L. Jackson's lisping villain and Sofia Boutella's blade runner prosthetic wearing henchperson. It also features an exciting story, terrific action and likable characters about whom I wanted to know more. While it depends a bit too much on technology and not enough on the human aspect, there are still characters we root for and want to see triumph. It may never win any major awards or be considered a classic but it is a fun way to spend a couple of hours in a movie theatre without feeling like you need to take a shower afterwards.
"Kingsman: The Secret Service" gets five stars out of five.
This week, four new movies (assuming the expected snow melts in time for me to get out) vie for your entertainment dollars. I'll see and review one of the following:
The DUFF—
Hot Tub Time Machine 2—
McFarland USA—
February 16, 2015 stanthemovieman Colin Firth, Kingsman Secret Service, Mark Hamill, Mark Strong, Michael Caine, Movie review, Samuel L. Jackson, Taron Egerton Leave a comment


An application error message pops up when cashiering or posting from ALLDATA Manage (DVD) to QuickBooks.
Description = Cannot create QBXMLRP2 COM component.
QuickBooks was updated to the QuickBooks 2014 R6 version on a computer running the Windows XP operating system.
The Quickbooks 2014 R6 version of QBXMLRP2.dll is not compatible with Windows XP.
Use the QuickBooks 2014 R5 or earlier version of QBXMLRP2.dll.
Close ALLDATA Manage and QuickBooks.
Download this file by clicking HERE.
Not sure how? Find instructions HERE.
Run the file that downloads.
Double-click the file that appears.
Enter alldata in the password box.
Open ALLDATA Manage and retry the action that caused the error.


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Megan Crouse's Blog is Full of Words
The Clone Wars: The Jedi Who Knew Too Much
Ahsoka is "The Jedi Who Knew Too Much," but it's what she doesn't know that hurts her in this week's episode. The story is action-heavy, but it also puts emphasis on conversations between Ahsoka and other characters to create a lot of different ways to show a harrowing situation. It's an illuminating episode for her, including what may be my favorite Ahsoka moment ever.
"The Jedi Who Knew Too Much" solidified the characterization Ahsoka has – her constant belief in herself and her own righteousness – and showed how it in fact almost ruined her. This is the arrogance of the Jedi that led to their fall, and if Dave Filoni really has been disguising the arrogance of the Jedi as the arrogance of a typical lead character in a show for kids, I suppose I should credit him for that.
Ahsoka's belief in herself is paramount to why she runs, instead of turning herself in to the clones. She refuses to remain calm when she didn't commit the crime. The mysterious perpetrator – Sidious? – who framed her for murder probably would have arranged for Ahsoka to be found guilty, too, so maybe she is right in fleeing. But the earlier dialogue indicates that Ahsoka does have some shortcomings, which makes the whole episode seem more self-aware than usual.
The favorite moment I mentioned is when she goes from sounding doubtful around Anakin and copying his angry attitude toward Tarkin to reassuring Barriss and telling her to trust in the Jedi way instead of giving in to emotion. When Barriss compliments Ahsoka's belief, Ahsoka says, "I guess I fooled you like I have everyone else." That line, and the way she realistically had different attitudes depending on to whom she was talking, hung over the entire rest of the episode. Even as Ahsoka ran from the clones and held her own against an entire platoon, she is also doing it all out of desperation. It shows that someone can be strong and worried at the same time.
The Anakin-Ahsoka relationship is of course central. She moved from fearing that Anakin had killed clones to help her, to realizing that someone else had done it in the course of the elaborate set-up. Later Ahsoka accused Anakin, "You didn't even try to come and help me." She lashes out from fear, and from doing what she thinks Anakin would do – even as he pleads otherwise. I couldn't help but think that Ahsoka trusting Anakin, but not being willing to follow him back to the clones, could come in handy later. She's convinced that her own way is right, or at least sees that as the only thing she can say to him: "You have to trust me now."
"The Jedi Who Knew Too Much" had many references to Order 66. Anakin unknowingly quoted his later self with "I want her alive," a line that Matt Lanter imbued with anger. The clones parading around with reptilian bloodhounds were practically a test run for the Jedi Purge, and I liked that they were running under the gigantic, symbolic Geonosis memorial. Geonosis was the beginning of the war, both the last time that the Jedi fought in numbers and won, and the moment at which they sacrificed their peaceful ideals to become generals in war.
The chase sequence was beautifully lit in dark greens and blues, and the action was exciting. I would have liked to see Ahsoka stumble more than once, to show that she's not quite at her best, but maybe it's too in-character for her to thrive during adversity. I liked the tense moments where she jumped through the blast doors, and how she ended up in tunnels reminiscent of the polar water tunnels seen in Ralph McQuarrie's concept art for Coruscant. (The cool dinosaurian creatures inhabiting them were a nice touch, too.)
The clones in their gunships reminded me of the masked antagonists in Spielberg's E.T. or Joss Whedon's faceless vision of the government. Not trusting the people in power seems to be a common theme; The Clone Wars really has some political complexity. In the chase scene we can also see how the clones realize they'll need to use the big guns on the Jedi if others ever go on the run – or to cut them down unexpectedly.
Some of the dialogue was too straightforward and the music, while orchestral and full of body, sometimes tried too hard to emulate the scene-complementing movie scores of John Williams. There's a careful line to tread between thematic and over-dramatic, and the episode was at times a little of the latter.
But the events were big ones for the galaxy. Ahsoka was very thoroughly framed. My money's on Darth Sidious as the only one who could use the Force inside the cell from far away. Someone had to cut down those clones with a lightsaber, though, so maybe Letta was telling the truth about a corrupt Jedi after all. Last week I did say that I wanted it to be a Jedi who actually committed a crime, but that doesn't seem so important any more. Order 66 can go on whether they've actually done something wrong or not, and we are supposed to be rooting for them.
The fact that Letta hadn't worked on her own reminded me unpleasantly of Krell's character defects not coming from simply being a bad person, but being explained away as the result of his falling to the dark side. I also can't help but notice that the death rate for female characters who aren't Ahsoka has been two-to-one in the last couple weeks, and that both were female pretty much because they had to be someone's romantic interest or wife. I'm starting to appreciate Bo-Katan more and more.
In a way it also makes me appreciate Ahsoka. Even though her actions aren't exactly relatable, they're strong, and she stands up for herself even if she's a little bit misguided and a lot being used. She acted a lot like a male protagonist would – she acted a lot like Anakin would. But that doesn't mean she should be thinking about how to be "ladylike" while the people around her are shooting at her. Ahsoka takes the only route available to her, and jumps.
"The Jedi Who Knew Too Much" includes some nice continuity. Barriss and Ahsoka mention the time they were trapped in a tank, and Obi-Wan references problems in other systems. The prison corridor was straight out of the Death Star, and the episode clearly points toward Order 66.
If Sidious is the perpetrator, we'll likely get a direct answer as to how he turned the people against the Jedi. It'll be bad press if word of a Padawan killing a prisoner and then escaping into the lower levels gets out. It also seems like Tarkin might be in on the whole thing – the sound is conveniently not working on his holorecording, and he pinches Ahsoka's chin just like he did to Leia. (I guess his creepiness started early.)
I got the sense in this episode that the characters were often saying what other people wanted to hear, or switching attitudes from one scene to the next. Anakin's anger was capricious. But instead of seeming out-of-character, it was realistic and showed how quickly the infrastructure of the Jedi could fall during Order 66. Jedi are people too. The episode was solid, as much as any of them, and is finally starting to be really directly relevant to the movies and the Star Wars galaxy as a whole.
Posted by Megan at 2:11 PM
Labels: Ahsoka Tano, Star Wars, The Clone Wars
Pop culture word wrangler for StarWars.com, Star Wars Insider, Den of Geek, and The Mary Sue. Find me on Twitter at @blogfullofwords.
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text:
Q: Reason for Using Object Name or Empty Object While reading through some Javascript Library i noticed the following syntax in all Object definitions.
var FooBar = (function(self) {
    self.init = function() {
        console.log("init called");
    };

    return self;

}(FooBar || {}));

My question is what's the reason for calling the defining function with FooBar || {}) both FooBar which is obviously not initialized at the time of calling. So it evaluates to an empty object.
My hunch is this is done so that if FooBar was defined some where prior to the script then it will modify the existing FooBar
Am i correct on my assumption?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Egypt court sentences 2 men to 2 years in prison for bullying Sudanese child
The sentence comes a few weeks after Egypt set jail terms as penalties for bullying
El-Sayed Gamal El-Din , Sunday 26 Jul 2020
A view of the High Court of Justice in Cairo, Egypt (Reuters)
Egypt approves amendments criminalising bullying; penalties to include jail terms
Bullying, mockery of coronavirus victims is 'totally unacceptable': Egypt's Al-Azhar Grand Imam
Two Egyptians detained for bullying Chinese man over coronavirus
Arrests made after video of Egyptian men bullying South Sudanese teenager stirs anger
Family of schoolgirl says will reconcile with 'bullying' teacher to end his detention
A Giza misdemeanour court has sentenced two young men to two years in prison on Sunday for "bullying and assaulting" a Sudanese child.
The sentence comes a few weeks after Egypt set jail terms as penalties for bullying.
The bullying incident which took place in June was caught on video and sparked an outcry online. The viral video shows one of the defendants tossing a stone at the Sudanese child, who was walking in the working-class neighbourhood of Imbaba, while the other defendant filmed the incident. One of the defendants is also heard insulting the child over his nationality and colour.
The two men were convicted of "insulting" the child and "discriminating on the basis of origin," thereby disturbing public peace. They were also found guilty of violating the right to privacy by posting the video online without the victim's consent, as well as for stealing his personal belongings.
The court also fined the two defendants EGP 100,000 ($6,253).
The sentence can still be appealed.
The court's ruling comes few weeks after the prosecution ordered the detention of the two defendants pending investigation.
A similar incident, which was also caught on film, took place in November 2019, where two young men are seen assaulting and berating a South Sudanese teenager wearing school uniform.
The video sparked anger on social media, with some users reporting the incident to the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood and the Ministry of Interior, calling for the arrest of the young men.
The men were arrested and later released after they reconciled with the South Sudanese student.
Earlier this month, Egypt approved draft amendments criminalising bullying in the country for the first time, introducing penalties including jail terms.
The new article to the country's penal code defines bullying as a "show of force or control by the offender, or the abuse of a vulnerable victim," or as an offence committed on the basis of gender, race, religion, physical attributes, health or mental status, or social class.
The penalties include a prison term of no less than six months and/or a fine ranging from EGP 10,000 to EGP 100,000.
Sudanese child
bullying Sudanese child


text:
Study In Metropolitan College of New York
Metropolitan College of New York is a vibrant and unique non-profit learning institution with accreditation and an array of undergraduate and graduate degree programs designed for working professionals. Located in the heart of New York City's Financial District an MCNY education is a great college opportunity for working adults to advance their careers, for students graduating high school or transferring from community college to accelerate the college experience, for veterans returning from service to use GI Bill benefits as expeditiously as possible, and for workers displaced by the present economic dislocations to retool and re-credential. It is also a wonderful opportunity for international students, who can minimize the costs of lengthy residence while enjoying the benefits of internship placements in the greatest city in the world.
Our Educational Philosophy
We believe that students learn best when they understand the Purpose for their learning and see the connection between what they are learning in the classroom and their ability to change their lives and the lives of others in a positive fashion.
The Purpose determines the focus for the Constructive Action that students are required to plan, implement, and evaluate. That Action must relate to the semester's Purpose and improve the lives of individuals and institutions outside the classroom.
Because MCNY's curriculum fully integrates the classroom and the workplace, it allows students to work full-time and attend the school full-time. The benefits are that students:
Use their studies as the basis for taking action to improve their workplace or internship site.
Engage in an educational experience that is active, rather than passive, and far more effective
Remain in the workplace and continue to earn…at MCNY you don't have to put your career on hold to attend school.
Each semester focuses on a specific performance area called a Purpose. Achieving mastery in each is critical to a student's ability to integrate and use the theory learned in the classroom at an internship or work site and deliver effective professional performance.
Constructive Action (CA)
This workable plan you create enables you to apply what you learn in the classroom—and address an actual challenge at your place of employment or internship. Your CA enables you to develop a body of living case studies while building the analytical, writing and communication skills necessary for success.
Dimensions of learning, action and assessment
At MCNY, you'll be asked to look at your performance from five different dimensions—Purpose, Values and Ethics, Self and Others, Systems, and Skills—appropriate to your program of study. Together, the Dimensions provide you with a comprehensive way of looking at organizational situations and designing solutions to the problems.
MCNY is chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York and is accredited by the Middle States Commission of Higher Education (MSCHE), 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, (267) 284-5000.
School for Business
The associate and bachelor's degrees in Business Administration and the MBA programs in Financial Services, General Management and Media Management at Metropolitan College of New York are accredited by The Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs (ACBSP).
To provide a superior, experientially-based education that fosters personal and professional development, promotes social justice, and encourages positive change in workplaces and communities.
To be acknowledged as the college of choice for experiential learning and applied scholarship.
Integrity: Establishing and maintaining the highest standards.
Innovation: Identifying and implementing creative opportunities to provide quality programs and services.
Empowerment: Assisting ourselves and others to become more effective and productive.
Diversity: Actively promoting and supporting a community of different people and ideas.
Master of Science in Education Program (MSEd)
Our Master of Science in Education program is accredited based on the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) standards, through the CAEP Accreditation System, from 2015 to 2022. Formed in 2013, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) is the single specialized accreditor for educator preparation and administers NCATE accreditation. Our program is also nationally recognized by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI).
In addition to being an accredited non-profit institution, the College is a member of the: Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU), Council of Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU), Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU).
PROGRAMS of Metropolitan College of New York
Audrey Cohen School for Human Services & Education
Bachelor оf Professional Studies, Human Services
Associate оf Arts, Human Services
Associate in Applied Science in Information Technology
Associate of Science in Business
Bachelor of Business Administration in Healthcare Systems Management
Bachelor of Business Administration in Information Technology Management
School for Public Affairs & Administration
AA/BA in Emergency Management & Business Continuity
Master of Science in Education – Dual Childhood Grades 1-6/Special Education
MBA in Financial Services
MBA in Health Services and Risk Management
MBA in Media Management
School for Public Affairs & Administration MPA in Emergency and Disaster Management
MPA in Public Affairs and Administration


Welcome to Pipers Creek Grove!
We are a family owned and operated bushfood plantation situated in Dondingalong on the Mid North Coast of NSW. We are Australian Certified Organic and specialise in Australian Blood Limes, Davidson Plums, Illawarra Plums, Aniseed Myrtle, Lemon Myrtle and Cinnamon Myrtle which we harvest fresh to order.
From our produce we have developed a range of certified organic hand made gourmet products. Our products come direct from the plantation to you - Aussie grown and made.
These products include: Blood Lime Marmalade, Davidson Plum Jam, Blood Lime Wheels, Davidson Plum and Aniseed Myrtle Paste, Blood Lime Dust, Lemon Myrtle Spice, Pure Lemon Myrtle Essential Oil, Aniseed Myrtle Leaf, Dried Blood Limes and Rainforest Bushtucker Tea. All of our products are free from artificial flavour, colour and preservatives.
Please click the Our Products page for more information and thanks for visiting our site!
We are also proudly part of the Macleay Valley Food Bowl.
Pipers Creek Grove and Dondingalong Organic Blood Limes.


EatDenver is a non-profit association of over 60 independently owned local restaurants. We are committed to promoting and supporting Denver's thriving local culinary scene. We represent some of the city's most extraordinary dining experiences. We strive to support each other and our local communities.


We can also receive the APC fees by US Dollors and China Yuan, the cost is listed below.
* APC reductions are given to student authors.
Authors can pay the APC fees as the Recipient Account Information show below.


text:
Q: Reading in extended ASCII with cin.get() I am trying to read in single extended ASCII characters with cin.get().  I want to use cin.get() so that I can also read in spaces, etc in the input.  I figured out that I need to use unsigned chars to store the characters but unsigned chars and cin.get() do not seem to work together.  Is there a way to do this?
Basically, I've been trying to do something like this:
unsigned char c;
while (cin.get(c))
{
   //do stuff with c
   ....
}

A:
Is there a way to do this?

Try this
 unsigned char c;
    while ( (c = cin.get()) != EOF )

        {

          //do some stuff

        }

You can try one more thing to read the 255 ASCII characters :
int ch;
unsigned char c;

while ( (ch = cin.get()) != EOF )

      {
        c = (unsigned char)(ch);

        // do some stuff
      }


Drakes Online is a 100% online service, using the Drakes Supermarkets network of stores to obtain the best products for its customers. As such, orders may be prepared and despatched at various sites, even those picked up at a Click & Collect site. For these reasons, all questions, queries, and complaints must be directed to the Online Shopping Team via email to onlineshop@drakes.com.au Please note that for delivered items, the driver cannot inspect or replace any items delivered.
If you receive a Fresh Item that is not up to your standards we will issue you with a 100% credit. Email us at onlineshop@drakes.com.au with a brief description of your concerns and include a photo if you are able. Please keep the goods until we confirm your refund as we may need to arrange for inspection.
Damaged or Missing Items - Please contact onlineshop@drakes.com.au with your order number, and if possible a photo of any damaged items so that we can assist you.
We guarantee a resolution of your concerns Monday - Friday 8am-4pm.


A county clerk refuses to issue marriage licenses to gay couples … a Muslim flight attendant refuses to serve liquor on her flights — should people be able to refuse to do their jobs based on their religious beliefs?
Sure they can. And the company they work for should've be able to not pay them each time they don't do what they were hired for.
Yes. You can refuse to work but keep in mind that your employer has the right to fire you over insubordination.
If jobs allowed all their employees to refuse to do a duty due to their religious beliefs, I don't think anyone would be working on Sundays. It is a delicate situation but if you are adamant about not doing your job because of your beliefs then search for another job that fits with your convictions.
Nope. Leave your personal issues at home. Check your coat and your troubles at the door as they say.


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Legislative Wrap Up: CON, CSRS, Opioid Epidemic and More!
The 2016 "short session" of the NC General Assembly concluded on July 1, 2016. The final weeks of the session saw a flurry of legislative committee meetings and action on a number of health-related items of interest to orthopaedic surgeons and other physicians.
Certificate of Need – NCOA member Dr. Richard Bruch (Durham) urged the legislature to repeal the state's Certificate of Need (CON) program at a June 14 hearing on the issue. The Senate Health Care Committee heard testimony regarding potential legislation to repeal the state's CON program, but did not vote on the bill. Representatives from the North Carolina Society of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, John Locke Foundation and Americans for Prosperity also testified that CON contributes to rising health care costs and decreases patient access to care. You can watch video coverage of the debate online (begins at 28:15).
Dr. Charles Ford, an ENT physician in Boone, also testified on June 14. "CON limits patient access and choice, allowing the most costly models to flourish." He told legislators that patients are increasingly seeking out alternative sites of care, and that they are traveling from Boone to have procedures done at ambulatory surgery centers in the region. He reported the cost of ear tube procedures at the hospital in Boone at $5,200 compared to the ASC cost of $1,700.
Dr. Richard Bruch and ENT Dr. Patrick "Tate" Maddox (Boone) encouraged lawmakers to end CON during meetings at the legislature on May 25. Pictured (L-R): Denna Suko, Dr. Maddox, Dr. Bruch and Alan Skipper.
Dr. Charles Ford testified that CON drives up health care costs and limits access to care in North Carolina.
Controlled Substances Reporting – Legislators, faced with an opioid abuse epidemic, also have concerns that usage of the state's Controlled Substances Reporting System (CSRS) among physicians remains low. In response, the 2016 Appropriations Act enacted two notable provisions with regard to the CSRS. First, the budget appropriated $600,000 to facilitate connectivity between our CSRS and the reporting systems in surrounding states as well as integration with NC's Health Information Exchange (HIE). The budget also allocates and more than $650,000 to develop and implement software for the performance of advanced analytics within the CSRS. The legislation further requires physicians to register with the CSRS once the upgrades are complete.
Step Therapy – On June 22, the House Insurance Committee debated House Bill 1048, Reduce Barriers to Improve NC Health & Safety, but did not vote on the measure. The bill would set standards for the development of step therapy (or "fail first") pharmaceutical coverage protocols and requires transparency in the exceptions determination process. The bill also includes provisions for health benefit plans' coverage of abuse-deterrent opioids. Though several patient and physician organizations have aligned in support of the bill, the hearing on June 22 was dominated by opponents of the bill who emphasized the increased cost that would result if step therapy protocols were restricted in any way.
Opioid Abuse Epidemic – According to Project Lazarus, a statewide public health non-profit that is partnered with Community Care of North Carolina, our state has higher than average overdose death rates. Nearly all of these deaths involve prescription opioid pain relievers (like methadone, oxycodone, fentanyl, morphine, tramadol, or hydromorphone). The state is taking steps to combat the harmful and rippling effects of prescription drug abuse. Several bills took aim at the opioid abuse epidemic during the final weeks of the short session.
The 2016 Appropriations Act established a medication-assisted opioid use disorder treatment pilot program with a goal of studying the effectiveness of combining behavioral therapy with the utilization of a nonnarcotic, non-addictive, extended-release, injectable formulation of opioid antagonist approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of relapse to opioid dependence.
Also significant, Governor Pat McCrory signed into law on June 20, 2016 an act authorizing the State Health Director to prescribe opioid antagonists by means of a statewide standing order, with immunity from civil and criminal liability for such action.
A provision in the 2015 Appropriations Act established a requirement - effective January 1, 2017 - that all NC Medical Board licensees complete at least one hour of continuing education annually regarding controlled substance prescribing. To help meet your needs, the NCOA has incorporated opioid prescribing CME into is Annual Meeting program. Additionally, a free two-hour CME session on opioid prescribing will be offered on Saturday Sept. 17, in conjunctions with the NC Medical Society's M3 Conference.
Medicaid Reform – North Carolina submitted its Medicaid waiver application to CMS on June 1. Federal review of the state's plan to capitate payment for services provided to NC's Medicaid population through a network of statewide and regional Medicaid carriers could take up to two years. DHHS Secretary Richard Brajer presented an overview of the final application to the House Health Committee moments before the application was signed by Governor Pat McCrory and sent to CMS. Brajer told legislators his department had worked with over 50 stakeholder organizations, held 12 public hearings across the state and received comments from over 750 organizations and individuals in developing this final waiver application.
Now is the time to drive home your message on CON reform.
The NCOA has put tremendous effort into bringing key issues, such as CON reform, to the fore, and now is the time to drive our message home. With your prior support, NCOA PAC has helped elect and re-elect candidates who are willing to advance CON reform and other issues in the NC General Assembly. Unfortunately, NCOA PAC receipts this year have not kept pace with the level of support received in previous years, and that's impeding our ability to ensure the most favorable environment for our policy priorities in Raleigh. Will you contribute today so that we can maintain our momentum during this critical time?
Or set up a monthly recurring contribution.
Positive change for our patients and profession requires your direct involvement. All physicians are encouraged to devote some time to understanding the medical issues addressed by the General Assembly and to work to assure the views of the medical community are presented to policy makers in an organized and effective fashion.
Key Contacts are a network of orthopaedists who can be relied upon to contact their legislators on important issues being debated in the General Assembly. By agreeing to become a Key Contact, we become partners. We will provide you with all the necessary background information, pertinent talking points, phone numbers, and addresses; you do the talking in your own way on the issues with which you feel most comfortable.
It is critical that physicians financially support candidates for the General Assembly and Congress who truly understand the relevant issues affecting healthcare today. NCOA PAC allows us to express our support with one unified voice. The strength of NCOA PAC is vitally important during an election year because it helps us to elect candidates who fairly represent issues important to the medical community.


text:
By John Kenneth Muir on June 19, 2016
1970s Toys 1970s G.I. Joe Hasbro
Have a Different Adventure Every Day: The G.I. Joe Adventure Team Headquarters
Although Hasbro's G.I. Joe line had a hugely successful re-boot in the 1980s with a line of vehicles, playsets and action figures, my generation of G.I. Joe fans remembers the sixties and seventies incarnation, including…The Adventure Team.
This squad of 12 inch-high adventurers (competitors with Big Jim at toy stores everywhere…) had their own universe of action with figures, playsets (and stories) in the 1970s, with titles like:
"Secret of the Mummy's Tomb"
https://youtu.be/oyFgEaLPMng
You could also buy the adventure team helicopter.
But the greatest adventure, perhaps, occurred at home base.
In 1972, Hasbro released The Adventure Team HQ. This hue fold-out base came complete with a signal buzzer, an elevator chair, a map table, maps, equipment storage racks, and hangers, ear phones for Joe, and even an Adventure Team Comic-Book.
Designed for Ages "6 – 12," this Adventure Team H.Q. box was accompanied by the legend "where the adventure begins…" and could fold-up, like many play-sets of the 1970s, for "easy storage." This feature made it easy to carry the base outside, into the backyard, and into the thick of new adventures.
The comic-book that accompanies the HQ encourages the reader to have a "different adventure every day with G.I. Joe" and to look for G.I. Joe adventures including "Danger of the Depths," "Flying Space Adventure," "Secret Mission to Spy Island," "White Tiger Hunt," "Fantastic Free Fall," "Capture of the Pygmy Gorilla," "Hidden Missile Discovery," The Shark's Surprise" and "Space Walk Mystery" and among others.
Inside the comic book, the new H.Q. is described as "incredible" and a "team member's dream." It also notes that it "takes more than daring to operate out of this Headquarters. It takes a good knowledge of advanced electronic technology to operate all this special equipment."
Here's a commercial for this unforgettable toy of the early 70s:
Thrill List: Quentin Crisp Picks His 10 favourite Gangster Movies
Secret Movies: Judy Linn photographs Patti Smith
Pictures of Grainger Market, Newcastle upon Tyne in the 1970s and 1980s