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An inherited struggle for dance
Nokuthula Qobongwana inherited her mother's passion for dance and hopes to make a living through it. Just as she was getting started, Covid-19 came and halted it all.
By: Barry Christianson
2 December 2020: Nokuthula Qobongwana receives the Covid-19 relief grant of R350 a month, but says she is only able to buy toiletries for herself and her sisters. If it was raised, she'd be able to contribute to her grandparents' electricity bill. (Photographs by Barry Christianson)
The tall grey walls that enclose the house belonging to Nokuthula Qobongwana's grandparents are topped with broken glass bottles to deter any would-be burglars from breaking in. The property is in Nyanga, the township which lies along the N2, directly across from the Cape Town International Airport. Qobongwana says it's a hotspot for robbery.
The aggressive exterior contrasts with the calm, welcoming feeling inside the home. In the living room, Qobongwana's grandmother Nombulelo Diba plays with her four-month-old great granddaughter. In a shaded back yard outside, Qobongwana's grandfather Velile Diba sits in his favourite chair and chats to his brother.
Qobongwana, 23, and her 18-year-old twin sisters share a room with their cousin in the two-bedroom house. They have been living in their grandparents' home for nearly three years, since their mother, Thobeka Qobongwana, died in April 2018.
"My mother was my first choreographer," Qobongwana says. Her first experience with dance was at the age of seven, when she attended a class her mother facilitated. "The class was very basic. We just repeated the same four steps, but we enjoyed it." In addition to experiencing the joy of dancing for the first time, it was also the first time Qobongwana saw her mother dance. "I was amazed," she said. "[My mother] wanted to be a dancer, but she had to quit the art thing to go hustle for us."
Having inherited the passion for dance from her mother, she began to excel at it. Qobongwana joined various dance groups and gained experience in many forms of dance. By the time she was in high school she was a competent dancer, specialising in African Contemporary, Kwela, Pantsula and Traditional Zulu Dance, which is her favourite. "It's like seeing heavens opening in the sky or seeing Jesus coming back. The traditional [Zulu] dance is like we are communicating with our ancestors. We sing traditional songs and do traditional movements," she says.
7 December 2020: From left, Nombulelo Diba holds her great-granddaughter Luphiwokhanyo Qobongwana while Nokuthula and Aphelele Qobongwana play the drums. Nokuthula has been teaching her younger sister to play.
Qobongwana also remembers taking part in a theatre production on the theme of Fees Must Fall in 2017 while she was still in high school. "[Fees Must Fall] was important for us because we come from different backgrounds. Our homes are not all the same. All our families are not able to pay the registration fee. Some are gonna be able and some are not gonna be able. But we all want to be in university," she said.
Qobongwana failed her matric exams in 2017. In April 2018, while she was repeating matric, her mother died. "It was difficult for me because I had to act like everything is fine, for my sisters. If they saw me break down, they were also gonna break down. So that's why I had to stay strong," she says. Qobongwana then decided to drop out of school in order to start working, as she needed to support herself and her sisters.
Around the same time, she began performing with groups who were booked to entertain at weddings and other functions. At the end of 2018 she joined a group called Intsika Dance Project (IDP). They would choreograph bespoke performances based on the time and style requirements of their clients. IDP worked with Spotlight Entertainment, which fed them a steady stream of bookings, and for the first time Qobongwana was earning regular income.
Her passion for dance had soon become a profession, and she could now provide for herself and her sisters.
The money she made allowed her to buy toiletries, clothes and food. She now could help her grandparents pay for utilities too, electricity especially. The steady flow of income allowed Qobongwana to start thinking about her future. She wanted to return to school to finish her matric. She then would apply to study at UCT so she could follow her dream of becoming a choreographer. This would allow her to get a flat eventually, where she could have some privacy.
Then, just over a year after she began dancing with IDP, the Covid-19 pandemic struck, and everything changed.
'The covid money isn't making any difference'
"My heart broke," Qobongwana says. "I knew that there was nothing that we could do. [Intsika Dance Project] would no longer get performances and I would have no income. I had to stress about buying my toiletries for myself and my sisters." To add to the stress, one of her sisters fell pregnant and gave birth during the lockdown. "I was heartbroken because I wished I could support [my sister and her baby] with all that I have. But seeing the other people supporting them it's like I'm being left out."
The continued lack of income made her and her sisters completely dependent on her grandparents, whose only income is their old-age pension of R1 800 a month each.
Dancers defy Covid-19 by embracing film
On 19 May 2020, Qobongwana began to receive some form of income again in the form of the R350 Covid-19 social relief of distress grant, but she says it hardly helps at all. She is only able to buy toiletries and to cut her hair, which she keeps short.
"The Covid money isn't making any difference. We are still depending on our grandparents," she says.
"If [the grant] was R500 it would be better. I'll know that this month I'm going to buy enough toiletries for the three of us; in the following month, I'll be able to lay-by some clothes. So that like, you see, the following month I'm taking the lay-by off. The other month I buy food. It would be enough. And then I would help my grandparents by buying electricity."
No solace in level one
When South Africa moved to level one of the lockdown, Qobongwana started trying to find work again but she has not been successful. "I've been to a few auditions but the clients didn't get back to me," she says.
In the meantime, in the absence of work or adequate government assistance, she and her sisters continue to depend on their grandparents. While Qobongwana and her sister, Aphelele, take a break from playing drums, their grandmother, Nombulelo Elizabeth Diba, says she is not stressed by having to support her grandchildren. Despite the meagre income she and her husband get in the form of their old-age grants, she says: "I'm happy [Qobongwana's] an artist, and not involved in the wrong kinds of things."
2 December 2020: Nokuthula Qobongwana's favourite part of her grandparents' home is outside, where her grandfather Velile Diba sits in his favourite chair.
However, as both Qobongwana's grandparents are over 80 years old, their risk of getting seriously ill were they to contract Covid-19 is high. "My stress is that when I lose my grandparents I don't know what my life would be like. I'm always praying to God so that he can keep my grandparents alive because they are the only people who are supporting [us]," she says. The precariousness of the situation weighs heavily on her.
If she remains unsuccessful in her auditions, like her mother before her, Qobongwana says she will have to give up dance and try to find a different kind of job. This would mean joining the 11.1 million unemployed people in South Africa. Her situation might be worse because she does not even have a matric certificate.
"I can't say I'm waiting on the lockdown to end, because it's looking like it's not gonna end," she says.
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Ever feel like you take better care of your fur kids than you do of yourself? You're not alone! Whether you are too busy, or just tired of adulting, home food delivery has become a popular alternative to cooking. Woof Woof Papa and I love to cook but often get tired of meal planning, shopping and the prep-work that goes into making healthy meals. And our schedules mean that we don't always have time to cook and eat at the same time. Sometimes it just seems easier to grab takeout or order delivery, and that isn't the healthiest or most economical way to eat.
We were recently invited to try the meals from Balance by bistroMD. It's the first meal delivery service to offer chef-prepared meals a-la-carte, without the constraint of minimums, memberships, or recurring orders. The top-rated diet delivery and weight loss program, bistroMD, created this subscription-free service to provide healthy meals with convenience and flexibility.
Balance by bistroMD fits health-conscious lifestyles, whether you're trying to lose weight, adhere to a specialty diet such as gluten free, or just want to eat healthy without the struggle. When we went to their website to place our first order, we were impressed with the wide variety of over 100 meals and snacks available, and prices start at just $5.95.
The ordering process is super easy…the only hard part was deciding which meals to get, because they all looked so good! To narrow down the choices, you can filter meals by diet type, including Low Sodium, Heart Healthy, Gluten Free, Diabetic Meals and other options. We ordered a few breakfast items, because we are trying to do better at not skipping breakfast. And we also ordered a variety of lunches and dinners, too. Everything arrived within a few days, shipped in an insulated cooler packed with dry ice. Even though the box sat out on our porch in the South Florida heat for most of the morning, all the meals were still frozen when I unpacked everything.
In addition to doing the cooking and delivering your meals straight to your door, the folks at Balance by bistroMD also send the instructions and info you need to make the most of your food delivery. For example, although you can microwave the meals straight from the freezer, they recommend you move your upcoming day of meals to the fridge the night before to thaw for more even reheating. They also suggest that you place your entree on a plate because visualization is an important part of dining.
This was my attempt to plate the Ham and Cheese Frittata. It came with a side of peaches with a tasty whole grain granola crumble. I added avocado slices because I cannot go a day without eating avocado! Although I can see the logic in their suggestion to plate the meals to make the dining experience more enjoyable, most times we opted for convenience over aesthetics, and just ate our meals straight out of the BPA-free microwavable trays they came in. Less dishes to wash!
Overall, we were impressed with our order and happy to have a week of no meal planning or prep. The nice thing about the service is that there is no commitment or subscription required. You can order when you feel like you need a break from cooking, or need a little extra help with eating healthy. It's also a thoughtful gift for a friend or family member, and would be great as a Housewarming present or Mother's Day gift, too!
Right now is a great time to try it because you can get 20% OFF with Balance by bistroMD coupon code: SAVE20 at checkout. You also get Free Shipping on orders of $99+. Head on over to balance.bistromd.com to learn more about how it works and try it for yourself. Less time spent cooking means more time (and energy) to play with the fur kids!
Is your dog overweight? Finding out and learning what to do about it is an important part of being a pet parent. It's our job to keep our fur kids healthy, and that includes helping them maintain a healthy weight since this adds to quality of life and life expectancy.
Did you watch it? If so you might have been surprised or even shocked to learn that more than 50% of pets are overweight…I certainly didn't know that!
Dr. Ashley also mentioned this Healthy Pet Weight Tool where you can go to check your dog's weight online. Be sure to go give that a try.
And the big takeaway from the video is to talk to your dog's veterinarian for professional medical advice on whether your pet is overweight. It's important to their overall health and wellness. If your vet says your dog needs to lose some weight, they will tell you the steps you need to take, including diet and exercise.
They may also recommend a special weight loss food like Hill's® Science Diet® Perfect Weight. With a breakthrough blend of natural ingredients, prebiotic fibers for gentle digestion and 100% precisely balanced nutrition, 70% of cats and dogs who used Science Diet Perfect Weight lost weight within 10 weeks.
Here's a great chance to snag some extra savings on organic and natural products for home, pets and people! Now through Sunday 3/23, get 15% OFF sitewide at Abe's Market with promo code GOLDENBEAR at checkout. It's a super way to stock up on brands you love, and try out some new ones too!
You'll also get FREE Shipping on orders of $49+ so stock up on hard-to-find or frequently used items from brands including Seventh Generation, Castor & Pollux, Halo, Dr. Bronner and many more! Here are the links to take you directly to the Natural & Organic Pet Care department as well as to the section for Eco-Friendly Cleaning Supplies. Don't forget to tell some friends and earn $5 free to spend!
Visit Abe's Market HERE for more natural products for pets & people!
Abe's Market: 15% OFF Natural & Organic Products for Pets & People + $5 FREE Credit!
Today is the LAST day to take advantage of the Abe's Market promo code for 15% OFF the entire site and save BIG on natural and organic products for pets, people, kitchen, beauty and cleaning. Just make sure to use the code NEWYOU to get the 15% off your entire purchase. Here's the link directly to the Pet Department but don't miss all the other savings, too!
Shipping is FREE on $49+ so it's a great chance to stock up and save, especially if you need a little help sticking with your New Year's resolution to eat healthier or Go Green with the products you use…for your families health as well as the health of your pets and the planet!
I find that Abe's has a great selection of my favorite brands, and Daisy's too! And we like checking the Sale Section for up to 50% OFF all kinds of deals on healthy snacks, socially responsible products and sustainable goods.
You can also get a free $5 store credit by referring three friends to Abe's! Go HERE to get the details.


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Rapids have positive outlook on season ahead
WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) -The Watertown Rapids were on the road Saturday, taking on the Albany Dutchmen in a doubleheader. Albany would beat Watertown in game one 3-0 and complete the sweep with a 9-1 win in game 2.
For the Rapids, it's been an encouraging start to the 2022 season.
The Rapids headed into Saturday's twin bill with a 2-3 record, coming off a tough 9-8 loss to Geneva on Friday night.
Offense hasn't been a problem for the Rapids through their first 5 games, scoring 24 runs and the Rapids 3 losses have all been by one run
Manager Mike Kogut says he's pleased with his team's play the first week of the season.
"We were able to get 4 games in early. Definitely the pitchers are a little bit ahead of the offense, I think, league wide, but I kind of expect that to change as the arms tire and guys start to get more live at bats with wood bats," said Kogut.
Kogut says the one thing that has impressed him the most is the one thing that was the Achilles heel of the team last year: pitching.
"Definitely how great the pitchers came out throwing for us. I mean, our staff has done a great job through the first 4 games and kept us in every game, and it shows in the final scores," said Kogut.
For some of the players, the jump from college baseball to the summer collegiate baseball season is a challenge, and they say that going from playing games 3 to 4 times a week to a schedule that sees them on the field every day takes a little getting use to both mentally and physically.
"Yeah, actually it's a little bit different in terms of college, because usually we play back to back games. We have doubleheaders probably 3 days out of the week. In summer ball, it's pretty much every day and then one off day. It's a big difference, but you know, it's- if you do it right and take care of your body, it's nothing too drastic," said catcher Elvis Lopez.
"It is tough on the body playing every day here, I'm not gonna lie. I love it, though. It's a lot of reps that we need to get everyone on the team. The competition that we're seeing here is a lot better because we're seeing a lot of D-1 guys that we don't really see during our college season," said infielder Tyree Bradley.
With a new manager and coaches made up of former and current baseball coaches locally, players from last year's team say they see a different attitude and direction in the team both on and off the field.
"I think there's just a little bit more organization throughout the team. Everyone kind of knows where they have to be, there's a little bit more communication between everyone. I think this group is a little more tight knit than we were last year. I think it's a good group and I think we're gonna have success later in the season as well," said infielder Brett Myers.
Another day and another state title for Beaver River senior Colton Kempney at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association State Championships.
Saturday morning, Kempney won the 3000 meter steeplechase in Division 2 and finished 3rd overall with a time of 9:04.79, beating his best time by 16 seconds.
Kempney's high school career isn't over yet, next weekend he will be racing at the New Balance Nationals in Philadelphia in the 2 mile on Friday and the mile on Sunday.
Section 10 athletes also fared well in the state track and field championships.
In the boys events:
Potsdam's Ansen Herrick medaled in 5th in the triple jump, was 10th in the long jump, 12th in the 400, and 15th in the 200, but just less than a second out of medal contention.
Potsdam's Theo Hughes was 4th in the pentathlon shot put.
Canton's Nick Lyndaker was third in the 3200 meter run.
Canton's Max Finley medaled in 6th in the steeplechase.
The Canton 3200 meter relay team of Lyndaker, Finley, Miles Gendebien and Hayden Bregg medaled in 6th place.
In the girls' competition. Norwood-Norfolk's Maddie Dinneen took home medals for 5th in the steeplechase and 6th in 800, while finishing 11th in the 1500 meters.
The Flyers' Sharon Colbert captured 8th in the 3000 meter run.
Norwood Norfolk's relay team of Colbert, Rachel Hewey, Allie Snell and Madison Carista was 8th in the 4×800.
Tupper Lake's Olivia Ellis was 6th in pentathlon, including 5th in the high jump.
After 27 years, wrestling returned to the campus of St. Lawrence University, if only for a weekend.
The University hosted a reunion of former Saints wrestlers for 3 days of activities.
The program, which was dropped after the 1995-96 season, was one of the best Division 3 programs in the country and had several wrestlers win national titles with the team winning the D-3 crown in 1988.
"When we were here, probably St. Lawrence wrestling was the most successful program in this school's history with a rich tradition of national championships, national individual champions, a lot of All-Americans. Even though this weekend isn't about the program not being here, this weekend is about us getting together, seeing friends and families that we haven't seen in 20-30 years and just reconnecting with people that we've missed and loved over the years," said Pat Conners, member of the 1988 Division 3 National Championship Team.
Copyright 2022 WWNY. All rights reserved.
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Citron Boboli is an energizing Eau de Parfum with energizing notes of citrus and warm spices. An original, comforting and mixed fragrance. It will transport you in the footsteps of Yuri, the founder of our House, when he lived in India and discovered the richness of Indian aromas and plants. Clove, pepper and lemon will make you travel between Asia and Italy.
Discover this garden with our samples that will be refunded for any purchase of a fragrance Bottle.
After visiting the Palazzo Pitti, you blithely make your way to the heights of the Boboli Gardens. The view of Florence is stunning, but a grotto on your right draws you with its freshness. Just at the entrance, a statue is decked with beautiful lemons. Are they real? Are they virtual? Why can you smell the fragrance of Italian lemon, petitgrain, bitter orange and galbanum? And that hint of black pepper and cloves, where does it come from?


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A program that construct portrait drawing from an input image. The portrait is constructed through series of interactions and happenstances within in the digital space and the output image differs each time the program is run.
produced by: Freddie Hong
The project was inspired by the pixar animation 'Inside Out' and Patrick Tresset's work of the 'Drawing machine named Paul'. Both references understand the formation of one's character as an accumulations of memories. The animation 'inside out' classifies memories into series of emotions and color codes them accordingly such as red being dedicated to angry moments and gold being dedicated to happy moments. Patrick Tresset understands contingencies as a part of contribution to the drawing and his robots have high level of entropy which makes the constructed portrait differs each time.
The program then construct a portrait image through series of interactions which each interaction may add traces or remove existing traces, just like how we form our characters through memories which some remain strongly in our mind where as some get completely forgotten over time.
The program begins by importing a black and white picture of myself and creates triangulated wireframe based upon the image of myself. The triangulated wireframe then slowly deforms over time through perlin motion, abstractly representing the genetic structure of myself. Then the first contingency happens as the cloud of points appear on the left and gets connected to the initial wireframe. These circular points represents an environmental factor which intertwines with the genetic structure and together creates new kind of shape. Movements of these points were created using combination of perlin noise and vectors of random noise seeds. If the first contingency was additive process, the second process is the opposite where this time the circles appearing on right are repelling and deconstruct the structure within its range of movement. The repelling effect was created through functions such as ofDist to calculate the distance between points and atan2 to calculate angles between points. What remains after the two process is the traces which differs each time the program is run. The third process involves dropping of watercolors on the the canvas. Class was introduced to create this process. The class randomly selects set of watercolor images and drops them at the random locations thus color scheme differs everytime, sometime appears monochrome and other times more colorful. Lastly the program feeds another cloud of points from the left, which this time the points are attracted and gets joined to the initial points created from the input image. Here the cloud of moving points have just about equal amount of kinetic force as the attracting force of the other points. Thus some points remains trapped in the centre where others escape to the right side of the canvas, representing process happening in our mind.
The program entertains creating physical environment within the digital canvas, such as pulling and pushing as well as randomness in movements using perlin noise and random parameters. Creating shapes through interactions was the key aim of this program as well as understanding and using all the basic functions of the coding learnt throughout the first term.
The project was inspired by the film 'inside out' specifically on how the memories were visualised as marbles of different colors. If a character is the production of accumulative combination of these marbles then the handling of the memories is purely an generative process incorporating various contingencies that we face as we grow.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_Out_(2015_film)


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Neutra Earth Day
By Molly Webb Apr 25, 2014, 1:42pm EDT
Modern architect Richard Neutra, known for merging architecture with its surroundings, got his start with the Jardinette Apartments, a 1927 building in Los Angeles originally intended to house the city's growing population of movie stars. In honor of Neutra Earth Day, which LA will celebrate this Sunday, Curbed National explores the history of the Jardinette Apartments, a building quickly celebrated as creating "a new harmony of life and contentment." These days, that harmony is hard to see: the building is now painted salmon and green, with sections of white paint, and has been renamed after the street on which it stands. [Curbed National]


You know what they say, "measure twice, cut once." Take care of both with this unique combo knife from Garrett Wade, with two stainless blades, and a 6-inch folding rule.
These secret agent cufflinks are actually tiny concealed weapons. Each one hides a mini fold-out knife that's razor sharp. We're going to go out on a limb and guess these aren't TSA-friendly.
Aside from a blade, screwdriver and scissors, the Presentation Master also has a removable flash drive with fingerprint detection, Bluetooth left- and right-click buttons and a laser pointer.
Chadwick & Joe's PHX-1 tool combines the Hi-Tec-C and Signo DX pens, a hobby knife and a designer ruler with 7 measurements into a stainless steel body and a sustainable bamboo case.
(NSFW: Language) Joel Bukiewicz is the owner and operator of Cut Brooklyn, a lucky and talented man who makes a living doing something he loves. From the new, awesome web series Made by Hand.
If you frequently cut open boxes, the Slice Box Cutter is a god-send. With a durable ceramic blade and a non-slip grip that wraps around your hand, it'll rip through cardboard and tape like nothing.
(NSFW: Language) We always wanted this melee weapon in FPSes, but alas, we've never played with one. FPSRussia shows us a real knife-gun – then takes on some "terrorist zombies" with his M4.
Check out the cool percussion beats Roger Lima and WhiteNoise Studios throw down here; they were made using only the 87 implements and 141 functions found on the Giant Swiss Army Knife.
A ballpen with a butterfly knife-style case that you can twirl, flip and spin without fear of hurting yourself (or anyone else). It'll probably get you a couple extra gropes with the TSA though.
Get to the choppin' with GAMA-GO's fun lettuce knife. You might even be able to convince your kids to help out in the kitchen with this bad boy. Those leafy bastards don't stand a chance.
The striking Concealed Carry Tiki knife from Strider is aesthetically pleasing as well as practical; the handsome grey hue features some dynamic skull art, and a custom sheath is included.
Inspired by pro mountain-climber Ueli Steck, this lightweight titanium knife has built-in tools including hex nut drivers, a wood saw, screwdrivers, a wire stripper, and the all-important bottle opener.
This handy, manly gadget not only holds onto your paper money, it'll protect you from anyone who tries to steal said cash, thanks to a fold-out knife. Bonus points for the carbon fiber and titanium.
We know we'd be making much more of an effort to complete our KP duty if we had this gorgeous knife in our kitchen utensil repertoire; it's lovingly hand forged from a single piece of steel.
Besides being aesthetically pleasing, the handles on Wenger's Evowood pocketknife collection are made of sustainable Swiss walnut wood which would otherwise be scrapped as waste material.
Wenger's Swiss Army Knife Giant Elite 16999 is recognized as the world's most multifunctional penknife, with 87 implements and 141 different functions. Yeah, but does it fit in your pocket?
"Extreme marksman of the impalement arts" Todd Abrams (a.k.a. "Jack Dagger") slices lettuce, oranges, and even a grape thrown in mid-air with his incredible knife-throwing skills.
Made in England by Ibberson, these steel tools have 2 1/4″ straight blades and hooked blades that are a form of traditional can opener. The sailor's tool has a pointed marlinspike for rope work.
Quirky's Switch is a new version of the Swiss Army knife with thickness and tool options. The kit ships with 18 tools, including a knife, corkscrew, wood saw, LED flashlight and 1GB USB memory stick.
Always stay within reach of an ExiTool, even if you're in an accident: the emergency multi-tool clips onto a seatbelt and serves as a seatbelt cutter, window breaker, and LED flashlight.
Woods Monkey has a helpful review up of Gerber's Epic; despite the name, it's actually a compact (yet sturdy) knife with a semi-serrated 3.4″ blade, larger finger choil, and bottle opener.
Strider and TAD team up for a skeletonized version of the Dive Utility Knife (DUK); made from a single piece of CPM S110V steel, it features a 4″ cutting edge and flat kydex sheath.
New for 2010: Cold Steel's Recon I tactical folding knives sport Teflon-finished Japanese stainless steel blades, G-10 laminate scale handles, and patent-pending Tri-Ad locks.
This Alox Soldier Knife is your last chance to own the classic 1961 knife issued to the Swiss Army; it's from the final 500 unit production run with engraved signature by Victorinox's CEO.
Guy Fieri's Knuckle Sandwich Knives would go well with any diner, drive-in, or dive: they feature high carbon stainless steel blades, ergonomic grips, and hollow ground ovals.
The SL6 Rescue Tool is a life-saving must-have: weighing just 3 oz., the one-handed multitool packs an LED flashlight, 50/50 blade with seat belt/line cutter, window punch, and whistle.
The stealth warrior's equivalent of a Swiss Army Knife, the Ninja Tanto Battle Package features a full-tang blade with a hidden push dagger, three throwing spikes, and ten caltrops.
Cheap, simple, but ultra-reliable, the Douk Douk Knife has been used for over 70 years by the French; it sports a single carbon steel blade and blackened folded steel handle.


Packaging has become, throughout the years, a significant component for manufacturers when it comes to new product development or renewal. It has evolved in several ways; manufacturers use it as a way to create consumers' demand and make their products more appealing. Besides, consumers see it as a way to get more information or quickly define product's quality.
The latest studies of Smithers Pira show that the packaging global market keep increasing and is expected to grow about 32% until 2021 and with it, flexible packaging market is growing also across the globe due to the many benefits that provide such as recyclability or lightweight protection.
Taking into account this expanding market, consumer changes and new regulations coming, here are some trends to keep an eye on in 2018.
According to Packaging World Magazine, minimalism and vintage design will be the most elaborate type of packaging for big and small brands. In this sense, pastel colors and holographic designs will play an important role during this new year.
Major changes are set to take place in the packaging printing and converting industry. Specialists affirm that there are five more tendencies set to impact the global packaging market over the coming year. First of all, packaging will play a pivotal role in reducing global food and product waste. Secondly, online brands will reinvigorate their packaging in order to enhance the e-commerce experiences. Moreover, brands that adopt clear and succinct package messaging will be rewarded, as consumers prefer brands that embrace simplicity. Finally, brands will be called to keep marine conservation at the forefront of packaging development and to anchor the circular economy for future generations.
There so, printing and packaging companies should be aware of all these tendencies and the latest printing press designs if they want to improve their capacity, quality and ability to keep ahead of the game.


Your dining room is a truly multi-functional space - it's where we eat, entertain and sometimes even work. When designing your dining room, think carefully about how you use the space and what you really want to achieve with the area. Whatever your style, room size or budget, we have the dining room design for you.
Dining rooms are where friends and family come together to relax, unwind and indulge in delicious food and plenty of chat. Getting the right atmosphere is key and this can be difficult when, for many of us, our dining rooms are either connected to our kitchens or living rooms, or are an altogether separate room that's used fairly infrequently, making choosing a design scheme tricky. But it doesn't have to be.
Your dining room can be used in a multitude of ways and the space remains a great addition to a house – however big or small your dining room may be. Design your dining room well and it will become the hub of your home, and not just a dumping ground for 'stuffocation' sufferers or a messy desk area for life admin and homework.
What makes the perfect dining room?
Before getting down to the finer details such as furniture style and wall colour, it's essential to plan your dining room for its purpose before you personalise it. For ease of access for both you and your guests, your dining room should be easily reached from both your living room and kitchen.
Another good starting point is to think about the number of people you are likely to entertain at any one time. You might not be able to change the room size, but there are ways of adapting the space to cater for the number of guests, such as using extendable tables and fold up chairs. If you like to serve food inside the dining room, then buffet tables and sideboards with the addition of a hot plate are a great idea.
If you like the idea of a dining room but don't think you have space for a dedicated area, don't miss our small dining room design ideas to help you make the most of the space you have to play with.
This is where you can really showcase your style and taste. Rich reds and dark wood is a great combination if you want a traditional English dining room. For those lucky enough to have a large dining room, a traditional theme of bold colours and rich patterns is a great way to add a sense of grandeur to your walls. However, it can be easy to get carried away and while a dramatic dining room can look great, you don't want to overwhelm your guests. For this reason, it can be best to stick to a few standout elements, such as wallpaper, curtains, tablecloths and chair covers to add your personal style to your dining room.
If you're striving to achieve a calm and modern dining environment, intricate patterns in neutral shades won't go a miss. Replace traditional dark walls with patterned wallpaper or uplifting colours in neutral shades. Contemporary bookcases and floor to ceiling shelving can look great when stacked with books and quirky objects.
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text:
John Maynard Keynes — Famed Economist was Gay Pedophile
August 3, 2019 Winter Watch Around the Web, Business, Hidden History, International News, Politics 3
PHOTO: The Independent
"Keynes was the chief intellectual influence on English public life in the twentieth century," — biographer Richard Davenport-Hines.
By Henry Makow | 26 July 2019
HENRY MAKOW — Keynes' name is synonymous with stimulus spending and debt, which enriches the central bankers. He is additional evidence that pedophiles run Western society on behalf of the Rothschilds.
"Keynes was a libertine hedonist who wasted most of his adult life engaging in sexual relationships with children, including travelling around the Mediterranean visiting children's brothels. [This is verified by references in his letters. See footnotes] …Keynes was part of a generation that rose against Victorian traditions and regarded them as a repressive institution to be brought down. It is impossible to understand the economics of Keynes without understanding the kind of morality he wanted to see in a society he increasingly believed he could shape according to his own will." Saifedean Ammous The Bitcoin Standard p.95
John Maynard Keynes: New biography reveals shocking details about the economist's sex life
by Sean O'Grady
(henrymakow.com)
Putting "sex lives of politicians" into Google yields 6,820 hits. The Roman emperors score 3,220. For great artists, it's a respectable, if that's the word, 2,090 hits. But "sex lives of economists"? "No results found".
Perhaps that's to be expected for what Thomas Carlyle described as the "dismal science". Yet the greatest and most revolutionary economist of the 20th century, John Maynard Keynes, (1883-1946) applied the same sort of unconventional adventurism to his sex life, and this most intellectual of men was also possessed of considerable carnal curiosity. In the latest biography of him, by Richard Davenport-Hines, we learn a great deal more about his habits. […]
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3 Comments on John Maynard Keynes — Famed Economist was Gay Pedophile
easttexascossack August 5, 2019 at 2:12 pm
Figures. And why the Frankfurt school reveres him so much.
Dominic Frisby December 8, 2020 at 9:08 am
J.M Keynes is ugly both on the inside and the outside. As the mouthpiece for powerful people his sole job was to make reckless tax and spend policies sound sensible.
The people who lent J.M. Keynes respectability would have known about his penchant for buggery. Their silence echos a sick approval.
Makes me wonder how many other undercover NAMBLA-ites exist in the ranks of the elite.
renevers December 14, 2021 at 3:38 pm
I read somwhere that JM Keynes was involved in designing and writing of the Versailles treaty on the end of the first world war for the British empire, which dictated the financial demise of Germany in the Weimar republic.
Quote from:https://www.educationviews.org/keynes-and-the-versailles-treatys-infamous-article-231/
"According to the traditional wisdom, Keynes was a great opponent of German reparations. For example, the Keynesian economist Don Patinkin stresses Keynes's "passionate disagreement with what he considered to be harsh clauses of the Versailles Peace Treaty."12 Robert Skidelsky claims in his authoritative biography: "Keynes had no personal reason to feel guilty about the 'harsh' peace at Versailles, since he had opposed it."13
In reality, Keynes was a chief draftsman of Article 231 and other financial sections of the Treaty of Versailles.14
From inside the British Treasury, Keynes was already planning for reparations by late 1915. On January 2, 1916, he submitted an official Treasury memorandum with William J. Ashley entitled "Memorandum on the Effect of an Indemnity."15 This memo shows that the idea to impose long-term reparations on Germany originated with Keynes and Ashley. Lloyd George confirmed that "Professor Ashley and Mr. Keynes are thus the joint authors of the long-term indemnity which was incorporated in the Treaty."16
If this is as described his tenure was the likely cause of the second WW, as "Versailles" was the main reason for Hitler to restore economic viability of Germany plus dislocated Germans outside of rest Germany and go to war for it if neccesary. This is what happened after 1938, with f.i. Sudetenland and and German provinces in the new formed Poland after ww1 , Dantzig-Ost Pommern, Elsas Lotharingen en German speakers in the former Austrian empire. He was infact dictating "slave state" obligations to Germans, perhaps he saw the risk of a new war and deplored that , but as a main underwriter in the governement he was responsible.
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text:
Portugal: Latest working life developments – Q2 2017
Topic: Social protection Retirement Gender equality
Published on: 31 July 2017
Campos Lima, Maria da Paz
Efforts to improve equality and social cohesion, softening the cut in unemployment benefit, early retirement without penalties for long service and union calls for an end to wage and promotion freezes in the public sector are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Portugal in the second quarter of 2017.
Efforts to improve equality and social cohesion
Effective from 18 May 2017, Resolution 82/2017 (PDF) repeals the regulations set up by the government of the centre-right coalition Social Democratic Party and the People's Party (PSD/CDS), prompted by the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Troika. The regulations introduced criteria of representativeness for employers' associations to extend collective agreements – Resolution 90/2012 (PDF) and Resolution 43/2014 (PDF).
The new resolution requires collective agreement extensions to promote social equality and gender equality and the constitutional principle of 'equal pay for equal work'. Extension decisions will be based on the following indicators: the effect on the wage bill and economic impacts; the level of wage increase; the impact on the wage scale and on the reduction of inequality; the percentage of workers to be covered (in total and by gender); and the proportion of women that will benefit. In addition, the new resolution sets a deadline of 35 days for analysis, public consultation and issuance of extension orders. It also puts in place new mechanisms to implement the measure, including the creation of a permanent technical committee, which involves the Directorate-General for Employment and Industrial Relations (DGERT) and Office of Strategy and Planning (GEP) departments of the Ministry of Labour.
Softening unemployment benefit cuts
Effective from 31 May 2017, Decree-Law 53-A/2017 (PDF) amends the legal regime of social protection in unemployment, restricting the 10% reduction in the amount of unemployment benefit after 180 days; this reduction will apply only to benefits higher than €421.32 (the value that corresponds to the Social Support Index, IAS). It also establishes that unemployment benefit cannot be lower than the IAS. The 10% reduction, introduced in 2012, was one of the requirements of the MoU. The largest trade union, the General Federation of Portuguese Workers (CGTP), protested that the amendment did not do enough to restore an adequate level of social protection and argued that all reduction of unemployment benefit should be repealed.
'Regime of requalification' replaced
Effective 30 May 2017, Law No. 25/2017 (PDF) replaced the so-called 'regime of requalification' law created by the PSD/CDS government. A new 'regime of professional development' takes its place. The regime of requalification targeted civil servants whose roles had been lost due to restructuring; it set out defined wage cuts (40% in the first year and 60% thereafter) and left them open to the possibility of dismissal. The new 'regime of professional development' eliminates these two measures and promotes, instead, a process of training and skills upgrading aimed at professional integration.
Early retirement without penalties
Labour Minister José António Vieira da Silva announced legislation on 27 June 2017 that will make it possible for workers with many years of long service to retire early without being penalised. The measure will cover workers aged 60 or over who have paid 48 or more years of contributions, and those who have paid contributions for 46 years or more and who began to pay social security contributions before the age of 15. The CGTP and the General Union of Workers (UGT) argue that early retirement, without any type of penalty, should be granted to all workers of 60 years of age and with 40 years of service.
Unions urge lifting of public sector wage and promotion freezes
In the second quarter of 2017, after a long wage and promotion freeze since 2010, trade unions in the public sector put increased pressure on employers, demanding improvements in conditions. They also want an extension of the 35-hour week to all workers in the public sector, in particular those with individual contracts in the health sector. While the agenda of the CGTP and UGT unions in the public sector is similar, their strategies are different. Trade unions UGT, Union Federation of the Public Administration (FESAP) and Technical Civil Servants' Union (STE) signed an agreement with the government on 5 May 2017 on the calendar of negotiations, including unfreezing of promotions (July), precariousness in public employment (October), recruitment (November) and health and safety at work (December). In contrast, on 26 May, trade unions CGTP and Common Front organised a national strike of public sector workers to put pressure on the government to speed up the process of negotiations and reach a swift resolution.


text:
Q: Returning variables from search to use in select statement I am trying to do a select statement to and use one of the returned variables for another select statement which will be returned.
The query searches based on the field_id = 413.

I need 6 returned so that it can be used in a query to get all 6 of the rows that have that item_id.
Here is what I have:
DECLARE @Results TABLE(result sysname);
INSERT @Results(result);
DECLARE @SQL4 NVARCHAR(MAX) = 'Select DISTINCT ITEM_ID, ATRR_VAL from [dbo].[CONTRACT_ATTR] WHERE [ATTR_VAL] LIKE ''%@VALUE%'' AND FIELD_ID = 413 ORDER BY [ATTR_VAL]';
SET @SQL4 = replace(@SQL4, '@VALUE', '123456');
EXEC SP_executesql @SQL4;
SELECT * FR0M @Results

I am getting multiple errors even though this attempts to follow an online tutorial. What am I doing wrong and how do I fix it?
EDIT: I'm getting closer:
declare @myTable table
(
    ITEM_ID nvarchar(256),
    ATTR_VAL nvarchar(256)
)

insert into @myTable
    exec (N'Select ITEM_ID, ATTR_VAL from [dbo].[CONTRACT_ATTR] WHERE [ATTR_VAL] LIKE ''%123%'' AND FIELD_ID = 413 ORDER BY [ATTR_VAL]') --dynamic query

select * from @myTable

A: Are you trying to do something like this?
Select all rows for an item that has an attr_val like @value for field_id 413:
select ca.*
  from dbo.contract_attr as ca
  where exists (
    select 1
    from dbo.contract_attr as i
    where i.field_id = 413
      and i.attr_val like  '%'+@value+'%'
      and i.item_id = ca.item_id
    )

Just in case you are not aware:
Search criteria with a leading wildcard will cause an index scan instead of an index seek (which is almost always slower, unless they are doing equivalent work). This is called a non-SARGable. SARGable is short for Search ARGument Able.
If you can change to using like @value+'%', it becomes SARGable, and it can take advantage of an index that exists on that column to perform an index seek.

*

*SARGable functions in SQL Server - Rob Farley

A: There are several issues with the code posted:

*

*INSERT statement should be included in the dynamic sql part.

*You cannot use a table variable within the scope of a dynamic sql statement.

*@Results table is any way not big enough to hold the data you are trying to insert.

You can use a temp table instead. Try the following piece of code:
CREATE TABLE #Results TABLE(ID int, result nvarchar(128) NOT NULL);

DECLARE @SQL4 NVARCHAR(MAX) = 'INSERT INTO #Results(ID, result)
                               Select DISTINCT ITEM_ID, ATRR_VAL
                               from [dbo].[CONTRACT_ATTR]
                               WHERE [ATTR_VAL] LIKE ''%@VALUE%'' AND
                                     FIELD_ID = 413';
SET @SQL4 = replace(@SQL4, '@VALUE', '123456');
EXEC SP_executesql @SQL4;
SELECT * FR0M #Results ORDER BY [result];

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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World Heavyweight Boxing Champ Vitali Klitschko is Leading the Opposition Party in Ukraine
By Michael Hresko
Dear Ukrainians!
Today is a crucial day.
Bloodshed continues. Authorities resort to bloody provocations in plain view of the world.
Armed criminals were unleashed to beat people to show that there is some conflict among people.
But these plans are doomed!
- Urgent Appeal of Vitali Klitschko, February 20th, 2014
There is a short list of people who demonstrate a high level of athletic perfection and intellectual and social prowess. Muhammad Ali, Curt Flood, and Bill Bradley might come to mind while thinking of what it means to be a true "People's Champ" in this regard, but Vitali "Dr. Ironfist" Klitschko has set the bar even higher this week as he leads the deadly fight for reform in Ukraine.
While remaining active as a professional boxer, the dominant heavyweight, and Ph.D., has been a political activist for the past decade. After two unsuccessful runs for mayor of Kiev, he was elected into the Ukrainian Parliament alongside 40 others of his political party, the UDAR (Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform), an acronym meaning to "punch" or "strike" in English.
This December, when his native country started to look like it might slip into civil war, the 42-year old Klitschko announced he would vacate his title to focus on becoming the next president. Vitali ends his career with a spectacular 41 of his 45 wins by knockout, and he will be remembered among the best strikers of all time. Upon retirement, out of respect, the WBC crowned him "champion emeritus," -- granting him the right to challenge any title-holder at any point in the future.
Vitali Klitschko is now one of three main political leaders of the pro-western opposition who shut down the Ukrainian parliament last month and who continue to fight for control of the capital city of Kiev through bitter demonstrations and occupation -- calling for the resignation of the country's corrupt pro-Russian authoritarian leadership. Yesterday, Vitali helped broker the second truce between the government and protestors, whose recent clashes have left dozens of people dead and hundreds seriously injured.
The massive protest, which includes thousands of people from various political factions, first materialized after the current president turned down a treaty with the European Union in fear of losing close economic ties and a $22 billion dollar assistance package with Russia. The protest then reached a tipping point when the government responded to the civil-demonstration by passing draconian anti-protest laws restricting free speech, and had riot-police raid their camp in Kiev's Independence Square. Not willing to give up, the protesters rebuilt their destroyed tent city by constructing walls made of bags filled with snow and rebar, and continued to take control of state buildings.
In the beginning of the movement in December, Klitschko showed up on the front lines with a less aggressive leadership style than one might expect from a fighter-turned-political leader and urged the more radical protesters not to invade the president's office. The crowd chanted his name as he argued with Right Sector, the nationalist paramilitary group involved in the movement. When he showed up in the square a month later and tried to stop a similar group from attacking the police, protestors had grown so frustrated with the continued delay of his attempted political negotiations that they ended up spraying him with a fire extinguisher.
Still, on February 18th, at the end the most violent day, he appeared again to lead in Independence Square after fierce fighting left dozens of people dead and encouraged demonstrators to hold their ground. "We will not go anywhere from here," he told the crowd. "This is an island of freedom and we will defend it." The next day, Klitschko successfully negotiated to a cease-fire with President Viktor Yanukovych but the agreement collapsed just hours later and the death toll climbed to 77.
"Blood is shed on the streets of Kiev," Klitschko said in a video address on his website that night. "The main reason for this is actions of the authorities. Therefore, people today demand Yanukovych and his government to resign. The sooner this happens, the less blood is shed, the faster Ukraine will move to a civilized future for which people has taken to the streets."
Despite the mix of political organizations involved, Vitali has quickly become the figurehead of a movement that is now less about about joining the EU as it is about getting rid what some Ukrainians consider a "mafia regime," and the geopolitical tug-of-war between Russia and the West. According to recent polls, Klitschko has become the most influential opposition leader, largely because of his fame as a boxer.
Having spent significant time training in Germany and the United States, he embodies more modern Ukrainian values and Western ideals. His brother, Wladimir Klitschko, another heavyweight world boxing champion (the IBF, WBO and Ring title holder) is engaged to American Hollywood actress/activist Hayden Panettiere. After Vitali announced he would run for the presidency in early 2015, the government proposed a law that restricted his eligibility based on years he spent training overseas.
A true "People's Champion," Vitali is seen as a stark antithesis of the "culture of corruption" of the current regime. The reputation of Ukraine's dirty political oligarchs is that they have made their fortunes on the backs of the working-class, whereas the tall and ruggedly handsome Vitali made his millions in a more legitimate and transparent way -- in the ring. "He's earned his fortune with his hands, so he doesn't need to steal from the people," a factory worked told a Reuters reporter. This reputation continues to grow as rumors spread that Vitali has refused all bribes, including $1 billion that the powers-that-be offered him to not run.
Yesterday, under the continued pressure of the oppositional movement brokered by Vitali (and sanctions by the United States and Europe) the embattled President signed a deal he had been resisting all month that restores parliamentary democracy and includes concessions for early elections, decreases in the president's power, and frees jailed ex prime-minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
This peace-pact is big win for Klitschko, who has made a point to fight for nonviolent solution, but it's still not clear if people on the streets of Kiev will accept it. When Vitali showed up after after signing the agreement, the front-lines of the crowd scolded him, chanting "Shame! Shame!" While he spoke, a coffin was brought up onto the stage to remind him that close to 100 people have died this week.
Today, Ukraine's Parliament gave the people what they asked for and ousted President Yanukovych, who immediately left the city. Despite the uncertainty of the legality of his presidential run, an election will be held in May and Klitschko remains the obvious candidate to support the will of the people. "This is a political knockout," he told reporters this morning.
A Mixed Martial Artist Takes on Monsanto
A Mixed Martial Artist Fights for Social Justice
Written by: Michael Hresko
Feb 22 2014 Like · Comment · Share Tags: Vitali Klitschko, boxing, Kiev, Ukraine


AT&T and Time Warner plan to merge in an $85.4 billion deal that would unite one of the largest distributors of content with one of the biggest producers of content, a roster that includes hits like HBO's 'Game of Thrones', the Harry Potter films and major cable franchises like CNN.
The trial to determine if the U.S. Department of Justice can stop AT&T's purchase of the media company, according to Reuters, will begin on March 19 with no decision expected before the companies' April 22 deadline to complete the deal, a federal judge said on Thursday.
How the judge rules in the case has the potential to shape the fast-changing business of video, as consumers increasingly turn to streaming services instead of traditional cable TV. AT&T, a nationwide satellite TV and wireless provider, argues that pairing up with a major content company is necessary to compete against the reach and resources of tech giants like Netflix and Amazon. But the Justice Department did not agree.
The decision will frame the competition among Silicon Valley, Hollywood and Madison Avenue, while also establishing what kinds of corporate mergers – in the media industry and beyond – will be permitted in the years to come.
"This court case is so important it is hard to know where to start," said Amy Yong, a research analyst at the investment firm Macquarie. "This case is at the heart of what we do in our everyday lives." The analyst was quoted on The New York Times.
Why is the Justice Department suing AT&T?
The government, according to Recode, says the merger will be bad for consumers. A combined AT&T and Time Warner would have much more heft and could force higher prices on TV distributors, leading to higher cable and satellite TV bills.
"Consumers will end up paying hundreds of millions of dollars more than they do now to watch their favorite programs on TV," the Justice Department said in court filings.
For the better part of a year and a half, the acquisition was regarded, more or less, as a fait accompli. That changed completely in November last year when the Justice Department moved to block the deal, NYT reported.
Now the talk in media circles revolves around what will happen if the acquisition is stopped and Time Warner – the owner of HBO, Warner Bros., CNN, TBS and TNT – is made an orphan. And what will it mean for the old-guard entertainment companies in the streaming age?
"I think it's important for the ecosystem, the media ecosystem, that this deal goes through," said David Zaslav, the chief executive of Discovery. "For the first time in the history of this business, you have these massive global companies — Facebook, Netflix, Amazon, Google – of a scale we have never seen. They are like massive transformers. Mr Zaslav was quoted on the newspaper.
The media industry has undergone significant change since the blockbuster deal was announced in October 2016.
What are the stakes for AT&T and Time Warner?
Time Warner could lose out on $85 billion – which would go to its shareholders, including executives. Anyone who bought stock prior to news of the deal stands to gain at least a 36 percent profit based on AT&T's offer of $107.50 per share, Recode reported.
But after the government filed its suit, shares dropped below $100, a sign of low-to-medium confidence that the merger will be approved.
If AT&T loses, it would also have to pay Time Warner $500 million in what's known as a reverse breakup fee. That's small relative to the typical payout, usually between 3 percent to 9 percent of the deal size. In this case, it's less than 0.6 percent. Time Warner and AT&T, it seems, were confident the deal would pass regulatory muster, which might explain the low fee. The Trump Administration, of course, ignores all past precedent.
It would also be a blow to Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes, who sees this deal as his grand exit.


On April 1, 1875, two Ashland area businessmen, Eli Penter and J.W. Johnston, began a publication called the Ashland Bugle. It was a monthly paper established primarily as an advertising medium for the pair and their enterprises.
Penter had grown up in Independence County, Ark., had left home at age 13 in 1849 for Oregon and by the age of 26 had a lucrative business transferring supplies from the head of river navigation to the interior mines in Idaho. He sold out in 1865 and eventually found his way to Boone County in 1866, where he farmed and taught school.
At age 34, he graduated from the University of Missouri, taught school for three years in Ashland and finished a law degree at MU in 1873.
Johnston was the son of John T.M. Johnston, an early settler in Boone County. Born in 1848, he was educated in Ashland area schools and quickly became a very successful businessman.
He built the Johnston Hotel in Ashland in 1870 at the age of 22, later helped develop the Trade Center, was a member of the Ashland Mill Co. and a director of the Farmers Bank when he joined with Penter to establish The Bugle.
The Bugle was a minor part of the pair's business domain, and by 1877, they had planned to move on.
The son of a prominent Kentucky farmer who had moved to northwest Missouri, Wilcox was born on Dec. 15, 1855, in rural Holt County. When his dad died, his mother moved with her five children to Nebraska City, Neb.
Young Wilcox had a solid but brief education, finishing 3� McGuffey Readers before becoming an apprentice at the Nebraska City Daily and Weekly Chronicle.
Only 18, he moved to Omaha and on to Lincoln, where he and three others organized a daily called the Capital News, which lasted a stormy three weeks. Next came stops at the Lincoln State Journal and the Hamburg, Iowa, Democrat.
On Jan. 1, 1877, he landed in Ashland on the invitation of Penter and Johnston to take over editorial content of The Bugle. By April 13, 1877, the paper was his. The owners gave it to him for the promise that it would remain a Democratic paper and that he would never change its name. Wilcox was true to the agreement. He made one major change. The Bugle quickly became a weekly.
Wilcox settled into community life. He married Mary Nichols in 1881, the daughter of Samuel Nichols. Mary died in 1917. They had two daughters. Bessie died at age 22, and Gay married Dr. C.S. Palmer, a chemistry professor at the University of Minnesota.
The Bugle was a one-man operation. For more than six decades, Jim Wilcox set his own type, was a one-man editorial staff and was dedicated to keeping The Bugle "a family newspaper for the people of the town." His middle name became "Bugle."
In 1937, the MU School of Journalism bestowed on Wilcox a merit certificate "in recognition and remembrance of the fact that J.L. Wilcox has rounded out 60 years of definite and positive service to Ashland ? and for his contribution made to journalism by a beloved and accomplished country editor."
In 1940, Robert Ripley featured Wilcox in his "Believe it or Not" for his 64 years as a one-man staff.
Wilcox started with 245 subscribers in 1877 but maintained a subscription list of around 600 for most of the life of The Bugle.
Unfortunately, a fire in 1908 destroyed The Bugle and the complete files of The Bugle as well as much of downtown Ashland, including Johnston's Trade Center.
The last issue of The Bugle on file in the State Historical Society of Missouri's newspaper library is Aug. 21, 1941. The annual subscription price was $1 a year in the county and $1.50 a year elsewhere.
An auto accident sidelined Wilcox in 1940, and by 1941, he relied more on outside news than his own often brilliant writing.
Wilcox died on July 29, 1945, at his home in Ashland and was buried at Columbia Cemetery. He was 89 years old. Ashland would be without a paper for 35 years - until Dan Fishel started the current Boone County Journal.
Wilcox was world famous for his "Bugle Blasts." Here are some samples.
"Lots of good people capitalize Reform and lower case god."
" 'Lombago,' says Hez Heck, 'will slow down a man a blamed sight faster than the Ten Commandments.' "
"Pearls lost from time's short string you may never regather or restring."
"A girl might get a rich husband and a poor one at the same time."
"A man is known by the company that refused to keep him."
And the last "Blast" in that Aug. 21, 1941, final edition to The Bugle: "No matter how heavy and cumbersome your pack, it is easier to go there now than it is to come back."
That pretty much sums up the life and times of James L. "Bugle" Wilcox and his beloved paper.


CES is only the beginning -- trucking is about to be in the public eye in a way it hasn't since the 1970s.
Something interesting is going on at the CES electronics show – something of special interest to fleet managers in North America today. CES started out as the Consumer Electronics Show, a trade show designed to show retailers what was new in the rapidly expanding world of consumer and home electronics systems and products.
As the importance of these products steadily grew, so did the importance of the show – much in the same way auto shows in major cities around the world became Must-Make-A-Splash venues for carmakers looking to showcase new vehicles, features and technologies.
In the 2000s, with gaming becoming the dominant entertainment industry on the planet, CES adopted a reputation as a bastion of geeks and technophiles. And with the rise of social media, its importance and reputation grew.
Today, even Class 8 truck manufacturers want to show new vehicles and technologies at the show. Kenworth and Peterbilt raised eyebrows last year as the first heavy-duty OEMs to exhibit at the show. And this year, there was even more trucking and logistics technology on display, with several OEMs launching products and announcing news.
Trucking is going mainstream at CES. And savvy fleet managers would do well to consider why that's so.
Trucking is about to capture the public eye in a way it hasn't since the 1970s. Back then, the image was free-spirited rouges, winking at the law and hustling hard to make a buck and keep The Man off their backs. But the image forming today – and solidifying in the coming decade – is going to be very different indeed.
Last-mile delivery systems, autonomous vehicles, electric trucks, drones, dog-robots with cartons on their back – you name it, those systems are going to be attracting massive public attention as they come on line and begin to help move goods in this country and around the world.
Anyone still scoffing at advanced technologies in trucking – or hoping that magically all of this "stuff" is going to go away and they can go back to business as it was done a decade or two ago – would do well to look hard at the presence of vehicle OEMs (both large and small) and other associated logistics technology developers at CES.
The news out of CES this year is not only fascinating. It's also another clear signal that the Tech Genie is out of the bottle and strapped in behind the steering wheel of a commercial vehicle. And she's not going anywhere.
* It's interesting to note the date on the introduction of these new technologies and then the amount of time that passes before they enter into mass production and become commonplace in our lives. In most of the cases highlighted here, the time between a product's introduction and high consumer market penetration seems to be 8 to 10 years.


- Manually processes recyclable materials - paper fibre, tin, glass, plastic, fluorescent light bulbs, Unified Dairy products, and Oil Eco-Centre fluids.
- Greets and assists customers with recyclable materials.
- Ability to get along with others and work as part of a team.
Final Candidates are required to provide satisfactory criminal record checks including a vulnerable sector search.


How Big Is the Automotive Opportunity at Ambarella Inc?
The company's integration of VisLab is already bearing fruit.
Ambarella (NASDAQ:AMBA) CEO Fermi Wang and CFO George Laplante recently spoke at the 19th Annual Needham Growth Conference. During a wide-ranging discussion, they touched on the topic of Ambarella's advances in the automotive industry and the possible role they may play in enabling self-driving cars.
In July 2015, Ambarella acquired an Italy-based company consisting of 27 engineers called VisLab for $30 million in cash. The privately held VisLab was founded by University of Parma Professor Alberto Broggi and specialized in perception systems and autonomous vehicle research. The company had successfully demonstrated autonomous driving capability by having a vehicle complete a 13,000 kilometer autonomous trip from Italy to Shanghai in 2010.
During last week's Needham Conference, the company gave a specific example of where VisLab's innovative software stack is being used in Ambarella product shipments today. Fermi Wang cited Ambarella SoCs sold to the home security market. One of the big problems with cloud-based security systems is recognizing when a false alarm has set off the system. Ambarella's solution, enabled by VisLab software, can have a camera react to a motion sensor signal and immediately look for a human figure. If none is detected, the camera goes off and the false alarm is eliminated -- the system can differentiate between a human and Fido the dog.
A topic of interest at last week's conference during Q&A was Ambarella's plans to possibly compete in the autonomous automotive space with Israeli semiconductor company Mobileye N.V. Ambarella does not currently have an SoC for autonomous vehicles. The company's original automotive experience was centered around the aftermarket for dashboard cameras, but in the second half of this fiscal year, it began shipping SoCs directly to automotive OEMs. This is significant in that it helps forge a direct relationship between the automotive companies who are now making electronic mirrors native to vehicles. Secondarily, Ambarella now has SoCs that have passed AEC-Q100, the automotive reliability standard test for SOCs.
When CEO Fermi Wang was asked directly for a schedule of chip introductions for autonomous vehicles, he said the company does not have and has not announced a product, and did not want to give any further guidance at that time. He did say that VisLab does have a complete software stack that will be incorporated into an Ambarella SoC that should be available in mid-2017. Whether this chip will be a component for an autonomous vehicle product was not clear.
When a company has many ways to be successful, it is described as having optionality. In the case of Ambarella, investors tend to associate it with GoPro and wearable action cameras. A look at the company's revenue in the table below shows the other market segments that are significant contributors to its sales. These segments, along with the potential for an autonomous driving solution, provide for many ways that both the company and its investors may win aside from GoPro.
Data source: Ambarella. Chart by author.
By comparison, a company such as Mobileye is richly valued and has numerous agreements with automotive companies around its autonomous driving solutions. Investors are willing to pay up to own shares of Mobileye.
Case in point, Mobileye has an enterprise value of $8.9 billion and trades at a trailing 12-month P/E of over 100, while Ambarella has an enterprise value of $1.3 billion and trades at a valuation of closer to 40 times earnings.
Based on the current share price, it does not appear that today's market is giving Ambarella enough credit for potential product introductions in the autonomous vehicle space. That is where it could potentially surprise the industry going forward if it were to introduce a solution.
Since the market does not appear to be ascribing any value to this effort, an investor who owns Ambarella shares may receive a significant upside surprise in the stock price if and when a product is announced. Even if the company never enters the space, other markets it serves may still reward the Foolish investor. In any case, watching Ambarella's progress will be interesting as its integration of VisLab's technology continues.


text:
Q: Buscar nombre en un fichero txt JAVA mi problema es que creo un programa en el que el usuario tiene que introducir los datos de tres personas en un fichero txt, para que luego en un menu puedas consultar los datos de una persona en particular. El problema es que aunque cree el nombre "Belen", el programa no me lo encuentra en el fichero txt y me pasa directamente a la parte de que no existe. ¿Como lo puedo hacer?
Contenido del fichero:
David Acedo España Madrid 26
//////////////////////////////////////////////
Laura Gorrozarri España Madrid 26
//////////////////////////////////////////////
Baxter Bay Americano Madrid 12

Código:
                        do {
                            BufferedReader br=new BufferedReader(new FileReader("fichero.txt"));
                            System.out.println("Introduzca un nombre que quieras buscar: ");
                            nombre= entrada.next();

                            boolean encontrado = false;

                            while ((lineaTexto= br.readLine())!=null) {

                                if(lineaTexto.equalsIgnoreCase(nombre)) {
                                    System.out.println(lineaTexto);

                                    for(int n=0;n<2;n++) {
                                        System.out.println(br.readLine());
                                    }
                                    encontrado = true;
                                    break;

                                }

                            }

                            if(!encontrado) System.out.println("El nombre no existe");

                                System.out.println("¿Quieres introducir otro nombre?");
                                respuesta=entrada.next();

                                br.close();
                        }while(respuesta.equalsIgnoreCase("si"));
                    } catch (IOException e) {

                        System.out.println("Error");
                    } ´´´

A: Debido a que el código falta el inicio de algunas variables pero asumo que las llamas antes del do while, genera un poco de lio. Entiendo que usas BufferedReader como el lector del fichero y poder leerlo, pero después usas Scanner como lector de entrada. Puedes usar ambos para realizar ambas tareas y de paso te ahorras un par de líneas, como prefieras. El while dentro del do while es el que más me cuesta entender, en caso necesites que sea estrictamente con esa forma puedes comentarlo y edito esta pregunta, pero por tirar a algo más sencillo creo que te serviría de esta manera.
public static void main(String[] args) throws FileNotFoundException {
        File fd = new File("tuFichero.txt");
        Scanner file = new Scanner(fd);

        ArrayList<String> list = new ArrayList<>();

        while (file.hasNext()) {
            list.add(file.nextLine());
        }
        file.close();

        Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in);
        System.out.println("Indica que deseas buscar");
        String nombre = sc.nextLine();

        List<String> result = new ArrayList<>();
        for (String s : list) {
            if (s.contains(nombre)) {
                result.add(s);
            }
        }
        System.out.println(result);
    }

El Scanner se encarga de lector de fichero y de entrada.  Se crea un ArrayList y mientras recorro el fichero saco cada línea que tenga. Puedes añadir un Collections.sort para ordenar pero no lo veo muy necesario.
De ahí pides el dato que se usará como búsqueda y se recorre la lista buscando resultados, los cuales por si acaso hay mas de uno se dirige a otra lista tan solo para mostrar cualquier coincidencia que encuentre.
Espero que te sirva de ayuda.


(2) If the vessel(s) which the mortgage cover(s) is (are) not documented or not the subject of an application for documentation.
(b) A mortgage of a vessel 100 feet or greater in length applying for a fishery endorsement is eligible for filing and recording as a preferred mortgage only if it meets the requirements of this part and the requirements of 46 CFR 356.19.
(c) The requirements of paragraph (b) of this section do not apply to the mortgagee of a vessel identified in §67.11(b) or to any other vessel to which the Maritime Administration has given approval for unrestricted transfer pursuant to regulations in 46 CFR part 221.


Year-Round Heartworm Prevention is a Must in Our Area!
Heartworm Prevention is a Year-Round MUST!
Yeah! Autumn is almost here! Cooler days are sure to come soon, with less humidity, chillier nights, brilliant fall colors. Gotta love it !
While most of us welcome Autumn, believe it or not, this is peak season for fleas in this region. Thankfully, the majority of our customers are actively maintaining flea control for their dogs and cats. Great work, gang !
KEEP YOUR PETS ON HEARTWORM PREVENTION ALL YEAR … WINTER, TOO.
For those of you not aware, the ONLY way pets can get heartworm disease is from mosquitoes and, sadly, heartworms can be a fatal disease. Fortunately, it can be treated, but it's far better (and more cost-effective) to prevent it in the first place… plus, nearly all our heartworm preventions will also prevent certain intestinal worms as well.
While fleas become dormant in the winter months in North Carolina, mosquitoes are more persistent. Furthermore, mosquitoes are a continual, year-round threat in our region. Of course we won't have nearly as many mosquitoes in January as we do in July, but they are still out there. The 'magic' temperature for mosquitoes to emerge is ~50-52 degrees. One of the many joys of living in NC is that we always have comfortable, sunny days in January and February with temps routinely hitting the 50's and higher.
We often see a number of pet owners who take their dogs off heartworm prevention during the winter months and that is a big mistake.
Some pet owners who have lived up north have been in the habit of taking their pets off heartworm prevention and that may make sense when you rarely have days above freezing for weeks at a time. But here in North Carolina, mosquitoes are a year-round threat, so it's imperative to keep your pets on heartworm prevention all year.
KEEP YOUR PETS ON HEARTWORM PREVENTION… ALL YEAR LONG!
Stop by our clinic to learn more and to find out what prevention would be ideal for your pet.
Thank you all for your support and patronage!


text:
Bethesda residents rally against Metro plaza building, road through Battery Lane park at Downtown Plan hearing
What height buildings should be on which streets continues to draw a wide variety of opinions. But Bethesda residents speaking at Wednesday's Bethesda Downtown sector plan hearings were pretty clear on two points - they don't want a new building on the plaza at the Bethesda Metro Center, and they don't want a new road paved through Battery Lane Park. Both proposals are recommended by Montgomery County planners in the current plan draft. The Montgomery County Planning Board took testimony from the public at two sessions yesterday.
Bob Eisenberg made a point that speaks to both the past and future uses of the Metro Center plaza, and downtown Bethesda in general. He noted that he and his family "all too often have to look outside of Bethesda" for larger scale events. Other than the Taste of Bethesda and several street festivals that are primarily arts-related, we've continued to lack a St. Patrick's Day parade and an Oktoberfest, for example. And in the past, the Metro plaza was used for larger gatherings such as Fourth of July fireworks, and a Christmas tree lighting. Eisenberg said he opposed "eliminating this key public space," and also chastised planners for including a specific footprint for a 29-story building on it. He noted that master plans don't typically include building footprints, and asked them to remove the footprint shown on page 97 of the draft.
Another downtown resident recalled the golden age of the plaza, as well. Once home to a food court, the plaza was ideal for "lunchtime enjoyment" by workers. He said the ideal plaza would be one that continued to have an open design. With insular plazas, he argued, you're "not sure you're safe there." Ultimately, he said, "plazas make the development. The development is not going to make the plaza."
"When my friends come to visit Bethesda, I want them to see a vibrant park area," a third resident said. "I'd like to see Metro plaza return to what it was originally designed for," he said.
Bethesda resident Nellie Wild also opposed the building on the plaza, calling for "vibrant public open spaces," and "larger public spaces, not micro parks."
An issue that drew equally-strong emotions from residents was the proposal to run a new road through Battery Lane Park.
Sandra Purohit brought a petition signed by 70 downtown residents who oppose the park road plan. Her observation that, if roads enhanced parks, the green space along I-95 would be the most popular on the east coast, drew chuckles from the crowd. Speaking to the county officials' frequent calls to make Montgomery more friendly to young professionals, Purohit advised "If you're looking for millennials, they're in Battery Park." One commenter on this blog previously noted there is a bocce league popular with young people that uses the park.
Purohit noted that Bethesda residents are "progressive, [and] want to live in a place that reflects progressive views," including on the environment. Water quality in Bethesda streams is already "poor to fair" as it is, she said. "We don't just need park acres, we need quality park acres," she argued.
Another 25-year resident of Battery Lane said she and 12 other residents also oppose the park road plan. She said many mature trees would be lost, and air quality would suffer. A road would represent "loss of a green, quiet oasis," she said. Battery Lane Park is a "well used park all hours of the day, she reported, noting that people "stroll through, they don't hurry through, they're not dodging traffic," as they would if a road was added.
Ana Maria Mutter, resident manager of Battery Gardens, concurred with her neighbors in opposition to the park plan.
A number of other resident and developer concerns were raised during the hearing.
Attorney Jody Kline said the plan as drafted would not facilitate the redevelopment his clients proposed for the north side of East-West Highway between Our Lady of Lourdes and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. Their vision for street frontage along East-West is threatened by less-than-sufficient density recommendations for their sites, Kline said.
Jad Donohoe of The Donohoe Companies, who is also Vice Chair of the Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board and grew up in Bethesda, commended planners for their recommendation to convert one-way streets into two-way thoroughfares. The change would be "a good thing for building owners, merchants, and pedestrians," Donohoe said. He wasn't as positive about the plan's density recommendation for Donohoe's property at 7400 Wisconsin Avenue, the historic post office. Donohoe noted that the property is "directly atop Metro, but we haven't received any increase in density in this plan." He also said there are insufficient incentives in the current plan draft for developers to utilize density transfers, which Donohoe has done in the past.
Joseph Allen of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association endorsed the plan's bike improvements, but said NIH and Walter Reed need better bike facilities for their large number of employees.
Deborah Ingram said the 250' building height proposed along Wisconsin from Waverly to Willow was incompatible with the established, single-family home residential neighborhoods behind them.
A resident who lives near the proposed park across from Bethesda Elementary School had several concerns about the plans for that site. She said adding seating would attract adults and loiterers to the park, and pose a threat to children. The plan to demolish a county-owned home right next to two other occupied homes would divide the neighborhood, she predicted. She also opposed plans to light the park for night use, arguing the park should close at dusk.
An environmental advocate who said she represented 20 people found the plan's environmental goals and recommendations lacking, with little enforcement mechanism to effect actual change. The new standards were "pretty much business as usual," she said. "Mere recommendations and business as usual will not" solve the problems, she declared.
Finally, a resident of Nottingham Drive in Chevy Chase West said she opposed the proposed redevelopment of the Bethesda Fire Department station that borders her neighborhood. "I feel strongly that Bethesda downtown should end at Bradley Boulevard. CR zoning…has vast uses, and would be inappropriate for this edge property."
Labels: Battery Lane Park, Bethesda Downtown Plan, Bethesda Metro Center, development
I understand citizens can influence decisions by public opinion and voting, but it's funny how many demands they make and rights they think they have in regards to someone else's private property.
Good article, Bob - very informative. Thanks.
Wrol said...
It is a good article!
It's funny cause Clark doesn't have anything to do with that land. They just don't want their neighbor to build on it. What a shady campaign that sullies the good Clark name, may he rest in peace. These folks at Clark should be ashamed of themselves for playing so dirty.
Yes please connect battery to woodmont!
It may be senseless to offer this vantage, but here goes: In many cultures as diverse as England is from Japan, there has been a deep sense of responsibility which accompanies advantage and power. When a landowner made a decision that would impact those lacking any control over the situation, a respectable owner made decisions reflecting a consideration of the overall welfare of his community. This mindset was was considered mature and responsible.
Something went awry in America. It's the darker side of independence. Sure: No one can tell you what to do with your land. We got so selfish. So yes: Technically, you are correct that the land is not Clarke's to envision.
Morally, however, the Clark plans reflect an environment that the community would likely embrace and be so thankful for. The owner company's rendering avoids showing that they plan to put a tall building on a chunk of that space. Why hide it if there's nothing unconscieanable involved?
Who really is off? The one that says, Don't scrutinize me, I have the power and I'll do what I want! Or the observer that points out, Or you could make something truly memorable for the entire community.


Enjoy peaceful, resort-style living in your own backyard. Remarkable home on Black Creek in Port Dover. Recent, extensive high-end renovations inside and out has transformed this 4 Bdrm, 2.5 bath channel-front home into an oasis of lakeside living. Open concept main floor design with engineered hardwood & 24x24" ceramic tile throughout, custom kitchen with double ovens, gas cook top, built-in microwave, full-size side-by-side fridge/freezer, quartz island & counter tops with patio out to a natural gas BBQ. Main floor includes 2pc bath, laundry, spacious Master Bdrm with heated floors, double walk-in closets, beautiful 4pc ensuite, and patio doors to a private deck overlooking LPRCA green space. A vast entry, second Bdrm, open-concept dining area with sliders out to an upper deck & living rm. The endless windows allow an abundance of natural light and stunning views of the river and natural surroundings. Walkout basement with gym, rec room, two Bdrms, den, kitchen, 3pc bath; has 3 patio doors to the beautifully landscaped backyard tiered with Muskoka Armour stone, hot tub, soothing waterfall, and 50' slide leading to your inground, heated, saltwater fibre glass pool. Private pool house with 2pc heated bathrm/changerm, satellite TV, bar with commercial fridge, LED lighting & 2 outdoor heaters. 90' seawall/dock, boat hoist rated for 18,000 lbs & crane for the seadoo. 3 car heated garage, LED soffit lighting programmed for every holiday, full sprinkler system.A real must see!


Bicycling is certainly a favorite pastime of Maryland residents and is a fun, exciting way to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and spend a leisurely summer day. Bicyclists, however, face unique hazards that others who share the road with them may not. Maryland personal injury lawyer Michael Schreyer understands how devastating a bicycle accident can be for a rider and how seriously it can impact a person's life, largely because the injuries a bicyclist can sustain can be permanent and may require extensive medical treatment.
Helmets: Every time you and your family ride, make it a rule to wear a helmet. Select a helmet that meets the safety standards of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and make sure it fits properly. Helmets should sit at the top of the head in a level position and not rock forward, backward, or side to side.
The right bike: Ensure the bike you purchase is the proper size, fit, and type for you and for your child as well. Check to make sure the bicycle's brakes are working properly, the gears shift smoothly, and the tires are secure and properly inflated.
Ride safely: While bicycling, always stay alert and focused, follow all traffic laws, and be visible at all times so other motorists can see you. Motorists should also remember to share the road with bikers by always keeping an eye out for them and giving them ample space to ride.
Both bicyclists and motorists have the responsibility to drive cautiously and alertly in order to prevent a potentially life-threatening collision; however, an unsafe driver who does not take this responsibility seriously may still cause a crash. Maryland personal injury lawyer Michael Schreyer and the Alpert Schreyer legal team are dedicated to protecting the rights of accident victims and helping them hold any negligent parties responsible. To schedule a free case evaluation, call our offices at (844) 632-7274.


Ecclesiasm » « Off to NYC for a Weekend!
To distract you: this is just some random footage off my camera; I don't have time to edit it and honestly it's not that interesting. With a bit of luck, right now, I am either eating dim sum down on Canal St, or wandering around at The Met.
One chunk of metal going into an oven looks pretty much like any other chunk of metal. This one is different, I suppose – this one is mine.
Work quickly but precisely. One does not flail around knocking things over, and always think twice before you grab something.
The log analysis/incident response project I was working on was surprisingly neatly and quickly completed. As much as I'm not a great fan of "cloud" computing, it's pretty nice to have a great big server with an infinite-seeming amount of temporary space – although that does not encourage developers to think about their logs: they just splat stuff out and forget about it. And since everything is "elastic" you just stick things somewhere and forget about them. Imagine my delight when I started looking to see what I was dealing with and did a listing of the log directory: nothing happened for several seconds. I interrupted it and checked how many files there were in the directory ("ls | wc -l") uh… 2.2 million logfiles. It was "only" about 400gb of data, but because of that bizzare layout it required 3 days to massage it all into an indexed structure I could search quickly, then the real work began. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to see "is there anything abnormal happening in there?" Normally, I sit and drink coffee and think of it as a fascinating epistemological problem – "What is 'normal'?" – but sometimes you just gotta start shoveling and see what's under that big manure pile. Oh, looky, more manure!
Ah, due dilligence at it's finest: Everything is written down and records kept … somewhere. If you're looking for something specific it's up to you to find it. But it's definitely in there. Good luck!
P.S.: A mere ten seconds of distraction? Aw.