This past weekend was opening weekend and so I went to the Hawkes Bay to shoot upland game birds with a couple of mates and Simon Lusk.
It was brilliantly fine, so not much fun for the duck shooters, but we had four dogs and four mates and two Isuzu trucks (including my one, an Isuzu D-Max custom Maverick 13 Hunter from Southern Autos), a pile of ammo and some fun to be had.
On Saturday we chased quail and when that quietened down we went and bombed up pigeons under a bridge at dusk. huge swarms of them came into roost and we lit up. It was great fun.
On Sunday we went to a spot Simon said had pheasants and we nailed three.
One was flushed by Bruce quite a way out and went away in a straight line from us. Simon put up his Benelli loaded with Remington Nitro Pheasant an one shot later it was down and then retrieved by Bruce.
With all my boxing training and running around for the past 8 weeks I've spent quite a bit of time in my Southern Autos provided Isuzu D-Max.
Up and down the motorway to training, in and out of traffic and the D-Max never missed a beat.
What amazes me and still does every time I fill up is just how far I can travel on a tank of gas….sometimes over 1000km, but mostly between 875km and 950km depending on what I've been doing.
You actually need the fuel indicator because stops at the service station are so few.
Madmen by Steve Braunias, which has quite a lot about me in it.
And Spanish Bride also compiled and made me a one off, special book…of all the cartoons published about me this year (well not all, there were too many for just one book, so she has made a second book which is on its way).


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University of NottinghamNewsPress releases2018JulyDinosaur's dinner grown in Nottingham
Dinosaur's dinner grown in Nottingham
Learning about modern slavery through murals
Scientists and industrialists share their vision for UK's circular economy in a post-Brexit world
17 Jul 2018 10:55:06.963
PA 157/18
Dinosaur food plants have been grown in Nottingham in atmospheric conditions similar to those found roughly 150 million years ago as part of a research project to measure the nutritional value of herbivore dinosaurs' diet.
Previously, many scientists believed that plants grown in an atmosphere with high carbon dioxide levels had low nutritional value. But a new experimental approach led by Dr Fiona Gill at the University of Leeds, in collaboration with Dr Barry Lomax, from the School of Biosciences at the University of Nottingham has shown this is not necessarily true.
The team grew dinosaur food plants, such as horsetail and ginkgo, under high levels of carbon dioxide mimicking atmospheric conditions similar to when sauropod dinosaurs, the largest animals ever to roam Earth, would have been widespread. The plants were grown at the University's specialist plant science centre at Sutton Bonington.
Their research: "Diets of giants: The nutritional value of sauropod diet during the Mesozoic" has been published in the academic journal Palaeontology.
Dr Lomax, a lecturer in environmental science and a specialist in plant climate interactions and palaeoclimatology, said: "The work we've undertaken demonstrates the power that experiments can have in helping us answer long posed questions in palaeobiology. We have shown that changes in atmospheric CO2 can influence the nutritional value of plants altering how understanding of ancient ecosystems."
Dinosaur plants had significantly higher energy and nutrient levels
An artificial fermentation system was used to simulate digestion of the plant leaves in the sauropods' stomachs, allowing the researchers to determine the leaves' nutritional value. The findings showed many of the plants had significantly higher energy and nutrient levels than previously believed.
This suggests that the megaherbivores would have needed to eat much less per day and the ecosystem could potentially have supported a significantly higher dinosaur population density, possibly as much as 20% greater than previously estimated.
Dr Gill, a palaeontologist and geochemist from the School of Earth and Environment at Leeds, said: "The climate was very different in the Mesozoic era – when the huge brachiosaurus and diplodocus lived – with possibly much higher carbon dioxide levels. There has been the assumption that as plants grow faster and/or bigger under higher CO2 levels, their nutritional value decreases. Our results show this isn't the case for all plant species.
"The large body size of sauropods at that time would suggest they needed huge quantities of energy to sustain them. When the available food source has higher nutrient and energy levels it means less food needs to be consumed to provide sufficient energy, which in turn can affect population size and density.
"Our research doesn't give the whole picture of dinosaur diet or cover the breadth of the plants that existed at this time, but a clearer understanding of how the dinosaurs ate can help scientists understand how they lived."
"The exciting thing about our approach to growing plants in prehistoric atmospheric conditions is that it can used to simulate other ecosystems and diets of other ancient megaherbivores, such as Miocene mammals – the ancestors of many modern mammals."
The growing conditions
The plants used in the experiment were: Polypodium vulgare (a fern), Equisetum hyemale (a horsetail), Metasequoia glyptostroboides (dawn redwood), Gingko biloba (gingko),Araucaria araucana (monkey puzzle tree) and Ranunculus acris (buttercup).
CO2 growth concentrations were selected to span the range of recent estimated CO2 values for the Mesozoic (Foster et al. 2017)
All experiments were conducted in two walk-in growth room chambers. Complete air exchange within each cabinet occurred three times per hour ensuring a fully mixed atmosphere.
For more information contact Dr Barry Lomax on 0115 9516 258 or barry.lomax@nottingham.ac.uk or Lindsay Brooke, Media Relations Manager for the Faculty of Science at the University of Nottingham, on +44 (0)115 951 5751, Lindsay.brooke@nottingham.ac.uk
Jane Icke - Media Relations Manager (Faculty of Science)
Email: jane.icke@nottingham.ac.uk Phone: +44 (0)115 951 5751 Location: University Park

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The best friend of free enterprise is ___________.
Describe how you can use competition to help motivate yourself to accomplish a goal.
Suppose Rebecca and Sarah own a widget factory having fixed costs of $10,000. They held a meeting and determined that a widget sells for $5,000. They then found that, in addition to the $10,000, they will have variable costs of $2,500 for each widget they make. Worse, the factory can make only 3 widgets in an entire year! Someone offered to buy their factory for $10,000. Should they sell it?
After a parent complained about her child not making the honor roll in a public school in Tennessee, it abolished the honor roll entirely. What do you think will happen to the quality of the work of the students in the school afterwards? Why?
Suppose Patricia and Joshua own a company that has marginal cost (MC) = $9, average total cost (total cost divided by total output) = $11, average variable cost (average cost of variable inputs, like labor and materials) = $5 and price of the sold good (P) = $8. Should Patricia and Joshua make any additional goods at these numbers? Should they shut down their company?
Suppose you are running a dinner event at a free facility that has 24 tables seating 8 apiece. Your marginal cost (MC) is $15 per person. Suppose your speaker costs $3500 in fees and expenses. Suppose your demand curve is this: at price P=$15, quantity Q=200; at P=$35, Q=120; at P=$50, Q=70; at P=$60, Q=40; at P=$150, Q=7. How would you price and market your tickets?
One of the greatest benefits of competition is accountability. Do you agree? Explain.
Review the conditions for perfect economic competition. Now develop new conditions that you think would establish a perfectly competitive presidential election, where political principles alone determine the outcome.


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3D representation of a brain slice following ASC preservation.
A prominent research lab at MIT has terminated its relationship with Nectome, a new startup with the stated mission of preserving human brains such that they can be digitized and uploaded into a computer in the future, effectively bringing the dead back to life. But while MIT has chosen to distance itself from the for-profit company, it hasn't completely dismissed the futuristic prospect.
For MIT researcher Stuart McIntyre, the future is going to be a tougher sell than he imagined.
All seemed well last month, as McIntyre's new brain-preservation technology, a method called Aldehyde-Stabilized Cryopreservation (ASC), won him and his 21st Century Medicine partners the lucrative $80,000 Large Mammal Brain Preservation Prize. Three years ago he used a similar "vitrifixation" technique to preserve a rabbit brain, but using a scaled-up version, McIntyre and his colleagues showed it was possible to preserve a much larger brain, namely one belonging to a pig (you can learn more about ASC here, here, and here, but ASC essentially uses a complex chemical mixture to "fix" the contents of a brain in place prior to cryopreservation).
It was around this time that McIntyre, along with business partner Michael McCanna, decided to take vitrifixation to the next level in the form of a commercial venture called Nectome—a startup with the lofty mission of preserving human brains for eventual "reanimation" at some point in the far future. By preserving the brain's contents (including memories) in such exquisite detail, and by limiting damage, it's thought—at least in theory—that a digital version of a person might eventually be created, allowing life to continue.
Slides showing an ASC-preserved pig brain.
Totally transhumanistic stuff, to be sure, but Nectome was awarded a National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) small business grant, with MIT's Synthetic Neurobiology Group, led by Ed Boyden, getting a subcontract. Boyden's group was to combine elements of Nectome's technology with its own efforts to better visualize brain circuits, and work on things like brain mapping, drug discovery, and brain preservation for future research. MIT's involvement had to do with basic research and science, having no financial or operational affiliation with Nectome. Regardless, Boyden's group decided this week to part ways with the startup.
If memories can truly be preserved by a sufficiently good brain banking technique, we believe that within the century it could become feasible to digitize your preserved brain and use that information to recreate your mind.
It didn't help that Nectome conducted a marketing survey and added over two dozen people to their waiting list. Also, the the company began to make inquiries into California's End of Life Option Act, which makes doctor-assisted death permissible for terminally ill patients. The press ran with the story, saying Nectome is pitching a mind-uploading service that's "100 percent fatal," and that to use its services customers will have to kill themselves first.
But in an email to Gizmodo, McIntyre made it clear that Necotome is primarily a research company, and that it has no intentions of preserving anyone's brain anytime soon. It may be a classic case of back-peddling, but the startup is now having to clarify its message and intent.
That said, it's clear that a tension is emerging among researchers who are on the cutting edge of (arguably) super-futuristic life extending technologies, and the scientific establishment.
Aschwin de Wolf, the editor of Cryonics Magazine and CEO for Advanced Neural Biosciences, says the honeymoon period between advocates of vitrifixation and mainstream scientists appears to be even shorter lived than that of "traditional" cryonics advocates and mainstream scientists. The problem, as he sees it, is that the goalposts for bio-preservation technologies keep being moved.
"It is not really clear what critics are wanting to see right now, and what kind of information they think is still being erased by either chemical fixation or vitrification [the technique used in cryonics]," de Wolf told Gizmodo. "Requiring a full understanding of the (molecular) nature of memory as a precondition of offering cryonics technologies is setting the bar even higher than for other medical procedures that involve the brain, such as brain surgery performed during circulatory hypothermic arrest." During this form of surgery, the body is cooled to temperatures below 68 degrees F (20 degrees C) while blood circulation and brain function are stopped for up to a full hour.
Kenneth Hayworth, a senior scientist at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Farm Research Campus and the president of the Brain Preservation Foundation, said MIT's response was reasonable given the recent negative media surrounding Nectome, and given that the startup appeared to be using its grant relationship with MIT to boost its own credibility, or at least that's how it appeared to Hayworth based on press reports.
Which is all very reasonable. Regardless of one's opinion on the matter of brain preservation and the prospect of mind uploading, it's fair to say that applying more science to the matter is a good thing.
As a final note, there are companies out there who, for a price, will gladly preserve your brain, albeit via the more "conventional" form of cryonics. Sure, there's a very real possibility that neither cryonics or ASC will work to preserve your memories and personality, but as cryonicists like to say, having your body preserved in a vat of liquid nitrogen is the second worst thing that can happen to you.


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Photo Gallery: birds of the Craven and Regina Christmas Bird Counts
Northern Sawhet Owl, courtesy of Laurie Koepke
On a chosen day, each Christmas season, from mid-December to early January, groups of people around North America gather to count the birds in a fifteen mile diameter circle: the Christmas Bird Count or CBC.
I have participated in the Regina CBC since 1985, but in the early '90s I started a Christmas Bird Count centred on the town of Craven. While the number of counters coming out to help at Craven has increased steadily over the years, perhaps the most remarkable change has come from the advent of digital photography.
Bird photography once required thousands of dollars worth of equipment, but recent developments in both digital SLR cameras and the even more affordable super-zoom cameras have made it a lot easier to get telephoto shots of birds.
Here are some photo highlights from the Craven and Regina CBCs. (Thanks to all the photographers who generously agreed to letting me use their photos in this post.)
First Craven, which was held on December 19.
We recorded 37 species (tying our highest record) including a Barrow's Goldeneye (no photo unfortunately), two Townsend's Solitaires and a Spotted Towhee.
Brian Sterenberg took this shot of one of the Townsend's Solitaires--in Phil and Louise Holloway's yard. Louise makes soup for the crew each year and we stop at their place for lunch, watching the many birds at their feeders as we warm up and compare notes for the morning.
Townsend's Solitaire courtesy of Brian Sterenberg
Here is a shot of a large raptor that gave us some trouble initially. It flew over very briefly and I mis-identified it as a dark phase red-tailed hawk.
Once everyone got home and looked at their photos, though, it was clear that we had seen an adult Golden Eagle--the gold on the nape is visible in this image by Brian.
Golden Eagle courtesy of Brian Sterenberg
White-breasted nuthatches occur at acreages and in the town of Lumsden where people feed birds. Thanks to Val Mann for this photo.
White-breasted Nuthatch, courtesy of Val Mann
Another common feeder species is the Blue Jay. Nick Selinger, at 12 years of age, the youngest photographer on the count, took this lovely image.
Blue Jay, courtesy of Nick Selinger
The Northern Shrike, a predatory songbird that eats mice, voles and smaller birds, visits the prairie each winter in small numbers. Thanks to Val Mann for this image.
Northern Shrike, courtesy of Val Mann
It was a redpoll year so we counted several hundred on the Craven CBC. This photo of a nice rosy-breasted male was taken by Nick Selinger.
Common Redpoll, courtesy of Nick Selinger
Fran Kerbs managed to find the only two Great Horned Owls on the Craven count. Here is one of the photos she took.
Great Horned Owl, courtesy of Fran Kerbs
One last image from the Craven CBC--one of the rarest sightings of the day, a Spotted Towhee. This bird should have been hundreds of miles to the south but perhaps had lingered in its breeding precincts after an unusually warm fall and early winter.
Thanks to Hiro Aoki for getting this difficult shot of a very active bird.
Spotted Towhee, courtesy of Hiro Aoki
Now for some photos from the Regina Christmas Bird Count, held on December 27. The compiler, Brett Quiring, is still getting data from counters but he tells me that it was a banner year for raptors. He is predicting a total well over 40 species of birds including several hawks and owls: Rough-legged Hawk, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Gyrfalcon, Kestrel, a Cooper's Hawk, Merlin, Snowy and Great-horned Owl.
On December 30, within "count period," birder Laurie Koepke found another owl species in the city--a Northern Sawhet Owl. Here is a photo she was kind enough to share.
But the stars of the Regina count were Rough-legged Hawks. We recorded 37 of them, including 14 in my sector alone. They are congregating near the city outskirts to the south-east, south, and south-west. At one point we pulled our car over along the traffic circle south of Highway 1 and west of Highway 6 and we counted seven in view all at once.
Most were hovering in the air, like this young, hatch-year bird photographed by Brian Sterenberg.
Rough-legged Hawk, courtesy of Brian Sterenberg
Rough-legged Hawks have been recorded during the Regina count before but not in these numbers. They stay in this area when conditions favour their prey--mice and voles. The warm fall and light snow cover may have allowed numbers of these rodents to persist into December in some areas of the province, and the shallow snow cover allows a hover and pounce hunter like the Rough-legged to find them.
Perhaps the rarest bird on the Regina Count was a Red-bellied Woodpecker, which was good enough to show up at birder Dan Sawatzky's feeder just in time for to be counted. This photo was taken by Val Mann.
Red-bellied Woodpecker, courtesy of Val Mann
Driving the back roads we found a small number of Horned Larks south of the city and west. This image was taken by Nick Selinger, who saw his very first Horned Larks that day.
Horned Lark, courtesy of Nick Selinger
My favourite winter songbird is the Snow Bunting. It seems almost to relish the cold and stormy weather for you will often find the large flocks swirling and coursing over stubble fields and pastures like larger snow flakes borne on the wind. We came upon two large flocks, one totaling nearly a thousand birds. Brian Sterenberg took this image, showing one in flight and several on the ground feeding.
Snow Buntings, courtesy of Brian Sterenberg
I will close with this video of a Snow Bunting flock. Though it is a bit rough, it shows some of the restless energy of these birds wintering here in the "south," a relative term because like the Snowy Owls, they breed in the high arctic.
The moon of winter time . . .
This solstice moon, in the dark days of winter, still shines upon the chickadee, the owl, and the redpoll, but St. Jean de Brébeuf's old carol--or at least the English translation--is not far off: this is a birdless time of year.
A nesting box in mid-winter, snow on its roof, the entrance filled with nothing but cold air, is a strange figure on the landscape. It looks backward to the summer's rush of life and forward to new tenants in spring, but in the middle--here in the moment when it is hard to imagine either one--all is quiet, stilled to the breath of a sleeping deer mouse.
More than the absence of the swallow and the wren, though, these small domiciles resting beneath December's short light and snow call up thoughts of those who put them up and wait expectantly in spring: the one in the garden, crouched with a hand full of seeds, who stands to follow the small, feathered thing bearing a single twig, heading to the box and stuffing it in the entrance.
I took these photos last week at a farmstead that belongs to my wife's parents. Over the past thirty years, Jack, my father-in-law, has mounted many nest boxes and feeders in and around the aspen bush and garden space surrounding their summer home, near the town of Lanigan.
A civil engineer and road-building public servant as Saskatchewan's Deputy Minister of Highways for most of his career, Jack is now 84 years old, but he tends his acres of vegetables, flowers, trees and sheep's fescue with great love and more energy than most men half his age can muster up on a summer's day.
These are some of the bird nest boxes and feeders he maintains during the growing season. Next summer, when days are long and bright, Jack will be there with his hoe scratching the good earth, watching the bluebirds, wrens, and swallows as they take up residence, and counting the goldfinches at his feeders.
Merry Christmas to all who care for such things--whether you are someone with nest boxes to look after or someone with a thousand acres of native grass to tend.
And a special blessing to the many who have raised their voice this year on behalf of the prairie and the people who take care of it on our behalf.
Working with nature to reduce our emissions
the green gavel goes down to signal Saturday's agreement in Paris
From The Guardian:
After 20 years of fraught meetings, including the past two weeks spent in an exhibition hall on the outskirts of Paris, negotiators from nearly 200 countries signed on to a legal agreement on Saturday evening that set ambitious goals to limit temperature rises and to hold governments to account for reaching those targets.
A child born today might well live to see the year 2100, but at the age of 85 what will her world look like, and how hospitable will it be to human life? Will the average surface temperatures of the Earth be two degrees higher than they are today, four, six?
No one can answer these questions definitively, but the best science we have argues strongly for aiming at the low end of that range. And any chance of that happening will depend on how closely governments around the planet follow the goals set yesterday in Paris.
Those of us living far north of the equator will experience the most dramatic effects of climate change, and regardless of what we do or fail to do, greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere will continue to mess with the thermostat and deliver weather that ranges from dangerous to just plain weird.
Today, a little more than a week away from the winter solstice, cars are splashing through puddles on the streets and roads of Saskatchewan. Katepwe Lake still has thousands of acres of open water playing host to a great gathering of Canada Geese, common goldeneye, and other diving ducks. On the ice edge and in nearby poplar trees, dozens of Bald Eagles are waiting for an easy meal. Last week, local birders counted seventy-two. A spectacle to be sure, but unsettling just the same.
Image courtesy of Fran Kerbs, who counted 72 bald eagles at Katepwe Lake
To meet Canada's commitment in Paris, every province is going to need to do its part and put a price on carbon and other greenhouse gases—either through carbon tax system, as B.C. and Alberta have promised, or through a cap and trade model, which Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec have announced. Saskatchewan—known as one of the nation's biggest emitters per capita—has so far done little more than point to its, as yet ineffective, carbon capture mega-project.
But while we wait for that technology to prove that it can make coal "clean"—a dream that many say will never come true—this province has to find its own mix of measures that will, in correct proportion, contribute to our national climate change actions.
To its credit, our government has announced plans to convert our electrical production to fifty per cent solar and wind in fifteen years. A good start, though it would be nice to see some shorter targets in that transition, and a commitment to sustainable and ecologically-sensible siting of wind energy projects.
However, as we wait for some of these important measures to take hold—carbon pricing of some kind and conversion to sustainable alternative energies—there is another side of climate change action for which Saskatchewan is particularly well-positioned.
While engineered carbon capture systems and alternative energies can reduce our emissions through a kind of "technological mitigation," we sometimes forget that nature provides her own systems of ecological mitigation that we can unleash and encourage in our natural and agricultural landscapes.
Climate change models and estimates of emissions going forward are based on current rates of emissions, including those caused by existing land management practices.
In a province where we have a lot of managed though sparsely populated landscape—forests, grasslands, wetlands, and cropland—even small shifts in land management have the potential to reduce our overall emissions. If we avoid ploughing grasslands, draining wetlands and retain more of our forested cover we will greatly reduce our rate of emissions. And if we restore wetlands and degraded grasslands and plant trees in the right regions we can easily increase the size of the provincial carbon sink and annual sequestration.
prairie wetlands, like this one hosting a Marbled Godwit, can store a lot of carbon
Even smaller changes in land management can help. In an as yet unpublished study on grasslands in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba, Dr. Diego Steinaker of the University of Regina found that an additional 0.8 to 1.4 tons of C/ha can be stored simply by reducing grazing from severe to moderate intensity (personal comment).
Saskatchewan is the right place for this kind of climate change action and much more.
We have thousands of private land managers—farmers, ranchers, and forestry companies—whose everyday decisions determine how much carbon the property they manage will hold and how much it will release. These land managers generally possess the skills and equipment required to introduce new climate-friendly land practices. All that is missing is motivation. As things stand, they have no economic incentive to change, and in fact there are many disincentives.
To shift to land use practices that retain more carbon, we will need market instruments and incentive-based public policy deployed across a range of managed landscapes from south to north in the Province. If we connect the right economic and policy minds with the right carbon and soil science minds, we can find ways to work with the private sector and industry to maximize our natural carbon storage systems without causing undue disruption in our land-use industries.
Along the way, if we are lucky, we might arrive at a province with more diverse and resilient landscapes and more adaptive land managers who can help us all face a changing climate.
North Saskatchewan River
Grass, beef, and climate change—it's complicated
cattle on the neighbour's land--a shot from inside Caledonia-Elmsthorpe PFRA pasture
"Grasslands restoration has been treated as the most efficient method in achieving carbon restoration and CO2 mitigation."[1] From a paper produced by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's scientists.
Given what is happening in Paris this week, with climate change experts and world leaders gathered to craft a plan on how we might keep global temperatures from rising more than two degrees C. in this century, I thought I would try to say something in this space about the role that grassland management could play in helping us meet that goal. I was inspired in part by what was missing from a discussion hosted by Anna Maria Tremonti on CBC Radio's The Current a couple of days ago: listen here.
After listening to the program, I set off bravely into the slippery terrain of Google land, looking for the latest research on grassland and climate change. Within minutes I had slid down a gopher hole leading to increasingly shrill arguments between those who believe cattle grazing is a net contributor to human-caused climate change and those who believe it has at least the potential to be a climate change mitigator. (Here are two pieces that will give you a sense of the debate's polarity: one that claims beef production is all bad, and that grass-fed beef is the worst; and one that claims that grass-fed is good for the planet once you look at the whole chain of energy going into feed lot cattle. )
Backing my way out into the light of day, I had to remind myself that I was looking for information on grassland and climate change, not livestock rearing and climate change. But there is no way around the beef production issue. Eight thousand years into the agricultural revolution—now compounded by the more recent and carbon-intensive industrial and information revolutions--we can't have a meaningful discussion on grassland without talking about the domestic animals that justify its economic life and prevent it from being converted to an alternative economic life—supporting say lentil crops or a subdivision of starter castles.
Cattle and other methane-producing ruminants have jumped, cloven hooves first, into the discussion of grassland and climate change because they are the primary tool for grassland management over much of the planet's native grass regions. What a livestock producer does with his cattle or sheep on the land will determine the quality of the grass above and below ground, which in turn affects the amount of greenhouse emissions (both methane in farting and belching and the nitrous oxide in manure) the animals produce. More importantly, though, stocking rates and intervals between grazing are crucial factors in determining how much carbon any given pasture captures from or releases into the atmosphere.
Well-managed grassland has been shown to have great potential to store carbon. In 2010 the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization declared that "… globally, the potential to sequester carbon by improving grassland practices or rehabilitating degraded grasslands is substantial – of the same order as that of agricultural and forestry sequestration."[2]
Though it has yet to yield any public policy, a few people at Ag Canada seem to know this as well—see the quote at the top of this post.
How much carbon can grassland store? In a balanced article on the health and environmental pros and cons of beef in The Washington Post, the author, Tamar Haspel, refers to the work of Jason Rowntree, an assistant professor at Michigan State University who specializes in grass-eating cattle. Rowntree claims that some researchers have managed to sequester three metric tons of carbon per hectare (the equivalent of 3.7 tons of carbon dioxide.)
That sounds promising, but the research was done under ideal conditions and in a system that manages for carbon. Other estimates that have looked at grassland carbon sequestration in a full spectrum of field conditions, land types, and management regimes have arrived at lower estimates per hectare. There is much work to be done here to determine how grassland management can achieve some simple, natural and affordable carbon capture—as opposed to the unproven, complicated, and expensive technology Saskatchewan is using to help pump more oil out of the ground. Let's hope that there are range ecologists or climate scientists out there right now who are thinking about the potential of restored and well-managed grasslands to store carbon, and who are going to access climate change research funding from the federal government now that we have people in Parliament who are not afraid of science.
In the real world of grassland and livestock production, though, almost no one is managing for carbon. Instead, the increasingly global and consolidated beef market drives producers to manage for the standard agricultural values of maximizing yield and minimizing costs. (It needs to be said though that our best grassland stewards actively resist those pressures by listening to the wisdom of their ranching forbears—make sure you save some grass for next year.)
If we expect otherwise and want grassland management to include carbon sequestration in the mix, we are going to have to put a policy finger on the scales of the marketplace to reward best management practices. That means federal and provincial agriculture programs to help distribute the costs of climate-friendly livestock management among consumers and the public at large. We all benefit from optimal grassland management—whether it is to produce Sage Grouse or sequester carbon—and that makes it as much a public policy issue as forestry or fisheries management. Here's where we need people with environmental economics background to devise policy that will not be unduly disruptive to the supply side (producers) of things.
Unfortunately, this may or may not be welcome news to ranch families who value their legendary independence and manage their rangeland very well with little interference from regulatory agencies. But the outside world is coming down every prairie trail these days with big ideas and expectations in tow. We have suddenly found ourselves in an age when every decision we make—as consumers and producers—is everyone's business.
Welcome to the troubled Commonwealth of Planet Earth—where cows do fart and grass do grow.
The cattle and beaver managing this grassland and its wetlands may be providing us with the cheapest way to store carbon
Further reading for keeners:
Britain's widely respected National Trust sponsored a study that cuts through all of the vested interests protecting the grass-fed and feedlot sides of beef production and came up with a report showing that "extensive" grass-fed has a definite climate change advantage over "intensive" feedlot beef. Here is a summary that seems wise to me:
"Our findings, based on modelled sequestration data, indicate that the GHG impact of extensive beef production is not as high as calculated by less complete models. This should be reassuring for less intensive farmers faced with the obligation to reduce GHG emissions – it is possible that extensive grassland may in fact be carbon neutral or positive. When the true benefits to ecosystem services and human health are included, extensive livestock production on grassland is reaffirmed as the best use of this resource to produce food for people. On the basis of the issues covered in this report, our stance on beef production is that we will maintain our wider view of sustainability, which embraces optimal agricultural production based on land capability, animal welfare, local food production, and the protection of ecosystem services. We will continue our commitment to GHG reduction by sharing expertise between farmers on carbon-friendly farming, and maintaining our commitment to protect existing carbon-rich soils wherever they occur on our land holding. We will also continue to press for more formal and robust market mechanisms that reward farmers for the wider ecosystem benefits – including reduced GHG production – that extensive, grass-fed beef clearly brings. We need to future-proof all our farming, and a dash for maximised beef production in the face of increasing population demands risks long-term damage to the farmed and wider environment. finding ways to make it pay for farmers to pursue extensive, grass-fed beef systems will become increasingly important."
And here is a blog post from "Animal Welfare Approved," which is not an anti-meat, vegetarian organization. It comes out cautiously in favour of grass-fed, but reducing beef consumption--
Here is a Huffington Post article on grass-fed beef and climate change.
And, finally, the research referenced in CBC's The Current this week stating that
"the livestock sector is responsible for nearly 15 per cent of global emissions – similar to that produced by powering all the cars, trucks, planes, trains and ships in the world." In their analysis, the authors of say that "Livestock production is the largest source of two of the most potent greenhouse gases, methane and nitrous oxide. Methane results from digestion in ruminant animals such as cows, sheep and goats. Nitrous oxide is produced from manure and from fertilizers used to grow feed crops. Large amounts of carbon dioxide are also produced as forests are converted for pasture or to grow feed crops."
[1] From a paper produced by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's scientists, Xiaoyu Wang, A. J. VandenBygaart, and Brian C. McConkey. Rangeland Ecology & Management, 67(4):333-343.)
[2] Challenges and opportunities for carbon sequestration in grassland systems: A technical report on grassland management and climate change mitigation. 2010
Photo Gallery: birds of the Craven and Regina Chri...


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With our FREE shop-at-home service we bring a complete window treatment showroom direct to you, which allows you to choose from 100's of samples from a wide variety of the most popular and stylish manufacturers right from the comfort of your own home, apartment or office.
See which styles and colors of drapes & drapery, work best with the color, style and look and get professional advice, tips and experience on the best choices for your home, apartment or office. Premium service, selection and expertise you will not get from big box chains.
Drapes and drapery are fabric panels, and typically sold in pairs. The differences between curtains and drapes, however, is drapes are lined with heavy fabric to block outside light, making them perfect for bedroom use.
Drapes (sometimes called draperies) are long and usually the top of the window to the floor. Heavier stiff fabrics are typical for drapes, including luxury materials like velvet, damask, or silk.
While drapes come in a range of styles and colors, they are most often solid rather than heavily patterned. The top of a drapery panel is often pleated, and these pleats, along with the heavy fabric, contribute to the formal appearance of this popular window treatment. Like curtains, drapes hang from a rod on rings, hooks, grommets or a fabric sleeve at the top or on the back of the panel.
In the bedroom, the most popular draperies are the blackout style, which keep the room dark enough for deep sleep. These are an especially good choice for anyone who needs to sleep during the day, such as night shift workers.
Serving Staten Island NY for more than 30 Years we have the selection, price and service to make you choice of vertical blinds, horizontal blinds, shades, curtains & drapes one that will make your home stylish, comfortable & energy efficient at a price and convenience not offered by online catalogs or big box retailers. If you're looking for the best in price, selection, installation and service on window treatments and window coverings in Staten Island NY we are the company you should call first.


Here's another installment of the Linux CLI basics series. This time we will deal with other interest-worthy tasks, like setting up your keyboard layout or using utilities to find files on your drive(s). We hope that the series will help you become a keyboard/terminal guru.
When you're using some fancy desktop environment, changing the layout of your keyboard is simple and easy. A few clicks, you choose your preferred layout and maybe other localization settings and that's that. But what if you find yourself at a command-line-only machine and you have to use the machine, but the layout is set to French? The keys show a symbol but you type another and nothing works as it should. What to do? Or you decided to dump bloated GNOME or KDE for some lightweight window manager like Fluxbox. What you should use for this task strictly depends on whether you have X installed or not. If you do, the utility is called setxkbmap. If you don't you can use various tools provided by your distro (by the way, remember that we are using Ubuntu for our examples), but we will show you how to do it in terminal-only mode without depending on some distro-specific tools.
The first method shown will be the one that assumes that you have X.org installed and you're using it in conjunction with some WM, but you don't have any specific GUI tools for layout changes. As always, I recommend you take a few minutes to look over the setxkbmap manual page to get an idea of the options and general usage flags. As you can imply, the utility's name stands for "set X keyboard map". I remember using shell scripts that contained only the setxkbmap lines needed and then setting up keyboard shortcuts that invoked said scripts as needed (~/.fluxbox/keys): maybe this is a trick you will use after reading this article so that your work will become easier. That's the charm of Linux, there are virtually no limits on what you can do with it.
The rule of thumb is that whatever name comes before the kmap.gz suffix is the name of the layout to use with setxkbmap, ignoring the include directory which is of no interest to us. YOUR_ARCH is your architecture, which usually will be i386, although the system is a 64-bit machine/OS combo. Another important flag to setxkbmap is -variant, because many layouts have different variants, "different" being the keyword. One language doesn't mean one layout, and one layout doesn't by any means mean one variant. The language->layout relationship is a social/hystorical/political one (going further with the French language, France once had lots of colonies that in the end inherited the language, with certain specific aspects. The layout->variant has to do with certain hardware. For example, Macs or Sun boxes have keys a PC doesn't, and the keys are laid out differently. ) So if you need non-PC layouts, eliminate 'i386' from the ls command above. This is a distro-agnostic, X-centric way to set up your keyboard locale. What follows is the Debian/Ubuntu way.
It's strongly recommended you read the manual of loadkeys, because using the command may affect other users, even after you logged out. You have been warned. Also, keep in mind that every Unix system has its' own specific ways of doing this kind of work, so don't expect to use these commands on OpenBSD or Solaris and get the expected results, if any.
As an example, KDE has a system of finding files by creating a database of the file system contents and updating it constantly, for faster later searches. This sounds great, except it only works on KDE and it's a resource hog. You can do all the indexing/searching stuff from the command line, and this will work on all Linux systems, with all DEs, and even on BSD, which offers the stuff needed as part of the base system. Solaris users can install findutils.
There are two approaches to this: the database one and the database-less. There are advantages on every side, of course: when creating a DB first, subsequent searches will be way faster, but one has to make sure the DB is up to date. Many Linux distributions install a script that runs daily or weekly to make sure your database is fresh, but you can always use the specific tools for this, namely cron. You can go the other way, and thusly you'll have actual filesystem info all the time, but the process will be slower, especially if you have large or even remote disks, like NFS mounts.
For special characters and advanced usage, again, use the manual page. But before you do all the locating, how do you create the database? The command is updatedb (update database), and that's all you have to do. It will take a while, like I said, depending on speed disk/interface/size, but after that you can use locate for speedy searches.
whereis, which and apropos are commands that belong in this section, although they do specialized searches, namely files in PATH and/or MANPATH. These two are very important environment variables that tell the system where to find files you need when typing at the command line (PATH) or manual pages (MANPATH). For example, if you'd type 'ls' in your terminal but the directory where ls is located (/bin) is not in PATH, you'd get "command not found" from the shell.
The asterisks are used just as you use them with the shell or other software that supports wildcards, and they are escaped (with the backslashes) because we want them to be interpreted as such by find, not by the shell. So the syntax is 'find $location $pattern $options', but find can do a lot more, as long as you know its' powers. So...well, you know, and I repeated myself already.
Depending on your feedback, we might publish a part four of this series.


The sunny hills of Emilia are home to the Malvasia di Candia grapes that give life to this intensely flavored, aromatic wine. It's the fruit of thousands of years of viticulture, a classic white wine from Emilia, always accompanied by Parma cuisine and ever ready to live up to its excellent reputation. The high quality of this wine makes it a decisively modern expression of Parma winemaking and it's sure to thrill the palate in any context or situation.
Aromatic and complex, with hints of fresh flowers, green apple, white peach, and tropical fruit. Splendid herbaceous aromas, ranging from sage to rosemary, and a delicate balsamic note.
Very intense flavor with an excellent balance of smooth texture and acidity. Delightfully savory in character, with harmonious, decisive character.


See the sights and have fun in Caloundra without spending extra on your accommodation and transportation. Travelling with a campervan and motorhome rental is the perfect way to explore the Sunshine Coast. VroomVroomVroom compares quality, reliable campers from Australia's top RV suppliers, allowing you to travel comfortably at your own pace. We help you find the cheapest rates on campervans without incurring any hidden charges. Try our user-friendly booking system and find the perfect motorhome rental for your visit to Caloundra.
As the winter playground of the Sunshine Coast, there is never a bad time to visit sunny Caloundra. If you love nature, great tasting food, boating, fishing, surfing and waterskiing than Caloundra is the destination for you. The city gives visitors easy access to Brisbane, the renowned Bribie Island as well as many other fantastic beaches along the coast. If you'd like to read more about things you can do on the Sunshine Coast, or share some travel tips of your own, click here.
There are many depots across Australia where you can collect a campervan. Check out the map below to see where you can conveniently collect your next campervan hire.
Caloundra Waterfront Holiday Park is children friendly and has barbecue facilities, a boat ramp, camp kitchen, car parking spaces, communal shower, cots, gardens, high chair, wireless Internet access, iron, laundry, outdoor furniture and outdoor swimming pool. Powered sites, cabins and villas are available on site. Find the holiday park at 44 Maloja Avenue in Caloundra, close to the town's beaches, parks and shops.
Dicky Beach Family Holiday Park is situated at 1 Beerburrum Street in Caloundra. It faces the beach and is also not too far from the heart of the town. It offers unpowered sites, powered beach sites; powered sites and self contained units. Its campsite facilities include a barbecue area, camp kitchen, car parking spaces, equipment hire, recreation room, kiosk, outdoor furniture, ice, iron, satellite television, playground, pets, public telephone, shop, tour desk, outdoor swimming pool and full size tennis court.
Bulcock Street Markets face the beach and take place every Sunday from 8am until 1pm. Having breakfast under the trees in Bulcock Street and shopping for local fresh produce, arts, food and crafts at the street market is a popular activity for both tourists and locals.
Caloundra Coastal Walk stretches 25 kilometers across Caloundra. See some of the most picturesque shoreline in Queensland, many popular Sunshine Coast beaches and historical sites like the World War II Military Jetty and the wreck of SS Dicky. The path is open 24/7 and is child and pet friendly.
Caloundra Country Markets are located at Arthur Street. The market takes place every Sunday from 7am until 12pm at Centre Park. The Dicky Beach Surf Life Saving Club manages the markets which caters to children, pets and guests with a disability. It offers a bicycle rack, cafe, car parking spaces, wheelchair access, picnic area, shaded area, walking tracks, visitor information centre, public toilet, disabled toilet facilities and child activities.
Caloundra Regional Art Gallery lies within the 1970 building at Felicity House. The gallery homes a wide range of locally made visual artworks and aims to preserve the region's civic and cultural heritage. The gallery caters to guests with a disability and is open from 10am to 4pm from Wednesday to Sunday.
Skidaddle Indoor Play Centre is situated at 2 Sydal Street in Caloundra. The centre caters to children from zero to 12 years old with its clean and friendly environment. The venue has two large party rooms, an on-site cafe, play stations, fenced toddler area, ball pit, soft slide, wireless Internet access and the chance for parents to relax while having fun with their children.
By helping rental companies transport their vehicles to other destinations you could enjoy huge savings on your transportation costs. The rates can go as low as one dollar! Click this to view the list of vehicles ready for transport.


The inaugural TedxGreenville was more fun than we can put into words, although we're still trying. There was a fabulous team, terrific presenters, and a lively, engaged audience. We are still buzzing (and twittering) about it. Until we come up with more words to describe what a fantastic day it was, we'll share Patrick Greer's photos from the day. Enjoy!


text:
WATCH | The natural hair advocate untangling stigma and instilling self-love
By beautiful news sa - 08 December 2020 - 07:00
"Natural hair is not a statement," Celine Bocks says. "It's the closest thing I can get to being myself."
Bocks is not a hairstylist, but a healer. For decades of South Africa's history, natural hair was stigmatised and treated as inferior.
People of colour are still impacted by this today. "Growing up with kinky hair was a difficult journey because people are just looking down at you," Bocks says.
Now, she's fighting back with the most powerful weapon – love.
Bocks started the Citrusdal Natural Hair Beauties group with her sister to instil dignity and worth in her community.
Brought to you by Beautiful News
Through this initiative, Bocks offers workshops where girls are taught how to nurture their hair.
"The best hair is healthy hair," she says. Untangling harmful perceptions, Bocks is sending lies about cultural identity down the drain and helping youth embrace themselves.
As well as practical know-how, the girls are equipped with the emotional tools to bolster their self-esteem.
"I want the next generation to love their hair," Bocks says. She's empowering her community to celebrate their hair as it is – a glorious crown.
"You don't have to pretend to be someone else," Bocks says. "Just be you."
PODCAST |Behind the Hustle
Sebenza: Behind the Hustle is a podcast that unravels the work that goes into the most inspiring careers and difficult journeys that aim to educate, ...
WATCH | This triathlete is going the distance to destigmatise addiction
Going for a Sunday morning run is nothing short of remarkable for Costa Carastavrakis.


text:
Верда́ль () — муніципалітет у Франції, у регіоні Окситанія, департамент Тарн. Населення —  осіб (2011).

Муніципалітет розташований на відстані близько 600 км на південь від Парижа, 60 км на схід від Тулузи, 50 км на південь від Альбі.

Історія

До 2015 року муніципалітет перебував у складі регіону Південь-Піренеї. Від 1 січня 2016 року належить до нового об'єднаного регіону Окситанія.

Демографія

Розподіл населення за віком та статтю (2006):

Економіка
У 2007 році серед 614 осіб у працездатному віці (15-64 років) 416 були активні, 198 — неактивні (показник активності 67,8%, у 1999 році було 72,8%). З 416 активних працювало 356 осіб (204 чоловіки та 152 жінки), безробітних було 60 (24 чоловіки та 36 жінок). Серед 198 неактивних 99 осіб було учнями чи студентами, 35 — пенсіонерами, 64 були неактивними з інших причин.

У 2010 році в муніципалітеті числилось 338 оподаткованих домогосподарств, у яких проживали 862,5 особи, медіана доходів виносила  євро на одного особоспоживача

Посилання

 Вердаль на сайті французького Національного інституту географії
 Вердаль на сайті французького Національного інституту статистики й економічних досліджень
 Вердаль на сайті Quid (загальні відомості, історія, пам'ятки, фото, адреси)
 [ Розташування муніципалітету Вердаль на мапі Франції та сусідні муніципалітети]
 Мапа муніципалітету Вердаль на сайті Mapquest

Див. також
 Список муніципалітетів департаменту Тарн

Примітки

Муніципалітети департаменту Тарн

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Nimoy Is Gone, But Mr. Spock WIll Live Forever
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Mr. Spock is not dead. He's a character who will continue to appear in films and other media, some even not yet invented. But Leonard Nimoy, who died yesterday at the age of 83, was not only the man who first played Spock, but a man of the theater who defined a character that has become for many as familiar as Sherlock Holmes - Spock, the pointy-eared man from the planet Vulcan, first officer of The Enterprise, who ruled his life with icy, unsmiling logic and upraised eyebrows.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "STAR TREK")
NICHELLE NICHOLS: (As Uhura) Mr. Spock, are you all right?
LEONARD NIMOY: (As Mr. Spock) Yes, I believe no permanent damage was done.
NICHOLS: (As Uhura) What happened?
NIMOY: (As Mr. Spock) The occipital area of my head seems to have impacted with the arm of the chair.
NICHOLS: (As Uhura) No, Mr. Spock. I meant what happened to us?
NIMOY: (As Mr. Spock) That we have yet to ascertain.
SIMON: Spock had a Vulcan father but a human mother. And sometimes, under the pressure of the mission to boldly go where no man has gone before, his impassive mask of logic cracked - almost.
NIMOY: (As Mr. Spock) I'm in control of my emotions (crying) control my emotions.
SIMON: Leonard Nimoy himself devised two of the gestures to define Spock. The script of an early episode of the "Star Trek" TV series called for him to punch a bad guy. Leonard Nimoy thought that didn't suit Spock, so he created the Vulcan nerve pinch that could level a bad guy with just a light touch of two fingers. It was the man of logic's knockout punch. Then there was...
NIMOY: (As Mr. Spock) Live long and prosper.
SIMON: The Vulcan salute - a play of fingers on an upraised hand that Leonard Nimoy said he based on a blessing he'd seen in his Orthodox synagogue as a boy. Gifted actors give flesh to a character with that kind of gesture. The original "Star Trek" TV series ran for just three seasons, and several of the actors had problems returning to Earth. They felt typecast and depressed. Leonard Nimoy - sorry, but it's irresistible - lived long and prospered. In the years that passed between "Star Trek's" cancellation and its reboot, Leonard Nimoy starred in dozens of other TV shows. He directed movies, wrote memoirs and poetry and became an accomplished photographer and philanthropist. He toured as Tevye in "Fiddler On The Roof," and he recorded a couple of albums.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PROUD MARY")
NIMOY: (Singing) Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river.
SIMON: I sat next to Leonard Nimoy at an awards dinner once and asked about his music, which was often mocked. He narrowed his eyebrows Vulcan-like, but said with Spockian logic, who cares about critics? They don't pay anyway. Some actors bemoan becoming rich and famous for a single role. A professional is proud of their range. But Leonard Nimoy seemed to appreciate how "Star Trek" fired so many imaginations around the world and over decades. There's a scene toward the end of the 2009 "Star Trek" film in which Zachary Quinto, who now plays Spock, encounters his older self, Spock embodied by Leonard Nimoy. The metaphysics get a little confused, but wise, old Spock, who's been around the heavens, advises his younger self to continue his mission among the stars.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "STAR TREK")
NIMOY: (As Spock Prime) Spock, in this case, do yourself a favor - put aside logic. Do what feels right. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


Ms. Megan Palombella is a bilingual special education teacher at Jefferson Early Childhood in District 200.
The WWEA recognizes outstanding members in the WWS PE/Health Department.
Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 board of education members discuss proposed change in the enrollment strategy at the Covered Bridges Apartment Complex in Carol Stream.
District 200's Superintendent speaks about online learning.
It is important that our schools, parents and other service providers work together to lay a solid foundation for every child in our community.


text:
Berkshire Eagle To Cut Two Days Of Print Edition
New England Public Media | By Alden Bourne
Creative Commons/https://flic.kr/p/ovf3tn
The Berkshire Eagle Building in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
In October, The Berkshire Eagle will eliminate its Monday and Sunday hard copy papers.
On Mondays, it will offer a new online version. The Sunday paper will be folded into a weekend edition delivered on Saturday.
Kevin Moran, the executive editor for New England Newspapers, which owns the Eagle, said the move towards more digital and less print was accelerated by the pandemic.
"COVID-19 really put a chilling effect on some of our advertising revenue," Moran said. "But on the second hand, ever since the middle of March, we've seen a really big increase in our digital-only subscriptions."
Moran said no layoffs are planned as a result of the changes. He said staff were required to take two unpaid weeks in the spring and summer.
Two other papers owned by the parent company, the Bennington Banner and Brattleboro Reformer, will also move to a five-day schedule for print editions.
Regional NewsBUSINESS & ECONOMYREGIONAL NEWSMEDIAWESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
Alden Bourne
Before joining New England Public Media, Alden was a producer for the CBS NEWS program 60 Minutes. In that role, he covered topics ranging from art, music and medicine to business, education, and politics. Working with correspondent Morley Safer, he reported from locations across the United States as well as from India, Costa Rica, Italy, and Iraq.
See stories by Alden Bourne
Athol Daily News Cuts Back Production, Will Deliver By Mail
Kari Njiiri
A newspaper serving the North Quabbin region of central Massachusetts for more than eight decades is reducing its publication schedule. Starting this…
Layoffs And Other Cuts At Local Papers As Advertising Plunges During Crisis
Adam Frenier
The COVID-19 outbreak is taking its toll on some newspapers in New England. Already-sagging advertising revenues have dipped even more. That's led to…
Daily Hampshire Gazette Selling Building, Plans To Stay In Northampton
The owner of The Daily Hampshire Gazette is putting its 45,000-square-foot headquarters in Northampton, Massachusetts, up for sale. But it plans to keep…


text:
Congress' Gopalakrishna surrenders over murder conspiracy, gets out on bail
Police said that Gopalakrishna had been absconding since Wednesday after an FIR was registered against him in Rajanukunte police station, based on the MLA's complaint.
Published: 04th December 2021 05:44 AM | Last Updated: 04th December 2021 05:44 AM | A+A A-
Image used for representational purpose. (File Photo)
BENGALURU: Yelahanka BJP MLA SR Vishwanath's political rival Gopalakrishna of the Congress, who allegedly conspired to murder the former, surrendered before a court on Friday and was released on bail. Another accused, Kulla Devaraj, was also granted bail by the court.
"He was served a notice to appear before the police but he had not turned up for inquiry. While the police were looking for him, he surrendered before the Second Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) court in Doddaballapur at around noon," a senior police officer said.
Gopalakrishna also moved a bail petition and the court granted him conditional bail. Meanwhile, Kulla Devaraj, who was arrested by the Rajanukunte police on Thursday, was produced before the Second ACJM court and was granted bail.
"Both the accused have been granted bail on the condition that they have to cooperate with the investigation. While we have already recorded Devaraj's statement, Gopalakrishna will be summoned again and questioned about his involvement in the case," the officer added.


text:
Friday, December 9, 2016, 11:45
Admiral opposes 'unsafe' actions in S. China Sea
By Zhao Lei
Work on the Nansha Islands is legal and also has civilian purposes, navy commander says
Missile frigate Yuncheng launches an anti-ship missile during a military exercise in the water area near South China's Hainan Island and Xisha islands, July 8, 2016. ( Photo / Xinhua)
China firmly opposes interventions in the South China Sea from countries outside the region, the commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy said.
Admiral Wu Shengli also said China opposes unprofessional and unsafe acts by ships or aircraft in the South China Sea as well as attempts to use "freedom of navigation and flight" as an excuse to compromise sovereignty and to destabilize the region.
The construction work on the Nansha Islands, which are our own territory, is completely lawful and reasonable.
Wu Shengli , commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy
"The construction work on the Nansha Islands, which are our own territory, is completely lawful and reasonable. There are defense facilities, but most of the infrastructure on the islands is to serve civilian purposes. They can provide a wider range of public services to neighboring nations and the entire international community," he said.
Wu also suggested that other countries should respect historic facts, resort to negotiation for disputes, enhance mutual trust and personnel exchanges, and improve joint drills.
The admiral made the remarks on Thursday in Beijing at a ceremony held by the PLA Navy to mark the 70th anniversary of China's recovery of the Xisha and Nansha islands from Japanese aggressors.
About 120 senior PLA officers, local government officials, foreign military attaches, and Chinese and foreign experts took part in the ceremony. Li Jingsen, 95, who was an executive officer of a warship 70 years ago, recalled his experiences in the recovery operation.
Wu Shengli, commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy
Earlier this week, United States Senator Marco Rubio introduced a bill, entitled the South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act of 2016, in the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, proposing sanctions against China over its activities in maritime disputes in the East and South China seas, The Diplomat reported.
Last week, Admiral Paul Zukunft, commandant of the US Coast Guard, told Voice of America that he had proposed to the US Department of Defense that his force wants to play a bigger role in patrolling the disputed waters of the South China Sea.
"A strong navy and a strong air force are crucial to safeguarding China's sovereignty in the South China Sea" because a mighty military is a deterrence, Zhou Yongsheng, a professor of international relations at China Foreign Affairs University, told the audience at the ceremony on Thursday.
"Therefore, China must continue to strengthen its military capabilities, especially those of the air force and the navy, for long-range projection and striking," he explained.
Rear Admiral Yang Yi, former director of the Institute for Strategic Studies at the PLA National Defense University, wrote in Thursday's Global Times that the Chinese military is ready to handle armed provocations challenging China's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn
Home sweet home for the aged
Chinese Phones? In America?
The ridge of all ridges
All about the reservoirs
Path set for stable, healthy growth
UN urged to be conducive on DPRK
China confident of economic development
Economy still strong despite yuan's fall
Hong Kong CE won't seek re-election
Russia doping: 1,000 athletes 'involved'
HK tightens rules for public housing
Central govt fully backs CE
Japan launches supplies to space station
Retired judge first to join CE race
Plunging into cold water
Festivals get UNESCO nod
Dancing in Kremlin
Shinkai-style animations bringing warmth to life


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Black and Decker LBXR20 20 Volt Max Li-Ion Battery This tool is in like new condition and comes with our 30 day guarantee.
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text:
Q: How to count occurrence of substring elements in string in python (even when repeated)? I tried the following code
s = "BANANA"
print(s.count('ANA'))
>> 1

The output was 1. It did not consider A which was previously counted.
I want the output to be 2 since 'ANA' occurs twice. Ia their a function I don't know about.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Description: McClellan stands with a rifle in one hand and a duck in the other. The bird's body reads, "Major General $8, 000." Another duck labelled, "Presidency" is flying into the background over a "Salt River." The smoke coming from the rifle's barrel reads, "Hem! — Well a Bird in the hand is worth two in a Bush." McClellan had lost the 1864 presidential election to Lincoln. He retained his generalship so that he would continue to have an income even if he had no post.


Donuts are like steaks to me, if I could eat one (or more) every day I would. They both are often coated on the outside with some sort of seasoning and then cooked to perfection on the inside. Steaks, like donuts, consumed in vast quantity are probably not good for you, but when done right both are little bites of heaven in your mouth. I tend to gravitate to a good old fashioned glazed donut by default, but I do not discriminate against iced, filled, or sprinkled varieties.
Lately I have had a hankering for donuts even more so than normal and that means I've been trying places I haven't tried before and the result is a new Top 10 list for my fellow Kansas Citians. Donut shops are everywhere, and like dive bars there are plenty in town that I've never heard of, let alone been to. So if I'm leaving one off this list that you think NEEDS to be included, go ahead and comment on this post and I'll make it a point to get there and try it out.
4. Lamar's Donuts – Various Locations. If the original location on Linwood were still open, it would be #1 on the list by itself. Not all Lamar's are the same, but the locations in Mission at 5901 Johnson Dr. and near the original at 3395 Main St are our two favorite.
First of all, thanks for the list. I love new ideas for some of my favorite foods. Would you mind some respectful rebuttal?
Johns Space Age is ok. They consistency is not good enough for the Hall of Fame. Sometimes the fritters are almost burned. I HATE 21st century businesses that don't take plastic. It's a tax dodge to the inconvenience of customers.


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DVD REVIEW: WONDER WOMAN
There are many people in this world that can remember as a child on of their favorite superheroes of all time. Whether it was Batman, Superman or Aqua man there is at least one character that everyone could name from when they watched it as a child. As for me, my favorite superhero was Wonder Woman. Growing up as a young girl I use to dream of being like her. Wonder Woman represents strength, courage, heroism, and attitude toward others, and gives females the ability to show that we could also play in the league that it is for most of the time dominated by males.
The story begins when a war breaks out against the Queen of the Amazon named Hippolyta and the God of War named Ares. Hippolyta was betrayed by Ares, son of Zeus, who tricked her into doing something for him. When Hippolyta came close to ending Ares life Zeus interferes to spare his son from being slain by her. When Zeus stopped Hippolyta, Hera decided to make Ares mortal to contain him from causing chaos by putting bands on him so he will no longer consumer energy from hatred. After many years have passed Ares is now free and will bring more chaos once again but this time Wonder Woman will put an end to Ares mass destruction.
The character of Wonder Woman voiced by Keri Russell in the movie did an outstanding job playing her role. Rosario Dawson did an awesome job playing the voice of Artemis. Dawson truly fit the part for it, with he personality and charisma. Alfred Molina also did a spectacular job playing the voice of Ares, son of Zeus. He gave his part that wicked and destructive feeling that made you feel like playing the game "God of War." The director did an excellent job creating this movie. I think it's as good as Batman the Gotham Knight or Superman Doom. Wonder Woman might not be as all the other males superheroes, but she has proved over all this years that she is as powerful and dependable as her male counter parts. This story is animated just beautifully, with magical creatures, beast, gods, and technology, and what I liked the most is that it keeps loyal to the original story, it makes tribute to Greek mythology without altering it. It is both fresh and reassuring worthy to be added to any DC comics. I recommend this DVD to any superhero fans, regardless if you know or not the story, this is a nice introduction for a heroine who has been underestimated in recent years. I think this DVD will attract anyone from all ages regardless of if you're a fan or maybe your have a thing for Wonder Woman.
English 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles - English French
SPECIAL FEATURES: The DVD version of this movie is very well design. The case and the cover are as good as the special effects nonetheless, the special features are as good as the movie itself: They don't disappoint. It only comes with three features and a bunch of previews.
Audio Commentary: this is a presentation by the creators and master minds behind Wonder Woman. This audio commentary explains how it was first approached. (1:13:30)
A First Look at the Animated Feature Film Green Lantern: This special feature talk about the next animated featured file The Green Lantern. They talk about how the Green Lantern become who he is and how he is known. (10:11)
From Graphic Novel to Original Animated Movie-Justice League: The New Frontier: this feature tells you about the New Frontier comic that represent a unique opportunity for a cross over talent by one of the creators that will come to screen. (10:44)
Wonder Woman: The Amazon Princess- this feature talks about how Wonder Woman first came about back in the 1941 when a woman's world was to be at home until woman started taking on the role of men. (10:25)
Batman Gotham Knight: An Anime Evolution- this special feature shows you the sneak peek of Batman who was introduced in the late 1930 early 40's and how he started shaping his world. (10:09)
Trailers:
Lego Batman: This feature shows you about two hero's and a town full of villains that run loose and a choice between good and evil. (1:15)
Ink heart "Look for It on Blu-Ray and DVD": this feature tells you about a journey to a world where adventure lives on every page. (0:32)
Scooby-Doo and The Samurai Sword: this feature show you about the mystery gang that visit Tokyo to solve the mystery of the Ghost of the Samurai. (0:56)
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest: this feature shows you about the adventure of Jonny Quest as he travel the world that will be new to come on DVD. (0:59)
Review By Dee
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Director: Lauren Montgomery
Writer: Michael Jelenic
Genre: Animated Action Adventure
Duration: 1hr 22mins
Staring: Keri Russell
Producer: Bruce W. Timm
Distributor: WARNER VIDEO
Rating: PG-13 for violence throughout and
some suggestive material.
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BANGLA AMAR BHALOBHASHA | বাংলা আমার ভালোভাষা | DOHAR | KALIKAPRASAD - Duration: 4 minutes, 32 seconds.
KOTHA GO MAA TARINI | DOHAR | DURGAR BAROMAISHYA - Duration: 4 minutes, 3 seconds.
DOHAR | PREMERO JOARE | RABINDRA SANGEET | KALIKAPRASAD - Duration: 3 minutes, 37 seconds.
DOHAR | LOKODWANI | SARINDA | FOLK INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITION - Duration: 108 seconds.
It is a instrumental production of Dohar ( A group of folk musicians). In this track we are featuring the instrument SARINDA.
DOHAR | JARE BOLCHO MAGI MAGI | LALON FAKIR | KALIKAPRASAD - Duration: 5 minutes, 27 seconds.
DOHAR | UNISHER DAAK | উনিশের ডাক - ভাষার জন্য এপার ওপার - Duration: 12 minutes.
DOHAR | LOKODWANI | SOUNDSCAPE OF JARI | FOLK INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITION - Duration: 9 minutes, 14 seconds.
LOKODWANI, the first Bengali folk instrumental concert (A Dohar Initiative).
DOHAR | SUYA URILO | 1000th stage show of DOHAR - Duration: 3 minutes, 21 seconds.
A traditonal Bengali dehatatta folk song from Sylhet, Bangladesh.
A DOHAR (A group of Folk Musicians) production.
DOHAR | BIHU SONG | 1000th Stage Show of DOHAR - Duration: 3 minutes, 20 seconds.
DOHAR | GOURI ELO | KALIKAPRASAD | PART 2 - Duration: 88 seconds.
DOHAR | GOURI ELO | KALIKAPRASAD | PART 1 - Duration: 4 minutes, 46 seconds.


Canadian cannabis producer Cronos Group announced Friday that it will receive a $2.4 billion equity investment from Altria Group, the maker of Marlboro cigarettes.
Cronos had previously confirmed reports that it was in talks with Altria, which joins Molson Coors, Constellation Brands, and other established companies that are making moves in the cannabis space.
For its initial investment, the tobacco giant will acquire a 45% ownership stake in Cronos. The arrangement also allows for Altria to invest up to a further $1.4 billion to increase its ownership stake in Cronos to 55%.
The deal will leverage Altria's decades of experience navigating the complex regulatory landscape, government affairs, compliance, and brand management. Tapping into Altria's expertise in product development, Chronos also expects to expand its product offerings including device technologies such as cannabis vape products, as regulations permit.
Yay. Big tobacco is now involved with cannabis.
They go together like Trump and Gandhi.
marlboro will turn a harmless plant into a killer weed within a year.
marlboro will try and put something in the cannabis to try and improve what mother nature has given us.
greed has taken over just like the cartel in mexico.
Finally a cigarette that won't kill you if made with marijuana, unless your fenn and got to have your 20 packs a day like a lot of marijuana smokers one after another, chainsmokers. You know the kind one joint's not enough, with me if the THC is good one joint in the morning good for most of the day and one in the evening after a good supper, if it's good I don't abuse it.


It has been a while since my last update. I have not, as some sources suggest, been 'disappeared' by con artists I've upset. Instead I've been deep in rehearsal for my new show at Melbourne Magic Festival, Deceptology. And I've bitten off more than I can chew.
Every year, dozens of magicians from around the world take part in the magic festival and so, every year, I do my best to stand out from the pack.
This year I decided to feature not just my favourite scams and illusions but to explore why we get fooled by them.
After my discussions with neuroscientists Susana Conde-Martinez and Stephen Macknik on Scamapalooza, I became obsessed with the neurological functions that cause our brains to be fooled.
I read and reread their papers, their articles and their books. I spoke with researchers at Monash University here in Melbourne. And I listened to TedTalks. So many terrible TedTalks.
The end result is a sixty minute mix of magic, science, scams, shadow puppetry and chocolate biscuits in the shape of cat poo.
I discovered that ventriloquists fool our ears because our eyes see the puppet's mouth move leading our brain to assign the sound we hear to the puppet in a process called cross modal perception.
I learned about hypothetical projection, a function of the brain that causes as to see what we expect to see next, not what is really there, causing us to see objects vanish in midair that never left the magician's hands.
I learned that if you put too much butter in your cat poo biscuits they melt and look even more disgusting.
I'll be testing the show this evening in front of a group of friends, magicians and scientists before opening on 28 June at Northcote Town Hall.
Now I need to go lie down.
Nicholas J. Johnson is a Melbourne Magician, author and collector of scams.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


All our facials begin with a wonderfully relaxing welcome massage of the shoulders, décolleté, neck and scalp. You have a choice of foot or hand massage with all our facials.
We offer a wide range of anti-ageing treatments for lines wrinkles, pigmentation and red veins.
You can pop into the salon, A member of our staff will be happy to assist you.
Alternatively, call Olympia on 0191 5658812 and we can post your gift voucher to you or the recipient.


In a relatively short period of time, the Internet has had an amazing impact on almost every facet of our lives. With it, we are able access to new ideas, more information, unlimited possibilities, and a whole new world of communities. It has grown and evolved to influence how we interact, how we conduct business, how we learn, and how we proceed day to day. And as much as it has changed our lives, in the process, the Internet itself has changed too. The Internet has revolutionized the computer and communications world like nothing before.
The history of the Internet in India started with launch of services by VSNL on 15 August 1995. They were able to add about 10,000 Internet users within 6 months. However, for the next 10 years the Internet experience in the country remained less attractive with narrow-band connections having speeds less than 56 kbit/s (dial-up).The gift of dial up internet connection was first rolled out in six Indian Cities.
It was during this time that a young man from Rajasthan with no prior experience in IT industry thought of making it big in Indian Growth Story of Internet. He was none other than Dr. Ajay Data. Dr. Data had completed his graduation and was assisting his dad in the Family Business of Oil. But his true calling was lying somewhere else.
One of the other high point of the journey is that Dr. Data was the first person in the state to come up with Cyber Café culture. In that period, it was a costly affair and was limited to few. The riches, the heavy-pocketed college guys and girls had enjoyed this facility.
But Dr. Data was not kind of man who would rest on his laurels. He realised the value of usage email as the basic form of communication, and started working on the idea. He along with two of his other colleagues and a seed capital of Rs. 1 lakh started working on a software, that would enable fast retrieving of data and users would get to enjoy other multipurpose features. This gave rise to a very efficient email service XGen Plus Technologies, an advanced email server.
It is due to complete dedication and the urge to realise his dream of making his mother state a tech savvy state, Dr. Data has taken DATA INFOSYS has carved a niche for itself in the competitive information technology world and offers services successfully to more than 2.5 lac internet subscribers and 250+ corporate in the country and abroad.
Some of the other major achievements have been developing anti-spam software products, such as Spamjadoo, for IT consultancies and large call centres. Spamjadoo.com was patented in the US in 2002 and is now offered by companies like IBM, NICSI and MTNL. The company was the first to roll out Wi-Fi in Jaipur and online ticketing systems for Rajasthan tourism and the state's forest department. The company has completed 15 years of its operations, and has a strength of 100+ employees.
The most important factor contributing to the success of Data Infosys is the mutual trust between the client, team and the management of the Company. Our process centric approach to projects, our people, our work culture all combine to form a close relationship with our customers which helps us deliver software and applications that are successful even before they are launched. Our customers know this very well and opt to stay with us for years. That's why most of our major customers are our oldest customers, over six years since we signed our first contract with them.
The second factor that is needed for the success is the proper knowledge management and we stand as a leader with this concern also.
According to latest TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority in India) report the company is enjoying the position of the 6th Largest Internet Service Provider in India. The service portfolio of the company has increased to offer high tech services like Dialup, Brodband, ISDN, WLL and Leased Circuits. We also possess years of experience in developing solutions for VPN, Extranet, Internet, Network Solutions, and e-commerce including payment gateway. It has VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), WAP (Wireless Application Protocol), UMS (Unified Messaging Services), Call Centers and Transcriptions.
DATA INFOSYS is among the largest and most respected ISP providers in India. Its Founder and CEO, Dr. AJAY DATA, has humbly attributed his success to being at the right place at the right time.
Kudos to the makers of Cyber World in Rajasthan!!!!


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Mrs Tague has been with WMG Academy since its launch and she now oversees the running of both academies – Coventry and Solihull.
Mrs Tague says: "It is my job as Executive Principal to make sure that every student, upon leaving WMG Academy, is well-equipped to progress to the next stage of their career, whether that's into further education, an apprenticeship, a degree or employment.
Stewart Tait oversees the day-to-day running of WMG Academy Solihull.


This past weekend two lovely customers of ours installed their very own custom wall mural. They were very excited and documented the whole process for us.(Watch time lapse video below) Marianne and Tom's Dog (Bonnie) in the corner just hanging out and observing the install is one of our favorite parts!
Marianne also wrote a very kind letter to one of your designers and gave an excellent review.
"We are renters in a home that has a big white wall. We are limited to what we can put up. We want our security deposit back. NinjaPaper is a great option for adding some personal flare to a blank wall."
Custom Wall Mural Installation by NinjaPaper | Removable Wallpaper from Removable Wallpaper on Vimeo.
WOW, I did not expect the mural to go up that easy!
We received or order on a Monday and removed it from the tube. We then laid the map out for the rest of the week to remove the curl. Saturday morning we washed the wall we wanted the mural to go on, measured, taped up the mural, removed the adhesive tape on the back and whaalaa it was up. It was that simple.
One key tip I would like to add was the tape hinge at the corners. This was recommended by the customer service at NinjaPaper. It made removing the adhesive backing much easier while the mural remained taped to the wall.
I am putting in another order for a headboard backing for one of the bedrooms.
We love to hear about how much people enjoy our murals and patterns. We can't wait to see what they have planned next. Thanks Marianne and Tom for being an enthusiastic customer and sending us this content! You are TRULY the definition of NINJAS!!