text:
Carl J. Hartmann III | Attorney
HOME BACKGROUND CASES REFERENCES PRESS CONTACT US
FOR THE DISTRICT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS,
DIVISION OF ST. THOMAS AND ST. JOHN,
APPELLATE DIVISION
WALTER FEDDERSEN, Plaintiff/Appellant,
FRAUKE FEDDERSEN, Defendant/Appellee.
D.C. Civ. App. No. 1995/185
68 F. Supp. 2d 585;
1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14240; 41 V.I. 230
April 21, 1999, Argued
September 10, 1999, Filed
COUNSEL:
Henry L. Feuerzeig, Esq., Simone R.D. Francis, Esq., St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., for Appellant.
Carl J. Hartman III, Esq., Paul J. Ruskin, Esq., Kevin A. Rames, Esq., St. Croix, U.S.V.I., for Appellee.
RAYMOND L. FINCH, Judge of the District Court of the Virgin Islands; STANLEY S. BROTMAN, Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Sitting by Designation; and EDGAR D. ROSS, Territorial Court Judge, Division of St. Croix, Sitting by Designation.
OPINION OF THE COURT
This appeal arose out of an action for divorce. The issues presented are: 1) whether the trial court erred in finding that the breakdown of [**2] the marriage was caused by Walter Feddersen's extramarital affair; 2) whether the court erred in awarding Frauke Feddersen a seventy-five percent (75%) interest in the parties' marital homestead; 3) whether the court abused its discretion in awarding Frauke Feddersen alimony in the amount of $ 223,742.63 and costs and fees in the amount of $ 77,605.10; and finally 4) whether the court erred in awarding Frauke Feddersen an interest in MAFF, Inc., MAFF II, Inc., Walter Feddersen Construction, and Atlantic Trading Company, Inc. For the reasons stated in this opinion, the judgment of the Territorial Court will be affirmed.
I. FACTS
Walter Feddersen ["Mr. Feddersen" or "appellant"] and Frauke Pohns Feddersen ["Mrs. Feddersen" or "appellee"] [collectively referred to as "the Feddersens"] began dating in Hamburg, Germany in 1963, and were married on February 6, 1970 in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Two sons were born of the marriage: Falk in 1971, and Kirst in 1972. In the beginning, Mr. Feddersen worked on a charter boat, in construction, and as a toolmaker. Later, Mr. Feddersen formed Walter Feddersen Construction ["WFC"] and invested in several other business ventures. [**3] Mrs. Feddersen initially worked in the charter industry, and then as a legal secretary and title searcher. She subsequently worked as a real estate broker in the early 1980s.
The Feddersens' marriage eventually became strained with frequent arguments and an apparent inability to communicate effectively. After attending marital counseling sessions and making several attempts at reconciliation, they separated on April 1, 1990. Mr. Feddersen concluded that the breakdown of the marriage was irreparable and filed for divorce on June 28, 1991.
Mr. Feddersen's Complaint alleged, inter alia, that with him as a contractor, and Mrs. Feddersen as a real estate broker, neither would be in need of alimony. The Complaint sought an equal division of both the marital abode at No. 7-O Estate Nazareth and jointly owned personal property in his wife's possession. Mr. Feddersen made little or no mention of the substantial assets acquired during the marriage, and essentially sought to have both parties go their separate ways after division of the marital homestead.
Mrs. Feddersen contested the divorce alleging that the breakdown of the marriage was caused by appellant's "unabated affair with a woman [**4] since April 1988." (Joint Appendix ["J.A."], Vol. I at 26.) She also argued that while appellant was capable of supporting himself, she was entitled to alimony to maintain the lifestyle to which she had become accustomed. Mrs. Feddersen further argued that her husband's equity in the marital abode should be substantially reduced to no more than twenty-five percent (25%) of its value because his affair was the proximate cause of the breakdown of the marriage. Finally, Mrs. Feddersen argued that the substantial assets and personal property acquired during the marriage should be equitably divided by the court. Clearly, a chasm divided these parties in terms of the relief sought.
In addition to her answer and counterclaim, Mrs. Feddersen filed a Verified Complaint (Terr. Ct. Civ. No. 938/1991) against Walter Feddersen, Walter Feddersen Construction, Inc., MAFF, Inc., MAFF II, Inc., The Cove at Smith Bay (a limited partnership), Atlantic Trading Co., Inc. and VM/EASE, Inc. n2 seeking, inter alia, partition and requesting that the court declare her interest in all of these companies and their assets. Mrs. Feddersen [*589] also sought to have this matter consolidated with the divorce. That [**5] request for consolidation was denied in part, and granted only to the extent that "the issues of the values of all real and personal property owned by the parties are consolidated and determinations as to those matters made in this action [for partition] shall be applicable" to the divorce action. (Id. at 51.)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Footnotes- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
n2 VM/EASE, Inc. is no longer in existence. (J.A., Vol. II at 701-04.)
- - - - - - - - - - - -End Footnotes- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mr. Feddersen amended his complaint on or about December 9, 1992 adding that "as the deterioration of the marriage was caused by the defendant's continuous mental cruelty and verbal abuse inflicted on the plaintiff since 1985, including unwarranted public and private screaming fits, name-calling, physical attacks, and the repeated and prolonged refusal of sexual relations, the plaintiff is entitled to at least a 75% interest in the marital homestead." (Id. at 48, 408-09.)
The trial court heard argument and testimony in this matter on thirteen different occasions before entering a decree of divorce on December 2, 1993. n3 The [**6] December 2nd decree stated that the court would address, at a later date, whether the breakdown of the marriage was due to Walter Feddersen's marital fault or misconduct, and, if so, to what extent fault would affect the disposition of the marital homestead and remaining issues in the divorce and action for partition.
n3 This matter came on for hearing before the Territorial Court on July 20, 1992, September 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 1993 and October 13, 14, 29, 1993.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -End Footnotes- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
On February 3, 1995, the court placed its findings of fact on the record. n4 It then entered its Supplementary Findings of Fact on February 8, 1995. In that February 8th document, the court found that--despite his secrecy--Mr. Feddersen's income was in excess of Eight Million Dollars ($ 8,000,000). The Court buttressed this finding by noting that Mr. Feddersen's Skyline Drive Condominium project alone earned a profit in excess of One Million Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($ 1,200,000), and he received Two Hundred Twenty-five Thousand Dollars [**7] ($ 225,000) in dividends from MAFF, Inc. for 1991-1992. The court also included revenues earned from rental properties and Mr. Feddersen's Prudential Bache investments in its calculation of income. Then, on April 7, 1995, the trial judge awarded Mrs. Feddersen $ 65,000 in attorney's fees, together with $ 12,605.10 in costs. The trial judge entered a Final Decree of Divorce and Judgment on October 18, 1995 awarding Mrs. Feddersen lump sum alimony in the amount of $ 223,742.63; a seventy-five percent (75%) interest in the former marital abode at 7-0 Estate Nazareth; and a fifty percent (50%) interest in the following:
(1) their jointly held real property; n5
(2) WFC which owns condominiums 2A and 4D Skyline Village, as well as 3Q Estate Bakkeroe and 1D Estate Thomas;
(3) Mr. Feddersen's interest in MAFF, Inc. and MAFF II, Inc.;
(4) all dividends issued to Mr. Feddersen by MAFF, Inc. and MAFF II, Inc.
(5) the sail boat "Hamburg;"
(6) the Atlantic Trading Company
(7) all other personal property, including savings and checking accounts, either in personal or joint names, including but not limited to the Walter Feddersen Construction, Inc. account at [**8] the Bank of Nova Scotia, the Walter and Frauke Feddersen Realty account at Banco Popular, retirement accounts, certificates of deposit, furniture, fixtures, vehicles, and art work.
(J.A., Vol. I at 108-13.) Mr. Feddersen appeals the trial judge's findings of fact, [*590] conclusions of law, and exercise of discretion.
n4 (J.A., Vol. III at 1511-1571.)
n5 The real properties to be jointly owned by the parties as tenants in common are: 1) 9J-2 Estate Nazareth (in pleadings before this Court, appellant has made it clear that the trial judge's disposition of this property is not at issue on appeal); 2) 10P Estate Lerkenlund; 3) 7-P Estate Nazareth; and 4) 6AA-3 Estate Lerkenlund. (J.A., Vol. I at 110.)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -End Footnotes- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
II. DISCUSSION
A. Jurisdiction and Standard of Review
This Court has appellate jurisdiction to review judgments and orders of the territorial court in all civil cases. See V.I. CODE ANN. tit. 4, § 33 (1997 & Supp. 1998); Section 23A of the Revised Organic Act of 1954. n6 Our review of the [**9] Territorial Court's application of legal precepts is plenary, and findings of fact are reviewed under a clearly erroneous standard. See Prosser v. Prosser, 34 V.I. 139, 144, 921 F. Supp. 1428, 1432 (D.V.I. App. Div. 1996); Colombian Emeralds v. Historic Preservation Commission, Civ. No. 93-225, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20754 (D.V.I. App. Div. Dec. 23, 1996). Only where the lower court's finding is unsupported by a credible evidentiary basis will the reviewing court reverse its decision, with due regard being given to the trial judge's opportunity to determine witness credibility. See 4 V.I.C. § 33; see also Rabsatt v. Estate of Savain, 31 V.I. 237, 239, 878 F. Supp. 762, 764 (D.V.I. App. Div. 1995); Mayers v. Mayers, 1986 St. X. Supp. 165, 174 (D.V.I. 1986). The "clearly erroneous" standard protects findings of fact from reversal to a certain extent, but does not apply to findings of law, which are reviewed de novo. See STEVEN A. CHILDRESS & MARTHA S. DAVIS, FEDERAL STANDARDS OF REVIEW § 2.01 (2d ed. 1992). Finally, the trial court's alimony award, and disposition of the marital homestead are reviewed for abuse of discretion. [**10] See Coman v. Coman, 492 F.2d 273, 278 (3d Cir. 1974); Barrows v. Barrows, 489 F.2d 661 (3d Cir. 1974).
n6 The Revised Organic Act of 1954 is found at 48 U.S.C. § 1613a (1994), reprinted in V.I. CODE ANN., Organic Acts, 73-177 (codified as amended) (1995 & Supp. 1998) (preceding V.I. CODE ANN. tit. 1) ["Revised Organic Act"].
B. Whether the Evidence was Sufficient for the Trial Court to Find that the Breakdown of the Marriage was Caused by Mr. Feddersen's Extramarital Relationship.
The Virgin Islands Code provides that fault is a proper consideration in dividing the marital homestead in accordance with the equity of the case. See 33 V.I.C. § 2305(d); Charles v. Charles, 1985 St. T. Supp. 75 (D.V.I. 1985), aff'd, 788 F.2d 960 (3d Cir. 1986). In the divorce decree entered on December 2, 1993, the trial judge stated, inter alia, that he would decide at a later date
whether the breakdown of the marriage [**11] was due to plaintiff's marital fault or misconduct, as that principle is enunciated in Charles v. Charles, 788 F.2d 960 (3d Cir. 1986), and if fault or misconduct occurred, to what extent it directly affects the disposition of the marital home and indirectly affects the remaining issues in the divorce . . . .
(J.A., Vol. I at 65.)
The Feddersens dispute the exact point when they began experiencing marital difficulties. Mr. Feddersen contends that there was serious marital discord from about 1979 or 1980. (J.A., Vol. II at 781.) Mrs. Feddersen, on the other hand, contends that any arguments over the years were no more serious than one would find in any other marriage, but it was her husband's infidelity from 1988 that caused the breakdown of the marriage.
The Feddersens sought marital counseling from as early as 1986 in an attempt to save the marriage. Dr. Daniel J. Robert testified that he counseled the Feddersens between November 1986 and June 1987. In twenty-four individual and joint counseling sessions--two of which included their children--Dr. Robert noted that: 1) although the Feddersens indicated that they loved each other, the state of the marriage [**12] was "pretty bad" in that "the two of them needed some help in communication"; 2) Mrs. Feddersen accused Mr. Feddersen of being a dictator, and not listening to her; and 3) Mr. Feddersen [*591] complained of his inability to have "peace and quiet" and his unwillingness to discuss business at home. Mr. Feddersen also complained of his wife's verbal abuse, screaming, and unwillingness to have sexual relations for extended periods of time. Finally, Dr. Robert noted that both parties were experiencing anger and joint pressure daily while building their home.
Mrs. Feddersen denies withholding sexual relations for extended periods, but says that she did not have sex with her husband if they were angry at each other. However, in a letter written to her husband, Mrs. Feddersen apologized for not being able to fulfill his needs, and said she had "enjoyed being a mother, wife, however inadequate in your opinion, and housemaker." (J.A., Vol. I at 490-94.)
On February 8, 1995, the court concluded that the Feddersens "had a good life together and enjoyed an upper middle class [lifestyle], until Jane Oliver became romantically involved with Walter." (J.A., Vol. I at 102-03.) Based upon our review of [**13] the record, the trial judge's finding that Mr. Feddersen's affair was the cause of the demise of the marriage is not clearly erroneous.
Mr. Feddersen met Jane Oliver ["Jane"] in 1988, and, shortly thereafter, began having an affair. While Mrs. Feddersen vacationed in Maine during the summer of 1988, her husband's affair with Jane continued. In July of 1988, Mr. Feddersen brought Jane to St. Thomas to sail on the Hamburg, a boat he owned jointly with his wife. After Jane left St. Thomas, Mr. Feddersen made frequent calls to her in Fort Lauderdale.
Mrs. Feddersen became suspicious that her husband might be seeing another woman after receiving flowers from him (something she alleges he never did before), noticing telephone calls to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and finding out that, although Mr. Feddersen had borrowed another diving tank and gone sailing for a week, his friend Mario did not accompany him as he had claimed. Mrs. Feddersen tried soliciting information from family friends, Axel and Ursula Wirtman, and Mel Luff regarding her husband's infidelity. Her suspicions were confirmed when Mr. Feddersen admitted having the affair. (J.A., Vol. I at 141, 258, 480, Vol. II at 983, 991.) [**14] Mrs. Feddersen returned from her annual vacation in Maine on August 9th or 10th, 1988, the day before her husband was to fly from St. Thomas to Germany with his friends Dr. Axel Wirtman and Mario. Mrs. Feddersen testified that she and her husband argued about the affair the day she returned from her vacation, but Mr. Feddersen denies that the affair was the basis of the argument. The next day, he left for Germany, and his first stop was in Fort Lauderdale where he again met Jane.
Mrs. Feddersen testified that she was so distraught after learning about the affair that she called Mr. Feddersen constantly while he was in Germany. Mr. Feddersen denies receiving frequent calls from his wife while in Germany, but the parties were in contact because they flew from Germany and St. Thomas respectively, to meet in New York, where they reconciled. Mrs. Feddersen testified that although she and her husband enjoyed some good moments while in New York, she was devastated when he admitted that he did not love her as much as he used to. In public, however, Mrs. Feddersen says that her husband pretended to be very much in love with her. Mr. Feddersen testified that he called Jane to tell her of his [**15] decision to stay with his wife, but the record indicates that he and Jane maintained contact.
Once they returned to St. Thomas, Mrs. Feddersen says her husband was "very preoccupied and at times distant, at times very attentive, seemed very confused, and at times he tried to get out of my way or other times he wanted to do things with me and be with me." (J.A., Vol. II at 1049.) Mrs. Feddersen further testified that because her husband's changing moods made her paranoid, she sought counseling from Nancy Byram for several [*592] months in 1988. n7 Mr. Feddersen attended one counseling session. Mrs. Feddersen tried to accommodate her husband in that she started using hormone patches, traveled a lot with her husband, and got involved in things he liked to do.
n7 Nancy Byram was deceased at the time of trial.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -End Footnotes- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mrs. Feddersen alleges that the marriage deteriorated further once Mr. Feddersen started visiting Jane again in 1989. Mr. Feddersen moved out of the marital homestead for several weeks in 1989, and made his final [**16] move from the marital home in 1990. He commenced divorce proceedings in 1991. Although Mr. Feddersen had left the marital home in 1990, he testified that he sent flowers to his wife as late as 1991. When asked by his counsel, "Considering your testimony of your separations, serious problems from 1988 and before, why were you sending her flowers as late as of 1991?" Mr. Feddersen replied, "Because we basically had a good relationship, you know. The kids were forth and back, that's why. Good relationship." (Id. at 895.)
The trial judge weighed the parties' credibility, and determined that Mr. Feddersen's conduct contributed significantly to the demise of the marriage. The Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has cautioned that:
It is the responsibility of an appellate court to accept the ultimate factual determination of the factfinder unless that determination either (1) is completely devoid of minimum evidentiary support displaying some hue of credibility, or (2) bears no rational relationship to the supportive evidentiary data. Unless the reviewing court establishes the existence of either of these factors, it may not alter the facts found by the trial court. To hold [**17] otherwise would be to permit a substitution by the reviewing court of its finding for that of the trial court, and there is no existing authority for this in the federal judicial system, either by American common law tradition or by rule and statute.
Bloch v. Bloch, 473 F.2d 1067, 1068-69 (3d Cir. 1973). We find that the trial judge's conclusion as to the cause of the breakdown of the marriage is sufficiently supported by the evidence.
C. Whether the Court Erred in Excluding a Portion of Christa Matthews' Testimony.
Christa Matthews ["Ms. Matthews"], a former tenant of the Feddersens, appeared in court to testify on behalf of Mr. Feddersen. Ms. Matthews testified that in 1986, while she rented an apartment downstairs of the Feddersens' residence, she heard two people making love on the balcony upstairs. She says she believed the people to be the Feddersens until learning the next day that Mr. Feddersen was still in Germany. Defense counsel objected to this testimony on grounds that Mr. Feddersen had never raised the issue of infidelity in the two years preceding the trial, and to allow it at that point would be prejudicial to the defendant. Plaintiff's [**18] counsel countered by arguing that Ms. Matthews had appeared on every witness list, thereby allowing the defense ample time to depose her. The judge determined that Ms. Matthews' testimony had no relevancy to the issues before the court.
Although Mr. Feddersen's counsel on appeal argues that the trial court should have allowed an amendment to the pleadings, his trial counsel made it clear that no such amendment was being sought. (J.A., Vol. I at 302.) Instead, Mr. Feddersen's counsel proffered the testimony to rebut the plaintiff's claim that the marriage broke down in 1988 because of Mr. Feddersen's affair. The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure n8 provide in pertinent part that:
[*593] (a) Amendments. A party may amend the party's pleading once as a matter of course at any time before a responsive pleading is served . . . and the action has not been placed upon the trial calendar, the party may so amend . . . . Otherwise a party may amend the party's pleading only by leave of court or by written consent of the adverse party; and leave shall be freely given when justice so requires. . . .
(b) Amendments to Conform to the Evidence. When issues not raised by the pleadings are tried [**19] by express or implied consent of the parties, they shall be treated in all respects as if they had been raised in the pleadings. Such amendment of the pleadings as may be necessary to cause them to conform to the evidence and to raise these issues may be made upon motion of any party at any time, even after judgment; but failure to so amend does not affect the result of the trial of these issues. If evidence is objected to at the trial on the ground that it is not within the issues made by the pleadings, the court may allow the pleadings to be amended and shall do so freely when the presentation of the merits of the action will be subserved thereby and the objecting party fails to satisfy the court that the admission of such evidence would prejudice the party in maintaining the party's action or defense upon the merits. The court may grant a continuance to enable the objecting party to meet such evidence.
(d) Supplemental Pleadings. Upon motion of a party the court may, upon reasonable notice and upon such terms as are just, permit the party to serve a supplemental pleading setting forth transactions or occurrences or events which have happened since the date of the [**20] pleading sought to be supplemented. . . .
FED. R. CIV. P. 15 (emphasis added). After reviewing Rule 15, the trial judge ruled that it did not apply under these circumstances, and "as a matter of fact, I don't even have to get a Rule 15 to try to continue the trial to give the defendant an opportunity to depose the witness. Certainly this is something out of the blue. If I allow this witness to testify . . . then it would make a mockery out of the discovery rules." (J.A., Vol. I at 308.)
n8 Absent local law to the contrary, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure apply in the Territorial Court of the Virgin Islands. TERR. CT. R. 7.
Federal Rule of Evidence 401 defines relevant evidence as "evidence having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more or less probable than it would be without the evidence." Additionally, Rule 403 provides that "although relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by [**21] the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury, or by considerations of undue delay, waste of time, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence."
Evidentiary rulings are reviewed for abuse of discretion, with substantial deference being given to the judge under Federal Rule of Evidence 403. See Hurley v. The Atlantic City Police Dept., 174 F.3d 95, 1999 WL 150301, at *8 (3d Cir. 1999); Ryder v. Westinghouse Elec. Corp., 128 F.3d 128, 132 (3d Cir. 1997); Government of the Virgin Islands v. Archibald, 28 V.I. 228, 987 F.2d 180, 186 (3d Cir. 1993); Dunn v. HOVIC, 28 V.I. 526, 1 F.3d 1362, 1369 (3d Cir. 1993). Where, as in this case, defense counsel did not identify Rule 403 in her objection, but she expressly objected to the evidence as prejudicial, "such an objection was sufficiently specific to meet the requirements of FED. R. EVID. 103(a) and to confer on the [territorial] court the responsibility of articulating the grounds for denying the objection." See Archibald, 987 F.2d at 186 n.7 (citation omitted). The trial judge ruled:
It's not that what she [**22] had was not discoverable before now. In as much as she showed up on a witness list, then I'm sure that the plaintiff must have known what she was going to testify . . . . For all intents and purposes, I find that [*594] this testimony is highly not relevant to the issues I have to try, and it would be prejudicial, and I'm going to strike her testimony from the record because it does not involve any issue raised here, and it has no relevancy. More important, no issue regarding the defendant's infidelity has [ever] been raised before, until today. That is the ruling of the Court.
(J.A., Vol. I at 308-09.) This decision to exclude evidence may not be reversed unless it is "arbitrary and irrational." Bhaya v. Westinghouse Elec. Corp., 922 F.2d 184, 187 (3d Cir. 1990).
In determining whether the trial judge erred in excluding Ms. Matthews' testimony, this Court must accord substantial deference to the trial judge's decision to exclude evidence. As the record indicates, the time and cause of the breakdown of the marriage were indeed relevant to this divorce proceeding, particularly with regard to fault. However, the trial judge believed that its proffer at the eleventh [**23] hour would be more prejudicial than probative. Because, as the trial judge stated, the issue was never raised, and the pleadings not properly amended, we find that the trial judge did not abuse his discretion in excluding Ms. Matthews' testimony.
D. Distribution of the Marital Homestead
A "homestead" is defined as "the abode including land and buildings, owned by, and actually occupied by, a person, or by members of his family free of rental changes." 33 V.I.C. § 2305(a). It is well settled that the trial judge has broad discretion to consider the equity of the case in disposing of the marital homestead. See Charles, 788 F.2d 960. A reviewing court may find that there has been an abuse of discretion where "there is a definite and firm conviction that the court below committed a clear error of judgment in the conclusion it reached upon weighing the relevant factors." Newland Moran Real Estate v. Green Cay Properties, Inc., 40 V.I. 211, 41 F. Supp. 2d 576, 1999 WL 183755, at *2 (D.V.I. App. Div. 1999) (quoting Virgin Islands Water & Power Authority v. Virgin Islands Telephone Corp, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9330, 18 V.I. 451, 453 (D.V.I. 1981)). [**24]
Disposition of the marital homestead (unlike determinations regarding alimony, divorce, and support) allows for consideration of fault. See Charles, 788 F.2d at 966 n.14 (holding that fault is considered in disposing of the marital homestead); see also Stridiron v. Stridiron, 698 F.2d 204 (3d Cir. 1983). "The rationale for allowing marital misconduct to be utilized as a factor in the property disposition is that a spouse whose conduct has contributed substantially to the breakdown of the marriage should not expect to receive a financial kudo for his or her misconduct." Charles, 788 F.2d at 960. In disposing of the marital homestead, the trial court shall review the circumstances surrounding the couple's lives, the properties of each respective spouse, and any culpable conduct. See, e.g., Fuentes v. Fuentes, Civ. No. D89/1995, 1997 WL 889532, at *4 (Terr. Ct. May 12, 1997).
Here, the court found that "Walter's fraternizing and carrying on an active love affair with Jane during the course of the marriage significantly contributed to the breakdown of the marriage." (J.A., Vol. III at 1534-39.) The trial judge listened [**25] to several weeks of testimony and, on the basis of the entire record, determined that the circumstances of the case warranted a distribution of 75% interest in the marital homestead to Mrs. Feddersen and 25% interest to Mr. Feddersen. Based upon this extensive record and the evidence recited supra at section B, we find that the homestead award does not reflect a clear error of judgment.
E. Alimony
In 1973, Title 16 of the Virgin Islands Code was amended to change the previously fault-based alimony law to a need-based rule which provides in pertinent part:
[*595] Whenever a marriage is . . . dissolved the court may, without regard to any determination that the breakdown of the marriage was the fault of one party or the other, further decree:
(3) for the recovery for a party determined to be in need thereof an amount of money in gross or installments, as may be necessary for the support and maintenance of such party . . . .
16 V.I.C. § 109. Alimony should neither be a punishment for the payor nor a reward for the payee, n9 and it should be award based upon:
the amount of property of each, the circumstances surrounding the parties, the wife's necessities, [**26] and the husband's financial ability, the physical condition of the parties, the nature of their life together, and in these modern times the wife's independence and ability to earn her own way, which must all be considered by the court in the exercise of its discretion in awarding or denying alimony.
Coman, 492 F.2d at 278 (citations omitted).
n9 Accord Aronson v. Aronson, 245 N.J. Super. 354, 364, 585 A.2d 956 (App. Div. 1991).
Mr. Feddersen contends that the trial judge failed to apply the requisite factors in making a determination of alimony. Mrs. Feddersen contends that the trial judge appropriately found that Mr. Feddersen had attempted to conceal his true net worth, and, therefore, did not abuse his discretion in granting a lump sum alimony award of $ 223,742.63.
Contrary to appellant's assertion, the trial judge specifically noted that the above-stated factors were being considered, n10 and determined that despite Mr. Feddersen's "selective memory," his assets, [**27] stocks, bonds, and other income producing property were sufficient to allow for the lump sum alimony awarded. The court found that:
Frauke's need for support is illustrated by her income statement which reflects a deficit for Frauke's necessities. . . . The Court finds that Walter has the ability to pay the alimony. . . . Both parties are in fairy [sic] good physical condition. There is no testimony that either party is ill or afflicted with any physical malady. Whereas, Frauke has the ability to "earn her own way," she is presently in dire need of a lump sum infusion of cash to get her restarted in the business world, because of her long absence and isolation from employment or involvement in an active business venture. Undeniably, she is in dire need of rehabilitative alimony.
Walter's situation is entirely different. He has been active in the business community with his investments and has played a pivotal role in the development of MAFF, Inc. He has made certain investments with Prudential Bache and Co.
He had full control of Walter Feddersen Construction company which he used for his business ventures and his personal needs, despite his allegation that the company has [**28] not been involved in construction since Hurricane Hugo (September 17 & 18, 1989). Yet, the absence of construction activities did not preclude or inhibit Walter from utilizing the company for business ventures such as a $ 200,000.00 bank loan to invest in MAFF, Inc.
(J.A., Vol. I at 102-03.)
n10 (J.A., Vol. III at 1525-26.)
- - - - - - - - - - - - -End Footnotes- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The trial judge also looked at Mrs. Feddersen's financial statement and found that
ever since the inception of the filing of divorce on June 27, 1991, [Mrs. Feddersen] has had to struggle because the financial things had already been in Walter's name. . . . It was so difficult to . . . get to the heart of Mr. Feddersen's assets because he has shrewdly moved it around from one company to the other.
[*596] I find that the figure that I have come up with is not too speculative knowing that this thing was filed from in 1990 and since that time he had been getting some good income from all of the other property that they have owned.
(J.A., Vol. III at 1529-30.) Moreover, the [**29] court heard testimony regarding Mrs. Feddersen's projected monthly living and household expenses. (Id. at 1215-25, 1618-19.) Those expenses included medical insurance, physical therapy, pool service, extermination, interior home improvement, car expenses, cable television, telephone, water, electricity, food, clothing, entertainment, gifts, housekeeping service, travel, broker listing fees, and other personal expenses.
An abuse of discretion "requires proof of more than a mere error in judgment, but rather evidence that the law was misapplied or overridden, or that the judgment was manifestly unreasonable or based on bias, ill will, prejudice, or partiality." Simmons v. Simmons, 723 A.2d 221, 222-23 (Pa.Super. 1998). Having carefully examined the record, this Court is mindful not to usurp the trial court's duty as the finder of fact. We find no abuse of discretion with regard to alimony.
F. Interest in Walter Feddersen Construction
After the birth of their second child, Mrs. Feddersen ceased working as a legal secretary and became a homemaker. It is undisputed that she also assisted her husband at WFC which was incorporated in 1976, but the parties differ [**30] as to the extent of her duties and their respective interests in that business. Mr. Feddersen contends that he is the 100% owner of that corporation, and Mrs. Feddersen is claiming a 50% interest. From the record it is clear that while the Feddersens were of modest means when they entered their marriage, they later acquired many valuable assets.
At WFC, Mrs. Feddersen says she was not only responsible for administrative and clerical tasks such as preparing payrolls, filing Workmen's Compensation and Social Security reports, and preparing tax returns, but also for occasionally transporting workers to and from job sites when her husband was unable to do so, and relaying messages. n11 Mr. Feddersen, on the other hand, contends that he is the sole owner of WFC as evidenced by his corporate papers and tax returns. Mrs. Feddersen counters that even if, for the sake of argument, Mr. Feddersen was the 100% owner of WFC, she would be entitled to a 50% interest in that corporation. She specifically contends that as husband and wife their money and jointly owned properties were used to secure bank financing for houses and other projects undertaken by WFC. In fact, Mr. Feddersen admits that personal [**31] as well as jointly owned properties were used as collateral to secure loans for WFC's construction projects. (J.A., Vol. I at 538-39.) Mr. Feddersen also admitted at trial that he uses the WFC checking account as his personal account, while Mrs. Feddersen no longer had access to it. (Id., Vol. II at 838-39, 891.)
n11 Mrs. Feddersen's account of her duties was corroborated by Mr. Feddersen's testimony, but he added that she did "very little" work at WFC after 1983. (J.A., Vol. I at 535-36, Vol. II at 659-661.) His testimony indicates, however, that after 1983 Mrs. Feddersen assisted in balancing the checking account, dealing with the accountants and collecting rent. (Id.)
In 1986 alone, Mr. Feddersen commenced several building projects: 1) a condominium complex called Skyline Village, 2) two houses at 7-O and 7-P Waterpoint, and 3) another house in Frenchman's Bay. The Feddersens owned several properties, n12 and, in December 1986, moved into the house at # 7-O Estate Nazareth.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Footnotes- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
n12 A December 1991 financial statement from the Bank of Nova Scotia indicates that the Feddersens owned property at 7-O Estate Nazareth (Mrs. Feddersen's current residence), 7-P Estate Nazareth (Mr. Feddersen's current residence), 10P Estate Lerkenlund, 4D and 2A Estate St. Joseph and Rosendahl 9J-2 Estate Nazareth (1/2 acre unimproved property), and a two bedroom condominium in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. (J.A., Vol. II at 731.)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -End Footnotes- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [**32]
[*597] Then, in 1987, Mr. Feddersen, along with three other investors, formed MAFF, Inc. to develop water properties. Although the court examined records presented at trial pertaining to the financial status of MAFF, Inc. and The Cove at Smith Bay, the judge commented that he needed
some indication or idea as to something about the value of the assets--I mean the value of the shares of the corporation. Right now where they are omitting all that information--basically, that report could not give me a feeling about anything, if all that data which is relevant and pertinent data for evaluation for the company's value, if that is omitted, really, it's a financial statement without a financial statement. That's what it is.
(Id. at 856.)
Mrs. Feddersen called expert real estate appraiser John Garfield ["Garfield"] to testify that after calculating the diminution of present value, the market value of the 157 lots sold by MAFF at Smith Bay was approximately $ 6,119,500.00. On cross-examination, Garfield clarified that his determination of market value was simply a compilation of the prices MAFF hoped to get, and not an appraisal of the actual value of said property.
In 1988, [**33] Mr. Feddersen alleges that he formed Atlantic Trading Company ["Atlantic"] (of which he contends he is the 100% owner) on Mrs. Feddersen's request "to limit their liabilities arising from the acquisition of an airplane" which is its "sole asset." (Brief of Plaintiff-Appellant Walter Feddersen ["Br. of Appellant"] at 9; J.A., Vol. I at 553.) Mr. Feddersen testified that, in 1988, he sold the single engine Cessna plane which he owned jointly with his wife for $ 28,000, and bought the twin engine Cessna 337 owned by Atlantic for Thirty-One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($ 31,500). On cross-examination, however, it was revealed that in addition to owning the airplane, Atlantic purchased a $ 675,000 judgment from the Government of the Virgin Islands. n13 Mr. Feddersen's business associate, real estate developer William L. Mahaffey ["Mahaffey"] later testified that Atlantic bought a $ 770,000.00 judgment from the Government of the Virgin Islands with loans of approximately $ 250,000.00 from each of MAFF's stockholders (Mahaffey, Walter Feddersen and John Foster). n14 Mr. Feddersen later collected in excess of $ 500,000 on the judgment, and endorsed that check over to MAFF, Inc. ( [**34] Id. at 713.) The Feddersens were also joint owners of a sailboat, the "Hamburg". (J.A., Vol. I at 551, Vol. II at 696-700.)
n13 The judgment in question was being held by the Government of the Virgin Islands, Department of Finance and the Bureau of Internal Revenue against the Lindquist family. (J.A., Vol. II at 709.)
n14 Mr. Ed O'Brien also became a financial partner in MAFF, but his involvement was subsequent to the initial $ 250,000.00 investment made by each of MAFF's stockholders. (J.A., Vol. II at 961-62.)
After weighing the evidence presented and assessing its credibility, the trial judge found that
this case . . . presents the ultimate in greed, avarice, unfairness and inconceivable dishonesty between spouses. Moreover, I find that Walter is now seeking to frustrate, to take away and deprive Mrs. Feddersen, Frauke, of her fair share of the assets acquired during the marriage and to which she contributed either directly or indirectly towards their acquisition.
I find that Walter deceived [**35] Frauke during the marriage by putting assets in his sole name and boldly claiming sole ownership and now . . . . conveniently overlooks the fact that she undeniably helped him in making him the wealthy [*598] man he is today. She was always there for him during the marriage in the good times, [and] the bad times. From the very inception when they were living in a shack she was there for him.
She contributed intangible factors to the marriage - she offered comfort and support to all of Walter's business ventures and . . . . She signed personal guarantees and did everything in order for him, for the company to get certain mortgage loans from the bank of Nova Scotia to make them what has now turned into the millions of dollars we have in the matter.
I find that the parties were working as a team in which they both contributed towards the maintenance and lifestyle of the family in the support and upkeep of the family and in acquiring certain properties and assets they now own today.
(J.A., Vol. III at 1519-20, 1522-23.)
"Whether an asset is marital property or separate property for purposes of distribution of the marital estate, is a matter reserved to the sound [**36] discretion of the trial court." MacAleer v. MacAleer, 1999 PA Super 35, 725 A.2d 829, 831 (Pa.Super. 1999). Once these distinctions have been made, the trial judge has broad equitable powers in disposing of marital property. Fuentes, 1997 WL 889532, at *5. As such, there is an abuse of discretion only if the trial court has misapplied the law or failed to follow proper legal procedures. MacAleer, 725 A.2d at 831. The trial judge had an opportunity to weigh the testimony and credibility of the witnesses before determining the equitable distribution of the marital property, and we do not find that there has been an abuse of discretion.
G. Fees & Costs
The Virgin Islands Code provides in relevant part that "there shall be allowed to the prevailing party in the judgment such sums as the court in its discretion may fix by way of indemnity for his attorney's fees in maintaining the action or defenses thereto . . . ." 5 V.I.C. § 541(b). The decision of whether and to what extent fees should be awarded is within the court's discretion. Lempert v. Singer, 1993 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19923, 29 V.I. 169, 172 (D.V.I. 1993) (citing Bedford v. Pueblo Supermarkets of St. Thomas, Inc., 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9369, 18 V.I. 275, 277 (Terr. Ct. 1981)). [**37] This decision will not be disturbed on appeal unless the trial judge plainly abused his discretion. See, e.g., Adams v. Adams, 1999 PA Super 36, 725 A.2d 824, 829 (Pa.Super. 1999).
Appellant sought indemnification for Eighty-six Thousand One Hundred Five Dollars and Ten Cents ($ 86,105.10) in costs and fees. The court considered: 1) the time and labor required, 2) the novelty and difficulty of the questions involved, 3) the requisite skill to properly conduct the cause, 4) the customary charges of the bar for similar services, 5) the amount involved in the controversy, 6) the benefits resulting to the client from the services, 7) the contingency or certainty of the compensation, 8) the number of hours spent, 9) the activities to which time was devoted, and 10) the quality of work done and the likelihood of success. (J.A., Vol. I at 104-07.) The trial judge explained the factors considered in making his decision, and did not award the full amount requested. Instead, he reduced the sum by Eight Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($ 8,500), thereby awarding appellee Seventy-seven Thousand Six Hundred Five Dollars and Ten Cents ($ 77,605.10). We recognize, as did the trial [**38] judge, that this matter was very complex and time consuming. As such, there is no apparent abuse of discretion.
For the above-stated reasons stated, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
ORDER OF THE COURT
AND NOW this 10 day of September, 1999, having considered the arguments and submissions of the parties; and for the reasons set forth in the Court's accompanying opinion of even date, it is hereby
[*599] ORDERED that the judgment of the Territorial Court is AFFIRMED.


Famed for its 900 and 99 stone lions perched along its two sides.
In 1937 AD the Lugou Bridge was the point where victorious Japanese Troops started their march on the Imperial City of Beijing.
The Day of July 7, 1937 AD will forever be remembered as Lugou Qiao Day or the Day of the "Marco Polo Bridge Incident".


The Middle East Council of Churches presents the Bridges to Bethlehem Christmas documentary series. This series of 12 short documentaries showcases the rich diversity of tradition surrounding the celebration of the coming of the Christ child across the Middle East. Filmed in six countries (Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, UAE, Egypt and Iraq), the series represents churches from all four ecclesiastical families of the Council — the Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical families.
All 12 videos have been released. Watch below or on MECC's Facebook page and MECC's YouTube Channel.


If you have any questions about epoxy for garage in Bremen, GA, please feel free to contact us and we promise to get back to you in no time.	Our epoxy for garage in Bremen, GA and painting company atlanta in Lithonia, GA will help you with all your painting and home improvement projects.	Equality Painting is one of the most reliable painting companies in Georgia.	Expect only the best workmanship and superior customer service with our epoxy for garage in Bremen, GA, painting company atlanta in Lithonia, GA and exterior painting services in Chamblee, GA.	Equality Painting provides the best budget-friendly epoxy for garage in Bremen, GA.
Using only quality materials, Equality Painting will surely keep you worryless, we guarantee that we can meet if not surpass your expectations when it comes to quality workmanship and unparalleled customer service.	If it is epoxy for garage in Bremen, GA that you need, then Equality Painting is surely the name to rely on.	With Equality Painting, all your painting and home remodeling services needs will surely be accommodated.	At Equality Painting, we make sure that we provide you with the best solutions for all your home improvement projects.
Feel free to browse through our website if you wish to know more about our company and the services we offer. For all your painting needs, be sure to rely only on a reliable service provider that offers affordable rates like Equality Painting. Expect only the best workmanship and superior customer service with our epoxy for garage in Bremen, GA, painting company atlanta in Lithonia, GA and exterior painting services in Chamblee, GA.


When it comes to purchasing your first vehicle, no matter what age you are, there are many things to consider. Affordability, in terms of purchase price, insurance and maintenance costs is top of the list for many, but it's also important to choose a car with a high safety rating, just in case things go wrong.
For this reason, we were proud to find out that the much-loved ŠKODA Citigo has been named the UK's Safest Used First Car 2017 by Co-op Insurance, in partnership with Thatcham Research.
To qualify for this award, all vehicles had to have a five-star EURO NCAP rating (the highest available, and thankfully a badge that all ŠKODA models wear), be affordable to insure, have emissions of 120g/km or lower and be widely available for under £5,000.
The Citigo has received plenty of awards and the latest is the icing on the cake for a brand who have had a very successful year so far. The Citigo features a robust body and comes with six airbags as standard on all models. SE models and above feature ESC stability control and for further levels of safety, buyers can opt for a car that has been fitted with the Safety Pack, which includes the City Safe System. This automatically applies the brakes if it detects hazards and the driver does not react quickly enough.
If you're interested in finding out more about the brilliant ŠKODA Citigo, why not speak to a member of the team at your local Vindis ŠKODA retailer, details of which can be found HERE.


text:
Amp'd fades out
23 July 2007 @ 21:28
It looks increasingly like US MVNO Amp'd Mobile is going to go quiet on Tuesday. The company, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month, said it may be suspending operations on July 24.
It's probably a good thing that 84 per cent of the company's 200,000 subscribers are on post paid contracts as those prepay users with credit still on their accounts after Monday will have to file a claim with the bankruptcy solutions firm to get their money.
What's more, customer service will not be available after July 23 but if you owe the company money, it suggests you pay up quick sharp.
Although, getting customers to pay up seems to have been the root of all problems at Amp'd. In its Chapter 11 filing, the company claimed that its rapid growth meant the back end infrastructure was unable to keep up with customer demand.
But closer inspection of Amp'd predicament paints a slightly different picture.
Customer numbers were not the problem. Amp'd, which specifically targeted the youth and young professionals markets, recorded more than 200,000 subscribers at the end of the first quarter, 84 per cent of which were on a post paid contract.
Usage wasn't a problem either. Impressively, the company recorded ARPU (Average Revenue per User) of $100 per month, compared with the industry average of $54, while data ARPU stood at $30, compared with the industry average of $6.74. Over half of that date expenditure came from content downloads, which is again, more than double the industry average.
The problem was that Amp'd's contract customers didn't like paying their bills.
A court filing with the US Bankruptcy Court in Delaware has emerged, which shows that "a host of credit and collections problems" extends to around 80,000 subscribers – almost half the company's customer base.
This could be attributed to poor credit screening but it may also be indicative of the market Amp'd is targeting and threatens to cast a shadow over the MVNO business model, many of which target younger consumers.
Although it appears that Amp'd has not found a rescuer, the company did say that it is still in discussions with several parties on the prospect of an acquisition.
Tags: Amp'd Mobile
Amp'd throws customers a lifeline
Amp'd buys itself a few extra days
Amp'd pulls out the stops

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Catch the attention of your fellow gym-goers in this cutesy light bra top. Features removable pads that provide great shape and a little support. Every print is different, no two are the same. Team with our matching Diamond Dust high waist leggings to complete this cutesy workout outfit.


I had the pleasure of helping customer Brian Morris at KARATS with his purchase of a beautiful Breitling watch. As I helped Brian for the first time I learned about him and his family and we soon realized we had a lot in common. Our business is one where relationships are fostered for life. We joy in helping others achieve their dreams they have.
Brian wrote us an amazing review sharing his experience of the Breitling watch he purchased from KARATS. We are grateful for wonderful customers who become friends and are now a part of the KARATS family.
I put a lot of weight into reviews, but rarely write any myself. However, the experience I had with Andy and Karats Jewelers was so positive, I wanted to make sure and submit a positive review.
"I was in the market for a watch. I am a researcher and "over-analyzer" and can have a hard time making up my mind sometimes. Andy (the owner) was phenomenal when assisting me with my questions and helping give me his insight and professional opinion.
The customer service was tremendous and they made sure I was happy…definitely going above and beyond.
When I was there a couple of other gentleman, who were obviously repeat watch customers, came in and were greeted with a handshake and hug. I was able to visit with them and could tell their strong connection to the store and the ownership.
Repeat business is the best sign of someone you want to buy from and it is obvious they treat their customers so well they come back.


Mr. Fulton graduated with honors from Oklahoma State University in 1966. At the University of Denver, he was a member of the Order of St. Ives and the Denver Law Journal. Upon graduation, he served as branch counsel for Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation, regional counsel for Fidelity National Title Insurance Company, and from 1975 to 1981 he served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Fidelity National Title Insurance Company. He and Alan Karsh became partners in 1981, forming Karsh & Fulton, the predecessor to Karsh Fulton Gabler Joseph PC. He specializes in commercial real estate transactions, having represented numerous local and national real estate developers over the last 30 years.


Using recycled paper and wire I try to capture the delicate detail and beauty found in nature. I create intricate, life-sized sculptures and arrange them into collections and dioramas which aim to document different species and encourage a curiosity for our environment. I use a range of techniques to create my sculptures including carving, wire work and embroidery. I completed my BA in Graphic Design at UWE England in 2006 and worked as a graphic designer creating printed designs for marketing. In 2014 I moved to the Welsh Borders and established myself as an artist, developing my paper sculptures.


Our particular expertise in the anterior segment results from the specialised work we have put into mastering the surgical challenges presented by the posterior segment of the eye.Although operations in the anterior segment of the eye – such as cataract surgery, and surgery to lower pressure in the case of glaucoma or corneal transplants – are comparatively simple, the expertise we use to treat you has been gained in all areas of the eye.Unsurprisingly, we perform many operations on the anterior segment of the eye every day. In some cases, which involve the simultaneous treatment of multiple eye conditions, for example (such as cataracts and glaucoma or macular degeneration and glaucoma, etc.), there are multiple sets of problems in the eye that we can address by using combined techniques. Therefore, thanks to our Centre's comprehensive – and therefore unusual – expertise in all parts of the eye, we can also offer combined surgery, which in many cases means you can avoid multiple operations on one eye.
This comprehensive expertise leads many patients to our doors in cases where cataract surgery may be more difficult than for other patients. Examples include cases where clouding of the lens is very far advanced and has thus become very hard and is now more difficult to remove from the eye, and patients in which the fibres that hold the lens in the eye seem unstable even on an initial examination of the eye, and it is therefore likely that a complication could occur during lens surgery in the posterior segment.For most of the other centres that now carry out cataract surgery, the affected patients must usually be rescheduled for a second eye operation when such complications occur. Such patients are then admitted to hospitals such as ours, who are specialists in treating eye conditions in the posterior segment, or another surgeon must then treat the same eye in a second operation, in order to "finish up" the cataract operation with its associated complications. The reason for this extra effort is simple: the expertise needed to master surgery for the entire eye is not commonly found in a single practice.
Patients with conditions that make standard surgery more difficult are also frequently referred to our Centre. This is necessary in cases where past infections or injuries to the eye have severely altered its normal structures, making the use of highly specialised procedures necessary to install a manmade lens in such a substantially modified eye. Such cases require more than mere surgical skill: they need extensive experience in treating the entire eye to achieve the best-possible result for the patient.
Although advertised on a massive scale, laser cataract operations ("femto laser cataract surgery") offer precisely zero benefits to the – self-paying(!) – patient if the surgeon is competent.The technique is new and raises many questions in relation to the post-operative effect of the laser on the eye. The procedure also (at least) doubles the length of surgery and is of real assistance in the operation only to inexperienced surgeons – whom patients must also reward handsomely while not reaping any benefits themselves. In our professional opinion, there is no reason for our Centre to offer this pseudo-innovation.We always offer a sensible balance between progress and safety while avoiding unnecessary costs for you and your health insurer. Yet we are ahead of most centres in Germany when it comes to offering real innovations (Surgical news). We are a patient-focused practice and we deploy our medical expertise to your advantage.


text:
Велайос () — муніципалітет в Іспанії, у складі автономної спільноти Кастилія-і-Леон, у провінції Авіла. Населення —  особи (2010).

Муніципалітет розташований на відстані близько 90 км на північний захід від Мадрида, 20 км на північ від Авіли.

Демографія

Посилання

Примітки

Муніципалітети провінції Авіла

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


We are proud to support and collaborate with the School District of Waukesha and the Mukwonago Area School District to provide 4K to children and their families.
Our 4K programs integrate math, science, physical development, early literacy, creative exploration, and social and emotional development through play, small group, and guided learning. Teachers are educated in Early Childhood Education and certified by the Department of Public Instruction.
Children must meet the School District requirements prior to enrolling. Students must reside in the attendance area and turn 4 years old by September 1 of the year they are enrolling.
For more information about 4K, visit the School District of Waukesha 4K website. Funding provided by the State of Wisconsin and School District of Waukesha and other sources.
Part of our Extended Care program, Friday Fun Days run every Friday that the Waukesha School District is in session. The program follows Creative Curriculum, the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards, and is licensed by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Activities vary each week and may include gym games, tumbling, youth sports, and educational enrichment opportunities. Registration must be made by the 15th of the month prior to care.
Waukesha YMCA 4K Extended Care funded in part by United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County.
For more information about 4K, visit the Mukwonago Area School District 4K website.


text:
First Draft: Manipulate Your Audiences' Psychological States With These Three Screenwriting Tricks
Ken Miyamoto
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft, "First Draft" is a series on everything to do with screenwriting.
Suspense is everywhere in film. It drives the cinematic experience of the story. It keeps audiences engaged and before any screenplay is produced, the presence of ongoing suspense structures in scripts being read by script readers, assistants, development executives, and producers is what keeps them turning those pages.
The best screenplays are those that keep audiences and readers in some state of invested excitement and anxiety throughout the experience of the story.
Jaws made us excited and anxious to learn when the shark was going to kill again, who that victim would be, and if there was any way to stop it.
The 40 Year-Old Virgin made us excited and anxious to see how Steve Carell's Andy would finally lose his virginity and how he would fail time and time again during his quest to achieve that goal.
Raiders of the Lost Ark made us excited and anxious as we watched Indiana Jones travel around the globe trying to hunt down the Ark of the Covenant to keep it out of the hands of the Nazis.
Die Hard made us excited and anxious as we watched the barefoot and alone John McClane, trapped in a business tower full of terrorists. We wondered not just how he would survive, but how he'd save his wife and the other hostages before Hans Gruber and his minions destroyed the building.
There Will Be Blood made us excited and anxious as we watched the tyrannical oil tycoon Daniel Plainview rise to power—and then waited for the moment that his empire would come crashing down on him as he went further and further down the line of tyranny and evil.
Psycho made us wonder about the horror and dangers surrounding Norman Bates, his quaint roadside motel, and his mother's house looming above.
All genres utilize suspense in one way, shape, or form—whether it is through action, adventure, scares, thrills, laughs, or drama.
There Is Psychology Behind How, When, and Why Suspense Works
Much research has been implemented throughout the years in search of those answers. Ed Lichtenstein and William F. Brewer proposed the theory of Structural Effect and its effect on how audiences and readers experience stories differently when three specific story structures are implemented.
Lichtenstein was the head of research at the Rochester Institute of Technology while Brewer was the head of the Department of Psychology at the University of Illinois. Their paper Stories are to Entertain: A Structural-Affect Theory of Stories came to some amazing and eye-opening conclusions that all screenwriters should consider when writing and structuring their screenplays. Within this paper, they focused on three major discourse structures which account for the enjoyment of a large proportion of stories.
We use these three structures—also known in some circles as the Tripod of Suspense Storytelling—as keys to understanding how these suspense structures in screenplays can change the overall experience that an audience or script reader has while your stories unfold.
This "tripod" consists of three different narrative structure types—surprise, suspense, and curiosity—that create specific and different types of emotions in the audience and reader. By using these structures to manipulate the order in which the screenplay events unfold, different psychological emotions of the audience or reader can be invoked—all while utilizing the same story elements, just in a different order.
Surprise within a screenplay is evoked by an unexpected event. The surprise event structure must contain critical plot or story information early on within the script. This critical information behind such a scene is omitted, without letting the audience or reader know that it has been omitted, and then is inserted later on in the script. This leads to the surprise of the reveal behind that unexpected event.
Charles gets up from a chair
He walks slowly towards the window
The window breaks and Charles falls dead
The sound of a gunshot echoes in the distance
A scene showcasing a sniper taking aim has been omitted from this sequence, causing a surprise to unfold as we are never made aware of the presence of a sniper—thus the gunshot is a shocking event that would have otherwise been expected had the sniper been revealed in a scene leading up to Charles walking towards the window and later falling dead.
Suspense is evoked by showcasing scenes in chronological order, beginning with an initiating moment that will likely lead to significant consequences for the character(s). This causes the audience or reader to be invested and engaged by the story out of concern for the character(s) involved.
A sniper is waiting outside of the house
Within the house, Charles gets up from the chair
He walks slowly toward the window
The window suddenly shatters and the sound of a gunshot rings out
Charles falls dead
The interesting aspect of this structure change is that the audience or reader are those that are placed in suspense. The character knows nothing about the sniper and the danger that lies beyond the window they stand in front of. But because the audience or reader sees the sniper waiting outside of the house, suspense is built because we know that danger is looming.
This is a major emotional difference between the Surprise Structure where we are affected not by information we know—as in this Suspense Structure—but by information we don't know with the element of shock and surprise that follows the gunshot.
Curiosity is evoked by presenting the final outcome of the story first. By essentially showing the ending towards the beginning—or at least the event that leads to the final ending—we will become curious as to how this event came about. This draws us in with suspense as we watch the characters, their actions, and their reactions lead us to the answers we've been waiting for.
Charles is dead
All we see is broken glass around his dead body
The police examine the scene and find the broken glass
Who killed him? How? And why?
This is a standard suspense device utilized in most great detective stories and mysteries. We see the end result first, and are left in suspense as we wait to see the answers to "Who, what, when, where, and why?"
Look no further than The Usual Suspects for a perfect cinematic example of the curiosity structure.
We know Gabrial Byrne's Keaton is going to die. This is an event that happens at the end of the film and later leads to a major reveal to end the movie. However, we are shown this moment at the beginning, so we find ourselves curious to learn who killed him, who witnessed that killing, and why. More and more questions loom as the usual suspects of a crime are gathered and Keaton is one of them—is one of these other suspects the man that killed Keaton?
Keaton lays badly wounded on a ship docked in the San Pedro Bay
He is confronted by a mysterious figure whom he calls "Keyser"
The mysterious figure shoots him dead and sets fire to the ship
It is implied that someone is hidden and has witnessed this moment
The usual suspects are gathered into a room under suspicion of an earlier heist
How are they connected? Is one of them Keaton's killer?
Another great example is the opening of Christopher Nolan's Memento.
In the opening shot—brilliantly showcased in reverse from end to beginning—we learn that Guy Pearce's Leonard has found his wife's killer, and that killer appears to be Teddy. However, as the film unfolds in unique "order" we see that Teddy appears to be Leonard's friend. Our curiosity is heightened as that "fact" is tested with each added scene.
The below curiosity structure plays in reverse, but still starts with an event that intrigues us.
Leonard shoots his wife's killer
His supposed wife's killer is his friend
His supposed wife's killer is acting like his friend
His supposed wife's killer was actually killed long ago and Leonard is going through his investigation process to give his life meaning
Related Topics:christopher nolan, Die Hard, First Draft, how-to, Jaws, memento, process, psycho, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Screencraft, The 40 Year-Old Virgin, the usual suspects, There Will Be Blood
More in First Draft
30 Screenwriting Lessons From The Twilight Zone Creator Rod Serling
By Ken Miyamoto July 25, 2020
Here are screenwriting tips gleaned from Twilight Zone mastermind Rod Serling, first published as part of...
10 Screenplay Structures To Flesh Out Your Formless Story
By Ken Miyamoto March 22, 2020
Since we're all spending more time indoors lately, its prime time to write that screenplay you've...
First Draft: 15 Outside-the-Box Screenplays That Found Box Office Success
By Ken Miyamoto August 23, 2018
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft, "First Draft" is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. While...
First Draft: Put Audiences in Your Characters' Shoes With These Seven Ways to Elicit Empathy in Your Screenplay
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft, "First Draft" is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. How...
First Draft: Ten Ways Screenwriters Can Sidestep Writing for Free
By Ken Miyamoto June 21, 2018
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft, "First Draft" is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. "You...
First Draft: Read the 2018 Oscar Nominees for Best Original and Adapted Screenplay
By Ken Miyamoto January 29, 2018
Are you aching to read and learn from the 2018 Oscar-nominated scripts? Look no further because...
First Draft: Five Criminally Underrated Elements of Successful Screenplays
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft, "First Draft" is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. What...
First Draft: Screenwriting Contests and Fellowships Every Writer Should Target in 2018
By Ken Miyamoto January 5, 2018
First Draft: Here Are 20 of the Hottest Public Domain Properties For Screenwriters
By Ken Miyamoto December 29, 2017
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft, "First Draft" is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. Hollywood...
First Draft: What's It Like to See Your Script Produced By Hollywood? Here's How This Screenwriter Made It Happen
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft, "First Draft" is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. Seeing...
First Draft: Five Must-Read Classic Holiday Movie Screenplays
First Draft: 14 Screenwriting Books Every Screenwriter Should Read
By Ken Miyamoto November 29, 2017
First Draft: Wield These Tips To Conceive, Write, and Format Your Feature-Length Musical
First Draft: Think Outside the Box With These Five Resourceful Screenwriting Career Moves
First Draft: Remember These Three Key Differences Between Short and Feature Scripts
By Ken Miyamoto November 7, 2017
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft, "First Draft" is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. A...
First Draft: Your Characters Lack Uniqueness? Use These Seven Ways to Give Them Fresh Voices
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft, "First Draft" is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. As...
First Draft: Craft Top-Notch Cinematic Scares With These 101 Terrifying Horror Story Prompts
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft, "First Draft" is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. Welcome...
First Draft: What's Holding Your Script Back? One Of These Four Problems Might Be Your Answer
By Jeff Legge September 6, 2017
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft, "First Draft" is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. Frequent...
First Draft: Three Networking Maps That Will Help Screenwriters Build Their Industry Contacts
In partnership with Creative Screenwriting and ScreenCraft, "First Draft" is a series on everything to do with screenwriting. The...
First Draft: Know When and When Not to Rely on the Unreliable Narrator
By Travis Maiuro August 21, 2017


text:
Q: Why would picture become purple when it's times 255? First I scale a RGB image to [0,1], then it is ok showed in matplotlib.
Then I recover it (by times 255), and show it, but it became purple, as shown in the pictures I paste below.
What is the reason? How to solve it? What is the correct way to rescale a image to [0,255]?
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import matplotlib.image as mpimg

dog = mpimg.imread('1.jpg')
dog = dog / 255
plt.subplot(121)
plt.imshow(dog) #Normal and ok here
plt.title(('/255'))

dog = dog*255
plt.subplot(122)
plt.imshow(dog) # Purple image, not ok
plt.title('*255')

plt.savefig('out.jpg')
plt.show()

=============================a line here==========================
Suggested by @BruceWayne, I try to *-255 instead of *255, and it works.
But what is the reason? Why would a picture with values in [-255, 0] showed normal, and one with [0,255] go different way?

A: When I tried your program, I got a warning saying "Clipping input data to the valid range for imshow with RGB data ([0..1] for float or [0..255] for integers)."
When you first load the image, it is made up from integers in the 0..255 range, which imshow displays normally. When you divide this by 255, it turns into floats in the [0..1] range which, again, imshow displays normally.
Then you multiply by 255, turning it into floats in the [0..255] range, and this imshow does not know what to do with!
I tried changing it back into integers using
import numpy as np
dog = (dog * 255).astype(np.uint8)

(there's probably some better way of doing that) and then it displays normally again.

A: In here dog = mpimg.imread('1.jpg') you assign dog to image data which is color value for each pixel reference, then you multiply each pixel by 255 and result assigned to resulting image's each pixel values. That's why it's having that color.(Negative image)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


An update of the classic catalogue published in 1886 by William Henry James Weale (Bibliographia liturgica: catalogus missalium ritus Latini ab anno 1475 impressorum. Colligit, W. H. Iacobus Weale. Londini, apud Bernardum Quaritch, 1886) and updated fourty years later by Hans Bohatta, who patiently verified the data collected by Weale, numbered the editions collected by him, noting the exemplars which he himself was able to observe personnally, and added a good deal of new copies cataloged by him (Catalogus Missalium ritus latini: ab anno 1474 impressorum, collegit W. H. Jacobus Weale, iterum edidit H. Bohatta. B. Quaritch, London, Leipzig 1928).
This work – still today a capital resource for the study of the missals of the various Latin traditions – contains (counting the Missale Romanum alone), 485 exemplars.
necessary. Indeed, some of the libraries mentioned in the work have ceased to exist and were merged with others, or got transformed entirely (Cologne, for instance, or the British Museum). Besides, the vast majority have improved their catalogs, thus allowing the present discovery of exemplars which were not taken into account by previous researchers. Even though two reprints (Anton Hiersemann Verlag, Stuttgart, 1990 and Mansfield Centre, Martino Fine Books, 1999) have come out, no update has been made.
a) including the missals catalogued by Amiet (Robert Amiet, Missels et breviaires imprimés: supplement aux catalogues de Weale et Bohatta: propres des saints (editions princeps) Paris: Editions du Centre national de la recherche scientifique, 1990).
b) verifying the existence and present location of the entirety of the catalogued missals.
c) incorporating the exemplars which had not previously been able to be taken into account, after having checked them against the catalogues of various libraries.
diocesan missals and missals of religious orders. In this first stage, the focus will be on the update of the section for the Missale Romanum.
A comparative study of the variations in the Missale Romanum from the Middle Ages to the present.
d) The modifications brought in up to the twentieth century and the Missal in 1962.
e) The edition of 1962.
a) A synopsis of the calendars before 1570.
b) A synopsis, in five columns, permitting the appraisal of the modifications introduced in the Roman Calendar between 1570 and 1962.
For support this projets, please here.


text:
Who Are These White House Officials Stabbing Donald Trump Jr. in the Back?
The evidence suggests it's a coordinated leak.
By Jay Willis
Albin Lohr-Jones/Pool via Bloomberg
In a development that somehow manages to be both entirely unsurprising and legitimately fascinating, it turns out that First Son and noted candy aficionado Donald Trump Jr. is a breathtakingly unintelligent person who would have you believe that he saw absolutely no problem with the idea of trying to procure damaging information about Hillary Clinton from shadowy figures connected to Russia—and that, whether or not his mission was successful, he never told his father about this little rendezvous, either. But as sagely noted by the eagle-eyed Andrew Prokop at Vox, the most compelling part of the Times's initial story might be a part you skipped over in your understandable eagerness to get to the juicy, potentially collusion-y stuff:
President Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., was promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton before agreeing to meet with a Kremlin-connected Russian lawyer during the 2016 campaign, according to three advisers to the White House briefed on the meeting and two others with knowledge of it.
According to Axios's Jonathan Swan, this detail did not go unnoticed in the West Wing.
https://twitter.com/jonathanvswan/status/884228164746174464
Note that this information did not come from dismayed law-enforcement sources, or irritated legislators, or disgruntled intelligence officials who can't believe that their inveterate simpleton of a commander-in-chief publicly fucked up something else in spectacular fashion. No, this is coming from people in the White House itself. So just who are the esteemed executive-branch employees so desperate to credibly throw Donald Jr. under the bus that they were willing to attach their place of employment to the story in order to do so? Let us speculate wildly as to some of the possibilities.
As Prokop points out, the Times report looks awfully good for Jared, portraying him as a passive attendee of a meeting quarterbacked by the president's son. If Kushner, whose myriad business dealings are reportedly under scrutiny by Robert Mueller and his murderer's row of terrifying lawyers, actually had more of a hand in this meeting, a great way to avoid further scrutiny would be to cheerfully blame Donald Jr. and walk away without having left any fingerprints. Kushner, as a "senior White House official," would be uniquely equipped to do so. Plus, with Donald Jr. out of the picture and Eric presumably not in the running, Jared could slide into the role of Donald Trump's favorite adult son, which is what they call a win-win situation.
I can think of no specific strategic reason that Steve Bannon would want to do this, other than the fact that he appears to be a delusional sociopath who genuinely believes that the accumulation of power is a zero-sum game, and who understands that the smaller the absolute number of people in Donald Trump's inner circle, the more likely that Bannon is to be able to quietly take a hacksaw to some critical component of America's social safety net without anyone in the administration noticing.
It's also possible, as Vox notes, that after the initial report broke, the White House resignedly leaked the rest of the story in an effort to head off the beating that would necessarily follow the revelation that the president's son allegedly arranged a clandestine meeting with a Russian lawyer who had promised him dirt on Hillary Clinton. If this is a purposeful news dump, it feels like a Priebus move, since that man remains as utterly devoid of courage as he is of charisma.
Doubtful, though, since other than her occasional appearances representing this country at high-profile summits of international leaders, despite having won as many electoral votes for president of the United States as I have, Ivanka Trump "tries to stay out of politics" these days.
If it were Sean, it wouldn't be personal. At this point, he just wants to make sure people still remember he exists.
As first hypothesized by TPM's Josh Marshall, a White House–affiliated leak is so unusual that it might plausibly signal the administration's desire to "get ahead of something much more damaging" or, relatedly, to "get a first crack at shaping the public understanding of something much more damaging." It's hard to imagine what could possibly have happened to make this story about Donald Trump Jr. the good spin, but then again, this president's seemingly bottomless capacity for shamelessness stopped surprising me a long time ago.
Then again, if Donald Trump were one of the sources, that would mean that the father publicly threw his own son under the bus, which would be a pretty appalling stunt even for a man well-versed in pulling off such things. This seems more like a job tailor-made for...
Yeah, that seems more likely.
Watch Now:
Seems Like Donald Trump Won't Be Cleared, Folks
Related Stories for GQHillary ClintonDonald TrumpPolitics


Get the latest Flights vouchers, discount codes and promotional offers, including our exclusives. This site offers their customers a variety of payment options to choose from and Goibibo also has discount to go with their mode of payments. While all the airlines have their respective websites like , , it's not always a great idea to book your ticket without checking comparative prices, which are offered by e-ticket booking sites. All you need to do is – find out the perfect flight offer that suits your needs and comes within your budget.
Each of our spaces is built from the ground up with a visionary's spirit and a designers' eye. My main concern was the ambience noise which I was not sure whether it coming from the hotel club or the street. Another meaning may be a role the hotel has played in a historical event or occurrence, or how it is associated with a particular historical figure.
International Airlines Flight Status, Schedule and Information offers details about these aspects making it easier for fliers to plan their flight. Any flight route finder you choose will provide you the route and airline news and also may be a flight search engine which helps you in getting the information about the airline that will fly where you want to go. There are number of websites which provide you with the list of budget airline guides and help you choose the most appropriate flight route finder.
If you remember Chevy Chase's Vacation movies, then you will have some idea of what to expect in this reboot of the franchise. Some of the great Bahamas vacations one can choose from are Nassau Bahamas Vacation, Bahamas Beach Vacation, Bahamas Golf Vacation, Bahamas Fishing Vacation, Bahamas Family Vacation, Bahamas Luxury Vacation, Bahamas Adventure Vacation, Bahamas Eco-Tourism Vacation, Bahamas Diving Vacation, and Bahamas Cruise Vacations, among others.
Although the vacation officially lasted from December 18, 2015, to January 3, 2016, the Secret Service rented several Kailua homes for 19 nights, starting from December 16. The total for the rentals, located near the Marine Corps base at Kaneohe Bay was $245,993.12.
Thanks to CheapAir, you can book the most comfortable and cheapest flights to your favorite cities. Tusayan is much less crowded than Vegas because Vegas is such a popular travel destination in itself, therefore, most people take Canyon tours that leave from Vegas and that leaves the Tusayan tours less crowded. When you find your flights and click to book, we link you through directly to the airline or travel agent.


text:
Базалийский район () — административно-территориальная единица СССР, в составе УССР. Существовала с 1923 по 1931 год и с 1935 по 1959 год. Административный центр — пгт (в 1924—1957 годах — село) Базалия. Площадь района составляла 494 км², население —  жит. (1935).

История
Во времена Российской империи территория района входила в Староконстантиновского уезда Волынской губернии. С распадом империи и созданием СССР уезды и волости были упразднены, введено деление на округа и районы.

7 марта 1923 года было утверждено деление республики на округа и районы. Из Базалийской, Корчевской и части Купельской волостей Староконстантиновского уезда был образован Базалийский район в составе Шепетовского округа Волынской губернии с центром в местечке Базалия.

21 августа 1924 года Грицевский и Терешковский сельсоветы Базалийского района были перечислены в состав Антонинского района, а из Теофипольского района в Базалийский перечислены хутора Костановка и Савицкий.

10 декабря 1924 года было принято псотановление ВУЦИК и СНК УССР «Об установлении точного списка городов и поселений городского типа Волынской губернии», местечко Базалия не попало ни в список городов, ни в список пгт, таким образом оно фактически было преобразовано в село.

С 1 августа 1925 года губернии были ликвидированы. Округа были подчинены непосредственно республике.

13 июня 1930 года Шепетовский округ был упразднён, а его территория вошла в Бердичевский округ. С 15 сентября 1930 года округа упразднены, район перешёл в республиканское подчинение.

3 февраля 1931 года проведено укрупнение районов УССР, в результате которого Базалийский район был упразднён и его территория присоединена к Теофипольскому, который 27 февраля 1932 года вошёл в состав вновь образованной Винницкой области.

13 февраля 1935 года Базалийский район был восстановлен.

1 апреля 1935 года в УССР было образовано шесть округов, из них 4 в Винницкой области. Базалийский район вошёл в состав Проскуровского округа.

22 сентября 1937 года Базалийский район вошёл в состав вновь образованной Каменец-Подольской области, при этом Проскуровский округ был упразднён.

Во время немецкой оккупации в 1941—1944 годах район входил в состав Антонинского округа.

По состоянию на 1 сентября 1946 года в состав района входило 50 населенных пунктов (39 сёл и 11 хуторов), объединённых в 21 сельсовет.

4 февраля 1954 года Каменец-Подольская область была переименована в Хмельницкую.

В 1957 году село Базалия отнесено к категории посёлков городского типа.

23 сентября 1959 года были ликвидированы 8 районов Хмельницкой области, в том числе Базалийский. Территория района была разделена между Антонинским, Волочисским, Красиловским, Мануильским и Черноостровским районами Хмельницкой области.

30 декабря 1962 года Антонинский, Мануильский и Черноостровский районы были упразднены, территория бывшего Базалийского района оказалась в пределах Волочисского и Красиловского районов.

8 декабря 1966 года был восстановлен Теофипольский район, в состав которого вошла большая часть территории бывшего Базалийского района. После 1966 года границы районов существенно не менялись.

Таким образом, сейчас территория бывшего Базалийского района разделена между Волочисским, Красиловским, Теофипольским районами Хмельницкой области Украины.

Источники
 Олександр Врублевський, Володимир Артеменко. Територіальна реформа: від моделювання до реалізації. Інформаційні матеріали для Хмельницької області

Примечания

Районы СССР


The Internet is an excellent means of communication. It can, however, be easily misused by the 'techno-romantics' — those who feel they have to include all the latest bells and whistles on every web site they create.
Too many web sites are in the hands of web-techies who have no grounding in graphic design. These fancy effects require the surfer to download the latest version of this or that plug-in module. In our experience, surfers who are looking for information, rather than entertainment, will click away from any site like that. Worse still, they will rarely come back.
Web sites put together quickly using poor English, bad spelling, off-the-peg graphics and HTML code created by software that unnecessarily bloats code, are an embarrassment and counter-productive.
Many companies produce work very quickly – they use standard templates that reflect nothing about you and your business – they are taken off the shelf, dusted down and passed on to you.
At annerykiln we have a long background in graphic design, in advertising and marketing, in copy-writing, in plain English authoring. We use the best technology available to create our graphics specifically for our clients.
our client should not feel blinded by science.
We do not simply hand over a site after we have designed it. We will advise on email accounts to support the web site, we will maintain the web site to whatever degree you feel necessary, and we can maintain a search engine watch for you.
We can manage an email newsletter for you to keep your visitors interested and informed.
Take a look at some of the sites we have produced and then talk to us about how we can work together to produce a web presence that communicates your activity effectively.
Want to talk about it? No obligation: email us here.


text:
Home » News and Information » USAID-Sponsored Program Brings Internet to Georgia's Remote Regions
Country Development Strategy
Countering Malign Influence
Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance
Inclusive Economic Growth
The Journey to Self-Reliance: Georgia Roadmap
USAID-Sponsored Program Brings Internet to Georgia's Remote Regions
Local residents receiving Internet access for the first time
Center for Civic Activities
Georgia's alpine regions are defined by stunning landscapes and strong local identities. Located high in the Greater Caucasus mountains, much of northern and eastern Georgia is isolated from the rest of the country.
Some argue that this helps preserve the distinctiveness that attracts so many visitors to these areas. However, isolation presents a serious obstacle to economic development and social integration. Many communities remain without telephone or Internet connections. The burden this puts on families is especially difficult.
Lia, a resident of Ardoti village in Khevsureti region, spoke about being unable to communicate with loved ones. "The hardest thing is not being able to stay in touch with my son," she said. "If I had an Internet or mobile connection, I would be able to talk to him, to see him. Sometimes a month will pass without us seeing each other."
The problem confronting Lia's family is common. In a recent survey conducted by the Center for Civic Activities (CCA), a civil society organization (CSO) based in Georgia's Kakheti region, the lack of telephone and Internet connections in mountainous villages was cited as a leading factor causing local residents to leave. This exodus affects families and communities and deepens the country's already wide gap in development between urban and rural areas.
"You Can Reach Out to the Entire World"
There is strong evidence that building Internet connections can raise living standards and help strengthen communities in rural areas. Most importantly, it can give people a voice. With the power to access information and communicate with their fellow citizens, rural residents can form organizations and participate in politics at the local and national levels.
With USAID support, CCA is spearheading efforts to empower people in the mountainous regions of Kakheti and Mtskheta-Mtianeti. Led by local journalist and human rights advocate Gela Mtivlishvili, the organization received a $15,000 grant through USAID's Advancing CSO Capacities and Engaging Society for Sustainability (ACCESS) program.
Gela and his colleagues are using the funds to advocate for the rights and interests of some of Georgia's most neglected communities. By coordinating the efforts of community-based organizations, they have achieved results far beyond what many expected.
This July, CCA announced its advocacy had brought tangible results: the establishment of Internet access in the sub-regions of Ukana Pshavi and Piraketa Khevsureti. While noting the achievement, Gela was quick to mention that it's only one part of a larger effort.
"By the end of September, all villages of Pshavi-Khevsureti and Gudamakari will be connected," he explained. Once the project is concluded, Wi-Fi will have come to 76 villages, providing Internet access to 496 households.
"You are somewhere in the mountains and you can reach out to the entire world," said Nodar, a resident of the village of Vakisopeli in Ukana Pshavi. "You can receive education, you can inform your municipal authorities and other government agencies about your problems, you can promote tourism," he said.
Collaboration to Connect
Connecting these communities to the Internet is not a simple task. In total, the project will cost GEL 400,000 (about $140,000). In addition to leadership from the CCA and financial backing from USAID, it requires the efforts of municipal authorities, the Small & Medium Telecom Operators Association, the Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC), and a network of community-based organizations.
The project is an example of USAID's efforts to further Georgia along its journey to self-reliance. Given the prominent roles taken by local organizations, the Internetification work is one example of Georgian society taking ownership of its own development.
Gela spoke about the laundry list of activities and large number of stakeholders that have made it possible. Under his leadership, CCA advocated for Internetification with the support of a local youth organization. Together, they helped attract funding and technical support for the initiative.
"We recorded video stories about the local residents who were unable to call emergency services, speak with their family members living elsewhere, or stay informed about the developments in the rest of the world," he said. "We raised grant and budget funds – nearly GEL 400,000 to start the Internetization."
Gela is also the director of Mtis Ambebi ("Mountain News"), a news portal for people living in mountainous communities. By providing timely information relevant to local residents, Mtis Ambebi shows how the Internet can make a tangible impact.
For his part, Nodar is confident that connectivity will strengthen his community. "Ukana Pshavi goes online!" he beamed. "In the twenty-first century, Internet is everything. It's almost as essential as fresh air. And now we have both."
Once the project is completed, 1,291 people will be connected to new economic opportunities and empowered to participate in political life. Most importantly, they'll be connected to each other.
Related Bureau or Independent Office
Bureau for Europe and Eurasia
Tamar Tsiklauri: Building a Successful Business with Support from USAID and W-GDP
USAID Empowers Civil Society to Support Children and their Families During COVID-19
Former USAID Georgia Mission Director Brings a Piece of Georgia Back to the United States


text:
Q: arm64 bare-metal application build problem I am using a arm cortex-a55 based MPU and use the toolchain gcc-arm-10.3-2021.07-x86_64-aarch64-none-elf.tar from 'developer.arm.com'. I just want to build a simple bare-metal application and will use freertos multi-task environment later.
In the Makefile:
set CC=/opt/gcc-arm-10.3-2021.07-x86_64-aarch64-none-elf/bin/aarch64-none-elf-gcc
c source compile options:
$CC  -mcpu=cortex-a55 -Wall -fomit-frame-pointer -fno-stack-protector -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections
linking options:
$CC -Wl,--gc-sections -nostartfiles -T,link.lds -Wl,-Map,System.map
I write my own startup.S with _start entry point. It simply does data section relocation and bss clear, sp setup and bl to main().
int main()
{

    stdout = fopen("uart", "w");

    printf("Hello, world!\n");

    while(1);

}

I also implement the platform depandant fuctions:
int _open(const char *pname, int flags){

    uart_init();

    return 1;
}

ssize_t _write(int fd, const void *buf, size_t count){

    char *str = (char *)buf;

    uart_print(str);

    return (ssize_t)count;
}

void * _sbrk(ptrdiff_t incr)
{
        static char *heap = NULL;
        char *prev_heap;

        if(NULL == heap)
                heap = (char *)asm_get_heap_start();

        prev_heap = heap;

        heap += incr;

        /* total 1KB heap area */
        if((u64)heap > asm_get_heap_end())
        {
                errno = -ENOMEM;
                return NULL;
        }

        return (void *)prev_heap;
}

and others like _read(), _lseek()...
After compile and link, download the raw binary to board and run. Nothing output. After debug I find the cpu hangs inside fopen(). If I replace fopen() with uart_init(), it will hang inside printf().
I am sure the uart_init() and uart_print() are OK. Because if I don't use fopen() and printf(), and use uart_init() and uart_print() directly, it works fine.
I am not sure if I miss some macro(s) needed for .c source file. There are lots of macros in the newlib/libc/include header files. Or something need to be done before 'printf()'.
Please advise, thanks.


1 item (originally enclosed in Foreign Office E5449, 17 September 1937) extracted from FO 371/20768. 'Sketch map of the Persian Gulf & Arabia'. Map of the Arabian Peninsula showing Aden boundary of 1903-1905, the Turkish territory not to be alienated and the line north-east from Wadi Bana to latitude 20 °. Also shows the lines of Anglo-Turkish convention, 29 July 1913, including the boundary of 'Nejd' (now Naj'd), the territory inhabited by tribes dependent on Sheikh of Kuweit (Kuwait); and the limits of inner Kuweit. Reference table. With ink additions in south showing tribes and boundary line of Treaty of Tait 1934. Published by the War Office 1919.


Brush up on your skills and learn more about ESO with these player-created guides.
Need some help? The awesome ESO community has your back. No matter what you're having trouble with, there's bound to be a guide out there to help. Every so often, we like to round up a few of these guides to feature, and we've got a great collection for you today. Check out the guides, and make sure to share any others that you find useful with us at community@elderscrollsonline.com.
Update 2 just launched this week with Veteran Crypt of Hearts, but at the time of this writing, detailed guides for the bosses aren't available yet. That doesn't mean we don't have something to help you out, though. Cinna's guide to status effects and Firegael's "How to avoid dying in ESO" both have some great tips that can help you improve your game and be ready to take on Veteran Dungeons.
Our next guide today is for all you Provisioners! Ever wanted a complete reference to the recipes, their levels, and their ingredients? Look no further than Tamriel Journal's Master Provisioning List. It's a very handy, well-organized reference to all the delicious comestibles and beverages in ESO.
Finally, we want to bring your attention to the ESObuilds subreddit! /r/ESObuilds is a great repository for all kinds of builds for every class and role. If you're looking to perfect your own build, get some advice, or just see what other players are using, your time will be well-spent there. Give it a look to fine-tune your build for Veteran content.
That's all we have for today! If you've made a guide or have a link to one you love, we want to see it! Send it in to community@elderscrollsonline.com and we'll give it a look.