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Immediate access arteriovenous grafts versus tunnelled central venous catheters: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Emma Aitken1, 2Email author,
Colin Geddes3,
Pete Thomson3,
Ram Kasthuri4,
Mohan Chandramohan4,
Colin Berry5 and
David Kingsmore1
Trials201516:42
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-015-0556-x
© Aitken et al.; licensee BioMed Central. 2015
Accepted: 7 January 2015
Autologous arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) are the optimal form of vascular access for haemodialysis. AVFs typically require 6 to 8 weeks to "mature" from the time of surgery before they can be cannulated. Patients with end-stage renal disease needing urgent vascular access therefore traditionally require insertion of a tunnelled central venous catheter (TCVC). TCVCs are associated with high infection rates and central venous stenosis.
Early cannulation synthetic arteriovenous grafts (ecAVG) provide a novel alternative to TCVCs, permitting rapid access to the bloodstream and immediate needling for haemodialysis. Published rates of infection in small series are low.
The aim of this study is to compare whether TCVC ± AVF or ecAVG ± AVF provide a better strategy for managing patients requiring immediate vascular access for haemodialysis.
This is a prospective randomised controlled trial comparing the strategy of TCVC ± AVF to ecAVG ± AVF. Patients requiring urgent vascular access will receive a study information sheet and written consent will be obtained. Patients will be randomised to receive either: (i) TCVC (and native AVF if this is anatomically possible) or (ii) ecAVG (± AVF).
118 patients will be recruited. The primary outcome is systemic bacteraemia at 6 months. Secondary outcomes include culture-proven bacteraemia rates at 1 year and 2 years; primary and secondary patency rates at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months; stenoses; re-intervention rates; re-admission rate; mortality and quality of life. Additionally, treatment delays, impact on service provision and cost-effectiveness will be evaluated.
This is the first randomised controlled trial comparing TCVC to ecAVG for patients requiring urgent vascular access for haemodialysis. The complications of TCVC are considered an unfortunate necessity in patients requiring urgent haemodialysis who do not have autologous vascular access. If this study demonstrates that ecAVGs provide a safe and practical alternative to TCVC, this could instigate a paradigm shift in nephrology thinking and access planning.
This study has been approved by the West of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 4 (reference no. 13/WS/0087, 28 August 2013) and is registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register (reference no. ISRCTN80588541, 27 May 2014).
Tunnelled central venous catheter
Arteriovenous graft
End-stage renal disease
Vascular access dysfunction is the leading cause of morbidity amongst patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and is a key performance indicator for haemodialysis service provision [1]. Complications of vascular access are responsible for over 20% of all hospitalisations in patients on haemodialysis and account for one-third of all inpatient renal bed use [2].
Autologous arteriovenous fistulae (AVFs) are the vascular access modality of choice [1,3] with fewer infective and thrombotic complications than the alternatives [1,4]: tunnelled central venous catheters (TCVCs) and prosthetic arteriovenous grafts (AVGs). The major limitations to native AVF usage are a 6 to 8 week "maturation" lag from creation to first cannulation and 30 to 50% early failure rate [5,6]. Unfortunately, due to a combination of late referral, primary access failure and acute presentation of renal failure, 40 to 50% of incident patients do not have a functioning AVF when they commence dialysis [3,7,8]. Given the unpredictable progression of decline in renal function to ESRD [9,10] and the fact that 30 to 35% of patients needing to start haemodialysis are "crashlanders" (known to the renal services for <90 days) [3], whilst desirable, it is not always practicably possible to achieve autologous vascular access for all patients prior to commencing haemodialysis. Current practice necessitates TCVC for these patients until definitive vascular access can be secured. Patients who began haemodialysis via a TCVC are more likely to remain with TCVC [11]; therefore, optimizing incident vascular access is vitally important.
TCVCs are associated with a significantly higher risk of infection, mortality, mechanical complications and other chronic problems such as immunosuppression, malnutrition and central venous stenosis than other forms of vascular access [1,12]. A recent Scottish study of 2,666 patients revealed a two- to threefold increased risk in mortality (all-cause mortality, cardiovascular or infection-related mortality) and a sevenfold increase in death from septicaemia with the use of TCVCs [12]. For these reasons, TCVC are considered an option of last resort.
AVGs provide an intermediate option between AVF and TCVCs, permitting earlier cannulation than AVF but lower bacteraemia rates than TCVC (0.6 per 1,000 dialysis days) [13]. The longevity and patency of AVGs are variable and almost certainly poorer than native AVF with 1-year primary patency rates ranging from 40 to 60% [14]. However, with aggressive re-intervention for the management of thrombosis, secondary patency rates of as high as 90% at 1 year can be achieved [15].
Traditional AVGs still require a delay of approximately 2 weeks from implantation to initial cannulation, compelling TCVC insertion as a stop-gap measure in the majority of cases. However, early cannulation arteriovenous grafts (ecAVGs), which permit immediate needling, may provide a novel alternative permitting TCVC avoidance in many cases [16]. The GORE® Acuseal™ (W.L.Gore Associates Ltd., Flagstaff, Arizona) vascular access graft is one such ecAVG. It is a tri-layer graft with unique sealing properties to permit safe cannulation within 24 hours of insertion. The tri-layer construction comprises an inner layer of heparinised expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, an outer layer of standard expanded polytetrafluoroethylene graft, and a central elastomeric layer [17]. This central layer gives the graft its unique "low bleed" properties and permits early cannulation, reducing the time to achieve haemostasis significantly compared to standard expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.
These unique properties of Acuseal™ and other ecAVGs make them an attractive alternative to TCVCs in patients requiring urgent vascular access for haemodialysis with theoretical benefits of reduced infection and avoidance of long-term TCVC complications such as central venous stenosis. In small series, the Acuseal™ graft has been shown to be beneficial in patients requiring urgent access for haemodialysis as a "bridge" to AVF maturation or transplantation, as well as in patients with pre-existing occlusion of their central veins [18]. A recent observational study conducted in our unit has indicated that ecAVG provide a practical, feasible and acceptable alternative to TCVCs in patients requiring urgent vascular access for haemodialysis [19]. Furthermore, cost-analysis has shown that the additional initial outlay costs of consumables can be offset against reduced septic complications, hospital admissions and bed days, with potential cost savings of nearly £1,000 at 6 months with ecAVG compared to TCVCs [20].
We now intend to test this hypothesis in a randomised controlled trial comparing TCVCs (± AVF) to ecAVG (±AVF).
This is a single centre randomised controlled trial. This study has been approved by the West of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 4 (reference no. 13/WS/0087) and is registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register (ISRCTN80588541). This study will be performed in keeping with the requirements of the Declaration of Helsinki.
The use of ecAVGs ± AVFs will reduce the rate of culture-proven bacteraemia at 6 months compared to the use of TCVCs ± AVFs in patients with ESRD requiring urgent vascular access for haemodialysis.
Objectives and outcome measures
This study aims for a strategy of comparing ecAVG ± autologous AVF (if anatomically suitable) to TCVC ± autologous AVF in patients requiring urgent vascular access for haemodialysis. The primary outcome measure is culture-proven bacteraemia at 6 months. Secondary outcomes include culture-proven bacteraemia at 12 and 24 months; primary, secondary and functional patency rates at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months; stenosis, thrombosis and re-intervention rates (including the need for urokinase infusions, AVG declotting procedures and TCVC replacement); other complications, including local infection, suspected access-related infection, steal syndrome, cardiovascular compromise, central venous stenosis; mortality at 6, 12 and 24 months, quality of life (assessed by EQ-5D) at 6 months; future sites of vascular access; re-admission rates and bed day utilisation and efficiency and efficacy of dialysis (urea reduction ratio, access flows, and recirculation). Additionally delays to treatment and the impact on service provision (access to theatre, and so forth) will be assessed to evaluate the practicalities of each treatment regimen. Cost-utility analysis will also be performed. Definitions of patency and other access-related complications will be as described by Sidawy and colleagues [21].
The study will be conducted at the Western Infirmary, Glasgow, UK. This university teaching hospital provides a tertiary referral vascular access service for 650 haemodialysis patients in the West of Scotland. We perform approximately 400 vascular access procedures, including 100 complex access procedures, annually. We have a wealth of experience using ecAVGs with published local outcomes highlighting our current practice [18-20]. The necessary volume of clinical cases, presence of clinical expertise and equipment required for this study is well established in this unit.
Patients and enrolment
All patients will be admitted under the care of the Nephrology Team at the Western Infirmary. Patients requiring urgent vascular access for haemodialysis will be assessed by their clinical team. Temporary venous catheter will be inserted to permit life-saving haemodialysis if required. The clinical team will then refer the patient to the Vascular Access Co-ordinator for TCVC insertion and definitive vascular access creation.
All patients referred for TCVC insertion will be assessed by a member of the research team within 6 hours of referral. All adult patients (≥18 years old) with ESRD requiring urgent vascular access for haemodialysis will be eligible to participate. Patients will be excluded if they have significant cardiorespiratory co-morbidities or peripheral vascular disease precluding anaesthesia or ecAVG creation, a brachial artery <2 mm diameter on duplex ultrasound, significant and untreated systemic sepsis with positive blood cultures, women who are pregnant or breast-feeding, lack of capacity or ability to provide informed consent or if they decline to participate.
The process of consent will be in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. All suitable patients will be fully informed that they are being asked to participate in a research study. The procedures involved in the study, and the chances of being assigned randomly to one of two groups will be explained in person and via an information sheet approved by the West of Scotland Ethics Committee. A signed consent form will be obtained from each patient and retained by the investigators. Patients will be made aware of their right to withdraw from the study at any time without adverse effects on their clinical care.
Pre-operative management
All patients will undergo Duplex ultrasound of both arms. Both the venous and arterial tree will be assessed and a pre-operative plan made to site both ecAVG and native AVF. Wherever possible, care will be taken to preserve all sites for future autologous access and the site of native AVF will always be favoured in the non-dominant arm and distally first. ecAVG will be placed to accommodate optimal AVF placement. For example, a native left radiocephalic fistula and right forearm loop or right brachioaxillary graft would be favoured in a left-handed patient with good native vessels and no previous vascular access; whilst revision of an existing occluded left brachiocephalic fistula with outflow stenosis using an interposition ecAVG and contralateral elbow AVF would be considered in an elderly patient with poor vessels and occluded existing AVF.
Randomisation
A computer generated 1:1 allocation sequence will be created by an independent operator who is not directly involved with the study. Allocation concealment will be achieved using sequentially numbered sealed opaque envelopes.
Due to the nature of the treatment and any subsequent interventions, it is not possible to blind either patient, surgeon or investigator to the treatment allocation.
Treatment strategies
Patients will be randomized to receive either ecAVG ± AVF or TCVC ± AVF.
TCVC ± AVF
TCVC ± AVF reflects standard practice at our institution. Patients randomized to receive TCVC ± AVF will be referred to the Interventional Radiology Department for TCVC insertion (either by a radiologist or nurse specializing in TCVC insertion).
Tunnelled Ash Split® (Medcomp, Harleysville, PA, USA) 14Fr double-lumen polyurethane haemodialysis catheters will be inserted with 280- or 320-mm catheters used for right- and left-sided cannulation, respectively. Catheters will be inserted via a Seldinger technique under image guidance. A standard catheter care protocol will be employed throughout the study period. This demands complete sterile precautions during catheter insertion and upon manipulation of the hub. Following catheter hub manipulation, the skin surrounding the insertion site is soaked with chlorhexidine solution prior to a sterile dressing being applied. An interdialytic lock with heparin 5,000 iU/ml to the internal volume of the catheter will be employed.
First haemodialysis via the TCVC will be performed by trained nursing staff within the InPatient Renal Unit at the Western Infirmary. A record of any difficulties or complications with initial dialysis will be made. The timing of the first dialysis via the TCVC will be made at the discretion of the nephrology team, as will the need for anticoagulation. A record of these factors will be kept.
The patient will be discharged to dialyse at their Outpatient Dialysis Unit at the discretion of the nephrology team. Any problems that subsequently develop with the TCVC will be referred to and managed by the nephrology team at the Western Infirmary as is standard practice. These will be recorded in the patient's electronic patient record and reported to the Principal Investigator.
ecAVG ± AVF
Patients randomised to the ecAVG ± AVF arm of the study will be immediately assessed by a member of the anaesthetic team. An operative slot will be found within either emergency or elective theatres at the Western Infirmary for ecAVG creation within 24 hours.
All patients will be treated with pre-operative prophylactic vancomycin 1 g intravenously (or teicoplanin if the patient is vancomycin allergic). ecAVG insertion will be performed by a single operating surgeon either under supraclavicular block or general anaesthetic.
The patient's skin will be prepared with alcoholic betadine, draped in a standard fashion and an Ioban™ skin covering (3 M Healthcare, Bracknell, UK) applied to maintain strict asepsis. The vessels will be exposed and controlled in a standard fashion. The Acuseal™ graft will then be tunnelled in the subcutaneous fat using standard tunnelling tools. A 4-cm longitudinal venotomy will be performed and the graft spatulated at the venous end in an attempt to minimize venous stenosis. The arteriotomy will be a standard size to accommodate the graft. Arterial and venous anastomoses will be performed using continuous 5.0 Prolene. Collatamp™ (Tribute Pharmaceuticals, Milton, Ontario, Canada) will be inserted into the wounds prior to closure to minimize the risk of infection. Drains will be placed at the surgeon's discretion.
Post-operatively the patient will be managed within the Inpatient Renal Unit of the Western Infirmary. First cannulation of the ecAVG will be performed by our trained dialysis nursing staff in agreement between the Nephrology and Surgical Teams as the patient's clinical condition dictates. This may be as soon as 30 minutes post-operatively.
Sharp needles (17 G), low flows (200 to 250 ml/min) and minimal heparin will be used for first cannulation of ecAVGs. Full aseptic technique will be used for cannulation and direct pressure applied at the needle sites for at least 10 minutes after the needles have been removed. These same techniques will be used for the first 2 weeks of cannulation. Thereafter, higher flow rates may be used if necessary to achieve adequate dialysis clearance. Success and complications of dialysis sessions and cannulation will be recorded. At least two successful cannulations of the ecAVG will be performed prior to discharge to the Outpatient Dialysis Unit. All patients will continue on intravenous vancomycin for a week post-operatively. Heparin, warfarin and anti-platelet agents will be administered at the discretion of the operating surgeon. All patients who re-present with thrombotic complications will be anti-coagulated with warfarin (international normalised ratio 2–3) unless contraindicated.
Should the patient develop any problems with their ecAVG upon discharge they will be reviewed immediately by a member of the Renal Surgical Team at the Western Infirmary as is standard practice. In the event of thrombosis of ecAVG, aggressive attempts will be made by both the surgical and radiological teams to salvage the dialysis access as is standard practice. All complications will be recorded within the patient's electronic case record and reported to the research team.
Autologous AVF
Patients in both treatment arms will also undergo creation of an autologous AVF (if this is anatomically possible) at the first available opportunity. The ecAVG/TCVC will continue to be utilized for haemodialysis until the AVF is mature enough to cannulate. The decision to undertake first cannulation of the AVF will be taken by the clinical team (normally ~6 weeks after creation) and recorded within the patient's electronic patient record.
Once the patient is successfully dialyzing via their AVF, the fate of an ecAVG, which is no longer required, will be decided after discussion between the patient and surgical team. In the majority of cases it will be left in situ but can be removed or ligated if required/wished. TCVCs will be removed by the surgical team after six successful AVF cannulations as is standard practice.
Follow-up and data collection
All patients will be reviewed by the research team on day 1, day 7 and 3, 6, 12 and 24 months following insertion of ecAVG/TCVC and 6 weeks following creation of AVF. Additionally surveillance of ecAVG will be performed by both ultrasound and venography at 3-monthly intervals. Data will be collected prospectively from the operative notes and Scottish Electronic Renal Patient Record.
Patient demographics will be obtained including age, gender, ethnicity, weight, body mass index, dialysis status, current access modality and co-morbidities. Details of operative surgery, anaesthetic, site of ecAVG, TCVC and AVF and perioperative complications will be recorded. Date and details of first cannulation/utilisation of ecAVG/TCVC will be recorded in the case report form along with the date and nature of any complications. Quality of life will be assessed at 6, 12 and 24 months. All data will be anonymised. Case report files will be archived in a locked facility for a period of 5 years.
Criteria for discontinuation
Every effort will be made to retain patients in the trial and to minimise withdrawals. However, any severe or life-threatening event will be sufficient to remove a patient from the study. Data collected prior to the point of withdrawal from the study will be retained. Patients may request to be withdrawn from this study at any time. Reasons for withdrawal will be documented. Intention-to-treat analysis will be performed.
Sample size and statistical considerations
Locally, 24% of TCVCs result in systemic bacteraemia within 6 months [19]. In order to calculate sample size, we made the following assumptions: type 1 error (α) was set at 0.05 and type 2 error (β) at 0.8. Therefore, if we assume a systemic bacteraemia rate in the TCVC arm of 24% at 6 months and propose a bacteraemia rate of 5% at 6 months in the ecAVG arm, then 53 patients are required in each group. In order to account for attrition of around 10%, we aim to recruit 118 patients. This magnitude of difference between the two treatment arms is considered to be clinically significant and realistic given the published rates of systemic bacteraemia for ecAVG in our institution [18].
The null hypothesis for this study is that there is no difference between systemic bacteraemia rates at 6 months in patients who require urgent vascular access for haemodialysis treated with TCVC ± AVF and those treated with ecAVG ± AVF.
Descriptive statistics will be used to describe continuous variables. Results for continuous variables will be reported as mean (± standard deviation) or median (interquartile range). Assuming normal distribution, treatment groups will be compared using a student's t-test or, if data are found to not be normally distributed, a Mann–Whitney U-test will be used. Analysis will be performed on an intention-to-treat basis. Additionally, a cost-consequence analysis will be conducted, comparing the costs (for example, treatment, procedures, hospital stay, and so forth) and the consequences (for example, health outcomes such as bacteraemia episodes, mortality, and so forth) of both treatment arms.
Based on the results of our recent observational study [19] in which 53 eligible patients presented in a 6-month period, it is anticipated that recruitment will take approximately 18 months. Data collection will continue for 2 years beyond the date of last recruitment, though the primary outcome will be assessed after 6 months.
Adverse event reporting and safety
All adverse events will be fully recorded in the medical records and on the study case report forms. A Data Monitoring Committee comprising of the Chief Investigator, trial statistician and an independent nephrologist will convene at the mid-point of the trial to evaluate recruitment and data collection. The Data Monitoring Committee will monitor adverse events and make recommendations as required. An interim analysis of results will be performed at the mid-point of the trial.
All adverse events will be evaluated by the Chief Investigator for severity, expectedness and causality. Any serious adverse events (SAEs) will be reported to the main Research Ethics Committee and sponsor where, in the opinion of the Chief Investigator, the event was related (resulted from administration of any of the research procedures) and unexpected (not listed in the protocol as an expected outcome). SAEs will be reported using the National Research Ethics Service SAE report form for Clinical Trials of Non-Investigational Medical Products.
Both TCVCs and AVGs are used routinely in clinical practice with minimal complications. The most common risk of TCVC usage is systemic bacteraemia, quoted in the range of 1.4 to 1.8 per 1,000 catheter days [4,12,13,22]. Most commonly, Gram-positive organisms, for example Staphylococcus Aureus, cause catheter-related bacteremia [23]. Otherwise, catheter replacement for dysfunction (thrombosis and malposition) occurs in approximately 0.2 per 1,000 catheter days [23]. The well-described complications of pneumothorax and carotid artery puncture are very rare with image-guided TCVC insertion.
Similarly, operative complications of ecAVG, including steal syndrome and bleeding, are rare [18]. Infection rates are lower than TCVC (approximately 0.6 per 1,000 dialysis days in most published series). The most common infective organisms are Gram-negatives, which are more common in lower rather than upper limb accesses [24]. Thrombosis of ecAVG is the most common complication, with approximately half of ecAVGs requiring re-intervention during the first year [14]. With aggressive management strategies for thrombosis, however, it is possible to achieve secondary patency rates approaching 90% at 1 year [15].
Any adverse events relating to either procedure will be recorded by the staff performing the study, and necessary investigations, treatment or follow-up arranged thereafter.
Limitations and potential solutions
Traditionally, recruitment in trials relating to vascular access can be difficult. In one recent large study, over 2,000 patients were screened to recruit just 225 [25]. This study had very strict inclusion criteria, which can be difficult to achieve in a heterogeneous patient population such as ESRD. It is not anticipated that such problems will be encountered in our study for several reasons: firstly, this will be an inclusive study (rather than having strict inclusion/exclusion criteria); secondly, a local pilot study [19] has demonstrated that 79 patients had TCVCs inserted over a 6-month period and therefore might be approached for inclusion in this study.
The power calculation for this study is based on a bacteraemia rate of 24% in the TCVC arm. This rate is higher than that described in many series, but is derived directly from our local pilot study [19]. It may be that these higher rates of infection relate to early post-insertion infection rates, rather than overall bacteraemia rates for static prevalent TCVCs.
The purpose of this trial is to investigate the hypothesis that, in patients requiring urgent vascular access for haemodialysis, the 6-month culture-proven bacteraemia rate is improved by a strategy of ecAVG ± AVF compared to TCVC ± AVF as this has not yet been demonstrated in a large randomised controlled trial.
Complications of vascular access are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with ESRD. The healthcare costs from a catheter-related bacteraemia range from $6,000 to $29,000 [26]. If the proposed strategy of ecAVG ± AVF is found to reduce culture-proven bacteraemia rates, it could result in significant reduction in healthcare costs and reduced morbidity and hospitalisation for patients with ESRD. This could lead to a paradigm shift away from TCVC in patients requiring urgent vascular access. Conversely if TCVC ± AVF is found to be superior, this finding would support our current strategy of TCVC usage in this patient cohort. Therefore, either a positive or negative result will help inform future practice regarding the optimal strategy of vascular access in patients requiring urgent haemodialysis.
Recruiting.
Finance and indemnity
A small Investigator Led research grant from W.L. Gore Associates will assist in analysis of secondary end-point data. The funders have no role in the study design, data collection or analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript. NHS employed researchers will be covered for negligent harm through the NHS CNORIS indemnity scheme.
AVF:
ecAVG:
early cannulation arteriovenous graft
ESRD:
serious adverse event
TCVC:
We are grateful to David Young, University of Strathclyde, for his statistical advice and Kashfa Iqbal, W.L. Gore Associates, for her input regarding health economic analysis. A small Investigator Led research grant from W.L. Gore Associates will assist in analysis of secondary end-point data. The funders have no role in the study design, data collection or analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.
DK has received a small Investigator Led Research Grant from W.L. Gore Associates. The remaining authors declare that they have no competing interests.
DK conceived the study. EA and DK designed the study. EA wrote the protocol. DK, RK, MC, CG, PT and CB reviewed and optimised the protocol. EA is responsible for communicating with the Governing Bodies (West of Scotland Research Ethics Committee, NHS Research and Development and NHS Finance Departments). EA is the Principle Investigator for the study. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Department of Renal Surgery, Western Infirmary, Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, G11 6NT, UK
School of Medical, Veterinary and Life Science, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK
Department of Nephrology, Western Infirmary, Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, G11 6NT, UK
Department of Radiology, Western Infirmary, Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, G11 6NT, UK
British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Research Centre, Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK
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Sonny Digital Is Focused on His Rap Career: 'I'm on My Kanye West'
ByGavin Evans
Gavin Evans is a contributor for Complex Media.
We're living in the golden age of producers getting the recognition they deserve, but Sonny Digital's still hungry for more. The Atlanta DJ/producer shared his sky-high ambitions with Complex while he was down in New Orleans performing at the Bud Light Crew HQ for the NBA All-Star break.
It was there that he told us that his immediate plans are to switch focus and zone in on rapping in an effort to, as he says, "be the best." It's a bold vision, but it's not like there isn't an impressive track record for it. Check out the rest of what he revealed to Tamara Dhia about the massive goals he's setting up for himself to knock down in the near future.
NewsVideosSonny DigitalNBA All-Star GameComplex VideoNBA All-Star Weekend

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


After years of experience working in business development and consulting, Asha has become passionate about immersive technologies. She is a VR producer who is a natural networker in the XR community. Asha is an active member of several VR groups, including Women in Immersive Tech which helps to support women in the industry. She has run workshops with the VR Diversity Initiative in London to up-skill underrepresented groups in media and technology, and has spoken on panels internationally. Her focus at KTN is to expand the ImmerseUK community and grow the immersive tech ecosystem around the country.
As we move on from a chaotic 2016, there are game-changing developments ahead.


"How To Beat Government Without Hiring A Lawyer"
"There has to be some limit to what lawyers can take from their clients. Otherwise, cagey attorneys end up with the lion's share of the settlement and the victims end up with little more than scraps."
There are two kinds of people in America, those that have never had to hire an attorney and those that have been bilked by one. We have had our own experiences with attorneys, one who tried to blackmail us over the telephone and another one who sucked us dry to the tune of $35,000 on a 100% frivolous lawsuit where we had to mortgage our home to pay him.
We have heard many other horror stories from individuals that find themselves in a corrupt court system, being taken to the cleaners by their attorney, defending against some government notice of violation. At from $250 to over $600 per hour, the average individual's savings won't begin to pay for what an attorney can charge in even a small case. It could take a month for the average American to earn what an attorney earns in 10 hours. Nevertheless, millions of Americans are suddenly brought up short and robbed blind when government comes to call and they are forced to enter a system of attorneys, judges and court clerks that rule the roost with a thousand rules that no one else knows except attorneys, judges and court clerks.
Attorneys have absolutely no incentive whatsoever to bring a case to a quick close when they are paid a large sum per hour and the judges and court clerks don't care. We witnessed one situation where an attorney sucked a significant estate dry with attorney's fees, did not pay the property taxes that he was required to do and the property was auctioned off for taxes. The heirs received nothing but the attorney lined his pockets with exorbitant hourly fees and got away with it. He should have been disbarred and sent to jail for grand theft.
The American judicial system is a closed club, run by members only. Members are attorneys, judges and court clerks and the odd law professor. None other need apply, or have the audacity to enter the court pro se, without a large dose of courage, a thick skin and months of research. If you are an attorney, you live in a surreal bubble where only the anointed are granted entry, a purposely opaque bubble that the average American will never see or understand in their entire lifetime. Being an attorney is not a profession it is legalized theft at the expense of the un-initiated and the unwary. At best, the American judicial system is a crapshoot (or a stacked deck if you prefer) where the only people that win are the members of the club.
In this article we will present ways on how to fight government on civil violations without having to hire one of those over-educated leeches that will bleed you dry, if you let them. Unfortunately, in a very complicated case, defending yourself without an attorney is legal suicide. The corrupt court system will chew you up and spit you out without an ounce of compunction, or a "smidgeon" (Obama's word of the day) of empathy. Nevertheless, in many cases brought by the government against a citizen or landowner for some infraction of the law (there are so many laws) defending your self without an attorney can be a reasonable route to take. However, if you don't like hard work, pouring over laws and statutes and understanding how the corrupt judicial system works, we don't recommend it. For those of you who do not fear the government, or the judicial system, read on. The trick is to stop government before you or they get to the attorney/court stage.
Most of you aren't in trouble with government but one day you will be. Will you be prepared? Let's just say you have received a letter or notice from a government agent or agency, stating that you are in violation of some law and if you don't correct the violation, the government is going to fine you, or even throw you in jail. What do you do? Do you call the lawyer? You do only if you want to spend what's in your savings account and maybe even mortgage your home and you still won't know whether you can win or not because your lawyer won't tell you. He doesn't know. But what he will do is a lot of research on your behalf, at the expense of your rapidly depleting savings account, if you are fortunate enough to have one.
If you are smart, you will read the letter or notice from government very carefully and pick out the salient points of what it is saying. Don't delay in responding to the notice, as there are time limits involved with filing an appeal. ABOVE ALL, DON'T IGNORE THE NOTICE! A written response should be made within three (3) business days of receipt of the letter or notice and should be sent to the government agent or agency, by "Certified-Return Receipt Requested", U. S. Mail. Always demand a response in writing from government and never trust what a government agent or employee tells you verbally. In a pinch, they will lie to cover their tails and they will deny ever having said anything to you.
This is what you need to determine from the letter or notice from government in order to respond. What agency is sending you the letter or notice ..... names, address and phone number? Of what "legal" violation are you being accused? Does the letter cite a specific law or statute that you have violated? What are the penalties for non-compliance or correction of the violation? How much time do you have to "fix" the violation? If it is a very minor violation, you fix it because fixing it is less expensive than fighting it. However, if it is a major violation you have everything to gain by challenging it.
Government, being the brute that it is, will use an official looking letter or notice to intimidate you into compliance. Given the explosion of land use and environmental laws and ordinances, rural landowners are especially vulnerable to receiving a letter or notice from government alleging some code violation. Homeowners in large cities are also vulnerable, but less so. This information may also apply to a run-of-the-mill traffic stop.
If you don't comply, government can then use their enforcement arm to better explain it to you by fining your little hinies off, or hauling you off to jail ..... or worse, pulling out the guns as they just did in Nevada against long-time rancher Cliven Bundy, (snipers and attack dogs mind you) ala Ruby Ridge and Waco. It's happening every day, all over America on our way to a police state because of way too many laws. Federal bureaucracies are the worst offenders.
But government is inept, grossly negligent and just plain stupid. It saves everything, even evidence of its own wrongdoing. It uses inflexible policies and processes to implement law, even if government is operating under the "color of law." Government knows that people are so used to complying, they won't expect you to challenge them by confronting them with their own law. But first, you have to have a general idea of what the law is that government is trying to implement, or enforce and you need to know your rights under the law. If you don't know the law to some degree, your goose is cooked. You might just as well comply.
STOP GOVERNMENT IN ITS TRACKS!
First, do not assume that government has the authority to conduct the actions it is taking against you. That isn't always the case. Government, at all levels, has become so consumed with its own power that it will impute a law where no law or statute authority exists. If this is the case, they are operating under the "color of law", which is a federal crime (42 USC, S 1983) and the government employees or officers responsible can be held personally liable for your damages. Because our nation of laws has become so cumbersome and complex, the chances of government operating under the "color of law" has risen exponentially. If you don't challenge government as to its statute authority for the law it is citing, you may be complying with a letter or notice of a violation, when no such law or legal authority exists.
Much of the information on how to challenge government without hiring a lawyer, is covered in our highly informative Landowner Handbook that is available on our website HERE. The Handbook comes on a USB Flash Drive and includes three videos, a power point presentation, a concentrated real estate course and a mountain of valuable resource information. It represents a compilation of over 30 years experience in a wide range of land use issues by the author. The Handbook also includes a sample letter/notice that any American can use when confronted by a written or verbal, letter or notice of violation from government, even for a traffic stop. The sample letter/notice is also available HERE. Instructions for the letter/notice use are provided as well. The Handbook includes a link to almost every state's general statutes so you can research the law of your state. Although originally designed for rural landowners, the information presented in the Handbook is valuable for city dwellers as well, should they fall afoul of some government law, including the IRS.
Way too many Americans just roll over when confronted by government. Don't give in, fight back! Government isn't the great Goliath it makes itself out to be, but they don't want you to know that. As we have said many times before, if you fear government, government owns you ..... just as sure as a master owns a slave. We've been fighting them for several years and we have been winning. We know others that are winning as well. The question is, will you fight or will you roll over when government comes a calling and looking for your wallet ..... or point a gun at you, put on the handcuffs and march you off to jail? That's right, we now live in a police state. Just ask Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy and his fight with the BLM. Without challenging government's power and legal authority, the police state will only get stronger.
DISCLAIMER: It is not always possible to determine the whole truth when searching available information. Consequently, we make no warranties, express or implied, that the information presented in this article is accurate in all respects. Much of it was pulled from what we determined to be reliable sources. It is the sole responsibility of the reader to verify the information for his or her own particular situation. The material provided is for information purposes only and there is no attempt by the author to provide legal or accounting advice to anyone whatsoever. Under no circumstances are we advocating that any American break the law ..... whatever the law is determined to be. Know your rights ..... or lose them!


The successful Italian company Calzedonia Group has opened on Friday a new Intimissimi and Calzedonia store at 521 Broadway in the heart of Soho. The store is the second one for the brand in NYC.
Alongi Ebenisterie et CG inc and WhiteBox Group LLC have worked with Paolo Addifetti on the project.


Posted by Maxwell Progressive on Thursday, March 29th, 2018 at 5:57am.
If you own one of those beautiful Edmonton properties, then you have made a good choice. As these properties are not just aesthetically appealing homes to live in but also a good return on investment when you plan to sell them. But you only get the best return on investment when you sell your property with the right method. To help you out, here are some points to help you sell your real estate property.
After contemplating a lot if you have finally decided to sell your property, the very first thing to do is to hire a real estate agent. While selling your property on your own may seem like a viable option for you, it really isn't. There are several formalities to be fulfilled, and you may not be well-versed with all of them. Having real estate agents by your side helps as they bring with them their extensive experience in selling Edmonton properties.
The next thing to do is to decide the asking price for selling your property. Now, this is where you need to spend some time thinking to determine the asking price. For you, your house may seem flawless and asking a larger amount for it may seem feasible. But every house has its share of small or major damage which has a direct impact on the asking price. So before you set a price, check what all is missing in your house and accordingly set a price. Also, try to keep a reasonable price as keeping a high price may not get you buyers and asking a low price could result in selling your real estate property at a loss.
The next thing to do is to let the people know that you want to sell your real estate property. With the help of your trusted real estate agent, put up your property for sale on local listings. You could also put up a sign outside your home to grab the attention of the passersby. Other options to let people know about your sale is to host an open house event.
Now that the people are aware of your intention to sell your home, you will start receiving requests from people to view your home. If you have a lot of clutter in and around your home, you might as well get it cleaned. Also, do not forget to repair the visible damages in your home. These things will make you lose your potential buyer, and it will have a direct impact on the price of your house.
Taking care of the above-mentioned factors will expedite the process of your property selling. Hiring an estate agent at the start is a smart decision as he helps you right from the process of listing your Edmonton property on sale to the last step of closing the sale.


This workshop will move you beyond 3-part cards and zoology puzzles, offering numerous ways to prepare a science-rich curriculum that spans all areas of the classroom, introduces children to the natural world, and promotes exploration, observation, and scientific inquiry. An exciting and effective scope and sequence will leave you with concrete ideas for making materials and lessons.
Kathy Farfsing, MEd, is an adjunct faculty member and director of the Montessori Dementia Program at Xavier Montessori Institute, in Cincinnati, OH. AMS-credentialed (Early Childhood).


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How you cast your votes and the equipment you use.
About Voting Equipment
How we vote in the United States is surprisingly complex.
Election security experts agree that the most resilient voting systems use paper ballots (marked by hand or with an assistive device for those who need to use them) that are verified by the voter before casting. Any system that does not include a paper record or a step for voter verification should not be used. Some states and local jurisdictions are still using unreliable and insecure electronic voting systems, while others primarily use hand-marked paper ballots. Visit the Verifier to see the voting equipment being used in your jurisdiction, and learn more about the different types of voting systems here.
Click here for the latest news from Verified Voting about Voting Equipment.
Types of Voting Equipment
Optical Scan Paper Ballot Systems
Optical Scan refers to a voting system that tabulates votes marked in contest option positions on the surface of a paper ballot.
Optical Scan Paper Ballot Systems include both marksense and digital image scanners in which voters mark paper ballots that are subsequently tabulated by scanning devices. On most optical scan ballots voters indicate their selections by filling in an oval, completing an arrow or filling in a box. Ballots may be either scanned on hand-fed optical scan tabulators in the polling place or vote center (Precinct Count) or collected in a ballot box to be scanned at a central location (Central Count.) High capacity batch-fed optical scan tabulators are used in some jurisdictions to handle larger volumes of central count ballots. Optical scan voting systems can scan and tabulate ballots marked by hand or those marked by a ballot marking device. Some ballot marking devices encode voter selections are encode in 1D or 2D barcodes
Direct Recording Electronic (DRE)
A direct recording electronic voting system is a vote-capture device that allows the electronic presentation of a ballot, electronic selection of valid contest options, and the electronic storage of contest selections as individual records.
Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting systems use one of three user interfaces (pushbutton, touchscreen or dial) to allow voters to record their selections directly into computer memory. The voter's choices are stored in DREs via a memory cartridge, diskette or smart card and added to the choices of all other voters. An alphabetic keyboard is typically provided with the entry device to allow for the possibility of write-in votes, though with older models this is still done manually. Some DREs can be equipped with Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) printers that allow the voter to confirm their selections on an independent paper record before recording their votes into computer memory. This paper record is preserved and, depending on State election codes, made available in the event of an audit or recount.
Ballot Marking Devices & Systems
A ballot marking device allows the electronic presentation of a ballot, electronic selection of valid contest options and produces a human-readable paper ballot, but does not make any other lasting record of the voter's selections.
Ballot Marking Devices and Systems were developed in response to the federal requirement that, beginning in 2006, all polling places must provide a means for voters with disabilities to vote "privately and independently." When this requirement was passed as part of the Help America Vote Act in 2002, direct recording electronic voting systems were the only voting machines available for this purpose. With the development of the AutoMARK, which was purchased and subsequently manufactured and marketed by ES&S. Hart Intercivic, Dominion, Unisyn, IVS, and Clear Ballot have since developed ballot marking devices for use with their paper ballot systems. In addition, New Hampshire and Oregon have developed unique ballot marking systems.
While Ballot Marking Device (BMD) has become the generally accepted term for equipment that provides an interface to assist voters with disabilities in marking a paper ballot, the term "electronic ballot marker" has also been proposed to distinguish this equipment from earlier devices like those used to assist voters in punching chad from punch card ballots as well as non-computerized devices like the Vote-PAD.
Most ballot marking devices provide a touchscreen interface together with audio and other accessibility features similar to those provided with DREs, but rather than recording the vote directly into computer memory, the voter's selections are indicated through a marking a paper ballot, which is then scanned or counted manually. Beginning with the introduction of the ES&S ExpressVote in 2016, manufacturers have begun to market BMDs expressly for use by all polling place voters, rather than primarily as an assistive device. The Dominion ImageCast X, the Hart InterCivic Touch Writer Duo, and the Unisyn Freedom Vote Tablet have been fielded in this "BMD for all voters" model, though they are all also used by some jurisdictions primarily as assistive devices.
Hybrid Voting Systems
Hybrid voting systems combine elements of optical scanners, DREs or ballot marking devices.
The first hybrids were developed by Dominion Voting Systems, first with the addition of an assistive technology interface (ATI) to the ImageCast Precinct optical scanner and later with the ImageCast Evolution. Most often the assistive interface of the ImageCast Precinct includes a printer that prints a ballot based on the voter's selection using the ATI, which is then scanned by the ImageCast Precinct. With the Evolution the assistive features, printer and scanner are integrated into a single unit, though the configuration is virtually identical with the BMD and scanner model. We have designated this equipment as "Hybrid Optical Scan/BMD."
The ImageCast Precinct ATI can also be configured to enter the votes from "assistive ballots" directly into the tabulation without the creation of an independent paper ballot, thus functioning as a direct recording electronic device. The Hart InterCivic eScan A/T, used statewide in Oklahoma works similarly. We have designated this equipment as "Hybrid Optical Scan/DRE."
The ES&S ExpressVote XL and the ExpressVote HW 2.1 function as BMDs but contain an internal tabulating functionality. With both of these machines, the voter's selections, made using a touchscreen interface, are printed on a voter selection card, which is scanned and tabulated by the same machine. While the ExpressVote XL always functions as both a BMD and as a tabulator, the ExpressVote can be configured to function exclusively as a BMD or as a BMD and tabulator. We have designated the ExpressVote XL and the ExpressVote, when used as a BMD and tabulator as "Hybrid BMD/Optical Scan."
Punch Card Voting Systems
Punch card voting systems allow voters to record selections by causing holes to be made in predefined positions in a machine-readable paper card.
Punch Card Voting Systems employ a card (or cards) and a small clipboard-sized device for recording votes. Voters punch holes in the cards (with a supplied punch device) opposite their candidate or ballot issue choice. After voting, the voter may place the ballot in a ballot box, or the ballot may be fed into a computer vote-tabulating device at the precinct. No U.S. jurisdictions have used punch card voting systems in federal elections since 2014.
Mechanical Lever Voting Systems
A mechanical lever voting machine is a device that registers votes on counters through a system of rods and gears.
First introduced in the 1890s, mechanical lever machines were used in many States during the 20th Century. As recently as 1996, mechanical lever machines were used by 20.7% of registered voters in the United States. Since 2010, no mechanical lever voting machines are used in U.S. elections.
Hand Counted Paper Ballots
A significant number of jurisdictions manually count paper ballots cast in polling places and even more count absentee and/or provisional ballots by hand. While not a type of "voting equipment," beyond the pen or pencil used by the voter to mark the ballot, many of the issues of ballot design and voter intent that affect all voting systems are relevant to hand counted paper ballots as well.
Electronic Poll Books
An electronic poll book (also called "e-poll book) is a computer-based system that allows poll workers to look up voters and either check them in to vote or identify the person as not in the list of voters permitted to vote at the polling location.
Not all votes are cast in traditional polling places on Election Day – an increasing number of voters vote absentee by mail or at in-person early voting facilities. All jurisdictions now provide accessible equipment for voters with disabilities. Most jurisdictions use different voting systems for these different voting stages.
Polling Place Voting
Accesssible Voting
In U.S. elections, the majority of votes are cast inside polling places. Voters make their selections in one of two ways: by marking a paper ballot, either manually or through the use of an assistive ballot marking device (BMD), or on direct recording electronic (DRE) systems, which record votes directly into computer memory. Most paper ballots are counted on optical scanners, although a significant number of jurisdictions count paper ballots by hand.
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) required that every polling place provide voting equipment with assistive features for voters with disabilities. Jurisdictions have adopted different approaches to meeting this requirement. Some have opted for the exclusive use of direct recording electronic (DRE) systems for all polling place voters. Others have chosen to have "Mixed" systems, with both an optical scan paper ballot system and a DRE system available in each polling place. Some such jurisdictions limit the use of DREs primarily to voters with disabilities while others allow all voters to choose between the two systems available. A third approach to meeting the accessibility requirements of HAVA through the use of Ballot Marking Devices or Systems. These systems allow voters with disabilities to mark a paper ballot that is then counted along with the other paper ballots cast in the polling place.
In recent years many, but not all, States provide for in-person Early Voting. For a period a days or weeks prior to the official Election Day (the period varies from State to State) voters have the option of visiting a central location (typically the county election officials office or, in larger jurisdictions, satellite vote centers) to cast their vote. Most jurisdictions use the same voting equipment for the early voting period that are used in polling places on election day but not all. Some states offer "In Person Absentee Voting" during a certain period of time before an election during which a voter may apply in person for an absentee ballot and cast that ballot in one trip to an election official's office.
Absentee Voting is available in every State. In some States there are restrictions on who can vote by mail and three States (Colorado, Oregon and Washington) conduct elections using only mail ballots. Most jurisdictions tabulate absentee ballots with optical scanners – either high volume "Central Count" systems or smaller "Precinct Count" scanners. A small but significant number of jurisdictions count absentee ballots manually. Some jurisdictions transfer the votes cast by voters on absentee paper ballots onto DRE systems rather than tabulating the ballot by scanning or manual counting.
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 established that a voter could cast a provisional ballot if he or she believes that they are entitled to vote though their name does not appear in the pollbook. A provisional ballot is cast when: the voter refuses to show a photo ID if required, the voter's name does not appear on the polbook for the given precinct, the voter's registration contains inaccurate or out-dated information such as the wrong address or a misspelled name, or a ballot has already been recorded in the voter's name. Whether a provisional ballot is counted or not is contingent upon the verification of that voter's eligibility. Many voters do not realize that the provisional ballot is not counted until 7–10 days after election so their vote does not affect the initial announced results. Once the provisional ballot is determined to be valid it is counted with a scanner or manually.
Some types of voting equipment are more secure than others, and it matters what type of voting equipment you use and how you cast your vote. Verified Voting's in-house database of the types of voting equipment we use to cast – and count – our votes is sorted by voting equipment type and voting equipment vendor.
The conduct of elections has changed in many ways over the past 200 years. The Verifier is the only comprehensive data set of voting equipment down to the precinct level of the United States, going back to 2006.
The History of Voting Machines
The conduct of elections has changed in many ways over the past 200 years. Read an excerpt of Douglas Jones' Brief Illustrated History of Voting to learn more about how votes were historically cast.
Resolution on Electronic Voting
Computerized voting equipment is inherently subject to programming error, equipment malfunction, and malicious tampering.
Secure Elections
Donate to Verified Voting
A strong and healthy democracy depends on the security of our elections. Join us and help ensure that every vote counts.
The election landscape is constantly changing and full of complexities. We'll keep you informed on what's happening, and what we're doing to make elections accurate and secure.


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Dalda- How an England brand became a monopoly in Early India
Dada is the Dutch company that brought Vanaspati ghee into India in the 1930s as an affordable substitute for desi ghee which is comparatively cheaper.The product was a symbol of purity and claimed to be a cooking medium that makes the food more delicious and enhances its taste.
Articles Aug 7, 2021 Add to Reading List
Try asking your grandparents about the yellow cane with green palm tree printed on it, they would hardly take a minute to answer, "Dalda"? That was the monopoly of Dalda during the '90s in India.
The England brand Dada, founded by Lever Brothers, knew there was a potential market for a substitute cheaper than ghee as every family can't afford it. If England's Brothers were not insisted to insert L in the name, then perhaps, one of India's monopoly Vanaspati ghee would have been recognised as Dada.
Entry and Initial Journey in India
Dada is the Dutch company that brought Vanaspati ghee into India in the 1930s as an affordable substitute for desi ghee which is comparatively cheaper. Hydrogenated vegetable oil was introduced by the Dutch brother which later becomes highly successful.
Gradually, when the sales were shooting up, the Lever brothers incorporated a company called Hindustan Vanaspati Manufacturing Company today known as Hindustan Unilever Ltd for producing vanaspati ghee in India. A factory was established in Sewri, today's Greater Mumbai, and finally, Dalda was introduced in the Indian market to officially sell in 1937.
Innovative Marketing Campaigns
The product was a symbol of purity and claimed to be a cooking medium that makes the food more delicious and enhances its taste. Dalda was new to the Indians to make a permanent place in the daily life of the masses, the product was marketed with innovative strategies. Lintas- An ad agency that took the responsibility of marketing Dalda. Lintas was credited for running and creating India's First multi-media advertising campaign- The Dalda Campaign. The campaign focused on connecting the customers on the ground level. In the city, roadside stalls had men preparing tasty snacks and offering them to the by-passers, it was also documented as a short film and was screened in the theatre. A van that is tin shaped used to roam around the streets. Attractive leaflets were handed out and small tins of vanaspati were sold. The crowd was encouraged to smell, touch and taste the product. In villages, storytellers were assigned to kickstart and talk about Dalda. Considering the different needs and requirements, different customers were targeted using different packaging- hotels and restaurants were offered large cans, similarly, individual customers were provided with small cans.
Developing the idea of Affordable Tasty Alternative
The vision of the company was to project Dalda as a cheaper alternative to ghee yet tasty. The strategy paid off soon. Striking the main issue in almost every household has made the Dalda a big hit in India. People were convinced with their beliefs that Dalda would provide the same taste as ghee without compromising on the purity yet cheaper in price.
The brand was a complete monopoly till the 1980s. Although in between Dalda got trapped into various controversies. In the 1950s, there was an opinion spreading among the general masses to ban the product as it is false ghee- An adulteration of desi ghee which is harmful to health. A nationwide personality, then prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, called for an opinion poll. A committee was appointed to bring up the solutions for preventing the adulteration of ghee but sadly no solutions were suggested. The news faded up with time but again in the 1990s, Dalda was alleged that it contained 'animal' fat.
Rise in Competition
By this time, people started getting aware of the harm by the trans-fats in hydrogenated oils, majorly because it increases bad cholesterol and reduces good cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart attacks.
In the meanwhile, clean, cheaper and healthier edible oils were launched in the market. Vegetable oils like groundnut oil, sunflower oil, palm oil and mustard oil started getting the attention of the general masses and started snatching the Dalda's share.
The brand changed the lifestyle of people's eating during that time and was bought by Bunge Ltd.- A global agribusiness major, in 2003. It captured the Dalda brand. Although the market of the product has shrunken at a large scale, Bunge didn't give up and worked upon it according to the changing preferences and cooking patterns.
Introducing New Alternatives
Bunge introduced a range of edible oils as a new launch in the highly competitive market.
The packaging has also been improvised citing ingredients and nutritional value of the oil on the package.
Recently, an interesting initiative to interact with the public- 'Dial d: Unbox the Tiffin' was launched to encourage people to submit recipes, get them voted on and win prizes. The edible oil range includes refined soya bean oil, mustard oil, refined sunflower oil and kachi ghani mustard oil.
In 2015, during the holy annual Jagannath Yatra came up with a unique 'Out of Home' campaign Titled Bhajan se bhojan tak. The campaign was successful and Dalda felt its presence during that time. But with time, Dalda has lost the monopoly and popularity that it had gripped upon at a time.
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Located in Westminster, Colorado, the Sofi Westminster Apartments are close to great parks, respected schools, and great shopping and food. Better yet, if you're looking for an urban adventure, Boulder and downtown Denver are just a half hour away.
Westminster has a great trail system and our apartments are very close to the Canyonside Creek Trail. In addition, the Big Dry Creek Trail is just a mile away. And if you're willing to go a little further, Rocky Mountain National Park and Pike National Forest are only an hour or two away.
For groceries, King Soopers and Honey Bear Gourmet are just a half mile away. A little further find Westminster Farmer's Market, Walmart Supercenter, and Durango market.
No matter what you need, you'll find within easy reach of Sofi Westminster. Contact our helpful leasing office today for more information.


The History of the Wedding Cake and Wedding Cake Topper - What is the history behid the wedding cake topper? Lean more about these important wedding decoration pieces.
Finding Time with Powerful Tips to Keep the Internet from Taking Your Time - Do email, Google, and Amazon take big chunks out of your day? Learn 7 time management techniques for maintaining focus and staying in charge of your time.
The Simple Truths About Falling and Living in Love - We are meant to live a life of love.
Want More Energy Try Some Decluttering - Clutter in all its many forms is a serial energy drainer.
Does Your Boundary Fence Need Mending - With clear cut boundaries in place, you can stop the People Pleasing, take back your power, and create more peace and success in your life with more time to enjoy it all.
Printing Incredible Photo Wedding Invites - This article will help you with some ideas for printing a perfect photo onto your wedding invites and suprise everyone with beautiful and custom wedding invitations and a picture.
Law of Attraction How to Detach Yourself from the Outcome of Your Desires - This article helps depict how to manifest what you desire by letting the law of attraction bring that to you and being open to accepting it.
Visualize Your Goal A Philadelphia Life Coach Tells You Why and How - Philadelphia Life Coach Jeannette Samanen, Ph.
Happy Birthday Ideas - Here are more ideas that you can use while planning that birthday party.
Immerse Yourself In Joyful Pursuits - Imagine your spiritual toolbox.


text:
using ChainUtils.BouncyCastle.Asn1.Pkcs;

namespace ChainUtils.BouncyCastle.Asn1.Smime
{
    public abstract class SmimeAttributes
    {
        public static readonly DerObjectIdentifier SmimeCapabilities = PkcsObjectIdentifiers.Pkcs9AtSmimeCapabilities;
        public static readonly DerObjectIdentifier EncrypKeyPref = PkcsObjectIdentifiers.IdAAEncrypKeyPref;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Using Likibu, you will have the great advantage to crawl the deepest and the most exhaustive global network of accommodations offered by locals, putting forward the entire offer of every accommodations websites.
What kind of vacation rentals would I find on Likibu ?
You can find home for rent around the world! From an apartment rental in Paris, Sydney, New- York, London, Barcelona or any other city, to vacation rentals lost in the countryside or villas for rent by the sea... You would even find castles, caravans, yurts, etc..
Why rent an apartment, a house, a villa instead of a hotel room?
The quality / price ratio is much better and cheaper: you will pay less for a much larger area offering benefits far beyond those of a hotel room (several rooms, lounge, kitchen, etc..). In short you will have a whole apartment instead of a single or a double room!
Can we trust all sites for apartment rentals listed on Likibu?
Yes, absolutely. All sites of private vacation rental referenced by Likibu are serious, trustworthy and offer totally secure transactions. You can book in peace, and make the most of your vacation.
Are the accommodations offered on Likibu available worldwide?
Yes. Likibu gives you access to the broadest and the most exhaustive global network of accommodations offered by locals. Indeed, Likibu puts forward the entire offer of every accommodations websites around the world: so you can find accommodation throughout Europe, America, Asia, Africa and even Oceania.
What does "entire home/apartment" "private room" and "shared room" mean?
"Entire home/apartment" means that the whole apartment, home or villa for rent will be available for guests. Conversely "private room" means that only the room will be fully available for the guest but he will have to share the rest of the accommodation with other people. It could also be a guesthouse, as for "shared room" that means that several guests will stay in the same room.


Why should I choose Aberdare Ford for my MOT test?
Wherever you have your MoT, there is a strong possibility that your car will need some repairs, however minor. If you have the test at Aberdale Ford, we can make sure any work is carried out, by Ford-trained technicians, to the standards you can expect from the UK's largest Ford retail dealer. This ensures your warranty is unaffected and can help maintain your vehicle's resale value, too.
If your vehicle is three years old or more, you're required by law to have an annual safety check called the Ministry of Transport Test - the MoT Test.
The MoT ensures that your vehicle meets the minimum legal safety level.
Without a current MoT certificate, it's illegal to drive your vehicle or renew your road fund license. And now the MoT testing system has been computerised, police and mobile camera units can check remotely whether your vehicle has a current MoT or not.
Please remember, it's your responsibility to have your vehicle tested every 12 months.
What happens in an MoT test?
During the MoT test, a government-authorised tester will check your vehicle comprehensively, including the interior, exterior, under the bonnet and underneath the vehicle. The tester records each check and if your vehicle passes the test, you'll be issued with a VT20 'pass' certificate. If it fails, you'll receive a VT30 'failure' document. You'll also be told of any 'advisory' items - those that haven't quite failed the test, but which need careful monitoring.
What do I need to remember to take with me?
Once you've booked your vehicle in for its MoT, you need to take your Vehicle Registration Document - often referred to as the 'V5' document - and a means of paying the current fee.
How long does an MoT certificate last?
You can book an MoT up to 28 days in advance of its due date. Most people don't realise, but the expiry date on your new MoT is 12 months from the expiry of your old one, which means you could have an MoT that lasts for 13 months. The MoT certificate is only required if you would like the new MoT to run for more than 12 months.


Workers with Temporary Protected Status ("TPS") fill crucial roles in the construction, hospitality, landscaping, laundry, salon, delivery services and other industries. Now that the Trump administration has decided to abruptly end TPS for all designated countries within the next 6-18 months, many of these talented workers will be left without a valid status or work authorization. Employers with large numbers of TPS employees or subcontractors will be disproportionately harmed from the sudden loss of their workforce. There is no indication that the administration or Congress will provide a fix for this issue. Employers are therefore left with the responsibility of ensuring the continued availability of their valuable employees.
Exposure Assessment – Conduct a detail review of their workforce (direct and subcontractor) to consider exposure to ending of this status on costs of labor, profitability and ability to fulfill commitments to current and future contracts. Employers should also consider a comprehensive review of their compliance with immigration laws, including I-9 compliance, and the likeliehood of increased enforcement and worksite visits by immigration officials.
Advocacy – Advocate for legislative fixes to this impeding problem ether directly and through trade groups and unions. Interested employers should engage experienced immigration counsel to draft advocacy points and correspondence with congressional representatives.
Inform TPS Workers – Advise TPS workers to seek the advice of competent immigration counsel to understand their own immigration history and options. Companies may even wish to encourage this by subsidizing the cost of consultations with competent legal counsel.
Consider Sponsorship – Consult with an experienced immigration attorney to understand the benefits and risks of sponsorship and discuss options for retaining crucial employees.
Bold employers seeking to proactively stave off this impending problem should consider sponsoring TPS employees for permanent residence through PERM Labor Certification. This process involves conducting a test of the labor market in the employer's area; asking the Department of Labor ("DOL") to certify that there are not qualified and available U.S. workers for the position; and requesting a visa and Greencard from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service ("USCIS").
Avoid Expensive and Time–Consuming Recruitment: Employers invest large amounts of time and money to recruit and train talented employees. Additionally, the labor market is very competitive right now, with many companies reporting that it is difficult to fill open positions, to say nothing of having to replace highly-skilled workers.
Current USCIS Policy Against TPS Holders: Notwithstanding two federal circuit courts (the Sixth and Ninth Circuits) that have held that TPS holders are eligible for Greencards, USCIS continues to deny Greencards for sponsored TPS holders elsewhere in the US. This issue is currently being actively litigated, and there are strong arguments in favor of eligibility; however, federal litigation could take anywhere from 6 to 12 months to yield results and could ultimately be decided against eligibility for TPS holders. Plainly stated, Employers would have to accept the risk that the government's policy will not change and, consequently, efforts to sponsor TPS employees would fail.


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text:
Stay in the moment
How much for Elvis?
By Mark Seabright
Two of my favourite business stories, one from the mid 1950s, the other from around 1980, provide a telling reminder of both the importance and danger of assumptions. I have no idea how true they are, but it doesn't stop me loving them and learning from them.
The first one, from the mid fifties, concerns a telephone conversation between two Hollywood movie producers and Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's manager. The producers were trying to persuade the Colonel to let Elvis do a Hollywood movie. A no-brainer you would have thought. But the Colonel made them put their most persuasive case; after all Elvis was a rock n' roll performer, not an actor.
Eventually the conversation came round to money.
"So, what kind of fee did you have in mind?" asked the Colonel.
The producers, as I recall from the story, mentioned a figure of around $50,000, a lot of money for an actor in their first film in those days.
The phone remained silent for a while. Eventually the Colonel said "OK, and how much for Elvis?"
The story goes that a proportionately higher fee was eventually negotiated for Elvis. Which then set a precedent, which made both Elvis and the Colonel rich.
Of course the fatal mistake was that as the producers were talking about Elvis, and about Elvis' film, they naturally assumed that they were talking about Elvis' fee. But they forgot they weren't talking TO Elvis, so failing to qualify their question proved expensive.
The second story concerns a young Bill Gates and his mates working in a garage, and trying to sort out a price to charge for developing some software for some new computers IBM were making. IBM told them that they reckoned they'd sell "about 100" units. The question was, what do you charge for a contract like that?
The consensus was to quote a fixed fee of, as I remember the story, five thousand dollars, still a reasonable sum for the work involved.
Until young Bill piped up and said "Why don't we charge them $50 per unit instead?" The logic being that if IBM sell two hundred units instead of a hundred, then Bill and his mates would make twice as much money from the same amount of work.
So, just for the hell of it, they asked, and IBM said yes. Presumably because for 100 units that was a fair price, and if they sold only 50 units they would have "saved some money". And decades later in IBM they still refer to it as a "billion dollar mistake". The rest, as they say, is Microsoft history.
Looking back now, it doesn't seem too much to ask that someone at IBM should have asked the related questions "Why do they want a price per unit? And if we pay it, shouldn't we cap it?" Ultimately, IBM's core error was to assume that their unit forecast was a maximum, rather than a wild, crazy, unbelievable underestimate.
We all make assumptions in business all the time. When we are negotiating, managing, communicating, in meetings, reading reports, business plans, forecasts, even when we read the newspaper, books and articles. Giving yourself just a few seconds to challenge one or two of the most obvious assumptions you are making can produce significant insight into the situation/material you are being faced with, and therefore what you can do about it.
Here are a few straightforward suggestions which might help you to avoid hearing the "How much for Elvis?" question at the worst possible time;
Consider the scope before the detail
Give yourself time beforehand to consider the spectrum of possible outcomes. That doesn't mean every single eventuality, it means the two extremes; the absolute best and worst that can happen. It wouldn't have taken long for an IBM exec to ask what the implications of the deal would be if they sold 1,000 or 10,000 units, let alone millions.
Give things a purpose in order to remove ambiguity
Be clear about defining your terms. If the Hollywood producers had quoted their $50,000 fee "for Elvis" they could potentially have saved a rather large amount of money.
A small concession now could pay back big time later
Where relevant, try and build in an "anti-embarrassment" clause. Ask yourself the question, "If by some dim chance this thing does become the next Facebook, how can I make sure that I have a small, but face-saving, stake in the long term?" Long shots do sometimes pay off. It may cost practically nothing now to buy into that possibility later. And as both these stories show, there's no way you'll be able to renegotiate after the event.
In business, as in life, there's no sure-fire way to remove the risk of an expensive mistake, or to prevent a lost opportunity. But you can stack the odds in your favour if you are diligent about getting the scope and purpose right, and most importantly, if you have covered off that delightful and infernal "How much for Elvis?" question.
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text:
| 28 January, 2023, 12:20 PM IST | Today's Paper
Foxconn says all US iPhones could be made outside China if needed
Bloomberg Last Updated: Jun 11, 2019, 11:42 PM IST
China is a crucial cog in Apple's business, the origin of most of its iPhones and iPads as well as its largest international market.
Taipei: Apple Inc has a backup plan if the US-China trade war gets out of hand. The Cupertino, California-based company's primary manufacturing partner has enough capacity to make all iPhones bound for the US outside China if necessary, according to a senior executive at Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. The Taiwanese contract manufacturer now makes most of the smartphones in the Chinese mainland.
China is a crucial cog in Apple's business, the origin of most of its iPhones and iPads as well as its largest international market. But President Donald Trump has threatened Beijing with new tariffs on about $300 billion worth of Chinese goods, an act that would escalate tensions dramatically while levying a punitive tax on Apple's most profitable product.
Hon Hai, known also as Foxconn, is the American giant's most important manufacturing partner. It will fully support Apple if it needs to adjust its production as the USChinese trade spat gets grimmer and more unpredictable, board nominee and semiconductor division chief Young Liu told an investor briefing in Taipei on Tuesday. "Twenty-five percent of our production capacity is outside of China and we can help Apple respond to its needs in the US market," said Liu, adding that investments are now being made in India for Apple. "We have enough capacity to meet Apple's demand."
Apple has not given Hon Hai instructions to move production out of China, but it is capable of moving lines elsewhere according to customers' needs, Liu added. The company will respond swiftly and rely on localised manufacturing in response to the trade war, just as it foresaw the need to build a base in the US state of Wisconsin two years ago, he said. It's unclear if India will ever become a major production base for Apple's marquee device. Foxconn is now running quality tests for the iPhone Xr series there and plans to begin mass production at a facility in the suburbs of Chennai. Older models are already assembled at a Wistron plant in Bangalore.
Apple Inc.WisconsinFoxconnChinaWistron CorporationiPhone


text:
Q: Can anyone explain me example from Joshua Bloch item 41? I'm reading "Effective Java" by Joshua Bloch now and when I read item 41 "Use overloading judiciously" I was confused because of the example used there. I tried it on computer and it indeed does what it does in the book. But I don't understand why!
Here's this example:
public class SetList {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Set<Integer> set = new TreeSet<Integer>();
        List<Integer> list = new ArrayList<Integer>();
        for (int i = -3; i < 3; i++) {
            set.add(i);
            list.add(i);
        }
        for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
            set.remove(i);
            list.remove(i);
        }
        System.out.println(set + " " + list);
    }
}

It outputs:
[-3, -2, -1] [-2, 0, 2]
I understand that list.remove() in this example should remove by index but it doesn't! After list was filled with values it was: [-3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2]. So, when we remove 0, 1 and 2 elements we should stay with [0, 1, 2] and not with [-2, 0, 2]. What's going on there?

A: The list items are removed one-by-one and when items are removed from the list, the indexes of everything that comes after it are shifted back. This is why the indexes end up referring to different items than in the initial position.
If you can't see this easily, step through the code in a debugger or even "run" the list manipulations manually on paper, step by step.

A: This is just elaborating on Matti's answer really. I couldn't get this clearly in a comment.
Look at the list after elements are added:
[-3 -2 -1 0 1 2]

Remove element 0
[-2 -1 0 1 2]

Remove element 1 - which is now the same as the old element 2
[-2 0 1 2]

Remove element 2 - which is now the same as the old element 4
[-2 0 2]

There we go.
To make it even clearer, try reversing the order of the for and remove elements 2, then 1, then 0. You will get the answer you originally expected.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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A competition style BBQ sauce that brings the heat with a blend of redand black peppers with just the right amount of tangy goodness to wake up your taste buds!


Thanks to www.annieseatonromance.com for passing the baton on the Trivia Man book blog tour!
This book is one, quirky, fast and funny read. The chapters are short and sharp without any filler in-between to distract from the stories of the main characters. Trivia underpins the whole story, as a regular trivia team group,who seem happy and normal on the outside (apart from Kevin), have their own struggles and anxieties behind closed doors. Autism and Aspergers are eluded to throughout the book in different ways and in the way Kevin behaves, but it is never spelt out and the reader is left to make up their own mind whether Kevin is in that spectrum, or just a little odd. Aren't we all a little weird and awkward at times?
Kevin and his nephew Patrick have a magical connection and relationship, one which is rarely explored in books and really turns this lighthearted tale into something with real heart and soul. The dialogue between the characters is fun, fast and at times, quite poignant. I hope this book gets picked up by a good screenwriter, I could easily see this being a four part series such as The Mooney's on the ABC or BBC.
An offbeat tale, with short, easy to read chapters make this a perfect read for the daily commute or a long weekend.
Next stop on the tour is Terry R Barca Author on the 11th June!


The Android 4.1 Jelly Bean on the Google's Nexus 7 combines both phone and tablet user interfaces.For the Nexus 7,Google has specifically created a very different combination of User Interfaces whereby the placement of the virtual buttons is completely different from the predecessor Android tablets.
Like the Galaxy Nexus,the Home Screen Launcher in the the Nexus 7 is fixed in the portrait mode and has the virtual buttons at the bottom of the screen,however when the user goes uses the landscape mode for example,in landscape-orientated applications and games eg Dead Trigger,the virtual buttons will remain at the bottom unlike in the Galaxy Nexus.
The Developers Fame It have created an Application named Ultimate Rotation Control,this is an application that enables the user to use the Home Screen Launcher and other Applications in Landscape Orientation,designed for those users who would prefer to use the Nexus 7 with landscape orientation instead of the portrait orientation.
Ultimate Rotation Control negates the already pre-set Orientation settings and thereby forcing the user's tablet to use the user's own Orientation choice.
You can also set the Orientation as required separately for all applications according to your own requirement to avoid the problem of some applications not working properly as a result of them being forced to be opened in a specific orientation.
After the application has been installed and set-up,the user will notice that it is present in the notification drawer in addition to a widget present on the home screen,thereby allowing the user to easily change the settings as required.
This Ultimate Rotation Control is available at the Google Play Store,for $0.99,however there is a free 7-day trial version available,for those who want to try it out.Ultimate Rotation Control can be used on any Android Device from the 1.6 Donut to the 4.1 Jelly Bean.
The app is actually USD $2.99.