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Call of Duty League: Can Dallas Empire Regain Second Place?
Posted on June 3, 2021 - Last Updated on September 18, 2021
by Grant Taylor-Hill
1 Call of Duty League: Redemption Required
2 LAN is on the Horizon
Aside from FaZe's position at the top of the table, the Call of Duty League is generally becoming too close to call. The Atlanta side is more than 100 points clear of second place, but that's where things start to really heat up. The reigning champions, Dallas Empire, currently sit just ten points behind the New York Subliners, the current second-place side.
This season's Ultimate Underdogs, NYSL, have relentlessly ascended up the table, and they're now just one good Major streak outside of first place. However, that fact could change this week, depending on the performance both NYSL and Dallas Empire put out.
At the end of the week, two of the most experienced veterans in the Call of Duty League will do battle. It could be the decider for second place, and both teams will have already played a match in the days leading up to it. Dallas Empire has a rather forgiving fixture against LAG, but NYSL must fight a seriously capable Florida Mutineers side.
Could the reigning champions sneak into second place?
Call of Duty League: Redemption Required
There are several teams across the board looking for a redemption of sorts this week. It's an unfortunate fact, but someone always has to lose – but some teams are a little better at that than others. In recent weeks, teams such as Paris Legion, London Royal Ravens, and Seattle Surge have really found it hard to gain any kind of traction.
Paris Legion, in particular, hasn't won a match since a surprise victory over the Florida Mutineers on May 2nd, during Stage Three. It's a fact that's taking its toll on the team.
Although, Seattle Surge is having a much harder time of it, having won nothing since its mid-Major victory on the 9th of April. Currently, at the bottom of the Call of Duty League table, Seattle Surge, Paris Legion, and London Royal Ravens are all separated by just ten points apiece.
Image Credits | Activision
However, if there's a Stage during which Seattle will regain, it's unlikely to be this one. This week, the Surge must compete against Atlanta FaZe and Minnesota Rokkr… Ouch.
LAN is on the Horizon
Let's end on a truly high note – LAN is set to return to the Call of Duty League as of the 17th of June. The League is all too happy to be putting on a serious show for Major IV, which will be played locally at a site in Dallas. It's a huge win for the League, as LAN removes any imbalances created by internet-based competition.
Furthermore, we'll be treated to all the trash-talking, hyping, and exhilaration that comes with a LAN event.
OpTic (we see you, Scump) has been considerably inconsistent in recent weeks. However, there's a general understanding that the team does perform better at LAN – could this move herald a comeback for the somewhat crumbling Greenwall?
Perhaps – get those Call of Duty bets in when it kicks off on the 17th.
Grant Taylor-Hill
Grant has been neck-deep in the world of competitive gaming for more than a decade, focusing mainly on Call of Duty. From his home in the UK, he pours his heart and soul into gaming, streaming, and creating content with his wife and friends.
View all posts by Grant Taylor-Hill
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[Data] Narendra Modi third-most followed world leader on Twitter
Social Media For You
Indian Prime Minister @NarendraModi is the third-most followed world leader with 30 million followers on his personal account and 18 million followers on his institutional account, @PMOIndia, which is in fourth place on Twitter, according to Burson-Marsteller's Twiplomacy study.
Pope Francis is the most followed world leader on Twitter with a combined total of 33 million followers on his nine language accounts, ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump with 30 million.
India's Foreign Minister, @SushmaSwaraj, is the most followed female world leader with 8 million followers and @IndianDiplomacy is third among foreign ministries with 1.2 million followers on Twitter.
Twitter is the prime social network used by 276 heads of state and government, and foreign ministers, in 178 countries, representing 92 percent of all United Nations (UN) member states. Facebook is the second-most used social platform by world leaders, with 169 governments having established official pages. However, world leaders have, on average, twice as many followers on their Facebook pages as followers on Twitter.
Are World Leaders Conversational on Twitter?
While President Trump's tweets have generated 166 million interactions (likes and retweets) over the past 12 months –PM Modi is in second place with 35 million interactions. For instance, in 2015 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a Direct Message to his then 12.5 million followers celebrating one year in government. Today selected accounts can still send him direct messages and are greeted by this welcome message.
Visual Communications on Twitter
A number of world leaders have use animated gifs to lighten up their tweets in a fun and playful way. For example, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi created a gif to promote his mobile app.
"Politics and diplomacy are playing out on social media in a way we have never seen before," said Don Baer, Worldwide Chair and CEO, Burson-Marsteller. "With the U.S. president bypassing traditional government channels to communicate directly to his supporters and detractors alike, we can expect more people in positions of power to adopt this practice. Our Twiplomacy study shows how fast-paced and dynamic our communications landscape truly is."
The 2017 Twiplomacy study analyzed 856 Twitter accounts of heads of state and government, and foreign ministers, in 178 countries with a combined total audience of 356 million followers. Foreign ministries tend to use Twitter to establish mutual relations. The most followed non-government account is the United Nations Twitter account, @UN, which is followed by 338 of the 856 world leaders' Twitter accounts; @BarackObama and the @ObamaWhiteHouse are followed by 312 and 254 world leaders, respectively. @UNICEF is the second-most followed international organization and The New York Times (@NYTimes) is the most followed news organization. The @Twiplomacy Twitter account is the eighth-most followed non-governmental account by world leaders, with a following of 184 heads of state and government, ahead of @Reuters and @TheEconomist.
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Jatin Mahajan, an astute healthcare specialist J Mitra & Co transforming the diagnostics segment
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Jatin Mahajan, an astute healthcare specialist
J Mitra & Co transforming the diagnostics segment
The year 2018 turned out to be a major milestone for the healthcare sector. The year was marked by various noteworthy developments –Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), Mission Indradhanush, Ayushman Bharat, advancements in Home healthcare, Artificial Intelligence, out-of-hospital digital health-tech have all seen a boom. Private investments in the sector have also increased. With the line blurring between technology and healthcare, India will soon emerge as one of the most preferred healthcare destinations globally.
A noteworthy name in the healthcare segment is that of J Mitra & C0, India's leading in-vitro diagnostics company. Lalit Mahajan laid the founding stones of J Mitra & Co in 1969. Carrying the legacy to newer heights, Mr Lalit Mahajan's son – Jatin Mahajan further strengthened the company's focus on research and development to ensure that the organization pursue its course in the right earnest. This research-based biotechnology company enjoys a global reach and is the biggest exporter of diagnostics kits and reagents from India, exporting to more than 45 countries across the globe.
As the Managing Director, Jatin has been spearheading the organization for the past 18 years, taking it to its present glory – regional leader, exporter to over 45 countries, and more than 55 patents. Today, Jatin Mahajan is a well-established name in the medical fraternity as a promoter of excellent quality medical diagnostic test solutions for the detection of various infectious diseases. His cost-effective, safe, and international-standards compliant products are used by most of the big names, and his clientele reads like a who's who of the medical diagnostic fraternity. It is this drive for quality and excellence that has resulted in the company bagging more than 55 patents in this industry, and the title of "India's Patent King" by Wall Street Journal.
Let's hear more from the leader himself who envisions a strong position for India as an IVD manufacturing hub on the global map.
Edited Excerpts
What kind of impact do you intend to make in the Indian healthcare space?
The four most important words are – affordability, accessibility, quality and speed. While on one hand, we are focused on decreasing the cost and timeframe of detection, on the other we are focusing on extensive R&D so as to develop newer solutions for other ailments -the focus is on better, faster and more extensive diagnostics.
Information Technology has seen a major transformation in the past few years. What impact has it had on your company?
IT has brought about phenomenal changes and advancements in detection & diagnostics, treatment and monitoring of patients. The focus is on early detection and management.
At J Mitra, we have been singularly focusing on technological innovations to create path-breaking healthcare solutions that are affordable and accessible to all. In August 2018, we launched iQuant, a unique product based on Fluorescence Immunoassay Analyzer technology, that is transforming diseases detection in the rural and semi-rural areas. Launched in collaboration with IIT Madras' HTIC (Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre), this portable equipment with 9 diagnostic parameters is a state-of-the-art analyser for quantitative and qualitative determination of blood test parameter – that includes TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone), T3 (tri-iodo thyronine), T4 (Thyroxin), Vitamin D, Dengue NS1 Antigen, Dengue IgM, Dengue IgG, HbA1c and CRP test. With this launch, various highly-active and sought-after diagnostic solutions have become available across the country and in the remotest of locations at the fraction of a cost. And we will be exporting the same to more than 45 countries across the globe.
In a digital world, how will mobility change healthcare?
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It is a constant move towards mobile detection and management. While the sizes of diagnostics devices are becoming smaller and smaller thus making them more mobile and durable, remote surgeries using internet and robotics is a reality. This scenario will continue to improve further, and our future is limited only by our imagination
By 2025, how will our healthcare delivery system change? What roadmap you have laid for the same?
Both detection and delivery of healthcare are under a constant blanket of change. We will continue to innovate and focus on mobile / portable diagnostics solutions so that we are able to focus on the remotest regions of our country. The point of care has to shift from metros and bigger towns to the smaller towns and villages, and ultimately to the very homes of the consumers. This will continue to be our endeavor and drive all our business strategies.
What are the reasons for your success? What does it take to become a successful entrepreneur?
Business and Social ethics are of utmost importance to us. All business requirements can be acquired, but no organization can survive and flourish for a long time without ethics. The only other aspect is a continuous focus on change and innovation to keep abreast and ahead of the market requirements.
So, what keeps you up at night?
We sleep well, knowing that we are making a difference in the lives of millions. The only business aspect that is probably completely not in our control is research and development. This is a very time-consuming process and realistic timelines can never be established. Break-throughs, at times, take 5-7 years. If there is anything we could change, this would be it.
The Periscope
Jatin Mahajan
Jatin is a regular speaker at Industry forums like ASSOCHAM, AIMED (Joint Coordinator, IVD Group), BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) as a Principal Member, Sectional Committee, ADMI and Voice of Health. He is also a proud receiver of WHO recognition.
An MBA graduate from the renowned International Management Institute, New Delhi, and continues to be a regular part of the admission and intake process for the institution.
Chronoscope of India's No. 1 In-Vitro Diagnostics Manufacturing Company
Year Achievement
2018 § 50 years of serving the nation
§ Launched iQuant (India's first portable state-of-the-art Fluorescence Immunoassay Analyzer – in collaboration with IIT Madras)
§ iQuant procured by the Presidential Estate, Govt of India as part of the in-house medical and diagnostic support system
§ New Products Launch
o Dengue IgM Quanti card
o Dengue IgG Quanti card
2016 § New Products Launch
o HbA1c Quanti card
o VITAMIN D Quanti card
o Dengue NS1 Ag Quanti card
o T4 Quanti card
o TSH Quanti card
2011 § Launched Typhoid antibody test
2010 § Launched Dengue NS1 Ag & antibody Rapid test kit
§ Launched Chikungunya antibody test kit
2007 § Launched Lepto IgM & IgG antibody test kit
2006 § Launched 4TH Generation HIV Elisa & Rapid test
§ First time Launch of T.B. Antigen kit
2005 § Launch of T.B. Antibody test Kit
§ ERP Implementation and Launch of Malaria Kit
2003 § Development of Therapy Technology Division
2001 § Hepatitis-B Strip and Card tests launched
2000 § HCV RAPID Test HCV ELISA Tests launched
1999 § HIV W.BLOT Test kit officially inaugurated by the then Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee
1997 § HIV ELISA Test Kit launched
§ Hepatitis-B test kit launched
1996 § HIV TRI-DOT (Rapid Screening test) for AIDS launched in India based on In -house Research and Development
1987 § Monoclonal Blood Grouping Reagents launched
§ Blood Grouping Reagents launched
§ In-house R&D unit recognized by DSIR, Ministry of Science Technology
1986 § Digital Lab System launched in India
1981 § Lab System launched in India
1969 § Incorporation of the company
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2019healthcareJ.MitraJatin MahajanMay 2019
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Welcome back to Pandora! Not much has changed since you were last here. Skags and bandits still roam the streets, both equally likely to kill you or eat you. Hyperion is still hated by everyone in the area, thanks to Handsome Jack and his crazy plans. And here you are, wearing a hyperion suit with no gun in the middle of a town full of bandits. What were you thinking?
Let's go back a bit. This is you. Rhys. Middle manager at Hyperion, rising through the ranks and just about to get a promotion. Things are looking great. Except this is the universe of Borderlands, where going to the bathroom can either kill you or give you an amazing new gun. After your promotion turns into a job as janitor, you plan to screw your new boss over, which starts an almost non-stop disaster ride for you, your friends and almost everyone you come into contact with. Rhys is voiced masterfully by Troy Baker, who brings colour to a man completely out of his element, facing problems he never thought about.
This is also you. Fiona is a street smart Pandoran con-artist. She has been pulling off heists, thefts and conning marks since a young age with her sister, Sasha and her fast mouth and ability to improvise has saved them on many occasions. Until she bumps into Rhys and her con blows up seconds from completion, with crazy bandits busting in. Some days nothing can go right, you now? Laura Bailey gives the sarcastic, savvy Fiona life, with always enough time for a witty quip regardless of the situation.
If you haven't played a Telltale games episodic adventure before, let me explain it quickly. This is a point and click adventure with a bit of walking around, QTEs for the action and lots of character dialogue with many options to help colour the situation and affect the people around you. For a large portion of the game you will be following along, watching events unfold while giving input for conversations or nudging your character out of harm's way. Its part point and click, part Heavy Rain, forcing you to think on your feet. Almost every dialogue choice is timed. If you take to long, your silence is your answer, which might upset the people you are interacting with. These interactions and choices carry over through the episodes, affecting the way that parts of the story play out. Snub a character for a good laugh? They might not help you later when you need their skills. Praise someone about their strengths? They will be more confident and assured later, or less likely to backstab you for a tidy profit.
A lot of the game revolves around human interaction, and the story creates an amazing backdrop to this. Moments of crushing despair give way to improbably rescues or, thanks to the fact that a captured Rhys and Fiona are telling the story to an unknown gunman, a bit of embellishment by the storytellers makes for some hilarious moments, until someone butts in with how things really happened. Its this balance between seriousness, drama and the jovial almost slapstick levity that keeps you playing, that makes you want to see more and makes you care about the characters and their plight.
Telltale Games shoves so much into 9 hours that you might want to take a small break between episodes. By removing all the drudgery that normally accompanies games (collecting 10 livers from Bullymongs, killing 50 bandits) and focusing on plot development, character interaction and dialogue, you will feel like you achieved much more than most 40 hour games provide. How anyone can survive playing an episode of this and waiting until the next one is released is beyond me, but then I can't wait a week for a new episode of my favourite TV shows either.
When I first heard of Tales from the Borderlands, I scoffed at the idea. A rough world about heroes and big guns and even bigger monsters had no place for a character-driven story game. I am so glad to be wrong, as the backdrop of Borderlands brings so much fun with it. The game pokes fun at Borderlands, ridiculing people throwing money in the trash to the ratio of weapon lockers to Pandora's population. At the same time it celebrates Borderlands, the Vault Hunters of old being epic heroes with amazing skills, to seeing some of your favourite guns again. This time pointed at your face. While it can certainly be played without having played other Borderlands games, the number of references and recurring characters will keep series veterans chuckling.
Tales from the Borderlands brings the deadly world of Pandora to life in a thrilling, enchanting way. The star-studded voice actor cast has lines aplenty and are given time to shine. The story of Rhys and Fiona and their friends is compelling, action-packed, dramatic and has equal parts of sadness and happiness. A lot of games could learn from what Telltale has done with solid story, well-written dialogue set to a comfortable pace. It is not often that a game has me laughing out loud and dancing to its soundtrack or makes me feel sad due to loss, but Tales from the Borderlands just gets it all right. Now get, before I spoil something by mistake because I am dying to talk about more of this game.
Why is it over? I need more!
Tales from the Borderlands follows the story of the most unlikely band of heroes you will ever meet, while capturing your heart and taking it on a rollercoaster ride.


1. Scoop flesh from kiwi halves with spoon into stainless steel pot; discard skins. Mash flesh until smooth. Stir in sugar and lemon juice.
2. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove jars one at a time from hot water, and fills with jam, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Seal with lids. Place canning rack or cake rack in bottom of large pot, and return jars to pot, adding extra water to cover jars by 1 inch, if necessary. Bring water to a boil, and boil 10 minutes. Remove jars from water, and cool.


Once again this year an International Ensemble Modern Academy (IEMA) was held as part of the Paxos Festival on Corfu with the support of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation. Since 2004, this festival has collaborated with IEMA, offering master classes for outstanding Greek students and aspiring young musicians enabling them to pursue high-quality studies in the performance practice of 20th and 21st century music. At the same time, festival organizers also wish to see New Music performed more frequently in Greece. The full-day study sessions and public rehearsals take place on the island of Paxos. Works that have been rehearsed and performed during the festival are repeated again during the following winter as part of a series of concerts at the Megaron Concert Hall in Athens.
This extended collaboration between the festival and the International Ensemble Modern Academy has also led to the formation of an ensemble for contemporary music in Greece: the Ergon Ensemble.


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Rose Leslie Discusses Her First Lead Film Role in 'Honeymoon'
The Game of Thrones and Downton Abbey Actress On Her Creepy Indie Horror Flick
Sep 12, 2014 By Austin Trunick Web Exclusive
In her bold first leading film role, Rose Leslie plays a young newlywed who is (quite literally) losing her mind.
Leslie stars opposite Harry Treadaway in Leigh Janiak's utterly creepy Honeymoon, about a young couple who head into the Canadian wilderness to spend their honeymoon at a family cottage. One night, she wanders off into the woods and returns slightly changed. Her behavior is off; she has a hard time remembering words and names; something has gotten inside her head. As her condition continues to deteriorate, even her new husband has a hard time recognizing the woman he's married.
Portraying a character undergoing such a dramatic transformation would be a challenge for any actor, let alone one taking on a lead role for the first time. But Rose Leslie is up to the task, and Honeymoon should rightfully be her breakout role. She's best known to this point for her television roles as a housemaid on Downton Abbey and the wildling warrior Ygritte on Game of Thrones.
We spoke to the actress about Honeymoon, her career, and of course, Game of Thrones. [Warning: GoT season 4 spoilers ahead.]
Austin Trunick [Under the Radar]: This is some very, very heavy material. Do you remember your first reactions to the script as you read it?
Rose Leslie: Do you know what? My immediate reaction was that I had never come across a script before whereby there was such a fascination with just one character. I felt that it was absolutely interesting as an actor to—within one role—be able to show a shift in who you fundamentally are, as a character. So that was fascinating to me, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
This is your first leading film role. How intimidating was it to debut with such an unusual and demanding part?
It was absolutely brilliant. I feel that it was a huge accolade … Harry Treadaway made the experience so enjoyable, not only because he is a wonderful man, but he's also a brilliant actor. The pressure was completely taken off both of us. Because it was a two-hander, we only really had each other. Once we understood the way one another worked, and once we'd collaborated on every single scene and accepted the script and that we had the same ideas, we realized that — despite the content — this was going to be an utter joy, because it was such a teamwork effort going on behind the scenes.
We were in it together, trying to make this little indie as good as possible.
How much time did you spend together with Leigh and Harry before shooting, and what sort of conversations did the three of you have about your part?
The conversations all obviously stemmed from the script, and most certainly it was directed at the background that these two characters have had, in the sense of their relationship.
Three years they were together [before] their marriage, so they're already incredibly comfortable with one another. They already know each other's body language, and are utter ease. So a lot of the collaboration and rehearsal chats went back to the history of these two, together, in New York, and really trying to get a good vibe of how they interacted with each other. And, what they found irritating; all of their little tics. To me, that certainly gave me a boost of confidence by knowing these characters so well before we started shooting.
This is on a hugely different scale from Game of Thrones or Downton, where you regularly shared the screen with dozens of other actors and extras. Here, it's almost entirely just you and Harry. As an actor, was it comforting to work on such a small scale, with such a small cast? Or is there extra pressure, because the cameras were almost always on you?
That was one of the most appealing aspects of a project such as Honeymoon, to me. I thought — and it certainly turned out in the same way — that it would be a very intimate, small crew. It felt — for the first time ever, really, in film or television — like a play. The conditions we were working in, we really rarely left. It very much became our home, like our bubble. We'd rehearse, do several takes, then rehearse again. It was very much an intimate setup.
But you're right—with the pressure being on both of us to kind of carry the movie, it was great that we could lean on one another. But also, it absolutely helped that we had such good dialogue off-screen as well as on, because we could really speak through any qualms we had. Leigh was absolutely phenomenal in communicating with us, and letting us know her thoughts. Really going over and over the themes, so that we would know them so well. It was a real blessing, actually.
Sadly, your schedule has probably freed up a good deal after wrapping your Game of Thrones role, but that probably means this movie's coming out at a perfect time for you.
[Laughs] Yes.
How big a challenge do you foresee it being to shed the Ygritte character?
You know what? I don't necessarily want to shed my Ygritte character. I absolutely love her; I really, really, really did love her. She holds a special place in my heart. I think that's an obstacle that any actor who's fortunate enough to work comes across; it's really making sure that you play characters that vary, and that you're able to show your range, and do something that's not predictable.
I'm curious, is anything special done for an actor on that show when they're killed off? Or does it just happen way too often?
Yes, yes! I had a wonderful send-off. I really did. Production was incredibly considerate in making sure that my final day was the scene that I died in Jon Snow's arms. So after we cut on that scene, I was finally wrapped for good. The crew is phenomenal—they're nothing short of the best crew I've ever, ever worked with. They presented me with Ygritte's bow and arrow, but they had personalized it. I was truly touched, that was a very special moment. And very emotional, as well—it was very emotional to say goodbye.
Jumping back to Honeymoon: this was Leigh's first film. How would you describe her talents to another actor, working on her next project?
Oh, I wouldn't be able to praise her highly enough. An absolutely wonderful thing is the dialogue between the actor and the director, and knowing that you're on the same page. Being the highly intelligent woman that Leigh is, she was absolutely locked into that. She listens to every word that you say, every worry, every qualm. She's very brilliant, and a wonderful listener. Truly, Harry and I couldn't have asked for a better director to work with. She really did bring out the best in both of us.
Obviously, this is a genre film. What are some of your other favorite horror and sci-fi movies?
I would say that I'm a wimp when it comes to horror! An absolute wimp. I tend to respond better to the psychological thriller. Those sort of films are what I love. The classic is The Shining. That's something that freaks me out more so than gore, or blood.
Honeymoon opens in theaters today, and is available on VOD. For more information about the movie, check out its website. To read our review, click here.
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Celebrating the sacraments is at the core of our parish life. Our big moments in life are marked in a solemn way from womb to tomb.
On this page we will provide all the details for the celebration of the sacraments and there is a link to more information on each sacrament.
Baptism Arrangements
The booking process is to contact Parish Office (057 873 0844) where we will take details and book you in. There is no documentation involved in the booking of baptisms and also no fee.
» Read more about the Sacrament of Baptism
Marriage Arrangements
The booking process is to contact Parish Office (057 873 0844) where we will check availability and take contact details and then forward out a booking form to be completed and returned to the office. We have information sheets for weddings too which we will also attach. The booking fee for use of the church by non parishioners is €400. There is no fee for Parishioners.
» Read more about the Sacrament of Marriage
Eucharist and First Communion
Communion is celebrated each year in our parish. The dates for communion in 2020 will be announced in our newsletter.
A programme of preparation takes place throughout the year.
» Read more about the Sacrament of Eucharist
Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) takes place:
» Read more about the Sacrament of Reconciliation
Confirmation is celebrated each year in our parish. The dates for confirmation in 2020 will be announced in our newsletter.
» Read more about the Sacrament of Confirmation
To arrange a funeral ceremony please contact the parish office Tel: +353 57 873 0844 or contact any of the priests.
Housebound and Sacrament of the Sick
The priests visit the housebound with Holy Communion. If you are unable to attend Mass due to illness or frailty and would like to be visited by a priest, please feel free to contact the Parish Secretary in the Parish Office, Tel: +353 57 873 0844 .
» Read more about the Sacrament of the Sick
The ongoing life of the church depends on vocations to the priesthood. Our diocese has a director of vocations and we'd be delighted to make an introduction for any interested candidates. Talk to any of the priests to get more information. The Diocesan website may also have useful information about Vocations in our diocese.
» Read more about the Sacrament of Holy Orders
Arranging a Baptism
Eucharist - First Holy Communion
Sacrament of the sick - Housebound
Cardinal Maradiaga resigns—but remains in key Vatican post? (CWN)
Confusion abounds in Pope's AP interview [News Analysis] (CWN)
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You are here: Home / Why Kawasaki feels it's "logical" Yamaha is now ahead
Why Kawasaki feels it's "logical" Yamaha is now ahead
Kawasaki has dominated the production-based series since 2015, with Rea taking six world titles in a row since then and rewriting the record books in the process. However, this season has witnessed the emergence of a new threat in the form of Yamaha and Toprak Razgatlioglu , who leads the standings by 24 points ahead of this weekend's penultimate round in Argentina, and could have been even further ahead if not for three DNFs not of his making. By contrast, Rea has suffered four crashes this year as he has pushed to the limits to make up for the deficiencies of the 2021-spec Kawasaki ZX10-RR compared to the Yamaha R1. This has led many observers to remark that Yamaha now has the best all-round package on the grid, a claim further bolstered by rookie Andrea Locatelli 's impressive performances in the second half of the season aboard the other factory Yamaha. Kawasaki's chances of defending its title took a hit before the season even began, as WSBK organisers ruled that the new ZX10-RR would have to keep its predecessor's rev limit of 14600rpm, a ruling that Rea has criticised on numerous occasions . Riba believes that disadvantage combined with Yamaha… Read full this story
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Why Kawasaki feels it's "logical" Yamaha is now ahead have 299 words, post on www.motorsport.com at October 15, 2021. This is cached page on Vietnam Colors. If you want remove this page, please contact us.


I like to provide direct feedback and offer plenty of opportunities to correct the problem. If it's not a fit, then accepting that and taking quick action is required.
Because my company is growing so rapidly, we are always hiring. We are implementing a consistent set of interview questions throughout each cafe to pinpoint the applicants who are going to fit our brand the best. Fortunately, Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a modern and fresh brand that attracts a lot of talented young people. We receive a lot of walk-in applicants and people who apply online. I have also relied on a couple of different subscription-based recruiting websites and have had some success in sourcing general managers. Of course, my strong preference is to promote from within, but there are times when a supervisor isn't ready for the full responsibilities of management, and the worst thing would be to promote them and possibly set them up for failure.
I have a very low tolerance for team members who do not buy in to our mission. I understand that we are not for everyone. If someone cannot follow the basic policies and procedures, then there is very little preventing me from "re-gifting" them to the job market. It doesn't mean they are bad people, it just means we were not a good fit.
They are given a formal write-up and expectations are communicated. I have found the key to this is to audit and follow up on whether they've taken our advice. As business owners, if we don't audit every aspect of the business there's no reason to be in business.


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Q: Angular2 HTTP Providers, get a string from JSON for Amcharts This is a slightly messy questions. Although it appears I'm asking question about amCharts, I really just trying to figure how to extract an array from HTTP request and then turn it into a variable and place it in to 3-party javacript.
It all starts here, with this question, which was kindly answered by AmCharts support.
As one can see from the plnker. The chart is working. Data for the chart is hard coded:
`var chartData = [{date: new Date(2015,2,31,0,0,0,       0),value:372.10,volume:2506100},{date: new Date(2015,3,1,0, 0, 0, 0),value:370.26,volume:2458100},{date: new Date(2015,3,2,0, 0, 0, 0),value:372.25,volume:1875300},{date: new Date(2015,3,6,0, 0, 0, 0),value:377.04,volume:3050700}];`

So we know the amCharts part works. Know where the problem is changing hard coded data to a json request so it can be dynamic. I don't think this should be tremendously difficult, but for the life of me I can't seem figure it out.
The first issue is I can't find any documentation on .map, .subscribe, or .observable.
So here is a plunker that looks very similar to the first one, however it has an http providers and injectable. It's broken, because I can't figure out how to pull the data from the service an place it into the AmCharts function. I know how pull data from a http provider and display it in template using NgFor, but I don't need it in the template (view). As you can see, I'm successful in transferring the data from the service, with the getTitle() function.
    this.chart_data =_dataService.getEntries();
    console.log('Does this work? '+this.chart_data);

    this.title = _dataService.getTitle();
    console.log('This works '+this.title);

    // Transfer the http request to chartData to it can go into Amcharts
    // I think this should be string?
    var chartData = this.chart_data;

So the ultimate question is why can't I use a service to get data, turn that data into a variable and place it into a chart. I suspect a few clues might be in options.json as the json might not be formatted correctly? Am I declaring the correct variables? Finally, it might have something to do with observable / map?

A: You have a few things here. First this is a class, keep it that way. By that I mean to move the functions you have inside your constructor out of it and make them methods of your class.
Second, you have this piece of code
this.chart_data =_dataService.getEntries().subscribe((data) => {
    this.chart_data = data;
});

What happens inside subscribe runs asynchronously therefore this.chart_data won't exist out of it. What you're doing here is assigning the object itself, in this case what subscribe returns, not the http response. So you can simply put your library initialization inside of the subscribe and that'll work.
_dataService.getEntries().subscribe((data) => {

      if (AmCharts.isReady) {
        this.createStockChart(data);
      } else {
        AmCharts.ready(() => this.createStockChart(data));
      }
});

Now, finally you have an interesting thing. In your JSON you have your date properties contain a string with new Date inside, that's nothing but a string and your library requires (for what I tested) a Date object, so you need to parse it. The problem here is that you can't parse nor stringify by default a Date object. We need to convert that string to a Date object.
Look at this snippet code, I used eval (PLEASE DON'T DO IT YOURSELF, IS JUST FOR SHOWING PURPOSES!)
let chartData = [];
   for(let i = 0; i < data[0].chart_data.length; i++) {
       chartData.push({
          // FOR SHOWING PURPOSES ONLY, DON'T TRY IT AT HOME
          // This will parse the string to an actual Date object
          date : eval(data[0].chart_data[i].date);
          value : data[0].chart_data[i].value;
          volume : data[0].chart_data[i].volume;
   });
 }

Here what I'm doing is reconstructing the array so the values are as required.
For the latter case you'll have to construct your json using (new Date('YOUR DATE')).toJSON() and you can parse it to a Date object using new Date(yourJSON) (referece Date.prototype.toJSON() - MDN). This is something you should resolve in your server side. Assuming you already solved that, your code should look as follows
// The date property in your json file should be stringified using new Date(...).toJSON()
date : new Date(data[0].chart_data[i].date);

Here's a plnkr with the evil eval. Remember, you have to send the date as a JSON from the server to your client and in your client you have to parse it to a Date.
I hope this helps you a little bit.

A: If the getEntries method of DataService returns an observable, you need to subscribe on it to get data:
_dataService.getEntries().subscribe(
  (data) => {
    this.chart_data = data;
  });

Don't forget that data are received asynchronously from an HTTP call. The http.get method returns an observable (something "similar" to promise) will receive the data in the future. But when the getEntries method returns the data aren't there yet...
The getTitle is a synchronous method so you can call it the way you did.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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text:
Q: how do I drop NA within pandas.DataFrame.query consider the df
df = pd.DataFrame(dict(A=[-1, 0, 1, np.nan, 2, np.nan, 3, 4]))

I can drop NA like this
df.dropna()

but how do I do it within the query method
df.query('A is not null')

doesn't work... what does?

A: DataFrame.query method is based on pandas.eval interpreter. null is not defined in there. Similarly neither None nor is. However, you can use this hackish method:
df.query('A < inf')

Luckily the name inf is defined and comparisons with it only returns numbers.

A: Idea #2: what's distinctive about NaNs is that they're not equal to themselves:
In [22]: df.query("A == A")
Out[22]:
     A
0 -1.0
1  0.0
2  1.0
4  2.0
6  3.0
7  4.0

(The original idea #1 was to use df.query("A.notnull()"), but that only worked because numexpr wasn't installed in that environment, which limits the usefulness of query in the first place.)

A: You could use outer merge and a filter to remove from a DF the elements obtained from the query:
import pandas as pd

df = pd.DataFrame(dict(A=[-1, 0, 1, np.nan, 2, np.nan, 3, 4]))
not_null_df = df[df.A.notnull()]

new_df = df.merge(not_null_df, how='outer', indicator=True)
new_df = new_df[new_df._merge == 'both']
del new_df['_merge']


This is indeed worrisome even as some of them are being seen going to the Maiduguri Monday market to buy swords and cutlasses in an open day. We asked, what are they going to use these weapons for? How are they being metamorphos from chasing Boko Haram to political foot soldiers? What kind of politics is Borno planning for 2019. Our fears are too many, and we do not want bloodshed in the land.
Yes. Our concern is on the 2019 gubernatorial election beginning with the party primaries in the state. We are not worried when people out of genuine interest to salvage Borno state came out to indicate their interest in the governorship contest. Our concern is much more on the manner at which the varying interest in being maneuvered. For example, 15 out of the current 27 APC Aspirants, who bought the form for the governorship, were being sponsored by public funds, as we learnt the money for their forms were withdrawn from the same account. This is something we are calling on the ICPC and EFCC to immediately take action.
Some of these people did not tell Borno citizens how and where they got twenty-two million naira (N22,000,000) over night to buy form for the governorship seat even when they are known to have no such amount. Others who have their mouth running faster had revealed their source of sponsorship, which is why we are calling on the anti graft agencies to come in as these are public funds intended for political chaos that may lead to another unrest in the state.
Another area of concern is the complained we are receiving from some of our wards heads, district heads and other local traditional title holders of being force to play part in the political arena. These people are not politicians and they position should be respected even if a royalty is involved in the build up for 2019 guber seat in the state. We regard this as infringement on the rights of this people.
We would like to stress that, the party at National level should beam its light more on the planned political chaos being put in place by the rise of another political militia. We are tired of bloodshed in Borno state, we have seen enough of it and have buried many innocent souls in the last nine years and are still burying.
The conference is holding at the Federal Foreign Office, Berlin – Germany. The conference is jointly organised by the United Nations, Government of Germany, Nigeria and Norway.
The conference aims to increase global advocacy and increased access to funding for the UN and other Humanitarian agencies undertaking emergency, livelihoods and protection activities for victims of Boko Haram insurgency. According to the UN, millions of people in Africa's Lake Chad region (north-east Nigeria and parts of Niger, Chad and Cameroon) are facing a profound and protracted humanitarian crisis driven by extreme poverty, climate change and violent conflict.
The crisis has led to massive internal and cross-border displacement of 2.4 million people, destruction of livelihoods, disruption of local governance systems, human rights abuses, and disruption of health, education and other basic services. More than ten million vulnerable people need life-saving humanitarian assistance and protection today. Women and children are particularly hard hit. The entire region need inclusive governance systems, better social services delivery, sustainable natural resources management and more livelihoods opportunities. A forward-looking, comprehensive response to the crises which bring together humanitarian and development actors is vital for the future of the people in the region.
In February 2017, a conference on the Lake Chad region co-hosted by Germany, Nigeria, Norway, and the United Nations took place in Oslo. Donors pledged US$672 million to emergency assistance and support in 2017 and beyond. The humanitarian response was scaled up significantly: more than six million people were reached with assistance in 2017, and a famine was averted in north-east Nigeria.
Chinese Government has always paid close attention to the security in the region.China is having a conference currently with Africa to ensure strong cooperation the outcome of the conference will build africa's capacity.China is willing to support the region.........no Immeadiate financial support .
Poland- in January Poland took up role as member United Nations security council and has donated 940,000 pieces of military to tchad in the Lake Chad Region. Poland pledged 233 million euro in addition to equipment of same amount.
Spain committed to assist the affected communities and have committed to.support the region with 6 Million Euro.Governments in the region must develop a strategy for security coordination to allow citzens to pick up pieces of their lives.
She has pulled the trigger of change. Once again, another colonial heritage is hit and it is just a matter of time before it will collapse, if not instantly.
The world is made of two kinds of people: one, the radicals who bring about change, as in chemical reactions, and two, the followers. While humanity spends almost all of its time following, it is gifted from time to time with activists who activate the process of transformation by introducing new ideas that challenge the status quo. The action of Firdaus squarely places her here.
In the eyes of the conformist, any protest against any inherited tradition appears brazen because the attendant reproach by its custodians is predictable. Some can even blackmail it as cheap publicity or other names that alludes to their intolerance to the new idea. Call it whatever, the truth is that universally, civil rights are hardly granted on a platter of gold. They are fought for one way or another and jealously guarded as a result. Where they are declared cheaply, like in our constitution, their breach is greeted with a manifest docility.
The protest of Firdaus cannot be dismissed in the laidback fashion some traditionalists want us to believe. It does not make sense to abort her right to practice as a lawyer simply because she wore a headscarf on an occasion in a country that preaches freedom of religion.
Some questions are pertinent here. What significant meaning does such intolerance to our diversity makes to cause such denial? Would someone sustain any injury as a result of her headscarf? Has Muslim-majority Nigeria become far-right Kurz's Austria or still answerable to the British crown? What merit does a woman's open hair add to her knowledge and practice as a lawyer?
To Firdaus, however, covering her hair – a part of her beauty as a woman – is a religious obligation which the constitution has pledged to guarantee. It is a clear injunction for Muslim women in the Quran (24:31). It is not extremism at all, unlike covering the face, which is subject to interpretation, or wearing a beard or a turban which are optional.
Even as Africans, who would like to see his mother walking with bare hair in public? To the African lady, the hair is part of her privacy and covering it in our culture is a sign of decency. A woman displays it only in attempt to attract a suitor or in appeal for appreciation by men around her. Without these two reasons, she does not feel comfortable displaying it to people, especially in the presence of those she respects most. In fact, if the woman's hair is nothing, why are some people protesting against the headscarf? Must men see it?
So from the point of view of Islam and African tradition, the headscarf is normal. However, to colonial tradition and its upholders, it is taboo on the bar. Now, for how long must we remain slaves to a colonial relic that is at variance with our tradition and does not respect our diversity?
As an advocate of secular Nigeria, I believe we should respect the decision of others once they do not deny our right to personal liberty or violate the sanctity of our lives, property and dignity. If any regulation will choose to deny anyone this right, then it - not Firdaus and her likes - is in breach of the constitution and that law must be amended accordingly.
The Bar is a station of reason. A headscarf will not in any way hinder Firdaus from performing creditably as a lawyer or a magistrate. No court of law in the modern world will shred itself of logic and side with the Nigerian bar against Firdaus on the issue of headscarf. Similar cases have been treated elsewhere as cited by some contributors to the present debate. I feel the authorities must not wait for similar verdicts before contemplating some amendments now. Here, there are three scenarios.
One, the authorities may revolutionarily think of abolishing the colonial dressing code altogether. Many distinguished jurists have spoken before of its incompatibility with our climate and suffocating court conditions. Instead of the black suit, gown, wig, etc, it can just go for a decent dress of a lawyer's choice as our universities are doing today. Lawyers are people of knowledge and dignity. It is very doubtful if anyone would be irresponsible to wear a disgraceful dress on the bench. Discarding the code will not only give members the liberty they need, it will also respect our diversity and avoid incidents like the one in question.
Two, the authorities can maintain the colonial code but adopt the liberal interpretation of its use that will accommodate climatic and cultural preferences. Depending on individual's choice, the wig can be alone or cushioned by a headscarf; the skirt can be long enough to reach the ankles as do trousers for men; the whole dress could be wide enough to allow – if desired by the individual – air circulation and conceal body lines. I wonder why we men are interested in stripping the woman while we cover ourselves fully. In this, even the Bar is failing to accord her more than the dignity of an object. And some women are comfortable with that dehumanization.
Three, the authorities can notoriously stick to the colonial code despite its unsuitability for our climate, culture and conditions of our courts. This option, I must say, will not last long after Firdaus. In few years to come, there will be many Firdauses who will individually or collectively challenge the embarrassing irrationality of the code through similar protests. It will only be a matter of time before the present code gives way to something more logical, as is always the fate of laws that negate human liberty.
When we were students, the conditions of our universities in the North were radically different from how they are today except, perhaps for Bayero University and University of Sokoto. This was Ahmadu Bello University in 1978: Alcohol was sold everywhere including in every student common room, staff clubs and canteens. Students had unfettered access to girls' hostels from 10am to 10pm. In some hostels, like Barau Dikko, there was no separate hostel for girls. Right from day one, at the two weeks orientation program, new students were encouraged to adopt lifestyles of social and academic freedom – and you know what that means. Student clubs had unfettered access to common rooms and dining halls to host events that could include the use of these common facilities for drinking alcohol.
The Muslim Students' Society (MSS), A. B. U. branch, wrote, to no avail, to the authorities a number of protest letters against the misuse of dining space and kitchenware by palmwine drinkers club – Kegites. Tired of the deaf ear, some MSS members one night violently disrupted the 1979 "gyration" night at the dining hall of Ribadu Hall. The university authorities responded by dismissing the entire MSS Exco. Mass protests by MSS members ensued and the school continued to dismiss attackers on beer parlours on Samaru and Kongo campuses.
Some students then, including many Muslim students, condemned the protests against sale of alcohol on campus, saying that many Muslims too drink alcohol, that religion is a personal affair and such other excuses that are repeated against Firdaus today. Some asked of what benefit it was to stop beer sale on campus when it is sold in parlours across the road in Samaru. Etc.
But it was too late. MSS has fired the gun of change at the heart of licentious living on campus. Though many members suffered dismissal, the authorities finally succumbed to reason and all campuses of the university were cleansed of alcohol by the time we were graduating in 1982. Professor Ango Abdullahi, who signed those dismissal letters, also banned us from "visiting" our girl friends in their hostels. Guys could only wait outside the hostel and send for the girl student. When two students violated the rule, the ever resolute VC did not hesitate to dismiss them. The deterrence worked.
Other universities and polytechnics in the North followed the line – and I guess some southern universities too. Had not those MSS members damned the consequences, the change would not have come so soon.
Gandhi, King Jr, Mandela, and many others followed the path of protest and today humanity stands in appreciation of their courage. The defiance of Rosa Parks to give up her seat for a white passenger in 1955 fired protests that gave tremendous impetus to the civil rights movements in America. Her defiance was not futile.
Our Firdaus may not look that big today, but her courage will be remembered by Nigerian women who as lawyers will enjoy the freedom to wear the headscarf. The dress she wore on that historic occasion costs only some few thousands today, it will in fifty years from now sell for millions of Naira.
The authorities may deny Firdaus a permit to the bar but she has many options in life where her impact will be felt more. If she picks up lecturing law, for example, she will have the opportunity to reproduce thousands of Firdauses for Nigeria and the world in her lifetime. God, the Most High, may have something big for her in store, for He does not abandon whoever stands up for justice. Today, the expelled members of MSS, ABU, in the late 1970s and early 1980s are professors and PhDs, contributing in various sectors to the development of the country.
Today also, after 40 years, the same Muslim students that opposed the MSS in 1978 on alcohol ban will hesitate to send their wards to any Nigerian university where alcohol is sold rampantly or boys have unfettered access to their daughters' rooms or where drugs circulate freely. Also, no sane white-American will accept a law that prefers him over an African-American in a bus. Irrational traditions appear invincible before they are challenged. But once decisively dared, they are quickly shaken and give way ultimately.
Firdaus has rightly pulled the headscarf trigger. Changes will definitely follow, sooner or later. I do not doubt that when the names of women that fought for civil rights are written in Nigeria of the early 20th Century, the name Amasa Firdaus will be written in gold.
FOOD LOSSES AND FOOD WASTE: ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECT By Aishatu Mala Musa* The world population is expected to reach 10.5 billion by 2050 (UN 2013), food losses and food waste will aggravate global food security concerns and this will be more demanding amongst the poor communities of the world. It has been predicted that about 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted or lost globally annually, reduction of these losses increase the amount of food available for human consumption. Food loss mostly happens during harvesting, sorting, threshing grading storage, and transportation of farm produce while food waste is the loss of edible food due to human action or inaction, such as throwing away farm produce (carrot, yam) because it is not of a normal (usual) shape or not finishing up the meal served to an individual. Municipal solid waste disposal is a bottleneck to the development of most cities around the world. As urbanization, economic growth and multi-racial societies grow, there is attendant increase in the amount of waste generated. Mismanagement of wastes poses both environmental and economic consequences to the society. The pollution of ground water with leachates, direct contact to the soil, pollution of air with pungent odor, prevalence of rodents, roads strewn with flying wastes, are some of the problems associated with improper management of wastes. Most wastes are putrescible (organic) that have high moisture content and can decompose easily If wastes can be safely composted, it will reduce the amount of wastes that are sent to dumpsites and these composts when applied to agricultural lands or gardens can reduce the amount of synthetic fertilizer and/or reduce financial input that will be used and has also reduced the amount of waste that will have otherwise ended up in the landfills. Composting redirects most parts of biodegradable portion of municipal solid waste that will end up in landfills and such action enhances environmental sustainability of municipal solid waste management and economic viability. Municipal solid waste mostly accounts for more than 60% (by weight) of a community's residential solid waste and it is mostly made up of organic materials. Agricultural waste compost addition to agricultural land has been natural to man since the beginning of times but now as the waste generation of man is increasing it is natural that we should find a means of completing the cycle of nature through production, usage and returning the waste back to land properly. Our wisdom of improvising for the fertilization of our farms with cow dung, chicken droppings and other sources of organic manures is very helpful. Every year with the little fertilizer our farmers apply to our lands they make a meaningful harvest but unfortunately some quantities are lost along the chain (harvesting, threshing, transporting, processing). One of the major problems of the agricultural sector as outlined severally by the FAO is not a shortage of food per se but an increment in food loss. Food loss and food waste account for a very large percent of the foods that go to waste annually. A third of food bought by residents in most industrialized countries goes to waste. In sub-Saharan Africa, the waste is mostly confined to those arising during harvesting threshing and/or going to farm. The culture of consuming almost all vegetables both in the fresh and dry forms has also in a way reduced the amount of food lost annually in Africa. Insecurity has also had its share in the food loss scenario where people fled from their homes before the harvests. According to FAO, in developing countries food waste and losses occurs mainly at the early stages of the food value chain and can be traced to financial, managerial and technical constraints in harvesting techniques as well as storage and cooling facilities. Strengthening the supply chain through the direct support of farmers and investments in infrastructure, transportation, as well as in an expansion of the food and packaging industry could help to reduce the amount of food loss and waste. Food losses and food waste influence global food security. The main channels advocated for more food supply are increasing production area and/or increasing yield of harvest per unit area but the major leaking pipe always overlooked as confirmed by FAO is always postharvest losses. In a world where millions go to bed without food, it would be a crime to allow food losses and food waste to continue. Most people think they are not wasting food but for every morsel thrown out into in the dustbin it should have landed in the hands of a child somewhere. Food waste does not imply taking out a huge quantity of food and throwing it out. But it also includes the scrap from your plate that you feel you shouldn't finish up. If we start the culture of saving up food by reducing to the barest minimum food we waste, it will go a long way in alleviating the problems of hunger in the world. If we imbibe the culture of sharing out what we have in excess before it spoils, it will go a long way in bringing smiles to the faces of dozens. Another unfortunate way of food wastage on the table is serving beyond ones capacity and one ends up leaving the food lost annually in Africa. Insecurity has also had its share in the food loss scenario where people fled from their homes before the harvests. According to FAO, in developing countries food waste and losses occurs mainly at the early stages of the food value chain and can be traced to financial, managerial and technical constraints in harvesting techniques as well as storage and cooling facilities. Strengthening the supply chain through the direct support of farmers and investments in infrastructure, transportation, as well as in an expansion of the food and packaging industry could help to reduce the amount of food loss and waste. Food losses and food waste influence global food security. The main channels advocated for more food supply are increasing production area and/or increasing yield of harvest per unit area but the major leaking pipe always overlooked as confirmed by FAO is always postharvest losses. In a world where millions go to bed without food, it would be a crime to allow food losses and food waste to continue. Most people think they are not wasting food but for every morsel thrown out into in the dustbin it should have landed in the hands of a child somewhere. Food waste does not imply taking out a huge quantity of food and throwing it out. But it also includes the scrap from your plate that you feel you shouldn't finish up. If we start the culture of saving up food by reducing to the barest minimum food we waste, it will go a long way in alleviating the problems of hunger in the world. If we imbibe the culture of sharing out what we have in excess before it spoils, it will go a long way in bringing smiles to the faces of dozens. Another unfortunate way of food wastage on the table is serving beyond ones capacity and one ends up leaving the food on the table only for it to be thrown out, we need to imbibe the habit of serving what we can finish up and then we need to learn to eat leftover food. However, if one lives in Northern Nigeria in an area where almajiri can be found the issue of food waste is almost zero but where the person lives in a GRA or where the almajirai dare not tread, then most leftover food will be in the dustbin. In northern Nigeria, the abundance of sunshine has also made it easier to reduce food waste because one can dry up any leftover or surplus food and give to domestic animals. Food waste statistics may not be very much in the north east because there are a lot of people that will be ready to eat leftover food if they can access it. But yet, this is a serious problem globally and we need to ensure that it does not creep up our doorways. A slice of bread when thrown away is food waste, a pack of sweet potato thrown away because it has been allowed to rot is food waste. Cottage Industries The time for the opening up of cottage industries in the north east is now. The northeast has been bedeviled with insecurity, loss of lives, livelihood and properties for almost a decade now. Opening up of such industries will give our local people work to do and it will help in reducing the annual losses we incur as a result of glut. Industries for the processing of produce like; onion, pepper, seasoned pepper, ginger powder, gruel powder and the likes These are things that are produced (farmed) with virtually no much incentive from the government. If we can help these local farmers to produce a little more, buy up their harvests, processand package it, markets will open up before we realize it even if it will be a seasonal business. THE CHALLENGE As concerned citizens, the task before us is how to harness opportunities for the betterment of the northeast to help the people, alleviate their poverty and help build their capacity. One of the major difficulties faced by most people in the north east with regards to obtaining loan from the federal government and/or financial institutions is the bureaucratic process involved. I will advocate that the next time we see an advert circulating for individuals in whatever age group to come and apply for a loan from the federal government to kick start a business, we organize the young men and women in our neighborhood and go forward and help them with all the filling up of forms and writing of proposals to ensure that they succeed. Even if it means putting in our resources it will be worthy because if they are able to access the loan and start up a viable business we will have aided in pulling one or more people up out of the poverty line. *Aishatu Teaches soil science at the Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola , Currently a PhD candidate in Soil and Environmental Management Adamawa State, , Universiti Putra Malaysia. Nigeria.
Abuja is probably the worst-hit of Nigerian cities by this recession. It is only understandable: Abuja works at nothing but revels in wanton opulent, fed strictly from pens adding zeros behind a whole number. It's buildings are populated with straw companies gliding on patronage and privilege, not rights, merit and productivity. Most of its inhabitants are currently in what seems a state of disbelief, if not shock.
My son and I walked lazily to Sheraton two Saturdays ago and from the gate you got a surprise: no line of traffic! The lounge was empty as the car park was vacant. We sat in surprise at the little corners of decay creeping on the lounge, part of which was even poorly lit. Of course, even Maitama and Asokoro are wrapped in thick darkness these days at 8pm if grid power fails.
I was surprised at the black silence I met in these desolate palaces. Everywhere signs hang on homes and high-rise office buildings begging for tenants. I called a number on one and the voice that answered said it was for sale: 3.6billion, seven-story building with a footprint of about 250sqm. "I see".
There is good hiding in evil and sometimes you don't even have to look too deeply to see it. Too many wealth in Nigeria is strictly in figures without any underlying source or feeder spring. If you got your money through work and creativity; if they put you in a desert, you will still replicate the feat.
What is called a recession in regular economics is but a dethrone of false money, the overthrow of pretenders and wealth built with the tip of a pen so that reality and productivity can take over. It is an inevitable passage if nature is correctly programmed.
In a hilarious circle I was told about a typical Abuja moneybags whose fortune has now turned around. He was in money - and you know what I mean. In height of his affluence he collected two more wives to make a total of three. But the noose had been getting tighter and, all streams gone dry, he applied for a loan from a bank. Not so well exposed to the hazard of seeking credit from Nigerian banks, he was exceedingly positive he will soon be credited and so went with gusto to the manager's office on an appointed day to get the final answer on his application.
When he was told that he had been turned down, he lost control of himself so completely that he popped on himself right there in the bank. He was helped into the bathroom and offered a ton of tissues and when he had become manageable, they led him into a taxi and gave him a thousand naira to the bank's happy ending of the personal tragedy.
The story teaches us that wealth without foundation will end in sudden failure. It is not only Abuja or the typical, overweight Nigerian big man, Nigeria itself is a victim of lazy wealth: oil is not a result of hard work or creativity. We don't even as much as have local capacity to drill the oil! If we don't build our economy by adding value through processing and developing our human resources, we won't end up much better than that poor individual you just laughed at."
It is time to start building real and sustainable wealth, enough of what used to be...The difference between the poor and rich nations is not the age of the Nation. This can be demonstrated by countries like India and Egypt, which are more than 2000 years old and are still poor countries.
Japan has limited territory, 80% mountainous, unsuitable for agriculture or farming, but is the second in worlds economy. The country is like an immense floating factory, importing raw material from the whole world and exporting manufactured products.
The biggest country in Africa that the United Kingdom colonised is Nigeria.
The biggest country that the United Kingdom colonised in Asia is India (which then comprised the present Pakistan and Bangladesh).
When the UK came into Nigeria and India, like all other countries they colonised, they brought along their technology, religion (Christianity), and culture: names, dressing, food, language, etc.
Try as hard as the British did, India rejected the British religion, names, dressing, food, and even language, but they did not reject the British technology.
Today, 80.5% of Indians are Hindus; 13.4% Muslims; 2.3% Christians; 1.9% Sikhs; 0.8% Buddhists, etc.
It is rare to find an Indian with an English name or dressed in suit.
On the other hand, Nigeria embraced, to a large extent, the British religion, British culture – names, dressing, foods, and language – but rejected the British technology.
The difference between the Nigerian and the Indian experiences is that while India is proud of its heritage, Nigeria takes little pride in its heritage, a situation that has affected the nationalism of Nigerians and our development as a nation.
Before the advent of Christianity, the Arabs had brought Islam into Nigeria through the North.
Islam also wiped away much of the culture of Northern Nigeria.
has only Sharia Courts but no Customary Courts.
World have shaped our lives to be like theirs and we have lost much or all of our identity.
Long after the British and Arabs left Nigeria, Nigeria has waxed strong in religion to the extent that Nigerians now set up religious branches of their home-grown churches in Europe, the Americas, Asia and other African countries.
Just like the Whites brought the gospel to us, Nigerians now take the gospel back to the Whites.
In Islam, we are also very vibrant to the extent that if there is a blasphemous comment against Islam in Denmark or the US, even if there is no violent reaction in Saudi Arabia, the Islamic headquarters of the world, there will be loss of lives and destruction of property in Nigeria.
If the United Arab Emirates, a country with 75% Muslims, is erecting the tallest building in the world and encouraging the world to come and invest in its country by providing a friendly environment, Boko Haram ensures that the economy of the North (and by extension that of Nigeria) is crippled with bombs and bullets unless every Nigerian converts to Boko Haram's brand of Islam.
In the East we have IPOB wrecking havoc.
While in the South - South region, Mend, Avengers and so on destroying the Heart of our Nations Economy.
We are indeed a very religious people.
Meanwhile, while we are building the biggest churches and mosques, the Indians, South Africans, Chinese, Europeans and Americans have taken over our key markets: telecoms, satellite TV, multinationals, banking, oil and gas, automobile, aviation, shopping malls, hospitality, etc.
Ironically, despite our exploits in religion, we are a people with little godliness, a people without scruples.
It is rare to do business with a Nigerian pastor, deacon, knight, elder, brother, sister, imam, mullah, mallam, alhaji or alhaja without the person laying landmine of bribes and deception on your path.
money, financial engineering, deal, or whatever.
But if it does not change hands, nothing gets done.
Some people assume that sleaze is a problem of public functionaries, but the private sector seems to be worse than the public sector these days.
The situation is that the more religious we get, the baser we become.
Our land never knew the type of bloodshed experienced from religious extremists, political desperadoes, ritual killers, armed robbers, kidnappers, internet scammers, university cultists, and lynch mobs.
Life has become so cheap and brutish that everyday seems to be a bonanza.
We import the petroleum that we have in abundance, rice and beans that our land can produce in abundance, and even toothpicks that primary school children can produce with little or no effort.
Yet we drive the best of cars and live in the best of edifices, visit the best places in the world for holidays and use the most expensive electronic and telecoms gadgets.
It is now a sign of poverty for a Nigerian to ride a saloon car. Four-wheel drive is it!
where about 70 per cent live below poverty.
Private jets have become as common as cars.
and its sick people are running to India for treatment.
travelling to the country for medical treatment.
India has joined the nuclear powers. India has launched a successful mission to the moon.
Yet bicycles and tricycles are common sights in India. But in Nigeria, only the wretched of the earth ride bicycles.
I have intentionally chosen to compare Nigeria with India rather than China, South Korea, Brazil, Malaysia, or Singapore, because of the similarities between India and Nigeria. But these countries were not as promising as Nigeria at the time of our independence.
Some would say that our undoing is our size: the 2012 United Nations estimate puts Nigeria's population at 166 million, while India has a population of about a billion.
Some would blame it on the multiplicity of ethnic groups: we have 250 ethnic groups; India has more than 2000 ethnic groups.
Some would hang it on the diversity in religion: we have two major religions – Christianity and Islam; but India has many.
Some would say it is because we are young as an independent nation: we have 56 years of independence; India has 65 years, while apartheid ended in South Africa only in 1994.
I am a Muslim, and nothing can change me from practising Islam.
But I think that our country is daily sinking into religiosity to the detriment of godliness. Our land is sick and needs healing. "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land" is still a saying that is germane to our current situation.
We need more godliness than religion; more work and less hope; and more action and less words.
Let everyone tidy up his or her corner first and demand fervently that our leaders tidy their areas of governance. Our nation is degenerating at a fast pace and we need to save it now.
Let make Nigeria Great again!! Hamza Danliman.


text:
India says it may approve COVID-19 vaccine in weeks, 300 million people on priority list
FILE PHOTO: A health worker in personal protective equipment (PPE) checks the temperature of a passenger at a railway station, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Mumbai, India November 27, 2020. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
09 Dec 2020 09:30AM (Updated: 09 Dec 2020 09:30AM)
NEW DELHI: India's Health Ministry has announced that some COVID-19 vaccines are likely to receive licences in the next few weeks and outlined an initial plan to immunise 300 million people.
Health officials said on Tuesday (Dec 8) that three vaccine companies have applied for early approval for emergency use in India: Serum Institute of India, which has been licensed to manufacture the AstraZeneca vaccine, Pfizer and Indian manufacturer Bharat Biotech.
"Some of them may get licensed in the next few weeks," federal Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said.
India says its initial immunisation plan revolves around three priority groups: 10 million healthcare workers, 20 million front-line workers such as the police and military, and 270 million other people either above age 50 or who have diseases that make them more vulnerable to COVID-19's effects.
The Health Ministry has previously set a target of August 2021 for immunising these people.
India's population is nearly 1.4 billion.
READ: In COVID-19 milestone for West, Britain starts mass vaccination
Bhushan said India would rely on its existing immunisation programs, which are among the largest in the world. Every year, India immunises 26 million infants and 30 million pregnant women with 300 million vaccine doses.
But there are challenges. Even before the pandemic, vaccine coverage for children in India was patchy. It is lowest among India's indigenous communities, where only 56 per cent of newborns are vaccinated.
Health officials also need to ensure that the emphasis on coronavirus vaccines doesn't disrupt existing immunisation programs. That means more people must be trained to administer vaccines. The immunisation of adults will also require different medical personnel instead of paediatricians, and may face more resistance to the shots.
"My worry is that we've not seen adult immunisation before," said Dr. Gagandeep Kang, infectious diseases expert at Christian Medical College at Vellore in southern India.
Serum Institute of India, the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, applied for an emergency use licence for the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine based on phase-three trials in India and other countries, health officials said at a news conference.
READ: Pfizer has sought emergency approval for COVID-19 vaccine in India, says government adviser
Bharat Biotech applied for a licence for its experimental inactivated virus vaccine without completing Phase 3 trials, they said. According to Indian rules for accelerated approval of vaccines, a company can be granted a licence if regulators are "satisfied with the risk-benefit ratio", said Balram Bharagava, head of the Indian Council of Medical Research.
Pfizer applied for permission to import its experimental mRNA vaccine for sale and distribution without clinical trials in India, the officials said.
The company said in a statement that it would supply the vaccine "only through government contracts based on agreements with respective government authorities" after approval. Its vaccine needs to be stored at very cold temperatures, which India's existing infrastructure is unlikely to be able to provide.
BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments
India COVID-19 health


If you're looking for a fabulous, filling, and full-of-flavor weeknight dinner recipe, this recipe for Chili's Copycat Cajun Alfredo Pasta is the one for you. It's simple to make, and it tastes exactly like this spicy Southern dish from Chili's. Serve this for dinner, and you'll have a restaurant quality meal that tastes even better because it's homemade. This dish is versatile, too. And if your family doesn't like spicy food, don't worry -- this recipe has just the right amount of kick to it.
This looks delicious. Too bad I have already started to thaw a package of boneless pork chops for dinner tonight or I would make this instead. I think I can actually make it work by just substituting the chicken in the recipe with the chops if I slice them up like the chicken is in the recipe. I love these easy to customize and free recipes.


Amazing is the best word to describe the most perfect pool day at the amazing 7-star Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai.
Located on the Arabian Gulf shoreline, the hotel is the only 7-star in the world and the only guests allowed are those with reservations to the hotel, pool or restaurants; exclusivity at its best.
The day started with us walking through the hotel to the pool. The hotel features gorgeous gold fixtures and beautiful fountains complimented by stunning colourful lighting.
We had gotten a cabana for the day with a private balcony, living room, bathroom and lounge. It was right on the corner of the pool area so we luckily had 2 floor to ceiling windows overlooking the sea. The cabana was also right by the pool area which featured an infinity pool and a fresh water pool with a bar (who doesn't love a bar in a pool?!). Ultimate relaxation, we didn't want to leave!
Above: My brother being my brother!
You can see our cabana in the image above at the end of the pool area! Such a relaxing and amazing day, and highly recommended!


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Our Mobile Detailing Vehicles are fully equipped with all the equipment needed to perform our services anywhere necessary. Don't trust your local car wash employees will have the necessary skills and knowledge to get the job done correctly. Our client's satisfaction is our top priority and we guarantee you will be pleased with our work.


The leaks aren't "accidents". Controlled. Both pictures are real. The first one (where the MC stood in front of something) is very old. The second one is a picture from the Demo we'll see at E3.
New scouting mechanic, the eagle. The eagle's placeholder name for now is "Akhom".
There are NO towers in the game. You will be using your eagle for side-activities and points of interest. There's a limit to how far you can go away from the protagonist.
The characters all speak English like in Unity. That is because of the Animus 5.0, which has perfected any translation issues of the older versions. You will be sitting in it, not moving around like in the movie.
We have a new Modern Day protagonist, he's male and mixed race. Already a trained Assassin and has a new team that helps him achieve his task, given by William himself. William, Rebecca, Shaun all make appearances.
MD is more like AC3's MD with bigger areas and more character interaction. The MD does more to highlight the fact that Assassins and Templars still exist and are having a big impact on the world.
"Without giving too much away, a piece of Eden is used during the Exodus and the crossing of the Red Sea, playing into the whole overarching mission of the modern-day protagonist." Not main focus of the story though.
He doesn't exactly know when it's set, but last he heard it was set between 1400 and 1200 BCE. It's set during the Dynasties.
NO naval combat. It really is only just a sailing boat used for travel purposes. It's like in The Witcher 3, just a tad more customizable. That's it.
He states numerous times that the world is breathtakingly beautiful and that there is ambient stuff going on in the open seas. Better to sail than miss this stuff by fast-travelling.
You will be travelling the Eastern Mediterranean with your boat.
Ambient music is in the game. Hooray!
Devs have focused on story 100%. There is no multiplayer whatsoever, however there are micro-transactions like in BF and Rogue. Multiplayer is still on the cards, might return at some point to the franchise.
A lot of work went into the immersion aspect.
Plenty of tropical areas. Mirages, oasis areas and various islands dotted around the sea are beautiful.
The main protag (in the past) is a quieter version of Altair, basically. Looks like him, slightly darker. Not black like Adé. Trilogy with him planned. Greece comes next and he's in there. No idea about the third entry at all.
Main protag (past) is apparently Israelite.
Combat has been reworked. Enemies have different attack patterns and will actively try to flank you. Kinda like Witcher 3, but easier to get into.
Stealth is much more integrated into the world. You can hide on corners, in crowds, in buildings and in bushes/haystacks. Imagine Syndicate and Unity's stealth, but much more well thought out and implemented. Social stealth is emphasized a lot in the game. You'll be blending into crowds and with groups of slaves an awful lot.
Free running is the same as Syndicate/Unity, though it adds in some of the flair from Watch Dogs 2. It's a lot smoother and more fluid.
Reason why AC doesn't make its way to Japan is because the higher ups don't see it being successful. They made China for Chronicles to "please the fans". Whoop-de-doo.
Same thing for WW1 and WW2.
Engine is a reworked version of Syndicate's. But looks drastically different to Syndicate/Unity.
They took Unity's backlash very, very badly. They've been working on Origins so much to avoid another buggy situation. "Syndicate was about 60% complete when the backlash came to light, so Ubi shoved that one out of the door before we had the break."
No Switch version, releases on PS4, Xbawks One and PC.
Hidden Blade used in the game is a very early version. Requires losing a finger. There's also a bow, a shield, various swords, spears and throwing knives.
Our protagonist (paaast) doesn't have a name at the beginning. Later, other characters start calling him "Shed", after the deity that represents salvation. A big part of the story revolves around saving your people from slavery.
The idea of an Ancient Rome game was floating around the office. Ceasar wasn't a Templar, but shared a lot of their ideologies. Senators that killed him were part of the Brotherhood. Status of this idea is unknown.
Skills are done in a talent tree. However, the differences between the skill trees are drastically different and you can only ever have a certain amount of skills active at one point. One tree is Combat, another Stealth and the final one is Movement.
Outfit-wise, there's a few pre-determined outfits (as there has been in every AC game). However, there are different piece of equipment that you can buy that will go over the top of your 'base' appearance. Imagine Unity's equipment variation/customization, but with less pointless fluff.
Character customization is more like Unity than Syndicate.
EDIT: I forgot to add this, sorry people: You can put your hood on and off whenever you want!
Lots of good info in there. Good news on the modern day aspect. Too bad on the removal of climbing to reveal areas.
Why in the world would the higher ups at Ubisoft think that a Japan game would bomb??? That seems like such an interesting idea.
Same reason they're vulnerable to a hostile takeover from Vivendi: they are blind.
I'm really happy to hear they're settling on one protagonist.
More "leaks". Now getting contradictory info.
Second Screenshot from build for E3. You do kill the crocodile, but before meeting Shadya, and it's an animal. You then meet Shadya and are attacked by Roman Guards, kill them, and end with an assassination of a General (like the SoM system).
Towers are in the game, but not in some rifts. You use the eagle when reaching the top instead of eagle vision.
Modern day assassin is actually Charlotte. You're working to find the ankh.
Rifts include Cairo 1799 during Napoleon's Invasion (Play as Arno), Amunet Assassinating Cleopatra in Alexandria 30 BCE, and brief segments of the "exodus" (this has a massive twist).
Small amount of Demotic and Coptic is spoken, but largely English, but with accents proper accents.
Actual setting is late first century, early second century AD.
Most of the boat stuff is on the nile. You can go into the Mediterranean a bit, but not far. Greece was cut from this game.
Name of primary protagonist is Balek.
More leaks . Via Reddit.
Desides and Unlucky 13 like this.
Gotta love how the leaks contradict each other.
This is an opinion piece on what the game might offer. I thought that it was a good read.
Apparent reservation card for the game at a Target store.
And there you go. The leaks were probably all controlled because this hype train has been rolling up pretty steadily.
I'm interested in the setting and eager to see if they actually do stuff in the modern day again.
And a possible release date. October 27th.
I'm wondering if the preorder mission will be available via DLC.
A good article about everything thats now known about the game. It seems that the game will have much of an RPG feel now, which I am very cool with.
Unisoft makes the game, and its name, official news. More info coming on Monday.
Some more details, and a bunch of pics.
Hands on preview with a demo of the game.
I'm curious how they're going to square the whole "non-linear narrative / quest-based mission" design with the level-based stat system. It sounds like they're saying "sure, you can go to this place, but you'll get rekt in a minute."
I'm curious too. My presumption is that while you'll be free to explore, the game will guide you on the preferred path and recommend ways that you should go. Very interested in seeing all of the details.
Looks like Ubisoft is trying to temper expectations for Origins, and is sandbagging a bit. Not a bad strategy from a corporate standpoint I guess, given what happened with MEA. No one will be unhappy if it blows these expectations out of the water.
I don't think they care about ME:A. They care about Syndicate. Syndicate was supposed to address and fix the problem introduced by Unity. It kinda did but really didn't.
I thought that Syndicate was really good. Not perfect, we've talked about the failures regarding the lack of modern day story and the related content, but otherwise it was really solid.
Syndicate was good. But it did not sell as well as projected, and it did not rehab the series' rep after Unity. Unity forced the two year break the series needed. Ubisoft is still not committing to annual releases again, too. Some of that is them being prepared to kill the series off, some of it is then realizing they can't saturate the market anymore.
Understood, but unfortunate. Its difficult for me to put myself into the shoes of people who are so quick to give up on something and abandon it. I suppose that i have more patience than the average gamer though, and as you've pointed out, the companies don't give a **** about people over a certain age anyways, whether we're loyal customers or not.
For us, it's something that we really want to push. We want players to have their own personal experience, which means less scripting and less handholding. We create a world, we place some content in it – we have dozens of quests, and people that you will meet who will tell you stories. But in between, when you're in the world, a lot of things can happen. And no two people will have the same experience – it's just not possible.
A good article regarding the changes in gameplay and how they're handling it. I really like what I'm reading.
The upcoming Assassin's Creed Origins will feature thousands of living NPCs, thanks to a new AI framework, and the gameplay will much more open-ended.
That's what game director, Ashraf Ismail, said in the latest issue of gaming magazine Play (issue 285). For Origins, the development team has opened up all of the franchise's fundamentals, and one aspect that has been reworked is the game's AI framework, which now allows the NPCs to have actual life in the game's world.
To make the gameplay more open-ended, a player has a choice in what kind of experience he or she wants to have. Ismail added that the gameplay experience is subject to change even while chasing a certain target.
"The point is this, we give this information to the player, that this AI is really living out in the world, doing whatever it is that they are doing, and as a player you get to make the choice of 'what kind of experience do I want to have?' When we ask you to do something in the game, the objective is now far more open ended… So yes, you do still have assassination targets but, technically, you can do whatever you want to get to your target.
All of these changes sound like they're going to make Origins a very fun, deep experience for the player. But they also make me wonder how they'll work it all to make it Assassins Creed, with the notion that its all a make believe framework within a computer using a character's ancestor's memories.
More info on some of the enemies in the game, and a new trailer.
I'm moderately interested in the game but recent events (hi Hurricane Irma) have kept me from really giving much of a crap. I may not even get this for the first few months, which is a change from my usual "take time off work to play the new AC" behavior.
I actually have a long tradition of waiting until the new year to play the newest AC game. It's meant that I haven't even begun the last few until they were patched and the DLC was out.
I do all the collectibles while going through at my own pace, so it's nice to have time off work to just screw around with it. That said, I'm not just playing a game on those days off, I have other things to do.
The game will get a free update that includes a non-combat, free-roam mode at some point in 2018 to explore all of the areas of the game. An interesting addition.
Hopefully the world is large enough to justify that mode. The places they've shown so far all seem relatively close together.
A good article about the gameplay and challenges. I'm really excited with everything that I come accross.
Details and dates on the planned DLC. Given my personal situation (living with relatives and no broadband), I won't be able to get any of the DLC until some point in 2018, so my second eventual playthrough will be a complete one, and my first will be a generic one.
DLC 1 – The Hidden Ones: This story-driven expansion builds upon the growth of the Brotherhood, taking players years after the events of Assassin's Creed Origins as they clash with an occupying Roman force in a new region. This expansion will extend the level cap, allowing players to keep on making their character progress. Available in January, 2018.
DLC 2 – The Curse of the Pharaohs: In this story-driven expansion focusing on Egyptian mythology, players will fight against undead pharaohs and explore a new, mystical realm. During their journey, players will encounter famed Egyptian beasts such as Anubis warriors, scorpios and more, as they investigate the cause of the curse that has brought the dead pharaohs back to life. The Curse of the Pharaohs will increase the level cap further and introduce brand new Abilities. Available in March, 2018.
A package of 500 Helix Credits, Available at the launch of the game.
All of the content listed above will be included in the Season Pass, which is priced $39.99.
Luckily, we won't have to pay for all the new content, as there will also be a consistent stream of free updates that will bring new ways to enjoy the game.
As you can read below, some of the content will come in the form of launch events, and I don't know for the life of me why the photo mode is listen in there.
Sounds like ACO has adopted the "game as a service" model.
With the mix of uncertainty and disappointment that I've gotten from my games the past two years or so regarding post launch content, I'm thankful that they're just laying it all out there now. I would imagine that Ubisoft has learned from the mistakes of others and is playing it safe.