On the eve of the launch of the 2018 tourist season, which normally starts in April, Madagascar tourism sector is in the red. Tourism is suffering the full impact of bad weather with the destruction of road infrastructure.
The problem of domestic theft has darkened the already bleak picture of Madagascar tourism since the plague epidemic. This is the main concern that members of the Confederation of Tourism of Madagascar (CTM) share.
"There is general concern for tourism stakeholders. The last ITB trade fair in Berlin reassured tourists but showed that the partners are quite concerned about the situation on the Big Island. Weather, unavailable road infrastructure, lack of transparency in air services, insecurity, as well as communication trails on the plague epidemic are all indicators that demotivate tourists and push them to choose other destinations," explains Patrice Raoull, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CTM.
Madagascar is one of the most expensive destinations in the world, the realities do not seem at all to encourage tourists to visit the country. A reluctance of requests and an increase in cancellations which run directly to losses have been recorded. "So far, 20% of tour operators and travel agencies have been cancelled," deplores the CTM's PCA. "Many of the services sold and signed had to be reimbursed for unsatisfied claims."
Madagascar tourism confederation is thus calling for much more consultation between tourism operators and the public sector and the public-private partnership. A dialogue open to different sectors of the tourism value chain in general. A consultation that will determine a reliable strategy in emergencies. A strategy taking into account the evolution of tourism.
It is still not possible to buy tickets directly at the airport. "In six months of existence, the CTM's eight trade colleges have not been consulted in major decisions affecting tourism," adds Tojo Razafimahefa, vice-chairman of the CTM's Board of Directors. It illustrates this lack of consultation by the uncoordinated increase in visa fees and the abolition of certain air service points. In the opinion of the CTM, actors from different fields, and not only tourism, must mobilize to find solutions to the current problems facing the sector. More than 250,000 tourists visited Madagascar in 2017.
Moreover, the losses of Madagascar tourism are reported also by the cruise sector. Cruise operators lost up to 70% of their sales. Although the ports of Nosy-be and Antsiranana have had some hits, operators are generating more loss than profit. Henintsoa Ravelonarivo, of the Nosy-be Regional Tourist Office, estimates a loss of 70% in turnover for excursionists, and 60% for other operators including craftsmen and car rental agencies. All these sectors were waiting for the profits of the ships. It is known that this is one of the sources of foreign currency for the host city.


WPP announces that its wholly-owned operating company Wunderman, the global relationship marketing network, has agreed to acquire a 51% stake in Comwerks Pte Ltd ("Comwerks Interactive"), a leading full service digital agency based in Singapore with a strong client base in the government and public sectors.
Founded in 2002, Comwerks Interactive specializes in digital media and web 2.0 solutions. The agency employs 22 people and clients include eBay, Ministry of Law, Ministry of Manpower, National University of Singapore and People's Association.
Comwerk's unaudited revenues for the year ended 31 December 2009 were S$1.5 million, with gross assets at the same date of S$1.0 million.
As a result of this deal, Wunderman's digital presence in the rapidly building Asian market is further strengthened and with Wunderman's backing, Comwerks Interactive will be positioned as one of the top 5 digital agencies in Singapore. Wunderman is ranked the world's largest digital and interactive network with revenues of almost US$900 million and the network has been named in independent research as one of seven digital leaders.
For WPP, this investment continues the Group's strategy of developing its networks in important markets and sectors and strengthening its capabilities in digital media. Singapore is a key market where the Group has a major presence through its many operating company networks. Collectively the Group employs more than 2,400 people in the country and revenues including associates stand at around S$350 million.


text:
Q: SPARK RDD Partition on a single HDFS Split If we have a file of 128MB with an HDFS split of 128MB and we issue sc.textFile(xxx,4), what actually happens? What does the RDD in fact mean in this case in terms of partitioning? 4 processing partitions still or just 1?

A: When you use a code like this:
JavaRDD<String> in = sc.textFile(xxx,4);
in.persist();

Then your RDD has 4 Partitions. They should have a size of 32 MB each. Then you can do something likes this:
rdd.count()

When you run then your code locally with local[4], then the count will be executed with 4 processes (tasks) in parallel.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Learn more about us via our About us page or our company presentation [PDF].


The name of the section shall be the Tax Section, hereinafter referred to as the "section," of the Tennessee Bar Association (TBA).
The purpose of this section shall be to assist the lawyer engaged in the practice of the law of taxation, to enhance his/her role, to broaden his/her knowledge, and to increase his/her skill through the dissemination of information and material on subjects of interest and concern to him/her and to provide a medium through which such lawyers may cooperate, encourage, and assist each other in the solution of problems common to their practice of law in these areas to the mutual benefit and improvement of the members of the section,the practice of law, the substantive law itself, and its just administration.
The purpose of the section shall be accomplished through its officers, council, committees, and by utilizing publications, meetings, seminars and projects; by sponsoring, promoting studying, or reviewing proposed legislation; and by other suitable means to this end, thus promoting the objectives of the TBA, its membership, and the public in general.
Any member of the TBA, upon proper application accompanied by advance payment of annual dues for the current year, shall be enrolled as a member of the section. The annual dues of the section shall be $20 and payable to the TBA at its headquarters in Nashville. Annual dues shall be paid in advance and are payable in full on the first day of July of each year for the 12-month period beginning on that date. The name of any person whose annual dues shall be more than six months past due shall be dropped from the roll of the section. Those members of the TBA whose names are carried on the rolls of the section and whose annual dues are paid in full in advance shall constitute the membership of the section.
The officers of the section shall be a chair, vice chair and a secretary.
There shall be a council which shall consist of no less that six and no greater than nine members which includes the officers of the section. The outgoing chair shall continue to serve on the council for one year.
The following standing committees of the section may be established from time to time as determined by the council: Nominations, Budget, Newsletter, Tax Legislative, Continuing Legal Education (CLE) and IRS and Department of Revenue Liaison. The council may establish such other committees and for such terms as it deems necessary. The chair of the section shall annually appoint members of the council to serve as chairs of the standing committees and each committee chair shall appoint members of his/her respective committee. If it is anticipated that the chair of the section shall serve on the Nominations Committee.
The chair, or successively, the vice chair or secretary in the absence of the chair, shall preside at all meetings of the section and of the council. He/She shall formulate and present at each annual meeting of the TBA a report of the work of the section for the then-ending year. He/She shall plan and superintend all activities of the section during his/her term in office, subject to the direction and approval of the council. He/She shall call meetings of the council when in his/her discretion such meetings are required or when at least three members of the council request him/her in writing to do so. He/She shall perform all other such duties and acts as usually pertain to the office of president or chair of an association or organization or as may be designated by the council.
The vice chair shall aid the chair in the performance of his/her responsibilities in such a manner and to such an extent as the chair may request. He shall perform other such duties and have such other powers as usually pertain to the office of vice chair or vice president or as may be designated by the chair or the council. In case of a death, resignation or disability of the chair, the vice chair shall perform the duties of the chair for the remainder of that chair's term of office or for the duration of the disability, as the case may be.
The secretary, or a TBA staff member at the direction of the secretary, shall see to the publication of appropriate notices of all meetings and shall keep a record of the proceedings thereof.
The secretary shall assist the other officers of the section in such manner and to such extent as they may request and shall be the custodian of all books, papers, documents and other properties of the section.
The council shall establish such policies of the section as it may determine which are not inconsistent with any policy of the TBA. It shall hear all reports of the officers and committees of the section and shall hear, consider and act upon such resolutions and matters presented to it which pertain to the activities of the section.
The council shall act by majority vote of those present, provided that a quorum shall consist of not less than four members.
Members of the council when personally present at a meeting of the council shall vote in person, though when absent may communicate their vote in writing or by telecommunication or electronic mail, on any proposition to the secretary and have it counted, with the same effect as if they were personally present at such meeting.
The chair of the section may, and upon written request of three members of the council shall, submit or call to be submitted in writing, to each of the members of the council, any proposition upon which the council may be authorized to act, and the members of the council may vote upon such propositions so submitted, by communicating their vote thereon, in writing, over their respective signatures to the secretary, who shall record in the minutes each proposition so submitted, when, how, and to whose request the same was submitted, and the vote of each member of the council thereon, and keep on file such written and signed vote. If the votes of a majority of the members of the council so recorded shall be in favor of such proposition or if a majority shall be against such proposition, such majority vote shall constitute the binding action of the council.
The annual meeting of the section may be held during the annual meeting of the TBA, in the same city or place as such annual meeting of the TBA or in such other city as determined by the council and with such program and order of business as may be arranged under the direction of the chair and the council or a committee thereof.
Meetings of the council may be called by the chair or by a minimum of three members of the council at such time and place requested. Meetings may be held by any form of telecommunication.
§6.3 Special Meetings of Section.
Special meetings of the section may be called by the chair at such time and place, and for such purpose as may be approved by the council. Meetings may be held by any form of telecommunication.
The council may direct that a matter be submitted to the members of the section for a vote by mail, telecommunication or electronic mail. Such mailing, telecommunication or electronic mail may be included in other written or printed material which is being distributed by mail to all of the members of the TBA or any part thereof which is inclusive of all the members of the section. In such event, binding action of the section shall be by a majority of the votes received in accordance with the rules fixed by the council.
The council members annually at a meeting called for such purpose shall elect the chair. The council shall also at such meeting elect the section's officers from among the council members. The council shall use its best efforts to cause atleast two members of the counciltobe from each of the three Grand Divisions of the state. The council shall have staggered three-year terms, with the term of at least two council members expiring each year. Council members may be re-elected. Officers may be re-elected or elected for one-year terms. Elections of council members and officers shall be by a majority vote of the council members present at the council meeting called for purposes of electing the council members and officers after being nominated by the Nominations Committee or from the floor.
If any office shall become vacant such office shall be filled by the council for the portion of the term remaining.
Either an affirmative vote of a majority of the members present at a meeting of the section or a majority of the council members present at a meeting may amend these bylaws. Any amendment to be considered at a meeting must be submitted in writing to either all of the members of the section or all of the council members at least 10 days before the start of such meeting. Any amendment so adopted shall become effective only to the extent that it is not inconsistent with the constitution and bylaws of the TBA.
No invoice, statement, or other evidence of expenditure on behalf of the section shall be paid without having been approved by the chair or secretary of the section.
No action by this section shall become effective as the action of the TBA until it is approved by the TBA Board of Governors. Any resolution adopted or action taken by the council or this section may, on request of the council or this section, be reported by the chair of the section to the TBA Board of Governors or to the annual meeting of the TBA for action thereon.
These bylaws and any amendments shall become effective upon the approval of a majority of those present at a meeting of the section and upon final approval by the TBA's Board of Governors.


Vibrant and tart, with juicy pomegranate and redcurrant.
7.2oz soy wax candle a celebratory scent honoring California's 2018 legalization. Heady base of sweet balsamic, leather, and vetiver. A heart of sweet rhubarb and patchouli. Topped by spice cloves, lemon, and cannabis flower scent.
13oz candle- Floral-forward. A blend of morning dew, ozone, tonka bean, cedar, patchouli, and classic florals: carnation, lily of the valley, rose and gardenia.
This Eskell original features a delicate, yellow-gold band with a bezel set edgy, black diamond.


A woman charged with stalking Hugh Jackman has been sentenced to six months in jail and five years probation.
California resident Katherine Thurston, who was due to stand trial for counts of burglary, stalking and harassment, was released from prison last month.
She had struck a plea deal with prosecutors allowing her to be sentenced to time served and probation for attacking the actor with an electric razor as he worked out at a Manhattan gym in April, 2013.
She was initially scheduled to be sentenced last month, but the case had to be adjourned because she had yet to arrange her ticket for transportation back home to California.
On Monday, Thurston returned to Manhattan Supreme Court to hear her sentence and was ordered to stay away from the X-Men star and his family for eight years.
Upon returning to California on Tuesday, she must also seek mental health treatment, according to the New York Post.


The Magnetic: Cage Closed Collector's Edition comes with a comprehensive Digital Artbook, Full Digital Soundtrack, and Two New Devious Challenge Maps.
Mouse with scroll wheel suggested for a smoother gameplay experience. Supports Xbox 360 compatible controllers.


In this day and age, it can feel like no one is looking for a real relationship anymore. People don't seem to want to settle down early in life—they would rather play the field and see who's out there than stick with one person for years and years. On one hand, that can be a good thing—no one should settle down with someone they don't truly love out of fear of being alone. But at the same time, this attitude towards relationships means that a whole lot of people are getting their hearts broken because some people are truly scared to commit.
Thankfully, wondering whether or not someone is ready to commit doesn't have to be a blind guessing game. There are some signs that anyone can see if they are really looking. And when someone knows what to look out for, they won't find themselves chasing someone who isn't ready to give them what they really deserve. They will be able to move on and date people who are actually ready for something more serious. Here are 15 things he'll do when he wants to stay casual, and five things that show he actually wants commitment.
A guy who is seeking commitment won't be vague when it comes to his feelings. He will be honest about the way he feels from day one. He won't try to play it cool or play hard to get by acting like he just sees a girl as a friend with benefits or someone to have a fling with when he is actually feeling something much deeper—if he wants to get serious with her, he will tell her that he's truly falling for her.
According to Psychology Today, being honest is definitely the key to honest communication in a strong relationship.
It's understandable that a guy won't want to tell his new girl all about his ex. But according to Cosmopolitan, being cagey and closed off about his romantic past is a sign that a guy isn't taking their new fling all that seriously.
When two people want something more serious together, it is generally understood that they will both want to talk about their experiences with past relationships so that they can do better going forward and get to know each other on a deeper level. When a guy won't talk about it, that important learning period just can't happen.
When a guy only wants to make casual, laid-back plans with a girl, it's a sign that he really only wants the relationship to be casual. According to Allure, a guy who only seems to suggest things like going to parties or watching a movie on Netflix when it's time to hang out may not view the girl he's seeing as relationship material—or maybe he does genuinely like her, but does not feel like he is ready for a real relationship just yet.
Either way, it's a sign that she should not get too emotionally invested in him.
A guy's texting habits can tell a girl a whole lot about his intentions. According to Cosmopolitan, a guy who only seems to text a girl he's seeing late at night is not taking things seriously. He's just looking for a friend with benefits and nothing more. He probably has no intention of making this an official relationship, and he just wants someone around so that he doesn't have to be alone.
If that's all the girl wants too, then it's not an issue, but if she is looking for something more serious, this guy is not worth her time.
A guy who really wants to make things official with the girl he is seeing will go the extra mile to plan fancy dates. According to Glamour, this is a major sign that he sees her as much more than just a girl to have a fling with.
For example, he will make reservations at her favorite restaurant and tell her to wear something nice. Or he will get tickets to a fun event that she has mentioned wanting to go to. He will put in the effort to plan something special for the two of them, and make it exciting.
A guy who really wants to be with a girl will never make excuses about not being able to spend time with her. If he wants to see her, he will make it happen whenever possible! According to Cosmopolitan, a guy who is always making excuses as to why he can't hang out is just not taking the connection seriously.
He doesn't feel like he has to put in that real effort because he just doesn't care too much about the potential of their relationship. Therefore, she will only end up seeing him when it is actually convenient for him.
This one is a surefire sign that the guy in question is not ready for a real relationship yet, and he may still just want to play the field for quite a while. According to Seventeen, there are plenty of guys out there who will keep dating apps downloaded on their phones until they are ready to ask someone to be their official girlfriend.
If they are not exclusive with anyone yet? Well, they are going to continue using the apps, even if they are seeing someone on a regular basis. If that's the case, he is not ready to settle down.
A guy who is always canceling plans at the last minute is a guy who does not care too much about committing to those plans in the first place.
And according to Cosmopolitan, a guy who can't even bother to commit to a plan with a girl is not the kind of guy who is going to commit to a real relationship with her!
It just makes sense—commitment does not just mean committing to the label. It also means committing to spending lots of quality time together, and taking those plans seriously. Couples have to make each other a top priority.
This is pretty common in casual flings, and this is one of the qualities that separates a casual fling from a committed and serious relationship. According to Cosmopolitan, a guy who only comes around on the weekends just isn't interested enough to make time for his girl during the week.
Sure, he's busy with work—but so is everyone, and plenty of people make time to see their significant others during the week. It's not difficult if both parties actually carve out the time and prioritize those plans. If he's only around on the weekends, it's just a casual thing.
Now, a guy who has no problem making plans on a weeknight is a keeper. According to Seventeen, this guy knows that going the extra mile and rearranging his schedule a bit during the week is worth the effort. This shows that he sees his girl as one of the most important things in his life.
Even if he is balancing work, school, and family, there is always time for the one that he loves—it might just be a quick coffee date on his lunch break or spending an hour with her in the evening, but every minute counts.
This is a surefire sign that a guy is not into commitment. According to Cosmopolitan, it's perfectly normal for even people who are in committed relationships to flirt once in a while, as long as they stick to relationship boundaries and don't try to turn it into something more.
But, if a girl is casually dating a guy who flirts with other women right in front of her, well, he is sending her a signal that he is definitely not going to be exclusive, and he wants that to be obvious. He's not even close to committing.
It's perfectly normal for guys who are dedicated to one woman to still have some close female friendships. But according to Allure, a guy who is still technically single and spending time with a lot of other women is probably not looking to lock it down with just one girl any time soon.
He probably likes the attention that he gets from being around other women, and he knows that he will have to say goodbye to that if he commits to being in a relationship with one person. Let's face it, some men just love to be the center of attention.
This one is simple: if a guy is only kind of interested in a girl, she is not going to be at the top of his list of priorities, and that will always shine through in his actions. According to Allure, it's actually easy to tell if a guy sees a girl as a priority or not. The answer?
It's simple—he actively makes an effort to spend time with her, communicates on a daily basis, and plans dates that they will both enjoy. That's really it. If a guy can't manage to do those three things, he's not committed.
Sometimes, a guy will admit that he's not sure what he wants in terms of relationships, and the girl he is casually seeing will take that to mean that she still has a chance of getting him to settle down and commit.
But according to Seventeen, a guy who doesn't know what he wants really has no intentions of committing any time soon. Maybe in the future he will be totally ready to settle down, but that day is not right around the corner, and girls are better off not waiting around for these guys to get their acts together.
What is the difference between a guy who is ready for commitment and a guy who is going to just lead someone on? There is one major thing to look out for: clarity. According to Cosmopolitan, a guy who actually wants to be with the girl he is talking to won't beat around the bush.
He will not pretend that he wants something serious if he doesn't, and he won't have trouble communicating what he sees in the future. Even if it is uncomfortable to talk about, he will just be clear about what his intentions are for the relationship.
There is a point in a relationship where it becomes the norm to invite each other to special events. Holidays with the family, a cousin getting married, a friend graduating from college, that kind of thing. According to Cosmopolitan, if he's inviting you to special events like this, it means that he is taking the relationship seriously.
But if months have gone by and he's not asking his girl to come along, it could indicate that he either doesn't get along well with his family and is nervous to introduce her, or he isn't super-committed to their romantic relationship.
What separates a serious relationship from a casual fling? The future, of course. According to Psychology Today, a relationship in which both people actively talk about the future is a secure and comfortable one. It shows that both people are committed to making the other person a part of their future. And they aren't just going to give up and run when the going gets tough.
What if he refuses to discuss the future? Well, the harsh truth is that it means he just does not think she is going to be a part of it, but he's hesitant to say that.
This is one is a major red flag that he has no real intentions of committing. According to Seventeen, a good sign that a guy really sees a particular girl as being super-important to him is that he makes the effort to get her involved with his friend group.
He wants her included in many different aspects of his life, and that means that he wants her to come along when he hangs out with his friends. If he doesn't do this, it means that he just views her as someone he can see on the side when he has time.
Now, this line should speak for itself, but unfortunately, many women will keep hanging on even after a guy tells them that he has no intentions of exclusively dating them. According to Cosmopolitan, lots of men these days will put off being exclusive for as long as they possible can, and women who actually want a serious relationship need to be wary of this.
If he says he does not want to be exclusive, believe him—if you know that you do, you will have to look for that somewhere else. Otherwise, both people will just end up feeling brokenhearted.
Want to be with a guy who is ready to commit? Wait for the one who says that he is head over heels, and that he wants a label. According to Allure, men who know what they want and are ready to be more than a fling make the best boyfriends.
A woman shouldn't have to pressure a guy into dating her—he should be eager and ready to use that label. A guy who does not want to commit will always have a million and one excuses for why he does not want a relationship label.


Okay, so this is not really cooking, more of a party idea, but I had custard I needed to use up so I decided to make this for my kids as an after school treat, and they loved it.
I know they are not exactly healthy, but they look great, so I'll get over it. It is a 'sometimes' treat after all.
If you don't have your own custard ready made, the only store bought custard I like is Paul's Premium custard, it is thick and really nice to eat. Just don't use watery store bought custard.
You can also place the fruit in the cooled jelly, before it sets, not have it all on top, that is up to you. Also any berry works, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries etc.
As for the jelly, any flavour will work.
The jelly can be made the day before, add the custard in the morning, topped with the fruit, I cover them loosely with some glad wrap until needed.
Make the jelly as per packet instructions. You put the crystals in a heatproof jug, pour in the boiling water, stir to dissolve. Pour in the cold water, stir.
Pour into your serving glasses. Done. Refrigerate until set.
If you want to put fruit inside the jelly, after 1 hour of the jelly being in the refrigerator, take them out, add the fruit, then refrigerate until set. Make sure you have left some fruit for the top as a decoration in this case.
Once the jelly has set, top with some custard, then carefully place on the fruit you have chosen.