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Chechens Fighting in Ukraine Could Erode Support for Separatists
From left: Chechen regional leader Ramzan Kadyrov accompanied by Russian journalists Oleg Sidyakin and Marat Saichenko addresses media following release from captivity in Ukraine, Grozny, Chechnya, May 25, 2014.
MOSCOW — Pro-Russian separatists battling Ukrainian forces in eastern regions say they're facing a shortage of fighters, but they seem to have found a source hundreds of miles to the east, in Russia's conflict-torn North Caucasus.
Chechens, renowned for bloody tenacity and fearlessness during two wars in the southern Russian region over the past two decades, have joined in the battle against Ukrainian armed forces around the Donetsk region.
While the presence of battle-hardened Chechens may bolster the fight on the battlefield, it's an open question whether they will actually help or hinder the separatist cause.
"It kind of undermines the whole theme that this is a local battle," said Michael
Bohm, a Moscow-based journalist and an author of a book on Russian psychology. "For the average grandmother, grandfather, for the average person, who is not particularly in favor of Kyiv but doesn't want to join Russia, they are not going to look very favorably upon this."
For older Ukrainians, the arrival of fighters from Chechnya — a region long associated with terrorism — is distasteful at best.
Between 1994 and 2009, Moscow fought two full-scale wars and battled a low-level insurgency, trying to hold onto the Muslim majority republic. During that period, Chechnya's ethnic Russian population plummeted, from 23 percent in 1989 to less than 2 percent today. To many observers, the wars were the latest chapters in a 200-year clash of between Muslim Chechnya and Christian Russia.
For weeks, as the insurgency in Donetsk and other eastern regions gained force, the militants appeared to be mainly a mix of disaffected Ukrainian citizens — ethnic Russians and ethnic Ukrainians — plus small numbers of Russian citizens from across the border. In the past week, however, Western and Ukrainian media have documented and interviewed fighters who identified themselves as Chechen.
Donetsk Mayor Oleksandr Lukyanchenko said that Chechens were among the 43 separatists hospitalized after a major battle for the Donetsk airport earlier this week. And Chechen fighters reportedly were among the 34 Russian citizens whose remains were sent back to Russia on Thursday.
Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov posted on the Internet photos of well-armed men he said were Chechens performing Muslim prayers during the Donetsk airport battle, identifying them as soldiers of Chechnya's strongman leader, Ramzan Kadyrov.
Kadyrov, who was installed as Chechnya's leader by Moscow, said any Chechens fighting in eastern Ukraine went there as private citizens.
"No 'Chechen troops' and especially no 'Chechen military convoys' are taking part in the conflict," he wrote on his Instagram page.
There is no doubt that Chechens are now fighting in Ukraine, said Yaroslav Kovalchuk, director of the internal politics department of the International Center for Policy Studies in Kyiv. He also said the presence of Chechen fighters would hurt the separatist cause.
"Earlier, a large part of local population supported or were loyal to the militia, because they thought it is local people," Kovalchuk said. "Now, when they see Chechen people, they see indeed that it is not local gunmen, but it is military men coming from another country."
Chechens are not the only foreigners reported fighting alongside local separatists.
Cossacks — the legendary horseback-riding communities that populate parts of Russia and Ukraine and that are known for their warrior ethos — ran patrols and manned checkpoints in Crimea before the Black Sea peninsula was annexed by Russia in March. Serbian militiamen were also spotted there. An Associated Press reporter who watched a parade Sunday in Donetsk reported seeing one fighter wearing a patch identifying him as from a Cossack unit from southern Russia.
The sophistication of the training, weaponry, and equipment being used by some of fighters in eastern Ukraine has also led many to conclude that the Russian security and military intelligence agencies are funding, or sending, operatives over the border.
"What we are seeing is a lot of mercenaries, from all over — veterans of the Afghan war, the Chechen war, both wars," Bohm said. "It is a good way to make money."
Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations, Yuriy Sergeyev, on Thursday demanded that Russia end what he called "mercenary activities" in eastern Ukraine.
Turning to Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, he asked: "What are hundreds of Chechens doing in Ukraine? Did they come to protect Ukrainian Orthodoxy or Slavic unity?"
The Russian diplomat replied that Sergeyev's "ironic comments about Chechens" were "pointless."
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Smeagull the Seagull: Interview with Author Mark Seth Lender
Posted by Meagan Meehan | Books, Reviews | 0
"Smeagull the Seagull: A True Story" is a delightful and heartwarming book for children, families, and anyone who loves animals, wildlife, and—most of all—seagulls. Written by Mark Seth Lender, a producer and the Explorer in Residence for Living on Earth which is the only nationally broadcast program on Public Radio dedicated exclusively to wildlife and environment. Each page of this hardcover book has full color spreads by Valerie Elaine Pettis, an internationally known graphic designer and creator of the United Nations symbol for the International Decade for Women. Both author Mark and illustrator Valerie live on the Connecticut shoreline and are constantly amazed and inspired by the environment and the animals that dwell within it.
"Smeagull the Seagull" (as the title implies) is a true story about a wild herring gull who learns to mooch at a beach shore home door and is subsequently adopted by the family inside, becoming something of an outdoor pet. In the story, Smeagull comes to the house near the shore every day and knocks on the sliding glass door. He knocks when he's hungry, and the people who live there feed him sustainable fish scraps from the local fish market. At the House on the Shore, Smeagull rules the roost and keeping up with him is an exhausting job, but when Smeagull disappears, it makes clear what an important family member Smeagull has become.
"Smeagull the Seagull" is about the bond that humans form with a seagull that comes to mooch at their house every day for years on end.
Mark Lender has always admired seagulls. There are few places on earth without gulls which makes them ideal avatars to represent the Natural World. They are ubiquitous, voluble, intelligent and wild and they readily get to know humans as individual people. In fact, some studies suggest that seagulls recognize humans as individuals! While some people dislike seagulls, "Smeagull the Seagull" was written to convey how sweet and special seagulls can be, coupled with a deeper message about how wild animals are precious and have needs and feelings, and family, just like human beings.
Upon its release, the book proved to be incredibly successful. It won several awards (including a Feathered Quill: Be Kind to Animals Award) and received an abundance of fan mail. Through a successful Kickstarter campaign, Mark and Valerie were able to fund the production of an animated version, narrated by Mark and complete with all of Valerie's drawings, the sounds of the Long Island Sound, and its own musical score. The animated version is on target for a release date of 2020. Moreover, "Smeagull the Seagull" has already been chosen as Living on Earth's premium for the nationally broadcast Spring 2020 Public Radio Raiser.
Mark Seth Lender is radio host and a photographer whose fieldwork with wildlife spans a quarter of a century and seven continents. He lectures widely and has been a featured speaker at many schools, libraries, garden and photography clubs, universities (including among others Yale and Brandeis) and at the Explorers Club. He just completed a new collection of his wildlife writing, Cardinal Points, True Stories of Life on Earth, with an anticipated publication date of Fall 2020. In 2015 Mark was inducted into the Explorers Club in recognition of his 25 years of worldwide fieldwork, writing and photography.
Mark Seth Lender recently granted an exclusive interview where he discussed this book, his career, nature and more.
Meagan Meehan (MM): How did you discover your love for animals and how did that turn into a career as a photographer, lecturer, and radio show host?
Mark Seth Lender (MSL): One thing led to another, in the inexorable way that life unfolds itself. But you picked the right starting point: animals. I cannot remember I time when I did not love animals and my memory goes all the way back to my first year of life. Cats have always been my favorite – and since I was four, I have been deathly allergic to them. It never abated. So, the inability to have a cat, I think, drove me further and further from home and the quotidian in my search for animal companionship, and ultimately into the wild. I am first and foremost a writer. I love words and the sound of words and their effect. That really dates from high school, the discovery of poets and writers. But it took decades before I could write. I started taking photographs in grade school, with my father's (already outmoded) Brownie, then graduated to his Rolliflex. Nothing serious, not until photography became an adjunct to my writing. My print editors drove me to it. They wanted illustration. I resisted but then by degrees discovered that the camera, unlike any other method of observation, could reveal animal behavior. That I write and do spoken word and take pictures is simply the kind of synthesis that is common to people like me. If they'd had Ritalin when I was growing up, you and I would not be having this conversation. Think of where we'd be if they'd had that drug in the Quinquacento! No, Michaelangelo, no DaVinci! And for that matter no Alexander Graham Bell. Someone when I was in my early teens, I knew a man who worked for Alexader Graham Bell. Bell was the type specimen. All over the place. His mind just wouldn't stop.
MM: Growing up, which books did you like to read? For instance, as a little boy did you have a favorite animal-themed picture book?
MSL: I hate to disappoint but my favorite media were radio plays, classical music, TV. Particularly Disney's early wildlife films. It has always been my contention that Disney more than anyone created my generation of Naturalists and Conservationists
MM: You are a professional writer but is "Smeagull" your first children's book and can you tell us a bit about the real Smeagull and his fabulous family?
MSL: Smeagull is our first children's book. We have others in the pipeline of course, including a Smeagull sequel. As to Himself: I should start by telling you that when we say "Smeagull the Seagull" is a true story, we mean it. There is nothing in the book that isn't an actual event or series of events. But as to the backstory, we met Smeagull when he was a young adult. He was hungry enough that first winter to eat the birdseed we were putting out to help the migratory ducks. We let him, and eventually supplemented from fish scraps from the Star Fish Market. Within a month, Smeagull had our number. He knew our schedule, the sound of my truck, where the bedroom was, and the kitchen. Everything. The Pièce de Résistance of course was figuring out glass. We saw him studying the sliding glass door, and through simple observation he determined, entirely on his own, that glass was both transparent and solid, and that you could knock on it to attract the attention of human beings. This, if you knocked with the exact cadence and volume of a human being which is what he learned to do. Anyone who says "dumb animal" is a bloody fool.
MM: How did you come to work with Valerie and how long did it take to complete the entire book project?
MSL: Valerie and I have always sought out each other's opinions and support of our respective work. I wrote the first draft right at the beginning of our relationship with Smeagull. That was twelve years ago. After we decided to do the book, it would then take Valerie almost seven years to complete the pastels in the manuscript. Then a year to get to press, and here we are.
The beautiful illustrations depict the antics of the endlessly hungry seagull.
MM: How come you decided to start your own company, Sea House Press, and what other books might you publish under this label in the future?
MSL: We could not penetrate the gauntlet of the publishing world. And we wanted the book to be done at the quality and in the format we wanted and without abridgment. To give you an idea of what was involved, it took Valerie four months of working with our Korean publisher, Pacom, to do the color corrections. By the way, they are wonderful and I cannot recommend them highly enough. What they did for us was extraordinary. That would not have been possible if the book were under a publisher's control. Also, we have other books in the pipeline, so having our own house seemed to make sense.
MM: How did you get this book submitted to so many contests and what did it feel like to win awards, especially the "Be Kind to Animals" award?
MSL: Submission is much work. And it's expensive. And the criteria are opaque to the point of inscrutability. Of the awards I will say we were especially pleased with the Feathered Quill "Be Kind to Animals Award." We did not apply to them and this was a complete surprise. The unexpected ones are the best ones.
MM: What prompted you to start a Kickstarter to fund the animation of this beautiful story? What do you hope to do with the animation?
MSL: As our Kickstarter campaign said, we were concerned that at least half the children in this country haven't got lunch money let alone the funds for a $25 book. We did not and do not want money to be the gatekeeper. So, this was another avenue to reach them – something visual and free. There are still technical and distribution issues with the eBook format. But using the same assets we have also created an animated video and we now feel this will be the vehicle to the largest audience.
MM: You have traveled the globe, so which experiences on earth stand out to you the most and why?
MSL: All the experiences stand out. It is a collective of experience not a single encounter that shaped my view. That said, the one that is most in mind just now, and which is the first essays Cardinal Points, True Stories of Life on Earth is about a paper wasp. You'll have to wait for airtime or the book to be on the shelves to hear about that one. The book by the way is called "Cardinal Points, True Stories of the Natural World." With that one we are trying the traditional route but so far while people love the writing, the publishers aren't sure they can sell it. So, we may be back to Pacom and produce a small, very high-quality printing under our own impress. We'll let you know how it goes…
MM: What do you wish more people knew about seagulls and animals in general?
MSL: They Are Us. That "Us" being animals with faces. Beatles ignore you. Unaccountably so do elephant seals. Wasps know exactly where your face is, where you're eyes are and what they are for, that you can hear, and that your Mind – your Self – is located behind your eyes. Which implies of course that it is the same for them! So, it is not a matter of being vertebrates or mammals, or any species in particular but rather I think, interest. As to Smeagull, he is definitely interested. And by the way smarter than the smartest dog you will ever meet or ever heard of. Anyone who says animals are stupid has succumbed to the common wisdom or rather the usual misinformation, instead of paying attention. Smeagull feels pleasure and pain, he cares about his mate (herring gulls' mate for life and he always insists that She-gull eat first when she accompanies him), and he moderates his behavior to avoid violent conflict. Don't associate this with his size because I have seen big animals do it, in particular the time I saw an elephant, the matriarch of the herd, force all the resident crocodiles from the edges of a waterhole so the herd could safely drink and bathe. It would have been the easiest thing in the world for her and her four long tons to kill the crocodiles. But she never would. Or to put it another way: Smeagull you know, eats from my hand. His beak if he wanted to hurt me could hurt me. He never has. He takes things from my fingers with such delicacy and precision and care…
MM: What experiences involving this book have been the most rewarding and what other projects are coming up for you soon?
MSL: The great reward with Smeagull is reading to young children. They love the book and the reports we get back from parents are delightful. Interestingly they do not want to feed Smeagull, which is good because that is not the point. They want to meet Smeagull, they want to know if a gull they see is Smeagull, they love that he has family and that he has things to say and that he is an emotional being, just like them. This is exactly what we intended. Which is wonderful.
The other great pleasure of my life is my wildlife writing. Producing for broadcast on "Living on Earth" is my daily constant (interrupted by Smeagull of course–"when he knocks, we must answer!"). All of my writing is based on my fieldwork. Right now for example, I am actively looking for a tour group to host me in Alaska, as I have not done any fieldwork there in twenty years or more. I provide a great deal of PR to our wildlife-savvy audience, in exchange for having my on the ground expenses covered. If Alaska works out it will be one of two pieces of major field-work I hope to do in 2020. The other is Africa, in particular Botswana or Namibia. I've been in Africa twice, but in other countries, not Botswana nor Namibia. I hope we can find the support we need. We'll see. Typically, I am able to produce at least two broadcast segments a day in the field, this if weather and animals are reasonably cooperative and they usually are.
Seagulls are very smart and capable of forming bonds with other birds and humans, too.
MM: Is there anything else that you would like to talk about?
MSL: There is ineffable beauty in the Natural World. To watch a flock of geese in their V formation heading south in falling snow; To find an elephant staring at you with benign curiosity and recognition and to have her come to you when you nod in a certain way your permission for her to come; to see a whale; to have a penguin look you square in the eye with their very nearsighted eyes from much too close all to find out who and what you are; To have a full grown polar bear do the same; To see these things through the eyes of those who have seen even if you never get to go yourself… It replenishes the Soul. It is Soul-killing if these things cease to exist. Even the night sky is imperiled by all the pointless light we cast unthinking into the dark.
So, I want people to recognize what's at stake, that life on earth is at stake and not just because of climate chaos. The direct destruction of animal life, through for example monoculture as supported by Monsanto and Bayer, through vacuuming the seas for fish that humans could eat and which instead goes into fertilizer and farmed fish food distributed by the likes of Archer Daniels Midland, all this has to stop or we have no future. We will not survive when all the rest of life on Earth has been exterminated. Aside from the loneliness, the conditions for human life will have been breached. Anyone who thinks humanity will move to Mars is going to be sorely disappointed. We either save this or we perish, as if we never existed.
To learn more about Mark Seth Lender, visit his official website.
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Meagan Meehan
Meagan J. Meehan is a published author, poet, cartoonist, and produced playwright. She pens columns for the Great South Bay Magazine, Blasting News, and Entertainment Vine. She is also a stop-motion animator and an award-winning abstract artist. Meagan holds a BA in English Literature and a MA in Communication. She is also an animal advocate and a fledging toy and game designer. Meagan is a contributing editor to Kidskintha writing on Toys, Games, Entertainment, and other topics that are happy and fun!
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The City of Calgary and the Writers' Guild of Alberta are pleased to announce the shortlisted authors for The City of Calgary W.O. Mitchell Book Prize, one of 13 awards presented as part of The Calgary Awards.
The three finalists are Taylor Lambert for Darwin's Moving (NeWest Press), Clem & Olivier Martini for The Unravelling (Freehand Books), and Deborah Willis for The Dark and Other Love Stories (Hamish Hamilton). The City of Calgary established the W.O. Mitchell Book Prize in honour of the late Calgary writer W.O. Mitchell to recognize literary achievement by Calgary authors. The $5000 prize is awarded each year for an outstanding book published in the award year. The recipient of The City of Calgary W.O. Mitchell Book Prize will be recognized at the Calgary Awards presentation on June 13, 2018. The Calgary Awards will be live streamed on Calgary.ca.
Taylor Lambert's memoir, Darwin's Moving, is a touching and honest book about a little seen part of society populated with not always positive characters, but real and compelling people just the same. It is a well written memoir that offers a portrait of Calgary, as only movers see it. Lambert takes us behind the scenes of a moving company industry that is almost completely undocumented in Canadian literature to reveal the cycles of poverty and addiction that ensnare its workers. Ex-cons and drug addicts are invited into spacious homes, entrusted with the care and transport of the possessions of the upper-classes – a unique bridging of two normally segregated worlds. An award-winning author, Lambert is a journalist who has published three previous books, and lives in Calgary.
The Unravelling: How our caregiving safety net came unstrung and we were left grasping at threads, struggling to plait a new one by Clem Martini and Olivier Martini is a memoir, told through text by Clem and illustrations by Olivier. The book recounts their family's desperate scramble when their mother, Catherine, develops dementia. It's the telling of a story of one family's journey with mental illness, dementia and caregiving. The Unravelling is a candid, painful and, at times, comical account of what it's like to navigate a perplexing health-care system that fails to meet the needs of the patient. An award-winning playwright, Clem Martini is the Chair of Drama in the School of Creative and Performing Arts at the University of Calgary.
In The Dark and other Love Stories—a collection of thirteen short stories—Deborah Willis delves into the concept of love in all its varied guises. Full of longing and strange humour, these poignant and complex stories reveal how love ties us to one another and to the world. One story examines an intense friendship between girls at summer camp, another follows a man who finds himself inadvertently adopting a pet crow, and another explores the psychology of a man whose girlfriend stars on a reality TV show, determined to win a seat on the first manned mission to Mars. The book isn't all about romantic love. It is about attachments — about the different bonds we form between ourselves and the people (and animals!) in our lives. Willis presently lives in Calgary.
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For those seeking a solution to controlling germs in public areas, Vital Vio has created technology that helps hospitals, airports, schools, daycares, and other high traffic spaces. Vital Vio's new disinfection technology, melded with Build-2-Specification lighting from PMC Lighting, will allow a variety of companies to install customized germ-fighting LED fixtures.
Germs, and the illnesses they cause affect more than just health. Sick days pull workers and students from their jobs and schools and can affect the economy and lower productivity. A recent study by The Integrated Benefits Institute, says that "lost productivity" from employee absentee due to illness costs the US Economy $227 Billion per year. In addition, these illnesses can be deadly for those with compromised immune systems. This technology can help create healthier indoor spaces.
Vital Vio LEDs emit an attractive, truly white light that is safe for humans, pets, and plants. The VioSafe® White Light Disinfection® technology continuously protects environments from harmful bacteria using wavelengths of visible light in the 400-450 nm range, which cause bacterial cell death but have no harmful effect on humans. It creates a truly pleasing, white light, that looks like ordinary light, but multi-tasks to disinfect and illuminate indoor spaces.
When combined with traditional cleaning methods in hospitals, homes, public spaces, and workplaces, Vital Vio's LEDs safely, effectively, and continuously kill harmful organisms on indoor surfaces.
With bacteria becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, this type of light technology is welcome news. Vital Vio holds several U.S. Patents for this much needed and innovative technology and there are several more patents pending.
The partnership between Vital Vio and PMC Lighting is a natural fit. PMC has long been considered a pioneer in the design community for their custom and semi-custom lighting fixtures that make it easy for a designer to play with light, color, and shape. Now with Vital Vio's technological advancement combining with PMC's focus on building to specifications, reducing contamination and infection risk can meet the desired specifications and design styles of hospitals, airports, gyms, and other public spaces.
About PMC Lighting: Founded in 1991, PMC Lighting is a family owned and operated manufacturer of quality lighting fixtures. Located in Warwick, Rhode Island, PMC is centrally located on the eastern sea-board, nestled between New York City and Boston. This affords the company the opportunity to capitalize on technological advancements as well as superior design and engineering influences from this area while maintaining their small town work ethic, experience and pride.
Over these 20 years, they have made significant improvements in all facets of their business. Their factory utilizes state of the art progressive tooling, engineering expertise, computer software and skilled technicians. By making these investments in equipment and people, they can be innovative and responsive to the changing needs of their customers. They have earned a reputation for innovative design, quality craftsmanship and creative adaptability, further defining their role as a true lighting solutions provider.


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Barack, Michelle Obama most admired people in US, study finds
(WHDH) — People in the United States continue to admire former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama more than a year after they left the White House, a new study found.
YouGov interviewed more than 37,000 people in 35 countries, asking them, "Thinking about people alive in the world today, which [man or woman] do you most admire?"
The result showed that worldwide, respect Bill Gates and Angelina Jolie the most, followed by the Obamas, who are also the most respected man and woman in the U.S.
U.S. citizens said that President Donald Trump deserved the second place rank for the most admired man, with Oprah Winfrey taking that slot for the women.
Billy Graham and Queen Elizabeth II came in third, followed by Pope Francis and Hillary Clinton in fourth.


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Home Los Angeles Lakers A Look Back At Lakers' Past Postseason Series' Against Suns
A Look Back At Lakers' Past Postseason Series' Against Suns
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With the Los Angeles Lakers getting set to take on the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs, a bit of a rivalry will be renewed as these two franchises have faced off in the postseason 12 times.
Of those 12 meetings, the Lakers won eight of them and have an overall record of 38-24. When the two organizations meet for a 13th time this year, it will set a new Western Conf record for most times met in the postseason. Only Boston Celtics and New York Knicks at 14 and Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers at 21 have faced off more times overall in playoff history.
Here is a bit of a recap of how those series' between the Lakers and Suns went:
2010 Western Conference Finals: Lakers win 4-2
The last time these two teams met in the postseason was 11 years ago, which is the last time the Suns were in the postseason period. It was a hard-fought series with the Lakers taking the first two games, dropping the middle two and then closing it out by winning two more before going on to win the franchise's 16th championship.
Kobe Bryant was the man in that series, averaging 33.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.3 assists, hitting a number of big shots including an incredible fadeaway to close out the series, which led to an awesome moment of him patting Suns coach Alvin Gentry on the bottom as he ran back down the floor.
2007 WC First Round: Suns win 4-1
The 2007 series was much different as the Suns came in as the heavy favorites with Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire leading one of the best offenses in league history. Bryant put up a valiant effort, but in the end, the Suns closed out the Lakers rather easily in five games.
The 2006 series was similar to 2007 in that the Suns came in as heavy favorites, although this series was much more difficult for them. This was the series that Bryant hit his incredible elbow jumper to beat the buzzer in overtime in Game 4 to give L.A. a 3-1 series lead.
Unfortunately though, it was all Suns from there as they won the final three games to win the series.
2000 WC Semifinals: Lakers win 4-1
In 2000, the Lakers cruised past the Suns in five games in the second round before going on to win the first of three consecutive championships. This series was personal for Robert Horry, who was traded from the Suns to the Lakers a few years earlier after a fall out with the team's brass.
Despite receiving strong play from Jason Kidd, in the end, Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and Co. were just too much to handle for the Suns.
In 1993, the eight-seeded Lakers almost pulled off an improbable upset over the top-seeded Suns and Charles Barkley.
L.A. took the first two games thanks to strong play from Vlade Divac, James Worth, Byron Scott and others. Phoenix won the next three to take the five-game series though and went on to reach the NBA Finals before falling to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
1990 WC Semifinals: Suns win 4-1
Despite Magic Johnson averaging 30.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 12.2 assists, the No. 1 seed Lakers fell to the No. 5 seed Suns in five games in the second round in 1990. The Lakers won Game 2 but then dropped three straight.
1989 WC Finals: Lakers win 4-0
The 1989 series was much different than 1990 though as Johnson, Worthy and Scott all played well to earn the sweep and punch L.A.'s ticket to the Finals. Unfortunately though, that series was the complete opposite with the "Bad Boy" Detroit Pistons sweeping the Lakers to win it all.
1985 WC First Round: Lakers win 3-0
In 1985, the first-round matchup was perhaps the easiest series in Lakers postseason history as they had seven players in double figures and blew the Suns out three consecutive times by an average margin of victory of 20.33 points.
L.A. went on to defeat the Celtics in six games to win the title.
The 1984 season was a very successful one for Phoenix by many measures as they went from being the No. 6 seed all the way to the WCF. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, Worthy and the rest of the Lakers took care of them in six games though before losing to the Celtics in an epic seven-game Finals.
The 1982 second round was another easy sweep for the Lakers before they went on to beat the Philadelphia 76ers in six games to win the championship.
The 1980 postseason was the start of a dynasty for the Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar Lakers as in the former's rookie season, they rolled through everyone to win their first of five titles in the decade.
Johnson averaged a triple-double in the five games against the Suns and then went on to play some center in the Finals when Abdul-Jabbar missed a game.
1970 West Division Semifinals: Lakers win 4-3
The 1970 playoffs were the first time these two rivals met in the postseason and Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain and Co. were able to take care of business in seven games.
L.A. won Game 1 before dropping three straight to put themselves in a 3-1 hole. The Lakers won in blowout fashion in the final three games though to take the series before eventually losing to the Knicks in the Finals
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Not only did the Los Angeles Lakers revamp their roster this summer, but head coach Frank Vogel's staff also experienced…


Next year, Hopkins will introduce an authentic research program in science to the curriculum. This program, called HARPS (Hopkins Authentic Research Program in Science), will provide students with the opportunity to design and perform their very own research project. The program will also teach students the core techniques of experimentation and instruction on how to read and write scientific literature.
The new course, which has been in the works since 2003, will be a one-credit full-year curriculum that features a ½ credit research position during the following summer. For the 2016-2017 year, it will be only open to the Class of 2018. The Science Department plans to transform a room in the Malone Science Center into a modern biochemistry laboratory to supplement the needs of the course. "It will be equipped with new biotechnology equipment such as incubators and ways to run DNA, protein gels, and culture cells, allowing us to do labs that would not have been possible before," explained Jennifer Stauffer, science teacher and core member of the project. The Science Department also plans on hiring a new faculty member, preferably with recent experience in research, to oversee the program as a whole.
Class time will be dedicated to using this new equipment to foster the development of skills used in the scientific research process. According to Phillip Stewart, Science Department Chair and Physics teacher, students will complete labs created by the science faculty to learn different research techniques, such as replicating DNA or learning how to use optical instruments to guide laser light. In addition, students will learn how to read, write, and critique scientific journals and articles, allowing them to understand how to communicate results. During the second semester, students will design and run their own individual experiment on campus and present their results to the class for critique.
"We hope the class feels like a group of student-scientists helping each other and supporting one another's projects in a safe environment with teachers serving as guides, mentors, and even partners in science," Stewart explained.
Though the Science Department wants to make this program available to many students, there is an extensive application process in anticipation of a high level of interest. "We need to make sure those who take the course is committed to science and will be a good fit with this program," explained Stauffer.
The Science Department encourages anyone interested in this intensive program to start exploring the details of this transformative new Hopkins course for future participation.


What's Your Next Move - Well... NOW What Are You Supposed To Do???
Well... NOW What Are You Supposed To Do???
Welcome to What's Your Next Move, the podcast for peak performers who are making things happen but are running into roadblocks that prevent them from getting what they want. Start by losing a high paying corporate job, then invent a product, bring it to market at the height of the recession, use only the Internet to build brand awareness and generate sales, go on to sell worldwide, appear on the ABC TV show "Shark Tank", have companies chase you down to teach them how to create the same success and you've got a very unusual entrepreneur in Arlene Battishill, Ph.D. She's spent years advising companies on their digital marketing strategies and has an uncanny understanding of how to get people to buy. She now spends her time helping peak performers move beyond their roadblocks and create paths that help them transform their businesses and lives into what they've always dreamed of. She has a Masters degree and Ph.D. from Temple University in Philadelphia and lives in Los Angeles, CA. I'm your host and resident provocateur, Arlene Battishill and I want to know... What's YOUR Next Move?!
All content © 2019 What's Your Next Move.


We are looking for new teams members to add to our service department. We believe our benefit structure and company culture will attract, and keep, the best. We actively service over 100 supermarkets and commercial customers, including GE, Verizon, Costco, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Food Lion, Piggly Wiggly, Lowes Foods, Subway and many more. If you are ready to join the area's premier refrigeration service provider, submit your resume to the address below.
Experienced in commercial HVAC units.
Experienced in commercial refrigeration units.
Supermarket experience preferred, but not required.
Ready to learn and grow with eastern NC's best service team!
Most of health insurance premiums covered by company.
Company vehicle for qualifying positions.
Submit resumes to Joe Blanchard at careers@freezetoplease.com.
Blanchard Refrigeration has been in the refrigeration business in Southeastern North Carolina for nearly 40 years, and we have over 200 years of refrigeration service and installation combined experience between our employees. We've recently acquired Newber's Refrigeration and excited to welcome Newber's customers to the Blanchard family!
© 2019. Blanchard Refrigeration. All Rights Reserved.


The fishing nets of Kochin, sunset gold across the Queen of the Arabian Sea, listening to the fishermen sing their songs.
Printed on Giclee Fine Art gallery paper 308 gsm using archival pigmented inks.
Delivery via Royal Mail Signed for Delivery.


This Buddhist monk needs to meditate more because violence is never the answer. Phra Sathit, 38, was captured on camera beating a mentally handicapped person named Nok, 30, at the Samut Prakan temple in Thailand. Sathit told Buddhist officials he beat the man because Nok was being "too rough" with his 6-year-old son. Since the incident, Sahit has been moved to another temple 50 miles away.
In the video, Sathit is seen chasing Nok before punching him in the face. Nok falls to the floor where Sahit repeatedly kicks him in the head. The Buddhist monk stops kicking him and Nok tries to flee again. But Sathit grabs him and throws him back on the ground, and kicks him in the head several more times.
The Buddhist officials and the mother worked out a deal where she wouldn't press charges if Sahit was transferred out of the temple, reports the Daily Mail. Because of this, Sahit moved 50 miles away to a temple in Chonburi, Thailand.
The abbot, Phra Adisak, said that Sahit was a beginner monk who had temper issues. He said that Sahit admitted to the incident and was apologetic about it.
"The young novice monk admitted what happened based on what we saw in the CCTV clip," Adisak said. "He said he had a short temper and apologized. He has been a monk for two years now and done a lot of good work constantly renovation the temple.
The video went viral and caught the attention of the Phra Pradaeng District police. They said that they would talk to the parties involved and investigate the incident.


I need a powershell script that a user can run that uses the [login to view URL] file as and input alongside a string.
It simply needs to visit each webspage in the sitemap file and search the raw html for a match with the string value. If it finds a match it needs to add that webpage url to a log file output.
It needs to log the url and the number of times it found the match.
It will be iterating through a site of ~1800 pages. I'll run it many times to find know issues across the site, to find which pages need fixing.
I have done similar kind of projects in past however will require few days to experiment with the tool. Let me know if we can discuss this further.


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OMB Peezy Just Got Real At The FADER FORT
Watch him do "When I Was Down" for more proof that he's one of the freshest kids out.
By Patrick D. McDermott
We've been hyped on OMB Peezy, the Alabama-born, California-based 20-year-old behind hot tracks like "Lay Down." His set at The FADER FORT in Austin, where he shared stage time with Nef The Pharaoh and SOB x RBE, provided more proof that he's one of the most exciting kids in the game right now. Above, watch him do "When I Was Down," a song that should be on the radio, and might be soon.
fader fort, FADER FORT 2017, Hip-Hop, omb peezy, Patrick D. McDermott, The FADER Fort 2017
music / Features


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ENTRY INTO A MATERIAL DEFINITIVE
Get notified next time PHMD.US makes a similar move!
On September 22, 2017, PhotoMedex, Inc. (OTC QB, NASDAQCM and TASE PHMD, hereinafter referred to as the Company) and its subsidiary FC Global Realty Operating Partnership, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the Acquiror and, together with the Company, the Acquiror Parties), entered into a Second Agreement to Waive Closing Deliverables (the Second Agreement) with First Capital Real Estate Operating Partnership, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the Contributor), and First Capital Real Estate Trust Incorporated, a Maryland corporation (the Contributor Parent and, together with Contributor, the Contributor Parties), a copy of which is attached to this Current Report as Exhibit 10.1, amending the Interest Contribution Agreement (the Contribution Agreement) entered in to with the Contributor Parties on March 31, 2017.
Under the Contribution Agreement, in a mandatory closing to take place no later than December 31, 2017, the Contributor Parties were to contribute to the Acquiror their 100% ownership interest in a private hotel that is currently undergoing renovations to convert to a Wyndham Garden Hotel, located in Amarillo, Texas (the Amarillo Hotel), which has an appraised value of approximately $16 million and an outstanding loans of approximately $10.6 million. Certain closing conditions were required to be met by the Contributor Parties before contributing the property to the Acquiror, including the resolution of a lawsuit concerning ownership of the property. The Contributor Parties have received an offer to purchase the Amarillo Hotel from a non-related third party.
The Acquiror Parties and the Contributor Parties had entered into an Agreement to Waive Closing Deliverables on July 3, 2017, under which they agreed to waive the requirement for the Contributor Parties to contribute to the Acquiror their 100% ownership interest in the Amarillo Hotel, and to accept in its place a contribution in cash of not less than $5.89 million from the Contributor Parties from the sale proceeds of the Amarillo Hotel, after the satisfaction of the outstanding loan, provided that the sale was completed and closed upon not later than August 31, 2017. In exchange the Contributor Parties would receive shares of stock in the Company, the amount to be calculated as set forth in the that Waiver. If the sale of the Amarillo Hotel was not completed and closed by August 31, 2017, the waiver of the requirement for the contribution of the interest in the Amarillo Hotel would lapse.
Pursuant to the terms of the Second Agreement, the Company and the Acquiror agreed to extend the date for the closing of the sale of the Amarillo Hotel until October 18, 2017, with the contribution of the funds from the sale to be made not later than October 23, 2017. In exchange the Contributor Parties shall receive shares of stock in the Company, such amount to be calculated as set forth in the Contribution Agreement, as amended by the Agreement to Waive Closing Deliverables and the Second Agreement. If the sale of the Amarillo Hotel is not completed and closed by October 18, 2017, the waiver of the requirement for the contribution of the interest in the Amarillo Hotel will lapse.
This Current Report on Form 8-K may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainty. Such statements are based on managements current expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that there can be no assurance actual results or business conditions will not differ materially from those projected or suggested in such forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; product development, extensions and marketing; and expectations, beliefs or assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. The important factors that could cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, changes in consumers spending habits and the marketability of certain products.Please refer to the risks detailed from time to time in the reports we file with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, as well as other filings on Form 10-Q and periodic filings on Form 8-K, for additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, unless required by law.
ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
Second Agreement to Waive Closing Deliverables dated September 22, 2017 by and among PhotoMedex, Inc.; FC Global Realty Operating Partnership, LLC; First Capital Real Estate Operating Partnership, L.P.; and First Capital Real Estate Trust Incorporated
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Company has duly caused this current report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
PHOTOMEDEX, INC.
/s/ Suneet Singal
Suneet Singal
makes a similar move, sign up!
Other recent filings from the company include the following:
On December - Jan. 7, 2020


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https://sputniknews.com/20140921/Lavrov-Kerry-Discuss-Anti-IS-Measures-in-Phone-Conversation-193148312.html
Lavrov, Kerry Discuss Anti-IS Measures in Phone Conversation: Russian Foreign Ministry
In a phone conversation with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov underscored the importance for the international... 21.09.2014, Sputnik International
https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/19178/74/191787410_0:154:3076:1893_1920x0_80_0_0_b1ec588e087640ed7298a053c659808a.jpg
https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/19178/74/191787410_0:57:3076:1990_1920x0_80_0_0_1e7328c2bc1b887582cabcd41597c487.jpg
sergei lavrov, john kerry, world, news, russia, daesh
© Sputnik / Vladimir Pesnya / Go to the photo bankRussian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov underscored the importance for the international community to coordinate its steps in the fight against the Islamic State.
© Sputnik / Vladimir Pesnya
In a phone conversation with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov underscored the importance for the international community to coordinate its steps in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, Russian Foreign Ministry said Sunday in a press release.
Updated 8:02 p.m. Moscow Time
MOSCOW, September 21 (RIA Novosti) - In a phone conversation with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed the importance of coordinated steps of the international community for the fight against the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, Russian Foreign Ministry said Sunday in a press release.
"In the course of an exchange of views on the ways of counteracting the Islamic State terrorist group, S. Lavrov stressed the importance of coordinated, without double standards, actions of the international community for standoff to this threat," the press release reads.
Russian Foreign Minister also urged Kerry to refrain from misrepresenting facts "in the context of Syria."
According to the statement, Foreign Minister Lavrov also stressed the need for Washington to stick to the UN Charter, and the international law, as well as to respect Syria's sovereignty in the implementation of the US-led coalition's plans to fight the IS in the Middle East.
In June, the IS Sunni terrorist group proclaimed a caliphate state on the vast territories it had seized across Syria and Iraq. Its rapid advance made the United States begin carrying out airstrikes against the IS insurgents on the Iraqi territory in August. Revealing his strategy to fight the terrorist organization, US President Barack Obama announced the creation of a multinational coalition to fight the extremists, adding that he would not hesitate to authorize airstrikes on the Syrian territory – a move, opposed by Damascus and Moscow.


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Three Things You'll Need Before Starting A New Business
How Do Employee Needs Vary From Generation To Generation?
Where Is There Still Room For Growth When It Comes To Content Creation?
Here Is Some Good Advice For Leaders Of Remote Teams
How Can Tech Companies Become More Human Focused?
What Impact Is Technology Having On Today's Workforce?
How Is Blackness Represented In Digital Domains?
Oct 3, 2020, 05:15pm EDT
Why Should Leaders Stop Obsessing About Platforms And Ecosystems?
Sep 30, 2020, 12:05pm EDT
Why Is The Future Of Business About Creating A Shared Value For Everyone?
How Can AI Support Small Businesses During The Pandemic?
Jan 30, 2013, 03:03pm EST |
Google's YouTube Introduces Paid Content Subscriptions
TJ McCueSenior Contributor
If you had your doubts if Google was a media company, this should put them to rest: YouTube Paid Subscriptions. Think about all those small, struggling cable operators who could shift their content onto the video giant's servers.
Think about the many business owners who use YouTube as a marketing channel.
There are many small and mid-sized businesses generating advertising revenue, pay-per-click, from their YouTube channel. Many of them are indie video creators who went pro early. Take a look at the famous YouTube channel of GeekBeat.tv that profiles technology stuff. Cali Lewis and John Pozadzides have done a terrific job of showing what you can do on YouTube (with just ads) as well as running their own successful show off YouTube: GeekBeat.tv.
Google is betting that some content producers will offer channels that consumers are willing to pay for. At first blush, most pundits will argue that it won't happen, but look at success story lynda.com -- this subscription service helps anyone learn software, creative, and business skills to achieve their personal and professional goals. Members of lynda.com receive unlimited access to a vast library of high-quality, current, and engaging video tutorials taught by recognized industry experts. The point is -- people do pay for content. It happens all the time.
In fact, a lot of other people think the paid content model works. The company just received its first venture capital infusion of $103 million from Accel Partners, the global venture capital firm, and Spectrum Equity, a leading growth equity firm focused on the information economy. The financing marks the first outside funding in the 17-year history of lynda.com. Meritech Capital Partners also participated in the investment.
With almost 25 million views, the company does not run advertising on it lynda.com YouTube channel.
YouTube Paid Subscriptions could prove to be a boon to savvy businesses. Check out the gallery of YouTube successes below.
Gallery: The Most Subscribed-To YouTube Channels
TJ McCue
I'm a Tech and Productivity guy. Thanks for reading and connecting. You can find me at the LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter link buttons, too. I still also cover a bit of
I'm a Tech and Productivity guy. Thanks for reading and connecting. You can find me at the LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter link buttons, too. I still also cover a bit of my old beat on 3D printing, hardware, software, and mobile apps, as well.


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Balance, mindfulness, and mental wellness are essential to a healthy lifestyle.
Is Anger a Sign of Depression?
Mark Zimmerman, MD
Millions of Americans suffer from depression and anxiety disorders. When diagnosed accurately, treatment may help many individuals.
But what happens when the symptoms are not typical of the disorder? The chances of a correct diagnosis and effective treatment may then be reduced.
Anger is not a classic sign of depression. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the standard reference manual used by mental health professionals, does not list anger as a symptom of the condition. And the scales that are used by clinicians to determine if medication is working effectively do not include anger-specific items.
Yet clinicians frequently see anger and irritability in patients who are seeking help. In fact, irritability is seen almost as frequently as sadness and anxiety. But there is limited research on anger and its link to these disorders
Since 2001, studies of anger and aggression across psychiatric diagnoses have consistently found elevated rates of anger, irritability, and hostility among depressed patients, while studies of bipolar disorder also found elevated levels of anger.
My colleagues and I recently surveyed many of our patients. During a first visit, we asked them about the level of anger they felt during the previous week. The results were eye-opening.
Two-thirds of individuals reported notable irritability and anger.
Half reported a moderate or severe level of subjective anger.
One in five endorsed moderate-to-severe levels of current overt aggression.
A number of mental health conditions may be associated with an increased level of anger or aggression. Those include major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), general anxiety disorder and others. More research is needed on this subject, so we can understand this connection better.
If you are experiencing anger or aggression, discuss it with your doctor or mental health professional. It could be a sign of another condition that can be treated.
Learn more about our outpatient psychiatric services and our team of experts.
Dr. Mark Zimmerman is a psychiatrist and director of the adult partial hospital program and outpatient psychiatry at Rhode Island Hospital.
Outpatient Psychiatry »
The Benefits of a Weighted Blanket
Kristen McGurrin, MOT, OTR/L and Ashley Tillinghast MS, OTR/L
Do you like the feeling of someone giving you a big, tight hug or being wrapped up tightly with blankets at night?
Bullying at School: Empower Your Child to Stand up to Bullies
Jennifer Jencks, PhD
A child is bullied every seven minutes in this country, and most of the time no adults or peers step in to help.
Juuling: What It Is and What You Should Know
Do You Have High Blood Pressure? What the New Guidelines Say.
Top Three Resolutions Every Woman Should Make
Cooking healthier
Less screen time
Being more mindful
Trying a new exercise routine
I don't have one
Do you or someone you know have a story about a meaningful experience at Hasbro Children's Hospital? Share your sto… https://t.co/uLp9ajGCzn
Committed to helping women reach their greatest health potential in body, mind and spirit.
Lifestyle Medicine Center
Lifespan Recovery Center
Outpatient Psychiatry
Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at Rhode Island Hospital
Alzheimer's Disease & Memory Disorders Center
Adult Partial Hospital Programs
Young Adult Outpatient Psychiatry


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In 2008, Hervé CAMPANA, an Attorney-at-law ("Avocat-Défenseur") in the Principality of Monaco, founded the CAMPANA Law firm with the aim of offering tailor-made legal solutions to a demanding local and international clientele.
The CAMPANA Law firm provides its clients with a personal service that combines quality and reactivity, both of which are essential pre-requisites for success.
For almost ten years, institutions, businesses and individuals of many different nationalities and with a variety of business interests place their trust in the CAMPANA's Law firm expertise in numerous areas of the law.
The office works on files with an international dimension on a daily basis, and operates in French, English and Italian.
The CAMPANA Law firm has successfully consolidated its reputation through its rigorous, interdisciplinary approach to cases, respecting both the values it holds most dear and the ethical rules that govern the legal profession.
Maître Hervé CAMPANA © 2023 | Setup by MMS


In December Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) commissioned a major brownfield expansion of its plant known as Line 6, which is expected to make the firm the world's largest aluminium smelter.
Developed at a cost of some $3bn, the new line will add 540,000 tonnes of capacity to annual output, increasing it to more than 1.5m tonnes per year.
The Line 6 Expansion Project – which includes a new processing line and power station to provide electricity for the facility – is gradually being brought on-line, with completion expected by mid-2019.
The new line will have a significant impact on Bahrain's economy. The aluminium sector already contributes an estimated 12% to GDP, a figure Alba officials have projected will increase to 15% or 16% when Line 6 reaches maximum output.
Even ahead of the full start-up of Line 6, Alba posted strong growth in sales and production, along with an increase in its value-added component.
The end-of-year sales volume for 2018 was approximately 1.01m tonnes, a 3.5% increase on the 2017 total of 978,000 tonnes. This came on the back of a 3% rise in production, according to company figures.
This increase in sales was reportedly driven by a higher value-added component, with processed output accounting for 60% of all shipments, compared to 57% in 2017.
Alba's strong performance and facility expansion comes at a volatile time for the global aluminium industry.
Threats faced by the segment include increased protectionism, notably from the US, and the slowdown of the Chinese economy – factors that could see producers reorient towards the broader international market.
However, a report issued by the OECD at the beginning of January warned that excess capacity in the global aluminium industry risked depressing prices, and that high levels of subsidies and state support could generate market distortions.
Despite these concerns, Tim Murray, the CEO of Alba, told OBG that rising demand would likely absorb excess capacity as more manufacturing sectors stepped up their use of the material.
According to Murray, increased substitution of steel with aluminium in manufacturing, coupled with broader rises in demand, are set to increase global consumption of the commodity by up to 5% this year.
The Line 6 expansion project is also designed to increase productivity and reduce production costs, which could help offset any fluctuations in price, he added.
While increased efficiency and economies of scale can help maintain profitability, producers also have to contend with the possible rise in input costs.
Bahrain's leading electricity consumers may find themselves increasingly subject to international energy price fluctuations, as electricity generation will have to rely on imported gas.
However, according to the OECD, Bahrain should benefit from its close proximity to large-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) producers as it moves from self-sufficiency in gas to becoming a net importer.
Moreover, the kingdom has taken steps to ensure supply by developing a new floating LNG import facility capable of handling 800,000 cu feet per day, due to come on-line in early 2019, coinciding with Line 6 moving to full production.
Another factor that should help insulate Bahrain from shifts in the international aluminium market is growing domestic demand.
According to Alba data, some 45% of production goes to local firms for processing or value-added input, with much of the final product then exported.
Downstream capacity is expected to rise as a result of the increase in primary production from the expansion project, with up to 3000 new jobs forecast to be created in the manufacturing sector.
One such downstream company is Gulf Aluminium Rolling Mill Company (Garmco), a Bahrain-based producer of flat rolled aluminium stock, including sheets and coils, that currently exports to 45 countries.
In November the company gained a strong advantage in one of its key markets after the administration of US President Donald Trump granted tariff exemptions on its major exports to the US, where Garmco operates a subsidiary.
This exemption could give Garmco and the Bahraini aluminium sector an advantage over Chinese rivals, especially if there is any ratcheting up of the Sino-American trade dispute.
Because of prospects like these, Garmco has potential for growth despite the company recently filing for relief under the government's new bankruptcy law, which allows companies with strong underlying fundamentals but unsustainable financing structures to receive financial assistance while continuing to operate and undergo reorganisation.


We anticipated this exact scenario many months ago, and we have been feverishly building alternative internal infrastructure to eliminate any dependencies on upstream infrastructure providers, to the extent that such a configuration is possible. However, we are still several months away from completion of that build out phase. Sadly, over the next few hours we are being forced — essential "at gunpoint" (the irony being completely lost of the fascists who now control the 'net) — to delete all videos containing footage of the New Zealand shooting.
Make no mistake: We are facing extreme online fascism, censorship and authoritarian speech police who are exploiting the New Zealand operation to roll out a totalitarian police state across the 'net. The excuse we are being given is that hosting or sharing the videos is "promoting violence" — an absurd claim on its face. If videos that depict violence are so harmful to the public, then why did the entire mainstream media play the 9/11 twin towers attack videos a million times over, burning the imagery into the minds of the American people? In that attack, over 3,500 Americans died, yet no one claimed that showing the video was promoting violence.
If violent action sequences are "promoting violence," then why isn't every Hollywood action movie banned? Why aren't the million other violent YouTube videos banned? Why is it perfectly acceptable to show video footage of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich torturing and killing Jews in concentration camps? Have we really reached the point where videos that show Jews being mass murdered are perfectly okay, but videos that show followers of Islam being murdered are criminalized? I thought all genocide was evil, and burying it through censorship is not going to make the hatred go away. If we are to recognize the source of these conflicts and acts of violence, we must be willing to see what actually took place. But today, even viewing certain particular videos is now essentially considered a multi-national crime.
We are seeing that there is big funding behind censorship these days. Time to take the censors down through man-to-man trials in Courts of Record, under common law, Federal District Court (wherever it convenes), where the judge is only a referee, and the jury is the judge. --- They have done a good job of hiding the fact that you can do this, from the people in general, so that the legal system can make money by enslaving the people through people using attorneys.


Very lovely and very enlightening. Thank you for bringing this to me.
Wow! Congratulations for what you have done!!
I'm from Mexico, and I'm staring a new project for consciousness on school lunches and educate children to eat real food, and you are an example to follow!


Kerala High Court on Monday issued a notice to the Centre on a public interest litigation over the Ministry of External Affair's decision to introduce orange colour jackets for passports of 'unskilled' workers, terming it as a violation of the fundamental right to privacy and dignity.
According to media reports, a lawyer, Shamsuddeen Karunagappally along with a co-petitioner, Shajahan, who is an ECR passport holder, have filed the PIL. Both are residents of Kollam district in Kerala. A bench of acting chief justice Antony Dominic and justice Seshadri Naidu issued the notice.
Earlier this month, the MEA had announced that it planned to stop printing the last page of the passport booklet which listed several details including address and ECR status. "As the last page of the passport would not be printed now, the passport holders with ECR status would be issued a passport with orange colour passport jacket and those with non-ECR status would continue to get a blue passport," MEA said on January 12.
The decision was criticised by opposition parties, including Congressand Left parties.
Indian citizens who want to travel for employment in 17 countries are given a ECR passport if their educational qualification is less than Class 10 and have less than taxable income.
According to Live Law, the PIL said that the visibility given to ECR passport holders with an orange jacket would increase discriminatory practices and also invade the privacy and dignity of the person.
"The move is targeting migrant workers in Middle Eastern countries. To make their underprivileged status known publicly through separate colour code is a grave invasion of their fundamental right to privacy and dignity. There is no rational objective to be achieved through this segregation. The segregation is demeaning and shockingly violative of the principle of equality," said the petition.
As per a News 18 report, the decision not only "falls foul of the constitutional test of equality under Article 14 of the constitution of India", but it also amounts to "hostile and unreasonable classification".
The lawyer, in his petition, pointed out that no country has made instituted "discrimination" based on educational qualifications a possibility in their passports.
More than anything, he said it would increase the vulnerability of ECR passport holders, who are often targeted by recruiting agencies with false promises of employment.
"There could arise situations whereby it is easily revealed to the foreign authorities that the persons is uneducated and unskilled, and by making the vulnerable state of the person so evident and apparent, chances of such persons being exploited will be increased," the petition said.


when i first got on my mac it was in 1984.
i was amazed by the cool stuf apple had to offer. but there was only one thing that bother me though.
i know that there are some new games for mac, for instance return to caslte wolfenstein.
i hate the delay between the introduction of the pc version and the mac version.
the thing that needs to be done is that the introduction time is the same and that they should produce a game for every computer on the same time.
i was in a clan and what heaponds then there is a version 1.31 and i have to wait to get onto the server that only can be ran at version 1.31 al of this gave me like 4 months of delay and now my clan has stoped and i had no fun  so that is not nice but now after 5 monthes there is an updat  dont need it anymore, conclusion i spend 90 dollors for nothing, i live in holland,(thats why it is so expensive ) dilivery costs and everything.
and the point is that you should tel youre problem with games.
Simultanious development of the Mac version alongside the PC version is quite costly. It costs less for publishers if they start porting from the finished PC code. The unfortunate reality of the Mac market is that it's realatively low profit so the Publishers have to be as cost effective as possible or else they won't make money. If they can't make money they won't port the games. That said I think the 6 month wait thing for some games is rediculous. I think 3 months is reasonable. Hopefully oneday apple will have a larger marketshare & that'd make it possible for more simultanious releases.
ok thanx i hope that apple gets more customers, etc.
and even when it is better they still buy pc.
Apple needs to create a games dept. Games promote the platform and push technology to the breaking point. Plus...competitors don't get mad because Gamers will buy ANY good game.
I was udner the impression it was cheaper if they did a simaltaneous port, but when they do that they risk losing more money in the long run due to whether or not mac market is big enough.
most companies don't take that risk, but some like blizzard...work on the mac port as soon as possible, and they do a good job at it.


The goal of the MCORE project is to construct complete street corridors connecting the Cities of Champaign and Urbana to the University of Illinois. The MCORE project will improve transit travel between the cities and the campus, create new economic opportunities in the surrounding commercial areas, and improve local quality of life. The project includes a multimodal network of roads, on-street bike lanes, shared lane markings, bus-only lanes, and other transit services that will enhance mobility for residents and visitors, particularly non-drivers, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and economically disadvantaged populations.
TIGER is an acronym for Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, which is a federal grant program. This project is part of the sixth cycle of federally funded TIGER projects, hence TIGER VI.
Each project corridor will undergo either full reconstruction or major rehabilitation to rebuild the streets into multi-modal complete street corridors to accommodate all modes of travel (bus, pedestrian, bike, and vehicle). In addition to the pavement improvements, other project benefits will be improved bus capacity and frequency on these key bus routes; improved sidewalks, new street lighting, and addition of on-street bicycle lanes.
The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District, with the support of the City of Champaign, City of Urbana, and the University of Illinois, applied for and received a $15.7 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Grant (TIGER) for the construction of the Multimodal Corridor Enhancement Projects (MCORE) within the University District.
The total cost for the Project is estimated at $34.8 million which includes the $15.7 million grant plus local matching funds estimated at $19.1 million.
The City of Champaign will serve as Lead Agency for the grant administration and will be responsible for managing and contracting for all services for all five projects. The City of Urbana, University of Illinois and the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District will be involved within the areas of jurisdiction.
A consultant team led by Clark Dietz is developing the MCORE project designs. View the entire design team.
Stakeholder involvement for the MCORE Project will be an ongoing process from project initiation through completion. Various public meetings and events will be held throughout the project development process to provide outreach opportunities to all stakeholders.
We encourage everyone to sign up for regular updates and follow the progress on social media.
There is no denying that adjacent properties will be impacted by this project. This is a complicated and large scale project that will have long lasting positive impacts in the Champaign-Urbana area. That being said, coordination and public involvement will be critical on this project. The MCORE agencies and MCORE design team will make every effort to mitigate and minimize the project's impact to property owners, businesses, residents, and the traveling public. Project plans will be made in conjunction with the impacted parties and we ask for your participation and patience in the project to ensure the smoothest possible construction.
Preliminary Design for all five MCORE projects is expected to be completed by September 2015. The Final Design for MCORE projects 1, 2 and 3 will completed by June 2016. IDOT bid letting occurred in July 2016, however bids were rejected due to being over cost estimates. Bids were re-let in November 2016. A bid was accepted in January 2017. Construction will begin in March 2017.
Final Design for MCORE projects 4 and 5 will commence in 2016 and will be completed by the end of 2017. The construction of these projects is anticipated to start in 2018.
Learn more about the project schedule.
You can direct questions and comments to us via the "Contact" page.


text:
You are here: Home / Articles / Meet the Referee – Keith Stroud
Meet the Referee – Keith Stroud
September 20, 2016 by Swans Info
Each week we take a close look at the referee assigned to the Swans game and look at their previous record when officiating our beloved Swansea City.
This week's spotlight for our man in the middle falls on Keith Stroud, who was appointed the referee for the West Bromwich Albion v Swans Championship game on Sunday, 8 December 2019.
Referee Stroud was assisted by Nick Greenhalgh and Richard Wild, with Carl Boyeson the 4th Official for the game.
Keith Stroud
Name: Keith Stroud
DOB: 12 August 1969
Birthplace: Hampshire
Stroud started his career as a Football League referee in August 2004, when he oversaw Scunthorpe United 2 nil win at Cheltenham Town in League Two.
He was selected as a Premier League referee for the 2007/2008 season and has been the at the centre of several bad decisions in recent years, which have been highlighted in the media.
Swans related Fact(s):
Few Swansea fans will forget his handling of the 2-1 League Cup defeat at Anfield in October 2014, when he incurred the wrath of Garry Monk, after giving Federico Fernandez a straight red card for a lunge on Philippe Coutinho.
Here are the all important facts and figures for each game that he has been a referee for a Swansea City game:
EFL Cup 3rd Round
League Cup 4th Round
League Cup 3rd Round
Leciester City
League One Play-Off Semi-Final 1st Leg
In summary, Keith Stroud's record for Swansea City games is as follows:
P7 W3 D2 L2
P14 W4 D5 L5
This referee has a Swans Love Factor of 64%
Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Referee


text:
import { css } from 'lit';
import componentStyles from '../../styles/component.styles';

export default css`
  ${componentStyles}

  :host {
    --height: 1rem;
    --track-color: var(--sl-color-neutral-200);
    --indicator-color: var(--sl-color-primary-600);
    --label-color: var(--sl-color-neutral-0);

    display: block;
  }

  .progress-bar {
    position: relative;
    background-color: var(--track-color);
    height: var(--height);
    border-radius: var(--sl-border-radius-pill);
    box-shadow: inset var(--sl-shadow-small);
    overflow: hidden;
  }

  .progress-bar__indicator {
    height: 100%;
    font-family: var(--sl-font-sans);
    font-size: 12px;
    font-weight: var(--sl-font-weight-normal);
    background-color: var(--indicator-color);
    color: var(--label-color);
    text-align: center;
    line-height: var(--height);
    white-space: nowrap;
    overflow: hidden;
    transition: 400ms width, 400ms background-color;
    user-select: none;
  }

  /* Indeterminate */
  .progress-bar--indeterminate .progress-bar__indicator {
    position: absolute;
    animation: indeterminate 2.5s infinite cubic-bezier(0.37, 0, 0.63, 1);
  }

  @keyframes indeterminate {
    0% {
      left: -50%;
      width: 50%;
    }
    75%,
    100% {
      left: 100%;
      width: 50%;
    }
  }
`;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I've mentioned a few times as of late how I'm discovering who I am as a photographer and having a quite a few Aha! moments.
This will be my last season doing childen and family portraits.
Although I enjoy this portion of my photography, I've realized that I'm spreading myself too thin and I need to focus on a main area and start phasing out the rest.
If you're interested in a family session I strongly urge you to book soon for the 2010 season.
If you're still wondering what direction I'm going in?
Well I've realized I'm most passionate about Weddings, Couples and Just For Her photography.
I love weddings and the accompanying engagement sessions.
But I've realized that in doing my "just because" sessions with the ladies, that these Just for Her shoots have seem to taken a special place in my heart.
As a woman who wants to celebrate life and true beauty I've realized that a lot of women feel the way I do.
They would love a photo shoot stylized JUST FOR HER.
From vintage, to boudoir, to sitting with a cup of coffee, as it's a true reflection of that woman and her beauty and her TRUE self. I have so many ideas with how I want to pursue this and will be taking time over the next few months to work out the fine details.
As a woman, just think....you give to everyone, your family, your husband, your children, your church, the local school. These shoots would be just about you. Stylized to fit your personality.
I'm even looking into having packages that would include a stylist coming on site to do hair and make up. But again that's down the road...I'm just working out the ideas right now.
So please all feedback is appreciated.
I'm so excited and feel good about the direction to which I'm going.
Can't say that I'm not disappointed that you won't be doing family shoots anymore because I am, however, I understand how it would definitely wear someone thin by taking on so much. You are an awesome photographer and specializing in those specific areas that you have chosen will make it a whole lot special for you. I look forward to our shoot this summer...YEAH TRASH THE DRESS!!! lol. take care.


text:
Corona Locator Nederland
How Knack helped one man make a difference for his country and beyond
Let the search begin
Bart Bolkestein was on the search for online database solutions for his Netherlands-based IT training and consultancy business called BD Dataplan. He consistently ran across issues with costly and complex solutions that did not allow him to structure the data the way he needed.
During his search, he discovered no-code development technology that would allow him to build entire apps without using code and thought If these no-code tools work, maybe I'll go back to the system I built years ago for food safety management called BD Food to dive into that market once again.
He started looking at the options on the market for no-code and low-code development tools in order to build his online databases and found about 20 of them to compare features.
As a tech-savvy entrepreneur, he certainly had the know-how to create databases to fit his needs, but he did not want to spend too much time or money to invest in expensive and difficult tools.
So, he compared each of the no-code and low-code tools he found for differences in price, trustworthiness, and ease of use.
That's where Knack came out on top.
BD Dataplan
Bart Bolkestein
Data collection, aggregation, and automation made easy
Enhanced visualization tools for rapid data analysis
Central repository for global decision makers
"The level of security and the pricing plan options with Knack were the best solution for what I needed because paying per user didn't work for me."
From Test App to Game Changer
In 2020, business slowed a bit for Bart as it did for many of us across the globe in the middle of a pandemic. It gave him both the time and the focus to create a test app using his new Knack account.
Though Bart had assumed data on COVID-19 infections in the Netherlands was centrally located already, he began collecting information on locations of infection outbreaks and who it was that was becoming infected.
What he found was that the COVID-19 data was not structured and there was no useful data analysis or presentation. The data he found was so fragmented that he didn't even know which data was up-to-date or reliable, making it impossible to determine which information was correct. So, he went to work structuring the data so he could play around with the app builder. He showed his app to a couple of friends who suggested he make it public because the data could be really useful to so many Dutch citizens.
He did as his friends suggested and went a step further creating a Twitter account to spread the word about his new app.
What started out as a quick and easy way to explore a new no-code tool, ended up being a useful COVID data aggregator, with thousands of followers receiving daily updates on where the coronavirus infections are occurring and to whom. By using Knack, Bart was able to structure and organize the data in an accurate and presentable manner while leveraging Twitter to keep followers apprised of the Coronavirus infection data through daily tweets.
"That's the great thing about Knack," stated Bart, "the user can filter and sort the data and easily look for the things you want to see. That makes it interactive."
As the reach of his app grew and citizens were becoming more upon him for the data, he needed to take on some volunteers to help. Fortunately, a key feature of Knack is user roles, which enables individual role permissions for each. So, his volunteers started gathering data from other sources, verifying the data, and adding them to his app. Bart also wanted to add a form to the app that allows the general public to add information about any outbreaks in their communities, schools, or places of work that they are aware of. Achieved easily with Knack, he added the form and was able to begin having his team verify the data received and add it to the app.
infection entry image placeholder
Before he knew it, he was informed that the German government was using his app to determine which areas of the Netherlands were safe to travel to and which were not. Previously, the only COVID-related data available for the Netherlands was organized by "safety region." Since his data was structured and showed infection rates by province rather than safety region, it became the go-to dashboard to make decisions for travel restrictions. He also found himself on the media circuit with numerous interviews by television, print, and radio media wanting to understand what makes him tick.
"Knack helped me make easy-to-understand stats for people and their communities. I get raw datasets and import them into Knack to present them in a reportable way."
"The Support Has Been Great"
Bart was extremely pleased with the support he received from Knack. However, he didn't expect the level of support he received when he encountered a potential financial issue. Bart found that he needed to upgrade his account to include the vast amount of records his app required to keep up with the COVID-19 numbers.
As much as he wanted to, it didn't make business sense to pay more into his Knack subscription for the public service app. So, he reached out to Knack Support, as he had done before and, lo and behold, Knack offered him the upgraded plan free-of-charge as part of the organization's Coronavirus Response initiative offering free services for not-for-profit apps assisting in the COVID-19 response.
Finding the Knack product to be exceptional as-is, Bart originally planned to use it as it was offered right out of the box. However, since his COVID-19 data aggregator was so unique and had been given a financial boost by Knack, Bart decided to take advantage of the product's low-code option and recently started working with a Python programmer to automate the updates to the app.
Using Python, the programmer will soon be able to extract the raw data and automate it using Knack's API. Bart will subsequently be able to avoid having to make updates 7 days a week so he can focus on profitable areas of his business and presumably even take a day off, eventually.
With Bart's knowledge and interest in making coronavirus numbers more visible throughout the Netherlands and his decision to use Knack's app builder to make it happen, he is making an impact throughout the nation.
One of the most striking representations on his website is a heat map that demonstrates the effects of both the outbreaks and, more recently, the vaccine distribution and administration. The data can be filtered by township, "Safety Region," province, and more so visitors can find the exact information they need quickly and understand immediately if it is a region that has high numbers or low numbers.
heatmap placeholder
He finds this particular table to be an excellent way to represent the data because it is comprehensive, intuitive, and valuable to his visitors. Each column has its own data that Bart ensures is updated daily.
"The numbers in this table are presented by Township. With a set of buttons, the user can change the presentation, even to regional divisions that most other dashboards do not present, like Province or School-districts" Bart explained.
The data that is added from the public and Bart's volunteers shows outbreaks that are otherwise not noted by other unstructured websites. Once a member of the general public adds information via the submission form, his volunteers receive a notification to verify the information and approve it for inclusion with the other, previously verified, data. Bart is able to make this happen because of Knack's propensity for turning static data into dynamic processes with workflow automation.
Rapid Enhancements
Bart was also able to use Knack's features to add the ability to label outbreaks with specific strains of COVID-19. Since this addition did not require the help of a developer, he was able to do so quickly, within a few hours. He is often able to make rapid changes that result in substantial improvements. In fact, one of Bart's Twitter followers was extremely pleased to find out that one of his suggestions was used and the change made quickly, leading him to tweet about his pure pleasure in being a part of the process.
For Knack's part, being in a partnership with Bart as he collects and reports on such important information to his fellow Dutch citizens has been a privilege.
"One of Knack's strengths is its ability to address changes in data so they can be tracked quickly and easily."
The Future of BD Dataplan
One of the biggest differences Bart was able to see with Knack's offering is the menu he created to show each of the different pages. For him, it was not only easy to create but was very helpful with navigation for his visitors as well. Bart considers the shallow learning curve to be one of the best features of Knack's app builder and one that proved to breathe new life into BD Dataplan as it "accidentally" became a big part of COVID-19 infection tracking in the Netherlands.
"I'm not sure what the future holds for BD Dataplan," stated Bart, "but, as long as there is a need, I'll keep updating the data and keeping people informed."
He reiterated how important it was for him to find Knack and be able to share his "practice app" without paying per user, making it possible to create the tool to help so many people.
And Knack is honored to be a part of the solution.


In Iceland there are 14 Lifelong Learning centres placed in regions around the country. The Education and Training Service Centre (ETSC) has cooperative agreements with the centres linked to providing learning opportunities, guidance and validation of prior learning to people on the labour market who have not completed Upper Secondary School level education. Each centre has one or more educational- and vocational counsellors who work on reaching out to the target group, mostly through companies, and motivating them towards learning. Through the years there has been a need to focus more on methods to reach those who are not connecting to learning, also jobseekers and people within the social services (hard to reach). Cooperative agreements have been informal, on short term basis and there has been a lack of cooperation regarding methods to use in this context between counsellors at the Lifelong centres and specilists working with the more vulnerable group. The GOAL policy experimentation was carried out by Mímir-símenntun (in Reykjavík) and Miðstöð símenntunar á Suðurnesjum (in Reykjanes). Both centres have built on existing services and expertise to further develop the educational guidance services and strengthen cooperative arrangements.
The links below will lead you to the Icelandic results for the main themes of the GOAL evaluation.


Blind debossing or embossing is the unsung hero of subtle, elegant design. It is a stripped away look, where the design pressed in (or popped out) of the paper without using foil or ink to highlight it. The effect is most obvious with plain, beautiful quality paper.
The interplay of highlights and cast shadows creates a sculptural effect and really lets the stock sing without distraction.
We have been playing with the sculptural possibilities of blind embossing and our technology (CLIQX) here at the Watermarx Graphics "lab" with some amazing results. Our favourite designs tend to use a thick, white cotton card stock, for the airy minimalism and beauty of simplicity.
You can even emboss metallic stocks! The piece in this picture (below) is actually an embossed sheet of aluminium. Be daring! Don't feel shy about running your wild ideas by us. Ask us what you have in mind and we can advise if it's possible emboss on a particular stock or substrate.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 8th, 2015 at 4:14 pm	and is filed under Debossing, Embossing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.


text:
Outsource after hours support services to the Philippines
When customers don't receive the help they need on their first call, they can become frustrated and belligerent. The best way to head off these problems is to provide after hours support services to address your customer's issues immediately.
The problem is that not many companies can afford to pay for a 24 hour customer service, due to the penalty rates that need to be paid to employees. This leaves your business in a precarious position where you are losing customers, but unable to fund after hours support which would help to solve the problem.
However, since customers can purchase just about anything online 24/7, it makes sense to offer after hours call centre services. In fact, your customers will expect to speak to someone in customer service if they are having a problem with their order. So what can you do?
After hours support services in the Philippines
The solution is to keep your in-house call centre operating but supplement it with an after hours call centre based in the Philippines. This is the best solution for your company, regardless of where you are located. For example, if you are located in the US or the UK, our professional customer support staff will work during the day in the Philippines to provide after hours support to your customers. In Australia, they would operate at night due to the similar time zones.
However, regardless of the hours worked, hiring after hours IT support, 24 hour online chat support or after hours help desk support is extremely cost-effective in the Philippines. That's why a large number of companies around the world leverage these services to provide their customers with the support they deserve.
Benefits of outsourcing after hours call centre services to the Philippines
As already mentioned, the biggest benefit of outsourcing after hours services to the Philippines is the cost. That's because Filipinos are paid a good wage, but it's much less than employees are paid to work the same hours in other countries (you can save up to 75% of regular costs). Filipinos will also eagerly work during the night or on weekends and public holidays, as they are a work oriented people. This works well for everyone, because they earn a very good wage to support their family and the companies who hire these after hours call centre services provide the service their customers expect at a fraction of the regular cost.
Other benefits include the ability to scale these services to match the number of calls. For example, you might expect more calls around Cyber Monday, Black Friday, Christmas and New Year, whilst fewer at other times. Increasing or decreasing in-house employee numbers overnight is fairly impossible at such short notice, but it's easy when you operate an after hours call centre in the Philippines. You also have access to a very talented pool of professional call centre operators, so you won't need to spend time and money on training. There's also a cultural work ethic amongst Filipinos that requires them to work hard for their employers and provide for their families. Finally, Filipinos speak fluent English, because it's the official language of the Philippines.
So if you want to provide a 24 hour chat support or after hours call centre support (chat, email or phone) for your customers, call the team at Outsourced today.
Benefits of hiring a virtual assistant for coaches


I need a designed and rigged 3d character on unity. The suit and gloves should look like the references but in white and black, also the mask should be a bit transparent and show the face of a man.
I also need 2 of the whole 3d model in black or white versions of the shoes and gloves with the whole body in white.
The character must be rigged in humanoid and I would love it with no gibberish while animation.
Hello. We are 3d professonal team and we can create designed and rigged 3d character on unity. . If you like our work you can contact me. Thanks.
HI, Nice to meet you. I'm Kozykin Roman, Unity Game Developer. Having rich experience of Unity 2d & 3d Game and AR&VR, I can do what you want. Let's discuss about your project with chat. Thanks.


text:
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Haddon Township HT
14-11 • 7-9 Colonial Conference
Lindenwold L
Logan Murray
Haddon Township
#21 Austin Walker
Lindenwold
Thu, January 19, 2012, 7:00pm
Haddon Township (14-11)
Lindenwold (13-14)
Logan Murray 0 0 0 16 0 0 0 0
Pat Burns 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0
Casey Boyle 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0
Robert McCullough 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 0
Dave Cuneo 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 0
Trey Thatcher 0 0 0 13 0 0 0 0
Totals: 0 0 0 51 0 0 0 0
Cruize Rainey 0 0 0 9 0 0 0 0
Malik Muldrow 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0
Leland Loftin 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0
Austin Walker 0 0 0 16 0 0 0 0
Tyler Pedro 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0
Steven Wilford 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0
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text:
Q: Conversion From String To Int I'm communicating with a modem via COM port to recieve CSQ values.
response = ser.readline()
csq = response[6:8]

print type(csq)

returns the following:
<type 'str'> and csq is a string with a value from 10-20

For further calculation I try to convert "csq" into an integer, but
i=int(csq)

returns following error:
invalid literal for int() with base 10: ''

A: A slightly more pythonic way:
i = int(csq) if csq else None

A: Your error message shows that you are trying to convert an empty string into an int which would cause problems.
Wrap your code in an if statement to check for empty strings:
if csq:
    i = int(csq)
else:
    i = None

Note that empty objects (empty lists, tuples, sets, strings etc) evaluate to False in Python.

A: As alternative you can put your code inside an try-except-block:
try:
    i = int(csq)
except:
    # some magic e.g.
    i = False

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


As SmardOnCloud is a start-up company and continues to grow and expand our reach and service offerings, we remain true to our commitment to deliver customized, holistic solutions to our clients in Cloud based storage. What makes us unique is our personal approach towards Businesses of all shapes and sizes in providing cloud storage and back up solutions using artificial intelligence.
Storing data, We know in today's environment the businesses facing data storage and back up challenges. Smard will erase all the challenges and gives in innovative way to back up the data.
Absolute commitment in striving to surpass the expectations of our clients and customers.
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Provide intelligent cloud storage solutions for all types of businesses by reducing IT infrastructure and elements.