As a fourth generation Central Floridian, I have witnessed the hardship that has come to our community with Hurricane Irma -- the worst storm to hit our state in my lifetime -- and I feel compelled to reach out and say you are in our thoughts and prayers. As a 90-year old, Florida-based community bank, our experience tells us that individuals, families and small businesses are the pillars of society. You are holding us together now, and will be the key to a quick and complete recovery in the future. Please know that we at Seacoast Bank stand with and support you as you rebuild your lives one roof shingle and fence panel at a time.
Seacoast goes to great lengths to be properly prepared for such storms. Well before the hurricane struck, our business continuity team superbly executed our storm plan – creating staffing back-up plans, securing generators for our branches and ATM network, confirming the readiness of our vital data centers, and ensuring our mobile and online networks remained fully operational throughout this weather event.
Because of this, our associates and distribution network have been available since the day after the storm to help customers and others – from consumers with banking and mortgage needs to small and large businesses with lending requirements. We know that power outages and lack of Internet access have hobbled many homes and businesses and made it hard to keep up with all your financial obligations. Seacoast understands and has a full range of Hurricane Irma recovery solutions in place, from ATM and other fee waivers to a number of storm-related loan programs. Please visit www.seacoastbank.com/irma for more details. To inquire about any of our support services, please reach out to your local Seacoast banker or call 1-800-706-9991 anytime day or night.
As we've helped customers with recovery challenges during the past several days, they've shared with us amazing stories of courage, compassion and community. You likely have your own storm-related stories of communities coming together to support one another. Believe it or not your stories can inspire others who may need hope from an outside source during a dark hour. We would love for you to share your stories with us at Seacoastbank.com/irma-stories.
In closing, I want you to know that your Seacoast family is here for you, and you don't have to face your recovery challenges alone. Seacoast Bank stands with you. We care about and are committed to your future success.


Could Come True fully celebrates the traditions of folk music while celebrating the genre of family music. These songs offer up a cornucopia of characters that invite listeners to imagine . . . a daring performing flea, a drifter who makes friends wherever he goes, a daydraming girl wishing her way into reality. Take the time, enjoy these new songs!
"Really, truly rich and well-crafted."


Nathalie Brewer is Director of Yellow Lantern, Australia's national public speaking program for kids. Her approach to public speaking & sales training is based on self-acceptance, expressing personality & connection.
With a degree in Psychology, a qualification as a life coach, marriage celebrant and a teacher of Group Counselling at Deakin University, Nathalie is well situated to apply a rare blend of creative, psychological and professional modalities to help people express natural grace & enthusiasm whilst public speaking.
Thankfully she also has the good sense to surround herself with energetic & honest people. This allows her to practice the art of candid, raw & unfiltered conversation on a daily basis.


text:
Home » About » People » Daphne Keller
Daphne Keller
Director of Intermediary Liability
Architecture and Public Policy
Daphne Keller is the Director of Intermediary Liability at Stanford's Center for Internet and Society. Her work focuses on platform regulation and Internet users' rights. She has published both academically and in popular press; testified and participated in legislative processes; and taught and lectured extensively. Her recent work focuses on legal protections for users' free expression rights when state and private power intersect, particularly through platforms' enforcement of Terms of Service or use of algorithmic ranking and recommendations. Until 2015 Daphne was Associate General Counsel for Google, where she had primary responsibility for the company's search products. She worked on groundbreaking Intermediary Liability litigation and legislation around the world and counseled both overall product development and individual content takedown decisions.
High Res Photo of Daphne Keller
Can a New Broadcasting Law in Europe Make Internet Hosts Monitor Their Users?
By Daphne Keller on May 27, 2016 at 2:51 pm
The European Commission is making major steps forward in its new Digital Single Market strategy. One important part, the Platform Liability consultation, pointedly asked whether Internet intermediaries should "do more" to weed out illegal or harmful content on their platforms – in other words, to proactively police the information posted by users.
DMCA Classic, DMCA Turbo: Major new empirical research on notice and takedown operations
By Daphne Keller on April 20, 2016 at 4:17 pm
Good data about Notice and Takedown can be hard to find. Jennifer Urban and Laura Quilter's seminal 2006 study has long been the gold standard, combining rigorous number-crunching with what must have been incredibly tedious substantive review of the copyright claims in DMCA notices.
Policy Debates over EU Platform Liability Laws: New Human Rights Case Law in the Real World
By Daphne Keller on April 14, 2016 at 5:00 am
This is the last of four posts on the European Court of Human Rights' (ECHR) rulings in Delfi v. Estonia and MTE v. Hungary. In both cases, national courts held online news portals liable for comments posted by their users – even though the platforms did not know about the comments.
Litigating Platform Liability in Europe: New Human Rights Case Law in the Real World
This is the third of four posts on the European Court of Human Rights' (ECHR) rulings in Delfi v. Estonia and MTE v. Hungary. In both cases, national courts held online news portals liable for comments posted by their users – even though the platforms did not know about them. These rulings effectively required platforms to monitor and delete user comments in order to avoid liability.
Policing Online Comments in Europe: New Human Rights Case Law in the Real World
This is the second of four posts on real-world consequences of the European Court of Human Rights' (ECHR) rulings in Delfi v. Estonia and MTE v. Hungary. Both cases arose from national court rulings that effectively required online news portals to monitor users' speech in comment forums. The first case, Delfi, condoned a monitoring requirement in a case involving threats and hate speech.
Who Do You Sue? State and Platform Hybrid Power Over Online Speech
This essay closely examines the effect on free-expression rights when platforms such as Facebook or YouTube silence their users' speech. The first part describes the often messy blend of government and private power behind many content removals, and discusses how the combination undermines users' rights to challenge state action. The second part explores the legal minefield for users—or potentially, legislators—claiming a right to speak on major platforms.
Don't Force Google to Export Other Countries' Laws
On Tuesday, in a courtroom in Luxembourg, the Court of Justice of the European Union is to consider whether Google must enforce the "right to be forgotten" — which requires search engines to erase search results based on European law — everywhere in the world.
Internet Platforms: Observations on Speech, Danger, and Money
Policymakers increasingly ask Internet platforms like Facebook to "take responsibility" for material posted by their users. Mark Zuckerberg and other tech leaders seem willing to do so. That is in part a good development. Platforms are uniquely positioned to reduce harmful content online. But deputizing them to police users' speech in the modern public square can also have serious unintended consequences. This piece reviews existing laws and current pressures to expand intermediaries' liability for user-generated content.
Only giant internet firms may be able to comply with one-size-fits-all rules
If you paid attention to Mark Zuckerberg's testimony before Congress last month, you might have gotten the impression that the internet consists entirely of titanic, California-based companies like Twitter, Facebook and Google. Congress is right to call these companies to account for outsize harms like disclosing personal data about many millions of users. But it is very wrong to act as though these companies are representative of the whole internet.
Toward a Clearer Conversation About Platform Liability
Read the full response at Emerging Threats.
The US Senate Is on Track to Pass the Section 230 Bill. Here's What You Need to Know.
"Daphne Keller, a former Google lawyer now at Stanford's Center for Internet and Society, agreed that the "knowingly" language is problematic. "It creates this incentive to bury your head in the sand and not try to find bad content," she said."
New EU regulations will have serious implications for newsrooms worldwide
"In a recent paper, Daphne Keller, director of Intermediary Liability at the Stanford Center for Internet and Society, points out that whether and how content hosts—such as social media companies—must honor RTBF requests under the GDPR is unclear.
Should Washington begin regulating Facebook? Some lawmakers say yes.
"Policy experts also question how the bill would actually work. Daphne Keller of the Stanford Center for Internet and Society pointed to the challenges of determining whether an ad buyer is a foreign entity, particularly if buyers rely on outside vendors to purchase ads.
"Nobody knows how to figure out who counts as Russian," she said. "It seems extremely easy to hide your identity.""
Congress's end run around a pillar of online free speech
"Daphne Keller of the Stanford Center for Internet and Society says that the new law could push some platforms and publishers to crack down on a wide variety of speech, to avoid the threat of lawsuits. It would give them "a reason to err on the side of removing internet users' speech in response to any controversy," she says, "and in response to false or mistaken allegations, which are often levied against online speech.""
Congress Can Crack Down On Tech Companies, But It Can't Do Much To Their Algorithms
""When platforms don't know what to do, the legally over-cautious response is to go way overboard on taking things down just in case they're illegal," Daphne Keller, Director of Intermediary Liability at Stanford University's Center for Internet and Society, told BuzzFeed News. "My worst case scenario legislation would be some vague obligation for platforms to make sure that users don't do bad things.""
Legal Frontiers in Digital Media (Past Event)
For more information and the full conference agenda, visit: https://www.medialaw.org/component/k2/item/4456
Inline Linking After Goldman v. Breitbart
(1:10 p.m. – 2:10 p.m.)
2019 Ranking Digital Rights Corporate Accountability Index West Coast Launch (Past Event)
Lunch: 1:00 pm
Program: 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
State of the Net 2019 (Past Event)
What Happened to the 'Golden Age of Free Speech'? (Past Event)
For more information and to RSVP visit: https://firstamendmentcoalition.org/what-happened-to-the-golden-age-of-f...
Stanford Internet and Society Lab - Intermediary Liability (Past Event)
Internet platforms like Facebook and Twitter play an ever-increasing role in our lives, and mediate our personal and public communications. What laws govern their choices about our speech? Come discuss the law of platforms and online free expression with CIS Intermediary Liability Director Daphne Keller.
Deep Dive: Cybersecurity and the Broad Geopolitical Risk of Digital Life
Cybersecurity is increasingly a major concern of modern life, coloring everything from the way we vote to the way we drive to the way our health care records are stored. Yet online security is beset by threats from nation-states and terrorists and organized crime, and our favorite social media sites are drowning in conspiracy theories and disinformation. How do we reset the internet and reestablish control over our own information and digital society?
Facebook facing user and lawmaker scrutiny over data use
"Daphne Keller, a specialist in corporate liability and responsibility at Stanford Law School's Center for Internet and Society, says Facebook could face private lawsuits over privacy."
Murder Video Again Raises Questions About How Facebook Handles Content
""Half the time it's, 'Oh no, Facebook didn't take something down, and we think that's terrible; they should have taken it down,' " says Daphne Keller, a law professor at Stanford University. "And the other half of the time is, 'Oh no! Facebook took something down and we wish they hadn't.' "
Bloomberg West
Full episode of "Bloomberg West." Guests include Daphne Keller, director of intermediary liability at the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School, David Kirkpatrick, Techonomy's chief executive officer, Radu Rusu, chief executive officer and co-founder of Fyusion, Crawford Del Prete, IDC's chief research officer, and Daniel Apai, assistant professor at The University of Arizona.
Why Intermediary Liability Is The Most Important Question Online
Techdirt podcast with CIS Director of Intermediary Liability Daphne Keller.
Podcast can also be heard at Techdirt.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Review: Screen Violence • Chvrches
The headlines to any given coverage of Chvrches' new record were written as soon as the pop trio decided upon the title Screen Violence: "Chvrches releases quarantine record for the viral age!" The album, yes, is technically the band's quarantine album, recorded virtually as the bandmates were spread between Los Angeles and Glasgow – but its fittingly pandemic-era title is merely serendipitous. As every interpersonal interaction – big, small, vital, or casual – became technologically mediated, society at large seems to have grown more comfortable with the protection of anonymity in everyday interactions that was otherwise provided to only, say, social media trolls. Having been victim to both myogenic assaults and Chris Brown fans alike, the band knew a thing or two about internet warfare long before a fully virtual world – and much of Screen Violence rockets out from the viral pressure chamber.
The commercial attempt, the sell-out record, the label appeasement exercise – whatever its label, the band's third album skewed the acceptable benchmarks for a Chvrches record. Asked to work for a band that already contained two in-house producers, Greg Kurstin ironed out the band's quirks and slanted them toward his territory in arena pop. Compared to its predecessors, Love is Dead was a plain record – but also an angry one. That emotion, having thickened into flat-out resentment, becomes the vital carryover to Screen Violence, which returns to self-produced – albeit somewhat sharper and shiner – products. "He said, 'You need to be fed, but keep an eye on your waistline,' and 'Look good, but don't be obsessed,'" Lauren Mayberry sings on "He Said She Said." The mistreatments and double standards stack atop each other until the pressure becomes too much: "I feel like I'm losing my mind," she repeats in the chorus, a simple but effective climax.
In crafting intriguing soundscapes, the Chvrches of today is unmatched to any past iterations of the band: Together, they have pulled together their most vivid production work yet, tucking away electronic pyrotechnics in unexpected places and emphasizing band's most exacerbated moments. Album opener "Asking for a Friend" pulls away to a near silent false ending while Mayberry extends a hand for help – "The past is in the past; it isn't meant to last. But if I can't let go, will you carry me home?" – before launching into an extraordinary starburst. Both "Violent Delights" and "Nightmares" channel rock opera: Blown out electric guitars and faux-string synthesizers create menacing cathedrals of sound. "How Not to Drown" continues well beyond homage, featuring The Cure's Robert Smith on a spiraling synth rock centerfold: "Tell me how it's better if I make no sound. I will never escape these doubts. I wasn't dead when they found me, watch as they pull me down," Mayberry and Smith duet in the song's heavy chorus.
Screen Violence is a tense listen, uncompromising in the band's rejection of fame. "And it feels like the weight is too much to carry. I should quit, maybe go get married," she sings on "Final Girl," perhaps the darkest reflection of Mayberry's experiences. The band's production choices – this time, they electrify their synthpop with a barbed progressive rock – only intensify the internal struggle between pushing forward or retreating to comfort. While this record bears more semblance to the band's first two than their third, the band aggregates lessons from them all to craft their most gripping record yet. It glorifies our complicated relationship with broadcasted (or more fittingly for this side of the year 2000, streamed) trauma: Why can't we look away from the scene, even when we are the victims on the screen? Will things ever be as good as they once were? Is there any way to persevere through the pain of unjust wounds? There absolutely is, and it sounds a lot like Screen Violence.
Screen Violence is available now under Glassnote Records.
Album Review, Chvrches


text:
Up to 11 million people in DPRK need humanitarian assistance
UN RC DPRK
The Humanitarian Country Team in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is today releasing the 2019 Needs and Priorities Plan which calls for US$120 million to urgently provide life-saving aid to 3.8 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
Humanitarian operations in DPRK are a critical lifeline for millions of people who are in a protracted cycle of humanitarian need. Women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable and are prioritized in this plan. For example, in the nutrition sector, 90 per cent of assistance goes to children under five and women. In the health sector, 92 per cent of assistance is directed to children under five and women. Their plight must not be forgotten.
An estimated 11 million people in DPRK lack sufficient nutritious food, clean drinking water or access to basic services like health and sanitation. Widespread undernutrition threatens an entire generation of children, with one in five children stunted due to chronic undernutrition. Coupled with limited healthcare and a lack of access to safe water and sanitation and hygiene services, children are also at risk of dying from curable diseases.
Most concerning is that the overall food production in 2018 was more than 9 per cent lower than 2017 and wasthe lowest production in more than a decade. This has resulted in a significant food gap. Without adequatefunding for life-saving activities as outlined in the Needs and Priorities Plan, we open the door to a potential deterioration of the humanitarian situation in DPRK and to increased malnutrition and illness. If we are to address and mitigate the impact of food insecurity on the most vulnerable in the country, including women and children, the time to act is now.
Despite these alarming facts, humanitarian activities in DPRK are critically underfunded and the needs of millions of mostly women and children have not been met. Last year's Needs and Priorities Plan was only funded at 24 per cent, making it one of the lowest funded humanitarian plans in the world. A number of agencies have already been forced to scale back their programmes. Without adequate funding this year, the only option left for some agencies will be to close projects that serve as a life-line for millions of people.
Although Security Council sanctions clearly exempt humanitarian activities, life-saving programmes continue to face serious challenges and delays. While unintended consequences of sanctions persist, these delays have a real and tangible impact on the aid that we are able to provide to people who desperately need it. We must collectively fulfil our commitment under the Sustainable Development Goals to "leave no one behind."
Last year, we were only able reach one third of the people to whom we planned to provide humanitarian assistance. An estimated 1.4 million people didn't get food assistance. Just under 800,000 people were not able to access essential health services. An estimated 190,000 kindergarten children and 85,000 acutely malnourished children did not get the nutrition support they needed. Beyond the numbers, the human cost of our inability to respond is unmeasurable.
In spite of these challenges, and thanks to the generosity of donors, the UN and International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) were able to reach two million people with humanitarian aid. I have never failed to be impressed by the commitment and work of the humanitarian organisations in the country.
I have seen the impact of their programmes on the lives of ordinary people who they have supported by providing nutritious food, ensuring children are vaccinated, treating malnutrition and diseases, providing access to clean water, and supporting farmers to grow food despite the risk of natural disasters. I have also seen progress being made on the ground. We have made great strides in improving access and monitoring for humanitarian agencies in DPRK through continued, principled, and robust engagement with the Government. Humanitarian agencies rigorously monitor their programmes throughout the country to ensure assistance is reaching the most vulnerable. In 2018, 1,855 project site visits were conducted during 854 monitoring days by UN agencies and INGOs, covering all 11 provinces in the country.
Since 2012, there has also been an improvement in the child nutrition situation with rates of chronic undernutrition amongst children under five dropping from 28 per cent to 19 per cent. Yet my concern, and that of the entire humanitarian community, is that while the impact of stunting is irreversible, these overall improvements are not.
I appeal to all our potential donors and stakeholders to rise above political and security considerations, and to not allow them to get in the way of providing life-saving aid to the men, women, and children who need it the most. We simply cannot leave them behind.
The 2019 Needs and Priorities Plan is available to download here: https://bit.ly/2Hh4Bv1
Handout photos and B-roll video are available to download here:https://bit.ly/2Ur6BEV
Olga Prorovskaya, Office of the Resident Coordinator, Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Email :prorovskaya@un.org
Pierre Peron, OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok
Email : peronp@un.org ; Mobile: +66 61 420 0390
UN Resident Coordinator for DPR Korea
DPR Korea: Floods - Aug 2018
DPR Korea: Heat Wave - Aug 2018
Disaster types
Statement UN Resident Coordinator in DPRK - 6Feb2019.pdf (PDF | 196.46 KB)


text:
Humboldt Township ist der Name folgender Townships in den Vereinigten Staaten:

 Humboldt Township (Illinois)
 Humboldt Township (Iowa)
 Humboldt Township (Kansas)
 Humboldt Township (Michigan)
 Humboldt Township (Minnesota)
 Humboldt Township (South Dakota)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Made in 1989, A Dry White Season, a searing indictment of South Africa under apartheid, was a superb, riveting film that audiences simply did not want to see, despite excellent reviews. Perhaps it was because South Africa was still in the final throes of apartheid and the film was just too uncomfortable to watch. Sometimes people need distance and one suspects that if the film had come out even a decade later it would have probably been more successful. As it is, over the years people have discovered it and been truly affected by its portrayal of racial turmoil in a country divided and the way the film was able to put the politics of apartheid in meaningful human terms.
Set in 1976 around the time of the Soweto riots, the film was adapted from a novel by Andre Brink (the only book in Afrikaans to be banned in South Africa), and directed by Euzhan Palcy, who was the first black female director ever hired to direct a major studio film (MGM). Palcy had made the critically acclaimed feature Sugar Cane Alley, which was highly thought of by critics, audiences, and other filmmakers. She co-wrote A Dry White Season with Colin Welland. The film was shot on a fairly tight budget of nine million dollars, an amazing figure when you consider the cast involved – Donald Sutherland (giving the performance of his career), Janet Suzman, Susan Sarandon, and, coming out of retirement because he was so moved by the project, Marlon Brando, who worked for scale. The supporting performances are equally stellar, including Zakes Mokae, Winston Ntshona and Jurgen Prochnow. Marlon Brando is unforgettable as the attorney – he has only two scenes but gives a brilliant performance for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor (the film's only nomination). Thanks to DVD and cable, new audiences have been able to discover this important and terrific film. Its reputation keeps growing with each passing year.
Adding immeasurably to the project is Dave Grusin's score. Grusin proved to be the perfect choice, and in a career filled with great scores (The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, Heaven Can Wait, Tootsie, The Goonies, On Golden Pond, The Milagro Beanfield War, Three Days Of The Condor, The Goodbye Girl, Murder By Death, and on and on), A Dry White Season is one of his best – moody, haunting, tension-filled, and extremely moving – like the film, it really gets under your skin.
The score as used in the film is quite short. However, some cues went unused, some were truncated, so this CD uses the cues as they were originally written and recorded, which results in a longer playing time and in a more satisfying musical presentation. We've included two bonus tracks – alternate versions of two cues and two cues of great Grusin source music.
Dave Grusin is one of those composers who can do everything. And he has – from dramatic film scoring to his great work in television (It Takes A Thief, Maude, Good Times, Baretta, The Name Of The Game, Columbo, etc.), to wonderful light comedy scores, as well as his jazz and arranging/conducting projects for such incredible people as Quincy Jones, Paul Simon, Sergio Mendes, Al Jarreau, Patti Austin, Billy Joel and many others. He is a multiple Grammy Award-winner, a multiple Academy Award nominee (he won the Oscar for The Milagro Beanfield War). Now in his mid-70s, he's still the coolest guy in any room, and he's still going strong.
This release is limited to 1000 copies only. The price of the CD is $19.98, plus shipping. Additionally, we are offering a special deal with the purchase of this release. Go to the item page and click on the link to find out about it.
CD will ship the last week of February – however, preorders placed directly through Kritzerland usually ship one to five weeks earlier (we've been averaging four weeks early).
This selection is SOLD OUT.


Blowout Sale! Up to 60% off on Speed-Cooking Microwave Ovens at Full Ideas. Top brands include BLACK+DECKER, Avanti, Willz, & UNEXTATI. Hurry! Limited time offers. Offers valid only while supplies last.
View more products in Microwave Ovens.


The Kia Cross GT Concept has the privelege of being the lone concept car here at the 2013 Chicago Auto Show. The styling exercise points to a hole in Kia's lineup above the Sorento and a bit more upscale. The Cross GT is based on the same underpinnings we saw in the rear-drive Kia GT Concept which debuted at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, which is somewhat interesting on it's own. Given the slot in the lineup, we'd normally expect platform sharing with Hyundai to result in the guts of this vehicle being based on the newly redesigned Sante Fe. The Cross GT's styling remains true to Kia's current Peter Shreyer-era of sleek, aggressive and futuristic design and we fully expect to see some of its cues leak out into production within time. Kia's spokesmen are remaining tight-lipped as to whether or not the Cross GT is planned for production.


text:
/*
 * Palindrome Number
 * Total Accepted: 13315 Total Submissions: 45677
 *
 * Determine whether an integer is a palindrome. Do this without extra space.
 *
 * click to show spoilers.
 * Some hints:
 *
 * Could negative integers be palindromes? (ie, -1)
 *
 * If you are thinking of converting the integer to string, note the restriction of using extra space.
 *
 * You could also try reversing an integer. However, if you have solved the problem "Reverse Integer", you know that the reversed integer might overflow. How would you handle such case?
 *
 * There is a more generic way of solving this problem.
 *
 */
class Solution
{
public:
    bool isPalindrome(int x)
    {
        if (x < 0)
            return false; // negative numbers is not Palindrome by LeetCode's rule.

        int tmp = x;
        int p = 0;
        while (tmp)
        {
            tmp /= 10;
            p++;
        }

        for (int i = 0; i < p / 2; i++)
        {
            int t1 = (x / pow10(i)) % 10;
            int t2 = (x / pow10(p - i - 1)) % 10;
            if (t1 != t2)
                return false;
        }

        return true;
    }

    int pow10(int n)
    {
        int sum = 1;
        for (int i = 0; i < n; i++)
        {
            sum *= 10;
        }
        return sum;
    }
};

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
POSTED BY Sri Fitrah Vong ON 21 April 2020
#yaminvong
There we were driving our Land Rover 110 Stationwagon on the Kalabakan, the "highway" connecting Tenom to Semporna. The plan was to break the journey midway at the Maliau Basin conservation centre.
The Kalabakan used to enjoy a certain notoriety in the 1980's and 90's because it was the only land link, mostly unsurfaced, serving the southern part of Sabah. At that time, it was for heavy vehicles transporting round-logs from the vast swathes of jungle being cleared for the oil palm plantations.
In the wet season, the Kalabakan was too slippery, too steep and the trucks were stood down while only the bravest recreational off-roaders came out to play.
36 tonne trucks using the Kalabakan highway to send round logs to Tawau
Today, it's a surfaced road with sparse traffic not so much traffic — when we were there we could say about 10-20 vehicles an hour — and most of them long distance heavy trucks carrying round logs to Tawau or smaller 16 tonne trucks taking oil palm fruits to the local mills.
Suddenly, rounding a bend, my co-driver Amanih and I saw ahead of us a familiar shape: another Land Rover Defender.
In a bit of excitement, we accelerated and came up closer — unusual because our Land Rover was usually being overtaken rather than overtaking, to catch a detailed look.
It was a Land Rover 90 (a Short Wheel Base) with U.K. registration plates and looked to have comprehensive camping gear including roof-mounted tent.
But as I said earlier, our Defender stationwagon is an old girl (registered in 1991) with an old engine (265,000 km).
After we had satisfied our curiosity, we dropped back to our cruising speed of 90 kph (air-conditioning switched off) and eventually reached Maliau Basin's headquarters where a friendly officer, Jadda Suhaimi, had arranged our reservation at short order. Usually, the Maliau Basin is fully booked.
The next morning we saw the U.K. Landy again. Parked in front of the Maliau Basin HQ, this time, we introduced ourselves and chatted with the owner about his truck as well as how the COVID-19 pandemic had blown apart our planned routes.
Registering at the Maliau Basin Guardhouse before driving in 25 km of the Park's road to the HQ
It hadn't helped either that at Kuching, his container arrived late.
"I lost one month in Kuching because of the shipping and also because the Customs didn't accept my carnet. I had to get an AP for temporary import from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry," said Dr Bill Nicholson, the owner.
"I'm due to fly home in April and now with the Movement Control order, I may leave the Land Rover in storage in KK. Or I might ship it back," he said.
Talking about his Land Rover, Nicholson said he had re-powered it because the original engine was underpowered for the camping equipment and long distance gear that the LR90 was carrying.
Dr Bill Nicholson
As part of the re-powering, he said that it was also important to measure parameters like exhaust gas temperatures so that engine durability and reliability was maximised.
"Look at exhaust gas temperature for instance. 200-400 degrees Celsius is typical for normal driving. It goes up to 700 degrees C climbing up mountain pass or towing. 720 degrees C is a critical point. You'd better back off if you don't want to cook the turbo. I hardly get to 700 C," he said.
"The exhaust gas temperature meter cost me USD80 on-line," he said.
Nicholson is currently waiting for confirmation on the lifting of the MCO and semi-camping in a budget hotel near Kota Kinabalu.
For video of the story, click here: https://www.facebook.com/motorme.my/videos/556067641986201/
For more information, Dr Nicholson can be contacted at [email protected]
Additional door latches
AC power plug for external charging
Gills for heat extraction from engine chamber
As a civil and structural engineer by training and a certified mechanical engineer, Bill's Land Rover has an abundance of meters
water-proof instrument panel from a Mil-Spec Land Rover from the British Army
Alternator charge controller
Most alternators have an integral charge controller however in the case of the Fourtrak engine this is external but it isn't easy to transplant because it's connected to the main wiring harness rather than just to the alternator. Hence we must use a third party external controller. When choosing an external controller it makes sense to use a smart charge controller rather than a conventional dumb voltage regulator. The former give much faster charging without the risk of overcharging the battery, and this is particularly beneficial if one has a dual battery system where the auxiliary battery may be quite depleted. The faster charging rate will also prolong battery life by reducing sulphation of the plates. Since the smart charge controller is electronic I have a spare pre-wired so if there's a failure I can swap them over quickly (5 mins max).
The standard LR sedimenter (if fitted) relies on gravity separation of water and heavy solid particles. Since it's made from alloy one can't see inside and you have to open it up to get a good look. I had an incident of contaminated fuel in Hungary where I was getting a misfire but I didn't know what was happening until the water and other contaminants had reached the injection system and caused a lot of damage. After that I changed the sedimenter for a proper pre-filter which uses the same filter element as the main fuel filter. It furthermore has a transparent bowl so one can see if the fuel is contaminated, which would have saved me a lot of grief if I had had this when I was in Hungary. The bowl is made of a high impact nylon material so it won't be shattered if it gets struck by a stone inside the wheel arch.
The Defender was a "wader" during its military life and was designed for water up to around the level of the driver's face, hence the waterproof instrument boxes. I haven't maintained this capability in subsequent mods and wouldn't want to go deeper than the floor of the passenger compartment. Although the vehicle was a wader it had never been waded – do this just once in salt water and it will rust completely from the inside out.
The Racor is a water-in-fuel alarm which is quite common in the marine world. It will alert the driver to the presence of water but it can't deal with the problem (come on, that's asking a bit much). If you have contaminated fuel you still have to drain it down and either dispose of it or decontaminate it. I carry a proprietary funnel for this purpose.
Auto sector fights to save jobs but some bureaucrats face other challenges
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Americans' food preferences are influenced by immigrants
By Immigration Direct
The influx of immigrants into the U.S. has had many profound effects on U.S. culture. Employment trends, the education system and new laws have all seen changes, but one other major influence immigration has had is on the American palate. With changing demographics affecting consumption, food companies have been experimenting with new ways to introduce foods native to different countries that are familiar staples to many immigrants in the U.S.
According to international market research firm Mintel Group, sales of ethnic foods in the U.S. rose by $9 billion between 2010 and 2012, and they predict more than 20 percent in growth by 2017. In order to tap into the growing population of Latino and Asian consumers, U.S. food companies are producing items with hotter spices, different grains and textures, and fruit flavors. New packaging is being introduced into the marketplace as well to appeal to the diverse population and their differing appetites. According to studies, the sales of ethnic foods, from Mediterranean to Middle Eastern are expected to increase, continuing the trend that has been occurring for years.
Campbell's is adopting this trend, adding coconut and lemongrass to some of their soups. Mexican sodas are now found in most major food retailers, and Nestle is planning to produce a dulce de leche pie, made with a chocolate product popular in Latin countries. Integrating immigrant culture and foods into the American lifestyle has led to many reports that the U.S. palate is more open to exotic flavors and ingredients than ever before.
Multicultural neighborhoods, increased opportunities for international travel, and even TV shows showcasing cuisines from around the world have all contributed to the general acceptance of and demand for ethnic options. The influence of immigrants on the food in the U.S. is not limited to taste, however. A variety of foods native to the countries of many immigrants contain more fruits and vegetables, raising awareness of the importance of dietary health and wellness. Even cooking techniques are often more healthful, and are beginning to influence the younger generation of Americans.
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text:
@interface FSCalendarAppearance ()

@property (weak  , nonatomic) FSCalendar *calendar;

@property (strong, nonatomic) NSMutableDictionary *backgroundColors;
@property (strong, nonatomic) NSMutableDictionary *titleColors;
@property (strong, nonatomic) NSMutableDictionary *subtitleColors;
@property (strong, nonatomic) NSMutableDictionary *borderColors;

@property (strong, nonatomic) NSString *titleFontName;
@property (strong, nonatomic) NSString *subtitleFontName;
@property (strong, nonatomic) NSString *weekdayFontName;
@property (strong, nonatomic) NSString *headerTitleFontName;

@property (assign, nonatomic) CGFloat titleFontSize;
@property (assign, nonatomic) CGFloat subtitleFontSize;
@property (assign, nonatomic) CGFloat weekdayFontSize;
@property (assign, nonatomic) CGFloat headerTitleFontSize;

@property (assign, nonatomic) CGFloat preferredTitleFontSize;
@property (assign, nonatomic) CGFloat preferredSubtitleFontSize;
@property (assign, nonatomic) CGFloat preferredWeekdayFontSize;
@property (assign, nonatomic) CGFloat preferredHeaderTitleFontSize;

@property (readonly, nonatomic) UIFont *preferredTitleFont;
@property (readonly, nonatomic) UIFont *preferredSubtitleFont;
@property (readonly, nonatomic) UIFont *preferredWeekdayFont;
@property (readonly, nonatomic) UIFont *preferredHeaderTitleFont;

- (void)adjustTitleIfNecessary;

- (void)invalidateFonts;
- (void)invalidateTextColors;
- (void)invalidateTitleFont;
- (void)invalidateSubtitleFont;
- (void)invalidateWeekdayFont;
- (void)invalidateHeaderFont;
- (void)invalidateTitleTextColor;
- (void)invalidateSubtitleTextColor;
- (void)invalidateWeekdayTextColor;
- (void)invalidateHeaderTextColor;

- (void)invalidateBorderColors;
- (void)invalidateFillColors;
- (void)invalidateEventColors;
- (void)invalidateBorderRadius;

@end

@implementation FSCalendarAppearance

- (instancetype)init
{
    self = [super init];
    if (self) {

        _adjustsFontSizeToFitContentSize = YES;

        _titleFontSize = _preferredTitleFontSize  = FSCalendarStandardTitleTextSize;
        _subtitleFontSize = _preferredSubtitleFontSize = FSCalendarStandardSubtitleTextSize;
        _weekdayFontSize = _preferredWeekdayFontSize = FSCalendarStandardWeekdayTextSize;
        _headerTitleFontSize = _preferredHeaderTitleFontSize = FSCalendarStandardHeaderTextSize;

        _titleFontName = [UIFont systemFontOfSize:1].fontName;
        _subtitleFontName = [UIFont systemFontOfSize:1].fontName;
        _weekdayFontName = [UIFont systemFontOfSize:1].fontName;
        _headerTitleFontName = [UIFont systemFontOfSize:1].fontName;

        _headerTitleColor = FSCalendarStandardTitleTextColor;
        _headerDateFormat = @"MMMM yyyy";
        _headerMinimumDissolvedAlpha = 0.2;
        _weekdayTextColor = FSCalendarStandardTitleTextColor;
        _caseOptions = FSCalendarCaseOptionsHeaderUsesDefaultCase|FSCalendarCaseOptionsWeekdayUsesDefaultCase;

        _backgroundColors = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithCapacity:5];
        _backgroundColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateNormal)]      = [UIColor clearColor];
        _backgroundColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateSelected)]    = FSCalendarStandardSelectionColor;
        _backgroundColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateDisabled)]    = [UIColor clearColor];
        _backgroundColors[@(FSCalendarCellStatePlaceholder)] = [UIColor clearColor];
        _backgroundColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateToday)]       = FSCalendarStandardTodayColor;

        _titleColors = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithCapacity:5];
        _titleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateNormal)]      = [UIColor blackColor];
        _titleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateSelected)]    = [UIColor whiteColor];
        _titleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateDisabled)]    = [UIColor grayColor];
        _titleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStatePlaceholder)] = [UIColor lightGrayColor];
        _titleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateToday)]       = [UIColor whiteColor];

        _subtitleColors = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithCapacity:5];
        _subtitleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateNormal)]      = [UIColor darkGrayColor];
        _subtitleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateSelected)]    = [UIColor whiteColor];
        _subtitleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateDisabled)]    = [UIColor lightGrayColor];
        _subtitleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStatePlaceholder)] = [UIColor lightGrayColor];
        _subtitleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateToday)]       = [UIColor whiteColor];

        _borderColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateSelected)] = [UIColor clearColor];
        _borderColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateNormal)] = [UIColor clearColor];

        _borderRadius = 1.0;
        _eventDefaultColor = FSCalendarStandardEventDotColor;
        _eventSelectionColor = FSCalendarStandardEventDotColor;

        _borderColors = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithCapacity:2];

#if TARGET_INTERFACE_BUILDER
        _fakeEventDots = YES;
#endif

    }
    return self;
}

- (void)setTitleFont:(UIFont *)titleFont
{
    BOOL needsInvalidating = NO;
    if (![_titleFontName isEqualToString:titleFont.fontName]) {
        _titleFontName = titleFont.fontName;
        needsInvalidating = YES;
    }
    if (_titleFontSize != titleFont.pointSize) {
        _titleFontSize = titleFont.pointSize;
        needsInvalidating = YES;
    }
    if (needsInvalidating) {
        [self invalidateTitleFont];
    }
}

- (UIFont *)titleFont
{
    return [UIFont fontWithName:_titleFontName size:_titleFontSize];
}

- (void)setSubtitleFont:(UIFont *)subtitleFont
{
    BOOL needsInvalidating = NO;
    if (![_subtitleFontName isEqualToString:subtitleFont.fontName]) {
        _subtitleFontName = subtitleFont.fontName;
        needsInvalidating = YES;
    }
    if (_subtitleFontSize != subtitleFont.pointSize) {
        _subtitleFontSize = subtitleFont.pointSize;
        needsInvalidating = YES;
    }
    if (needsInvalidating) {
        [self invalidateSubtitleFont];
    }
}

- (UIFont *)subtitleFont
{
    return [UIFont fontWithName:_subtitleFontName size:_subtitleFontSize];
}

- (void)setWeekdayFont:(UIFont *)weekdayFont
{
    BOOL needsInvalidating = NO;
    if (![_weekdayFontName isEqualToString:weekdayFont.fontName]) {
        _weekdayFontName = weekdayFont.fontName;
        needsInvalidating = YES;
    }
    if (_weekdayFontSize != weekdayFont.pointSize) {
        _weekdayFontSize = weekdayFont.pointSize;
        needsInvalidating = YES;
    }
    if (needsInvalidating) {
        [self invalidateWeekdayFont];
    }
}

- (UIFont *)weekdayFont
{
    return [UIFont fontWithName:_weekdayFontName size:_weekdayFontSize];
}

- (void)setHeaderTitleFont:(UIFont *)headerTitleFont
{
    BOOL needsInvalidating = NO;
    if (![_headerTitleFontName isEqualToString:headerTitleFont.fontName]) {
        _headerTitleFontName = headerTitleFont.fontName;
        needsInvalidating = YES;
    }
    if (_headerTitleFontSize != headerTitleFont.pointSize) {
        _headerTitleFontSize = headerTitleFont.pointSize;
        needsInvalidating = YES;
    }
    if (needsInvalidating) {
        [self invalidateHeaderFont];
    }
}

- (void)setTitleOffset:(CGPoint)titleOffset
{
    if (!CGPointEqualToPoint(_titleOffset, titleOffset)) {
        _titleOffset = titleOffset;
        [_calendar.collectionView.visibleCells makeObjectsPerformSelector:@selector(setNeedsLayout)];
    }
}

- (void)setSubtitleOffset:(CGPoint)subtitleOffset
{
    if (!CGPointEqualToPoint(_subtitleOffset, subtitleOffset)) {
        _subtitleOffset = subtitleOffset;
        [_calendar.collectionView.visibleCells makeObjectsPerformSelector:@selector(setNeedsLayout)];
    }
}

- (void)setImageOffset:(CGPoint)imageOffset
{
    if (!CGPointEqualToPoint(_imageOffset, imageOffset)) {
        _imageOffset = imageOffset;
        [_calendar.collectionView.visibleCells makeObjectsPerformSelector:@selector(setNeedsLayout)];
    }
}

- (void)setEventOffset:(CGPoint)eventOffset
{
    if (!CGPointEqualToPoint(_eventOffset, eventOffset)) {
        _eventOffset = eventOffset;
        [_calendar.collectionView.visibleCells makeObjectsPerformSelector:@selector(setNeedsLayout)];
    }
}

- (UIFont *)headerTitleFont
{
    return [UIFont fontWithName:_headerTitleFontName size:_headerTitleFontSize];
}

- (void)setTitleDefaultColor:(UIColor *)color
{
    if (color) {
        _titleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateNormal)] = color;
    } else {
        [_titleColors removeObjectForKey:@(FSCalendarCellStateNormal)];
    }
    [self invalidateTitleTextColor];
}

- (UIColor *)titleDefaultColor
{
    return _titleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateNormal)];
}

- (void)setTitleSelectionColor:(UIColor *)color
{
    if (color) {
        _titleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateSelected)] = color;
    } else {
        [_titleColors removeObjectForKey:@(FSCalendarCellStateSelected)];
    }
    [self invalidateTitleTextColor];
}

- (UIColor *)titleSelectionColor
{
    return _titleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateSelected)];
}

- (void)setTitleTodayColor:(UIColor *)color
{
    if (color) {
        _titleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateToday)] = color;
    } else {
        [_titleColors removeObjectForKey:@(FSCalendarCellStateToday)];
    }
    [self invalidateTitleTextColor];
}

- (UIColor *)titleTodayColor
{
    return _titleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateToday)];
}

- (void)setTitlePlaceholderColor:(UIColor *)color
{
    if (color) {
        _titleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStatePlaceholder)] = color;
    } else {
        [_titleColors removeObjectForKey:@(FSCalendarCellStatePlaceholder)];
    }
    [self invalidateTitleTextColor];
}

- (UIColor *)titlePlaceholderColor
{
    return _titleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStatePlaceholder)];
}

- (void)setTitleWeekendColor:(UIColor *)color
{
    if (color) {
        _titleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateWeekend)] = color;
    } else {
        [_titleColors removeObjectForKey:@(FSCalendarCellStateWeekend)];
    }
    [self invalidateTitleTextColor];
}

- (UIColor *)titleWeekendColor
{
    return _titleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateWeekend)];
}

- (void)setSubtitleDefaultColor:(UIColor *)color
{
    if (color) {
        _subtitleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateNormal)] = color;
    } else {
        [_subtitleColors removeObjectForKey:@(FSCalendarCellStateNormal)];
    }
    [self invalidateSubtitleTextColor];
}

-(UIColor *)subtitleDefaultColor
{
    return _subtitleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateNormal)];
}

- (void)setSubtitleSelectionColor:(UIColor *)color
{
    if (color) {
        _subtitleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateSelected)] = color;
    } else {
        [_subtitleColors removeObjectForKey:@(FSCalendarCellStateSelected)];
    }
    [self invalidateSubtitleTextColor];
}

- (UIColor *)subtitleSelectionColor
{
    return _subtitleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateSelected)];
}

- (void)setSubtitleTodayColor:(UIColor *)color
{
    if (color) {
        _subtitleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateToday)] = color;
    } else {
        [_subtitleColors removeObjectForKey:@(FSCalendarCellStateToday)];
    }
    [self invalidateSubtitleTextColor];
}

- (UIColor *)subtitleTodayColor
{
    return _subtitleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateToday)];
}

- (void)setSubtitlePlaceholderColor:(UIColor *)color
{
    if (color) {
        _subtitleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStatePlaceholder)] = color;
    } else {
        [_subtitleColors removeObjectForKey:@(FSCalendarCellStatePlaceholder)];
    }
    [self invalidateSubtitleTextColor];
}

- (UIColor *)subtitlePlaceholderColor
{
    return _subtitleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStatePlaceholder)];
}

- (void)setSubtitleWeekendColor:(UIColor *)color
{
    if (color) {
        _subtitleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateWeekend)] = color;
    } else {
        [_subtitleColors removeObjectForKey:@(FSCalendarCellStateWeekend)];
    }
    [self invalidateSubtitleTextColor];
}

- (UIColor *)subtitleWeekendColor
{
    return _subtitleColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateWeekend)];
}

- (void)setSelectionColor:(UIColor *)color
{
    if (color) {
        _backgroundColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateSelected)] = color;
    } else {
        [_backgroundColors removeObjectForKey:@(FSCalendarCellStateSelected)];
    }
    [self invalidateFillColors];
}

- (UIColor *)selectionColor
{
    return _backgroundColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateSelected)];
}

- (void)setTodayColor:(UIColor *)todayColor
{
    if (todayColor) {
        _backgroundColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateToday)] = todayColor;
    } else {
        [_backgroundColors removeObjectForKey:@(FSCalendarCellStateToday)];
    }
    [self invalidateFillColors];
}

- (UIColor *)todayColor
{
    return _backgroundColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateToday)];
}

- (void)setTodaySelectionColor:(UIColor *)todaySelectionColor
{
    if (todaySelectionColor) {
        _backgroundColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateToday|FSCalendarCellStateSelected)] = todaySelectionColor;
    } else {
        [_backgroundColors removeObjectForKey:@(FSCalendarCellStateToday|FSCalendarCellStateSelected)];
    }
    [self invalidateFillColors];
}

- (UIColor *)todaySelectionColor
{
    return _backgroundColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateToday|FSCalendarCellStateSelected)];
}

- (void)setEventDefaultColor:(UIColor *)eventDefaultColor
{
    if (![_eventDefaultColor isEqual:eventDefaultColor]) {
        _eventDefaultColor = eventDefaultColor;
        [self invalidateEventColors];
    }
}

- (void)setBorderDefaultColor:(UIColor *)color
{
    if (color) {
        _borderColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateNormal)] = color;
    } else {
        [_borderColors removeObjectForKey:@(FSCalendarCellStateNormal)];
    }
    [self invalidateBorderColors];
}

- (UIColor *)borderDefaultColor
{
    return _borderColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateNormal)];
}

- (void)setBorderSelectionColor:(UIColor *)color
{
    if (color) {
        _borderColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateSelected)] = color;
    } else {
        [_borderColors removeObjectForKey:@(FSCalendarCellStateSelected)];
    }
    [self invalidateBorderColors];
}

- (UIColor *)borderSelectionColor
{
    return _borderColors[@(FSCalendarCellStateSelected)];
}

- (void)setBorderRadius:(CGFloat)borderRadius
{
    borderRadius = MAX(0.0, borderRadius);
    borderRadius = MIN(1.0, borderRadius);
    if (_borderRadius != borderRadius) {
        _borderRadius = borderRadius;
        [self invalidateBorderRadius];
    }
}

- (void)setWeekdayTextColor:(UIColor *)weekdayTextColor
{
    if (![_weekdayTextColor isEqual:weekdayTextColor]) {
        _weekdayTextColor = weekdayTextColor;
        [self invalidateWeekdayTextColor];
    }
}

- (void)setHeaderTitleColor:(UIColor *)color
{
    if (![_headerTitleColor isEqual:color]) {
        _headerTitleColor = color;
        [self invalidateHeaderTextColor];
    }
}

- (void)setHeaderMinimumDissolvedAlpha:(CGFloat)headerMinimumDissolvedAlpha
{
    if (_headerMinimumDissolvedAlpha != headerMinimumDissolvedAlpha) {
        _headerMinimumDissolvedAlpha = headerMinimumDissolvedAlpha;
        [_calendar.calendarHeaderView.collectionView.visibleCells makeObjectsPerformSelector:@selector(setNeedsLayout)];
        [_calendar.visibleStickyHeaders makeObjectsPerformSelector:@selector(setNeedsLayout)];
    }
}

- (void)setHeaderDateFormat:(NSString *)headerDateFormat
{
    if (![_headerDateFormat isEqual:headerDateFormat]) {
        _headerDateFormat = headerDateFormat;
        [_calendar invalidateHeaders];
    }
}

- (void)setAdjustsFontSizeToFitContentSize:(BOOL)adjustsFontSizeToFitContentSize
{
    if (_adjustsFontSizeToFitContentSize != adjustsFontSizeToFitContentSize) {
        _adjustsFontSizeToFitContentSize = adjustsFontSizeToFitContentSize;
        if (adjustsFontSizeToFitContentSize) {
            [self invalidateFonts];
        }
    }
}

- (UIFont *)preferredTitleFont
{
    return [UIFont fontWithName:_titleFontName size:_adjustsFontSizeToFitContentSize?_preferredTitleFontSize:_titleFontSize];
}

- (UIFont *)preferredSubtitleFont
{
    return [UIFont fontWithName:_subtitleFontName size:_adjustsFontSizeToFitContentSize?_preferredSubtitleFontSize:_subtitleFontSize];
}

- (UIFont *)preferredWeekdayFont
{
    return [UIFont fontWithName:_weekdayFontName size:_adjustsFontSizeToFitContentSize?_preferredWeekdayFontSize:_weekdayFontSize];
}

- (UIFont *)preferredHeaderTitleFont
{
    return [UIFont fontWithName:_headerTitleFontName size:_adjustsFontSizeToFitContentSize?_preferredHeaderTitleFontSize:_headerTitleFontSize];
}

- (void)adjustTitleIfNecessary
{
    if (!self.calendar.floatingMode) {
        if (_adjustsFontSizeToFitContentSize) {
            CGFloat factor       = (_calendar.scope==FSCalendarScopeMonth) ? 6 : 1.1;
            _preferredTitleFontSize       = _calendar.collectionView.fs_height/3/factor;
            _preferredTitleFontSize       -= (_preferredTitleFontSize-FSCalendarStandardTitleTextSize)*0.5;
            _preferredSubtitleFontSize    = _calendar.collectionView.fs_height/4.5/factor;
            _preferredSubtitleFontSize    -= (_preferredSubtitleFontSize-FSCalendarStandardSubtitleTextSize)*0.75;
            _preferredHeaderTitleFontSize = _preferredTitleFontSize * 1.25;
            _preferredWeekdayFontSize     = _preferredTitleFontSize;

        }
    } else {
        _preferredHeaderTitleFontSize = 20;
        if (FSCalendarDeviceIsIPad) {
            _preferredHeaderTitleFontSize = FSCalendarStandardHeaderTextSize * 1.5;
            _preferredTitleFontSize = FSCalendarStandardTitleTextSize * 1.3;
            _preferredSubtitleFontSize = FSCalendarStandardSubtitleTextSize * 1.15;
            _preferredWeekdayFontSize = _preferredTitleFontSize;
        }
        CGFloat multiplier = 1+(_calendar.lineHeightMultiplier-1)/4;
        _preferredHeaderTitleFontSize *= multiplier;
        _preferredTitleFontSize *= multiplier;
        _preferredSubtitleFontSize *= multiplier;
        _preferredSubtitleFontSize *= multiplier;
    }

    // reload appearance
    [self invalidateFonts];
}

- (void)setCaseOptions:(FSCalendarCaseOptions)caseOptions
{
    if (_caseOptions != caseOptions) {
        _caseOptions = caseOptions;
        [_calendar invalidateWeekdaySymbols];
        [_calendar invalidateHeaders];
    }
}

- (void)setSeparators:(FSCalendarSeparators)separators
{
    if (_separators != separators) {
        _separators = separators;
        [_calendar.collectionView.collectionViewLayout invalidateLayout];
    }
}

- (void)invalidateAppearance
{
    [self invalidateFonts];
    [self invalidateTextColors];
    [self invalidateBorderColors];
    [self invalidateFillColors];
}

- (void)invalidateFonts
{
    [self invalidateTitleFont];
    [self invalidateSubtitleFont];
    [self invalidateWeekdayFont];
    [self invalidateHeaderFont];
}

- (void)invalidateTextColors
{
    [self invalidateTitleTextColor];
    [self invalidateSubtitleTextColor];
    [self invalidateWeekdayTextColor];
    [self invalidateHeaderTextColor];
}

- (void)invalidateBorderColors
{
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In this article we are going to look at one of the most common puppy parent questions: how long do dogs live?
When you are thinking of bringing a new puppy into your home, you want to make sure that he will be with you for the longest possible time.
However, the question of dog life span is not one that can be answered quickly.
Dog longevity ranges hugely and the answer to just how long can a dog live depends upon a variety of factors.
From the dog's breeding and genetics, all the way through to your lifestyle and the way that you care for your dog.
So let's have a look at the life expectancy of different dogs. We'll find out what influence we can have on how long our dog will live when we bring home a new puppy.
The average lifespan of a dog is 11 to 12 years.
A study of over 15,000 dogs showed 20% of those sampled living beyond their 14th birthday, but less than 10% made it to their 15th.
But not all dogs, or breeds of dog, make it as far as old age.
Unfortunately, knowing the average life expectancy of dogs in general is not really that helpful. This is because the differences between breeds, sizes and structures of dog differ so wildly. A dog's upbringing and lifestyle can have an impact on life expectancy too.
Many dog breeds who die on average at a younger age, have never actually become old. Instead, these dogs have passed away in adulthood. This may be due to inherent problems with their structure or genetics.
If you want to have an idea how long your own pet dog will live, you will need to take a lot more information into account. We will look at this in depth below.
But first let's get to grips with what your dog's age actually means in human terms.
When looking at dog life expectancy and ages, a lot of people want to know how to convert dog years to human years.
They are searching for a dog age calculator, or dog age chart, to show them what stage of life their dog is at by our human standards.
There is a general saying that one dog year is equal to 7 human years.
This would mean for example that a five year old dog is the equivalent to a 35 year old human. Which sort of makes sense if you are looking at a breed who lives in total about 12 years. At the end of their life they'd be the equivalent of someone in their early 80's – the approximate average age for humans to pass away.
Unfortunately this system, whilst fun, does not make a lot of sense. Dogs are different from people. They grow and mature at different rates. Their longevity is linked to their breeding and background in a way which gives dramatically different predictions.
This calculation is incredibly inaccurate when you are looking at a dog whose breed, genetics and environment have him set up to last around 16 years.
Dog age in human years is a bit of fun, don't get wrong. However, this is not a serious way of working out how best to understand and manage a canine companion.
What matters is your dog's life in terms of his happiness. Helping him to live as long as possible, in the best possible health.
We all know that healthy individuals are more likely to live longer than their unhealthy friends.
Your dog's health is dependent upon his genetics, his structure and his lifestyle.
To truly understand how to help a dog live longer, we need to look at each of these aspects individually. We need to go deeper!
What you feed your puppy from the time you bring him home, will have an influence on how healthy he is.
Giving a dog a restricted diet for the duration of their lifetime has been shown to increase their expected life span. This can also improve their quality of life by delaying the onset of conditions such as osteoarthritis.
One study even suggests that the rate of cancer in dogs is increased by being overweight or obese. Obesity increases the occurrences of several life limiting health problems, such as cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.
So, there are potentially life shortening results to your dog being overweight.
Therefore, limiting your dog's diet is a good way to help him to live longer.
Your dog's breed will have a dramatic influence on his life expectancy.
Several large studies have been carried out. These compared the mortality and longevity of different breeds of dogs, including cross breeds.
The data they gathered and analyzed was revealing. For example, it is clear to see that your dog's parentage has a huge impact on determining the length of a dog's life.
One good way of establishing a predicted longevity for a dog is to look at their life expectancy by breed.
For a variety of reasons, some breeds of dog will live considerably longer lives than their peers.
At the oldest end of the spectrum some breeds of dog are known to live as long as 17 years or more. On the other hand, some sadly depart before they even reach their 6th birthday.
I have put together a chart showing life expectancy by dog breed, based upon a couple of big scientific studies.
All of these breeds should live on average around 13 years or more.
All of whom sadly have lifespans that reach less than 7 years on average.
These short lifespans are sadly often related to inherited problems due to extreme conformation. These can include brachycephalia (flat faces), and bloat in dogs with deep chests. We'll look more at brachycephalic dogs in a moment.
The larger breeds on this short lifespan list also tend to be prone to heart problems.
Of course, many dogs are of mixed breed. You'll often hear people claim that 'mutts' live longer than purebred dogs. But is it really true? How long do Mutts live compared with purebred dogs?
Do Mutts Live Longer Than Purebred Dogs?
In a study looking at body weight and breed, scientists analyzed data from both purebred and crossbred dogs. They found in a study of over 23,000 dogs, purebred dogs in the same body weight category as mutts, died younger.
Another study looked at the longevity of pet dogs. It focused on 5,095 confirmed deaths. This study found that on average mixed breed dogs live 1.2 years longer than their purebred counterparts.
in 2018, a Japanese study of companion dogs further confirmed a couple of things. Firstly, that the life expectancy of companion dogs in Japan has increased over the last 30 years. Secondly, that crossbred dogs life expectancy is significantly greater than pure breed life expectancy.
However, your dog's breed or lack thereof isn't the only factor to be taken into account.
Smaller dogs on average have longer lives than their larger canine cousins.
In a 2013 study of thousands of dogs, a clear relationship was shown between a dog's size and his longevity. Increasing bodyweight negatively correlates with longevity.
A 2010 study of even bigger numbers looked at canine mortality. It found that of the 14 breeds who lived the longest, 21% were toy, 64% were small and 14% were medium sized dogs.
So, how long do little dogs live?
Well, on average, these top 14 lived at least 13.5 years.
Of the 11 breeds who lived for the shortest period of time, 55% were giant, 18% were large and 18% were medium.
However the final 18% in medium were made up of just two breeds, whose health has been compromised by their extreme structure.
The dogs in these lowest 11 breeds lived on average less than 8 years each.
We can conclude that in general bigger dogs do die younger than smaller dogs.
Your dog's structure will have a huge impact on his health. Often this will directly impact upon his longevity.
There is a real fashion in recent years for dogs with flat faces. Their profiles given them more human expressions, bigger eyes and a face which many find very endearing and hard to resist.
Unfortunately, flat faces or brachycephaly comes at a high price for the dogs in question.
We have seen that smaller dog breeds tend on average to live longer lives. So you may be surprised not to find any flat faced breeds in the list of longest living dogs. These are often smaller sized breeds too.
This is because their brachycephaly causes them life limiting problems. They have difficulty getting enough oxygen. The problems associated with this mean that these dogs do not often survive to anything approaching old age.
Bloat is a potentially fatal twisting of the stomach. It requires urgent veterinary intervention.
Emergency surgery may be needed to prevent the torsion from cutting off the blood supply to the tissues of the stomach.
Bloat is more common in dogs with deep chests, such as the Great Dane and St Bernard.
Some dog breeds are more predisposed to certain inherited diseases which can shorten their lifespans.
Fortunately, many of these genetic diseases now have health screening tests available for them.
Before you buy any breed of puppy, research the relevant health tests that their parents should have had. It is also a good idea to ask your potential breeder to show you evidence of their certificates before you invest your time, money and love in one of their pups.
Many people want to know what the effect of neutering a dog is on their longevity. Do neutered dogs live longer or shorter lives?
Unfortunately the evidence here is not clear cut.
Neutering is so common in the US as to be normal. In the States, unless you are a dog breeder, only irresponsible people fail to neuter their dogs.
This impacts upon the conclusions we can draw from retrospective studies. Because the dogs owned by more irresponsible owners are more likely to have accidents or pick up / suffer from avoidable diseases.
Neutering will prevent pyometra and mean that you don't have to deal with seasons. However, pyometra is curable if treated promptly, and seasons are at most semi-annual.
Neutering will also make a female dog more likely to suffer from certain incurable cancers, and from orthopedic problems. It may also lead to spay incontinence.
Neutering male dogs may make them more susceptible to some incurable cancers, and more likely to have orthopedic problems.
It is also worth noting that neutering will probably not actually improve an existing behavioral problem, and may even make it worse.
You can find out more about the impact of neutering on your dog's health in this article from The Labrador Site.
When you buy a puppy, it pays to know who their parents were.
This is one of the big benefits of Kennel Club registered puppies. You can see several generations back who the puppies parents were. In many cases even find things out about their temperament, health and even age of death.
You can also find out what their coefficient of inbreeding (COI) is. The COI is a percentage which shows you how many of the dogs in the past few generations were the same.
The lower the percentage, the less inbred the dog.
In a study on Dachshunds it was shown that the higher the level of inbreeding in a dog, the fewer puppies it had in each litter. Not only this, but of those litters more puppies were stillborn to those who were more inbred.
Whilst stillbirth won't impact upon the puppy you bring home unless you plan to breed from her yourself, it does suggest a health attribute when it comes in inbreeding. As do a couple of studies which have been carried out on wolves and wild dogs, that showed inbred populations have reduced longevity.
When you look for a puppy, search for one with a low COI value. This will be easier in some breeds than others, for example very numerous dogs like Labrador Retrievers will give more possibilities for mating and therefore have the potential for less inbred pedigrees.
There are a lot of misconceptions and concerns surrounding vaccination for puppies. Concerned owners not wanting to subject their dogs in case their choice backfires.
However, vaccinating dogs save lives.
Thirty years ago puppies died in their droves from diseases which are now totally avoidable, thanks to vaccinations.
If you vaccinate your puppy, he will be protected from some scary conditions which could potential cut his life off in its prime.
You can find out more about puppy vaccinations in this article.
How you treat your dog once he has joined you will have an influence on his longevity.
Such as the likelihood of your puppy getting into an accident. Having her ride in a secure part of the vehicle, such as a dog crate, or using a doggy seat belt, will keep her safer during a crash.
Great training will also help to prevent accidents. A rock solid recall command can avoid opportunities for your dog to go missing and encounter traffic or other dangerous scenarios.
Dogs who are well treated stay healthier. Keeping your puppy at the right weight, giving them the correct amount of exercise and making sure that routine health care is kept up to date are important.
Not just vaccinations, but worming, flea treating and regular check ups at the vet can help your dog to stay healthier for longer.
While the average lifespan of a dog is 11 to 12 years, dog life expectancy depends upon a large number of factors.
These include his breed, size, genetics, structure, diet, exercise, vaccinations and your own lifestyle.
The answer to the question "how long do dogs live?" is anything from 5 to 15 years depending on the breed of dog you have chosen, but you do have a choice.
This wide difference between the lifespan of different breeds is largely due to the health issues that we humans have created in our dogs. And you can influence your dog's lifespan by picking the breed of dog you bring into your life based on health.
Take good care of your dog and pick a breed with a healthy genetic background, and you can hope to have around 13 happy years together.
Have you got a question about your dog's life expectancy? Let us know in the comments.
Adams, V.J., Evans, K.M., Sampson, J., Wood, J.L.N. 2010 Methods and mortality results of a health survey of purebred dogs in the UK. Journal of Small Animal Practice. 51, 512-524.
Laikre, L. & Ryman, N. (2005) Inbreeding Depression in a Captive Wolf. Conservation Biology. 5 (1) 33-40.
O'Neil, D.G., Church, D.B., McGreevy, P.D., Thomson, P.C., Brodbelt, D.C. 2013. Longevity and mortality of owned dogs in England. The Veterinary Journal.
Mai INOUE, Nigel C. L. KWAN, Katsuaki SUGIURA, 2018. Estimating the life expectancy of companion dogs in Japan using pet cemetery data, Journal of Veterinary Medical Science.


Bibby Offshore, the leading subsea services provider to the oil and gas industry, has appointed Dorothy Shepherd as general manager, renewables.
Mrs Shepherd joins Bibby Offshore with more than 15 years' experience in the energy industry. Having spent a significant time at The Crown Estate - a key player in supporting the delivery of energy supply for the UK - Mrs Shepherd brings with her a wealth of offshore renewables knowledge, including the delivery of new developments and supporting infrastructure.
In her new role, Mrs Shepherd will be instrumental in the delivery of new business in the renewables sector. The position includes supporting existing business development and tendering efforts, while collaborating with Bibby Offshore's sister companies Bibby Marine Services, which offer SOV and Walk to Work vessels and Bibby HydroMap, which offer a range of seabed survey services.
Graeme Wood, business optimisation director at Bibby Offshore, said: "Renewables has been a key element of Bibby Offshore's strategic growth plan for a number of years, and Mrs Shepherd's appointment demonstrates the importance that we attribute to this market as a potential source of revenue in the future.


2. for primary research studies including older adults hospitalised with medical, non-surgical admissions, which outcomes relating to physical activity and sedentary behaviour should be measured? Are these the same/different to routine clinical practice?
Establishment Grant, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University.
For the purposes of this study, our definition of "acute medical illness" does not include: "elective" or planned admissions, an admission for which surgery is the main form of treatment, admission for a mental health condition. The acute hospital setting refers to: a place providing 24-hour care for people who are unwell and had an unplanned admission, this could be a public or private hospital. It does not include: hospitals (or wards within an acute hospital) that are for rehabilitation, surgery only, palliative care, respite or recuperation, or long term care or residential nursing home facilities for older adults.
Target sample of 50 representatives across stakeholder groups (aim for consumers to have 20% representation). Researchers identified from corresponding author list of publications included in existing relevant review articles, invitations to represent particular fields of research, and, nomination from other invited panel members. Clinical experts identified through medical, nursing and physiotherapy professional associations in Australia, UK, USA and Canada. Policy (guideline) developers identified from the Australian, UK, USA and Canadian physical activity guidelines for older adults. Consumers (supported by caregivers as required) responding to advertising within Australia.
Up to 4 survey rounds running for 3 weeks at a time, new rounds distributed every 6-8 weeks. Open ended questions in round 1 (following pilot testing of round 1 survey). Rounds 2-4 to include open ended and closed questions as required, moving to rating with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) scale as used in other Delphi studies. Thus the 9-point scale will be divided into 3 categories: not Important (1-3), important but not critical (4-6), and critical (7-9). Consensus will be defined a priori as: =70% of respondents rating an item as "critical" (score =7) and =15% of respondents rating an item as "not important" (score =3). 'Unable to score' options will also be provided.
Retention to be facilitated by targeted pre-participation survey (intent to participate) and weekly reminders for survey completion. Feedback on previous rounds provided in the form of individual feedback (view previous responses) and group aggregates.
Survey management and distribution using the Qualtrics platform.
Ethics approval obtained from Flinders University SBREC: application number 8254.


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Spotify's Newest Non-Genre
Abby Love and Danica Jordan
On Dec. 1, the long-awaited Spotify Wrapped arrived, telling listeners stats like their top songs, artists, listening time and more. It was not without its criticism, however. From the frankly quite hideous graphic design to a questionable genre. Among the top five genres of the year, some listeners received the "Dream SMP" as a genre.
If you're out of the loop, the Dream SMP is a Minecraft server started by Minecraft YouTuber Dream and his friends. Since its creation, the server has created a complex storyline where streamers act out "lore" live on Twitch and YouTube. Over quarantine, the Dream SMP has gained a massive fanbase, with live viewer counts in the hundreds of thousands. TommyInnit, one of the main streamers on the server, earned a Guinness World Record for the most live viewers of a Minecraft livestream with 650,237 live viewers on one of his Dream SMP streams. YouTuber Technoblade got an even higher viewer count on his YouTube stream, with around 850,000 live viewers. The SMP has also inspired masses of fan content, including songs, art, writing, and animatics.
However, along with this enormous group of fans, the Dream SMP has attracted just as large a group of antis, who for various reasons are not just non-fans of the SMP, but actively hate on its content creators and those who enjoy it. This is largely an effect of the "cancel culture" phenomenon. Many of the streamers on the Dream SMP have been "canceled," or deemed problematic by the people of Twitter for things such as old tweets that have been dug up. But beyond that, the Dream SMP has also been a victim of bandwagon hate, with people really just hating on it because it's popular.
But for whatever reason, Spotify decided that this fandom in particular would get its own genre on the app. According to Google, a genre is "a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter." The main problem with this "genre" that Spotify has created is that, simply put, it can't be a genre. It's not cohesive when it comes to the form or style of the music these artists are producing, and especially not subject matter. Considering the name of this category, it would be expected that all of the songs are about the Dream SMP and that all of the artists do, in fact, write about a Minecraft server in their songs, but that's just not the case. The only artists listed that do write about the Dream SMP are Derivakat, who found a following through her fan songs, and CG5, who (at the time of writing) has two songs labeled as "original DSMP songs" and one song labeled as an "original Dream Team song."
So why are artists being put in this category? Well, there isn't one answer that applies to every one. The Minecraft soundtrack was pretty obviously added because the Dream SMP is a Minecraft server, no questions there. At least three have probably been added because the artists are directly involved in the main lore on the DSMP (Dream, Tubbo, and Wilbur Soot), but Corpse Husband may have also been added to this "genre" for a similar reason— he's not part of the lore, but Corpse has occasionally been on the server— bringing the total to four. Beyond his fan songs, CG5 is also one of two artists (Him and Alec Benjamin) who were more than likely added due to their collaborations with artists who are also content creators of the DSMP (CG5 featured on Tubbo's first song, "Life By The Sea" and Alec Benjamin collaborated with Dream on "Change My Clothes.")
After that, it gets a bit more complex. Lemon Demon and the soundtracks from Undertale and Deltarune were both probably added because of Ranboo, a streamer on the SMP who regularly plays Lemon Demon in the background of his streams and who has used songs from Undertale in his lore in the past. Lovejoy, an indie rock band from Britain, is entirely unaffiliated with the DSMP aside from the fact that their lead vocalist is none other than Wilbur Soot. More than likely, this was all that was needed for Spotify to lump them into this category. Glass Animals, on the other hand, was most likely added to the list due to their song "Heat Waves," after a fanfiction by the same name involving members of the DSMP exploded in fame (or, perhaps, infamy) online.
It's clear there's an issue here. The so-called Dream SMP "genre" simply cannot be a genre. It's disjointed and not really unified around any idea these artists all write about. The biggest issue, however, is with Spotify's choice to lump artists such as Alec Benjamin, Lemon Demon and Glass Animals into this genre. Fans of these artists who have absolutely no interest in the Dream SMP are having this genre show up on their Spotify Wrapped, and what about people who listen to video game soundtracks such as Undertale and Minecraft's? Not everyone who likes Minecraft is interested in the Dream SMP, and that's something that Spotify clearly overlooked. In their attempt to "appeal to the teens," Spotify is clearly upsetting non-fans of the Dream SMP by lumping the artists they actually listen to into this sad attempt at a genre.
This isn't the only unconventional genre that Spotify has invented for Wrapped. Spotify has over 5000 different "genres" in their database. These vary from traditional genres like "Rock" or "Pop" to things like "Bubblegrunge," "Glitchcore," "Boogie-Woogie," "British Invasion," and even "Ninja." It's clear Spotify is trying to get as specific as possible in describing different kinds of music, but after a certain point it just makes things more confusing. Genres can be helpful in sorting artists to better help a listener find similar music, but if you can't tell what "Weirdcore" even means, then what's the point?
But beyond weird names, it's odd that "Dream SMP" is the only fandom which has given a Spotify genre. Fan songs are not an uncommon thing to find for different content, so why aren't other things given their own categories?
This genre also does create an issue for some of the content creators on the SMP who also make music. For creators like Wilbur Soot in particular, his solo music and band shouldn't be forced into a category about his Minecraft content when it doesn't have anything to do with it despite him being part of it and his fans having similar tastes in music. And Lovejoy isn't just made up of Wilbur either. There's not a reason for the other members of the band to have their music put into this box that doesn't fit them.
Despite all of these issues, however, the outrage from unassuming antis who were told they listen to a lot of "Dream SMP" music is, admittedly, quite funny. People on TikTok and other social medias lamented about being too filled with shame to post their Spotify Wrapped statistics lest their followers find out the music they listen to is similar to those who enjoy watching Minecraft streamers.
This "Dream SMP" genre does raise some questions about Spotify and its categorization. Do we really need 5000+ genres? Should fandoms even have a genre? Is Spotify just trying really hard to appeal to the youth? No matter what, don't feel ashamed about having the Dream SMP in your top genres. It's not your fault that Spotify doesn't know what a genre is.
Mental, Physical, and Emotional: Keep Yourself Healthy
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Dear Discouraged Student
Among Us Update: And All the Things You Need to Know About It
What happened to Disneyland?
How to Keep Yourself Occupied and Electronic Free
Me Tight Pirate Pants: A voyage into a cryptic song from my childhood
Legends We've Lost in 2018
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The Gunston College Counseling Office maintains an extensive resource library for students and their families. In addition to course catalogs and viewbooks from hundreds of colleges and universities, our reference section contains a variety of general college guidebooks, information on financial aid, and test prep materials. Students are encouraged to utilize these resources any and every stage of the college application process. The links below lead to a wide variety of additional resources covering a number of different topics. We encourage families to use their Naviance account as their first step in the process.


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गुरुवार, 23 जानेवारी 2020 e-paper
Wind-temp: 3.12 m/s
Pressure-temp: 1017hpa
More-temp..
Asiatic lions at Rajiv Gandhi Zoo enthrall visitors
सोमवार, 10 एप्रिल 2017
Sunday was a busy day at Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park in Katraj, as Punekars visited in large numbers to see the pair of Asiatic Lions, Subhi and Tejas, that were unveiled to the public.
The pair was brought to the zoo at the end of December 2016. These are the only pure breed Asiatic Lions in Maharashtra.
As it was a holiday, the zoo was crowded with people of all age groups, locals as well as tourists. While there were many who had specially come to the zoo to see the lions, there were also those who were just visiting since it was a Sunday. As the lions, Subhi (female) and Tejas (male), paced in their trench, people, young and adult alike, were enthralled to see them.
Novelty for Punekars
Ashish Rahurkar, an IT professional visiting the zoo with his wife, said that he had planned the visit to the zoo as a Sunday out plan, but was delighted to see the pair of lions, as he hadn't seen one in his lifetime.
Ranjana Ashok Shinde, a housewife, who had come to the zoo with her teenage son, said, "I have come today especially to show my son the new lions brought to the zoo. I really appreciate the decision of the zoo to get lions, as my son hasn't seen a lion before, and neither have I."
Good response
Speaking to Sakal Times, Zoo Director Rajkumar Jadhav said that the footfalls to the zoo this Sunday was certainly greater than the past few weekends. "Today, 9,950 people visited the zoo. We are expecting the number to increase a lot in coming days, as awareness about the tigers increase and children's summer vacations begin," said Jadhav.
The security officials said that the crowd was unusually excited and happy to see the lions and they had to monitor the lions' trench throughout the day to make the crowd move away.
The lions are presently kept in the White Tiger's trench in the zoo. Jadhav added, "We are planning to build a separate trench for them, however, work for the same has not yet started. We are expecting it to be ready withing a year's time."
Dos and Don'ts to follow in the zoo
Rajkumar Jadhav, Zoo Director, on what not to do while visiting the lions and all other animals in the zoo:
- Rules on the dos and don'ts of the zoo have been displayed right at the main entrance, however, we find many who do not follow them.
- People should follow these rules if they wish to see these animals in their natural setting.
- Trying to seek the attention of these animals by shouting or any other behaviour would not serve that purpose.
- Moreover, such actions are seen as a crime under the Wildlife Protection Act. People should behave in a civilised manner in the zoo.
'गोमंतक' विषयी..
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Dream Dancing comes from way back to win Del…
Dream Dancing comes from way back to win Del Mar Oaks
In a photo provided by Benoit Photo, Collected and jockey Martin Garcia, right, outleg Arrogate, left, with Mike Smith, to win the Grade I, $1 million TVG Pacific Classic horse race Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017, at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. (Benoit Photo via AP)
By Art Wilson | |
PUBLISHED: August 20, 2017 at 12:08 am | UPDATED: August 21, 2017 at 9:07 am
DEL MAR >> For Julie Stormfelt, trainer Mark Casse's assistant, her first trip on the road with a horse turned out to be an exhilarating experience.
Casse's Dream Dancing closed from 10th in the 12-horse Del Mar Oaks on Saturday to get up and win a three-horse photo finish by a nose over Beau Recall, who held second by a neck over 7-2 favorite Madam Dancealot.
Dream Dancing, the 6-1 fourth choice, won for the fourth time in 12 starts and the third time in seven races in 2017.
A change in strategy helped after a seventh-place finish in the Grade III Lake George at Saratoga on July 21.
"The last time I rode her, I asked her at the three-eighths (pole) and she got a little weary at the end," jockey Julien Leparoux said. "This time I tried to wait as long as I could and she was still strong at the finish.
"This feels good. A win is a win, no matter where you get it."
Said Stormfelt: "There was a very good pace up front, which she likes. She has more than one run and a very good kick, and when I saw her coming down the stretch I was just screaming, very happy … it's nice to be a winner."
Dream Dancing, a daughter of the prolific sire Tapit, was still seventh at the head of the stretch after 28-1 longshot pacesetter Blame It On Alphie set swift fractions of 23.61, 47.27 and 1:11.63 for the 1 1/8-mile Grade I turf race for 3-year-old fillies.
Beau Recall and Madam Dancealot also closed from far back, with Beau Recall coming from eighth and Madam Dancealot from last in the $300,000 race.
"I've had my fair share of bad beats in my career, but this one has to rank up there," Beau Recall's rider, Joe Talamo, said. "Nasty. I had a good trip, she fought when that other filly (Dream Dancing) came up outside her, but we just got beat."
Con Te Partiro, who came into the race off a 1 1/4-length victory in the Sandringham Handicap at Ascot on June 21, went postward as the 7-2 second choice and ran well, but not well enough.
"She was going nice and easy over on the backside," jockey Flavien Prat said. "Then she came with a nice move late. Just not good enough today."
The winning time was 1:48.06 as Leparoux scored his ninth career Del Mar Stakes victory. It was Casse's fifth.
Prat on the Hunt
The Philip D'Amato-trained Hunt followed up his one-length victory in the Grade II Eddie Read Stakes at Del Mar on July 22 with a three-quarter length win in the $250,000 Grade II Del Mar Handicap under Prat.
The 3-1 third choice rallied from fourth to beat 5-2 favorite Itsinthepost, who finished a head in front of Flamboyant in the "Win and You're In" Breeders' Cup Challenge race.
Winning time for the 1 3/8 miles on turf was 2:14.93 and gave Hunt his second victory in three tries this year. He's won seven of 23 overall.
Art Wilson
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