text:
10 new tax traps to watch out for in 2014
6 min read Published February 10, 2014
Kay Bell
Written by Kay Bell Contributing tax editor
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10 tax traps to avoid in 2014
Taxpayers in 2014 don't have to worry about a lot of tax surprises. The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 enacted on Jan. 2, 2013, made many existing tax laws permanent and extended other provisions through 2013.
But even in the most stable tax and political environments, there's always something to worry about when it comes to taxes.
Here are 10 tax traps you need to watch out for in 2014.
1. Get ready to wait early in the year
The federal government shut down for 16 days last October, but taxpayers are still paying for it. The IRS says Jan. 31, 2014, is the earliest it will be ready to process individual tax returns.
You can go ahead and submit your return electronically as soon as you're ready; your e-filer will hold it until the IRS is ready to accept returns.
If you're eligible for Free File, that IRS-software manufacturer partnership opens for filers on Jan. 17. If, however, you file a paper return, the IRS encourages you to wait until Jan. 31 to mail it.
2. Get ready to wait later in the year
Every year or so, some temporary tax provisions are renewed by Congress. In recent years, however, lawmakers have let the laws expire and then renewed them retroactively, most recently in the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, also known as the "fiscal cliff" tax bill. Expect a replay in 2014. Fifty-five tax provisions expired on Dec. 31, 2013. This doesn't affect your 2013 tax return, but tax planning for 2014 will be a different story.
Consideration of these so-called extenders has been complicated by possible overall tax reform and budget considerations, as well as the political intentions of key Capitol Hill players. Leaders of both parties on the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance tax-writing committees want to, among other approaches, extend the expired tax laws as a package ASAP, look at each now-dead tax provision separately, focus on tax reform first or roll the extenders into a larger tax overhaul bill.
Uncle Sam could bring in billions by letting some or all of the extenders fade away. That would mean, however, that individual taxpayers would lose such popular tax breaks as the itemized deduction for state and local sales taxes, the above-the-line deductions for tuition and fees and educators' out-of-pocket classroom expenses. The longer lawmakers wait to make any decision on extenders, the harder it will be to plan and implement your 2014 tax strategy.
3. Watch for added taxes if you're wealthy
The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 was not kind to wealthier taxpayers, and they will find out the extent of the damage when they file their 2013 returns.
In addition to paying a top ordinary tax rate of 39.6 percent if, as a single filer, your taxable income is more than $400,000 ($450,000 for married couples filing jointly), you could face added taxes.
The most dreaded is the new net investment income tax of 3.8 percent, also known as the Medicare surtax because the money goes toward that health coverage program for older Americans. The tax applies to either your modified adjusted gross income or net investment income, whichever is lower, if you earn more than $200,000 as a single taxpayer or $250,000 as a married joint return filer.
The net investment income tax will not only take a bite out of taxpayers' bank accounts, but also cause headaches for high-income earners and their tax professionals working through the tax regulations. Topping it off, single taxpayers who make more than $250,000 and jointly filing couples making more than $300,000 will see their personal exemptions and itemized deduction total reduced.
4. Sign up for medical insurance
The Affordable Care Act will continue to roll out in 2014, meaning that uninsured individuals have some choices to make that could have tax implications. Enrollment for health insurance under Obamacare, as the health reform act is popularly known, goes through March 31, 2014.
If you don't buy an insurance plan, you could face a penalty. The charge for 2014 is either 1 percent of your yearly household income or $95 per uninsured adult and $47.50 per child, up to $285 for a family. You pay whichever amount is higher.
If you get insurance for part of the year, your penalty will be prorated. You'll pay the penalty when you file your 2014 tax return in 2015. If you're getting a refund, the IRS will subtract your ACA penalty from the amount you were to get back.
If your refund isn't large enough to cover the penalty, the IRS will send you a bill. Ignore that and the tax agency will take the amount out of future tax refunds.
5. Same-sex married couples: File jointly
Married same-sex couples now have the same federal tax filing responsibilities as heterosexual couples. Following the Supreme Court invalidation of the Defense of Marriage Act, the IRS instructed same-sex married couples to file jointly or as a married couple filing separately even if the state where they live does not recognize their marriage.
This will simplify same-sex couples' federal filings, but if they must pay state income taxes, depending on their state's law, they could still face filing two state returns as single taxpayers.
6. Claim the home office deduction
The recession has prompted many workers to start their own businesses, many of which are run from their homes. There's good filing news for these entrepreneurs. For 2013 returns filed in 2014, the IRS is now offering a simplified home office deduction.
The new optional deduction is $5 for each square foot of home office space, up to a maximum of 300 square feet. That comes to a maximum $1,500 annual home office deduction. The IRS estimates that this option will save home-office filers who claim it's an estimated 1.6 million hours of paperwork and record keepings collectively.
Instead of filling out Form 8829, you'll use a worksheet in the Schedule C instruction book and enter your simplified home-office deduction amount on Schedule C.
While the new deduction option will be welcomed by many, note that the requirements to qualify as a home office still apply. For instance, the office space must be used regularly and exclusively for business.
7. Keep an eye on IRS troubles
The IRS is proposing new regulations for groups seeking 501(c)(4) nonprofit status. This designation was the focus of a Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigation of IRS handling of Tea Party-affiliated organizations seeking the preferable tax status.
During subsequent congressional hearings, it was learned that more liberal, progressive groups also were targeted by IRS reviewers. The IRS is proposing limits on these so-called social welfare groups' spending on political campaign-related activities.
Expect continued debate on the groups' activities and IRS oversight before any final regulations are issued. Also look for Congress to restart hearings into IRS activity in the tax-exempt organization area as the 2014 election campaigns heat up.
And stay tuned for any changes John Koskinen, a retired corporate restructuring expert who was confirmed Dec. 20, by the Senate as IRS commissioner, might make in his new job.
8. Pay attention to tax preparer regulation
The IRS effort to regulate professional tax preparers will continue in 2014, both in the court system and on Capitol Hill. The agency wants to register all tax preparers who aren't already subject to certain standards (that is, attorneys, Enrolled Agents or CPAs) and require they pass competency exams and take continuing education classes.
The IRS believes this will help reduce incorrectly and fraudulently filed returns. Three tax pros filed a federal lawsuit against the IRS, winning the first court round. An appellate court decision is pending.
Meanwhile, legislation has been filed in the House to give the IRS statutory authority to regulate tax preparers. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus also has suggested such preparer oversight in his tax reform working drafts.
A final decision on tax preparer standards could come in 2014, affecting taxpayers who seek professional help in fulfilling their tax responsibilities.
9. Watch out for tax reform
The last overhaul of the federal tax code was in 1986. Will we finally see major changes in the Internal Revenue Code in 2014? Probably not. Will we hear a lot of talk about tax reform? Yes. It is an election year and talk of taxes makes for good campaign ads.
Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., and Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., are insistent that there will be some tax reform before they leave the chairmanships of, respectively, the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees. Both have led a cross-country tour to solicit public input on tax reform, as well as set up a website on the topic.
Camp has focused on 11 specific tax reform working groups. Baucus also has coordinated tax reform option papers and recently released some of his ideas in discussion drafts.
10. Check out inflation adjustments
One thing we do know for sure for 2014, inflation had a nominal effect on around 40 tax provisions. Most notable is that income brackets were widened a tad, meaning you can earn a bit more next year without being bumped into a higher tax bracket.
Most people claim the standard deduction, and those amounts for each filing status in 2014 were increased slightly, as was the personal exemption amount, going from $3,900 to $3,950.
However, the amounts you can contribute to your workplace pension plan and individual retirement account in 2014 have stayed the same as in 2013.
See what's next
Some taxes can lower your IRS bill
Tracking down your tax refund
Is Health Reimbursement Arrangement taxed?
Alimony affects taxes
Tax filing for couples
Deferring rental income
More On Taxes:
How to adjust your withholding
FSA saves money, cuts taxes
How to choose a tax preparer
Read more from Kay
10 year-end tax moves to make now to lighten your tax load in 2017
12 tempting tax tips for 2012
10 tasty tax tips for 2011
10 astute tax moves in 2010


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Q: Using psexec.exe in jenkins, handle is invalid I am using Jenkins on a Windows7 system. I would like to use it to execute a batch script on a remote Windows system. The batch script will be used to flash a development board and run some tests. I came across psexec.exe. That works well through a command prompt window--I can connect and run the script without any issues, but when I try to have Jenkins do it, I get the following output:
PsExec v2.11 - Execute processes remotely
Copyright (C) 2001-2014 Mark Russinovich
Sysinternals - www.sysinternals.com

The handle is invalid.
Connecting to ABCDEFG...

Couldn't access ABCDEFG:
Connecting to ABCDEFG...

Build step 'Execute Windows batch command' marked build as failure

The command I am using in both cases is:
    psexec.exe \\ABCDEFG -u "DOMAIN\username" -p "password" "C:\test.bat"
The user associated with username has administrator privileges on the remote system (ABCDEFG is not the real name of the system).
Can anyone help me figure out why it is not working through Jenkins? Or, is there an easier/better way to execute a batch script on a remote Windows system through Jenkins?

A: Thanks to all your help, especially Technext, I have a solution.
I needed run "services.msc", find "Jenkins", right click on it, and go to "Properties". Once the properties windows appeared, I had to click the "Stop" button to stop Jenkins, open the "Log On" tab, enter in my username and password (the username I used when running through command prompt), and start Jenkins again. That got rid of the "handle is invalid" message in Jenkins.
Update:
A better solution was to go onto the system I was using psexec.exe to get onto, go to Control Panel > User Accounts > Give other users access to this computer. Click on "Add..." and type in the username and domain Jenkins uses to run its commands (to find this, open your Jenkins in a browser window, go to Manage Jenkins > System Information and look for USERNAME and USERDOMAIN under Environment Variables). Make sure you give it Administrator rights. Then click ok. Now psexec.exe shouldn't have the "handle is invalid" issue.

A: Sorry, I don't have enough reputation for comments, but is the single \ a typo? Since

The handle is invalid.

probably means that the computer address is invalid. Try
 psexec.exe \\ABCDEFG -u "DOMAIN\username" -p "password" "C:\test.bat"

Notice the two backslashes to access a locally mapped computer.
otherwise if that does not work i recommend the @ tag
psexec.exe @servername.txt -u "DOMAIN\username" -p "password" "C:\test.bat"

where @servername.txt is a textfile containing only the servernames, one per line. The file parameter handles the formatting of \
ex servername.txt
ABCDEFG
COMPUTER2

EDIT: also found after some quick googling that it can be related to windows security.

A: Check out that a simple restart of the remote machine doesn't solve the problem. Also, adding parameters -h and -accepteula may help. Modified command:
psexec.exe \\ABCDEFG -u "DOMAIN\username" -p "password" -h -accepteula "C:\test.bat"

A: I execute below code from Jenkins pipeline groovy script to connect dynamically created VM as a resource on Jenkins master. Below code connect dynamically created VM as resource on Jenkins master with 4 executors. You can change the number of executors based on your requirement.
    bat label: 'ConnectResource', script: """
    @echo OFF

    C:\\apps\\tools\\psexec \\\\${machine_ip} -u ${machine_ip}\\${machine_username} -p ${machine_password} -accepteula -d -h -i 1 cmd.exe /c "cd C:\\apps\\jenkins\\ & java -jar C:\\apps\\jenkins\\swarm.jar -master http://pnlv6s540:8080 -username ${jenkins_user_name} -password ${jenkins_user_password} -name ${machine_ip}_${BUILD_NUMBER} -labels ${machine_ip}_${BUILD_NUMBER} -deleteExistingClients -disableClientsUniqueId -executors 4" & ping 127.0.0.1 -n 60 > nul
    """

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Portage Around Our Dams
Fishing and Boating Below Rocky Reach
Slice Power Sales
Hydropower /
Rocky Reach Dam /
The Rocky Reach Hydro Project is located in north central Washington state on the Columbia River, about seven miles upstream from the city of Wenatchee. By river, the dam is 215 miles below the Canadian border, and 473 miles above the mouth of the Columbia at Astoria, Ore.
People throughout the Northwest benefit from clean, renewable energy produced at Rocky Reach. The project is also nationally recognized for efforts to protect the environment. A first-of-its-kind juvenile fish bypass system was completed in 2003 to help young salmon and steelhead on their way to the ocean. A major powerhouse upgrade started in 1995 includes new turbines that are more fish friendly. Improvements to turbines and generators are also designed to improve efficiency and reliability.
Quick facts about the Rocky Reach Hydro Project:
Length of dam: 1694'
Height of dam: 125'
11 generators
Generator nameplate capacity is 1,300 megawatts
Dam contains 12 spillway gates
Original construction started in 1956
Commercial operation 1961 (seven generators)
Four generators added in 1969 - 71
Project license expires in the year 2052
Hydro Project Background
The Rocky Reach site has long been recognized for its hydroelectric potential. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers first considered the site in its 1934 "308 Report." In the 1950s, the site became the focus of extensive studies by the PUD. Geological contour maps were studied, construction costs were estimated, and lengthy computations on such things as the forces and stresses a dam would have on the surrounding area were made.
The original site selected for the Rocky Reach Project by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was about one mile upriver from where the dam is today. The present site was found to have superior rock for anchoring the dam, and the river channel is narrower at that location.
Powerhouse Rehabilitation
In 2006, the PUD completed a major upgrade of the powerhouse. Starting in 1995, the District installed new adjustable-blade turbine runners on all 11 generating units and also rehabilitated unit generators. The work improves the efficiency and reliability of the hydro plant. The end result is more power generation, higher revenues and lower maintenance costs. In addition, the new turbine runners are "fish friendly," designed to reduce juvenile salmon and steelhead mortality.
The Rocky Reach Project was developed over a period of about 15 years. Construction of the dam and original powerhouse with seven generating units began in 1956 for the purpose of power production and flood control. The addition of four more units began in 1969 after ratification of the Columbia River Treaty between the United States and Canada. The additional units were installed primarily to make use of stored water released from reservoirs in Canada and the Libby Dam reservoir in Montana.
The District received a preliminary permit for the Project from the Federal Power Commission (FPC) on Aug. 10, 1954. An application to construct and operate the dam was filed with the same agency on Jan. 13, 1956. The Federal Power Commission issued a license to build the Project six months later, on July 12, 1956. Construction of the dam and original powerhouse began on Oct. 2, 1956 under the supervision of the District's engineering design firm, Stone and Webster Engineering Corporation. The immediate task was the installation of cofferdams to seal off the area designated for the spillway from the river flow during low water. Following spillway construction, the powerhouse was built. A total of 3.3 million cubic yards of dirt and rock were moved during the five-year initial construction. Employment peaked at 2,184 in July 1959. The initial seven generating units were placed in commercial operation on Nov. 1, 1961, six months ahead of schedule.
On Sept. 1, 1966, the District filed an application with the Federal Power Commission to amend the Project License to add four generating units. The FPC issued the license amendment May 23, 1968. The second phase of construction began April 22, 1969, and was completed Dec. 1, 1971. The expansion work increased the power plant's generating capability by 60 percent, from 815,000 kilowatts to 1.287 million kilowatts. The generator nameplate capacity was increased to 1,300 megawatts after the 1995 to 2006 rehabilitation project
The Project was financed through the sale of revenue bonds. A revenue bond is a pledge of future revenues generated by the project to repay debt. No tax money was used. The original project, which cost $273.1 million, was financed with a $23.1 million bond issue completed in November 1956 to allow for an early construction start. It was followed by a completion bond issue of $250 million in January 1958.
Included in the Project costs were the relocation of a rail line, highways, land acquisition, relocation of the Town of Entiat, and financing. The subsequent powerhouse expansion and addition of four generating units completed in 1971 were financed by a revenue bond issue of $40 million, sold in July 1968.
Power from the Rocky Reach Project is delivered to the District's Distribution System at 115,000 volts. Other 230,000-volt transmission lines deliver energy to the Project's power purchasers. Power also flows into the regional grid of the Bonneville Power Administration.
The hydraulic turbines consist of huge water wheels that resemble ship propellers. They are turned by the water flow and connected to the electricity-producing generators by large steel shafts. All 11 units at the Rocky Reach Project are equipped with adjustable blade turbines. Their design allows the turbines to maintain maximum operating capacity and efficiency despite variations in the river flow and generator output.
Spillway Gates
The crest of the reservoir can be regulated by 12 spillway gates, which open individually and allow water to pass through separate spillway bays. The gates pass water seasonally that is surplus to power generation needs, or as required for assisting fish in their downstream migration.
Hours & Free Admission
Open Tuesday - Saturday, 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m
Rocky Reach Park and Playground now open year-round!
5000 State Hwy 97A

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
#ifndef AXMenuListPopup_h
#define AXMenuListPopup_h

#include "modules/accessibility/AXMockObject.h"

namespace blink {

class AXObjectCacheImpl;
class AXMenuListOption;
class HTMLElement;

class AXMenuListPopup final : public AXMockObject {
public:
    static PassRefPtrWillBeRawPtr<AXMenuListPopup> create(AXObjectCacheImpl& axObjectCache) { return adoptRefWillBeNoop(new AXMenuListPopup(axObjectCache)); }

    bool isEnabled() const override;
    bool isOffScreen() const override;

    void didUpdateActiveOption(int optionIndex);
    void didShow();
    void didHide();
    AXObject* activeChild();

private:
    explicit AXMenuListPopup(AXObjectCacheImpl&);

    bool isMenuListPopup() const override { return true; }

    LayoutRect elementRect() const override { return LayoutRect(); }
    AccessibilityRole roleValue() const override { return MenuListPopupRole; }

    bool isVisible() const override;
    bool press() const override;
    void addChildren() override;
    void updateChildrenIfNecessary() override;
    bool computeAccessibilityIsIgnored(IgnoredReasons* = nullptr) const override;

    AXMenuListOption* menuListOptionAXObject(HTMLElement*) const;
    int getSelectedIndex() const;

    // Note that this may be -1 if nothing is selected.
    int m_activeIndex;
};

DEFINE_AX_OBJECT_TYPE_CASTS(AXMenuListPopup, isMenuListPopup());

} // namespace blink

#endif // AXMenuListPopup_h

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Police kill armed robber leaving two injured
The Local/AFP
policewegarobberyarmed
Armed Austrian police officers. Photo: YouTube screenshot
At least two policemen were wounded, one seriously, in a shootout between armed police and an alleged supermarket robber on Saturday evening in Vienna. The suspect is reported to have been killed.
The incident is reported by news daily Heute to have taken place around 6:10 p.m. at a branch of the Billa supermarket chain in Hütteldorferstraße.
According to local witnesses, the event took place near the Hanusch hospital. Two employees are believed to have been held at gunpoint in the supermarket after it was closed.
The dead robber has been identified as a Bosnian man (49), who is a suspect in at least two previous robberies. He was armed with a pistol with a silencer, and was described by police spokesman Paul Eidenberger as "a professional."
Reports suggest two police officers were shot, with one being seriously injured with a head shot, and the other with a wound on his hip. A third officer was lightly injured.
The seriously wounded police officer was immediately taken to Vienna's general hospital by rescue helicopter for an emergency operation.
The Bosnian suspect is believed to have been shot and killed by the WEGA armed police unit, when they encountered him in a nearby stairwell.
Initial reports of an accomplice have been denied by a police spokesman. A police helicopter and armored vehicle were deployed for the operation.
Witnesses report a large area was cordoned off while police searched for a second suspect, with none found.
According to a spokesman, a silent alarm was trigged at 18:10, with the market normally closing at 18:00. A team of regular police responded immediately, cornering the suspect, who allegedly opened fire on them, wounding two officers, one seriously.
The suspect was able to briefly escape from the Billa market, but then encountered the WEGA armed response team, who fatally shot the man in a second gunfight.
Bank manager tied up and robbed in home invasion
Austrian police storm wrong apartment
Austria's answer to Bonnie and Clyde arrested this week
Calling a police officer 'dude' is a punishable offence in Austria
Police TV: Marketing ploy or a move to greater transparency?


text:
China has militarised the South China Sea and got away with it
It is not clear what the "consequences" are that America has promised
AsiaJun 21st 2018 edition
LESS than three years ago, Xi Jinping stood with Barack Obama in the Rose Garden at the White House and lied through his teeth. In response to mounting concern over China's massive terraforming efforts in the South China Sea—satellite images showed seven artificial islands sprouting in different spots—the country's president was all honey and balm. China absolutely did not, Mr Xi purred, "intend to pursue militarisation" on its islands. Its construction activities in the sea were not meant to "target or impact" any country.
As Steven Stashwick points out in the Diplomat, a journal on Asian affairs, these denials were always suspect, given the growing evidence of radar installations and bomber-sized bunkers made of reinforced concrete. Last month came the revelation that China had installed anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles on three islands in the Spratly archipelago west of the Philippines—far, far from its own shores. (Some or all of the Spratlys are claimed by Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.) That follows China's biggest ever naval review, in the South China Sea in April. Later in May China declared that several bombers had landed in the Paracel Islands, which it disputes with Vietnam. It seems only a matter of time, says Bill Hayton of Chatham House, a think-tank, before the final step in China's militarisation of the sea: the deployment of attack aircraft in the Spratlys.
While other claimants continue to dredge, expand and reinforce the islets they occupy, the scale of China's reclamation—which has slowed at last but which covers about 3,200 acres (1,300 hectares) in the Spratlys alone—dwarfs all the others' efforts put together. China had claimed to be serving the common good: making navigation safer by building lighthouses, for instance. That never rang true. For one thing, the reclamation is an ecological catastrophe. Reefs are crucial spawning grounds for the sea's fast-diminishing fisheries, which account for 12% of the global catch. China's recent actions further undermine its professions of altruism and redraw the strategic map. Admiral Philip Davidson, the new head of America's Indo-Pacific Command, says that "China is now capable of controlling the South China Sea in all scenarios short of war with the United States."
The question is what others will do about it. To date, Chinese expansionary tactics have for the most part involved incremental steps: moves not so provocative as to incite a response. One trick is not always to deploy the navy, but the coastguard and "maritime militias", when intimidating neighbours. That, as Andrew Erickson of America's Naval War College argues, has allowed China to get its way with less fuss. Presumably China thinks it can now get away with it again.
It may be right. Two years ago, a UN tribunal at The Hague ruled against China's grandiose territorial claims in the sea in a case brought by the Philippines. But Rodrigo Duterte, who had just become president, made it clear that he would put the case to one side. He has since sucked up to Mr Xi while often slamming America, his country's historical ally. The Philippines needs Chinese investment. Mr Duterte will even consider joint exploitation of gas reserves with China in disputed waters. The Philippines' existing gasfields may run out in the mid-2020s.
Compared with the Philippines, Vietnam has much more powerful armed forces. And as a communist state, like China, with a history of people's wars, it can counter China's militias with its own, made up of fishermen and other sailors. When China hauled an oil-exploration rig into Vietnamese waters, Vietnam eventually managed to get the rig to withdraw. In public, Vietnam takes a more robust stand against Chinese assertiveness.
That, however, hides behind-the-scenes discussions, which also include joint development. China is the giant. Neighbours have little choice but to rub along with it. Yet there are political risks. Bloody protests broke out in Vietnam during the stand-off in 2014, with anger directed not only at China but also at Vietnam's own rulers. There were more anti-Chinese protests earlier this month. And on June 12th, Philippine independence day, Mr Duterte was thrown off guard by protests over Chinese seizures of fish from Filipino vessels near Scarborough Shoal. In 2012 China reneged on a promise to withdraw from this reef, which is on the Philippine continental shelf, almost four times further from China than it is from the Philippines. Mr Duterte thought he had struck a deal to allow Filipino fishermen back. The Chinese claim the seizures were a mistake. But if Mr Duterte cannot show more fruit from his pro-China policy, says Jay Batongbacal of the University of the Philippines, the political cost will rise.
Untruth and non-consequences
As for America, President Donald Trump's administration appears to have a strategy of pressing China on several fronts, including trade and more robust support for Taiwan. It has rescinded China's invitation to annual naval drills off Hawaii, while inviting Vietnam instead. It has increased "freedom of navigation operations" in the South China Sea (sending vessels close to China's new islands) and persuaded France and Britain to conduct them too. Presumably the red line set by Mr Obama—no Chinese construction on Scarborough Shoal—still holds.
America's defence secretary, James Mattis, promised "larger consequences" if China does not change track. Yet for now Mr Xi, while blaming America's own "militarisation" as the source of tension, must feel he has accomplished much. He has a chokehold on one of the world's busiest shipping routes and is in a position to make good on China's claims to the sea's oil, gas and fish. He has gained strategic depth in any conflict over Taiwan. And, through the sheer fact of possession, he has underpinned China's fatuous historical claims to the South China Sea. To his people, Mr Xi can paint it all as a return to the rightful order. Right now, it is not clear what the larger consequences of that might be.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline "China has militarised the South China Sea and got away with it"


Please Explain podcast: Is the banking royal commission enough to make the big four change?
Royal reckoning: is it enough to make the banks change?
There were 68 days of public hearings, 134 witnesses, over 10,000 public submissions.
Australia's royal commission into misconduct in the financial services sector is officially over.
Royal commissioner Kenneth Hayne has made 24 referrals for criminal or civil action - and 76 recommendations that will result in a once-in-a-generation shake-up of the industry - but was it the great reckoning the public hoped for?
Some critics say the commission has squibbed it and hasn't gone far enough to fix a dysfunctional and structurally flawed system. Others say the recommendations will destroy their livelihoods.
Business reporter Sarah Danckert joins senior economics writer Jessica Irvine and senior economics correspondent Shane Wright to discuss the fallout from the 958 page report into the banking sector.
"I think we had been waiting for a big bombshell," Danckert said.
"There really wasn't a massive bombshell in it. But there were lots of interesting points in the report that will impact the system going forward."
Will we see anyone go to jail in line with the recommendations, asks Irving?
"Very unlikely," said Danckert, "and I think that's going to be very disappointing to the Australian public."
The scrutiny placed on superannuation products is due to increase with ASIC being handed powers to intervene, said Danckert, and enforce allegations of misconduct in the sector.
"That's what led to the great line by Michael Hodge during the royal commission: what do we do when people are alone in the dark with our money?'"
Irvine makes the point that most people don't think of banks as entities that are capable of being criminally charged.
However, Danckert points out, businesses and unions are frequently given criminal charges - it's a cultural barrier that means people have difficulty making such an association with a bank.
"Companies are criminally charged all the time - it's interesting that people baulk when people talk about a bank being criminally charged ... companies are criminally charged quite a lot, it's just that the banks haven't been," said Danckert.
Listen to us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts,Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.


This guide, partly in Icelandic, is meant to help you find your way in the library to the material you need for your research.
We are presently working on this guide so do not hesitate to come to the reference desk for further assistance.
Students and staff of The University of Iceland who have VPN (Virtual Private Network) in their computers can access the library´s subscriptions from home.
Where is the library stuff?
Books for circulation are on the 3rd and 4th floors of the library and reference material, which is not lent out, is on the 2nd floor.
Printed journals are on the 3rd floor but most of the library´s journals are available online.
Audiovisual material and sound recordings are on the 4th floor.
The libray material is classified in ten main classes of the Dewey Decimal Classification and shelved accordingly.


text:
BRISTOL SHOW 2010: Arcam develops sub-£300 standalone DAC
By What Hi-Fi Admin 2010-02-27T16:00:00Z
Forthcoming DAC will have optical, coaxial and USB connectivity
What you see here is a hand-made prototype, although it gives a clear indication of what the production version will look like.
It has USB, optical and coaxial digital connections, and a mains on/off switch on the back. The little silver button on the top allows you to toggle between the different inputs.
Dawson says Arcam has spent a lot of time and effort improving the performance of the USB connection.
The unit is expected to go on sale this summer for around £299.
Also on display on the Arcam stand here at the show is the Solo Neo wireless music streaming system, expected to sell for around £1400, and the £2500 AVR500 multichannel receiver, the younger brother to the AVR600.
Best headphone amplifiers 2020: budget and premium
Best noise-cancelling earbuds 2020: budget and premium
Best hi-fi systems 2020: micro, hi-fi, vinyl
Best stereo amplifiers 2020: budget and premium
Tidal review


Soulstice Day Spa is away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
A perfect remedy to cure the knots and tension in your body is to waltz into a day spa that reeks of peace and tranquility.
The Soulstice Day Spa facilities are ideal to enjoy as a couple or alone, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Manager Gill Power boasts that the spa is better than many others because of the air and the light, which is mainly blue.
"Often a lot of spas are dark and dingy, whereas this one is light and beautiful. It is also convenient enough because it's not far to travel to but you do feel like you are going out of the city," says Power.
The Sunday World team was invited to experience the tranquil surroundings at the Silverstar Casino complex in Krugersdorp.
With personalised lockers, a weather- appropriate gown and light refreshments the blue spa sets the tone for calmness.
A popular therapy is the traditional Turkish bath called the Rasul Chamber.
Get revived and close to nature at Tau Game Lodge.
This exfoliating and cleansing ritual uses pure, natural, medicinal mud to cleanse and detoxify the body.
This treatment is combined with steam to open pores and draw out impurities.
To complete the ceremony, a tropical rain shower washes away the mud pudding, providing an all-over cleansing, detoxifying and rejuvenating experience.
The 30-minute treatment is an experience for the senses.
"It's really popular with our couples," says Power.
The Rasul Chamber can accommodate up to six people at a time.
Among other wellness therapies are the floatation therapy, the hydro pool and Swiss shower.
Apart from the unique treatments there are traditional spa massages performed by well-trained therapists who ask about the type of music you would like to listen to during your session, and the pressure of the massage.
Before administering treatments, the therapists undergo an additional six weeks of internal training. This ensures that guests have a five-star experience at the hands of qualified and enthusiastic professionals.


Jean Rae Baxter (B.Ed. 71) has been referred to as a literary Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde because she writes crime fiction for adults and historical fiction for teens (jeanraebaxter.ca). However, when one looks at her careers put together, it is evident that her passions for teaching, literature, and history have been consistent and intertwined. When speaking to her, it is also abundantly clear that she is an educator at heart.
When Jean Rae completed her Bachelor of Education, Duncan McArthur Hall was brand new and McArthur College had just been renamed the Queen's Faculty of Education. Jean Rae had already completed Bachelor's and Master's degrees at University of Toronto, and was married with children. She taught English part-time at Queen's and for the government. When her son went to school full-time, she realized that a PhD was not feasible and decided that the "natural thing" was to do a Bachelor of Education in order to continue her teaching career.
Jean Rae grew up in Hamilton and her interest in Canada's past was awakened by family stories about her ancestors who had settled in Essex and Kent Counties on the north shore of Lake Erie. While teaching in Napanee, where the majority of the population is descended from United Empire Loyalists, her interests in Loyalist history led her to find out more about such figures as the Rev'd John Stuart, Sir William Johnson, and Molly Brant. At that time, she began to write short stories that grew out of her experiences as a teacher. As the grade 12 curriculum then included only biased American literature on the American Revolution, she also became determined to tell the history of the Loyalists from the Loyalist point of view.
Following her career as a teacher, Jean Rae returned to Hamilton and became a full-time author. Her first collection of short stories, A Twist of Malice, included the stories based on her experiences as a teacher and was published to critical acclaim in 2005. Her first historical novel about a courageous Loyalist girl during the period of the American Revolution, The Way Lies North, was released in the fall of 2007.
Jean Rae returned to crime for her second novel, Looking for Cardenio, and she published her second collection of short stories a few years later. For her third novel, she returned to historical fiction. Broken Trail follows some of the characters who appeared in The Way Lies North, focusing upon the plight of the native people during the American Revolution. Freedom Bound continues the story, exploring the history of the black loyalists, and the recently released The White Oneida returns to the native peoples and their efforts to negotiate and preserve their space in an evolving North America after the conclusion of the American Revolutionary War. Her fifth novel in the Loyalist series, Hope's Journey, has just been released. It is a story about family reunification, healing from the wounds of war, and beginning new life. Jean Rae's future writing projects include a novel set during the Rebellion of 1837, an important time in our history that few Canadians know much about.
Jean Rae's historical fiction is carefully researched and meant to be educational. She admitted that she is "teaching through" her books and, at the same time, her fiction is a result of her love for literature.
For more information, see jeanraebaxter.ca.


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"I Really Wanted To Be Wrong:" Broadchurch and How Character Development Can Be Paid off With One Line of Dialogue
by Jamie Lammers 9 months ago in tv
(MAJOR SPOILERS FOR BROADCHURCH SEASON 1 AND MINOR SPOILERS FOR SEASON 2)
The first season of the critically acclaimed TV drama Broadchurch involves the death of an 11-year old boy in a small, tight-knit British community. During the season's run, characters are developed, secrets are revealed, and decisions are made that affect the tranquility and trustworthiness of the town and its citizens. Trying to keep this tenseness to a minimum are DIs Alec Hardy and Ellie Miller, two police officers who are assigned to find the murderer of the boy, Danny Latimer. At the end of the season, after many tense moments that tear the town apart, destroy the lives of primary characters, and deteriorate the feeling of safety in the town, Alec finally finds the killer; Joe Miller, Ellie's husband. After Joe is put under custody and arrested, Alec and Ellie go over the circumstances of the case. Ellie asks Alec to say that this isn't happening, realizing that she has to live with the burden of her husband killing a young boy and somehow not realizing that the killer was right in front of her all along. DI Miller simply tells her, "I really wanted to be wrong." At face value, this is simply a sentimental line that shows just how much their friendship has developed. However, if you dig deeper into this one line of dialogue, you will realize that the line means so much more and isn't just meant as a throwaway sentimental line to make the audience feel happy that Ellie and Alec are friends now.
Throughout the entire season, we see Alec mentally and physically challenged. He is facing a case that he feels he has to solve correctly or his reputation as a police officer will be tarnished permanently. He has come to Broadchurch to make amends for failing a previous family when a major piece of evidence needed to find the murderer of two young girls in the nearby Sandbrook area went missing, thereby rendering the case unsolvable. We find out in Season 2 he has also come to Broadchurch to interrogate one of the main suspects of the previous case in order to find whatever information he can to solve it. However, because he doesn't have the grounds to do this, he hides her in a secret bunker and converses with her in private, demonstrating that he is willing to do whatever he can to show that he can still do his job and do it well. He is so desperate to solve the case and bring justice to the Latimers that he is even willing to ignore his severe heart arrhythmia and possibly die in the middle of the case in order to solve it. However, as he continues to work with his partner and develop a stronger relationship with her and her family, he becomes less eager to solve the case when he realizes that someone she loves and cares for deeply could be the person responsible for the crime. Despite the fact that they go at each other's' throats quote often, he becomes more sensitive to how she feels.
The reason why this line of dialogue is so impactful is because of the character that has been set up over the past season. A character who is determined to solve a new case in order to earn his reputation back at the risk of dying to solve it is certainly not the kind of person you would expect to say that line. However, at this point in the show, Alec has put the welfare of his friend over his own reputation, suggesting that he would rather have not solved the case at all than hurt his friend in order to solve it. This line says something about how much the friendship between these two characters has strengthened and how much Alec truly appreciates Ellie as a person, even though on the surface, he doesn't appear to care all that much. Alec is willing to give up his own reputation for the happiness of someone that has changed his attitude on life and has overall left a positive impact on him, and all of this is said with six simple words: "I really wanted to be wrong."
Jamie Lammers
Read next: Why 'The Dresden Files' Are the Best
Night Hunters #3
Steven Leitman
Night Hunters #3 Floating World Comics 2021 Written by David Baker Illustrated by Alexis Ziritt Lettered by Robert Negrete
Characters Who Ruined Good TV Shows from Being Great Ones
Amanda Stamper
Some TV shows are based around annoying characters, and this can work well if that is the intent, take Michael Scott from The Office as the perfect example. Michael is annoying and incredibly diluted but somehow it all works seamlessly, and at times he even comes off as endearing.
A Brief Guide to Worldbuilding (And Why It's Not That Important)
Andrew Johnston
"Worldbuilding" is one of those concepts that ebbs and flows in writing communities. It's a non-topic, and then suddenly it's the only thing anyone wants to talk about - and when worldbuilding is at its high water mark, there are resources in abundance to address it. There are checklists, map builders, podcasts, worksheets, books, and hundreds if not thousands of articles on this allegedly all-important topic. At times it seems like the only thing an aspiring novelist should care about.
Villainess Review: Jillian (Deceitful Dating)
Clyde E. Dawkins
This past Friday's LMN movie, Deceitful Dating, centered on the Logans--widowed John and daughters Chelsea and Sophie, all still dealing with the loss of their matriarch, Sarah, just six months prior. As the film showed, their family friend, Jillian, had been a means of support for them ever since, as Sarah was her best friend, though the film later sees John meet next-door neighbor Alice King, and--by happenstance--a relationship starts to blossom.
Reflex Media and the Strange Content Phenomenon
Dillon Brady
If you and I grew up around the same time you might remember when Finn the Human found a pair of magic glasses and learned everything about the universe. Finn's following words, "Everything small is just a small version of everything big," is just one example of the number of truth bombs sprinkled throughout the wildly popular series, Adventure Time. The fact that my wife and I still watch this show and that it has become the favorite bedtime ritual of our 4-year-old son speaks to key pieces of what defines Reflex Media, this tidal wave of brand-new genres of content that are being devoured by masses of millennials and Gen Z-ers.
The Magic Guitar
Noel Chrisjohn Benson
It was a crazy night. I didn't know how much trouble I could get in, I knew LSD was illegal, but I didn't know EXACTLY how illegal it was, or how rare it was to end up at parties, let alone people doing it. I had no idea. The back of the sheet had a painting, that Jerry Garcia did himself, so I knew that it was made with great care and love. I did it before a number of times, this was one of the most memorable, I had a sheet, and word spread through town that I was the man to talk to, within an hour, I had people I'd never met before who knew my name, and what they were looking for. I was 17, but I was far away from being in school, and the people I was hanging out with were still in school, and not quite used to this drug.


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I just noticed this link! How cute are your kitties?
Archie loves to squeeze under my quilting table as well, even though he doesn't really fit.
Love your blog, great quilts and those are adorably cute cats!
I love your quilty cats...I have two babies who live with me and I just don't know what I would do without them...it is so refreshing to see people who let their kitties enjoy quilting with them. I have had some mean people who make me feel bad because I have cat hairs everywhere...I own like three lint rollers in my sewing room...so I don't give those mean folks my handmade items. Thank you for sharing your babies and making me smile.
Those cats are so sweet, I have a few of my own and they do love to sit on quilts, under them, help you make them!


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Home » Bollywood News
83: Ranveer Singh & Deepika Padukone Starrer Receives 'U' Certificate With Zero Cuts From CBFC? Find Out
The film tells the story of India's historical victory at the 1983 World Cup tournament.
83: Ranveer Singh & Deepika Padukone Starrer Receives 'U' Certificate With Zero Cuts From CBFC? ( Photo Credit – Instagram )
Kabir Khan's sports drama 83 starring Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone in the lead has been one of the much-awaited films ever since it was announced. The film was supposed to hit the big screens last year but the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the plans. Now the film is finally releasing this Christmas and fans cannot keep calm.
The film tells the story of India's historical victory at the 1983 World Cup tournament. While Ranveer plays the role of Kapil Dev, Deepika plays the role of his wife Romi. The film also stars Pankaj Tripathi, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Jiiva, Saqib Saleem, Jatin Sarna, Chirag Patil, Dinker Sharma, Nishant Dahiya, Harrdy Sandhu, Sahil Khattar, Ammy Virk, Adinath Kothare, Dhairya Karwa and R Badree.
As the film 83 is waiting to be released this month, Bollywood Hungama reports that the film is cleared for theatrical release with a U certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with zero cuts. The report quoted a source as saying, "The film has been passed with a clean 'U' certificate. In short, it does not have a single cut. The makers anticipated this as it is a period sports drama and there is nothing disturbing in the film. Even the skirmish shown in the promo is not violent and brief. And yes, no s*x or inappropriate jokes in the movie, too. Hence, it is a complete family entertainer and that was the intention of the makers. Thankfully, the CBFC members understood this aspect and without any hesitation, awarded a 'U' certificate to the film."
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The makers of Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone starrer received the censor certificate on December 13 and the duration of the film was reportedly mentioned, 162.52 minutes, which means the film is 2hours and 43 minutes long. The report also quoted a trade expert as saying, "This was expected but there's absolutely no worry about this factor as the content seems to be very promising. Moreover, the final match itself will take up a lot of screen time and that's how it should be as it'll be the highlight."
So what do you think about 83 getting a U certificate? Let us know in the comments.
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The Central Styrian dialect (srednještajersko narečje, osrednja štajerščina) is a Slovene dialect in the Styrian dialect group. It is spoken in the watersheds of the Voglajna and upper Sotla rivers in the south and the Central Dravinja Valley in the north, extending from Štore in the west to Rogatec in the east, and from Spodnja Polskava and Pragersko in the north to Podčetrtek in the south.

Phonological and morphological characteristics
The Central Styrian dialect is characterized by diphthongal reflexes of the high vowels (ii/ei, uu/ou) and close mid vowels (ei/ai, ou/au), lengthening of some short accented vowels, a stress accent, non-parallel reflexes of o and e (the latter being open), a > ɔ, ər > ar, v > f before voiceless consonants and in final position, and a small degree of vowel reduction. Final-syllable accent is morphologically unknown.

References

Slovene dialects in Styria (Slovenia)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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President Stella Wacker – Stella.Wacker@gmail.com
In the early days of the founding of our beloved St. Demetrios Church, there was a small group of women who already were dedicated to the ideals of philanthropic and humanitarian efforts. At the time these efforts were not nation or world wide as they are today, their work was mainly concentrated in maintaining the new little church which was acquired in 1923, and in assisting families newly arrived from Greece.
There are many of us, now adults, in the community who can recall these remarkable women. They were ladies who spent hours in the church cleaning and polishing, sewing, embroidering, washing and ironing the church linens which they themselves had donated. This small group of women cooked and delivered meals to the new arrivals until they were established. They offered encouragement to their husbands and to all involved to continue efforts to raise and donate money in order for St. Demetrius Church to progress and grow.
These efforts were not only occurring in Perth Amboy, but in every Greek community throughout the United States…and so a dream began to form in the brilliant mind of the late Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I. He was then serving as Archbishop of North and South America. As he traveled about the country, he continually met groups of dedicated women. Gradually the idea was born, something new and unprecedented. In November 1931, he established an organization and gave it the name «PHILOPTOCHOS,» meaning «friend of the poor.»
In our particular community, the work continued and as the parish grew, more women joined and by 1935 they officially became members of the national organization. Mrs. Georgia Campos became the first president. By this time, these ladies were involved in many activities to raise money, not only to help those in need, but to help maintain the church. Their creativity knew no bounds. Directed by Mrs. Sophia Polites, plays were written, costumes were created, dances were organized to celebrate St. Demetrios Feast Day, Greek Independence Day and Vasilopita celebrations. Raffle and dance tickets were sold door to door. Mrs. Aphrodite Botsolas and her committee were known to put their babies in carriages and visit Greek families to collect funds to purchase flowers for the adornment of the Epitaphios and floral arrangements for Easter Services. Mrs. Millie Doukas and Mrs. Athena Mezines while selling tickets to various business in Perth Amboy, decided to take the awesome and venturesome step in entering a Greek men's club or «Kafenio.» (The report is that they were treated in an unforgettable royal manner.) Mr. James Doukas offered his services as chauffer and would drive the ladies to Staten Island to visit Greek families and to raise funds for special projects.
Another group which came into their realm of care was the Greek School. Mrs. Mary Patras was always available to distribute Christmas candy, chocolate bunnies and ice cream treats for holidays in a loving, charming and generous fashion to all the children.
During World War II, their efforts began to stretch out to the community at large and they volunteered their services to the American Red Cross, rolling bandages and preparing items for our Armed Forces.
It was not, however, all work and no play. Many picnics were held on the beaches of Staten Island where the ladies relaxed and enjoyed one another's company. These associations through philanthropic endeavors and companionships led to bonding and lifelong friendships.
By 1950-52, it became apparent that the Greek community outgrew the original church and the endeavors of the Philoptochos turned to raising funds for the construction and adornment of a new edifice.
During this time and up to the present, the National Philoptochos Society has been growing to monumental proportions. And along with them, our own Society has kept pace with this growth. From a group of five to ten women, we now proudly number over one hundred women, each devoted to the ideals of Philoptochos. Currently, the National Philoptochos is the second largest women's philanthropic, organization in the United States with over 500 chapters.
The Three Hierarchs Chapter of St. Demetrios Church has continued to meet the challenge of this growth in every way possible. We are a chapter that is well known for meeting every obligation—whether it be spiritual, philanthropic or humanitarian, nationally or locally. The accomplishments of this group are many and far-reaching.
Today our chapter is dedicated to raising funds for national projects, such as St. Basil's Academy, Hellenic College/Holy Cross School of Theology, Archdiocesan Missions, Philanthropies of the Patriarchate, United Nations, Children's Special Charities, including Heart, Kidney and Cancer programs, aging and homelessness, and many more. In our local area, we offer support to several organizations, including the American Red Cross, Deborah Hospital, Raritan Bay Medical Center, First Aid Squad, Salvation Army and other individuals who are in need. There are many more, too numerous to mention here.
We have been blessed in that the distinguished leadership of ALL our past presidents has been outstanding. Through them, these dedicated and valiant churchwomen, along with their members, have accomplished so much. Their goals and aspirations continue to inspire us, and as we go forward into the twenty-first century, there is no doubt our future accomplishments will be great and will reach every corner of the world.
HELEN CATELANOS
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." Colossians 3:23


Reached via a narrow coastal road five kilometres from Syracuse and Ortigia Island in Sicily, the five-star Grand Hotel Minareto is a deluxe resort with detached and semi-detached suites (mini-villas) on circular roads, some with sea-views, all within a short walk of a large central swimming pool.
Named after a camping site that once occupied the land (an ornamental minaret being the only remaining symbol), the 90-suite, honey-colored, adobe-like resort was opened four years ago and has four different categories of accommodation (the Catenia-based owner also has a pub/nightclub, 'Clandestine,' on Ortigia).
Arrival is at a rotund driveway with a tall, intricate stone, glass and metal sculptured water fountain featuring birds in flight. Tall olive and palm trees stand either side of entrance door.
The spacious lobby can best be described as chic, with high, creamy white stucco ceiling, wide hanging chandelier-like lights, cream-colored marble flooring, large reception desk lined from above with hanging mini-chandeliers and framed by three pillars. The contemporary design is awash with soft, plush crimson and black leather seats, tall gold-colored vases and slender flowering plants in vases shaped as long stemmed wine glasses. Nearby, bonsai trees stand in a base of soil and stone, together with bronze-colored sculptures, including a life-size depiction of two semi-naked lovers entangled in each other's passionate embrace, a lion mid-leap, a ferocious bird of prey mid-flight and the braided mane of a horse clasped back as if it was galloping against the wind. Saucily, reminding of suggestively decorative designs at the Moulin Rouge in Paris, the rims of lampshades in the lobby area are bordered with ostrich feathers. Opposite the reception desk in a far corner is a discreet bar with seating beside it, and above it, a short set of marble steps to a second, subdued leisure area.
Adjacent to the lobby, through sliding doors, is an open, high-ceilinged atrium with plenty of additional seating. Beyond this, a door leads outside to a short tunnel at the end of which is the property's private, soft-sand beach, intimate, crescent-shaped and lined with palm trees and steep, white chalk-like cliffs. Guests leave their cars near the main building and are driven by golf-buggies the short distance to the main accommodation area behind tall, iron security gates. A second beach is rockier, but quieter.
The superior rooms displayed a dark ash-gray marble floor, creamy white walls with heavy gold and green curtains. Appliqué arts decorated the walls, with two mirrors bordered with imitation gold frames. Aside from a most comfortable bed, a large utilitarian desk and two round bedside tables of matching stained wood occupied most of the space. Interestingly, one wall was bi-colored, divided diagonally, the top half being creamy brown and the bottom one being gold. The bathroom was a melange of contrasting color, Spring- green walls with thin black-gray borders and a sandy-colored wall facing the sink.
One of the best things about the accommodation was its outdoor patio, providing as it did, a terrific view overlooking a bay of the Ionian Sea and across to the old town center of Ortigia island (sea-views are the best location choices on the resort and while more expensive, worth paying for).
Grand Hotel Minareto is located in the middle of a protected area and its grounds are attractive – filled with well-tended flowers, cacti and olive trees. While such places as Syracuse and its archaeological park are fifteen minutes away by car, the property provides a shuttle service. It also has massage rooms, a fine-dining restaurant, pool service and area tours upon request.
For a quiet, south-eastern Sicilian coastal retreat removed from all traffic and traffic-lights with in-house restaurant and excellent others nearby, plus a sheltered, sandy beach within walking distance of your front door, choose Grand Hotel Minareto.
Posted in Luxury HotelsTagged breakfast, Europe, fine dining, gastronomic, gourmet, Grand Hotel Minareto, holiday, hotel, island, Italy, luxury accommodation, Mediterranean, Ortigia, palm trees, seafood, Sicily, Syracuse, travel, vacationBookmark the permalink.


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@interface ADProfileViewController : ADTableViewController

@end


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Q: ScaleY tranformation not working I have a react component that I want to display or hide when the parent div that wraps it is clicked.
I am trying to add an animation for both when it appears and when it disappears.
At the moment it works only when it appears, what am I doing wrong?
Thanks
React component
import React from 'react';
import classNames from 'classnames/bind';
import styles from './styles.css';

const cx = classNames.bind(styles);

export default function toggleableElement({ isOpen, content }) {
    const animatedAnswerStyle = cx({
        animatedAnswer: true,
        opened: isOpen,
        closed: !isOpen,
    });
    return (
        <div className={animatedAnswerStyle}>
            {
                isOpen &&
                 <p> { content } </p>
            }
        </div>
    );
}

Style
.animatedAnswer {
    transform: scaleY(0);
}

.opened {
    transform: scaleY(1);
    tranform-origin: top;
    transition: transform 2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.0, 0.2, 1);
}

.closed {
    transform: scaleY(0);
    tranform-origin: top;
    transition: transform 2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.0, 0.2, 1);
}

A: This worked.
.animatedAnswer {
  max-height: 0;
  overflow: hidden;
  transition: max-height 2s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.0, 0.2, 1);
}

.opened {
  max-height: 800px; // a big value
}


GE steals Honeywell away from United Tech.
International were also reportedly talking with Honeywell.
bid that would top the offer from United Technologies.
turbochargers, specialty chemicals and automated control systems.
interview on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
a bid for all of Honeywell.


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Mar. 08, 2019 | 12:14 AM
Trump, Cohen and licking the boot that kicks you
Ian Buruma| The Daily Star
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Daily Star on March 08, 2019, on page 6.
Like it or not, Dems, Trump is on a roll
Trump cannot rewrite the American story
Putin brings own mug to G20 summit
Ian Buruma
Watching Michael D. Cohen, U.S. President Donald Trump's former lawyer and self-described "fixer," testify to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform was a remarkable spectacle to behold. Here was a man who was hired by Trump to behave like a gangster.
Cohen's job was to threaten anyone who got in the way of his old boss.
Cohen, who will soon begin serving a three-year prison sentence, has become what Mafiosi (and Trump) call a "rat".
Many people become sycophants of power willingly.
Trump is not a dictator, but he would dearly love to be. His own toadying to the world's strongmen, from Russian President Vladimir Putin to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, is a sign of this.
Trump may not be knowledgeable, sophisticated, curious,or well read, but he has a fine instinct for the psychology of power and submission.
He was literally under Trump's spell, mesmerized, almost sleepwalking.
That is also what people say who once cheered wildly for dictators, and then can't explain why they did so once the great leaders have fallen and times have changed.
It is hard to say at this point how much of Cohen's testimony is true. His claims certainly jibe with what others in Trump's orbit have reported.
More from Ian Buruma
The limits of mass protest in a dictatorship
The democratic path that China never adopted
Watching the U.K. walk off the cliff with open eyes


text:
\section{\Rmnum{1}. Introduction}

The hybridization ($J_{cf}$) between conduction ($c$) electrons and more localized $f$ electrons in Kondo-lattice compounds simultaneously yields two competing phenomena: the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction\cite{RKKY-RK,RKKY-K,RKKY-Y} and the Kondo effect\cite{Kondo-RMinimum,Hewson-Kondo}. While the RKKY interaction mediates the magnetic exchange between local moments and stabilizes a long-range magnetic ordering, the consequence of Kondo effect is to screen and quench the local moments. Depending on the strength of $J_{cf}$, the ground state of Kondo lattices varies from localized magnetic ordered regime for small $J_{cf}$, heavy-fermion regime for moderate $J_{cf}$ to intermediate-valence regime for large $J_{cf}$.

``Ce-122" refers to a big family of Kondo-lattice compounds. It is mainly comprised of two types of tetragonal crystalline structures: the ThCr$_2$Si$_2$-type (I4/$mmm$, No. 139) and CaBe$_2$Ge$_2$-type (P4/$nmm$, No. 129). We show their crystalline structures in Fig.~\ref{Fig1}(a). The discovery of superconductivity in K-doped BaFe$_2$As$_2$ rekindled the interest in the ThCr$_2$Si$_2$ structure\cite{Rotter-BaK122SC}. In this structure, two vertically inverted CrSi layers are alternatingly sandwiched with Th ions embedded in between. Historically, ThCr$_2$Si$_2$ structure was also well-known for hosting a number of Kondo-lattice materials (see reviews \cite{Stewart-RMPNFL,Misra-HFSystem,Pfleiderer-RMPHFSC}), including CeCu$_2$Si$_2$ - the first heavy-fermion superconductor\cite{Steglich-CeCu2Si2SC}, URu$_2$Si$_2$ - hidden order superconductor\cite{Palstra-URu2Si2HO}, YbRh$_2$Si$_2$ - Kondo breakdown quantum critical point\cite{Custers-YbRh2Si2QCP} \textit{et al}. The CaBe$_2$Ge$_2$-type structure is relatively less famous. In this structure, the Be and Ge sites are interchanged in every other layer, and interlayer couplings can be bridged by Be-Ge bonding, which renders a more three-dimensional network than ThCr$_2$Si$_2$. Some examples are CeRh$_2$P$_2$\cite{Madar-CeRh2P2}, CeNi$_2$As$_2$\cite{Ghadraoui-LnNi2As2}, CeIr$_2$Si$_2$\cite{Hiebl-CeT2Si2} \textit{etc}. Note that CeNi$_2$As$_2$ can crystallize in both structures\cite{Ghadraoui-LnNi2As2,Suzuki-CeNi2X2,LuoY-CeNi2As2}. For whatever ThCr$_2$Si$_2$- or CaBe$_2$Ge$_2$-type Ce-122, the Ce-$4f$ electrons interact with the conduction electrons donated by CrSi or BeGe layers, and such a $c$-$f$ hybridization builds up a natural platform to investigate Kondo effect and electronic correlations. A variety of interesting emergent states have been observed in Ce-122 compounds, \textit{e.g.} metamagnetism, heavy-fermion, non-Fermi liquid, quantum critical point (QCP), and unconventional superconductivity\cite{Flouquet-CeRu2Si2MM,LuoY-CeNi2As2,Steglich-CeCu2Si2SC,Yuan-CeCu2Si2TwoSC,Grosche-CePd2Si2SC,Movshovich-CeRh2Si2SC,LuoY-CeNi2As2Pre}, the mechanisms of which remain controversial. In particular, local centrosymmetry is broken in CaBe$_2$Ge$_2$-type Ce-122, making them candidates to look for new non-centrosymmetric heavy-fermion superconductors. Extensive material bases are required in this field.

\begin{figure}[!ht]
\vspace*{-15pt}
\hspace*{-15pt}
\includegraphics[width=10.0cm]{Fig1.eps}
\vspace*{-25pt}
\caption{\label{Fig1} (a) Crystalline structure of ThCr$_2$Si$_2$-type CeRu$_2$As$_2$ (left) and CaBe$_2$Ge$_2$-type CeIr$_2$As$_2$ (right). (b) Rietveld refinement of CeRu$_2$As$_2$ XRD pattern.}
\end{figure}

In this paper, we study two Ce-122 Kondo-lattice compounds, CeRu$_2$As$_2$ and CeIr$_2$As$_2$. The ThCr$_2$Si$_2$-type CeRu$_2$As$_2$ is a new material. The synthesis of CaBe$_2$Ge$_2$-type CeIr$_2$As$_2$ has been reported by Pfannenschmidt \textit{et al}\cite{Pfannenschmidt-ReIr2Pn2}, but its physical properties have not been well studied. Our work reveals that CeRu$_2$As$_2$ is a $4f$-electron localized antiferromagnet with N\'{e}el temperature $T_N$=4.3 K and a moderate Sommerfeld coefficient $\gamma$=35 mJ/mol$\cdot$K$^2$, whereas CeIr$_2$As$_2$ is magnetically nonordered heavy-fermion metal with enhanced Sommerfeld coefficient $\gamma_0$$>$300 mJ/mol$\cdot$K$^2$. The initial onset Kondo temperatures of the two compounds are respectively 6 K and 30 K. These results place them in the regimes of magnetic ordered with small $J_{cf}$ and heavy-fermion with moderate $J_{cf}$, respectively.

\section{\Rmnum{2}. Experimental details}

Polycrystalline CeRu$_2$As$_2$ and CeIr$_2$As$_2$ samples were synthesized by the method of solid-state reaction. High-purity Ce, Ru, Ir and As were used as starting materials. First, CeAs, RuAs and IrAs were prepared by reacting As powders with Ce, Ru and Ir powders at 973 K, 1073 K and 1273 K respectively for 24 hours. Then, powders of CeAs, RuAs and Ru were weighted according to the stoichiometric ratio, thoroughly ground and pressed into
a pellet under a pressure of 600 MPa in an argon-filled glove box. The pellet was packed into an alumina crucible and sealed into an evacuated quartz tube, which was then slowly heated to 1323 K and kept at that temperature for 48 hour. After that, the resultant was re-ground and re-sintered for two more times to achieve a good homogeneity. The synthesis for CeIr$_2$As$_2$ was essentially similar, while the sintering temperature was at 1373 K. The non-$4f$ analogs LaRu$_2$As$_2$ and LaIr$_2$As$_2$ were also grown, in the same method.

Powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns were recorded at room temperature on a PANalytical X-ray diffractometer with Cu K$\alpha$ radiation. Electrical resistivity was measured by standard four-probe method in a physical property measurement system (PPMS-9, Quantum Design), which was also used for the specific heat measurements. Magnetization measurements were performed using a magnetic property measurement system (MPMS-VSM, Quantum Design). The measurements were made after a zero-field-cooling (ZFC) process.

\section{\Rmnum{3}. Results and Discussion}

The crystalline structures of CeRu$_2$As$_2$ and CeIr$_2$As$_2$ are shown in Fig.~\ref{Fig1}. For the new compound CeRu$_2$As$_2$, we performed the Rietveld refinement to the XRD. The peaks are well indexed to the tetragonal ThCr$_2$Si$_2$-type structure, except for a little impurity phase of CeAs and RuAs$_2$. The best fitting parameters are $a$=4.1696(5) \AA, $c$=10.3868(7) \AA, and the atomic coordinate of As (0, 0, 0.3692(4)). More details about the structural parameters of CeRu$_2$As$_2$ and CeIr$_2$As$_2$ can be found in Table ~\ref{Tab1}. The lengths of $a$- and $c$-axes of CeIr$_2$As$_2$ obtained in this work are close to but a little smaller than those in literature\cite{Pfannenschmidt-ReIr2Pn2}. The Ir-As bonding ($d_{\text{Ir-As}}$=2.33 \AA) between adjacent IrAs layers makes $c$-axis much shorter than in CeRu$_2$As$_2$ ($d_{\text{As-As}}$=2.72 \AA).

\begin{table}[ht]
\tabcolsep 0pt \caption{\label{Tab1} Crystallographic parameters of CeRu$_2$As$_2$ from the Rietveld refinement to the Powder X-ray Diffractions at 300 K. The data of CeIr$_2$As$_2$ are also shown for comparison. }
\vspace*{-15pt}
\begin{center}
\def1\columnwidth{1\columnwidth}
{\rule{1\columnwidth}{1pt}}
\begin{tabular*}{1\columnwidth}{@{\extracolsep{\fill}}ccc}
    Compounds            &  CeRu$_2$As$_2$  &  CeIr$_2$As$_2$  \\   \hline
    Space group          &  $I4/mmm$        &    $P4/nmm$      \\
    $a$ (\AA)            &  4.1696(5)          &  4.2865(6)          \\
    $c$ (\AA)            &  10.3868(7)         &  9.8849(9)          \\
    $V$ (\AA$^{3}$)      &  180.580         &  181.625         \\
    $Z$                  &  2               &  2               \\
    $\rho$ (g/cm$^{3}$)  &  9.050           &  12.332          \\
    $R_{\text{wp}}$ (\%) &  9.36            &  11.57           \\
\end{tabular*}
{\rule{1\columnwidth}{1pt}}
\end{center}
\end{table}

\begin{figure*}[t]
\vspace*{-20pt}
\hspace*{0pt}
\includegraphics[width=16cm]{Fig2.eps}
\vspace*{-20pt}
\caption{\label{Fig2} (a-b) Temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility of polycrystalline CeRu$_2$As$_2$ and CeIr$_2$As$_2$. CeRu$_2$As$_2$ undergoes an AFM transition at $T_N$=4.3 K. The insets display the Curie-Weiss fittings. The curve of CeIr$_2$P$_2$ (black line) reproduced form Ref.~\cite{Pfannenschmidt-ReIr2Pn2} is shown for comparison. (c) Evolution of the AFM peak in $\chi(T)$ of CeRu$_2$As$_2$ under various fields. (d) Field dependent magnetization (left), resistivity (right) and derivative susceptibility ($dM/dB$) of CeRu$_2$As$_2$ at 2 K.}
\end{figure*}

Figure \ref{Fig2}(a-b) show the temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility ($\chi$=$M/B$) of polycrystalline CeRu$_2$As$_2$ and CeIr$_2$As$_2$. For temperature above 150 K, $\chi$ of both compounds obey standard Curie-Weiss formula, $\chi(T)$=$\frac{C}{T-\theta_W}$, where $\theta_W$ is the Weiss temperature. The fittings yield the effective moment $\mu_{eff}$=2.50 and 2.56 $\mu_B$ for CeRu$_2$As$_2$ and CeIr$_2$As$_2$, respectively, very close to that of a free Ce$^{3+}$ ion, 2.54 $\mu_B$. This implies that the Ru and Ir ions are essentially nonmagnetic. The derived $\theta_W$ is $-$51 K for CeRu$_2$As$_2$, suggestive of antiferromagnetic correlation among Ce moments. A hump is seen near 80 K in CeIr$_2$As$_2$, which makes $\chi$ less temperature-dependent at low temperature. Similar behavior was also seen in CeCoIn$_5$ and CeIrIn$_5$\cite{Petrovic-CeCoIn5SC}, which is probably due to the crystalline electric field (CEF) effect, see below. For comparison, the magnetic susceptibility of CeIr$_2$P$_2$ (data reproduced from Ref.~\cite{Pfannenschmidt-ReIr2Pn2}) is also shown in Fig.~\ref{Fig2}. Pfannenschmidt \textit{et al} placed CeIr$_2$P$_2$ in the regime of intermediate-valence, based on the Pauli-paramagnetic-like $\chi(T)$. Apparently, the ``chemical pressure" effect of As-P substitution greatly enhances the $c$-$f$ hybridization, and the $4f$ electrons become delocalized in CeIr$_2$P$_2$. At low temperature, the most prominent feature of CeRu$_2$As$_2$ is that $\chi(T)$ displays a sharp peak at 4.3 K, manifesting an antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition which will be studied further. No anomaly is seen in CeIr$_2$As$_2$ at low $T$; the slight increase in $\chi$ is probably due to some magnetic impurities (CeAs). We should point out that the fitted $\theta_W$ from the high$-T$ region is $\sim-$110 K for CeIr$_2$As$_2$, much larger than that of CeRu$_2$As$_2$. Since CeIr$_2$As$_2$ does not show any magnetic ordering, this enhanced $\theta_W$ is likely promoted by the Kondo effect. Further transport and specific heat measurements suggest that CeIr$_2$As$_2$ sits much closer to a QCP.

\begin{figure}[t]
\vspace{-5pt}
\hspace{-10pt}
\includegraphics[width=9.0cm]{Fig3.eps}
\vspace{-25pt}
\caption{\label{Fig3} Temperature dependence of $\chi_{\parallel}$ and $\chi_{\perp}$ measured from aligned CeRu$_2$As$_2$ powders. The inset shows the isothermal field dependent magnetization. $\parallel$ and $\perp$ are with respect to the aligning field $\mathbf{B_{al}}$. Seeing Appendix. The results for unaligned powders ($\chi_{\text{pow}}$) are shown for comparison.}
\end{figure}

In Fig.~\ref{Fig2}(c), we display $\chi(T)$ of CeRu$_2$As$_2$ under different magnetic fields. As field increases, the peak in $\chi(T)$ is gradually suppressed, and meanwhile the peak position also moves to lower temperature, characteristic of an AFM transition. For field at about 2.6 T, the peak disappears, and $\chi(T)$ saturates at low temperature. Further increasing $B$, the value of magnetic susceptibility decreases systematically, and no clear anomaly is seen in $\chi(T)$ only except for a trend of saturation at low $T$. Such an evolution with field typically entails a field-induced metamagnetic transition, as observed in many cerium compounds\cite{Mun-CeGeNi3,LuoY-CeNi2As2}. Since Ce$^{3+}$ has a small de Gennes factor\cite{Blundell-MaginCM}, the magnetic exchange coupling between cerium moments are generally weak, thus, the magnetic moments can be reoriented by a moderate field. This is indeed the case in CeRu$_2$As$_2$. In Fig.~\ref{Fig2}(d), we present isothermal field dependent magnetization and derivative susceptibility ($dM/dB$) at 2 K. Under low field, the magnetization increases linearly. A speed-up is visible for field larger than 1 T, and finally tends to saturate above 4 T. This trend is more clearly seen in $dM/dB$ that peaks near 2 T. Similar metamagnetic transition was interpreted as a spin-flop in CeNi$_{2}$As$_2$ where the magnetic moments are uniaxially aligned along $\mathbf{c}$ and a tiny hysteresis is seen near the metamagnetic transition\cite{LuoY-CeNi2As2}. In CeRu$_2$As$_2$, the hysteresis is negligible, probably due to the polycrystalline sample.

To further study the magnetic anisotropy of CeRu$_2$As$_2$, we measured the susceptibility of field-aligned powders. The polycrystalline sample is thoroughly ground into powders (This process is carried out carefully in a glove box), and mixed with Stycast 1266 epoxy with a small weight ratio $\sim$0.2 so that the grains are well isolated by epoxy\cite{Young-Alignment}. The mixture is then placed in a strong aligning field ($\mathbf{B_{al}}$) of 14 T at 300 K in PPMS and held motionless for 12 hours before the Stycast is completely cured. The magnetic susceptibility for parallel ($\chi_{\parallel}$) and perpendicular ($\chi_{\perp}$) to $\mathbf{B_{al}}$ are shown in Fig.~\ref{Fig3} as a function of $T$. (Refer to Appendix for more details.) The important findings are: (\rmnum{1}) $\chi_{\perp}$ is much smaller than $\chi_{\parallel}$, indicative of strong magnetic anisotropy. In particular, we notice the value of $\chi_{\perp}$ is less than a half of $\chi_{\parallel}$ over the full range 2-300 K, for instance, at 300 K, $\chi_{\parallel}$=3.65$\times$10$^{-3}$ emu/mol, and $\chi_{\perp}$=1.66 $\times$10$^{-3}$ emu/mol. This suggests that the compound has an easy axis, rather than easy plane, because for the latter case, $\chi_{\parallel}$=$\chi_{a,b}$, and $\chi_{\perp}$=$(\chi_{a,b}+\chi_c)/2$ (Seeing Appendix); $\chi_{\perp}$$<$$\chi_{\parallel}/2$ is not likely for cerium-contained compounds. (\rmnum{2}) At low temperature, a sharp peak is seen at $T_N$ in $\chi_{\parallel}$, characteristic of an AFM transition. In contrast, the peak in $\chi_{\perp}$ is very shallow, and the susceptibility tends to saturate below $T_N$. These features are highly suggestive that in the AFM state the Ce moments are uniaxially along the easy axis. (\rmnum{3}) The inset to Fig.~\ref{Fig3} shows field dependent magnetization of aligned powders at 2 K. $M_{\parallel}$ increases with field rapidly and saturates at 1.17 $\mu_B$ under high magnetic field. The metamagnetic transition is obviously seen in $M_{\parallel}$, even sharper than in unaligned powders ($M_{\text{pow}}$). $M_{\perp}$ is much smaller than $M_{\parallel}$ and keeps increasing at 14 T. A little sign of metamagnetic transition is also visible in $M_{\perp}$, which probably arises from a small portion of unaligned powders. In light of these observations, it is reasonable to propose $\mathbf{c}$ as the easy axis of CeRu$_2$As$_2$, and below $T_N$ the magnetic moments also align antiferromagnetically along $\mathbf{c}$. This makes a field-induced spin-flop possible. In fact, the $dM/dB$ in Fig.~\ref{Fig2}(d) shows a small shoulder before 2 T, which potentially points to a secondary transition prior to the polarized paramagnetic state. Given an easy-axis antiferromagnet, this secondary transition might be a signature for an intermediate spin-flop phase. Of course, to get a precise magnetic structure, high-quality single crystals and microscopic measurements like neutron scattering experiments are needed. Crystalline electric field (CEF) effect often plays a key role to such a magnetic anisotropy in cerium compounds.

\begin{figure}[t]
\vspace{-5pt}
\hspace{-10pt}
\includegraphics[width=9.0cm]{Fig4.eps}
\vspace{-25pt}
\caption{\label{Fig4} Temperature dependent electric resistivity of CeRu$_2$As$_2$, CeIr$_2$As$_2$, LaRu$_2$As$_2$ and LaIr$_2$As$_2$.}
\end{figure}

The resistivity ($\rho$) of CeRu$_2$As$_2$, CeIr$_2$As$_2$ and their La-counterparts are presented in Fig.~\ref{Fig4}. A previous work on LaRu$_2$As$_2$ by Guo \textit{et al} has revealed metallic behavior and a superconducting transition at $T_c$=7.8 K\cite{Guo-LaRu2As2SC}, and these features are well reproduced in the current work. For CeRu$_2$As$_2$, $\rho(T)$ shows a hump around 150 K, which should be a consequence of CEF splitting of Ce$^{3+}$ $j$=5/2 multiplet. $\rho(T)$ slightly turns up below 22 K, and then decreases sharply below 4.3 K, reminiscent of reduction in spin scattering due to the formation of long-range AFM ordering. LaIr$_2$As$_2$ behaves like a simple metal, say, upon cooling down, $\rho(T)$ decreases almost linearly above 100 K, and then tends to flatten by showing some $T^2$-like behavior at low temperature, characteristic of Fermi liquid. The large residual resistivity $\rho_0$ is probably because of the sample quality. In contrast, CeIr$_2$As$_2$ exhibits the typical dense Kondo behavior (see \textit{e.g.} CeIrIn$_5$\cite{Petrovic-CeIrIn5SC,Takaesu-CeIrIn5Pre}): $\rho(T)$ initially increases as $T$ decreases, and then turns down rapidly after passing through a broad peak near $T_{coh}$=63 K. $T_{coh}$ designates a crossover from incoherent Kondo scattering regime for $T$$>$$T_{coh}$ where Ce moments behaves like separate single-ion impurities to the coherent Kondo scattering regime for $T$$<$$T_{coh}$ where the Ce-$4f$ electrons develop strongly-correlated bands. At low temperature, $\rho(T)$ keeps decreasing linearly down to 2 K, the base temperature of our measurements, without restoring any signature of Fermi-liquid behavior. This places CeIr$_2$As$_2$ in a regime of non-Fermi liquid or ``strange metal"\cite{Stewart-RMPNFL} which is usually observed in the vicinity of a quantum critical point\cite{Lohneysen-CeCu6Au2001,Custers-YbRh2Si2QCP,Park-CeRhIn5Iso,Custers-Ce3Pd20Si6QCP,LuoY-CeNiAsOQCP}. Sub-Kelvin measurements are needed in the future to further clarify this issue.

For CeRu$_2$As$_2$, we also took a field dependent resistivity measurement at 2 K (below $T_N$), as shown in Fig.~\ref{Fig2}(d). Under low field, $\rho$ increases with field, because external magnetic field disturbs the long-range AFM ordering and causes more spin scattering. A maximum is seen in $\rho(B)$ at 2 T, and after that, the resistivity decreases again. The critical field 2 T is coincident with the field at which $M(B)$ shows the largest slope and $dM/dB$ peaks. Further increasing $B$, spin scattering is reduced as the moments are gradually polarized, and thus the resistivity decreases.

\begin{figure}[t]
\vspace{-15pt}
\hspace{-10pt}
\includegraphics[width=9.0cm]{Fig5.eps}
\vspace{-25pt}
\caption{\label{Fig5} The $4f$-electron contribution to specific heat divided by temperature, $C_{4f}/T$, as a function of $T$ of CeRu$_2$As$_2$ (a) and CeIr$_2$As$_2$ (b). The insets show the magnetic entropy derived by integrating $C_{4f}/T$ over $T$. A broad maximum seen in $C_{4f}/T$ of CeIr$_2$As$_2$ near 40 K indicates $\sim$90 K of the first CEF splitting, which is consistent with what is seen in $\chi(T)$. The ``*" in both panels designate the anomalies due to CeAs impurity.}
\end{figure}

Turning now to the specific heat. For both CeRu$_2$As$_2$ and CeIr$_2$As$_2$, we respectively subtract the specific heat of LaRu$_2$As$_2$ (measured under field of 1 T) and LaIr$_2$As$_2$, and the resultants are the contribution from $4f$ electrons, $C_{4f}$. Fig.~\ref{Fig5}(a) shows $C_{4f}/T$ of CeRu$_2$As$_2$ as a function of $T$. A $\lambda$-shape peak is clearly seen at the transition temperature $T_N$, manifesting a second-order phase transition. A small sub-structure is seen between 6-9 K, which should be from some CeAs impurity that undergoes an AFM transition at 7.6 K\cite{Suzuki-CeAsAFM}. The Sommerfeld coefficient $\gamma_0$ estimated from the paramagnetic state is 35 mJ/mol$\cdot$K$^{2}$, in line with the well localized and ordered $4f$ electrons. We calculated the magnetic entropy ($S_{\text{mag}}$) by integrating $C_{4f}/T$ over $T$. For the low temperature part, we have linearly extrapolated the $C_{4f}/T$ to $T$$\rightarrow$0 limit to ensure $S_{\text{mag}}(0)$=0, and the result is plotted in the inset to Fig.~\ref{Fig5}(a). The entropy gain is about 73\% $R\ln2$ at $T_N$, and fully recovers $R\ln2$ at 12 K. The initial onset Kondo temperature can be estimated as $T_0$$\simeq$6 K through a widely accepted criterion $S_{\text{mag}}(T_0/2)$=0.4$R\ln2$ \cite{Gegenwart2008}. For CeIr$_2$As$_2$, $C_{4f}/T$ turns up logarithmically at low temperature, and tends to level off below 1 K. This suggests that the Fermi liquid behavior likely restores at low temperature with greatly enhanced quasiparticle effective mass and Sommerfeld coefficient $\gamma_0$$>$300 mJ/mol$\cdot$K$^{2}$. Such kind of behavior is usually seen in systems beyond but close to a QCP\cite{Bruning-CeFePOFMHF,LuoY-CeFeAsPO,WangL-CeCo2Ga8}. The estimated $T_0$ is about 30 K, much larger than that of CeRu$_2$As$_2$, demonstrating stronger Kondo coupling. We should also mention that $C_{4f}/T$ displays a broad maximum near 40 K, see the right frame of the inset to Fig.~\ref{Fig5}(b). Such a broad peak arises from the Schottky anomaly which is a consequence of CEF splitting. The six-degenerated $j$=5/2 multiplet splits into three doublets in the presence of tetragonal CEF. The energy difference between the first excited and ground doublets is expected to be $\sim$90 K in this case, which agrees well with the hump observed in magnetic susceptibility [cf Fig.~\ref{Fig2}(b)].

These physical properties above enable us to place CeRu$_2$As$_2$ and CeIr$_2$As$_2$ respectively in the regime of magnetic ordered for small $J_{cf}$ and heavy-fermion for moderate $J_{cf}$. Aside from them, CeIr$_2$P$_2$ sits in the intermediate-valence regime with strong $J_{cf}$. Firstly, it is worthwhile to make a rough estimate of cerium valence through the bond-valence theory. The original idea was proposed by Brown\cite{Brown-BVP1981,Brown-BVP1985}, and the valence of an ion in the compound is a function of the bond lengths $d_{ij}$,
\begin{equation}
V_i=\sum_j\nu_{ij},
\label{Eq1}
\end{equation}
where $\nu_{ij}$ can be expressed in terms of $d_{ij}$\cite{Brese-BVP1991},
\begin{equation}
\nu_{ij}=\exp[(R_{ij}-d_{ij})/b].
\label{Eq2}
\end{equation}
Here $b$ is commonly taken to be a ``universal" constant close to 0.37 \AA, while $R_{ij}$ is called bond-valence parameter and is taken as 2.78 \AA~for Ce-As bonding and 2.70\AA~ for Ce-P bonding\cite{Brese-BVP1991}. According to the crystalline parameters, we get the cerium valences $+$2.27, $+$2.28 and $+$2.53 for CeRu$_2$As$_2$, CeIr$_2$As$_2$ and CeIr$_2$P$_2$, respectively. These values apparently are underestimated as compared to Ce$^{3+/4+}$, because we only take into account the Ce-As(P) bonding with nearest neighbour. However, what are important here are: (\rmnum{1}) the cerium valence in CeIr$_2$P$_2$ is much higher than in CeIr$_2$As$_2$, in line with the fact that CeIr$_2$P$_2$ has an intermediate valence; (\rmnum{2}) the calculated cerium valences are essentially the same in CeRu$_2$As$_2$ and CeIr$_2$As$_2$. This indicates that the transition metal is crucial to the physical properties of Ce$Tm_2$As$_2$. Indeed, $5d$ orbitals are more extended in space than $4d$ orbitals, and this makes the $c$-$f$ hybridization more effective in CeIr$_2$As$_2$. Apart from this, as we already mentioned, the CaBe$_2$Ge$_2$-type CeIr$_2$As$_2$ has the interlayer Ir-As bonding, and this results in a three-dimensional Ir-As network, and correspondingly, Kondo coupling is more efficient. A more straightforward case is CeNi$_2$As$_2$, which has both types of crystal structures\cite{Ghadraoui-LnNi2As2}. While the ThCr$_2$Si$_2$-type CeNi$_2$As$_2$ is an antiferromagnet with $T_N$$\approx$5 K\cite{LuoY-CeNi2As2}, the CaBe$_2$Ge$_2$-type CeNi$_2$As$_2$ is nonmagnetic due to Kondo effect\cite{Suzuki-CeNi2X2}. We argue that for these two reasons, the CaBe$_2$Ge$_2$-type CeIr$_2$As$_2$ exhibits much stronger Kondo effect and electronic correlation than the ThCr$_2$Si$_2$-type CeRu$_2$As$_2$.

\section{\Rmnum{4}. Conclusions}

To summarize, we investigated the physical properties of two Ce-122 Kondo lattice compounds, ThCr$_2$Si$_2$-type CeRu$_2$As$_2$ and CaBe$_2$Ge$_2$-type CeIr$_2$As$_2$. We find that CeRu$_2$As$_2$ is a local-moment antiferromagnet with N\'{e}el temperature $T_N$=4.3 K, Sommerfeld coefficient $\gamma_0$=35 mJ/mol$\cdot$K$^2$ and initial onset Kondo temperature $T_0$$\approx$6 K. The cerium moments are assumed to be uniaxially aligned along $\mathbf{c}$ which is also proposed as the easy-axis. CeIr$_2$As$_2$ appears to reside on the nonmagnetic side of a quantum critical point, exhibiting heavy-electron effect with enlarged $\gamma_0$$>$300 mJ/mol$\cdot$K$^2$ and $T_0$$\approx$30 K. This work, therefore, provides two new dense Kondo-lattice materials for further studying electronic correlation, quantum criticality and heavy-electron effects. High-quality single crystals are highly needed in the future.

\section{Acknowledgments}

The authors acknowledge Joe D. Thompson and Jinke Bao for helpful discussions. Y. Luo acknowledges 1000 Youth Talents Plan of China. Y. Li is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. U1932155).

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\section{Appendix: M\lowercase{agnetic susceptibility for aligned powders}}

\begin{figure}[!htp]
\vspace*{-80pt}
\hspace*{-18pt}
\includegraphics[width=9.7cm]{FigA1}
\caption{\label{FigA1} (a) External magnetic field $\mathbf{B}$ applied in an arbitrary direction with respect to the \textit{tetragonal} unit cell. $\alpha$, $\beta$ and $\gamma$ are the angles between $\mathbf{B}$ and the principal axes, and $\phi$ is the angle spanned by $\mathbf{a}$ and the projection of $\mathbf{B}$ in $\mathbf{ab}$ plane. (b) For the easy-axis case, $\mathbf{c}$ is along the aligning field $\mathbf{B_{al}}$. (c) For the easy-plane case, $\mathbf{B_{al}}$ is inside $\mathbf{ab}$ plane, and $\mathbf{c}$ is perpendicular to $\mathbf{B_{al}}$. $\mathbf{B_{\perp}}$ ($\mathbf{B_{\parallel}}$, not shown) is the field applied perpendicular (parallel) to $\mathbf{B_{al}}$ to measure $m_{\perp}$ ($m_{\parallel}$).}
\end{figure}

To start with, we deduce the formulas of magnetic susceptibility of polycrystalline powders. Assuming an arbitrary magnetic field $\mathbf{B}$ is applied to a tetragonal unit cell (e.g. CeRu$_2$As$_2$), the direction of field is characterized by $\alpha$, $\beta$ and $\gamma$ as shown in Fig.~\ref{FigA1}(a). The magnetic susceptibility in such configuration is $\chi(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)$=$\chi_{a}\cos^2\alpha$$+$$\chi_{b}\cos^2\beta$$+$$\chi_{c}\cos^2\gamma$ \cite{Boutron-PMchi}. Note that $\chi_a$=$\chi_b$ for tetragonal symmetry. Taking the powder average, we derive the susceptibility for a bulk polycrystal
\begin{equation}
\chi_{\text{pow}}=\frac{\int\int \chi(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)\sin\gamma d\gamma d\phi}{\int_0^{2\pi} \int_0^{\pi} \sin\gamma d\gamma d\phi}=\frac{\chi_a+\chi_b+\chi_c}{3},
\label{EqA1}
\end{equation}
where $\phi$ is the angle between $\mathbf{a}$ and the projection of $\mathbf{B}$ in $\mathbf{ab}$ plane.

Now considering that the powder is aligned by an aligning field $\mathbf{B_{al}}$:\\
$\bullet$ For an easy-axis case [Fig.~\ref{FigA1}(b)], $\mathbf{c}$ will be aligned to $\mathbf{B_{al}}$, and one easily finds $\chi_{\parallel}$=$\chi_c$, while $\chi_{\perp}$=$\chi_{a,b}$. Here, the notations $\parallel$ and $\perp$ are with respect to $\mathbf{B_{al}}$.\\
$\bullet$ For an easy-plane case [Fig.~\ref{FigA1}(c)], $\mathbf{ab}$ plane will be parallel with $\mathbf{B_{al}}$, while $\mathbf{c}$ lays inside the plane perpendicular to $\mathbf{B_{al}}$. The angle between $\mathbf{a}$ and $\mathbf{B_{al}}$ is named $\psi$. In this case, $\chi_{\parallel}$=$\chi_{a,b}$, while $\chi_{\perp}$ is
\begin{equation}
\chi_{\perp}=\frac{\int\int \chi(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)\sin\psi d\psi d\gamma}{\int_0^{2\pi}\int_0^{\pi} \sin\psi d\psi d\gamma}=\frac{\chi_{a,b}+\chi_c}{2}.
\label{EqA2}
\end{equation}
Eq.~(\ref{EqA2}) can be deduced, because $\cos\alpha$=$\sin\psi\sin\gamma$, and $\cos\beta$=$-\cos\psi\sin\gamma$. Interestingly, for both easy-axis and easy-plane cases,
\begin{equation}
\chi_{\parallel}+2\chi_{\perp}=\chi_a+\chi_b+\chi_c=3\chi_{\text{pow}}.
\label{EqA3}
\end{equation}

\begin{figure}[!htp]
\vspace{-5pt}
\hspace{-10pt}
\includegraphics[width=9.0cm]{FigA2}
\vspace{-25pt}
\caption{\label{FigA2} ($m_{\parallel}$+2$m_{\perp})/3$ vs. $\chi_{\text{pow}}$ with $T$ as an implicit parameter. The slope is determined by the weight of aligned CeRu$_2$As$_2$ powders.}
\end{figure}

Eq.~(\ref{EqA3}) enables us to figure out the weight of aligned powers in the mixture. In Fig.~\ref{FigA2} we plot $(m_{\parallel}+2m_{\perp})/3$ vs. $\chi_{\text{pow}}$ where $T$ is the implicit parameter. The plot shows good linearity for $T$ above 6 K. The intercept of this linear scaling, $m_0$, should be attributed to Stycast (which we assume is isotropic and temperature independent), and the slope is determined by the weight of the aligned powders. After subtracting $m_0$ from $m_{\parallel}$ and $m_{\perp}$, and with the slope, we are able to convert magnetization into magnetic susceptibility, as shown in Fig.~\ref{Fig3}(a).

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