1. the transitional period between puberty and adulthood in human development, extending mainly over the teen years and terminating legally when the age of majority is reached; youth.
2. the process or state of growing to maturity.
3. a period or stage of development, as of a society, preceding maturity.
"There can be adolescence onwardses."
"There can be adolescence children."
"adolescences can be to adulthoods."
"adolescences can be as periods."
"adolescences can be with people."
"adolescences can be with longings."
"adolescences can be to observations."
"adolescences can be to maturities."
"adolescences can be to lives."
"adolescences can be to gifts."
"adolescences can be through experiences."
"adolescences can be in places."
"adolescences can be in parts."
"adolescences can be in old-bufferisms."
"adolescences can be in lifespans."
"adolescences can be in companies."
Late Middle English: from French, from Latin adolescentia, from adolescere 'grow to maturity' (see adolescent).


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Lot 49 Pacer Way, Scarborough, ME, 04074
Courtesy of: Signature Homes Real Estate Group, LLC
Address: Lot 49 Pacer Way
READY TO MOVE-IN January 15th!! You are going to love everything this two-story, 1,864 square foot house plan has to offer. Currently under construction, ready in January 2023, the Morgan has an open floor plan that makes the first floor space feel even larger than it is. The state-of-the-art kitchen is open to the dining room and living room, this home makes entertaining family and friends almost too easy! Upstairs, you'll find the spacious primary bedroom with ensuite bath and 2 additional bedrooms and full bath. All of the large windows help to make this house bright, warm and inviting! Second floor laundry space to make life easy! A full basement for storage and the 2 car detached garage make this home the total package! The Downs is a new and exciting mixed-use development in Scarborough, Maine. Located in the heart of the community, The Downs will become home to an array of living options set in natural surroundings, with a vibrant Town Center and a truly integrated Innovation District. Together, all elements will create the premier place to live, work and play. The next phase of The Downs will continue to bring vitality to the area and will launch Scarborough forward into its next chapter. The 524-acre mixed-use development will create numerous recreational opportunities and will include over 10 miles walking paths throughout 200 acres of preserved green space. Tree-lined streets will connect the planned community, which will seamlessly balance recreation, retail, residential, and commercial development.
Courtesy of: Signature Homes Real Estate Group, LLC Listing data is derived in whole or in part from the Maine IDX and is for consumers' personal, non-commercial use only. Dimensions are approximate and not guaranteed. All data should be independently verified. © 2023 Maine Real Estate Information System, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Updated: 9th February, 2023 11:55 AM (UTC)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Holy New Martyr Dionysios of Vatopaidi (+ 1822)
Saint Gregory Kallides of Herakleia (+ 1925)
The Orthodox Approach to Apologetics and Theologic...
St. Paraskevi Heals a Bishop in 2008 Who Was About...
A Rare 13th Century Fresco of Saint Anna Galaktotr...
The Days of the Schism of 1054 (6 of 6)
The Monastery of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou in Nor...
The Testimony of a Physician Concerning a Miracle ...
A Protestant Athonite Pilgrim Who Saw Hatzi-George...
The Monastery of Saint Panteleimon in Tilos
St. Paraskevi Heals A Blind Man in New York
A Miraculous Appearance of St. Paraskevi in 1947
The Appearance of St. Paraskevi to Nun Christonymp...
A Holy Family Atmosphere (A Homily for the Foremot...
The 165 Holy Fathers of the Fifth Ecumenical Synod...
Holy Prophet Ezekiel as a Model for our Lives
The Respect Bees Have for the Face of St. Prophyri...
St. Markella of Chios According to St. Nikodemos t...
The Last Interview of Metropolitan Paul of Aleppo
The Miraculous Grave of St. Theoktistos Discovered...
The Marvelous Death and Translation to Heaven of a...
Video Footage of Jerusalem in 1896
What Sirach Said About Elijah the Prophet
Holy Prophet Elijah (Elias) as a Model for our Liv...
Saint Macrina the Younger as a Model for our Lives...
Concerning the Book "Elder Paisios of Mount Athos"...
Saint Marina the Great Martyr as a Model for our L...
Saint Vladimir Cathedral in Chersonesos Taurica
Saints Julitta and Kyrikos as Models for our Lives...
120,000 Pilgrims Visit the Grave of Elder Paisios ...
Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite as a Model for our L...
Fr. George Kapsanis, Former Abbot of Gregoriou Mon...
Elder Paisios and the Aroma of Reverence
The Encounter Between Elder Paisios and St. Euphem...
Saint Euphemia the Great Martyr as a Model for our...
Saint Olga, Equal to the Apostles, as a Model for ...
The Miraculous Intervention of Panagia Koudoumiani...
Synaxis of All Saints of Vatopaidi Monastery
The Holy Myriad Venerable Martyrs of Nitria
St. Photios the Thettalos: The Forgotten Life of a...
The Youngest Bishop in the Orthodox Church
The Church Burned, But the Icon Shines
Saint Prokopios the Great Martyr as a Model for ou...
Saint Kyriaki as a Model for our Lives
Abba Sisoes on the Remembrance of Hell
Saint Athanasios the Athonite as a Model for our L...
Saint Andrew of Crete as a Model for our Lives
Saints and Feasts of July
Saints and Feasts of June
Fr. Nikodemos Bilalis, a Monk and Protector of Mul...
The 10th Century Church of Saint Paul in Sfakia, C...
A Poem to Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi (chanted by Va...
The Cave of Saint Paul in Ephesus
Thousands Celebrate the Apostle Paul in Ancient Co...
The Three Medicines of the Holy Unmercenaries
Saint Euphemia the Great Martyr as a Model for our Lives
By Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas
She was born in Chalcedon during the reign of Emperor Diocletian, the fiercest persecutor of Christians, in the third century. After being arrested she endured cruel tortures, from which she miraculously survived. Finally she surrendered her soul to Christ after the small bite of a bear. Following her repose she performed many miracles, and her sacred relic remains incorrupt and is kept at the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Around two centuries after her repose, in 451, she gave another confession of faith in a miraculous way. She upheld the decisions of the Fourth Ecumenical Synod, which was held in Chalcedon and condemned the heresy of the Monophysites, who taught that Christ, after the union of the two natures - the divine and human - the human nature was absorbed by the divine nature. The venerable God-bearing Fathers who gathered at this Ecumenical Synod condemned this heresy and then considered it good to be assured through a miracle. Thus they placed the tome with the Orthodox teaching and the tome with the heretical teaching with the sacred relic of the Great Martyr, who was then kept in Chalcedon, then they sealed the coffin and prayed. After a few days they opened it and beheld a truly wondrous sight. The tome of the heretics was found discarded at her feet, while the tome with the Orthodox teaching was held tightly in her arms. In this way the divine teaching of the Orthodox faith was upheld. This event, naturally, delighted the Orthodox and shamed the cacodox, as we chant in her Apolytikion:
O Euphemia, Christ's comely virgin, thou didst fill the Orthodox with gladness and didst cover with shame all the cacodox; for at the holy Fourth Synod in Chalcedon, thou didst confirm what the Fathers decreed aright. O all-glorious Great Martyr, do thou entreat Christ God that His great mercy may be granted unto us.
This miracle shows that the saints are alive even after their repose, and they hear our prayers and protect all those who call upon them. Just as they showed their love while alive, they do the same after their repose, perhaps to a greater degree.
The way in which the Holy Fathers acted shows an Orthodox ethos. The saints have a personal experience of God and uncovered truth, and yet they take their experiences into account through that of the other saints, to receive confirmation. When a person of God receives a revelation or a vision they do not reject it, nor do they believe it. They ask the opinion of an experienced spiritual father and follow his advice. Once when the blessed Athonite Fr. Paisios saw a vision of Saint Euphemia he did not believe it was the Saint before "authenticating" it. This is because the devil can transform into an "angel of light", to lead into delusion, if possible, even the elect. He passed "in waves" as the saying goes. He told her to make the Cross, recite the Creed, confess the Holy Trinity, prostrate and kiss the icons, etc. When he was fully satisfied it was the Saint, then they conversed and he listened to what she had to say.
There are some today who claim to see God, the Virgin Mary and the saints and they converse with them. They are even featured in the media, and they fight with, get angry at and pick on whoever denies their vision. In fact a few days ago we witnessed such an event as seen through the media. Someone who claimed to have seen God, making himself a God-seer, in a packed church during a service, with the anger of a raging bull, verbally attacked the local Metropolitan during his sermon. And the question arises. Is it possible for such a man to have seen God and have within him the grace of the Holy Spirit? May God guard us from such delusions.
He who truly receives a revelation does not rush to reveal it, does not quarrel, is not a contrarian, but rather is humble, modest and endeavors to hide from the eyes of the world. They reveal it only, with much humility, to a discerning spiritual father and they are prepared to receive his advice. The Church teaches that he who does not receive advice, and is not humble, but rather they insist on their will full of arrogance and anger, are in delusion. For this reason Holy Scripture teaches that they who do not understand promptings and admonitions, should refer to the Church. "If they disobey the Church (through the Priest or Bishop), let them be to you as a heathen or tax collector" (Matt. 18:17), in other words, do not have spiritual communication with them.
After the great miracle of Saint Euphemia, which showed clearly that the Orthodox faith is the only true one, one would have expected for the heretics to have repented, to renounce their error and return to the bosom of the Church. Unfortunately, something like this did not take place for most of them, because they suffered from a very great illness called arrogance and pride, which does not allow the holder to recover and repent. Pride is truly a great spiritual illness, which, unfortunately, is healed with great difficulty. The bearer of this illness is a source of disorder also for the wider community.
May God give us wisdom through the intercessions of the saints. And a prudent man according to the teaching of the Church "accepts advice, especially that of a spiritual father counseling him in accordance with the will of God" (St. Thalassios).
Source: Ekklesiastiki Paremvasi, "ΜΕΓΑΛΟΜΑΡΤΥΣ ΕΥΦΗΜΙΑ", July 1999. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
Labels: Dreams and Visions, Elder Paisios the Athonite, Fourth Ecumenical Synod, Heresy, Saints of July, Saints of September, St. Euphemia


Make a garden plan. Plan ahead and you will find that it actually saves you time. I am basically a lazy gardener, in my fantasy world, I would like to just plant and harvest, but the reality is your garden needs more care than that. So, what I have found is that by planning ahead prior to each season, I cut out all that unnecessary work that comes from having no clue where to start. While a formal garden plan is ideal, even just informally listing what you want to plant ahead of time and what needs to be done is a big help.
Reduce your "debt" to the environment. While many people resolve to get out of debt each New Year, gardeners can resolve to stop taking so much from the earth, and to put something back instead. Try to adopt at least one sustainable gardening practice, whether it's installing a water saving drip system, or committing to using one new organic gardening method, like using companion planting, that first step will motivate you to go further.
Plant more veggies. It really doesn't matter if you have a yard — you don't need one. Even if you have a tiny patio, you can grow almost anything in a container. What you do need is full sun for at least 6 hours a day. Start with easy to grow leaf lettuce and kale, even if you live in a cold climate (they can handle some frost), and you can make your own mini-greenhouses to protect them from hard frosts.
Don't forget to have fun. Remember why you wanted to garden in the first place; it's supposed to be a hobby — an enjoyable hobby. We can find ourselves getting so caught up in the idea of perfection or what went "wrong" in the garden, that we forget to enjoy the things that make us garden in the first place: fresh veggies, flowers, and surrounding ourselves with greenery.
What are your gardening resolutions? I would love to hear what other people have planned, so please share them in the comments section.


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Gaetulia obtusa är en insektsart som beskrevs av Caldwell 1947. Gaetulia obtusa ingår i släktet Gaetulia och familjen Nogodinidae. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Halvvingar
obtusa

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
MP Harriett Baldwin backs lobbying locals over upkeep of Leigh Sinton play area
Tristan Harris 30th Dec, 2021
MALVERN'S MP has offered her support to villagers in Leigh Sinton who are raising funds to maintain a children's play area.
Harriett Baldwin met with two local residents who have lobbied for additional funding to help with the upkeep of the area used by parents and children from the village as well as pupils who attend Leigh and Bransford Primary School.
Sian Webley and Trevor Jones, who both live on Pineview Drive, overlooking the play area, briefed Ms Baldwin on their attempts to secure long-term funding to keep the asset properly maintained.
Although the local parish council made a one-off payment, local residents are looking for support to cover the costs of managing the popular play area.
Ms Baldwin said: "Villages such as Leigh Sinton have had significant extra housing in recent years and that brings developer contributions to support the local area and assets like play areas and other amenities.
"While the initial costs are borne by the developer, projects like this do need ongoing support and I am grateful for the efforts of people like Sian and Trevor who are doing their bit to make their community spaces better."
Ms Baldwin said she had agreed to raise their concerns with Malvern Hills District Council and had suggested some funds they may wish to bid into for extra support.
"If this play area is to be continued to be enjoyed by generations of children for years to come, this needs the community to work together to protect it too.
"I hope the parish council will re-consider the level of support is it offering and together we'll find a way to protect this and other community assets."
community asset
Harriett Baldwin
Leigh and Bransford Primary School
maintain children's play area
Pineview Drive
Sian Webley
Trevor Jones
West Worcestershire MP
MP Harriett Baldwin b...


Every now and then I need a good horror story. I just want to pick up a book and be whisked away to a dark place that no one likes to talk about. I don't care if the horror is supernatural or a reality-based psychological freak out. I just, well…every so often, like to be scared. And who doesn't?
This book somewhat delivers on this. I want to give this a higher rating but I can't. The idea of this book is a great one: a therapy support for survivors of traumatic events. No one really talks about the people who survive trauma, just the event itself or the inner workings of people who are guilty of doing it. I also like that Daryl Gregory manages to discuss each character's horrific experience without depressing us too much.
The execution of this, however, is not so great. The point of view of each of the therapy group members shifted entirely too much, almost to where I couldn't tell from one section to the next which person was talking. One moment it's Jan, the group director, the next was Harrison, a group member, so on and so forth. I didn't get the ending either. Way too abrupt and convoluted. Certain questions are never answered, too many plot strings left dangling. But maybe it's just me.
I understand that this is a novella, but I think this topic would have fit better into a novel format. I still feel like it's unfinished, like Mr. Gregory only gave us half of a cup when the glass should have been full. You never really get to know the characters, because it's time to move on to another perspective, another time, another place. It's quick read for people who enjoy horror books, or people who have survived horrific events.


Every child is a precious expression of life—and at First Baptist Richardson, we cherish those lives. Every Sunday our children's ministry gathers for crafts and games in a safe and friendly environment, while hearing about the love of God found in Jesus.
We welcome you to join us this weekend at any of our Sunday services. Bringing the family? No problem. We offer services geared towards children and students. After the service be sure to stop by the Next Steps Room and say hi, we would love to meet you.


Just left Weldon, NC good trip bass on top and bottom.
Virginia is for striper lovers!
Float trips are run out of a Boulder Boat Works drift boat. A drift boat offers both comfort and an easy platform for casting. Muskie, shad, and striped bass trips are run out of a G3 jet boat.


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Every time I visit a teeming new city or visit a mall heaving with people I find myself asking the same questions. Where do all these people come from? How do they earn a living? Where does the food come from to feed them all? Where is it all going to end?
According to the UN Population Division, in July 2015 the world population reached 7.3 billion, one billion more people than 2003 and two billion more than 1990. The dramatic decline in average global fertility to 2.5 per woman has led to a decrease in the population growth rate from 1.52% per year in 1990 - 1995 to 1.15% in 2010 - 2015. However, longevity increasing to a 2015 average of 70 years means the world population, now 7.3 billion, will rise to around 11.2 billion in 2100. The wealthy countries of Europe, Asia and the Americas face rapid population ageing, while Africa and some countries in Asia prepare for the largest cohort of young people the world has ever seen.
This forecast is predicated on declining fertility rates and increasing life expectancy. But what if a black swan event occurred that completely upsets the trends? HIV-Aids, for instance, reduced South Africa's average longevity to 55 years, one of the lowest on the planet and 20% below the global average. Now we have the Zika virus affecting pregnant women in Latin America. With Pope Francis seeming to condone contraception we could see birth rates plunging not just in the Americas but throughout the Roman Catholic world. To date there is no real evidence that Zika babies have shorter lives or that the Zika virus can lead to deaths but these too are possibilities.
On a more positive note, Google's driverless cars have now driven more than 200,000 kilometres with just two very minor accidents. In a few years time we could all be driving around in similar vehicles that are virtually accident free, more or less eliminating the 1.24 million deaths that occur in traffic accidents around the world. I don't have a number for the number of people who die in mining and factory accidents each year, but they too could be drastically reduced with similar technology.
Back in the medical field, unravelling of the mysteries of DNA could soon lead to much more effective designer treatments of cancer and other diseases, to say nothing of providing an elixir of youth to the aged. The campaign to eradicate malaria lends itself to deployment in countries that are home to the Zika-carrying mosquitoes; the additional resources could lead to both diseases, and the related deaths, being eradicated.
Climate change scientists warn that warmer weather could lead to more deaths. A heat wave in France several years back led to a spike of deaths of people whose bodies were unable to cope with the high temperatures. This week people died in Fiji and the Southern USA as a result of major storms; I have no numbers to determine whether storm-related fatalities are increasing or not. Tropical diseases, including Zika, malaria and yellow fever, could start creeping out of the equatorial regions. Recurrence of the flu pandemic of 1917 or the black death could see swathes of the population wiped out. Macho maverick presidents in the big powers could lead to another major conflict, though much of it might be conducted war game-wise on computer screens far from the battlefield allowing the downward trend of far fatalities to continue.
Global overcrowding is the elephant in the room that seldom gets a mention for fear we again see one child policies or final solutions. However it's probably the biggest challenge faced by mankind today.
P.S. Today the Japanese government announced that the country's population has fallen by nearly a million in the last five years for the first time since 1920.
The United Nations Population Division published the 2015 World Population Prospects
Our World in Data has some nice graphical presentations of the data while on the GapMinder website the Roslings provide a series of interactive charts and entertaining videos.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) provides information on life expectancy and world health statistics. The World Bank also provides a table of life expectancies and an interactive data search facility.
The World Health Organizarion recently published a global health warning concerning the Zika virus.


– Business plan, marketing materials, and solar thermal system procurement for a desalination demonstration project.
– Joint study to develop strategic business cases for the incorporation of hydrogen and hydrogen energy in natural gas utility plans using real options as the strategy formulation methodology.
– Waste to energy project analysis using wastewater treatment sludge in a pyrolysis gasification process.
– Analysis of waste to energy Technology Company using carbonaceous feedstocks in a pyrolysis gasifier.
– Assisted federal laboratory in developing carbon summit workshops.
– Assisted federal laboratory in developing a Hydrogen Initiative Strategy.
– Evaluation of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act proposals for DOE in several topic areas.
– Electrical load growth scenario forecast and renewable generation options study for major federal laboratory, including biomass fueled electric generation.
– Business plan for biodiesel joint venture.
– Business plan for solid oxide fuel cell company.
– USDA Loan guarantee application for biofuels project.
– Business concept plan for food waste to energy project.
– Strategic alliance formation between waste to energy technology firm and engineering services provider.
– Due diligence on behalf of corporate strategic investor.


Have you recently completed Staying Steady or Strength and Balance?
Do you want to take your confidence, mobility, balance and stability to the next level?
This class builds on the work started and maintained in the above classes helping you to progress your confidence, balance and stability and apply this to your daily life.
This progressive programme combines strength, balance, movement and stability exercises proven to reduce the risk of falling within a friendly and social class .


That aged rationale with federal tensing has been that will leading builders have been constantly good sized establishments, subcontractors have been constantly small business owners and then a company has been just correct with hockey and hockey.
Since just lately since a few issue, an individual has been protected doing work with that will prediction. Nevertheless company comes with improved noticeably together with, now, flourishing establishments are ready to use several less difficult inside innovative country wide tensing sector. Today, a very small business can be a subcontractor with agreement Virtually no. 1, some sort of leading building contractor with agreement Virtually no. two and then a company new member with agreement Virtually no. 3, which are generally functioning while doing so.
Precisely what may very well be much more confounding is usually that will, on the other hand, the normal good sized company may well help for a leading building contractor with agreement Some sort of, and may well help it's good to know for a subcontractor with agreement M and then a company new member with agreement J.
There are actually several motivators in back of the following serious switch.
Working at Even more Using A smaller amount Country wide having to pay is continuing to grow with approximately $220 thousand with 2000 to help a lot more than $550 thousand not too long ago. In that time period, that pay for labourforce comes with shrunk with a lot more than 100, 000 visitors to less than forty, 000. Kept in mind however spending plan sizes and shapes together with sequestrations, the results is usually that each agreement proportions is continuing to grow since there are actually a lower number of visitors to distribute that legal agreements.
$1B Small company Legal agreements Rather then $5 thousand thousand, $20 thousand thousand or simply $100 thousand thousand person legal agreements, the us government is usually challenging multi-billion-dollar legal agreements, together with one particular large legal agreements are generally make time for with regard to small business owners to remain that leading building contractor. An individual current prize has been in the Unit with Homeland Safety measures, the place 30 small business owners have been leading building contractor awardees to get a six-year, $6 billion-dollar-plus agreement.
An additional case is a Unit with Health insurance and People Solutions CIO-SP3 SB agreement, some sort of 10-year, $20 thousand fly, multiple-award agreement honored to help a lot more than 92 small business owners.
The following circumstances is position since the us government contains a requirement to enjoy 23% with it's tensing bucks using small business owners across america. Without a doubt, good sized establishments nevertheless get a lot more than 77% in the company, nevertheless 23% with $500 thousand is usually a lot more than $115 thousand per annum, that's a giant sector with an indivdual's booklet.
More often than not, as soon as a very small business is declared the winner as being the leading building contractor, the idea must self-perform 51% or higher in the agreement. Nevertheless, it usually is permitted to subcontract 49% to help any sort of company, good sized and small to medium sized. That is why good sized establishments may very well be subject material being a subcontractor, since garnering 49% with an issue is way better as compared to possessing 100% with practically nothing.
Teaming Competitors are generally comparatively novices at that country wide sector. As soon as next that mega-contracts known previously mentioned, nobody small company may well self-perform the complete agreement. When it could actually, may well not necessarily end up small to medium sized. Accordingly, competitors with agencies are frequently produced to help play with regard to together with get legal agreements.
Quite often, a lot of these associates get privity along with the federal company and tend to be payed off straightaway for any succeed implemented and solutions available. Flourishing agencies might arrange for some sort of three-pronged approach from this ever-evolving sector; turning relating to the leading, subcontractor and company new member baseball hat in that case will depend on the requirements in the forthcoming agreement.


The new record of the magnetic field ended with the explosion of the laboratory.
Last week, Japanese scientists reported on reaching a record magnetic field in the laboratory, but only now they said that the record ended with an explosion and showed a video of the disaster.
More recently, Japanese researchers set a record of the magnitude of an artificially created magnetic field, achieving an inductance of 1200 Tesla – hundreds of times stronger than that of MRI devices, and tens of millions of times stronger than the global magnetic field of the Earth. Note, this is a record "for closed premises": the maximum for artificial magnetic fields in principle was achieved in 2001 by physicists from Russian Sarov, who worked at the test site and reached 2300 T. Record scientists of Tokyo University held in the laboratory – in controlled conditions. However, as it turned out, the authors did not fully control what was happening.
The IEEE Spectrum edition talks about some of the details of the experiment, which resulted in serious damage in the laboratory. In fact, Sarov researchers used the explosions of TNT to compress a powerful magnetic field, to achieve its maximum value and, having fixed the event, to say goodbye to the equipment forever. Unlike them, Japanese scientists used electromagnetic compression, which allowed about 40 milliseconds to keep a record level.
To do this, they used a reinforced conductive coil of steel, which created a relatively weak (3.2 T) magnetic field — something like a tomograph. Inside it was placed a thin copper tube-liner. The coil was connected to capacitors capable of accumulating up to 5 MJ of energy and instantly discharging them, passing a current of 40 million amperes through it. This caused the appearance in it of a magnetic field directed against the original, and the interaction of the fields caused the thin-walled tube to literally collapse at a speed of tens of thousands of kilometers per second and compress its magnetic field.
Next story A project to decipher the DNA of a million people is starting.


text:
Q: Converting Image to bytearray in order to upload image to server Android I have image's sd card path. Now what are the next steps to convert image into byte array because I want to upload the image to server?
Thanks in advance.

A: public static byte[] toByteArray (Bitmap raw) {

    byte[] byteArray = null;

    try {
        ByteArrayOutputStream stream = new ByteArrayOutputStream ();
        raw.compress (Bitmap.CompressFormat.JPEG, 100, stream);
        byteArray = stream.toByteArray ();
    }
    catch (Exception e) {
        e.printStackTrace ();
    }

    return byteArray;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Nancy Pelosi Calls Banning Late-Term Abortions "Really Quite a Sad Thing"
Last night during his State of the Union Address, President Donald Trump called for Congress to pass a ban on late-term abortions. But speaker Nancy Pelosi is not on board.
"To defend the dignity of every person, I am asking Congress to pass legislation to prohibit the late-term abortion of children who can feel pain in the mother's womb," the president said. "Let us work together to build a culture that cherishes innocent life."
As the Daily Caller reports, Pelosi considers a late-term abortion ban "really quite a sad thing."
"It's really quite a sad thing when you know that we'll be talking about something that applies to the health and life — health and ability to have other children of women," she said when asked by The Daily Caller. "I hope that in his family, he never has to face that crisis and apply his attitude toward it."
HELP LIFENEWS SAVE BABIES FROM ABORTION! Please help LifeNews.com with a donation!
Author: Steven Ertelt
← Prev: Abortion Activists Wore White at SOTU to Celebrate Suffragists, But Early Feminists Were Pro-Life Next:
5 Major Takeaways from President Trump's 2019 State of the Union Address
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text:
AR Has Arrived And 7 Other Big Takeaways from CES 2017
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Nvidia, Amazon Echo, and French tech also made waves at CES 2017. IoT and robotics left more to be desired.
This year's Consumer Electronics Show — better known as CES — featured everything ranging from smart underwear to autonomous vehicles. To give some perspective, this year's CES had over 170K attendees ambling through nearly 2.5M square feet (that's 52 football fields) of demo space in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It's an grueling 4-day bonanza where many of world's finest companies and VCs get together in one place, and the event often serves as a bellwether for the year to come in technology.
Over $3.4B to AR/VR startups
Get the full list of startups and investors featured on our AR/VR market map. As an added bonus, we'll send you the disclosed funding values for each company.
With some CB Insights boots on the ground at the world's largest tech convention, we rounded few trends that indicate where 2017 is headed:
Track all the startups that exhibited at CES 2017 and many more on our platform
Sign up for a free trial and look for CES 2017 Startups in the Collections tab.
Track CES 2017 startups
CES 2017 Startups
608 items items
1. AR has arrived
One of the most impressive demos was from augmented reality (AR) headset maker ODG, also known as Osterhout Design Group. ODG has been historically focused on industrial and commercial AR, and was paid $150M by Microsoft to license their IP for Hololens. At CES this year, ODG was holding live demos for its consumer grade R-9 SmartGlasses, possibly signaling a larger foray into consumer AR. The company also raised a $58M Series A in Q4'16, which was the 4th largest AR/VR round of 2016 after Magic Leap, MindMaze and NextVR.
2. Drones were dominant
In terms of floor space at CES, the "Unmanned Systems" category jumped 208 percent over last year's footprint. Drone maker DJI (pictured above) had a large demo space, as did many others.
Also interesting was the Ehang 18, the first passenger-carrying quadcopter. The company is based in China:
3. Robotics were 'meh'
Industrial giant Bosch had an impressive display of robotic arms serving coffee and spinning cotton candy. But few of the household robots seemed to really capture the imagination. Peter Diamandis of X Prize called this year's robotics showing "disappointing" with the exception of Laundroid, which makes laundry folding robots.
4. Alexa powers all
Across the show floor at CES, the Amazon Echo appeared to be the most popular universal controller for smart home devices. While Google Home has just recently hit the the voice assistant scene, it was hardly a fixture compared to the Echo. It will be interesting to watch Google Home's traction in 2017, given it's competing with the Echo's roughly 2-year head start and more than 5 million shipped units.
Amazon's $100M Alexa Fund made 8 investments in 2016 to hardware companies that align with its Amazon Voice Service, the voice software powering the Echo.
5. IoT and smart home was unexceptional
It's easy to go to CES and be critical of IoT, and critics this year also got their share of laughs with radiation-deflecting underwear and robotic grill cleaners. But this year's offerings in the IoT area, especially within the smart home, seemed unoriginal and had little differentiation.
Steven Sinofsky of a16z agreed that it's easy for the offerings at CES 2017 to "create a climate of disappointment for IoT." But he added:
For me this is a bit like being frustrated at early digital cameras, early PCs, even early electrical appliances. Most everything with a motor came from a manual tool and then turned into something with a transistor over my lifetime. Throughout this transition, it always seemed to be the case that the older ones "worked fine" and the newer ones were more expensive, less reliable, and overly complicated.
Then they become normal.
Sinofsky reported that while little was new in sensors and automation, he was most impressed with how home security platforms such as Blink Cameras and Kwikset have matured and productized.
6. La French Tech was surprisingly present
French startups were at every turn inside Eureka Park, the startup corridor at CES. The French startup contingent (La French Tech's report with CB Insights is available here) grew in stature in 2016 as deals to France-based startups jumped 71% year-over-year.
In total, CES attracted over 260 France-based companies, and inside the startup corridor Eureka Park, La French Tech exhibited 172 startups (a 160% increase over its 2015 showing).
7. Nvidia was the belle of the ball
From autonomous vehicles to gaming computers, seemingly everything at CES 2017 was powered by Nvidia. The GPU maker's stock has taken off with their applications in AI computing, but the company also unveiled updates for its Shield TV console, which is powered by Google Assistant.
From the floor at CES, Nvidia's position in self-driving cars already appears commanding. The company held a demo of its AI platform running atop an Audi A8 (featured above), giving a peek at the Nvidia-Audi system that will allow drivers to be hands-off at speeds under 35 mph. And on the eve of CES, the company unveiled plans for a self-driving car release in 2020 with Volkswagen AG. (Nvidia already powers Tesla's autopilot feature, which has been in its cars since October.)
Want more data about CES startups? Log in to CB Insights, or sign up below.


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Home >> Properties for sale >> ISLAND FOR SALE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA, ISOLA DELLE FEMMINE
Rif. 1523 ISOLA DELLE FEMMINE
Isola delle Femmine - Palermo - Sicily
ISLAND FOR SALE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA, ISOLA DELLE FEMMINE
Ref. 1523 ISOLA DELLE FEMMINE
Type: Island with 16th century watch tower, Greek-Roman ruins and private beach
Condition: Derelict tower (fully restorable)
Municipality: Isola delle Femmine
Province: Palermo
Size: 494 square meters (5,315 square feet)
Total n. of rooms: -
Features: Derelict watch tower, roman basins, medieval ruins, private beach
Land: 15 hectares (natural reserve)
Garden: No, but possible
Annex: No
Access: By sea, private docking bay
Electricity: -
Water: -
Gas: -
Heating : -
Telephone: -
Adsl: No
Nearest Towns: All the distances are calculated from the mainland town of Isola delle Femmine: Palermo (19km; 40'), Monreale (21km; 40'), Trapani (92km; 1h 5'), Marsala (110km; 1h 25'), Agrigento (189km; 2h 25')
Nearest Airports: Palermo Falcone-Borsellino (16km; 15'), Palermo Boccadifalco (16km; 15'), Trapani Birgi (97km; 1h 5'), Catania Fontanarossa (223km; 1h 30')
GEOGRAPHIC POSITION, FLORA AND FAUNA
Located a short distance from Palermo and the main land (300 m), the Isola delle Femmine (literally, Island of the Women) is 15 hectares wide with a maximum height of 35 m above sea level, where we can spot the remains of an ancient watch tower.
Once landed on the mainland, various cities in Sicily are easily reached: Palermo (19km; 40'), Monreale (21km; 40'), Trapani (92km; 1h 5'), Marsala (110km; 1h 25') and Agrigento (189km; 2h 25').
Closest airports are Palermo Falcone-Borsellino (16km; 15'), Palermo Boccadifalco (16km; 15'), Trapani Birgi (97km; 1h 5') and Catania Fontanarossa (223km; 1h 30').
The seabed around the island is easily reachable, even by non-professional scuba-divers, thanks mainly to the incredible clearness of the water. And it is thanks to this clearness that one can admire the beautiful life forms typical of the island and several remaining of Greek and Roman age.
The island is characterized by the typical Mediterranean steppe, mainly covered in mallow, mandrake and erba stella on the higher ground which leave space to glasswort and bird's-foot trefoil on the cliffs going toward the coastline. Further enriching the landscape we find beautiful Iris and Romulea flowers. Fauna is mainly composed of lizards, but there are also some beautiful and uncommon species of butterflies.
ORIGIN OF THE NAME: LEGENDS AND PHILOLOGY
The legend tales of thirteen Turkish maidens who, condemned for serious crimes, were embarked by their relatives on a ship and left adrift in the middle of the sea. A storm wrecked the ship on a small rocky island, where the girls lived alone for seven long years. When their families, having realized their horrible doings, managed to find the girls decided not to return to their homeland but to found a new town on the mainland. They named it Capaci (Cca-paci, literally here the peace) while the island was renamed Isola delle Femmine (literally Island of the Women).
If we take aside the legend and only consider history, the origin of the name is highly uncertain. What's sure is that it is the result of a long process of Italianization. Popular tradition uses the toponym Insula Fimi, probably a misspelling of an older Insula Euphemi (where Euphemius is the name of the Byzantine governor of Sicily in the 9th century AD). Other possible origin is the term fimis, latinization of the Arab word fim (literally bay, strait) indicating the stretch of sea dividing the island from the mainland.
HISTORY OF THE ISLAND: ROMAN BASINS AND CAMILLIANI'S TOWER
On the island we can find some traces dating back to the Roman age, probably after the second Punic War, in the form of stone and concrete basins once used in the preparation of a typical fish plate. The well and other rainwater basins date back to the Middle Age instead.
The tower at the top of the island was built in the 16th century as part of a huge defense system entouring Sicily against the attacks of Corsair ships (this defensive project dated back to the 14th century and was continued based on necessity for several years). As for many other towers of the same age, the project is highly influenced by the Florentine architect Camillo Camilliani.
Originally structured onto two floors and now on a single floor, the tower has a squared base (247 sqm – 2,658 sqft). The ground floor was split into three rooms covered with barrel vaults and earmarked to water cistern (two out of three) and armory. From this last local it was possible to climb up to the guardsmen quarter through a hole in the roof, and from the quarters it was in turn easy to reach the rooftop through a wooden ladder. Here there were the artillery pieces to gun down enemy ships.
The tower is currently in a very bad shape, mainly because of the heavy damage it suffered during the Allied landing in Sicily as part of the Operation Husky in 1943. After World War II, the tower was neither rebuilt nor maintained and this abandonment contributed to its final decadence.
The building can be fully rebuilt, respecting the original volume of the structure, and it is possible to obtain a financing from the European Union or the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism for a possible cultural and touristic development program for the isle, all complying with the naturalistic constraint.
As a matter of fact, since 1997 the island have been included in the Natural reserve of Isola delle Femmine for which the Italian League for Bird Protection (LIPU) is managing authority. The European Union recognized the importance of the location which was first classified as SCI (Site of Community Importance) and then as SAC (Special Area of Conservation).
The purchase of the island is a unique opportunity for some looking for a trophy asset: a private use or simply an activity of preservation of something really unique.
The conservative restoration of the tower would allow making the building usable as a private residence, representative building, corporate image or the realization of a museum allowing tourists to appreciate not just the naturalistic value of the island but also the historical, artistic and archaeological ones.


Scholarships awarded are the Arkansas Library Association Annual Scholarship and the Arkansas Library Association School Library Media Specialist Scholarship.
The Arkansas Library Association Annual Scholarship will be awarded at the ArLA Annual Conference every year.
Submission information can be found on the application form. Please read over the Arkansas Library Association Annual Scholarship Statement of Policy before submitting application.
Applications will be accepted from July 1 through September 1.


Tauranga horse trainer, Jim Pender, nearly pulled off one of the biggest upsets in New Zealand big race history.
His horse the Real Beel, finished second in the Karaka Million 3 year old classic, the last race on the programme at Ellerslie.
The Real Beel started as the rank outsider in the 18 horse field.
From a wide gate, jockey Samantha Collett settled her at the back of the field, and at the 1000 meters, she was four lengths last.
Collett started her run around the field, five wide at the 800-meter mark and hit the lead coming into the straight.
It came down to a two horse race between the Real Beel and the eventual winner Long Leaf, ridden by top Australian based jockey James Mcdonald.
Long Leaf a colt has done all its racing in Australia, and won by a neck with the race favourite Madison County three-quarters of a length back in third.
But for trainer Jim Pender it was a dream come true and with it the $150,000 prize purse for second.
Pender says he couldn't have been more proud of the horse and the way it was ridden.
"It was one of the highlights of my career," says Penders.
To qualify for the million dollar race, all horses had to be bought at the Karaka Yearling Sales.
The Real Beel is the daughter of top sire Savabeel, purchased as a yearling for $110,000 whilst the winner is the son of Fastneck Rock and was sold for $750,000.
Pender will decide on what' next for the Real Beel, after a well deserved rest in the paddock.


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Home Repossessions Latest: Traps for landlords, defences for tenants: England & Wales
By Stephen Gold
The general coronavirus ban on residential evictions is over. But modifications to the procedure landlords must follow before they can have any hope of the county court making a possession order are still with us - and have changed again.
Firstly, the notice period. There are two kinds of notice which come into play: the fault-notice (arrears of rent, anti-social behaviour and the rest) under section 8 of the Housing Act 1988 and the no-fault notice under section 21 of the 1988 Act.
In England, in respect of the section 8 notice, at least three months was required during 26 March to 28 August 2020 inc. This was doubled to a stonking six months during 29 August 2020 to 31 May 2021 inc with variations where rent arrears, anti-social behaviour, rioting and obtaining the tenancy through a false statement were relied on. The six months has now been reduced to four months as from 01 June until 30 September 2021 but different periods will apply in rent arrears cases: at least four weeks for four months' arrears and four months for less than four months' arrears, tapering down from 01 August to 30 September 2021 inc to two months' notice for less than four months' arrears. The notice period on the ground of the tenant being unlawfully present in the UK or in the event of the tenant's death has reduced to two months from 01 June 2021. Notice periods for social introductory and demoted tenancies are amended as from 01 June 2021 and tapered as from 01 August 2021.
The section 21 notice period in England of the minimum of three and six months as above have applied but as from 01 June to 30 September 2021 inc the six months has been reduced to four months,
Secondly, the form of notice in England. Under section 8, it's form 3 and under section 21 it's form 6A. The forms have been revised alongside changes in notice periods and form 3 was revised on account of the introduction of the debt respite moratoria as from 04 May 2021. Both forms have again been reamended as from 01 June 2021.
In Wales, the current general minimum six months' notice requirement is running until at least 30 June 2021.
So notice has been given but when given it was for less than the minimum period which applied at that time? Then the notice is not worth the paper it was written on. Any county court claim based on the insufficient notice should fail and the landlord should serve a fresh compliant notice and commence new proceedings on the strength of it. And say the notice was not in the correct prescribed form which was current when it was served? There may be a defence for the tenant because of this. It would depend on the ways in which the notice was incorrect and the particular circumstances of the case. Professional advice should be taken on this by the tenant.
Just one other thing. The life of a section 21 notice is limited. If a possession claim has not been started before the notice expires then a fresh notice has to be served. Before coronavirus, the notice had a life of six months. For the period 29 August 2020 to 31 May 2021 it was increased to ten months. It has now been extended to eight months from 01 June to 30 September 2021 inc.
This post was first posted on the author's blog breakinglaw.co.uk. Visit the site to keep up to date with all of Stephen's latest legal tip and tricks


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The Lindsey Family Makes CrossFit Their New Tradition
Research shows that regular exercise can help you control your weight, reduce your risk of heart disease and prevent some cancers. Exercise can also help you manage blood sugar and insulin levels, improve your overall mental health and mood and even increase your chances of living longer. Many of these are among the reasons Johnny and Missy Lindsey from Lenox, Georgia joined CrossFit in Valdosta eight years ago.
They also quickly discovered how workout time can become quality family time. And it can really be beneficial—for everyone.
Growing up, Johnny participated in high school sports. As he grew older, he played some softball and basketball and became interested in golf after he and Missy had children.
But at around age 35, Johnny found himself overweight with high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
"My doctor wanted me to begin taking medicine to help correct my situation," said Johnny. "I pleaded with him to give me six months to get my fitness in order. At that point, I was motivated to make a difference, so I joined the YMCA."
Johnny began exercising three to five times per week and changed his diet.
"After six months, my weight was down from 260 to 230, and my blood pressure and cholesterol had dropped down to normal range," said Johnny.
Johnny remained consistent with his workouts for the next several years, even joining his daughter Laura at her CrossFit box one Saturday in her new hometown of Kennesaw.
"Fitness had been a priority for my daughter her whole life," said Johnny. "She told me she had joined CrossFit, and, at first, I was skeptical. But she convinced me to join her one Saturday to try it out."
At this point, Johnny had been working out for several years.
"I thought I would blow this out of the water," he admitted. "But it was just the opposite. After finding myself lying on the floor after that workout, it was clear I had no idea the level of fitness that was going on in there."
But Johnny said the amazing thing about it was how great he still felt afterward.
"The coaches and fellow athletes were so supportive. It was a feeling that I had never experienced," he confessed.
So when he got back home on Sunday, he looked up CrossFit gyms in Valdosta and joined the next week. After about three months, Missy joined Johnny at CrossFit Valdosta, too.
"Our daughter Laura would call every day and talk to her dad about the Work Out of the Day (WOD)," said Missy. "Hearing them talk and seeing their excitement about this new adventure intrigued me. I had other friends who were also doing CrossFit, so I decided I would give it a try. That was seven years ago, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made."
Missy will turn 55 years old in June, and she says she's doing things now that she wouldn't have done even ten years ago.
"Since joining CrossFit and cleaning up my diet, I'm down 30 pounds, but I'm also physically and mentally the strongest I have ever been," she beamed.
Missy can power clean 100 pounds and string together more than five pull-ups. Johnny's biggest accomplishments since joining CrossFit include the gymnastic movements he has mastered and the great success he's experienced in individual competitions. Last year, he ranked 50th in the CrossFit Open in the 55 to 59 age group, and, at the end of the qualifier, he was ranked 26th in the world in his age group.
"I am very proud of that, he said. "It takes a lot of time and support from your family to get to that point."
But as for what they are most proud of, Johnny and Missy both agree it's the fact that they can work out as a family. Their daughter, Laura Tucker, 33, is still very active in CrossFit, and so is their son Sam, 32. Sam's daughter, Elseigh, 7, even enjoys the CrossFit Kids program at the family's gym in Valdosta.
The Lindsey family has established new family traditions, including completing a Memorial Day WOD and 12 Days of Christmas WOD together, as well as running a Fourth of July 5K at the beach each year. Johnny has even competed in team-style competitions with both Laura and Sam.
"It makes me proud to be able to enjoy this kind of time together with them," said Johnny.
Missy added, "I'm proud of my family no matter what, but watching them compete really fires me up."
"I'd say knowing that we are all striving for the same goal is special," said Johnny. "CrossFit has become our way of life. It's really great that Missy and I can share that every day. Knowing our children are knocking it out of the park makes us very proud, too. And we just know our grandchildren will follow in their footsteps."
Written by: Megan A. Powell | Photography by: Brandon Pham
Health Life April 23, 2021 crossfit
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text:
Thank you Keith and Richard for your comments. Still Totally ADD aka David
jamiebowers
DesirousOfChange
Excellent production!
It came across as fair and balanced and NOT a "hate-fest". Everyone looked "good". I say that because many anti-JW YouTube videos and activist events are made by people (sincere and with good intentions) but with the personal appearance that makes it easy for a JW to criticize and ignore. Remember, JWs are all about appearances.
I thought the show was done really great. Very sincere, well thought out takes by everyone on the show. I know Cliff, his thoughts were really heartfelt and moving. All the ex-JW's did well. It really helped expose the WT Society and educate people who didn't know much about Jehovah's Witnesses. My longest term friend from high school and his wife watched it and was really shocked by the horror we all had to go through as young JW's being raised up in it. Some of us might not have experienced the suicides , however the shunning almost all of us have experienced- many times. I hope Leah & Mike do another special presentation in the future on the WT Society. Peace out, Mr. Flipper
sp74bb
former2free
Isn't that what the watchtower wants you to do is hide? Doing that takes the humanity out of who we are and haven't we had that stripped away long enough? We are humans with emotions and families and lives and everyone should be seen and heard especially coming out of an abuse high control group. We need to as the theme of this years convention says Be Courageous in standing up for what is true and showing real and true unconditional love. The more of us that do that the more who will wake up and can get real help. Dad, still totally ADD good job!!
Your Son,
Thank you jamie, DesirousofChange, flipper, sp74 and James. Now you all have 3 of the Winner family standing up against the cult. So happy to have our son back in our lives. Still Totally ADD aka David
Reopened Mind
I guess I need to weigh in on this thread as my husband and son are "out". David and I discussed posting our real names on this board after seeing the stories of XJWs on A&E last Tuesday. We said the time has come to step out of the shadows to become more active.
As flipper said it will help expose the Watchtower Society and educate people about Jehovah's Witnesses. With that in mind we are hosting two parties this weekend to view the film. While we have been talking to our friends about our background, it is so far removed from their life experiences that it is difficult for them to comprehend what a high control group like the Watchtower is really like. We hope this opens their eyes to a few things.
I think it is ironic that this year's convention theme was "Be Courageous". The governing body has built a compound in Walkill where they can hide. The rank and file no longer know how to witness as they stand behind a tablet or a cart. It is the children who are on the front lines as they are made to take a stand for the religion. So, who really are the courageous ones? As my son James said they are the ones like those on the program who fearlessly stand up for what is true and real.
Reopened Mind, aka, Barbara
As brought out on the show the GB is really doing a lot to help people wake up by their arrogance to broadcast such ridiculous things and tout it as being normal way to live when it goes against basic human nature. For example where Garret Losche said that Jehovah is more important than people. So that tells you to not have any empathy or compassion to humanity and to just peddle what they tell you. It's really sad how they have come to grow and deceive people and they haven't been outed yet like they should have been.
Vidiot
"Aclostates" no more, huh? Well done.
I gotta say, you guys are braver than me... I'm not all the way there yet. (Mom's still in, but really old)
Can't help but wonder if this show is gonna help push a few more over the rubicon, too.


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Suat Usta (Maastricht, 3 augustus 1981) is een Turks, Nederlandse voetballer die als verdediger speelt. Suat Usta is de broer van Fuat Usta.

Carrière

Externe link
TFF.org

Turks voetballer
Turks voetbalcoach


June 2016, Issue 170 | Samuel Shapiro & Company, Inc.
The new legislation (9801.00.10) reads as follows: Products of the United States when returned after having been exported, or any other products when returned within three years after having been exported, without having been advanced in value or improved in condition by any process of manufacture or other means while abroad…free of duty.
This provision is applicable to articles regardless of origin that were previously exported three years prior to the re-importation. We do caution exporters to maintain proof of the export from the U.S. in the event that Customs and Border Protection asks for proof of export documentation.
The number one Priority Trade issue for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is Antidumping and Countervailing Duties (AD/CVD). When the Department of Commerce finds that imported merchandise was sold in the United States at an unfairly low or subsidized price, Commerce instructs CBP to assess AD/CV duties against imports of the subject merchandise into the United States. CBP's goal is to detect and deter circumvention of the AD/CVD law, to liquidate final duties timely and accurately, while at the same time facilitating legitimate trade.
With AD/CVD cases on the rise, importers need to educate themselves on AD/CVD trade laws and determine if their goods are subject to AD/CVD duties prior to importation. It is important to note that antidumping and countervailing duties paid at the time of entry are estimated duties. The final amount of duties owed is not determined until Commerce conducts an administrative review to establish the final AD/CVD rates on past entries. As a result, AD/CVD duties may liquidate at much higher amounts than what was paid at time of entry.
Importers may seek additional guidance and clarification on AD/CVD matters by contacting the Customs Liaison Unit (CLU) at 202-482‐0984. The CLU serves as the liaison between Commerce and CBP on issues involving the suspension of entries and the collection and assessment of antidumping and countervailing duties.
For information on the AD/CVD Priority Trade Issue, please visit https://www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/adcvd or contact Shapiro's compliance team at consulting@shapiro.com.
On February 22, 2016, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published an unofficial announcement outlining their plans for the eventual feeding of the CPSC eFiling Product Registry and Customs' Automated Customs Environment (ACE) system. While the initial Alpha Pilot is only intended for a sample study of 8 importers, the participants have yet to be chosen. The CPSC's eFiling initiative is intended to give International Trade Dada System/Risk Assessment Methodology (ITDS/ RAM) more information so they can make faster, more effective decisions on which cargo to allow into the country.
The purpose of the Alpha Pilot is to test kinks within the system before it is rolled out nationally. Once the program is in place, not only will the flow of information to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and CPSC be infinitely more efficient, but it will be easier for importers and brokers to file more items that they bring into ports regularly. For example, when filling out the ACE form, an importer/ broker has the option of filling out partial reference information in the eFiling system if they are importing the same products as a previous shipment that has been approved by CPSC.
The goal for the e-filing and ACE systems is to create better collaboration between CPSC and CBP, while expediting the process of Customs inspections and increasing the productivity of America's ports.
On May 31, 2016, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced the intent to distribute, to affected domestic producers, the assessed antidumping or countervailing duties that are available for distribution in Fiscal Year 2016.
The assessed duties received pursuant to an Antidumping and Countervailing Duties (AD/CVD) order, or a finding under the Antidumping Act of 1921, will be distributed to affected domestic producers for certain qualifying expenditures that these producers incur after the issuance of an order or finding.
The domestic producer must provide a certification that enumerates qualifying expenditures incurred since the issuance of an order or finding and demonstrate that the producer is eligible to receive a distribution as an affected domestic producer.
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has supplied CBP with a list of the individual antidumping and countervailing duty cases, and the affected domestic producers associated with each case who are potentially eligible to receive an offset. This list is published in the Federal Register 81 FR 34624.
The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously approved a House version of the Water Resource and Development Act (WRDA) on May 25th that included a landmark proposal to move the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund off-budget in 2027. The provision is a watered down version of the Senate proposal that was rejected by the White House in April, citing insufficient return on taxpayer investment.
The Harbor Maintenance Fee was introduced in 1986 to fund the cost of port/waterway maintenance by the Army Corps of Engineers. The tax, currently at .125% of the total value of goods in transport, was designated for improvement and maintenance of U.S. ports and harbors. However, over the years, the application of the funds has sometimes been diverted away from projects related to transportation infrastructure or, in some cases, the funds have remained in the trust, unused.
Because the Army Corp of Engineers is not currently allowed to access the fund, a majority of the $10 billion remains unused due to complicated budgetary restrictions. The funds are, however, desperately needed as U.S. port infrastructure continues to deteriorate. The American Society of Civil Engineers even gave U.S. ports and harbors a C-rating on its Infrastructure Report Card, a pitiful grade when considering waterborne commerce accounts for $5 trillion in economic activity annually. Additionally, when the Panama Canal expansion debuts in June, the surge of larger capacity and mega-vessels will present many difficulties for U.S. ports in their current condition.
For more information on this topic, check out our Shap Blog: Dredging the Confusion Surrounding the Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF).
The quarterly Internal Revenue Service (IRS) interest rates, used to calculate interest on overdue accounts (underpayments) and refunds (overpayments) of Customs duties, will increase one percent (1%) from the previous quarter.
For the calendar quarter beginning April 1, 2016, the interest rates for overpayments will be 3 percent for corporations and 4 percent for non-corporations, while the interest rates for "underpayments" will be 4 percent for both corporations and non-corporations.
Published in Federal Register 81 FR 29879 on May 13, 2016.
The Trade Facilitation Act of 2015 raised the value of a shipment of merchandise imported on one conveyance by one consignee that may be imported free of duties and taxes from $200 to $800.
Importers are reminded that Customs has the right to require a formal entry on any shipment where additional information, bonding, or protection is required. In the case of low value shipments, it is important to note that this treatment can be denied if used for the purpose of avoiding compliance with any pertinent law or regulation.
In accordance with the Cuba policy changes announced by President Obama, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) have made five sets of amendments to their respective Cuba sanctions regulations.
OFAC introduced a provision in January 2015 authorizing the importation of certain goods and services produced by independent Cuban entrepreneurs as set forth in OFAC's Cuban Assets Control Regulations (CACR) at 31 C.F.R. § 515.582.
The State Department's Section § 515.582 authorizes the importation of all goods produced by independent Cuban entrepreneurs, as demonstrated by documentary evidence, except for goods in certain listed sections and chapters of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) of the United States, and subject to compliance with all other relevant requirements under state and federal law and regulations. The list and associated documents can be found on the U.S. Department of State website.
On April 22, 2016, the State Department updated the list and made the following categories of goods eligible for import through their removal from the exclusionary list: coffee (HTS 0901) and additional textiles and textile articles (Section XI, Chapters 51 and 52). Additionally, imports of these items no longer need to be made directly from Cuba.
It is important to note that those importing goods or services authorized by § 515.582 must obtain documentary evidence that demonstrates the entrepreneur's independent status, such as a copy of a license to be self-employed, issued by the Cuban government or, in the case of an entity, evidence that demonstrates that the entrepreneur is a private entity that is not owned or controlled in whole or in part by the Cuban government.
For further information on this list, please consult the webpage of the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs' Office of Economic Sanctions Policy and Implementation, or contact the State Department at 202-647-7489.
For regulatory questions, please consult the Office of Foreign Assets Control's Cuba sanctions webpage.
It is no surprise that inventory levels have been at an all-time high for U.S. importers. Environmental factors in 2015 such as port congestion issues, a multi-year volatile ocean market, and labor complications at ports across the U.S. simultaneously contributed in confusing many purchasing departments and caused importers to order more goods as a safeguard to ensure stock capacity. In combination with a slow first quarter, these 2015 trends have sent current rates plummeting with plenty of capacity and not enough demand.
It is not yet clear how these factors will affect rates for ocean transportation as we approach the industry's peak busy season. According to the JOC, shippers have been spotted moving production back to the U.S. or near-sourcing to Mexico and Latin America. A recent survey found that 47 percent of shippers expect to increase insourcing to the U.S. or near-sourcing to Mexico, which is substantially more than the 20 percent of shippers who expect further outsourcing. The survey data suggest that outsourcing to China in particular will continue to slow in the years ahead.
Regardless of the current high levels of inventory carried by importers and the waning consumer spending, the peak season rates aren't set in stone and could fluctuate depending on purchasing activity and manufacturing strategy.
While robots begin to replace workers at fast food restaurants and grocery kiosks around the country, the port of Long Beach is seeing striking results from the automation of one of its facilities. Due to recent improvements, the average truck visit time has been cut in half comparatively to the Los Angeles and Long Beach port as a whole.
It's no secret that automation is being implemented in many different business sectors such as manufacturing, customer service, and transportation, but cutting the wait time for truckers from 85 minutes to 40 minutes will pave the way for port productivity and hopefully reduce the stifling congestion the country has faced over the past few years. In order to increase efficiency, the automated terminal operating system mixes different types of containers in a particular stack allowing a driver to drop off an export load and pick up an import load from the same stack.
While this newly implemented automated system seems to be working wonders at the middle harbor terminal, it will be interesting to see which terminals and ports follow the design that has produced such increased efficiency in as little as two months.
As of May 26th, the level of idled vessels off-shore has dropped to its lowest number since November of 2015. Of the unemployed ships, approximately 269 were over 500 TEU's, an astonishing 1.13 million in total, which translates to about 5% of global freightliners. This is roughly a 28% decrease from March's 1.57 million TEU capacity.
Unfortunately, the drop in fleet capacity is not purely a result of an increase in industry demand. For example, in May alone 19 ships (65,000 TEU's) were sold to be dismantled - five Panamax and four over-Panamax vessels.
Interestingly, even though scores of ships have been sold for dismantling, they are not necessarily being replaced. This is reflected by the fact that the global fleet is expanding at its slowest rate since 2009, a direct result of a weakened economy with minimal growth leading to a stagnant industry. While the total TEU's for the fleet top out at 20.14 million, representing a 6.2% increase in size, those metrics do not exclude idle vessels. The figures for active-only ships drop to 19.1 million TEU's, a stagnant number, holding at the same levels as in July 2015.
As the July 1 implementation date for mandatory Verified Gross Mandate (VGM) reporting draws near, some U.S. ports are still considering their position on service offerings for container weighing as shippers seek methods for compliance. The port of Charleston has withdrawn their container weighing fee, while the ports of LA/Long Beach have said they will weigh trucks entering the terminal and pass that information on to the carriers as needed. Terminals at the ports of NY/NJ have also come around to the idea of weighing containers (for a fee) after initially adopting a "no VGM, no load" policy. The Virginia Port Authority has revised its policy as well in an effort to keep shippers utilizing VA terminals competitive. The ports of Houston and New Orleans are maintaining their "no VGM, no load" policies until it can be determined if top-lifters' weight readings are approved for VGM use.
It seems that ports and terminal operators want to be able to support shippers but the biggest concern is, of course, liability. The risk of an incident due to a misdeclared container weight still has many parties feeling uneasy.
With regard to intermodal moves, railroads have indicated that this is a maritime issue; they will not adjust current operating practices based on this new requirement. It appears that absence of the VGM will have no bearing on the railroads' acceptance of cargo.
Importers have recognized the potential for disruption to their supply chains, remaining in especially close contact with suppliers. With international enforcement varying from carrier to carrier and country to country, monitoring potential risk seems like quite a challenge. Stay tuned for further updates!
Want more information on VGM?
Check out Shapiro's Verified Gross Mass Confusion Infographic.
There are many factories and facilities in Vietnam, especially on the northeastern coastal area that are financially backed by Japanese and international investors. This region of the country has seen an increase in container demand and Japan wants to ensure Vietnam has the infrastructure in place to aid in this rapidly growing economy. In April, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which facilities development assistance on behalf of the Japanese government, signed an agreement with the Vietnam government for ODA loans totaling more than 85 billion yen ($781 million). The funding will be used for engineering, procurement of materials, equipment and consulting services needed for the development of a deep sea port and road infrastructure.
The port will be built at Lach Huyen which is to the east of Haiphong; Vietnam's third largest city and is expected to be completed in May 2018. This is the third wave of funds towards this initiative; 21 billion yen in 2011 and 38 billion yen in 2013. There are skeptics saying this initiative may be too aggressive based on the industry trend towards mega-vessels and the inherent need to service such ships. Many large vessels will not call the port due to its location and the relatively small market it provides. However, others say this project will support the fast growing need in the region and help to reinforce Vietnam's international competiveness. In addition, the JICA has approximately 114 ongoing projects throughout Vietnam, including a major expressway that will connect the north, south, east and west of the Mekong region and allow for better access and distribution.
The timing of these development projects is in perfect alignment with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement, which has shown good momentum. Many trade analysts are saying Vietnam is likely to be the biggest benefactor of the 12 countries entering into the agreement. At the end of May, U.S. President Barack Obama held an open forum with young entrepreneurs in Vietnam on the many economic benefits the free trade agreement brings. For U.S. exporters, TPP will provide reductions and/or elimination of tariff barriers, binding commitments for e-commerce, support for smaller sized businesses, increased market access for agricultural products, stricter controls for state owned companies, strong trade enforcement, good governance standards, promotion of regulatory transparency, and streamlined processes for cross-border shipments.
The U.S. has seen a considerable increase in trade volumes with Vietnam since formal normalization of diplomatic relations in 1995. Annual volumes rose from $450 million in 1995 to $45 billion in 2015. Recently the U.S. International Trade Commission issued a report estimating U.S. export volumes would increase to $57.2 billion by 2032 if U.S. Congress passes the TPP free trade agreement. It would seem Japan is investing wisely since American consumers buy a wide range of products produced in Vietnam, with the trend likely to further increase as a result of the implementation of TPP.
Backers of beltway infrastructure and policy experts think the answer to the woes of the U.S. freight network could partially lie in a 0.3 percent national tax on the transportation cost of goods.
The proposal released by the Eno Center for Transportation comes amid gridlock as the federal government looks for new ways it can increase spending to better maintain and expand infrastructure. The Eno Center is a Washington DC-based non-profit, non-partisan think tank, who are dedicated to shaping policy, fostering innovation and developing tomorrow's transportation leaders in both the public and private sectors.
As part of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST), enacted in 2015, billions of dollars will be spent to support one mode of freight transportation: trucking. A tax hike on fuel has been ruled out by most of the political establishment and hopes have been pinned on long-delayed corporate tax reform.
The Eno Center group said the plan would generate as much as $2 billion annually. A 0.3 percent fee would be imposed on the cost of shipping for all surface transportation in the U.S., excluding air and international cargo. That fee would be charged to cargo owners at an even rate across modes and 100 percent of the revenue would be deposited into the federal freight discretionary grant program, which the U.S. Department of Transportation would be required to spend every year.
Similar plans have been proposed over the past couple of years without being passed into national law. The Eno Center is confident that this is the best step forward in accomplishing goals outlined in the FAST Act.
The 2015 announcement of relaxed U.S. trade relations with Cuba was predicted to be the catalyst of increased commerce between the two countries, but in reality, a year later, trade continues to be somewhat muted.
Cuban-U.S. trade actually peaked back in 2012 when U.S. exports to Cuba topped at $464.4 million. Since then, exports from the U.S. have steadily declined because of strategic scale back by the Cuban government and the avian flu scare, which dramatically dropped U.S. agricultural exports to the region. 2016 trade numbers increased year-over-year, with February U.S. exports at $19.6 million from $14.6 million, but are much lower than February 2014 levels of $44.5 million. Meanwhile, Cuban exports to the U.S. have been non-existent since 2012.
These tepid trade figures provide empirical support for experts like Jay Brickman, Vice President of Crowley's Liner Services, who has suggested that the lessened restrictions brought about by the lifting of the U.S. trade embargo with Cuba certainly are a step in the right direction for increasing trade flows between the two countries, there are still significant regulatory hurdles in Cuba that must be addressed in order to discover full trade cooperation.
While U.S. exporters have increased access to the Cuban market, trade and business restrictions of the Cuban government still exist. The Cuban government has yet to decide to what degree it will adjust its economy to make way for increased market dynamics. Many non-tariff measures and regulatory restrictions remain in place, which continue to make the country an unattractive destination for many U.S. exports.
Luckily, there is hope for improvement in the long-term. The U.S. International Trade Administration has started reporting on market conditions and restrictions in order to make U.S. exporters more aware of the hurdles and opportunities associated with doing business in Cuba. Moreover, confidence building between the two governments will continue to evolve as government regulators and businesses seek to address the new trade questions that have arisen since the start of this process.
On May 23, Iran and India entered into a formal investment agreement to develop Chabahar Port in Iran. The agreement has been on the drawing board since 2003 and is the first involving an Iranian port and international backers since the lifting of the sanctions related to Iran's nuclear program.
Under the agreement, India will spend $500 million on the project and invest an additional $16 billion in the Chabahar Free Trade Zone (FTZ). The money that India is investing will go towards refurbishing a 2,100 ft. container-handling facility, 4 rail-mounted gantry cranes, 2 reach stackers, 2 empty handlers, and 16 rubber, tire gantry cranes. India will also upgrade a 600-meter multipurpose berth with 6 mobile harbor cranes, 10 forklifts, and 10 trailers for breakbulk and other cargoes. The port is being developed to facilitate trade between India and Iran.
After declining for six consecutive quarters, year-over-year containerized exports finally grew in the first quarter of 2016. While export growth is an encouraging sign for U.S. manufacturers and shippers, the 3.2 percent increase is tempered when compared to the very weak base in the first quarter of last year. Economists with the Journal of Commerce (JOC) are now forecasting moderate export growth for the full-year at 1.3 percent, compared with a previous forecast of a 1.5 percent decline.
Looking ahead to the rest of 2016, trade will continue to experience headwinds through the rest of the year as global demand continues to be very weak and the U.S. dollar remains strong relative to other major global currencies. The effect of the latter has been weakening, however, U.S. goods remain more expensive than similar items sourced from other regions.
In breaking down the drivers for the first quarter's export growth, northeast Asia contributed the most to the metric, adding approximately 2.06 percentage points, according to the JOC's Container Shipping Outlook. Specifically, shipments from China have now trended upwards for four consecutive quarters, year-over-year. Growth in exports to India also contributed almost 1.5% to the export growth, which reflects their highest contribution since 2009.
Less than five months past the excitement and buzz created by its debut, the largest containership to ever drop anchor in the United States, the 18,000 TEU behemoth, CMA-CGM Benjamin Franklin, has quietly been re-deployed to a busier Asia-Europe service. The main reason for relocation is the lack of capacity demand in the Trans-Pacific import market. At the peak of excitement and confidence as 2015 came to a close, CMA confidently planned to launch six more vessels of the same size to be used in the Trans-Pacific trade on CMA's famed "Pearl River Express" route.
Soon after the first of the year, it became evident that the megavessels were not going to be needed just yet. The Trans-Pacific market saw a glut of shipping capacity eat away at the freight rates until they reached record lows. The decision to re-deploy the Ben Franklin to the Asia-Europe trade market was announced at the same time that CMA solidified its alliance with other large carriers to better manage capacity. Other carriers were not interested in a partnership to include megaships for the time being to protect their interests, keeping capacity tight so rates could eventually rise.
The current vessel size used for the Pearl River Express service is 11,400 TEUs instead of the 18,000 TEUs that were planned in December. For now, the megaship market for the United States seems to be shelved until capacity demand changes and some of the largest key ports on the East Coast, such as New York and Savannah, develop the infrastructure to service them, even if the Panama Canal can handle the routing.
This "spoiled" hype certainly comes as welcome news for those ports that were not ready to handle the influx of volume and carriers that were grappling with service performance issues due to port congestion, shortage of labor and drivers. The larger problems such as where to stack containers ready for rail loading and the timeliness of rail loading efficiencies has diminished marginally but continues to be an area of concern.
The airline industry is very competitive and easily affected by external factors such as oil prices, governmental policies, and world conflicts. One way to face these obstacles for airlines is successfully establishing partnerships and alliances.
A joint venture is when two or several airlines bring together their services, share resources, and agree to share the revenue and risks involved. The goal is to optimize profitability for the airlines, which then benefits the customers through a more efficient operation of the entire industry and lower rates.
The concept of 'metal neutrality' is an important feature of a joint venture. It identifies the revenue each member receives on a defined route is independent of which air carrier actually flies the cargo and total profits or losses received are split equally amongst the carriers.
While American Airlines and LAN Airlines already offer 'code share,' allowing each to book on the others key lanes outlined in the code share agreement, a newly proposed "metal neutral" alliance will essentially allow both carriers to now share revenue on selected routes.
Qatar, a Middle East based carrier, has twice increased its stake in IAG, which is comprised of British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and Vueling. The extended routes, partnership, and increased capacity benefit all involved here.
Lufthansa and Cathay also signed a partnership, starting early next year, sharing flights between Hong Kong and thirteen European destinations. In a Cathay press release, the joint network will offer customers "more direct connections, greater flexibility, and time savings." The proposed network affecting 140 direct flights will start in early 2017 with Hong Kong to Europe and the eastbound flight following later in the year.
Fed Ex and TNT are nearing the final stage of the year-long acquisition. This month, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the last in a long list of countries, approved the deal. While the acquisition is expected to be finalized by June 2016, Fed Ex advised no immediate impact on TNT service and employees. This move increases Fed Ex's market share in Europe with the addition of TNT's extensive road network linking 40 countries, not to mention, putting them closer than ever to UPS rival in terms of global workforce and revenue.
April numbers for air cargo show a 3.2% growth over last year according to a May 30th press release issues by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). While almost all markets showed improvement, Latin America is still down due to economic troubles.
Europe and Middle East markets saw demand increase favorably and Africa, while flat growth was reported for April, shows capacity as largely increasing. Summer months bring increased passenger capacity worldwide, and with low fuel prices, that will continue to put downward pressure on cargo prices.
In the last couple of weeks, the U.S. House and Senate advanced separate transportation bills that would make changes to the current hours-of-service (HOS) restart rule for truckers. The new bill proposed to restore the 2011 regulations pertaining to trucker's use of a 34-hour restart. According to the 2011 rule, a 34-hour restart would not be required to include the two 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. periods on consecutive days and its use would not be limited to once a week. The new bill also proposed a 73-hour limit on the amount of hours truckers can spend on duty in a rolling seven-day period.
If the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) fatigue studies conclude that the two restart periods are better for driver fatigue, they would go back into effect and the 73-hour cap would be forgone.
In addition to the HOS, the House bill includes two other provisions; the new bill would prevent California and other states from passing laws that require companies to schedule meal and rest breaks for truckers and would also stop the FMCSA from passing new safety fitness determination rules until its Compliance, Safety, Accountability scoring program is finalized.
May 2016 marked the 24th consecutive quarter of industrial real estate growth in the U.S. Available space has declined as higher utilization of existing space outpaces new construction. This phenomenon, known as "net absorption," is on par with the tightest conditions ever recorded in this sector of U.S. real estate development. The crisis now facing American shippers is not truck availability, but rather in where to put all their goods. Shippers are running out of the space needed to maintain the supersized inventories they have been amassing.
Capacity tightening in the warehouse sector is driving down costs in other transportation sectors such as land, sea and air. The demand for warehousing and distribution space is fueling a boom in construction, but the developers cannot seem to build fast enough. Shippers are now forced to pay more to store their goods, which effectively negates any cost savings they might find elsewhere in their supply chain. As an example, the JOC reports that Amazon's warehouses were packed over the holiday season. Amazon's CFO, Brian Olsavsky, stated "it was a high-class problem to have." In the first quarter, Amazon's total fulfillment costs increased by 33.6% from the past year.
These tight conditions are driving up distribution and logistics rents by double digits in some locations. Commercial real estate broker, CRBE Group, have reported a nearly 30% increase in prime rents in Oakland, CA. Prime rents are considered to be the highest achievable rents for a high-quality or prime logistics facility. While there are still many older warehouses situated throughout the country, CRBE has removed these from the prime rents segment. This is largely due to the new demands and requirements created by online sales and their accompanying e-commerce fulfillment centers. These more modern facilities are generally larger in size, 100,000 sq. ft. at minimum, have higher ceilings to stack goods higher and use more automated picking and sorting equipment.
As cited in the Journal of Commerce, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that warehousing and storage businesses have added 129,500 jobs since January 2014. Warehousing itself accounts for around 18% of transportation and warehousing employment overall. This consistent growth in warehousing payrolls mirrors the tightening vacancy rate, with increasing utilization of space and new construction.
At this year's ALK Transportation Technology Summit Estes Express Line's Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, William T. Hupp, announced that the largest privately owned, less-than-truckload carrier will be rolling out a last-mile delivery service. With stagnant growth in the LTL market, and as eCommerce demand grows, they hope to capture more of this market with this new service. The eCommerce segment's demand to compete with Amazon's same-day delivery service expectations exploded to the shipping scene, setting the precedent and pressure for quick, (usually 2-day) deliveries.
The launch of the new specialized division, called 'Estes Final Mile' will be separate from its traditional LTL product and will launch on an entirely new "technology based" platform as a supplement to its LTL division. Although scant on the details of who, what and how, Hupp did announce the new service would be up and running by 2016.
As previously featured in Shap Talk, Shapiro has been sharing with you the names of employees who have been recognized for their exceptional efforts and contributions to our Company. At Shapiro, we continually work to develop, challenge, and inspire all of our employees to grow individually and with the Company. This month, we would like to recognize Amy Miranda, Import Supervisor in Dulles for her outstanding performance and contributions.


text:
const crossSpawn = require('cross-spawn')

const { log, warn } = require('./logger')

module.exports = function spawnSync (cmd, params, opts, onFail) {
  log(`[sync] Running "${cmd} ${params.join(' ')}"\n`)

  const runner = crossSpawn.sync(
    cmd,
    params,
    { stdio: 'inherit', stdout: 'inherit', stderr: 'inherit', ...opts }
  )

  if (runner.status || runner.error) {
    warn()
    warn(`Command "${cmd}" failed with exit code: ${runner.status}`)
    onFail && onFail()
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Pranayama has been known in India for over 4000 years. Even though words such as 'yoga' and 'asana' have become household terms, the essence and depth of the practices remain unexplored for most of us.
Prana is a Sanskrit term, meaning 'energy' or 'life force'.
Prana is the dynamic principle within everything, everyone is born with a certain quantum of prana, but the quantity and quality change continuously, as one goes through life. One receives prana from the environment, food, water, sun and air. Positive thoughts and yogic practices generate higher levels of prana.
The science of Pranayama was developed by evolved yogis though an intuitive and experiential understanding of prana and its influence on the human mechanism.
The breath is the main medium, in practising Pranayama. It is based on three stages of respiration: inhalation, retention, and exhalation. Retention is the key as it allows more time for the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the cells.
In the initial stages of practice, pranayama clears up the nadis, energy pathways in the body. There are over 72,000 nadis or pathways of prana in the body, and six chakras. The negative conditions we experience whether physical or mental are the cause as well as consequence of blockages of these pathways.
The subconscious mind and its relationship to the conscious mind are dealt with in pranayama by the establishment of an interface between the conscious and the subconscious minds in the area of the brain, called the reticular activating system (RAS). The RAS is the trigger for other parts of the brain. Man is able to affect the RAS through the breath only. No other function of the autonomic nervous system can be controlled by conscious human activity. Control of the brain through the RAS by means of conscious breathing is a method by which other functions of the body may be controlled, for example, heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, excretion and absorption.
Pranayama can be practiced by anyone, at any age or physical condition. It's important to learn the practice from a qualified teacher. All diseases can be eradicated through proper practice of pranayama, improper practice can also lead to disease.
There should be no violent respirations, no extended retention beyond comfort, no forcing of the mind, breath or body.
This is the first pranayama described in the classical yogic texts. This prananyama has been shown to have significant effect on the parasympathetic nervous system. Read more here: Assessment of the effects of pranayama/alternate nostril breathing on the parasympathetic nervous system in young adults.
Bhastrika involves both rapid inhalation as well as exhalation. This helps to increase the circulation of blood in the entire body. It increases the oxygen content in the blood. The word Bhastrika means the 'bellows '. Just as the blacksmith blows his bellows to create heat and purify iron, Bhastrika is said to purify the mind and body.
Slow pace bhastrika pranayama (respiratory rate 6/min) improves the autonomic nervous system through enhanced activation of the parasympathetic system. Read more here: Immediate effect of slow pace bhastrika pranayama on blood pressure and heart rate.
In Sanskrit, kapal means the skull and bhati means to shine or illuminate. Some include Kapalbhati as one of the Pranayama, but in the classic yogic text it is classified under the purification techniques. Kapalbhati is a breathing technique where rapid inhalation and exhalation is done. The exhalation (rechaka) is forceful and rapid, while the inhalation (puraka) is normal. Kapalbhati purifies the nerves and the pranic channels. The Hatha Yoga Pradeepika claims that all impurities of the body can be removed by practice of Kapalbhati. It is the best practice available to oxygenate the blood. It helps to remove abdominal fat and is an excellent practice for obesity. It prepares the body and mind to take up advanced practices of Pranayama.
It is important to have a thorough knowledge of the techniques described above, before attempting them. The guidance of a qualified teacher is essential. Caution must be exercised by patients of high blood pressure, heart disease, chronic peptic ulcer, and pregnant women.
A demonstration of pranayama can be seen in this YouTube video, but again I would recommend going to a qualified practitioner.
'Prana and Pranayama' by Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati.


Okay, I tried the rolled lettuce hem tank again with an old super soft tee of Jake's. I swear I should have made some sort of "ridding husband's tee shirt stash blog series"!
I actually REALLY like how this one turned out! And I think Millie did too! Unfortunately the photo shoot is a little silly, she had gotten into my make up that day, like SERIOUSLY make up caked all over her face, then I gave her a bath to clean it all off, put the new shirt on her then told her to hop outside so I could take pictures. I guess she thought she needed to reapply because she came outside covered in crazy lipstick. It was late and I thought it was funny so I just took the photos anyway lol.
Anyways, this time I made it a little deeper of a racer back and I really like how it came out. I used a pattern I had on hand that I had drafted from an old tee of Millie's, just altered the shoulders to be skinnier and the back to be racer-ish.
Wow this girl is all muscle!
I also made these little shorts with the rolled lettuce hem. They are SUPER easy and super comfy, one of these days I'll have to make a little tutorial for them.
Well, she did a pretty good darned job of applying that lipstick! LOL!
Haha! I guess it is impressive for a 3 year old!