text:
Can We Save Social Media? Yes, We Have No Choice
Dec 10, 2020, 12:13pm EST
Gender Bias: Trademark Act Never Contemplated A Woman Or Gay Male President
Cannabis Challenges Differ In Each State Where It's Newly-Legal
Nov 3, 2020, 04:07am EST
Why This '.Sucks' As A Trademark
Sep 9, 2020, 12:12pm EDT
5 Unexpected Places To Find Your Next Great Business Idea
Jun 30, 2020, 01:17pm EDT
'Booking.com' Is A Trademark – Does This Matter To Your Business?
Jun 25, 2020, 11:35am EDT
Scrolling Is The New Smoking
Is It Time To Change Director Board Compensation In Private Real Estate Firms?
Ways Entrepreneurs Can Stretch Their Capital
2 Million Professionals Polled On How To Make Virtual Conferences Better— Here Are Their Top 10 Hacks
Dec 31, 2017, 01:28pm EST |
This Startup Is Using Blockchain Tech To Rethink Cyber Security In The Bitcoin Era
Julian MitchellFormer Contributor
I cover entrepreneurs and startups disrupting industries.
Instead of centralizing data and trusting a third-party, Edge secures the data client-side, encrypting it on a device that you control.
Any time a wallet is hacked, those funds are lost for good, and there is no crypto version of the FDIC to restore them.
Edge Security CEO Paul Puey
Photo courtesy of Edge Security
Paul Puey serves as the CEO of Edge, a cyber security company that empowers individuals to take control of their own online data by developing the proprietary tools, software and systems needed to keep their information tightly secured.
Experts argue that secure information should be housed at the "edge" of a network rather than in a centralized location. Following this approach, instead of relying on enterprise server security, edge-security first encrypts data from the user's device before it ever touches a network or server.
Formerly known as Airbitz, Puey's first product launch was the Airbitz Bitcoin Wallet and Edge Security platform. The wallet was designed to help make Bitcoin easier and safer to use, delivering a progressive solution to contemporary security challenges. Since breaking into the market in 2014, the Airbitz Wallet has successfully secured millions of dollars in bitcoin.
Following the proven effectiveness of their Edge Security platform, Puey packaged their security tools into a proprietary software development kit adopted by other developers for the purpose of enhancing the data protection of their own applications. Through the use of advanced client-side Blockchain encryption, the Edge Security platform eliminates large-scale data breaches, helping securely propel users into the emerging networks of the future.
I spoke with Paul about the vision behind his company, rethinking cyber security, and how Blockchain solutions can prevent data breaches.
What was the specific void or opportunity you spotted that inspired the idea behind Edge?
Paul Puey: Edge was founded based on the incredible security demand that blockchains require and how this benefits not only the cryptocurrency world, but anyone that needs to secure data or assets. Edge Security is security at the 'edges' of a network, which is myself, you and the devices that we hold. This is in contrast to enterprise security, which has fallen prey to costly hacks over the last few years. Instead of centralizing data and trusting a third-party, Edge secures the data client-side, encrypting it on a device that you control. Our idea was to invert the security model and put data back in control of the user, which means that hackers have less of a reward for any one hack, which game theory would tell us will help eliminate the incentives of future attacks.
What have been some of the challenges you've faced getting your business off the ground and establishing your space within the industry?
Paul Puey: One of the greatest challenges has been educating both customers and businesses on the underlying technology of Edge. While Edge utilizes complex encryption, data backup, device synchronization, and two-step authentication; all of its complexity is hidden under the familiarity of a simple app login. What may look like a login to a centralized server implements data security that makes even the CEO of Edge unable to access the data and funds of its users. Recent hacks like Equifax, Uber, and Target have brought increased scrutiny to the security conversation, and we've found that this has resulted in an increased demand for decentralized security solutions. We also knew that decentralized security had immense value, but that companies and consumers needed more practical tools to help them see the potential applications of this technology. That's one of the reasons why we launched a Bitcoin wallet first, known as Airbitz, and then started offering secure single sign-in. Once we'd established a real need, we rebranded as Edge and started offering decentralized security solutions for other applications.
What have been some of the biggest blind spots in the space and how does your company aim to solve for them?
Paul Puey: The problem with centralized security is that it takes everyone's data and puts it in one place. This puts a massive bullseye on that central location for hackers and attackers to target. It's a lot like a city or a castle. You might have really thick walls, but you're still at the top of a hill waving a flag, and all it takes is one person, breaking one brick, to start a chain reaction that allows them to get in. It's the same with centralized security. In fact, this approach to securing information actually incentivizes hackers, because when they get in, they don't just get access to one person's data or assets, they get access to everyone's. When it comes to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency, we've seen this create a huge loss of assets. Any time a wallet is hacked, those funds are lost for good, and there is no crypto version of the FDIC to restore them. So, it's vital that funds are always secure. For other markets, the applications for Edge security are replete. Basically, any major centralized data store that could be hacked can be decentralized and put back in the hands of individual users.
What are some of the biggest misconceptions surrounding Blockchain and how should prospective investors be thinking about it?
Paul Puey: One of the biggest misconceptions with blockchain technology is the belief that it helps make data secure. In actuality, data on a blockchain is inherently public and visible to everyone. However, the keys used to access a blockchain need to be very secure, as those keys are now money. Therefore, blockchains have not created a new form of security, they have motivated its creation. Much like bitcoin has motivated the creation of our Edge Security model. There is also an excessive media focus surrounding crypto prices. A lot of people are talking about Bitcoin's price, debating whether or not it's a bubble, and if you read industry pundits' opinions you'll find wildly differing opinions. This has little to do, however, with the overall value of blockchain technology and its potential applications. Blockchain can be used for smart contracts and identity verification. The ICO space is another arena where investors can get tripped up. With so many companies launching ICOs, it's critical for investors to understand the application of any technology they're investing in. That means getting familiar with blockchain and the technologies built on it, so that they can make smarter investments in ideas that will be successful in time.
Describe your business model and what are the core components that drive what you do?
Paul Puey: Edge was formerly known as Airbitz. Airbitz was one of the first mobile Bitcoin wallets and is now transforming into the multi-currency wallet, Edge. Our approach was to provide a secure and easy-to-use cryptocurrency wallet for people of all experience levels. That evolved into other service offerings which included secure sign-in for decentralized apps, and now encompasses our Edge Security platform that helps companies utilize client-side encryption to protect user data and prevent costly hacks.
What is the mission fueling Edge and what primary goals are you looking to accomplish?
Paul Puey: Our goal is to change the definition of what cybersecurity is, and ultimately provide decentralized, blockchain-based security solutions across all markets. We believe that Edge Security can help reduce the number of hacks that negatively impact companies, and industries. Much like bitcoin has decentralized ownership of money, Edge will decentralize the security and ownership of data.
What are the keys to your company being both successful and sustainable?
Paul Puey: Our company relies on the need for decentralized security solutions which is growing rapidly. The blockchain industry is driving that initial growth. When it comes to sustainability, we plan on building on the wealth of partnerships we've established to grow the footprint Edge Security has on the industry. We already work with some of the biggest names in the decentralized app space, Augur, OpenLedger, and Cashaa to name a few. That list is growing as more and more people recognize the need for user-friendly, secure solutions.
How do you see your company evolving in the next 3-5 years and what impact do you hope to make on the industry?
Paul Puey: 2017 is going out with a bang for Bitcoin. The sudden spike in media attention surrounding various announcements in the cryptocurrency world have brought the digital currency alternatives into the public eye like never before. This spotlight has led to a broader awareness of the wider world of blockchain. In 2018, I expect that Bitcoin will serve as a gateway through which many people will begin to engage with the wider world of cryptocurrency and decentralized blockchain technologies. In 3-5 years, we predict a world where decentralized apps make up a significant portion of our online presence, from insurance, loans, asset trading, social media, and content creation. Each of these blockchain apps will require users to secure keys that control their digital funds. Today, Google and Facebook control the single-sign-on experience for centralized services. With the quickly approaching world of decentralized and secure apps, Edge will be the go-to solution for easy, familiar single-sign-on with the decentralized security model that Facebook and Google can't provide.
Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn.
I'm an award-winning content creator with a passion for adding my perspective to topics in music, media and entertainment. I've spearheaded campaigns and content for…
I'm an award-winning content creator with a passion for adding my perspective to topics in music, media and entertainment. I've spearheaded campaigns and content for brands like American Honda Motors, Wells Fargo, Google, and Magic Johnson Enterprises. I also worked closely alongside Sean "Diddy" Combs to launch REVOLT Media & TV as Social Media Director, before shaping the network's voice as Editorial Director. I've notably covered many of the biggest stories and moments in music, while interviewing many of its biggest artists. I teach Brand Writing and Content Marketing for MediaBistro, showing digital marketers how to tell impactful stories and build meaningful brands.


Children will adore these trendy pullovers for cold weather. View A is hip length, with a neckline band and fashionable sleeve frills. It teams up well with narrow pants/trousers. The shorter view B features a stand collar and gathered sleeves with elastic. It is an ideal match for short skirts.


With property sales reported to have risen by 14% in 2014, it's time for other industries that have long been dormant to start coming back to life—namely, the arena of home improvements and repairs, so it is no surprise that home improvement franchises are a growing business option. Although many people have been slow to start spending money fixing up their homes after the financial crisis, The Financial Times reported that despite this slow recovery, 79 per cent of UK homeowners planned to spend at least the same amount or more on home improvements in the next year. With spending starting to increase in this industry, it's the perfect time for anyone with a knack at fixing things to start their own business.
For anyone, even those who don't know how to replace a light bulb, sites like franchise-uk.co.uk can provide the opportunity to become involved in this industry by purchasing a home improvement franchise. All Trades Network, one of the top franchises in the UK, estimates that home repairs and improvements is a £1 billion industry, and they have a proven formula for providing unbeatable service to customers all across the UK. By becoming a franchisee of their company, you too can start delivering excellent property refurbishments and home improvements in your area.
Becoming a franchisee with All Trades Network means that you will become a project manager responsible for overseeing projects, "ranging from a simple water leak through to a major flood event." One of the huge benefits to their business model is that they focus on servicing insured events, meaning that it's damage sure to be paid for and work that people can't avoid. At the same time, you can grow your own business providing refurbishments and renovations locally. All Trades gives you requests from a national client database, provides you support, marketing, and the professionals necessary to execute every job.
By cutting out a lot of the stressful and time-consuming tasks associated with starting a brand new business, franchisees become their own boss, but still carry the power of a successful national corporation with them. Project Managers receive support, clients, and priceless business advice, but the business remains theirs to grow and run on their own schedule. Opportunities like these also make it easier to secure initial financing, get technical support, and save money on expensive overhead items that kill so many new businesses.
If you are interested in finding out more about Home Improvement franchises click here for further details.


Situated only 32km (20 miles) north of Venezuela, the sunny Dutch island of Aruba has some of the finest beaches in the southern Caribbean, along with scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, and all the other watersports you'd expect. The concentration of stores and malls in Oranjestad, the island's capital, is as impressive as any in the Caribbean, and there are a dozen casinos, two of them just steps from the cruise ship terminals in the Port of Oranjestad.
TOP BEACHES Just north of crowded Palm Beach, with its high-rise hotels, the sugar-white sands of Eagle Beach offer a more relaxed scene. The top beach for families is Baby Beach, at the island's easternmost point, a shallow bowl of warm turquoise water protected by an almost complete circle of rock. under the sea The best snorkeling sites are around Malmok Beach (also a great windsurfing spot) and Boca Catalina, where the water is calm and shallow and marine life is plentiful. out and about Aruba's desertlike interior, full of cacti, divi-divi trees, iguanas, and bizarre rock formations, is fun to explore by jeep or ATV. Head for Arikok National Park on the northern coast, with its distinctive cave-pocked mesas full of bats and petroglyphs. shopaholics alert Downtown's Renaissance Mall and Renaissance Marketplace are magnets for high-end shopping. Across from the high-rise hotel area there's fun boutique shopping at Paseo Herencia and the Village.


text:
Home » Business » Preparing Businesses for the Unknown
Preparing Businesses for the Unknown
Enterra Solutions® Board Member, Benn Konsynski (@Konsynski), the George S. Craft Distinguished University Professor of Information Systems and Operations Management at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, was recently interviewed by Gerald C. Kane (@profkane), associate professor of information systems at the Carroll School of Management at Boston College, for the MIT Sloan Management Review. Konsynski told Kane that there aren't a lot of certainties when it comes to business and the future; but, he predicted, "You can be absolutely certain that job you will have 5 years from now doesn't exist today … [and the business] models that will be standard in 5 years are difficult to imagine right now, in 2015."[1]
Baseball fans are familiar with the quote by the late New York Yankee catcher Yogi Berra, who declared, "It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." The best way to predict the future, Konsynski believes, is to help create it. He told Kane that both McCormick & Company, the flavor innovation company, and UPS, the logistics firm, have adopted that approach and are shaping their futures. Change is inevitable and being catalysts of change will likely distinguish successful companies in the years ahead. Konsynski insists that the very concept of "change is changing." He explains:
"A part of that means I start to work backward, not forward — the future is best seen with a running start. I'll go backward to better see the future possibilities — standing starts are poor means of seeing the future. … [The] Internet of Things, personal area technologies, core predictive analytics and other current pursuits are profound, and a basis for social and economic innovation, and worthy focus. It is the nexus of these changes that make radically new things possible. The constant caution, to me, is to make sure that we are not merely speeding up the mess."
I agree wholeheartedly with Konsynski that some of the most interesting and profound changes occur where interdisciplinary activities occur (i.e., at the nexus of things). Frans Johansson calls this the "The Medici Effect." He named the Effect after the Medicis, a wealthy and powerful Italian family that played an important role in the Renaissance. The family's wealth permitted it to support artists, philosophers, theologians, and scientists, whose combined intellect helped burst the historical pall known as the Dark Ages. We're not in a modern dark age; nevertheless, the Medici Effect is just as important today as it was then. Konsynski insists that "some elements of tomorrow are here today, and some elements of that tomorrow are suggested." To demonstrate his point, Konsynski discusses how McCormick helped fashion the future with its FlavorPrint initiative; an initiative in which Enterra played a crucial role. Konsynski told Kane:
"If I'm an expert on spices and flavors, and if I can represent a flavor for a spice, I can do it for a dish. If I can do it for a dish, I can do it for a meal. If I can do it for a meal, I can map your preferences, your own FlavorPrints. If I can do it for you, I can do it for your household. If I can do it for your household, I can do it for your neighborhood."
That's the philosophy behind FlavorPrint. Konsynski calls this the gamification of flavors and the crowdsourcing of product/flavor configurations. This is a win-win for both McCormick and for consumers as they move together into the future. Why? For one thing, it allows McCormick to recommend recipes that match a consumer's taste preferences. FlavorPrint data also helps McCormick identify flavors its most loyal customers enjoy. Beyond that, Konsynski points out that when a sufficient number of FlavorPrints are available in a given area, the data can be used to help stores carry products that better match the demographics of the area they serve (i.e., "A store in one neighborhood might have a different flavor preference than a store in another neighborhood. The exact same SKU may be hotter in your neighborhood than in somebody else's neighborhood").
New technologies, like those that empower FlavorPrint, permit manufacturers and retailers to better understand their customers but they also allow manufacturers and retailers to create virtual places in which the Medici Effect can occur. Konsynski explains, "We are leveraging the social. We are leveraging continuous and predictive analytics. We are leveraging deep knowledge and the ontology of the marketplace to create a new pattern of social and commercial association." He told Kane that Enterra® is one of the companies that can help create such places. McCormick, he notes, is leveraging Enterra's cognitive computing technology to help it create FlavorPrints. "That is where deep knowledge meets big data," Konsynski stated.
Kane asked Konsynski, "How does something like this ultra-individualized manufacturing impact the supply chain of all of this — getting very tailored, custom, personalized flavor profiles of people?" Using his "looking back to move forward" approach to the future, Konsynski responded, "It's not just targeted — it's not just a front-end, cutting-edge consumer site. We see this beginning in omni-channel initiatives, personalized pharma and the like. The values of the industrial age giving way to the accommodation of consumer/user interests. It's a whole new ecosystem." In other words, it creates a tectonic shift in the business landscape. Businesses that aren't prepared to survive the shake-up aren't going to survive. "Industry after industry," Konsynski told Kane, "from newspapers, to music, to services — have been alerted too late for many to effectively respond. … Shock wakes people up, often too late for response."
Konsynski told Kane that term "supply chain" will look more anachronistic as the future unfolds. Supply chains haven't really been "chains" for some time. They're really supply networks or supply ecosystems. "It's really unfortunate to use the term 'supply chain'," Konsynski stated, "because it is not just about supply and resource and demand structures. It's about how the ecosystem operates, and logistics and supply are clearly a part of that as well." So what does Konsynski suggest companies do to prepare for the unknown? First, he said, they should challenge "assumptions and beliefs about how their enterprises work, how their market works." I have been a big supporter of this kind "what if" exercise for a long time. Nobody likes to be blindsided by the future and "what if" exercises can help companies better prepare for the unexpected. "The scariest thing for many of the large corporations," Konsynski told Kane, "is being blindsided by what some call the 'ankle peckers' that come in and don't operate within the historic rules of the system. They ignore the old rules of the market. They often arrive in mode of 'cherry-picking' high-margin aspects of the market, and seek scale and scope more opportunistically." To meet this challenge, Konsynski asserts that business executives need to create a new skill, the ability to adapt to "the certainty of the unknown."
Konsynski ended his interview with a call to action. He calls on business leaders to "to challenge everything about what they do, who they sell to, how they sell in those markets, and almost reinvent themselves virtually and then decide how to aspire and evolve towards that. That is how they will survive, and find extraordinary growth opportunities."
[1] Gerald C. Kane, "Are You Ready For the Certainty of the Unknown?" MIT Sloan Management Review (subscription), 10 March 2015.
Trends 2022: Supply Chain
Seldom, if ever, has the global supply chain received so much attention as it did in 2021. Unfortunately, most of that attention resulted from what

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The work on 125-km long Rishikesh-Karnprayag railway line which will make Char Dham Yatra more accessible for the pilgrims, gathered momentum as the state administration has initiated the process for land acquisition.
Chief secretary Shatrughana Singh held a meeting with top central and state officials to begin the process of acquiring the land for the ambitious railway project. The railway line will have 15 stations on way to picturesque Karnprayag in Chamoli district from Rishikesh.
"As the track will pass through sizable part of the hilly region, close to the Ganga and Alaknanda rivers, I have asked to have Social Impact Assessment (SIA) in Tehri, Pauri, Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts. It will help ensure how acquisition of land will impact local's life and livelihood," the chief secretary said.
Senior officials, who participated in the meeting chaired by the chief secretary, said that they have been asked to submit findings of the assessment by June 10. They said that the project will not only help in boosting tourism but also provide jobs to the people.
The cost of the railway project will be Rs 16,200 crore, up from around Rs 4,000 crore estimated when it was mooted six years ago. The rise in cost has been attributed to the forest ministry's delay in giving environment clearance to Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) for acquisition of land in high-altitude areas.
Besides inflation, the cost escalation is due to inclusion of a separate rescue tunnel that will be constructed parallel to the main rail line, RVNL officials said.
"Escape tunnels for relief or rescue was included following a guideline issued by the Indian railways in 2013," RVNL joint general manager for the project, Sumit Jain said, adding that work is set to begin in 4-5 months.
According to sources, the forest ministry's office in Dehradun did not give the clearance as it was not convinced that the rail track alignment plan was linear which was mandatory considering the unstable and fragile nature of Himalayas.
However, it was forced to give the clearance after Union ministry in Delhi wrote a letter to it on September 16, stating that the project is linear.
The rail link will connect pilgrimage towns Devprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Gauchar Karnprayag with five districts of Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal, Pauri, Rudrapryag and Chamoli.
The line will have 105 km or 85% of the project inside tunnels. A 15.1-km tunnel, longest in the country, is set to come up between Devprayag and Lachmoli on the route. The project will also include 16 bridges with the longest of them being 460m.
India's longest tunnel is the 11.2 kilometre link from Banihal to Quazikund linking the Jammu region to the Kashmir valley.
As per RVNL and state tourism department officials, it will reduce the time taken between Rishikesh and Karnprayag— which bifurcates road for Badrinath and Kedarnath—to a maximum of 2 hours from the present over seven. "Besides this, there will be huge cut in travel cost for pilgrims," Jain said.
Officials said it would also speed up the transportation of defence personnel and equipment to border areas.
"This project will also support the state's efforts in stopping migration and open the gateway for penetrating railway lines further into the hills," former minister of state for railways, Satpal Maharaj, during whose tenure the rail link was first mooted, said.


You are too kind!! I'm so happy to have "met" you through this little world of ours and can't for our actual meet up!! Honestly I'm not sure what my daily life would be like without those cute little snaps of Camryn and now adding a little baby into the mix – my heart will burst!!
I love the "blog tour." It's always fun to learn a little bit more about the person behind the blog and how they got started and what they love to read!! Thanks for sharing!


We infuse the knowledge and experience we've gained from years of owning and operating successful food trucks along with expert craftsmanship and attention to detail into the design of our vehicles in order to provide you with the most efficient and profitable platform possible. When you purchase a food truck from Hot Mess you can rest assured that you will receive a quality product built to our extremely high standards at a competitive price.
Hot Mess Food Trucks is based out of Jacksonville, FL but we can ship your truck to any location in the world depending on your delivery needs.


The Department of Nuclear Medicine is the leading clinical and research paediatric nuclear medicine centre in Australia.
Our research is focused into three areas. We assess the extent to which nuclear medicine and bone mineral density techniques lead to improvements in patient management. We work on the development of new radiopharmaceuticals and new applications of current radiopharmaceuticals. Lastly, we research the development and/or modification of imaging equipment and techniques for new applications or improvements in current uses.
Research is led by Professor Robert Howman-Giles, who has been the Head of Nuclear Medicine since 1980.
Nuclear medicine is used increasingly to both diagnose and treat a range of diseases. Robert's research investigates how to use imaging most effectively.
Robert has published extensively on the use of nuclear medicine and bone mineral density. His major interests lie in imaging and therapy in paediatric oncology, especially PET/CT applications, skeletal, biliary and renal disorders. He has extensive experience in lymphatic mapping in children and in adult sentinel lymph node imaging in melanoma and breast cancer.
Please visit Robert's University of Sydney profile page for more information.


LAPSES in concentration cost Sandbach seconds dear as they surrendered a 3-0 half-time lead to lose 19-3 against Aldwinians.
A Chris Greenhalgh penalty gave the Bradwall Road side a narrow advantage at the interval, but the greater experience and power of the visitors overtook them in the second half.
we actually played well. We just faded away in the second half and poor concentration allowed them to run in tries.
Sandbach thirds were crushed 54-0 by Leigh fifths on Saturday.
Sandbach U12s beat Caldy 47-17, the U11s overcame Altrincham Kersal 12-0 and the U10s beat Altrincham Kersal 10-5.
nSandbach first team did not have a competitive fixture but comfortably overcame Leek 40-5 in a friendly. Crewe and Nantwich first team did not have a game and neither will play over Easter weekend.


So the year is coming to a close and I'd like to communicate some wee open source tools I've been working on this past year.
If anything here catches your eye, or you want to use it, get involved.
I have been building a fair amount of server infrastructure lately and have been using the excellent chef tool to help with this.
Along the way I have released a few cookbooks which I have extracted from the work I have been doing. These are in a relatively rough state but do work and are in production use. If you want to help me improve any of these, please go for it.
I have been doing a lot of varied application deployments, all with capistrano. For the last couple of years I have been maintaining a collection of customs scripts which I was including in each project. Versioning was becoming difficult and git submodules are not an amazing workflow.
With bundler its possible to manage dependencies well and it can be used outside of rails projects. Recently I have been writing messaging apis in NodeJS and deploying quite successfully with capistrano and a few setup scripts.
With recipiez its possible to setup a node deployment with upstart, nginx, logrotate and monit. This creates a nice "production ready" environment for deploying node apps.
I have packaged it up and released it as a gem. Instructions for use are in the Readme.
This is a library written by Nathaniel Bibler of Ruby5 fame. I have used this extensively in an SSL certificate reselling app I have been working on which has not yet seen the light of day.
This library was my first github pull request success. Where you open a pull request, discuss the change with the author, make a few alterations, then it gets merged upstream!
This is a little sinatra app which is meant to get deployed to heroku. It allows me to include images in blog posts very easily and give me a little textile snippet to paste into blog posts.
This scratches a very specific itch but is a example of a sinatra app communicating with the flickr api. It also has a random image function which give a random image from your flickr stream. This is used on my random flickr desktop script which I use at work.
This is a gem for integrating with sage pay server. It lacks the standard api of activemerchant but as the service is offsite it doesnt work that well with the activemerchant api.
Using it might help you if you are doing a sage pay integration within a rails app.


Emmitt Thunderpaws, Great Dane, Very Happy to Welcome Home Owner From Military Duty!
Suffice it to say, Emmitt Thunderpaws, an aptly named Great Dane, was very happy to welcome home his owner from military duty.
In this video, capturing Emmitt's amazing reunion with Trevor, who was gone for nine months defending our country, he can't deal.
The large canine has been well trained never to jump on anyone, for obvious reasons, but in this case, an exception had to be made.
Amazingly, he looks like he's more shock and disbelief than anything else ... not crying, not barking, just staring Trevor in the eyes.
The long and short of it: All soldiers returning from overseas deserve a welcome like this, because we're all in awe of what they do.
Oh, and dogs are awesome too in their own way.


PlotHost Archives - New and Fresh Private + Public Proxies Lists Everyday!
PlotHost provides secure and inexpensive hosting services to individuals and businesses around the world. We offer plans for all needs and budgets. All packages come with quick and easy support, no setup fees or other hidden fees. All servers have the latest stable version of cPanel / WHM. We listened to our customers and now we offer two FREE months on all annual payments.
Latest stable versions of PHP, MariaDB with IonCube, GD, CURL, etc.
For more information, please see our reseller hosting offers.


Matte (Lustre) finish photo paper.
Our standard studio portrait paper, and also our most popular paper finish. This paper features a subtle satin finish, and is a very long lasting, traditional photo paper.
When you are choosing a paper for your senior pictures, and wallet photos in particular, consider that our standard matte finish paper is much less likely to show fingerprints than glossy papers.
Also, matte is the most popular choice for studios, portrait and wedding photographers and is GREAT for senior pictures, especially wallet size photos.
Fuji photographic paper with a glossy finish - very long lasting, traditional glossy finish photo paper. Glossy paper does show fingerprints more than matte paper.
Fuji photographic paper with a metallic glossy finish - This paper has a unique 'Pearlescent' metallic effect, and features very vivid colors. What makes PEARL so special? - The embedded pearl-like crystals give the paper a high-gloss reflection, especially in the highlights. The pearly effect is visible because of the scattering and interference of light waves on the crystals.
This is a hard paper to simulate on a device screen - you really need to see it to believe it.
TIP: If you are still having a hard time deciding which photo paper is best for YOUR senior pictures, give us a call or an email and we'll be happy to help!


I Giardini on tour in China!
Pauline Buet & David Violi, from I GIARDINI will be touring in China, thanks to the Ambassade de France en Chine and the Service de Coopération et d'Action Culturelle of the French Institute in China! They cannot wait to lose themselves in Shenyang (23 March), Anshan (24 March), Beijing (28 March), Qingdao (29 March), Jinan (30 March) and Tianjin (31 March).


Avaya ACSS-3200 Bundle gives you the same great training as our individual tests but with a volume discount!
Just like our individual products you get LATEST ACSS-3200 questions and answers that ensure you will pass your next Avaya exam - We Guarantee It!
Pass your Avaya ACSS-3200 tests tomorrow with the actual ACSS-3200 answers for each highly guarded ACSS-3200 exam details. You'll pass the first time, every time, we guarantee it! SelfPrep's ACSS-3200 practice exams are the industry leading ACSS-3200 exam prep tool, and our ACSS-3200 actual test questions and answers are the only ones available with an honest 100% money back guarantee.
Looking for a real ACSS-3200 boot camp? Look no further! Each of our ACSS-3200 training courses guide you down the path to learn ACSS-3200 questions and their ACSS-3200 exam answers in the quickest way possible and for an affordable price.
ACSS-3200 brain dump free. Each ACSS-3200 guide is composed from industry leading professionals real ACSS-3200 notes.
ACSS-3200 study guides and ACSS-3200 exam papers are 100% guaranteed to help you pass on your first attempt.
Designed to help you complete your ACSS-3200 certificate using only SelfPrep's unique ACSS-3200 CBT.
Delivered in ACSS-3200 PDF format for easy reading and printing.
ACSS-3200 prep files are frequently updated to maintain relevance and accuracy. Your ACSS-3200 courses will always be up to date.
Avaya ACSS-3200 ebooks from SelfPrep contain real ACSS-3200 exam questions and answers. You WILL pass your ACSS-3200 class and exam using only SelfPrep's excellent ACSS-3200 preparation tools and ACSS-3200 tutorial.
The absolute best way to learn Avaya ACSS-3200 content is to use only legitimate and the latest Avaya ACSS-3200 products that are free Avaya ACSS-3200 dumps - meaning they will not and do not contain Avaya ACSS-3200 braindumps in any form. Selecting a Avaya ACSS-3200 braindump will instantly lower your professionalism and respect from fellow credential hunters. Divert the time and money you would waste on Avaya ACSS-3200 dumps and devote them to Avaya ACSS-3200 boot camps which will exponentially give a return on your investments. Good Avaya ACSS-3200 boot camp programs may include Avaya ACSS-3200 books and other Avaya ACSS-3200 cert training features. Regardless of whether your program comes with a Avaya ACSS-3200 book, you must be certain it comes with quality Avaya ACSS-3200 certification practice tests.
Quality Avaya ACSS-3200 certification training always includes measurable results in passing scores in either the Avaya ACSS-3200 certification practice test, or by simply passing the real test and Avaya ACSS-3200 certification questions. No other Avaya ACSS-3200 online training can offer the Avaya ACSS-3200 classes that SelfPrep does. Not only will you pass your exam, but we can guarantee you will obtain those Avaya ACSS-3200 certifications faster than with any other site. Every Avaya ACSS-3200 download and Avaya ACSS-3200 course is designed to do nothing but make you smarter and faster.
Words of warning to those experimenting with Avaya ACSS-3200 dumps: nothing can prepare you for the real Avaya ACSS-3200 exam questions and answers like a Avaya ACSS-3200 dump - but no functional learning can be obtained training with these fraudulent Avaya ACSS-3200 exam papers. Avaya ACSS-3200 exams are difficult but they are not impossible. Nothing feels better than legitimately passing Avaya ACSS-3200 practice questions, knowing you will be knocking out the actual Avaya ACSS-3200 quiz when you get to the training and testing center.
Avaya ACSS-3200 lab questions. A good Avaya ACSS-3200 labs will display your strengths and weaknesses like nothing else.
Avaya ACSS-3200 online tests for fast training anywhere you have a connection to the internet.
Avaya ACSS-3200 practice tests with Avaya ACSS - Avaya Modular Messaging with Avaya Message Store test answers to quickly check your results.
No Avaya ACSS-3200 training course is complete without Avaya ACSS-3200 testking questions and answers.
If you can locate them Avaya ACSS-3200 video training is invaluable.
Finally advice from recent Avaya ACSS-3200 test questions experiencers - personal experience is the best Avaya ACSS-3200 study guide and there is no Avaya ACSS-3200 simulation like Avaya ACSS-3200 tips from a friend.


A senior BlackBerry Ltd. executive who was in charge of the largely unsuccessful PlayBook tablet is leaving the company.
David J. Smith, an executive vice president in charge of mobile computing, has resigned for personal reasons, a BlackBerry spokesman said. The move happened within the past few weeks, said a person familiar with the matter.
Mr. Smith couldn't immediately be reached.


Despite being a solid 18 degrees outside in lovely Chicago, 2 days ago was the first official day of spring. So, in order to keep my sanity in a city that more closely resembles a tundra than any beautiful image of greenery and flowers and growth that the word 'spring' conjures up in the mind, I have chosen to engage in something called 'reality control' (George Orwell's 1984, anyone?) and try to force myself to see the beautiful reds of the flowers, green of the trees, blues of the lovely ever frigid lake Michigan (which I maintain looks just gray when it's cold outside, but, okay, reality control). In order to maintain that mindset during this period where the trees look like something out of a bombed out post-Apocalyptic world and the only green I see while running down the lake shore path is provided by Whole Foods bags caught on the spidery branch fingers of the very barren trees, I have decided to surround myself with the warm weather colors by infusing my outfits-and especially my accessories, with them like these coral, turquoise, and green jade necklaces below. If the red, turquoise, and green weren't bright enough to help me think warm weather thoughts, I complete each of them using sunny bright yellow gold brass chains and findings with a satin gold finish.
To access the above listings in the lakeshore lavaliere online shop ***THE GREEN JADE NECKLACE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE LATER TODAY ….. Just Click the Pictures!
I don't know what it is about tropical climates that makes me want to make wrap bracelets, but last week I was in Florida, and since there is nothing to do at night for people under 100 years old, several of my nights were spent making new wrap bracelets. I decided to make a few of them longer than the 3 wraps that I previously had done, and with the others, I decided to play around with the boilerplate version of the wrap bracelet by alternating between different sizes and shapes of the beads from wrap to wrap. I know that wrap bracelets are fairly popular, and I wanted to make the lakeshore lavaliere wrap bracelets completely unique– different than the other ones out there!
This bracelet alternates between a variety of different gemstones (jasper, agate, aventurine, jade, unakite), fading from sequence to sequence with different shades of greens. There is also some brown tiger's eye gemstone and red jasper threaded in to break up the greens and add a pop of color. This is the longest wrap bracelet I have ever made, and because of its length, it doubles as an long beaded necklace that looks awesome paired with a simpler gold chain necklace.
This bracelet has 3 wraps, the 1st and 3rd of which are divided equally in half between two colors. The first wrap is divided between a sequence of faceted white jasper beads and a sequence of violet jasper beads. The third wrap is 1/2 faceted deep purple jade and 1/2 light purple jade. These two layers add a shock of color, and frame a solid layer of larger deep black obsidian cube beads. I love the purple black and white color combination- this bracelet really stands out!
Here I used a larger size bead (8mm) for both wraps than what I usually use (~6mm), and is a great simple piece for when you don't want a wider bracelet on your wrist. Woven in amongst the sky blue jade beads, is a pattern of beautiful silver pewter pewter beads culminating in the adorable silver pewter elephant button closure, that both highlights the blue of the gemstones, and adds unique variation to break up the continuous stream of blue.
Style Tip: Wear a double wrap bracelet stacked with other bangles to add that extra pop of color!
This quadruple wrap bracelet features 4 layers of green lemon jade gemstone beads between layers of black greek leather cord, the first and 4th of which are 6mm, and the 2nd and 3rd of which are 8mm gemstone beads. The vivid combination of silver and lemon jade green beads starkly contrast with the shock of black provided by the leather cord.When worn, the 1st and 4th layers frame the 2nd and 3rd layers and place the focus on those center two wraps, which are raised due to being slightly larger in size. When looking at the bracelet on your wrist, the combination of 6mm and 8mm beads makes the bracelet seem like an autostereogram (one of those optical illusion pictures that once you stare at for a while, creates the illusion that it is 3D), even though it really is 3D to begin with. The lemon jade beads are accented by patterns of different silver pewter spacer beads, ending with a silver tree of life button closure. It is the 2nd longest wrap bracelet I have ever made!
To access the above listings in the lakeshore lavaliere online shop….. Just Click the Pictures!


Looking for a new home in Laguna Shores? It is a great time to buy real estate in Laguna Shores and our site is a great place to begin your search. You can check out Laguna Shores schools, market statistics, the latest listings and more. Whether you are a first-time home buyer or you are already familiar with the home buying process, you can be assured that you have the best tools and the perfect agent available to help with your Laguna Shores home search.
There are currently 18 Homes for sale in Laguna Shores. The average price for Laguna Shores properties is $947,417which is 129% higher than all Homes within a 20 mile radius. The highest priced property in Laguna Shores is $3,695,000 while the lowest priced Home is listed at $393,000. Most of the properties available in Laguna Shores are Homes while there are other property types as well. Compared to last month, the average price of real estate in the area has gone up 100%.


Because the comedy never ends. Btw, how is that "evidence" of a destroyed Russian convoy coming along… or the MH-17 ATC tapes? Any minute now?
As we have previously emphasized the Russian side is fully responsible for the safety of the cargo. It is important to note that the Ukraine has already taken all necessary measures to ensure the security of the cargo.
So, attack imminent which will then be blamed on Russia as a false flag attemp provocation. Got it.


text:
The Q60 bus route constitutes a public transit line running primarily along Queens Boulevard in Queens, New York City, extending from Jamaica, Queens, to Midtown Manhattan via Queens Boulevard and the Queensboro Bridge. It is city-operated under the MTA Bus Company brand of MTA Regional Bus Operations.

The route was originally the Queens Boulevard Line, a streetcar line operated by the Manhattan and Queens Traction Company (also known as the Manhattan and Queens Transit Company) from 1913 to 1937, when it became a bus line. The route was taken over by Green Bus Lines in 1943 and operated by that company until its operations were taken over by the MTA in 2006.

Route description

Streetcar route
The streetcar line began at Second Avenue in East Midtown Manhattan. The line proceeded across the Queensboro Bridge into Long Island City, Queens. It then traveled along the entire length of Queens Boulevard, situated in the median of the road, to Jamaica Avenue in Queens. It then traveled a short distance east on Jamaica Avenue, south on 139th Street, and east on Archer Avenue to Rockaway Road (later Sutphin Boulevard) at the Jamaica terminal of the Long Island Rail Road. The line proceeded south on Sutphin Boulevard to 109th Avenue (previously Lambertville Avenue and Pacific Street) and 157th Street (previously Norris Avenue) in South Jamaica.

The streetcars used the outermost roadways of the Queensboro Bridge's lower level, and ran to an underground terminal between 59th and 60th Streets. These tracks were shared with the Third Avenue Railway's 42nd Street Crosstown Line. Other streetcar lines ran in the inner roadways of the lower level. The bridge was also shared with elevated rapid transit service between the Queensboro Plaza station (now a subway station) and the Second and Third Avenue elevated lines. The southern (eastbound) roadway has since been converted to vehicular use, while the northern (westbound) roadway is now a pedestrian and bike path.

Current bus service
The current Q60 bus service follows the former trolley route from East Midtown to South Jamaica via Queens Boulevard and Sutphin Boulevard. During daytime hours, alternate buses begin or end service at Sutphin Boulevard and Archer Avenue. The bus route shares Queens Boulevard with two New York City Subway lines: the IRT Flushing Line () between Queensboro Plaza and Roosevelt Avenue, and the IND Queens Boulevard Line () between Grand Avenue and Hillside Avenue. The segment of Queens Boulevard between Grand Avenue and 63rd Drive is also shared by the  bus, while the segment west of Roosevelt Avenue is shared with the . The Q60 shares the Queensboro Bridge with the Q32 and , and shares Sutphin Boulevard with the  and , which travel farther south to the vicinity of John F. Kennedy International Airport.

History

Streetcar service
In 1909, the Manhattan and Queens Traction Company was granted a perpetual franchise by the city to build a streetcar line along Queens Boulevard towards the Queens-Nassau County border. On March 30, 1909, the Queensboro Bridge opened between Long Island City in Queens and Midtown Manhattan. Beginning on September 17 of that year, several trolley lines began service over the bridge. Construction on the Queens Boulevard Line began on November 2, 1912. On January 29, 1913, the Manhattan and Queens Traction Company began service over the bridge and along Queens Boulevard between Second Avenue and the intersection of 48th Street and Greenpoint Avenue in Woodside, Queens, near the current 46th Street – Bliss Street subway station. The line was extended east to Winfield (now a subsection of Woodside) on April 26, Grand Avenue in Elmhurst on July 28, and 71st Avenue in Forest Hills on August 27. On January 23, 1914, the line was extended to Hillside Avenue at the end of Queens Boulevard. On January 31 it was extended south to the Jamaica LIRR station. In April 1916, a shuttle service was instituted between Jamaica station and South Street (now South Road). The line was extended along Sutphin Boulevard to its final terminus at 109th Avenue and 157th Street on April 26, 1916. In 1917, a spur of the line along Van Dam Street in Long Island City (called the Van Dam Industrial Spur or the Industrial Center line) was inaugurated.

The Queens Boulevard line was originally planned to extend along 109th Avenue and Central Avenue (later known as Linden Boulevard) to St. Albans and Cambria Heights at the Nassau County line, a total distance of . In 1918, an extension of the line was constructed east along 109th Avenue to 167th Street (near Merrick Boulevard). These tracks, however, were never used in service.

Decline and conversion to bus service
Beginning in the 1920s, many streetcar lines in Queens and in the rest of the city were replaced by buses, particularly after the unification of the city's three primary transit companies in June 1940. The Queens Boulevard line began losing patronage and profits in the 1910s, due to the city-imposed 5-cent fare, and competition from parallel elevated rail and subway service running through Queensboro Plaza. The line also ran through sparsely populated territory, leading to low passenger use. Municipal buses replaced trolleys on a temporary basis during a worker strike in August 1920. Later that year on December 10, the Public Service Commission permitted the railway to charge a two-zone fare (10 cents) for travel past Grand Avenue in either direction. This was later extended east to Old Mill Road (now 63rd Road) in November 1923. Around this time, the city began to undertake a major widening project for Queens Boulevard. The railway company, however, refused to allow the city to remove the trolley tracks from the road, delaying the project for a decade until the 1930s.

As part of the widening project, in 1925 it was proposed to replace the trolley franchise with bus service. By 1927, civic groups from communities along the Queens Boulevard line began to push a takeover of the line's operations by the Fifth Avenue Coach Company to convert it to bus service. In October 1935, the city announced plans to convert the line into a bus route, as part of a deal with the railway to remove its tracks and facilitate the renovation project. In 1936 the railroad company would reorganize as the Manhattan and Queens Bus Corporation. On December 13 of that year, a ten-year bus franchise was awarded to the company by the office of Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia. In exchange, the company would pay the city $318,000 in back taxes, and the two parties ended two decades of litigation over the removal of the trolley tracks. Bus service began on April 17, 1937, replacing trolley service along Queens Boulevard. The operations of the Manhattan and Queens Transit Company were acquired by Green Bus Lines in 1943, and the Q60 became part of Green Lines' operations.

The Q60 was one of the busiest bus routes in the Green Lines system, along with the  along Lefferts Boulevard. In 1999, the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) planned to launch a tracking and countdown clock program on the Q60 route, separate from the MTA's efforts to install a bus tracking system. The DOT planned to put it in operation by 2002, but the system was never implemented.

MTA takeover
On January 9, 2006, the MTA Bus Company took over the operations of the Green Lines routes, part of the city's takeover of all the remaining privately operated bus routes. Under the MTA in August 2007, overnight service on the Q60 was added.

On November 1, 2008, over 20 stops along the Q60 route were eliminated. According to the MTA, this was to improve travel times and maintain  of space between bus stops as dictated by regulations. The changes led to complaints from local communities, due to many senior citizens who use the route.

On April 19, 2010, alternate weekday daytime and evening Q60 buses began short-turning at Archer Avenue and Sutphin Boulevard, instead of continuing to South Jamaica. On June 27, 2010, the route was rerouted to stay on Jamaica Avenue instead of diverting to 139th Street and Archer Avenue on the way to Sutphin Boulevard to speed up service by traveling on a direct path on a commercial street.

In December 2019, the MTA released a draft redesign of the Queens bus network. As part of the redesign, the Q60 bus would have terminated at Hunters Point, instead of crossing the East River. The redesign was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City in 2020, and the original draft plan was dropped due to negative feedback. A revised plan was released in March 2022. As part of the new plan, the Q60 will not be modified except for the elimination of closely spaced bus stops.

References

External links

Q060
Streetcar lines in Queens, New York
Railway lines opened in 1913
Railway lines closed in 1937
060

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


West London is to get its first Olympic-sized swimming pool for more than 40 years.
Hillingdon Council has approved plans for a new £22m sports and leisure complex which will include a 50m pool and an athletics stadium.
The London Development Agency (LDA) and Sport England have jointly funded the project, to be built in Uxbridge.
The new complex, which will also include a sports hall and fitness centre, is due to be completed in 2009.
The new pool will include a movable floor, allowing for the space to be used as two 25m basins with changeable depths for different uses.
The development is being built next to the 1930s Uxbridge open-air pool, a grade II-listed building, which is also being refurbished.
Councillor Henry Higgins, from Hillingdon Council, said: "We are investing £22m into bringing the old Lido back to life as well as providing a new purpose-built 21st Century facility for our residents, which will be a legacy for our future generations - hopefully some Hillingdon Olympic champions.
"With this additional funding we can enhance our plans and become one of the few places in London to have an Olympic-sized pool."


text:
Popești – wieś w Rumunii, w okręgu Prahova, w gminie Brazi. W 2011 roku liczyła 1724 mieszkańców.

Przypisy

Wsie w okręgu Prahova


text:
Tourism: UK Luxury travel writer, Susan d'Arcy narrates her night of sleeping under the stars in Africa's poshest treehouse
United Kingdom (UK), travel writer for the Times, Susan d'Arcy relives her experience sleeping under the stars in Africa's poshest treehouse.
As our SUV negotiated potholes on a dirt track under an African night that had pulled down its blackout blind, I remembered Eleanor Roosevelt's philosophy: Do one thing every day that scares you. I was about to do something that was up there, in the terror stakes, alongside being shouted at by your brother. I was en route to sleep under the stars — off grid and alone.
I couldn't help feeling that the former US first lady would be proud of me because, technically, I'd already hit my Eleanor quota for that day. I was in the Okavango Delta in Botswana, staying at a safari lodge called Xigera (pronounced "Kee-jera").
Not only was it Africa's most expensive to build (the final tally was about £27 million), it is also the most artistic — sumptuously stuffed with site-specific sculptures, bespoke furniture, colourful handpicked paintings and thought-provoking objets d'art. Apart from the room rate, which is north of £3,500 a night, I imagine the only thing that might raise the heartbeat in camp would be if one of the waiters were to spill a drop of wine from the premium cellar (for which you pay extra) — a bottle of Pétrus Pomerol 1998 is £10,500 after all. Fortunately, with 105 staff for a maximum of 24 guests, there's always someone on hand to mop up.
Initially I'd thought that the great outdoors would be equally civilised. From my seat on the private plane, the pancake-flat expanse of the delta's Moremi Game Reserve, where Xigera occupies a prime spot, had looked disappointingly tame. Serene waterways squiggled through swirls of land that graduated from deep-green woolliness to ochre dustiness, but there were none of the herds of cavorting beasts you see on David Attenborough's trailers. Sleeping out in this tranquil world would be fun, I'd thought.
The lodge stands on stilts on a river island, with a contemporary design that includes a glamorous open-air lounge flowing into a bar and restaurant complete with chef's table. Elevated walkways lead to an impressive library, a spa with trendy organic Tata Harper treatments, a dinky pool and Technogym, and 12 ridiculously decadent suites. Every inch is adorned with vibrant African art, tactile tribal fabrics and specially commissioned pieces, from hand-forged copper tables to chairs crafted from 130 fallen trees — the South African sculptor Adam Birch spent six months onsite making these.
My suite was so vast that someone could have been smoking in a corner and I'd never have known. There are separate air-conditioning systems for the living area, bedroom and bathroom, where the shower floor has a lily-pad design cast in bronze. I could spot rhino from my wraparound deck or work out with the weights discreetly tucked inside my hand-carved wardrobe.
If the lodge is the definition of conventional luxury, it also throws in a glorious wildcard: the chance to swap OTT pampering for something more primal. The Baobab Treehouse is an electricity-free hideout-cum-art installation 1km from the main complex.
Its distinctive look, worthy of Tate Modern, is inspired by Africa's emblematic baobab tree, constructed in steel and mesh and rising 10m from the floodplain like an arboreal lighthouse marooned in a disappearing sea. Inside the "trunk" a spiral staircase leads to a first floor with a rustic-chic bathroom, complete with his-and-hers beaten copper sinks, shower and flushing loo.
Up another flight is a pretty indoor bedroom. Both "floors" have canvas sides that can be rolled up — but even that felt a bit cissyish. For more of an Out of Africa vibe you have to climb up again, to the pièce de résistance: a rooftop viewing platform with a muslin-draped, feather-pillowed four-poster, offering the ultimate in stylish wilderness sleepouts.
I had declined a picnic-style supper at the treehouse in favour of a more gourmet Caesar salad followed by creamy fish with fire-grilled vegetables at the mothership, so now my guide, Des, was about to deposit me in the middle of nowhere with a hamper of snacks, a generous cache of wine and an emergency radio. I would be the first Brit to stay here — an invitation that seemed irresistible from my cosy Dorset cottage, but had become increasingly more daunting as the continent's potential dangers were brought into sharp-teethed focus.
Unfortunately, the risks were most forcefully demonstrated in the hours leading up to my big night out. That morning I had wandered down to reception to be greeted with excited reports that wild dogs had been spotted. I tried to look impressed, but really? Dogs? Lockdown puppies have turned the entire UK into one long Crufts after-party and pretty much curbed my enthusiasm for canines. Besides, I'd already heard lions roaring barely more than a paw's swipe from our SUV, seen the protective parents of cartoon-cute baby elephants threatening to charge our vehicle and — even more startling — had a hippo pop up inches in front of our flimsy boat on a river expedition. How could some mongrels compare?
READ: Africa: Zimbabwe's Travel and Tourism Operators recounts how they survived the pandemic
That was my first mistake. There are dogs, and then there are wild dogs; the latter so dastardly sinister that they make vultures look cuddly. My second mistake was being polite. As the ebullient Des rounded up four other Brits and me for a game drive, I had decided on one last trip to the ladies. Anxious not to hold up the group I ran across the bridge between the lodge and the truck pick-up point. This, I was told, was reckless; the hungry hounds might have mistaken me for a fleeing red lechwe antelope — in other words, breakfast — and attack. The thought of how many schoolgirl errors I could make when alone in the treehouse in the dark would constantly replay in my head. I ate my dinner very slowly.
But before that we were off on one of Des's "Ferrari safaris", driving at breakneck speed on the trail of those dogs, guided over the radio by spotters. We found the pack by the river, eyeing up impala on the opposite bank. The latent menace as the dogs paced about, figuring out how to cross, was spine-chilling. One slunk past our vehicle, emanating Game of Thrones levels of evil intent, and I let out a Hitchcockian gasp as they finally worked out the shallowest point to forge the river.
In a flash, the chase was on. Wild dogs can run as fast as 70km/h, and by the time our four wheels had caught up with their four legs they'd already brought down their victim and were in a feeding frenzy. The sight of limbs being ripped apart, the dogs' blood-stained faces and the visceral smells were stomach-churning, but the crunching sounds as they ate were unbearable. One dog gnawed on a hoof; two squabbled over the intestines. You've got the picture, right? It was horrifying, yet we were gripped.
Well, not everyone. One of my group nudged me and nodded towards the only other vehicle, another Xigera SUV, occupied by some elderly Americans. While I was doing a decent impression of Edvard Munch's The Scream, our transatlantic cousins' expressions suggested that they were watching below-par daytime TV at a rest home. One oldie slowly sipped her coffee with "when's the main act on?" ennui (there are many Africa old hands who would give their eye teeth to witness a wild-dog kill, but it's one of Moremi's USPs and a rare privilege . . . of sorts).
Still, I could have done with some of her sangfroid as Des and I pulled up at the treehouse. I'd been spooked by the amount of shuffling and snorting I'd heard on the ride from the lodge, and asked Des whether wild animals ever, um, slept. Apparently elephants need only a couple of hours' shuteye each day. I decided that any Dumbo who could scale my treehouse's intricate branches deserved a nibble of the delicacy formerly known as Susan d'Arcy. Thankfully, Des assured me that the hounds with the terrible table manners sleep all night, especially on a full stomach. Phew.
And yet the coward in me wondered if perhaps I could just keep asking Des questions until dawn broke. He had other ideas. After patiently explaining how to use the radio for the fourth time, he made his excuses and left. As the engine's sound faded, I felt like a babysitter snooping around their employers' house, tiptoeing about, jumping at pin-drops. But my hyper-vigilance soon subsided, and I snuggled under my silk-filled duvet and turned out the torch. Soon I was giving thanks to those vile mongrels — had I not felt such to-the-core fear, I doubt I could have appreciated the delta's peaceful counterpoint quite as profoundly.
With zero light pollution I was being treated to nature's spectacular version of sensory deprivation. The sky was more velvety, the blaze of stars brighter, the air purer and the silence rather noisier than I'd ever experienced before. I heard lion, hyena and owls, and embedded in their backyard, under the cover of darkness, I found the experience powerfully connecting and strangely liberating.
I slept like a sated dog and woke naturally, to share sunrise with the wildlife, looking over the jackalberry and acacia trees towards a streak of blue where elephants and hippos were splashing through their morning ablutions. The sky was a palette of oranges and reds as unfathomable as the names on a Farrow & Ball colour chart. I felt content; at one with the world.
Reluctantly I radioed to be collected. Just as I did Xigera's American guests passed below on their morning game drive. I thought that it would be funny to surprise them so I hung off the platform's edge, waving manically and shouting hello. They did look up, but they didn't smile or even wave.
I think they could have done with a night in the treehouse to let Africa in, and their fears out.
Source: thetimes.co.uk
Luxury travel writer


Neocortical and hippocampal microcircuit features specifically found in humans and not in rodents, may be required to understand our brain function in health and disease. The symposium brings together experts from laboratories in Europe and overseas to give an updated picture of this timely and expanding research field.
"Towards a taxonomy of cell types: Molecular and cellular interrogation of human neocortex"
An increasing number of scientific studies support the idea that evolution has produced functional and structural specializations in the human neocortical and hippocampal microcircuits that do not appear in rodents. However, the vast majority of current cellular neuroscience research, aiming to ultimately understand the human brain function in health and disease, is carried out in model animals such as mice and rats. The microcircuit level specializations evolved in the human phylogeny may be crucial for the specific function of the human brain including abstract mental abilities and capacity of the cortex to perform higher cognitive functions. In addition, human-specific microcircuit features may be substrates for pathological processes resulting in neurological and neuropsychiatric dysfunctions that a mankind as a species is vulnerable to. However, specific features of the human neocortical and hippocampal microcircuits are still poorly known. Although mammalian cortex is evolutionarily conserved, differences occur between species. The topic is gaining increased attention worldwide, and many laboratories in Europe and overseas have initiated investigation of the human and rodent cortical microcircuits in parallel. The results have revealed various differences between our cortical microcircuits and the rodents. In addition to experts in physiological, anatomical or molecular biology research, the results are of general interest for neuroscientists in all fields.


text:
After Further Review
Bears Bulletin
Lunch with Larry
Pick Is In
Pregame Warmup
Bears set to debut new-look secondary
The following is the eighth of nine position previews in advance of training camp.
The Bears will sport a revamped secondary this summer in Bourbonnais after signing safety Quintin Demps and cornerbacks Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper in free agency.
2017 Position Preview - DB
As the Bears prepare to head to Training Camp, take a look at the seventeen defensive backs currently on the 90-man roster.
Prince Amukamara
Quintin Demps
Cre'Von LeBlanc
Kyle Fuller
Marcus Cooper
Deon Bush
Sherrick McManis
Harold Jones-Quartey
B.W. Webb
Chris Prosinski
Deiondre' Hall
Johnthan Banks
DeAndre Houston-Carson
Bryce Callahan
Adrian Amos
Eddie Jackson
Rashaad Reynolds
Demps has played nine NFL seasons with the Eagles (2008-09), Texans (2011-12 and 2015-16), Chiefs (2013) and Giants (2014). A late bloomer, he didn't make his first NFL start until his sixth season in the league with Kansas City. Demps has recorded 15 of his 18 career interceptions the past four years, including six in 13 games last year.
"It's always good to have a veteran if he can play his position good," defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said in May. "He had a nice year last year in Houston and hopefully he'll be able to do some of the same stuff for us this year. It's good to have a veteran if the guy's a commander and a leader back there and we'll find out if that's true."
Amukamara arrives after playing six seasons with the Giants (2011-15) and Jaguars (2016). He failed to record an interception last year for the first time in his career after registering seven in his first five seasons.
"This is his third team in three years, so he's been around," Fangio said. "I thought he played better last year than he had earlier in his career and hopefully he'll be able to continue that here and maybe play his best. He should be in his prime.
"He can run. He's got good speed; he always has. He's become a veteran player who understands football better than he did when he first came into the league, so we'll see."
Cooper has appeared in 53 NFL games with 24 starts over four seasons with the Chiefs (2013-15) and Cardinals (2016), compiling 130 tackles, seven interceptions and 32 pass breakups.
He switched from receiver to cornerback his final year at Rutgers and was still inexperienced at the position when the 49ers selected him in the seventh round of the 2013 draft. He showed potential while working with Fangio as his defensive coordinator in San Francisco but ultimately failed to make the 53-man roster.
"I don't remember a whole lot other than we liked him," Fangio said. "It came down to the last cut, either him or another rookie. The other guy was a better special-teams player, so we kept him. We were going to put Coop on our practice squad, but he got picked up by Kansas City.
"He's had some good days in the NFL since then. But this is his fourth team in five years, so hopefully he can settle in and this can be a home for him."
Cooper enjoyed a breakout season with the Cardinals last year, setting career highs with 15 games played, 13 starts, 69 tackles and four interceptions. He returned one of the picks for his first career touchdown and added a team-high 11 pass breakups.
"He got a lot of action," Fangio said. "[Six-time Pro Bowler Patrick] Peterson was playing the other side. [Cooper] had to play a lot out there because of injuries so he got a lot of playing time, a lot of balls his way. He broke up his fair share of them, got some picks, but he saw a lot of action so he's battle-tested. Obviously you're going to get beat some and make some plays, so hopefully he's ready for his career to take off a little bit."
The Bears also addressed their secondary in the draft, selecting Alabama safety Eddie Jackson in the fourth round.
Jackson, who is rebounding from a broken leg he sustained last year, appeared in 41 games with 37 starts over four seasons with the Crimson Tide, registering 130 tackles, nine interceptions, 13 pass breakups, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He also returned two of 11 punts for touchdowns last year as a senior.
"He's got good ball skills," Fangio said. "He's shown the ability to be a good pass defender in college. We'll see how he tackles in the NFL—that will be something that he's going to have to show that he can do because you've got to be able to tackle, all 11 guys. Hopefully he'll stay healthy, get healthy here and he's in the mix with those other guys."
The Bears hope the changes in the secondary help them produce more takeaways this season after they mustered an all-time franchise-low 11 last year.
Another newcomer is B.W. Webb, who has appeared in 49 NFL games with 10 starts in four seasons with the Cowboys (2013), Steelers (2014), Titans (2015) and Saints (2016), recording 61 tackles, two interceptions and 14 pass breakups.
Webb was selected by Dallas in the fourth round of the 2013 draft out of William & Mary. Last year he played in 14 games with the Saints, establishing career highs with eight starts, 27 tackles and 11 pass breakups while registering one interception.
Defensive backs returning to the Bears include Cre'von LeBlanc, Bryce Callahan, Adrian Amos, Kyle Fuller, Sherrick McManis, Harold Jones-Quartey, Deon Bush, Deiondre' Hall, DeAndre Houston-Carson, Chris Prosinski, Rasheed Reynolds and Johnthan Banks.
LeBlanc showed promise last year as a rookie after winning a starting job midway through the season, recording 46 tackles, two interceptions and 13 pass breakups. LeBlanc's top play came Dec. 11 in Detroit when he intercepted a Matthew Stafford pass and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown.
Amos started 14 games at safety, recording 60 tackles but failing to intercept a pass for the second time in as many years. At the other spot, Quartey ranked second on the Bears with 82 tackles but lost his starting job to Bush midway through the season.
Urlacher happy to be in NFL 100 commercial
Bears Hall of Fame middle linebacker Brian Urlacher enjoyed being part of the NFL 100 commercial that aired during the Super Bowl and features many of the best players in NFL history.
Friends, teammates, opponents congratulate Urlacher via Twitter
Before, during and after Saturday's Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony, those that knew and respected the newest Bears hall-of-famer the most took to social media with words of congratulations.
Urlacher shows humility, gratitude in speech
In typical Brian Urlacher fashion, the former star middle linebacker spent most of his Hall of Fame induction speech Saturday night thanking family, friends and former coaches and teammates for helping him reach the pinnacle of the sport.
Wims hoping to build on impressive debut
Bears rookie receiver Javon Wims made the most of his expanded playing time Thursday night against the Ravens. But the seventh-round pick still has plenty of room for improvement.
Urlacher's career by the numbers
Hall of Fame-bound Brian Urlacher played all 13 of his illustrious NFL seasons with the Bears from 2000-12. Check out some numbers that defined his career.
NFL coaches, players share admiration for Urlacher
With Brian Urlacher set to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Saturday night, we take a look back at what several individuals who played and coached with and against the star middle linebacker had to say about Urlacher when he retired from the NFL after the 2012 season.
Bears knew Urlacher would be special from Day 1
The Bears were enticed by the athletic ability Brian Urlacher displayed at New Mexico and knew he'd be special when they selected him in the 2000 NFL Draft.
Miller thankful Bears re-signed him
Injured tight end Zach Miller expressed his gratitude to the Bears for re-signing him, calling the move "a testament to the entire organization and the McCaskey family."
Offseason program ends with minicamp
This week's minicamp will give quarterback Mitchell Trubisky a final chance to hone his skills and digest the new offense before the Bears take a six-week hiatus in advance of training camp.
How is Leonard Floyd progressing?
Senior writer Larry Mayer discusses Leonard Floyd's recovery from a knee injury, the undrafted free agent with the best chance of making the roster and if Tarik Cohen and Taylor Gabriel will be on the field together.
Burton takes pride in leadership ability
The leadership skills that new Bears tight end Trey Burton displays on a daily basis at Halas Hall stem from his days as a quarterback at Venice High School in Florida.
Bears announce preseason broadcast team
The Bears on Thursday announced that Adam Amin and Kyle Brandt will join former quarterback Jim Miller on their 2018 Fox 32 preseason broadcasts.


The Panel made a declaration of unacceptable circumstances on 1 February 2018 in relation to an application by Ms Veronica Oma in relation to the affairs of Strategic Minerals Corporations NL (see TP18/06).
The issue and dispatch of a supplementary bidder's statement and a supplementary target's statement (including a revised independent expert's report and a revised technical expert's report).
QGold to provide persons who sold Strategic Minerals shares following the announcement of the takeover bid with the ability to purchase from QGold the number of shares that they sold.
That the threshold to seek delisting of Strategic Minerals is increased to take into account the shares sold during the takeover bid by the entity who received shares under a placement in November 2017.
The payment of costs to the applicant.
The sitting Panel was Alex Cartel (sitting President), Bruce Cowley and Neil Pathak.
The Panel made a declaration of unacceptable circumstances on 1 February 2018.
An explanation that Mr Wallin is the directing mind and will of QGold, details of the ownership structure of QGold and the information specified in s671B(3)(a), (b), (c) and (d)1 in respect of each person having a relevant interest in either Queensland Gold Holdings Pty Ltd or QGold.
The information referred to in s671B(3)(a), (b), (c) and (d) in respect of any person through which QGold or Mr Wallin holds voting power in Strategic Minerals.
All information known to Mr Wallin (whether obtained as a director of Strategic Minerals, QGold or otherwise) that is material to a decision of a shareholder in Strategic Minerals whether to accept the Takeover Bid (other than information clearly disclosed in the Target's Statement or ASX announcements of Strategic Minerals since 1 December 2016).
Details of each exploration permit held by an entity controlled by Mr Wallin, which abuts, or of which all or part is located within 100 kilometres of, a tenement held by Strategic Minerals.
A revised and updated version of section 5 of the Bidder's Statement, which includes details of QGold's intentions on the matters referred to in s636(1)(c) and which is based on all information known to Mr Wallin or QGold (rather than only information that is known to QGold from publicly available information) in relation to Strategic Minerals and each exploration permit referred to in Order 1(d) that is held by an entity controlled by Mr Wallin.
An explanation of the decision of the Panel and effect of its orders (including an explanation that QGold will offer to sell shares to Eligible Shareholders and the reasons for that offer).
Within 2 business days of the Panel's review of the supplementary bidder's statement contemplated by Order 1 being completed, QGold must send a copy of the supplementary bidder's statement (in a form approved by the Panel) to the ASX and Strategic Minerals, lodge it with ASIC and send it to each holder of Strategic Minerals shares (other than QGold).
the independent expert and independent technical expert must confirm to the Panel that they are satisfied that they were given access to all information reasonably requested.
Strategic Minerals must make available to the independent expert and independent technical expert all information reasonably requested by the independent expert and independent technical expert, including by making (on behalf of the independent expert and independent technical expert) reasonable enquiries of Mr McLoughlin and Mr Wallin regarding whether there may be any other information that should be made available to the independent expert and independent technical expert and by providing any such information to the independent expert and independent technical expert.
Mr McLoughlin and Mr Wallin must provide full and accurate answers to all questions directed to them by or on behalf of the independent expert and independent technical expert.
Strategic Minerals must submit a draft of the revised independent expert's report (containing the revised independent technical expert's report) to ASIC to review and consider, and take reasonable steps to address ASIC's comments as to whether the independent expert's report and independent technical expert's report comply with ASIC's regulatory guides on expert reports.
Strategic Minerals must procure that the securities of Strategic Minerals remain suspended from official quotation on the ASX until Strategic Minerals has issued its supplementary target's statement pursuant to Order 7.
QGold must offer and transfer shares in accordance with these orders.
specifying that the money (in cheque or other form acceptable to QGold) for the shares to be bought is to be sent to QGold (at an address in Australia) with the application form.
On the same date that the supplementary target's statement is issued to the market, Strategic Minerals must provide QGold with the names and addresses of the Eligible Shareholders.
Within 5 business days of the issue of the supplementary target's statement to the market, QGold must send the letter and accompanying documents referred to in Order 10 (in the form approved by the Panel) to the persons notified to QGold by Strategic Minerals pursuant to Order 11.
if ASIC is unable to make a determination as to whether the application should be accepted, ASIC must refer the matter to the Panel within 3 business days of receipt of the application from QGold.
QGold must process an off market transfer of Strategic Minerals shares equal to the number specified in the application by the Eligible Shareholder into that Eligible Shareholder's name.
the close of the Takeover Bid.
Within 15 business days after the date of these orders, QGold and Strategic Minerals must pay in aggregate $3,122.90 to the applicant, representing the costs and expenses actually, necessarily, properly and reasonably incurred by the applicant in connection with these proceedings. Liability for these costs is joint and several.
These orders do not have any effect before the date of these orders.


Welcome to this issue focusing on the Baking Industry Awards! (see pg 16) These are YOUR Awards and there is a category to suit everyone at all levels, so please enter. Whether you are a good craft baker, run an efficient craft business, or are a supplier to the supermarkets, there is a category for you. Perhaps you have developed a tasty hand-held snack, run an efficient in-store bakery or have learnt new skills and are really putting them into practise. We would love to hear about it so please send for an entry form now.
The Awards, which take place on Monday, September 17, in London, are the highlight of the year with 900 of you attending. Although winning is great, and you get £500, plus a trophy, all finalists and their partners are invited free.Each year, people who have entered unsuccessfully in previous years often find they triumph. And first-time entrants are particularly welcome. If you are good at marketing, have developed a 'healthy' product (think of all those products with seeds, nuts and fruit) or can decorate a celebration cake with flair, we really want to hear from you. Perhaps your talent is patisserie or manufacturing bakery foods, or perhaps you are good at tuning into your customers, really focusing on their commercial needs - and satisfying them.This is a marvellous, inventive, creative industry, awash with so much talent and sometimes too much modesty. Please take time to fill out a simple entry form. Focus hard on what the judges are looking for (it will tell you on the forms) and get the entry in to us fast. And may I suggest you enlist the help of staff when filling out the forms - it is always good to garner ideas and comments from colleagues.Good luck! And do come to the Awards anyway. It is a great place to meet colleagues and customers. Plus of course to dine, dance and enjoy a top celebrity presenter. I'd like to say thank you to all our sponsors and give a big welcome to new sponsors Délifrance, Christian Salvesen, Rich Products and Puratos.And some cheering news to finish: bakery shops are the most popular specialist food retailers on the high street (pg 6). We should not be surprised!


Get ready to maximize your efforts in the field with this 2007 Massey Ferguson 7465 Tractor. This durable tractor has been very well maintained which has enabled its work ready condition. It comes with great options and features that are perfect for any hard-working individual.
And With 2,950 Hours, You Can Rest Assured That This 7465 Will Be Hard At Work For Many Years To Come!
This 2007 Massey Ferguson 7465 Tractor is ready to get to work for you. It is field ready and eager to help you start generating revenue right away. If you are someone who appreciates quality equipment at a fraction of the cost than you owe it to yourself to check out this 2007 Massey Ferguson 7465 Tractor. Don't miss out on this amazing opportunity to gain industry success because this tractor is priced to sell. Call today for more information on how you can put this industrious 2007 Massey Ferguson 7465 Tractor to work for you!!


text:
Helmut Griem as Aschenbach
Charlotte Rampling as Elisabeth
Ingrid Thulin as Baroness von Essenbeck
Helmut Berger as Martin
Dirk Bogarde as Friederich
Rated X
February 5, 1970 |
Luchino Visconti's "The Damned" is a magnificent failure, an example of a great director working at the peak of his ability and somehow creating almost nothing at all. Surely no one else could have made this film; surely no one at all should have.
It is one of the most impenetrable films ever made. Characters and plots keep slipping away from us, as in a frustrating dream. We are never quite sure where we are. Even in the physical sense, the movie is inaccessible. Visconti guides his camera through a radically under-lighted abyss; there are long passages of near-darkness during which we occasionally glimpse a face, or a shadow, or figures slipping across a street.
The effect is claustrophobic, and we want out. We want sun; we want light; we want to see. Visconti, of course, intended this effect, but did he know it would prove so effective? His intention is to involve us within the tightening gloom of Nazi Germany in the 1930s, when civilization flickered out. But his visual style operates not so much against the Nazis as against the movie, which becomes increasingly difficult to endure.
His story, bizarre as it is, does succeed in reflecting Germany's decay. His central character, a young man slipping into insanity, realizes himself only during the most destructive perversions. The one tender moment he experiences during the entire film leads, eventually, to the rape and suicide of a 6-year-old girl. He finds no release in healthy sexuality, or in any other creative activity. His pathetic search for love, conducted in all the wrong places, leads to his destruction.
In just the same way, Nazi Germany learned to praise and value its suicidal impulses. And to the degree that a country is a woman, the hero's act of incest with his mother does perhaps parallel Hitler's relationship with the Third Reich.
The dream-like elusiveness of the film is perhaps only partially intended. Visconti's original version was nearly four hours long, I understand. It is possible that in editing it down by 90 minutes, he has had to leave in the loose ends that make it so difficult to know exactly where we stand. There are several characters who look almost alike and whose relationships are more sinister than explained.
After two viewings of the film, I am still unable to understand exactly what happens during the transvestite orgy; young soldiers drink and sing through the night, and in the morning they are machine-gunned by other soldiers. The assassins seem more like symbolic exterminating angels than real soldiers, until suddenly we see Dirk Bogarde among them, and because he plays an important character in the film, we are forced to try to associate this nearly self-contained sequence with everything else. We can guess what has happened pretty clearly, but we cannot be sure because Visconti doesn't seem to be.
Not that he should explain. But some sort of artistic purpose should gradually unfold itself, and none seems to. The movie is like a magician who very slowly lifts his handkerchief from a crystal bowl, maintaining our suspense until the very end, when we see that the bowl is empty.
45 Years and More with Charlotte Rampling
Who's Who In Reviews: Susan Wloszczyna
by Chaz Ebert


Can you see any problems?
You need to specify a parameter for nWayOut.
if the value ends with a '.map' (e.g. input_output.map), then the two-column tab-separated file with the specified name must exist and list unique output file name (2nd column) for each input file name (1st column).


Ring Happy Diamonds by Chopard.
The ring is offered with the original box and the original papers including the 'certificate of authenticity' by Chopard with the ring numbers stated.
The ring will be gift-wrapped and shipped registered with Track & Trace.
El reloj es una preciosidad.
Está en perfectas condiciones y llegó muy bien embalado.


This study has explored the motivational problem of speaking among language learners in an English secondary school. It set out from the premise that learners' speaking is an important aspect of language learning but it is beset by a series of motivational difficulties, including lack of knowledge of oral progress, lack of awareness of how to improve, lack of confidence in speaking and an inability to say what they want to say. There has been little research into motivation in specific language skills among learners in UK schools despite evidence that speaking is associated with low levels of achievement. This study has sought to shed some light on this difficult aspect of language learning from the students' perspectives.
The study was conducted in a large, mixed comprehensive school in South East England in 2006-2007 and involved qualitative case studies of classes of students aged 11 to 14. Information was elicited by means of questionnaires, diaries and interviews. Performance data on students was also obtained from teachers (pseudonyms are used throughout when referring to the school, the teachers and the students). Although the study is small-scale, a series of key themes emerged from the data, which could help to inform developments in language teaching, research and policy. The findings of the study suggest that speaking is affected by a series of complex individual and social motivational variables that are not well understood but are, nonetheless, a source of tension for some learners.
Gallagher-Brett, Angela (2010) 'Cool' but 'nerve-wracking'? An exploration of language learners' motivational perspectives on speaking in an English secondary school. 2 volumes. University of Southampton, Faculty of Humanities, Doctoral Thesis, 290pp.