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EIB and French funds crucial for Kenyan geothermal plans
The European Investment Bank and the French Development Agency, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), have agreed to co-finance the expansion of the electricity generating capacity of Kenya's Olkaria geothermal power plant by 280 MW.
The agreements were signed in Nairobi on 15 December by the French Ambassador, his Excellency Mr Etienne de Poncins; the Director of AFD in Kenya, Mr Yves Terracol; the Head of the European Investment Bank's East & Central Africa Regional Representation, Kurt Simonsen; and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of the Republic of Kenya Mr Uhuru Kenyatta.
Energy Permanent Secretary Mr Patrick Nyoike also attended the event, alongside the CEO of KenGen Mr Eddy Njoroge, the CEO of Geothermal Development Company (GDC) Mr Silas Simuyu, and the Head of German financing agency KfW, Mr Piet Kleffmann. The three European financing institutions cooperate closely on the project under the Mutual Reliance scheme, part of an international effort to increase aid effectiveness through better co-ordination and harmonisation of development assistance.
This significant increase in geothermal generation capacity in Kenya will be undertaken by KenGen, the existing operator and will contribute to improving the country economic efficiency and the fight against climate change. Both AFD, the lead European financier for this project, and the European Investment Bank are financing the Olkaria I and IV generation plants.
Ramping up Kenya's geothermal capability
AFD will be providing a loan for €150 million with an additional interest rate subsidy equivalent to approximately €34 million. The European Investment Bank will lend €119 million with an additional interest rate subsidy equivalent to approximately €29 million. This subsidy element will be specifically targeted at assisting the Government of Kenya's plans to combat climate change by further developing the country's geothermal potential. The total cost of the project is estimated at €1,007 million, which in addition to the above financing will be co-financed by the Government of Kenya, KfW, JICA, the World Bank and KenGen.
"The European Investment Bank is committed to strongly supporting in Kenya's energy sector, improving efficiency and quality of supply in electricity distribution, and increased electricity generation using non-weather dependent and non-fossil fuel geothermal power. Extension of the Olkaria geothermal plant reinforces Kenya's position as a leading example of geothermal power generation and is an important diversification in Kenya's electricity generation. The operation is part of the European Investment Bank's climate action activities around the world." highlighted Plutarchos Sakellaris, European Investment Bank Vice President for Africa.
The European Investment Bank has a long-standing involvement in geothermal development in Kenya, and has co-financed the Olkaria power stations since the 1980s. Agence Française de Développement total financial commitments in the green energy sector will reach this year €236 million through KenGen, GDC and local banks to promote energy efficiency and renewable energies within the private sector.
Olkaria I was the first geothermal power station in Africa. It comprises 33 wells, 26 of which are currently in production. The 3 x 15-MW plant has enjoyed an average availability factor of 98% since commissioning and is connected to the national grid via a 132kV transmission line. Meanwhile, Olkaria II is Africa's largest geothermal power station. It boasts 20 wells and has a boilerplate capacity of 2 x 32 MW.
Geothermal Development Company
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Tags: Geothermal ,Europe ,Africa ,Electricity ,Efficiency ,Climate change ,Energy Efficiency ,Fuel ,Grid ,Oil ,Renewable energy


I like it when things are clean. I also like it when I can simply sit around and do nothing. Catch up on some TV, watch a movie, surf the web. Doing nothing on purpose is something I enjoy.
However, when keeping things clean interferes with my doing nothing nothing on purpose. I get in a mood. I want to clean everything and I want to clean everything NOW. I want things to work the way they are supposed to work and if they don't I get… irritated.
Today is a day that started with me doing nothing on purpose gearing up for a full evening of work. It didn't last long. I had a headache, I fell asleep, I woke up, I fell asleep again and then I got busy.
I cleaned stuff that hasen't been cleaned in a long time. I got stuff organized and there is still A LOT to do. I have meetings to prep for, presentations to create, decisions to make and somewhere in there I'd like to eat too.
We can be very busy all time, always going, always working, always striving and still… sometimes, we never get anything accomplished.
The New Orleans Saints just won the Super Bowl… worked hard, played hard, coached hard… But no houses are going to be built because they won. The city is still in shambles. Yes… the morale is high. I'm not taking away from the fact that the joy of your team winning a world championship is a shot in the arm of perspective. But when push comes to shove, that trophy isn't going to clean up the mess of parts of that city. It's not going to hammer a single nail into word. It's not going to create any jobs for the jobless.
We do those things. The people. We can't forget that in the midst of our business, we also have to do stuff.
Sometimes I like to do work that keeps me busy because it makes me FEEL like I'm accomplishing something, when in reality I'm accomplishing little.
I don't want to just FEEL. I want to DO.
Stay busy… on purpose. With purpose. Do Something.


text:
immigrant jails
What Happened at the Afghan Peace Jirga?
Jean MacKenzie,
GlobalPost
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Kabul, Afghanistan — Afghanistan's National Consultative Peace Jirga, which ended its deliberations on Friday, was an exceptionally good show. It had drama, excitement, danger, a colorful cast of characters, and, best of all, a happy ending.
What is less certain is whether it will produce any clear, concrete results.
For three days more than 1,500 men and women from all over Afghanistan gathered in a huge tent located on the ground of Kabul's Polytechnic University to discuss the wisdom and ways of negotiating with the Taliban. More than 140 million afghani (about $7 million) went into the planning and execution of the event.
Never miss the news and analysis you care about.
The results were more than a little surprising from a group advertised in the media as a hand-picked pro-government lobby. The unwieldy assembly was divided for ease of discussion into 28 committees, each of which was given the same list of bullet points to discuss. The make-up of each unit was dictated by computer, according to jirga organizer Farooq Wardak.
In a county bitterly divided by ethnic, religious, and regional enmities, the committees produced a fairly consistent list of recommendations that will most likely give the Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his international backers a few sleepless nights.
What was clear from the committees' reports is that Afghans are desperate for peace. That concern took them far beyond the mild if emotional overtures that Karzai has so far made to the armed opposition. There were few references to "reconciliation" — the term used as shorthand for bringing those Taliban who forswear violence and accept the Constitution back into the fold.
Instead, most of the committees called for substantive negotiations in a third country (Saudi Arabia figured prominently in most lists) where the opposing sides could sit down without preconditions to discuss the way forward.
So far any talks have been stymied by the Taliban demand that foreign forces leave Afghanistan before talks could take place; the international military, for its part, will not negotiate with anyone who is still fighting.
The committees found this illogical.
"It is those who are fighting you that you need to talk to," said one committee head.
Many of the committees went so far as to recommend that any reasonable Taliban demands should be seriously considered, up to and including amending the Constitution to make it more palatable to the armed opposition. The Taliban have called for a stricter interpretation of Shariah law.
"The Constitution should be discussed," said Obaidullah Obaid, head of Committee Number 4.
Judging by some of the committees' recommendations, the Taliban would have felt right at home in the jirga. There were numerous calls to bring the media into line with Afghan culture, which means prohibiting programs that are deemed to be immoral, un-Islamic, or indicative of "cultural invasion."
Over half of the committees called for an immediate ceasefire to pave the way for negotiations with the Taliban and Hezb-e-Islami, the other major Afghan group making up the armed insurgency.
The foreign forces took a pummeling from the various committee heads, almost all of whom called for a timetable for withdrawal and strict regulation of military activities. Night raids, house searches, bombardment of civilian areas, and offensive operations were cited as phenomena contributing to the alienation of the population and the growth of the insurgency.
The Afghan government also came in for its share of criticism: almost every committee mentioned corruption as a root cause of the insurgency, and called for its elimination.
"There will be no amnesty for corruption!" thundered Mawlawi Sediqullah, head of Committee Number 9. "We will publish a list of corrupt officials in the media!"
Corruption has been a sore point in relations between the Karzai government and his international backers, especially the United States. The Afghan president insists that the problem is being exaggerated, something that Farooq Wardak echoed in a press conference Friday afternoon.
"This generalization of corruption is a criminal act," he said angrily. "It is being blown up through the media."
Nevertheless, Afghanistan has been named the second most corrupt nation on earth by Transparency International,
A healthy percentage of committees called for the abolishment of the U.N. blacklist, which freezes assets and prohibits travel of those considered to be terrorists. In fact, many want the "terrorist" label abandoned altogether.
And the vast majority called for the release of Taliban prisoners who have not been convicted of crimes. Many detainees languish for years without even being charged; this has been a sore point with the Taliban for years.
In a expansive gesture, Karzai promised he would do just that.
"I will immediately release Taliban prisoners," he said.
The jirga's decisions are not binding; the gathering itself has no legal status under the Constitution. It is a consultative jirga, empowered only to make recommendations.
Another weakness of the event was the absence of the actual decision-making bodies at the table. No matter how eager the participants are to negotiate with the Taliban, the final decision will rest with the opposition. And the Taliban delivered a pretty straightforward indication of its willingness to compromise when it aimed five rockets ate the jirga tent on Wednesday morning.
The other major player is the international military, specifically the United States. Given the ongoing troop surge and the plans for a major operation in Kandahar over the next few months, a ceasefire may not be in the cards just at present.
The jirga ended with a declaration, which was considerably less radical than the suggestions advanced by the 28 committees. It limited itself to general calls for an end to bloodshed, a plea for good governance, including putting an end to corruption, and a demand that the international forces stop bombing civilians.
There was no mention of a ceasefire, and no calls for amending the Constitution. Instead, the declaration contained a paragraph stating "the efforts to achieve peace should not undermine the achievements of the past eight years" shorthand for a commitment to women's rights, the status of minorities, elections, and other gains brought since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.
Karzai closed the jirga on an upbeat note.
"I am happy that after three days of talks we now have a message of peace," he said. "This will give us a bright tomorrow."
One of the more original suggestions advanced by the president was that the Afghan government use women to negotiate with the Taliban.
"We will send women to negotiate with Taliban wives and mothers," he said.
He called on all of the armed opposition to respect the jirga and seize the chance for peace.
"This opportunity may not come again," he warned.
The jirga recommended the creation of a standing Peace Committee. Karzai promised to take this into consideration, along with the other suggestions advanced by the gatherig.
"Now you have shown us the way, we will advance step by step," he promised.
Concretely that means the compilation and issuance of a report on the jirga activities, which, according to Wardak, will be presented to the Kabul Conference in July.
The Kabul Conference is a follow-on to January's London Conference, and will bring international leaders to Kabul to reassess Afghanistan's progress towards stability and self-sufficiency.
Among the delegates, the post-conference mood was cautiously optimistic, but there were few illusions that all would be clear sailing ahead.
"What happened at the jirga was very good," said Mohammad Asef, a delegate from Daimerdad district in Wardak province. "Everyone agreed we need peace. I was very hopeful."
Then he paused and considered.
"But we will have to see what actually happens," he said judiciously.
Haji Bahlul, from Greshk, in Helmand, was similarly restrained.
"We do not yet know what the results are," he said. "I hope the government is honest. It looks good on paper, but let's see how it goes."
A woman's rights activist from Kabul, who did not want to give her name, was more skeptical.
"It was just a game," she laughed. "Nothing really happened in there."
The stakes have never been higher
As attacks on women's rights, health care, the environment and democracy intensify, we're going to need truth-telling journalists more than ever.
At Truthout, unlike most media, our journalism is free from government and corporate influence and censorship. But this is only sustainable if we have your support. If you like what you're reading or just value what we do, will you take a few seconds to contribute to our work?
Jean MacKenzie

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Superman's Faux Citizenship Flap
Although Jewdar loves us some comic books, we were never big Superman fans. Still, we respect the office. So we were none too pleased about the recent brouhaha over the Man of Steel's alleged intentions to renounce his US citizenship and become a "citizen of the world."
Now, let's be honest here–he hasn't actually renounced it, just expressed an intention to, and, we imagine, like many a comic book close call, everything will work out in the end.
Still, Jewdar's principle is that if you're going to be messing around with something as iconic as Superman, there's got to be something more to it than just increasing sales.
And the thing is, if the writers wanted to do something timely and relevant and citizenship related, they could have come up with something a lot better, and more obvious, and more rational, because when all is said and done, Superman isn't a US citizen. He's a Kryptonian who crashed on Earth, and was raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent–good people, salt of the Earth, and normally, good Americans, but there does seem to be one violation of American law they helped facilitate. Because even leaving Superman aside, and focusing on alter-ego Clark Kent, he's also not a US citizen.
Sure, Jonathan and Martha may have forged some papers, and Clark certainly goes about his business as a US citizen, but it's only since 2000 that foreign children adopted abroad are granted automatic US citizenship (and we don't know what to make of a foreign child who wasn't adopted abroad, but simply showed up here and was then adopted). Not only is Superman not a US citizen, but he's an illegal alien. Now there's a storyline we'd like to see.
comic booksillegal alienimmigrationsuperman
The Nazi's Granddaughter
Fat Jew Wants a Job
The Tel Aviv-born, Milwaukee-bred Jewdar has a bachelors' from the University of Wisconsin, a Masters from NYU, and an Honorable Discharge from the US Army, where he spent two years as an infantryman in the 101st Airborne Division. He's the co-author of "The Big Book of Jewish Conspiracies", the Humor Editor of Heeb Magazine, and a watcher of TV. Smarter than most funny people, funnier than most smart people, he lives on the Lower East Side with his wife and two sons.
Sue May 6, 2011
There may be a problem with Wonder Woman, also. She wasn't born on another planet but she was born on Paradise Island. When did she become an American citizen? Or is she another illegal alien….?
jewdar May 13, 2011
Wonder Woman came as a fully accredited ambassador from Paradise island. We don't know what her current status is.


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History Of Severan Dynasty That Produced Three Black Roman Emperors
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It is becoming increasingly obvious that a family feud bedeviled the reign of three of Rome's emperors of African stock starting with Septimius Severus who was born in Leptis Magna (Libya), in April 145. He reigned from AD 193 to 211 and was succeeded by his son Caracalla.
Septimius was the first black Roman emperor. His wife Julia Domna hailed from Syria and they had two sons Caracalla, the elder and Geta who was put under 'damnatio memoriae' i.e. images of him were ordered destroyed.
Left: Ruins of Leptis Magna and Photo of Emperor Septimius Severus I at the Antiquities Museum in Berlin, Germany. Photo credit: Runoko Rashidi.
Severus hailed from an important Punic family from Libya, with its members often rising to rulership and senatorial positions. His cousin Gaius Septimius Severus became a consul, a position similar to that of the mayor. Gaius chose Septimius as his legatus or chief military leader. This began Septimius' political career and set him up for ruling the empire amidst the political turmoil in Rome.
While Septimius was the governor of Pannonia Superior, a province on the Danube River, the emperor of Rome was murdered for being overly strict and not raising the wages of the army.
With the death of the elderly Pertinax, whom Septimius had served, there was need for a new emperor. Septimius ended up becoming emperor because he had loyalty and support from 16 legions. He also had more support from the Romans because of his connection with Pertinax, even giving him the title "avenger of Pertinax."
He is credited with reforming the Roman military. He disbanded the Praetorian Guard, a group of high-ranking military men and set up a larger army increasing the security of Rome. To this end, it is said that he devalued silver so he could pay more military men higher wages and then also allowed the military to marry, which was not allowed before his reign.
Septimius' reforms of the military were one of his most notable accomplishments and even on his deathbed he noted the importance of a good military, telling his sons, "Be good to one another, enrich the soldiers, and damn the rest."
Caracalla via africaresource.com
Securing his position even further, Severus proclaimed himself the son of the Marcus Aurelius, a former emperor who had been given a status of a god, indicating that he was divine. He gave the title of Caesar, the inheritance of his role as emperor to his son Marcus Aurelius Antoninus who was later called Caracalla.
From 208 to his death at York in 211 Septimius was in Britain fighting the Caledonians (from Scotland). After serving nearly 18 years as Rome's emperor, Severus died (in Britannia, today's England) during 211 AD. His body was burned on a pyre in York.
When Severus died, Caracalla was 22 years old and his brother Publius Septimius Geta, 21. Although the father tried to keep the peace in his home, the family's dysfunctional relationships, especially the bitter rivalry developing between the two teenage brothers were visible.
AE of Caracalla. Observe has laureate head of emperor right. Reverse has standing female figure with spear, S C in fields.
Caracalla got the titles first of Caesar, then Augustus from his father. He was increasingly being treated as the successor while Geta was being treated as the spare. Geta, however, was publicly promoted and eventually given the title of Caesar by his father.
On their trip to Britain, Caracalla commanded the troops while his younger brother Geta was given civilian authority in Britain, however, since Geta also received the title Augustus, it meant that he was theoretically co-emperor along with Severus and Caracalla.
It emerged that the two were barely on speaking terms during the long trip back to Rome after the death of their father. Once in the city, Government ground to a halt as the two bickered about appointments and policy decisions.
Of the two, Caracalla was known as the angry impatient one while Geta was the more literate one surrounding himself with writers and intellectuals. It is said Geta made an impact with senators than his tempestuous brother and held a facial similarity to his father Severus all which threatened Caracalla.
By the end of the year, Caracalla had Geta killed in late December 211. Pretending to be seeking to reconcile with his brother, he invited him and suggested a meeting in the apartment of Julia Domna, their mother. But as soon as Geta arrived unarmed and unguarded, he was cut down by several centurions of Caracalla's guard who broke through the door. Geta died in his mother's arms.
Caracalla claimed that Geta's murder was a response to Geta's plottings. Geta's death signalled the start of a bloody and violent purge of Caracalla's suspected enemies. Geta's memory was condemned.
His name was removed from inscriptions and his face was removed from sculptures and paintings, Caracalla's critics looked back wistfully at the murdered prince, who came to be described as a lamb devoured by his ferocious, lion-like brother.
The arrival of the emperor Elagabalus to Rome in 219 brought about the official restoration of Geta's reputation where his remains were put into the Mausoleum of Hadrian to join those of his father and brother.
Geta was born on March 7, 189, in Mediolanum now Milan, Italy and died Dec. 26, 211 in Rome. He was Roman emperor from 209 to 211, jointly with his father, Septimius Severus (reigned 193–211), and his brother, Caracalla.
Caracalla's real name was Lucius Septimius Bassianus (April 4, 188 – April 8, 217). He was a Black Roman Emperor who ruled from 211 to 217.
Ivory Bust of Emperor Caracalla: British Muesum
Despite his treachery towards his brother, Caracalla's reign was notable for the Constitutio Antoniniana, granting Roman citizenship to freemen throughout the Roman Empire. That act laid a foundation for Rome as a peaceful multi-ethnic, multi-cultural empire.
He is said to have authorized massacres in various parts of the empire to suppress insurrections.
He ordered the building of the Baths of Caracalla which were the largest public baths ever built in ancient Rome. The central room of the baths easily accommodated over 2,000 Roman citizens and was larger than St. Peter's Basilica. The bathhouse opened in 216, complete with libraries, private rooms, and outdoor tracks.
Caracalla was assassinated by his body-guard while traveling from Edessa to continue the war against Parthian. He died on April 8, AD 217. Their mother Julia Domna died in 217, six years after her husband.
PLEASE SHARE THIS SO OTHERS CAN KNOW THIS HISTORY
Related Topics:Ancient RomeBlack Roman EmperorsSeveran Dynasty
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Primary Election 2022 Deadlines:
Monday, April 8, 2022 -- Ballots will be available for delivery by mail.
Monday, April 11, 2022 -- Ballots will be available to be voted at the courthouse.
Tuesday, May 10, 2022 -- Ballots must be returned to the courthouse by 8:00 p.m.
Early (Absentee) Voting Options
By Mail - A voter may have their ballot mailed to them by submitting a written request signed by the voter.
At the Courthouse - A voter may pick up their ballot or vote their ballot at the County Clerk's office.
By Agent - A ballot may be picked up and/or delivered to a voter by an agent. An agent is limited to assisting two voters per election.
Military & Overseas Voter - Members of the Armed Forces and Americans living overseas have several ways in which to vote. Learn more about your voting options.
Early Voting Application
Complete a Early Voting Ballot Application or prepare and sign a written request. To submit the application/request you can:
E-mail a picture of the completed application or
FAX the completed application to 402-375-4137, or
Drop off at County Clerk's office, or
Deposit in drop box on north side of courthouse, or
Mail the completed application to 510 Pearl Street, Ste 5, Wayne, NE 68787.
Early Voting Ballot Return
To return the ballot you can:
Mail to 510 Pearl Street, Ste 5, Wayne, NE 68787, or
Drop off at County Clerk's office
All ballots must be received by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
Do not take your ballot to your polling place, it must be returned to the County Clerk's office.
Answers to your questions about voting.
Poll Workers - Election Boards
Polling Places


Insuring your Condo, Co-op or HOA for "Full Replacement Value"–Should You Play with the Numbers?
As the end of the year approaches, many associations around the country are dealing with the renewal of their insurance policies. Especially in coastal states, these policies can often amount to a quarter or more of the annual budget, so of course this is a tremendously contentious issue for board members. How much insurance is appropriate, and is any amount ever too much?
The vast majority of state statutes, not to mention almost every SOC document, provides that the association must insure the common elements for some large amount, anywhere from 75% to 80% of replacement value, all the way to full replacement value. Of course, the question of "full value" depends on an independent appraisal, and some of these may not be so independent. Is a higher number always better?
An insurance broker recently approached our association with a sure-fire way to save money on insurance. In Florida, every association is required to insure the property against hazards for "the replacement cost of the property to be insured." Ordinarily, this means that the association gets a full appraisal of the property, and then purchases both hazard and windstorm (hurricane) insurance for that full amount. His argument, however, is that the damage that can be expected in a windstorm is far lower than other hazards (such as a fire, which could potentially destroy the building). So when this agent solicits appraisals from his "independent" appraiser, he asks for three different numbers–replacement cost for windstorm, flood, and then all other hazards. The windstorm appraisal is typically only a quarter of the total value of the property (using the theory that a windstorm is unlikely to damage the actual foundation of the property or make it uninhabitable), thereby saving many thousands of dollars in insurance premiums.
Certainly an attractive proposal to boards who are constantly pressured by owners to save money! However, it is my opinion that this strategy is extremely risky, and here's why. This type of appraisal system, assuming that it is even legal (and it does clearly require some interpretation of the statute), requires a leap of faith that a windstorm event would NEVER result in a complete loss. If it ever did, the association would, in fact, be uninsured for that loss. The broker's opinion was that, in fact, a windstorm could never result in a total loss of the property.
However, based on prior storms, this philosophy is simply not accurate. In fact, prior to Hurricane Andrew it was common to insure properties against windstorm damage for far less than other hazards, using exactly the above argument. However, anyone who was in South Florida for Andrew knows that many properties suffered a total loss, and not always in ways that were predicable. In one large condominium, the pressure created by the storm created a back flow in the water system that caused the pipes at the top of the building to burst, raining down a flood of water into the building that destroyed the property completely. There is absolutely no reason to assume that modern buildings, simply because they are built using post-Andrew construction standards, could NEVER suffer a complete loss in the case of a windstorm. So any board that would elect to use the above reasoning to secure insurance that is below full replacement value is taking a tremendous gamble. Further, many policies will not even pay out on an appraisal that is later found to have been incomplete or undervalued (even if the damage claimed is within policy limits.
So how does this story apply nationally? Every region of the country has different hazards that must be insured against, and the costs will vary significantly. Owners and board members should be careful that their passion for savings doesn't overwhelm common sense and good business practices, because spending even thousands of dollars per unit each year in insurance is a drop in the bucket compared to the devastation of a total loss event. So make your insurance choices carefully!
Your Judgment, or Your Loyalty? What do SOC Directors Owe their Constituents?
The question I wanted to discuss today is one that comes up frequently for condo, co-op and hoa board members, especially where finances are concerned. Should board members be making decisions based on their own best judgment, or responding to the will of the majority of owners in the association? Or, put differently, what exactly is the duty of a democratically-elected representative?
Of course, this issue is not unique to Shared Ownership Communities. It frequently arises in national politics as well, especially as politicians are paid representatives, and therefore have a vested interest in making their constituents happy. It is the main impetus for pork politics. Even the President, despite being elected by the nation as a whole, is not immune to public opinion politics. A good example is the current discussion of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. President Obama promised, during the election campaign, that review and reconsideration of this policy would be a priority of his presidency. However, nearly a year later no action has been taken, due mostly to public discomfort with the concept of gays serving in the military. Whichever way you come out on this issue, this is a prime example of a politician supplanting his own judgment to satisfy the perceived will of a majority of his constituents.
That said, how do such issues translate to the world of condos, co-ops and hoas? Since it's the end of the year, let's look at decisions concerning budgeting for 2010. Despite a modest recovery, the economy is still in rough shape. Most people have fewer discretionary funds today than they did 3 years ago. However, many costs have risen as well. As fuel prices rise, so do the costs of electricity, gas and building materials (which raises not only utility costs but also the predicted costs of reserve savings). Insurance has also risen dramatically, especially in coastal states that have seen significant storm activity in the past few years.
Therefore, even though many people can afford less, the cost of operating an association have risen, and continue to rise. Most laws require association boards to prepare a budget that accurately predicts the costs of ownership, and that assesses 100% of that amount to owners. Still, you can expect that many owners, even a majority in some communities, may demand that their board members either maintain an identical budget to prior years or even reduce the budget by some specific percentage.
This creates a real issue for board members. Directors have a fiduciary duty to maintain the common elements of the community and often a statutory duty to collect sufficient funds for operation. But a majority of owners, that majority having the ability to recall the board members at will, often demand that the board members ignore those duties and prepare a budget that, in some cases irresponsibly, reduces collections below what is necessary.
Now, certainly decisions can be made that may legitimately reduce costs without breaching a board member's duty to constituents. Optional services can be cut, fat can be trimmed, and alternative service providers can be considered. But even when all that has been done it is common for owners to demand further cuts in maintenance, citing the economy (loosely) or simply the gut concept that maintenance is "too high".
It is at this point that board members often split between those who feel their duty to their constituents is limited to using their best judgment, even if that judgement results in a decision that is different from the will of the majority of owners, and those directors who feel that their directorship is essentially a rubber stamp of the majority. Unfortunately, due to the nature of shared ownership these decisions are often colored by personal relationships, and a desire to be viewed favorably by one's neighbors.
Edmund Burke, an Irish politician and theorist, stated that "Your representative owes you not his industry only, but his judgement; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion." That is, Edmund Burke was a firm believer in the idea that representatives owe their constituents their judgement and hard work, not their agreement. Such a philosophy translates directly to decisions made by SOC directors, and especially those made at budget time. Often, individual owners will have little knowledge of the finances of the community, despite having open access to the books and records and despite having been sent one or more drafts of the budget (just as in national politics, it is sadly rare for the "public" to take the time to educate themselves thoroughly on important issues, and I applaud those of you who do, as it is a critical aspect of community involvement). They may fail to attend finance committee meetings (which by many laws must be open to all owners) and often fail to prepare detailed arguments on how to solve the association's financial problems. Yet despite this, there are board members in associations throughout the country who ignore their own research, industry and judgement in making budgetary cuts that are harmful to the long-term health of their community, simply based on the will of inactive but vocal owners. It is these board members, in my opinion, who are not adequately representing their constituents, as they are allowing community pressure and personal issues to override their duty to the association as a whole. I strongly agree with Mr. Burke's philosophy, and I recommend that all board members, while making sure to listen to the concerns and suggestions of their neighbors, ultimately make decisions that they know to be for the good of the neighborhood. In the end, that is the best way to serve your community.
Hi everyone, sorry for the blog vacation! In October I had my first child, a baby girl. Of course, I've been taking some time to be with her.
Starting next week I will be back blogging on a weekly basis, so please check in regularly! If you have any ideas for topics, please post them in our forum.
We've recently revamped the website, and I hope you like what we've done. Again, if you have any comments at all please post in our forum or send them to info@newneighborhoodspublishing.com.


text:
<?php

namespace CsvMigrations\Test\TestCase\FieldHandlers\Provider\FieldValue;

use Cake\Http\ServerRequest;
use Cake\ORM\Entity;
use Cake\TestSuite\TestCase;
use CsvMigrations\FieldHandlers\Config\FilesConfig;
use CsvMigrations\FieldHandlers\Provider\FieldValue\PrimaryKeyFieldValue;
use CsvMigrations\FieldHandlers\Provider\ProviderInterface;

class PrimaryKeyFieldValueTest extends TestCase
{
    public $fixtures = [
        'plugin.CsvMigrations.Foo',
    ];

    public function testConstruct(): void
    {
        $provider = new PrimaryKeyFieldValue(new FilesConfig('foobar'));
        $this->assertInstanceOf(ProviderInterface::class, $provider);
    }

    public function testProvideWithExistingTable(): void
    {
        // field name is not used within PrimaryKeyFieldValue provider
        $fieldName = 'foobar';

        $provider = new PrimaryKeyFieldValue(new FilesConfig($fieldName, 'Foo'));

        $entity = new Entity();
        $entity->set('id', '123');

        $this->assertEquals('123', $provider->provide(null, ['entity' => $entity]));
    }

    /**
     * @param mixed $value
     * @dataProvider valuesDataProvider
     */
    public function testProvideWithDummyTable($value): void
    {
        // field name is not used within PrimaryKeyFieldValue provider
        $fieldName = 'foobar';

        $provider = new PrimaryKeyFieldValue(new FilesConfig($fieldName, 'nonExistingTable'));

        $this->assertEquals(null, $provider->provide($value, ['entity' => new Entity()]));
    }

    /**
     * @param mixed $value
     * @dataProvider valuesDataProvider
     */
    public function testProvideWithDummyTableWithoutEntity($value): void
    {
        // field name is not used within PrimaryKeyFieldValue provider
        $fieldName = 'foobar';

        $provider = new PrimaryKeyFieldValue(new FilesConfig($fieldName, 'nonExistingTable'));

        $this->assertEquals(null, $provider->provide($value));
    }

    /**
     * @return mixed[]
     */
    public function valuesDataProvider(): array
    {
        return [
            [null],
            ['here goes some string'],
            [new Entity()],
            [new ServerRequest()],
        ];
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Sometimes, in the grip of struggling with specifics, astrologers forget that their art is primarily observational, not predictive. You get a better picture of the part the planets play in our landscape if you view the beauty of the forest from above instead of struggling to chop through the tangling underbrush. That is the same error critics make when they ask us for tomorrow—s headlines based on personal charts of politicians or countries. There—s many a slip —tween the cup and the lip, and most of them happen en route from generalizations to specifics.
This never becomes so clear to everyone, not just astrologers, as when some watershed event takes place, carrying us all with it. Some astrologers struggled at one level with the charts of the competing politicians, trying to decide which would be favored by the planets on election night, in imitation of the media pundits counting up and analyzing their fickle opinion polls. Others opined on the great historical cycles that seemed to be operative — Pluto changing signs, the Saturn-Uranus opposition — which suggested major social and economic change hanging on crucial planetary pivot points, as yet undisclosed. On the cusp of the American election, even the standard political opinionizers began using those broad-brush strokes, and conservative David Brooks—s election-eve article in the New York Times only needed a few planetary names inserted to pass as astrology.
Below you'll find a growing assortment of articles on astrology or about astrologers gathered from many sources.
Click on each article to learn more.
Angela Arnold The Good, the Bad and ... Whose Fault Is It Anyway?
Bernie Ashman Saturn: The "Cosmic Chiropractor"
Philip Brown Capricorn — Father, Mother, or Gender-Neutral?
Mary Downing Will the Real Birth Chart of the U.S.A. Please Stand Up?
Dennis Flaherty Does Anybody Really Know What Time it Is?
Clarke Fountain Question: Who Are Your Astrological Heroes?
M. Gerwick-Brodeur Astrological Business Cycles: Prosper with the Universe!
Tom Goyett Sagittarius, 2001 Welcome!
B. Shafferman Author Barbara Shafferman: Astro "Talks"
John Townley Tips for the Tempests of 2007!
John Townley Which Side Are You On?
John Townley A New Presidential Paradigm?


text:
Q: Getting critics to recognize that two similar input patterns refer to the same output-performance relationship The actor-critic model is used within temporal difference learning, which is a method within reinforcement learning, to optimize a process on a state-by-state basis by using the difference between performance and expected performance for each respective state. In other words, there is a set of possible input patterns to the process, each of which constitutes a state (the state in which the agent finds itself). For each state, the actor computes an output, which is evaluated by a performance metric (which can theoretically define a different target output for each state) that returns the reward (performance) signal. Meanwhile, for each state, the critic tracks the expected reward, which is a function of the past reward signals for that state. At each iteration, the difference between the reward signal and the expected reward signal is taken and used to update both the actor's policy (hopefully up a performance gradient) and the critic's performance expectation for that state.
Hypothetically, for some problem there exists two or more states (input patterns) that are similar and where the information that differs between the two is irrelevant. In other words, the target output for the states is the same and the input is similar. It would then be potentially useful for the critic to have a method for recognizing that all states that share a certain similarity are effectively the same state, so that the set of those states can share the same predicted outcome. In particular, if you are dealing with a system that features a massive amount of inputs, and if most of those are non-pertinent at any given point in time, then you don't want to relearn the expected performance for each possible combination of non-pertinent inputs.
My question, then, is how you do this. How do you get a critic to organize different states into state classes, and in a way that improves performance over the long run?

A: Within the value-function approximation model (which you've adopted?), you can opt to use a compressed encoding of the state-action space instead of a tessellation. Neural networks are sometimes used for this purpose.
What you might try with the critic is to use a supervised clustering algorithm over all states which were recently fed to the actor with the actions as the classes. You could then plunk a new state-action pair into the clustering model. If it flops down in the middle of a pure cluster, and is of the wrong class, it's worth training on. If it's of the right class, you can probably skip it. If it's in an impure cluster, or significantly outside of any dense cluster, probably keep it.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Here are the tags SOS denied in the first 6 months of 2021
Meridian Township investigating firefighter for comments on Black Lives Matter movement
Megan Banta
MERIDIAN TWP. – A Meridian Township firefighter is under investigation after making racist comments on social media.
The firefighter, who township officials did not name, commented "bldm" on a story from a Washington, D.C., station about the renaming of a high school.
When questioned, the firefighter doubled down, saying "bldm" again and adding "Do I need to clear my throat?" and "I didn't stutter."
His final comment: "They don't."
Officials heard about the comment late Tuesday night, Township Manager Frank Walsh said, and started an investigation.
Walsh and other officials held a press conference Wednesday afternoon to apologize to Black Lives Matter and the broader community.
"This posting in no way reflects the values and the soul of Meridian Township," Walsh said.
There will be due process for the firefighter during the investigation, he said, but officials wanted to address the comments rather than hiding from the fact that the comments were made.
Walsh declined to comment on possible punishments when asked.
"The punishment will fit whatever has occurred," Walsh said. "We've got to let the investigation be completed."
The firefighter is not scheduled to be on duty in the next 48 hours, Walsh said, and he expects the investigation to wrap up before he is on duty again.
Walsh said during the press conference that the township realizes it has work to do to address concerns around systemic racism.
"Can we do more? Yes," he said. "Will we do more? Yes."
The township plans to hold a community conversation on policing in August, he said.
The firefighter is at least the second public employee within a week to come under fire for statements on social media.
Related:Michigan State employee under investigation for racist Facebook posts
Last week, a Michigan State University spokesman confirmed a facilities employee is under investigation after community members shared photos of racist comments he made on Facebook.
Contact reporter Megan Banta at mbanta@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @MeganBanta_1.


Learn what information is available when integrating ScheduleAnywhere with other applications.
ScheduleAnywhere is a cloud-based, employee scheduling solution that's available with or without an Application Programming Interface (API). This video gives software developers and system integrators an overview of the information they typically manage using the ScheduleAnywhere API. Common integration points include employee information, time-off requests, work schedules and single sign-on (SSO). Other information, such as staffing requirements or employee skills, can also be accessed via the API.
If you have any API or pricing questions, please call 1-800-874-8801 or email us. Thank you for your interest in ScheduleAnywhere!


text:
import Mixin from '@ember/object/mixin';
import { A } from '@ember/array';

import UsecaseActor from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-usecase-actor';
import DesignPattern from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-design-pattern';
import AssociationLink from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-association-link';
import AggregationLink from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-aggregation-link';
import CompositionLink from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-composition-link';
import GeneralizationCod from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-generalization-cod';
import DesignPatternConnector from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-design-pattern-connector';
import ForwardFlatMessage from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-forward-flat-message';
import ForwardNestedMessage from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-forward-nested-message';
import ForwardAsyncMessage from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-forward-async-message';
import BackwardNestedMessage from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-backward-nested-message';
import BackwardFlatMessage from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-backward-flat-message';
import BackwardAsyncMessage from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-backward-async-message';
import Association from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-association';
import QualifiedAssociation from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-qualified-association';
import QualifiedComposition from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-qualified-composition';
import QualifiedAggregation from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-qualified-aggregation';

import Instance from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-instance';
import ActiveObject from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-active-object';
import MultiObject from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-multi-object';
import NAryAssociation from 'ember-flexberry-designer/objects/uml-primitives/fd-uml-naryassociation';

import { getJsonForElement, getJsonForLink } from '../../utils/get-json-for-diagram';

/**
  Actions for creating joint js elements on cod diagrams.
   @class FdAcrionsForCodPrimitivesMixin
  @extends Ember.Mixin
*/
export default Mixin.create({
  actions: {
    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodActor button.
      @method actions.addOnCodActor
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
    */
    addOnCodActor(e) {
      this.createObjectData((function(x, y) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForElement(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.Actor, UMLCOD',
          { x, y },
          { width: 25, height: 50 },
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let codObject = UsecaseActor.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        this._addToPrimitives(codObject);
        return codObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e);
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodDesignPattern button.
      @method actions.addOnCodDesignPattern
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
     */
    addOnCodDesignPattern(e) {
      this.createObjectData((function(x, y) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForElement(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.DesignPattern, UMLCOD',
          { x, y },
          { width: 80, height: 30 },
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let codObject = DesignPattern.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        this._addToPrimitives(codObject);
        return codObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e);
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodNaryAssociationConnector button.
      @method actions.addOnCodNaryAssociationConnector
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
   */
    addOnCodNaryAssociationConnector(e) {
      this.createLinkData((function(linkProperties) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForLink(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.NaryLink, UMLCOD',
          linkProperties.source,
          null,
          linkProperties.target,
          null,
          null,
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let undirAssociationObject = Association.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        undirAssociationObject.set('vertices', linkProperties.points || A());
        this._addToPrimitives(undirAssociationObject);
        return undirAssociationObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e, {
        start: A(['flexberry.uml.NAryAssociation']),
        end: A(['flexberry.uml.NAryAssociation', 'flexberry.uml.Instance', 'flexberry.uml.ActiveObject',
         'flexberry.uml.MultiObject', 'flexberry.uml.DesignPattern'])
      });
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodAssociationLink button.
      @method actions.addOnCodAssociationLink
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
     */
    addOnCodAssociationLink(e) {
      this.createLinkData((function(linkProperties) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForLink(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.Link, UMLCOD',
          linkProperties.source,
          null,
          linkProperties.target,
          null,
          null,
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let undirAssociationObject = AssociationLink.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        undirAssociationObject.set('vertices', linkProperties.points || A());
        this._addToPrimitives(undirAssociationObject);
        return undirAssociationObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e, A(['flexberry.uml.Instance', 'flexberry.uml.ActiveObject', 'flexberry.uml.MultiObject',
       'flexberry.uml.UsecaseActor', 'flexberry.uml.DesignPattern', 'flexberry.uml.ForwardAsyncMessage', 'flexberry.uml.ForwardFlatMessage',
       'flexberry.uml.ForwardNestedMessage', 'flexberry.uml.ForwardAsyncMessage', 'flexberry.uml.ForwardFlatMessage', 'flexberry.uml.ForwardNestedMessage']));
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodQualifiedLink button.
      @method actions.addOnCodQualifiedLink
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
    */
    addOnCodQualifiedLink(e) {
      this.createLinkData((function(linkProperties) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForLink(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.QualifiedLink, UMLCOD',
          linkProperties.source,
          null,
          linkProperties.target,
          null,
          null,
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let undirAssociationObject = QualifiedAssociation.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        undirAssociationObject.set('vertices', linkProperties.points || A());
        this._addToPrimitives(undirAssociationObject);
        return undirAssociationObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e, A(['flexberry.uml.Instance', 'flexberry.uml.MultiObject']));
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodAggregationLink button.
      @method actions.addOnCodAggregationLink
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
    */
    addOnCodAggregationLink(e) {
      this.createLinkData((function(linkProperties) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForLink(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.AggregationLink, UMLCOD',
          linkProperties.source,
          null,
          linkProperties.target,
          null,
          null,
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let undirAssociationObject = AggregationLink.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        undirAssociationObject.set('vertices', linkProperties.points || A());
        this._addToPrimitives(undirAssociationObject);
        return undirAssociationObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e, A(['flexberry.uml.Instance', 'flexberry.uml.MultiObject']));
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodQualifiedAggregationLink button.
      @method actions.addOnCodQualifiedAggregationLink
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
    */
    addOnCodQualifiedAggregationLink(e) {
      this.createLinkData((function(linkProperties) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForLink(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.QualifiedAggregationLink, UMLCOD',
          linkProperties.source,
          null,
          linkProperties.target,
          null,
          null,
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let undirAssociationObject = QualifiedAggregation.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        undirAssociationObject.set('vertices', linkProperties.points || A());
        this._addToPrimitives(undirAssociationObject);
        return undirAssociationObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e, A(['flexberry.uml.Instance', 'flexberry.uml.MultiObject']));
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodCompositionLink button.
      @method actions.addOnCodCompositionLink
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
     */
    addOnCodCompositionLink(e) {
      this.createLinkData((function(linkProperties) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForLink(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.CompositionLink, UMLCOD',
          linkProperties.source,
          null,
          linkProperties.target,
          null,
          null,
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let undirAssociationObject = CompositionLink.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        undirAssociationObject.set('vertices', linkProperties.points || A());
        this._addToPrimitives(undirAssociationObject);
        return undirAssociationObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e, A(['flexberry.uml.Instance', 'flexberry.uml.MultiObject']));
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodQualifiedCompositionLink button.
      @method actions.addOnCodQualifiedCompositionLink
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
    */
    addOnCodQualifiedCompositionLink(e) {
      this.createLinkData((function(linkProperties) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForLink(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.QualifiedCompositionLink, UMLCOD',
          linkProperties.source,
          null,
          linkProperties.target,
          null,
          null,
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let undirAssociationObject = QualifiedComposition.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        undirAssociationObject.set('vertices', linkProperties.points || A());
        this._addToPrimitives(undirAssociationObject);
        return undirAssociationObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e, A(['flexberry.uml.Instance', 'flexberry.uml.MultiObject']));
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodDesignPatternConnector button.
      @method actions.addOnCodDesignPatternConnector
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
    */
    addOnCodDesignPatternConnector(e) {
      this.createLinkData((function(linkProperties) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForLink(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.DesignPatternConnector, UMLCOD',
          linkProperties.source,
          null,
          linkProperties.target,
          null,
          null,
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let undirAssociationObject = DesignPatternConnector.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        undirAssociationObject.set('vertices', linkProperties.points || A());
        this._addToPrimitives(undirAssociationObject);
        return undirAssociationObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e, {
        start: A(['flexberry.uml.Instance', 'flexberry.uml.MultiObject', 'flexberry.uml.UsecaseActor']),
        end: A(['flexberry.uml.DesignPattern'])
      });
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodInheritance button.
      @method actions.addOnCodInheritance
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
     */
    addOnCodInheritance(e) {
      this.createLinkData((function(linkProperties) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForLink(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.Inheritance, UMLCOD',
          linkProperties.source,
          null,
          linkProperties.target,
          null,
          null,
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let undirAssociationObject = GeneralizationCod.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        undirAssociationObject.set('vertices', linkProperties.points || A());
        this._addToPrimitives(undirAssociationObject);
        return undirAssociationObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e, {
        start: A(['flexberry.uml.Instance', 'flexberry.uml.MultiObject', 'flexberry.uml.DesignPattern']),
        end: A(['flexberry.uml.Instance', 'flexberry.uml.MultiObject'])
      });
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodBackwardNestedMessage button.
      @method actions.addOnCodBackwardNestedMessage
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
     */
    addOnCodBackwardNestedMessage(e) {
      this.createObjectData((function(x, y) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForElement(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.BackwardNestedMessage, UMLCOD',
          { x, y },
          { width: 60, height: 10 },
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let codObject = BackwardNestedMessage.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        this._addToPrimitives(codObject);
        return codObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e);
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodForwardNestedMessage button.
      @method actions.addOnCodForwardNestedMessage
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
     */
    addOnCodForwardNestedMessage(e) {
      this.createObjectData((function(x, y) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForElement(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.ForwardNestedMessage, UMLCOD',
          { x, y },
          { width: 60, height: 10 },
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let codObject = ForwardNestedMessage.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        this._addToPrimitives(codObject);
        return codObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e);
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodBackwardFlatMessage button.
      @method actions.addOnCodBackwardFlatMessage
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
     */
    addOnCodBackwardFlatMessage(e) {
      this.createObjectData((function(x, y) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForElement(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.BackwardFlatMessage, UMLCOD',
          { x, y },
          { width: 60, height: 10 },
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let codObject = BackwardFlatMessage.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        this._addToPrimitives(codObject);
        return codObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e);
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodForwardFlatMessage button.
      @method actions.addOnCodForwardFlatMessage
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
     */
    addOnCodForwardFlatMessage(e) {
      this.createObjectData((function(x, y) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForElement(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.ForwardFlatMessage, UMLCOD',
          { x, y },
          { width: 60, height: 10 },
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let codObject = ForwardFlatMessage.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        this._addToPrimitives(codObject);
        return codObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e);
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodBackwardAsyncMessage button.
      @method actions.addOnCodBackwardAsyncMessage
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
     */
    addOnCodBackwardAsyncMessage(e) {
      this.createObjectData((function(x, y) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForElement(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.BackwardAsyncMessage, UMLCOD',
          { x, y },
          { width: 60, height: 10 },
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let codObject = BackwardAsyncMessage.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        this._addToPrimitives(codObject);
        return codObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e);
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodForwardAsyncMessage button.
      @method actions.addOnCodForwardAsyncMessage
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
     */
    addOnCodForwardAsyncMessage(e) {
      this.createObjectData((function(x, y) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForElement(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.ForwardAsyncMessage, UMLCOD',
          { x, y },
          { width: 60, height: 10 },
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let codObject = ForwardAsyncMessage.create({ primitive: jsonObject });
        this._addToPrimitives(codObject);
        return codObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e);
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodInstance button.

      @method actions.addOnCodInstance
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
     */
    addOnCodInstance(e) {
      this.createObjectData((function(x, y) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForElement(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.Instance, UMLCOD',
          { x, y },
          { width: 80, height: 30 },
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let instance = Instance.create({ primitive: jsonObject });

        this._addToPrimitives(instance);

        return instance.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e);
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodMultiObject button.

      @method actions.addOnCodMultiObject
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
     */
    addOnCodMultiObject(e) {
      this.createObjectData((function(x, y) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForElement(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.MultiObject, UMLCOD',
          { x, y },
          { width: 80, height: 30 },
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let multiObject = MultiObject.create({ primitive: jsonObject });

        this._addToPrimitives(multiObject);

        return multiObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e);
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodActiveObject button.

      @method actions.addOnCodActiveObject
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
     */
    addOnCodActiveObject(e) {
      this.createObjectData((function(x, y) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForElement(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.ActiveObject, UMLCOD',
          { x, y },
          { width: 80, height: 30 },
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let activeObject = ActiveObject.create({ primitive: jsonObject });

        this._addToPrimitives(activeObject);

        return activeObject.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e);
    },

    /**
      Handler for click on addOnCodNaryAssociation button.

      @method actions.addOnCodNaryAssociation
      @param {jQuery.Event} e event.
     */
    addOnCodNaryAssociation(e) {
      this.createObjectData((function(x, y) {
        let jsonObject = getJsonForElement(
          'STORMCASE.UML.cod.NarLink, UMLCOD',
          { x, y },
          { width: 40, height: 40 },
          { Name: '' }
        );
        let naryAssociation = NAryAssociation.create({ primitive: jsonObject });

        this._addToPrimitives(naryAssociation);

        return naryAssociation.JointJS();
      }).bind(this), e);
    },

    //addAggregationLink
  }
});


Pepsi is apparently making a phone (no, not that one) called the Pepsi P1. A number of Android sites have dug up a leaked image of a new device that is clearly branded with the Pepsi logo, something that was even teased on the company's Weibo account just a few days ago. But Pepsi hasn't gone and designed the phone itself. Instead, it's contracted an unknown phone manufacturer to do the job (the device does have a certain Huawei aesthetic to it, for what it's worth). The latter is a move that we've seen other brands (like Kodak) attempt in the past, one that almost always produces pretty awful results.
The draw here is, obviously, the price. Phone makers big and small have spent the last year or so pushing the boundaries when it comes to how little they're willing to charge for unlocked, nearly-premium phones. But affordable Android phones are nearly a dime a dozen in China, which is where the Pepsi Phone will be sold. If and when it goes on sale, Pepsi will supposedly charge just 1,299 yuan — about $205 US, or at least a few thousand bottle caps and UPC labels.
Update October 12th, 2:01PM ET: PepsiCo Inc. has told Reuters that the phone is real, but that the company is just licensing its branding. Another company will manufacture the phone. The article has been updated to reflect this.


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Heartland Tech Weekly: Why Amazon won't drop its New York expansion plans
Anna Hensel@ahhensel
In case you missed it, the Washington Post reported late last week that Amazon may be reconsidering its decision to place part of its so-called "second headquarters" in New York City. The apparent second-guessing comes as local advocacy groups continue to protest Amazon's appearances at city council meetings, and as the state's Democratic lawmakers appointed a politician who has been critical of Amazon, state Sen. Michael Gianaris, to a board that has the power to nix the deal.
One of the two sources "familiar with Amazon's thinking" gave what could be construed as a thinly veiled threat to the Post: "The question is whether it's worth it if the politicians in New York don't want the project, especially with how people in Virginia and Nashville have been so welcoming," the source asked.
Although I think it would be fascinating to see how other cities would react if Amazon announced it was leaving New York, color me skeptical that Amazon is actually going to ditch the Big Apple. During the HQ2 bidding process, Amazon had plenty of other cities offering the ecommerce giant much larger subsidy packages. One city, Fresno, even offered to give Amazon a say in how the city spent taxpayer money. And I'm sure that other cities were willing to have gone even further than that, had they gotten to the final steps in the bidding process.
But Amazon instead chose New York. I believe that's because Amazon knew deep down that NYC was one of the few cities capable of supplying the right technical talent for its desired 25,000 jobs. If Amazon believed that any other city could handle that many jobs, then why wouldn't it go somewhere that was also offering them more tax breaks?
Even if Amazon decided to pick up its ball and leave, a company of its size and reach is still going to have to maintain a decent presence in New York. Why damage your relationship with a city that you know you're still going to have to work with in the future?
But I think what's really interesting here is that the Big Tech backlash has gotten so big in places like NYC that tech companies can no longer ignore it. And the rhetoric of community groups is now being parroted by politicians like Sen. Gianaris. I've embedded a recent interview he did with CNN below. Does the talk about not wanting to turn into San Francisco and Seattle sound familiar?
I imagine that cities around the country are only going to copy New York's tactics the next time a big tech company comes to town, and I'm curious to see what this new era brings for the future of tech's relationship with cities.
As always, thanks for reading, and please send me your thoughts and feedback via email. Lastly, don't forget to register for BLUEPRINT York, happening on March 26-28.
Anna Hensel
Heartland Tech Reporter
Check out this video from CNN Business, "Gianaris on Amazon HQ2: We've stood up and the people are being heard."
From the Heartland Tech channel
Seattle's VC firms raised more new funds in 2018 than they had in 10 years
Seattle is adding more new VC firms, as the city is adding more tech jobs than San Francisco. But seed stage capital remains hard to come by.
Above: Ann Arbor startup May Mobility's autonomous shuttle.
Image Credit: Courtesy May Mobility
May Mobility raises $22 million to deploy autonomous shuttles in cities across the U.S.
Autonomous shuttle company May Mobility has raised $22 million in a series A round, bringing its total capital raised to over $30 million.
Above: Jeff Bezos speaks at Recode's Code Conference on May 31, 2016.
Image Credit: Screenshot
Amazon reportedly reconsiders New York expansion
Two officials familiar with Amazon's thinking told the Washington Post that it may not bring 25,000 jobs to New York City after all.
Beyond VB
Techstars Atlanta sees its first successful exit with an acquisition by Mailchimp
Techstars Atlanta, the startup accelerator run in partnership with Cox Enterprises, has seen its first graduate successfully exit. SAWA, a graphic design startup that went through Techstars Atlanta's third cohort in 2018, has been acquired by email marketing platform Mailchimp. (via Hypepotamus)
Inside Wisconsin's disastrous $4.5 billion deal with Foxconn
A huge tax break was supposed to create a manufacturing paradise, but interviews with 49 people familiar with the project depict a chaotic operation unlikely to ever employ 13,000 workers. (via Bloomberg)
Why mayors keep trying to woo business with tax breaks
U.S. mayors are split on whether business incentives are good politics, but most believe despite evidence to the contrary that they're good policy. We at CityLab have written quite a lot about Amazon's HQ2 and the use (or abuse) of taxpayer-funded incentives to lure large corporations. (via CityLab)
University of Georgia in early stages of tech-centered Innovation District
Innovation is the lifeblood of universities, fostering talent and developing the next big thing. The University of Georgia, already focused on driving new products and systems into the marketplace, has doubled down on its mission of innovation and economic development in the local community by creating its upcoming vibrant Innovation District. (via AtlantaInno)


The base is clean but there is a mark as shown.
The front of the purse is decorated with flowers, the back is plain and has some discolourations. Inside is clean with an attached keyring.
The gloves are lighter cream and show signs of wear but are in good condition.
All in clean, good condition.


text:
Home 2021 Team Reviews: Eurovision France – C'est vous qui décidez! (Part 3)
2021 Breaking News France Latest News Reviews
Team Reviews: Eurovision France – C'est vous qui décidez! (Part 3)
By Sean Tarbuck
The opinions expressed in this article are the personal views of the individual reviewers, and do not necessarily represent the view of ESC United as a whole or its other editors and members.
Missed part one and two of our French reviews? Catch up with our thoughts HERE and HERE.
Tonight's the night in France as C'est vous qui décidez – the French selection for Eurovision 2021 – is upon us! With 12 songs competing, it is sure to be a spectacular show with some diverse genres in the running and a variety of choice for the French public. But, what did our team think of the 12 hopefuls in France?
Tonight we will take a look at the final four songs and sharing our thoughts on the French Eurovision candidates. What did our panel of Boris, Daniel, James, Melanie, Roy, Sean and Stefan all think of this year's French selection, and who did we pick to win in the end?
LMK – Magique
Boris – 7.5 – "It's almost as if an EMA act randomly stumbled her way into France's NF. Ethereal harpsichord ballad exploding into a hip-swaying R&B pearl <3 LMK's spiritual mothers Raiven and Lea Sirk would be proud!"
Daniel – 9 – "This is what I was waiting for, here is the modern French pop R'n'B that France is known for. It has those nice harps that contrast with the sass and the sirens. I think this is a bop that would do France very proud. LMK also has oodles of charisma and sells this song, even without the staging. This song is the kind with the right staging will be a total home-run. This is just such a timely song and such a party hit right in time for Summer 2021, a summer like nowhere else."
James – 3 – "A cheap Rihanna c. 2008 knock-off with all the cheap production tricks from that era thrown in. I've said a lot of songs in this selection would be strong contenders with a good revamp, but this is the first one I've come across that is a write-off. The "let me be your honey bee" lyric is cringe, so its existence in English on the track will manage to annoy French and non-French alike. And the less said about her performance video the better, as she looked like she was having an off day. Hopefully she can pull off a more charismatic performance on the night of the selection, but she is doomed by a song that is, to be franc, not very good."
Melanie – 7.5 – "LMK is bringing the sassiness to the French national selection! I'm loving her stage presence in the audition tape. She just needs a solid staging, an amazing choreography and great background dancers to bring this song more alive on stage. I'm just scared how this would sound live, because it sounds like a hard song to sing while dancing. So LMK don't disappoint with your live performance of this song!"
Roy – 4.5 – "I have something in me that I really desperately want to like this, but I never really get to that moment.. LMK definitely has the charisma and sass to pull off a song like this. In a batch of 26 songs however, this is going to be very underwhelming. I also feel like she is just kind of rambling the lyrics a bit. I don't know it just isn't fully working for me…"
Sean – 7 – "Ha, this feels like every chart song from the last five years smashed together into one. There's a lot to unpack here but at its basis we have a catchy reggaeton-inspired song with a confident performer (who needs dancers!! France!!) and I can see many Eurovision fans falling in love with this one. It certainly won't sound out of place in 2021, but whether the silent majority Eurovision audience would vote in their droves for this seems unlikely to me."
Stefan – 8.5 – "Another modern radio friendly song, but this one is a bit funny. It has some special dose of joy. With right choreography it can go far."
Total = 47 (avg. 6.71)
Philippine – Bah Non
Boris – 7 – "Aggro Accusatory Anthems <3 It stands no chance in France given that this song represents values a French Voting Public would never condone (Assertivity, Drama, Unapolegetic Feminism). So, I absolutely hope she goes all out during the live shows and embraces her fun trash side for our collective entertainment."
Daniel – 7 – "We have the French rock gal and I think I am sold. I think this has some of the funniest lyrics and is full of strong delivery. The beat and composition is extremely powerful that I found myself bobbing along just by the second chorus. I think there is so much potential that staging will be key for this song to really sell it to everyone else. At the very least Philippine has the sass, energy and bravado to sell this song like nothing else."
James – 7 – "A bit of a risk going in an indie-rock direction, though doubly so in a song that is dealing with a break-up. It does have one of the catchier verses in this selection that even non-French folk can easily sing along to ("allez, salut, a la prochaine, bah non, bah non") and is playful. It also has a great groove that any fan can stomp or clap along to. Staging may be a challenge for this one, and it sounds like a lot of indie and alternative out there, with perhaps a little bit too much "too cool for school" French attitude that a lot of non-French may recoil at. But "Bah non" has its moments, and maybe giving a sarcastic "well, no" response to what ailed us in 2020 is the song we need in 2021."
Melanie – 6.5 – "Philippine is an amazing performer and really brings "Bah Non" alive. I just have the feeling that song would fit better in the 00s than nowadays. It sounds like a generic pop song from that era that Ashlee Simpson, Avril Lavigne or Kelly Clarkson could sing if they were French. Nevertheless, the song has character, but miss some kind of oomph to really hit hard. I really hope Philippine will come back next year with a better song, because she is amazing!"
Roy – 7.5 – "Philippine is the massive star of this song for me. If they can make sure to give her a proper team to work on her dancing and staging then this could really pop off on stage. It is unique, it has swagger, it has a bunch of potential. It does need a revamp and as it is, it definitely isn't ready to go yet. If they play their cards properly they have a decent shot of cracking into the top 10 in Eurovision. I quite enjoyed this and I am curious to see this performed on stage with her live vocals!"
Sean – 5 – "I… don't really know where the begin with this one. Philippine seems like a great performer but the song just isn't really that great to me. The verses are a little too rushed for me and the chorus slams on the brakes and it just doesn't seem right as a package. No doubt now I've said that it'll be the one song I can't get out of my head…"
Stefan – 10 – "She's flirty, she's cute and I just love her eyes. She got me focused. I see a lot of potential here, regarding stage performance. One of my clear favorites."
PONY X – Amour fou
Boris – 6.5 – "I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw the CGI horsehead <3 Daði and The Roop inspiring ridiculous, self-deprecating meme entries <3 Sadly, once the initial laugh faded away, so did the entire memory of the song, lost in the wind like a dandelion."
Daniel – 9.5 – "Oh wow that voice. Oh this song is a banger oh it is such a fun song. Oh wow I feel like I am having a lot of thoughts and I am not sure how to process it them all. This song is super modern and really cool and exudes swag in a way that makes it super fun to listen and I think there is so much potential. And I mean the keyboardist has a horse head, I feel like we are sending an entry to Eurovision 2061, this song is just so ahead of its time and I think I love it. No, I know I love it."
James – 5 – "For a song that sounds like it belongs in the Belarus national selection and not the French one, "Amour fou" is not as bad as you might at first suspect. The "you shot me down with love" lyric is daft, but you can't help but dance when the bass drops. But what the hell is the pony in the lyrics about, and why the pony head on the DJ? It gives the song the same vibe as those middle-aged dads in tracksuits doing Slavic rap as a means to have a laugh at Eurovision. And if those antics cause you to roll your eyes in Belarus's national selection, it's only fair your eyes do the same in France's."
Melanie – 8 – "Okay, I'm really hating myself for saying this; but I'm really am liking this song! This is the unexpected bop that I didn't know I needed. This is getting me in a party mood immediately. I'm just really afraid how this would sound live. Also, the staging will be very important for this kind of song. It's going to hit or break it. I really hope they know what to do at the national final and hopefully we will see people doing the Pony X dance at Rotterdam."
Roy – 9 – "Hear me out here! You have the opportunity to send a very well-produced EDM dance-banger to the country where EDM is one of their biggest export products. In contrary to the flops we have seen coming from Darude and Gromee, this is definitely more in the ballpark of Jowst and in my opinion has the biggest chances of getting that heavily desirable top 10 placement. The singer is charismatic. It seems like the singer and the DJ have charisma and chemistry as well. The song is also as good as done and wouldn't need a massive amount of work in contrary to the rest of the field. I just really hope his live vocals are fantastic and that they don't play it off too joke-y or gimmicky. Believe me, this could do well if France chose it. I am convinced of it and I would bet my money on this song!"
Sean – 8.5 – "Is this the closest I'm going to get to French EDM at Eurovision? Sigh… okay then. It's a nice Robin Schulz-esque blend of rocky vibes with electronic beats and the English chorus helps to give this a sing-along quality to a wider audience (sorry linguaphiles across the world!). I do like this, but I feel like it will fall flat on its face and not translate to the Eurovision stage, like Gromee's song in 2018."
Stefan – 10 – "Some would say typical radio friendly song, something we've heard/seen so many times. I would say we could never have enough of it. I can see this in top 10 at Eurovision. My only concern is would he be allowed to use auto-tune at Eurovision. Anyway, its another favourite."
Total = 56.5 (avg. 8.07)
Terence James – Je t'emmènerai danser
Boris – 6 – "The third of the ethnodance trash anthems in this national final, but also the weakest one. Like a meek 'Le Tribu de Dana', if you will? I have heard similar and better songs the national finals of BELGIUM… ten years ago. Whatever, at least it's harmless."
Daniel – 8 – "I like the Celtic entrance that transitions into a dance bop. I could do a bit without some of the repetitive lines but it is still a strong entry and it definitely has something relatable where everyone can find something they like about the song whether it's the beat, the lyrics or Terence. I think that this song is a very strong choice, despite being slightly repetitive and predictable. It is just easily-consumed pop and something people will really back up."
James – 8 – "If Howdy Doody and Dolph Lundgren had a handsome lovechild, he'd look like Terence James. And he's going to take us dancing! In a way this is the most unusual entry in this year's selection, as it's a cool, distinctly French club track that I could also see working in West Hollywood, let alone Paris. There's a bit of dissonance to overcome as we don't expect a fellow who looks like Terence to dance, move and sing as he does on the track he's performing. But perhaps that's the point, that this song is not-so-much a simple dance track but a showcase of the duality within each of us, that within those who look like clean-cut, chiseled squares there is a man who wants to let loose with reckless abandon and dance."
Melanie – 5 – "The intro and first verse of this song was very promising, but then the first "Je t'emmenerai danser" kicked in and it lost me. How many times can Terence sing that sentence in this song? I really think that the song already would be so much better if he only would scrap this sentence from the song. That sentence is really the biggest problem of this song. So fix the chorus Terence and scrap "Je t'Emmenerai Danser" from your song!"
Roy – 5.5 – "We get it, you "t'emmènerai danser". No need to repeat it an annoying amount of times. Production-wise this isn't all too bad compared to some other songs in the field. This will get stuck in your head whether you like it or not. Is that what France want to send to Eurovision? I don't think it should be! Decent showing for Terence however and it could give him some nice exposure! Could see this do decent in the National Final!"
Sean – 7.5 – "This has a punchy, powerful production that some of the other songs could learn from in this selection! However, the constant repetition of the title lacks imagination and starts to irritate me slightly, which is a shame as the rest of this track leaves a strong impression for me. Add a bit of variety to the lyrical content and give this a great show and this is a real radio-friendly contender!"
Stefan – 9 – "That intro is EVERYTHING. I can already see loads of pyro effects. Find him a good choreographer and it will be a full product."
Total = 49 (avg. 7)
So, with all said and done, which act is our favourite in France?
PONY X – Amour fou – 56.5
Barbara Pravi – Voilà – 56
Juliette Moraine – Pourvu qu'on m'aime – 53
Philippine – Bah Non – 50
Terence James – Je t'emmènerai danser – 49
LMK – Magique – 47
Céphaz – On a mangé le soleil – 45.5
Andriamad – Alléluia – 45
Casanova – Tutti – 43
Amui – Maeva – 37.5
Ali – Paris me dit (Yalla ya helo!) – 34.5
21 Juin le Duo – Peux-tu me dire? – 31
By the narrowest of margins, it is PONY X who takes the ESC United French crown this year, ahead of Barbara Pravi. Will this be the same result tonight, or will the readers' favourite Barbara prevail in the end? Or, will anyone else take the title?
Do #YOU agree with our thoughts on the French entries? Have we underrated anyone? Share your thoughts on the French selection with us in the comments below, on social media and on our forum HERE!
TagsEurovision FranceEurovision France - C'est vous qui décidez!franceReviewsTeam Reviews
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The Indian Government Exempts State Owned Oil And Gas Firms From Merger Control
Friday , 24th November 2017
The Government of India on November 22nd, 2017 issued a notice exempting Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) operating in the Oil and Gas Sectors from a mandatory pre-merger approval requirement under the Competition Act, 2002 for a period of five years.
This O&G Exemption comes right before the Government of India's implementation of policy to merge major oil public sector undertakings. Interestingly, while the notification exempts these mergers from a competitive assessment, the main objective of the policy to increase the competitiveness of these CPSEs. The merged entity is expected to become a conglomerate with market values exceeding the leading players in the Oil & Gas industry.
In August earlier this year, the Government also extended a similar exemption to nationalized banks (Bank Exemption). The Bank Exemption was also a direct result of a policy geared towards consolidation of nationalized to increase their competitiveness.
The policy of immunizing state-owned enterprises from competition law has often been criticized as one which leads to inherent market distortions and inefficiencies. This policy is also likely to hinder harmonization of Indian competition law with set international practices recommending competitive neutrality between private and public sector.


From veteran automotive engineers to middle-aged commuters, most have an opinion on the most relevant car and truck advancements over the last 50 years. We'd like to take a trip down memory lane and share some insight from the underside of what we drive.
We're not going to delve into newly popular high-tech stuff, although we understand the importance of Bluetooth and CarPlay—kidding.
But here are a few remarkable changes and events that stuck with us over time.
The tandem master cylinder was a significant braking upgrade, one that may have saved lives, but it didn't receive the praise it deserved.
Prior to the mid- to late-1960s, the majority of cars and light-duty trucks came equipped with a single-piston master cylinder attached to the brake pedal.
As we know, hydraulic braking systems work like this: A piston sealed in the bore of the master cylinder pushes hydraulic fluid through lines, hoses, and valves, and then applies force to slave cylinders at each wheel (drum brake wheel cylinders or disc brake calipers). At that point, friction material (drum shoes, disc pads) is applied at the brake drum or disc, respectively, to slow the vehicle to a stop.
The danger of a single-piston master cylinder comes about in the event of any loss of hydraulic pressure. Due to a leaking internal seal of a master piston or a loss of fluid, hydraulic braking at all four wheels is completely lost. The last resort is the "emergency brake," which mechanically applies the rear brakes using cables attached to a hand or foot lever. And trust us, by no means did this last-ditch effort stop a car safely. At best, a properly functioning emergency brake can achieve less-controlled brake application at the rear wheels, while the majority of braking is needed up front.
That's right, if you blew a brake hose in a dangerous situation and didn't have the skillset to quickly apply the emergency brake or utilize engine braking by downshifting the transmission, a crash could very well take place.
The tandem master cylinder improved the system considerably. The new design used two pistons, one in front of the other within the master, each applying pressure independently at two wheels instead of all four. So now if you blow a brake hose, there's still hydraulic pressure applied at two wheels (left front/right rear, or vice versa). This is still not a great way to stop, but it's a major improvement that can still be used in conjunction with engine braking and the renamed "parking bake" in the event of a hydraulic failure.
We were young when front-wheel drive first became popular, so we weren't fans at all. Losing the muscle-car handling of rear-wheel drive and no longer being able to smoke the tires on a powerslide was not what we wanted.
In truth, front-wheel drive has been around since the beginning of the automobile era and numerous international projects took place (Citroën Traction Avant, Saab 92/93/95/96), but the technology never took hold in U.S. production until the 1980s.
The first American-built front-wheel-drive car was the 1929 Cord L-29, but the fullsize coupe some might remember best came out 30 years later with General Motors' E-body. The '66 Oldsmobile Toronado shared a platform with the rear-wheel-drive Buick Riviera, but the big Olds (and related Cadillac Eldorado) was one of the first commercially successful front-drive designs in the U.S.
Increasing fuel economy and improved interior space were the forces behind the mass transition to front-wheel-drive compact and midsize American cars. Some say U.S. manufacturers were sparked by production of the Volkswagen Golf and Honda Accord and Civic in the mid-1970s.
The combination of a transverse-mounted engine, transaxle with transmission and differential in one package, constant velocity joint axles, and a unibody chassis reduced weight and saved fuel enough to make the switch a no-brainer.
A simple but forgotten mechanical improvement was the restructuring of engine mounts in the early 1970s. Engine mounts are made of rubber, and to this day, they still break and separate over time and miles. Fifty years ago, a broken mount could initiate a dangerous state while driving a lot of cars and trucks.
The fix was modest yet effective. All engine mounts that allow significant engine movement if detached now include steel safety hooks, brackets, or a surrounding structure design to prevent movement beyond an inch or so. It's not so much a safety feature since electronic throttle control came into production eliminating throttle cables. But now when accelerating with a broken mount you'll feel and hear a thud as the safety stops do their job, as opposed to engine lift tall enough to bang the hood.
Airbags are everywhere in current automobile production. The National Highway Traffic Administration estimates that 2,756 lives were saved by airbag deployment in 2016—nearly 45,000 between 1987 and 2015—and the number of injuries prevented may be immeasurable.
These statistics prove that supplemental restraint systems (SRS) are a major safety improvement, but it can be difficult to appreciate the advantage airbags provide in a collision without seeing it firsthand.
Vehicles built after front airbags were made standard across the U.S. market ('98 and '99), driver death rates are 6 percent lower than in model-year '97 vehicles. It's might be fair to assume that other vehicle safety systems between the three model years are similar (safety cages, seatbelts, and crumple zones), so airbags may be responsible for the drop in driver death.
One 2015 study examined two front-seat occupants riding in the same vehicle during a frontal collision. Both were belted, but only the driver had an airbag. Both the driver and passenger suffered internal injuries, but the passenger suffered spinal damage with temporary partial paralysis. The doctors carrying out the study concluded that airbag use helps provide significant protection against abdominal trauma and injury.
Here's what ESC usually means to a technician: customer complaint of the warning indicator on, diagnostic trouble code pertaining to a bad wheel speed sensor, modulator failure, or maybe the need of an ECU software update. The system must be disabled to spin the wheels with a vehicle up on a lift to trace a noise (or do a burnout in the parking lot on a bad day).
A lot of drivers don't realize how ESC controls throttle and braking to prevent understeer and oversteer and may have never encountered conditions where the system required application.
When ESC first came out, before it was as common as a radio, we took part in a manufacturer's promotional event previewing the system. Typical stuff, but this one really got the point across. Personnel strategically placed cones throughout a large, flat parking lot and thoroughly wetted down the pavement. We were instructed to achieve a speed above 55 mph and weave through the cones driving the subject sedan.
Piece of cake—never lost traction, and the vehicle maintained stability cutting relatively hard turns throughout the run.
The techs on hand then pulled a fuse, the ESC warning indicator cam on, and the system was completely disabled. All were directed to drive the course just like the first time.
Not one driver was able to cut the cones without spinning out (oversteer) unaided by electronic stability control. This was a simple comparative simulation that convincingly taught the advantage of the new system, which has steadily improved since.