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Computers/Electronics
MarketWatch First Take
HP Enterprise earnings jolt stock, but there isn't much to be excited about
Published: Feb. 25, 2018 at 11:23 a.m. ET
Therese Poletti
Opinion: Server gains could be a blip, and new CEO seems to be maintaining Whitman's path
Antonio Neri was named chief executive of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. late last year.
Bloomberg News/Landov
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. earnings sent the stock higher Friday, but anyone hoping for the beginning of big changes under a new chief executive will likely be disappointed.
HP Enterprise HPE, +0.40% reported a strong fiscal first quarter Thursday, with revenue up 11% to $7.7 billion, growth in all its businesses and a better-than-expected outlook. HPE shares surged about 10% in early trade, which would be a welcome boost for a stock that had gained 14% in the past year before the earnings, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, -0.56% has gained 20%.
Looking deeper into the results makes them less impressive, however. The gains were padded by a surprising 11% jump in revenue from selling servers to corporate users, but that may have been a one-time occurrence. In his first earnings call with investors since being named to replace Meg Whitman last November, Neri noted that the double-digit boost in server revenue was mostly due to price hikes to account for higher memory-chip prices and a comparison to poor year-ago results.
Opinion: These companies are most exposed to Meltdown, Spectre breaches
"While we don't expect this rate of growth to continue, given tougher compares in the second half of the year, the go-to-market changes we have made and our current portfolio mix have put us in a strong position," Neri told analysts.
Other areas of faster growth are its storage and networking businesses, which were up 24% and 27% respectively, growth rates that had been hampered by server declines in the past. Executives said they would continue to de-emphasize the lower-cost commodity servers, which peaked at a 15% to 20% growth rate, and hope they won't again get in the way of overall growth.
Here's how artificial intelligence mimics the human brain
"We believe the value units will continue to grow and the volume side of the house will be a decline and then ultimately it's going to be a math exercise," Neri said. "But again, let me emphasize what our focus is. Our focus is profitable share growth."
It seems that share growth will have little to do with the company's actual performance, and more with luck and financial machinations. The company raised its adjusted guidance for fiscal 2018 by 20 cents a share, but credited it to factors outside actual company performance: a lower tax rate, lower hedging costs as interest rates rise and an incrementally lower share count thanks to repurchases.
See also: Tax overhaul is a credit negative for tech sector
That was a similar path that Neri's predecessor cleared, with corporate splits and restructuring masking over a business that has had trouble producing consistent growth. In his first earnings report since claiming the top spot, Neri showed little to ensure that growth will continue and seemed to echo many of Whitman's thoughts.
A few analysts asked about HPE's analyst meeting last fall, where it discussed a long-term revenue growth rate of zero to 1%. Neri responded that the company was committed to the "financial architecture we laid out in October," which means growth will be minimal.
Neri reiterated comments made by Whitman that the two had worked together on the company's HPE Next program, a nebulous attempt to "streamline" the company and its sales force that appears to be a fancy name for cost-cutting. He touted progress without any disruption to the business, and said HPE will see about $250 million in cost savings from HPE Next.
"We have completed several critical parts of the program, including the sales force transformation, which significantly reduced the spans and layers between the CEO and the front line and streamlined a number of sales compensation plans," Neri said.
One-time revenue boosts, constant restructuring and profit gains from tax changes and repurchases — none of that sounds different from Whitman's HPE. Until Neri shows a new path that can provide sustainable growth built on actual products and services, those stock gains could be hard to maintain.
Here's what you need to know.
As Wall Street braces for Netflix subscriber-growth miss, some want the company to stop reporting the number
Nearly all teens treated in intensive-care units for COVID-19 have been unvaccinated: study
Therese Poletti writes the "Tech Tales" column for MarketWatch. Follow her on Twitter @tpoletti.


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What is MEF?
Admission and Scholarships
Placement and Past Experiences
MEF Lectures
LMEF
About LMEF
Lilli Basile Prize
KPMG Prizes
NPDE
NSEF
Copyright © 2019 NSE-Naples School of Economics
Marco Sorge - X MEF
Assistant Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Naples Federico II, affiliate Professor at the University of Göttingen and Reserach Fellow of CSEF.
After the MEF, he received the Ph.D. in Public Economics at the University of Salerno (Italy) and the Ph.D. in Quantitative Economics at Bonn Graduate School
of Economics. His reaserch focuses on Computational economics, Dynamic macroeconomics and Political economy.
Giovanni Walter Puopolo - VIII MEF
Assistant Professor of Finance at the University of Naples Federico II. After the MEF, he received a Ph.D. in Finance at the Universty of Lausanne and Swiss
Finance Institute and a Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Naples Federico II. Professor of Finance at the Bocconi University from 2010 up to 2015. His
research activity focuses on investment-nased asset pricing and portfolio theory with transaction costs.
Angelo Esposito - VIII MEF
He is Head of Portfolio Management at Dir.ne Crediti Speciali - BNL Gruppo BNP Paribas. After the MEF, he started his professional Career in the banking sector,
working for two years at Unicredit spa and then moving to BNL Gruppo BNP Paribas where he served also as Portfolio Risk Manager and Credit Impairment referent.
Giuliano Palumbo - VII MEF
After the MEF I continued my study with a PhD in Advanced Econometrics at Bocconi University. I worked in the Research & Strategy office at Pioneer Investments
(Unicredit Group), where I dealt with the analysis of the asset management industry. I have also done research on issues like the investors' behavior and the efficiency
of financial portfolios. Now I am Fixed Income Portfolio Strategist at Euromobiliare Asset Management SGR.
Roberto Mosca - VII MEF
After the Master, I continued my studies with a PhD at the University of Naples "Parthenope" and spent a period of research at the Kelley School of Business of Indiana University. Now I work for the Bank of Italy as a co-auditor and I am developing a research project with members of the faculty of the Kelley School.
Salvatore Piccolo - IV MEF
After attending the MEF, I obtained a Masters in Mathematical Economics from the University of Toulouse in 2001 and then a PhD in Economics at Northwestern University, in the US. In 2005 I became Assistant Professor in the Economics department of the University of Salerno. In 2008 I moved to the Department of Economics at the University of Naples Federico II. I am now Fulll Professor of Economics at the University Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Milan).
Maria Grazia Romano - IV MEF
I attended the MEF in 1999-2000. After that, I obtained the Master in Marchés et Intermédiaires Financiers from the University of Toulouse, and in 2005 the PhD in Mathematics for Economic Analysis and Finance from the University of Naples "Federico II". Since 2004 I have been a Research Fellow at the Centre for Studies in
Economics and Finance (CSEF). Since 2008 I am Assistant Professor in the Economics department of the University of Salerno. My relationship with the MEF continued during the years, as I have taught classes in asset pricing and corporate finance courses.
Carlo Altavilla - III MEF
He is Adviser for the Directorate Monetary Policy at the European Central Bank, where he served also as Economist and Researcher. After the MEF he received
the Ph.D. in Economics at the "Catholic University of Leuven" (Belgium) and the Ph.D. in Public Economics at the "University of Salerno". He was Associate
Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Naples "Parthenope" up to 2012. His research interests are: Monetary Economics, International finance, Labour,
Applied Econometrics.
Giovanna della Palma - I MEF
After the Mef , she worked in several companies covering highly responsible positions: Financial Statement Expert for Enel, Senior Controller for Fastweb Spa,
Management Consultant and Head Hunter for Sin&rgetica. Now she is Head of Management Control, Head of Procurement for Sara Assicurazioni Spa and Board
Member & Director at ReValuta S.p.A. (Tecnoinvestimenti Group).
Alessandra Losito - I MEF
During my year at MEF I had the opportunity to strengthen my background in Economics and Finance so that I could successfully attend a course on derivates at the London School of Economics in 2001 and to complete the CFA Program in 2002. After a short experience in auditing, I started working for the Borsa Italiana SpA as a business analyst in the derivates division. Then, in 2000, I joined Citigroup to work as a private banker in Milan and in 2003 in Rome. Finally, since 2005, I have been working at Pictet & C. SIM SpA as a private banker and responsible for the Rome office.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Essar Ports completes major investment in Salaya and Vizag terminals
Published by Harleigh Hobbs, Editor
Dry Bulk, Monday, 08 January 2018 10:29
Essar Ports Ltd (EPL) believes its investment of over Rs 2800 crore in its Salaya and Vizag terminal projects has the potential to increase the company's revenues by 30% in FY2018 – 2019 on the back of third-party cargo growth.
Rajiv Agarwal, CEO of EPL, said: "The two fully integrated and automated facilities at Salaya and Vizag further the goal of port-led development set by the Government of India and our Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi. It is also a manifestation of Essar's vision of building world-class core sector assets of national importance."
Essar Bulk Terminal Salaya Ltd (EBTSL) recently commenced commercial operations at its 20 million t dry bulk terminal at Salaya with the berthing of its first vessel. The facility, the first deep-draft terminal in the Saurashtra region, has been designed to berth capesize vessels with a vessel turnaround time of less than two days, thus offering a competitive advantage to the local industry.
The Salaya terminal, which has been built at a cost of Rs 2000 crore, is expected to emerge as the most preferred deep draft port destination for shipment of dry bulk cargo in the Saurashtra region. It is capable of berthing vessels of up to 100 000 DWT, while handling commodities like coal, bauxite, limestone and fertilizers, including both export and import cargoes.
The port's infrastructure is best in class and compliant with global safety standards. It is equipped with two screw type ship unloaders, each of 2500 tph capacity; one 1500 tph ship loader; a 20 km covered conveyor system of 5000 tph capacity; dust suppression and extraction systems, and a series of stacker cum reclaimers. The stockyard is integrated with nearby power plants that have a cumulative capacity of 1710 MW capacity, with the conveyor system ensuring environment-friendly movement of coal. The conveyor is a complex 20 km network spread across both land and sea and enables cargo loading and unloading on the same jetty.
Capt Deepak Sachdeva, CEO of EBTSL, said: "The business potential of this asset is tremendous since this is the first deep draft terminal in the region. Quick turnaround and our ability to handle vessels up to 100 000 DWT will give a significant competitive edge to our customers."
On the east coast of India, EPL's Essar Vizag Terminal Ltd (EVTL) is executing a Rs 830 crore expansion project aimed at upgrading the iron ore handling capacity of the Vizag Terminal (Outer Harbour) from 12.5 million tpa to 24 million tpa. EVTL recently commissioned an 8000 tph ship loader, which has increased its cargo handling rate from 70 000 tpd currently to 120 000 tpd, and is expected to significantly increase revenues. The increased cargo handling will also translate to shorter turnaround times and competitive freight costs for exporters on the east coast.
Following the commissioning of the expansion project, the facility will also be able to berth vessels up to 200 000 DWT, with a depth of 18 metres, on the outer harbour of Vizag Port.
CH Satyanand, CEO of EVTL, said: "We are happy to have installed and commissioned the ship loader within expected timelines. With a significantly enhanced cargo handling rate, we are now able to cater to the needs of exporters in this region, thus creating new revenue streams for the company."
Essar Vizag Terminals Ltd (EVTL) took over the Vizag Port expansion project in May 2015 on a Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) basis for a period of 30 years. Since then, the company has ramped up the iron ore loading capacity of the terminal from 25 000 tpd to 70 000 tpd.
Read the article online at: https://www.drybulkmagazine.com/ports-terminals/08012018/essar-ports-completes-major-investment-in-salaya-and-vizag-terminals/


If you are considering a place for your child at our school your interest is very much welcomed. Please contact the school office to arrange an appointment and we will be pleased to show you around and answer any questions. We are proud of our children and our school and are confident that you will be impressed.
Applications for in year admission should be made by calling the school directly on 01449 778230, where you will be provided with further information. You can also download the application form below.
Please follow the Suffolk County Council link below for further information.
Children will be admitted to the school for a full Reception year each September. All children are offered a full time place from September. However, should you feel that your child is not ready for this, arrangements can be made with the Early Years Foundation Stage Leader/ Head teacher to make a smooth transition for you and your child.


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Audi Car News Diesel SUV Turbo
2021 Audi Q5 Sportback, SQ5 Sportback now on sale in Australia
Audi's sporty Sportback body style is now available on the latest 2021 Q5 and SQ5 in Australia, extending the mid-size SUV range by three additional variants. They go up against the BMW X4 and Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe, which have been available for some time.
The Sportback is available in three trim levels, including 40 TDI, 45 TFSI, and flagship SQ5 TDI. These all feature a mild-hybrid support system to keep emissions and fuel consumption to a minimum, and all send power through a quattro all-wheel drive system.
Kicking off the range, the 40 TDI comprises of a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder producing 150kW and 400Nm, which is quite decent for a 2.0L capacity diesel. Audi says 0-100km/h can be achieved in 7.6 seconds, while the fuel consumption average is stamped at 5.4L/100km.
Stepping up to the 45 TFSI gets you a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder, generating 183kW and 370Nm. This version can dust off 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.3 seconds, while the fuel economy average is rated at 8.0L/100km.
At the top of the range, the SQ5 Sportback in Australia uses a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine, developing 251kW and a whopping 700Nm. Across the 0-100km/h sprint the clock stops in a claimed 5.1 seconds. Despite the appetising performance, economy is good, rated at 7.1L/100km.
As standard the Sportback models (aside from the SQ5) come with the S line exterior package as standard in Australia. It includes a honeycomb front grille pattern, unique front and rear bumper bar garnishes, a rear spoiler and diffuser, along with two different 20-inch alloy wheel designs.
The SQ5 variant packs a bespoke aero kit, with special vents and more aggressive spoilers, along with the trademark quad-outlet exhausts at the back. There's also new OLED taillights available, Matrix LED headlights, and 21-inch turbine-style alloy wheels (overseas models shown and may not represent Australian specs).
Inside, the new models come packaged with a 10.1-inch MMI touch-screen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, digital radio, and satellite navigation with Google Maps. The Sportback body style also provides 510 litres of boot space, which is 10L less than regular SUV wagon.
The new model is on sale from the following prices (excluding on-road costs), with first deliveries scheduled to take place in August. Audi is offering the new model with a comprehensive five-year service plan package, priced from $3140, or $3170 for the SQ5. It covers the cost of scheduled services.
2021 Audi Q5 Sportback 40 TDI S line: $77,000
2021 Audi Q5 Sportback 45 TFSI S line: $86,300
2021 Audi SQ5 Sportback TDI: $110,900
InAudi Q5, Audi Q5 Sportback, Audi SQ5, Audi SQ5 Sportback


... on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure - have a look!
I'm just back from Orkney, visiting Stromness Primary, and Dounby and Stenness Community Schools, and it was fabulous. The kids were great, the teachers were lovely, the hospitality was delightful ... I will run out of enthusiastic adjectives long before I cover it all! And don't start me on Skara Brae and the Pier Art Centre - 5000 years between them and yet both fascinating, stimulating, and fitting into the land- and seascapes in ways that make the phrase "perfection on a stick" just not adequate.
Like Venice, Orkney is addictive, and I will HAVE to go back. And write a book about it. A book that needs lots and lots of on-site research.
P.S. And I also spent an evening with the Stromness Writing Group, which was excellent - keep up the good work!
The Case of the Glasgow Ghoul is the Books from Scotland Children's Choice for February!
I was really pleased - you know how it is with second children, you worry, don't you. But this is a fine start and I have high hopes for the nipper.
P.S. If you haven't been to Slightly's Notebook recently, you won't know about Our Friend the Camel, or seen the Rotating Aerial House of the Future - both well worth a visit!
Sinusitis. What a pain. Though I must say, on her it looks good. I suspect bubonic plague would look good on her too, of course. Some people just don't know how to get sick properly. Doesn't she realise you're supposed to go blotchy and have huge frown/squint lines and snap at your children lots? And, for no good reason, gain weight. It's probably the volume of yuck I'm storing behind my face - and that's a thought that should just put me off my tea.
I was in the kitchen, moaning my inability to write when I felt like this. "What purpose do sinuses serve, anyway?" I wailed.
"They're designed to equalize the pressure in your head so your brain won't explode," a son explained.
"But mine are full of yuck!"
"Oh dear," said the son, and retreated briskly.


Here are some metabolic calculators for reptiles, which predict metabolic rates on the basis of body mass at 20 oC. These are interspecific allometries, and are valid only for standard metabolic rates (the animal is post-absorptive and inactive). Typical metabolic rates may be somewhat higher. Energy equivalents (Watts, Joules) assume an RQ of 0.83. Like all allometrically-based estimates of metabolic rates, the results are approximate, but should be close enough to real values to act as a reality check.
Flow rate suggestions are for typical flow-through respirometry and are also approximate. The highest usable flow rate is dependent on the quality of the O2 analyzer being used, which determines the lowest change in O2concentration that can be reliably resolved. Examples of "superb" and "good" O2 analyzers can be found here and here, respectively. In general, a good flow rate to aim for is about 50% of the suggested maximum for the grade of analyzer you are using. The minimum flow rate corresponds to a 1.5% depletion of O2 in the excurrent air and should be exceeded by at least twofold if at all possible.
This section covers several common taxa of reptiles at 20 oC. All options are only valid for body masses within the likely range of the selected taxon. Please use with care and consult the appropriate citation if you need more details.


I know you're trying to be clever, and yes you're right, but it's a bit more complicated than that. If the musicians are up there doing a good job and having fun, then the audience is going to have fun as well. Snyder, lead singer in the band Goosetown, was in attendance to primarily support some of her band members who were participating in the jam session. People have anxiety, people are apprehensive about talking to strangers. Cringe-worthy content needs to be an awkward or embarrassing social interaction. Don't use the word 'Cringe' in the title. We reserve the right to moderate at our own discretion.
If you see any of these, please 4 No posting mirrors of content. More than anything, Ryan was inspired to emulate the legendary jazz jams from the golden age of jazz. Me and this hot girl didn't leave. According to Ryan, there will never be a cover charge at these jam sessions, and while the bar will be limited to those of legal drinking age, admission to the jazz jams themselves will be open for all ages. Think about it in the context of the trailer. This includes real names and usernames. Told this story in a comment so decided to post here.
After 5 minutes of us sitting there silently, I decided to break the ice. All that is known of science will be thrown out the window and religions could be destroyed. There were 3 other boys and 3 other girls. Also check out this on the science of awkwardness! If you aren't sure, message us in modmail. . This is shown as the first time a bee has ever spoken to a human.
The rotating band of musicians on the Octopus stage consistently featured a rhythm section that involved a keyboard, standup bass and drums backing the horn player. I had never talked to her before. Flamewars, drama, hostility, fighting words, and insults are not permitted. We just sat there in total silence. Posts with generic or vague titles will be removed. Keep all comments about the video in. Please downvote and report submissions that clearly don't belong in this subreddit.
So the situation was 'Barack Obama buying a used car in the Bronx' and the dude played it on the piano! I turned to her and said ya like jazz? This means that any violation of our rules may result in a ban, even if it's your first offense. It's just something I personally found funny, given the context. This is something that could dramatically affect his life forever. This is one of the biggest discoveries in the entirety of the human race. I forgot who the guest was but he is a famous jazz pianist. If a submission clearly breaks the rules, so we can take care of it.
A boy took a girl's phone and everyone chased him out the room. Barry is risking everything his colony's built up to to show this human of its self-consciousness. Sometimes throwing something stupid out there eases the tension in the room among people. . . .


Is the blue and black versus white and gold dress illusion a new discovery?: originally appeared on Quora: The best answer to any question. Ask a question, get a great answer. Learn from experts and access insider knowledge. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.
This illusion is pretty fascinating. It might actually point the way to a new discovery.
The color constancy effect has been known for a long time, and there are many illusions around that show (to the same viewer) how a colored surface can appear to be one hue or another depending on the circumstances.
Unlike many dual-interpretation illusions, this one is really stable. People see it one way or another, and there is very little that can be done to change their perception.
How people see it is not very affected by viewing circumstances. Two people can look at the same picture in the same light and see something completely different.
This raises two interesting questions: What is it about this particular image? And what does this say about possible differences in people's visual systems?
The visual system processes color at the earliest stages in two parallel neural pathways. One is a blue-yellow information channel and the other is red-green (as in red-green colorblindness). This illusion has something going on in the blue-yellow channel, it would appear. The blue-yellow channel is the oldest one, in case that matters.
The "colors" that are the subject of debate are some of the most ambiguous colors that the brain processes. White, black, and gold are all unusually problematic for the brain for different reasons that all have to do with context. More on that later.
Unlike a lot of illusions that show colors in the abstract, e.g. colored tiles over other colored tiles, this one shows a concrete, tangible, familiar object: a dress with texture and highlights in a "just photographed" context. This makes it feel real and incontrovertible. And because it seems like a concrete object, it is hard to "unsee" the version that struck you first once you have seen it (if that is what is going on).
What is special about white, black, and gold?
White, black, and gold are all particularly ambiguous as colors go.
A white shirt under red, blue, or green light still looks white, even though the light coming off of it is a "pure color".
Black is never really black, because if it was, you wouldn't see it. True black looks like a hole or featureless void. Black fabric still has texture and shades and a surface appearance even though it is "black." The non-black component of black is attributed by the visual system as a reflection of ambient light in the environment -- a point that is key to this particular illusion. For more information on black, see What is black?
Gold is particularly problematic for two reasons. First off, it's not a real color. There is no "gold" in the rainbow. Gold is an illusion created when yellow light is overlaid with a "metallic" appearance. Metallic, in turn, is a visual effect caused by "specular reflection", which is evidenced by sharp transitions of superimposed white light (the "shininess" of metal). The second problem with gold is the "yellow" part of it. Yellow can be composed of red & green light (with no yellow light mixed in) and changes color depending on luminosity and context. The brown of brown shoes is the same hue as the yellow of the sun, just darker relative to the surrounding.
So given the involvement of three of the more ambiguous colors, it is not surprising that they could form the basis of a striking illusion.
What might this say about differences in people's visual systems?
This is perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this illusion.
Vision neuroscientist and Quora member Pascal Wallisch writes about this illusion in an article on Slate: An Expert's Lessons From the Dress: Why Don't We All See the Same Thing?
Pascal proposes two possibilities: that it could be due to differences in the color receptor make-up of different people's retinas (which are known to vary from person to person), and that it could be a temporal adaptation effect (once you have seen it one way, you can't unsee it).
I'll toss out a third possibility: people's internal color processing systems could actually be different, possibly shaped by experiences of understanding the visual world from early childhood.
Why do some people see the world in "black & white" and others in "shades of gray"? Why do people brought up reading from right-to-left (e.g. Hebrew, Arabic) give attention to the right side first? Why do people have favorite colors that are different?
This dress illusion may finally help us answer a centuries-old question from philosophy: do people perceive colors the same way?
Visual Perception: Is everyone's experience of color the same?
Perception: Is black a color?
Mind: How can we see images in our minds?


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Back You are here: Home Library Invocation Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya (The Psalms of Islam) Treatise On Rights Translator's Introduction to the "Treatise on Rights"
IMAM Zayn al-'Abidin's `Treatise on Rights' is the only work attributed to him other than supplications or relatively short sayings and letters. The fact that it was a written document from the first may support the suggestion that at least some of the supplications were originally written compositions.
The `Treatise on Rights' elaborates on a well-known saying of the Prophet, which has been transmitted in a rather large number of versions, no doubt because he repeated it in many different contexts. A typical version can be rendered as follows: `Surely your Lord has a right against you, your self has a right against you, and your wife has a right against you.' Other versions of the hadith add guest, body, eye, and friend to those who have rights. In some of the versions, another clause is added: `So give to everyone who possesses a right (kull dhi haqq) his right. Another hadith tells us that `God has given to everyone who possesses a right his right.'
Shi'ite sources provide many relevant hadith. For example, the Prophet said:
God has made seven rights incumbent upon the person of faith (al-mu'min) toward the person of faith: To respect him in his person, love him in his breast, share with him in his property, consider backbiting against him unlawful, visit him in his illness, escort his coffin, and say nothing but good about him after his death.
Zayn al-'Abidin's `Treatise on Rights' seems to have been written at the request of a disciple, since, in one of its two versions, it is prefaced by the words: `This is the treatise of 'Ali ibn al-Husayn to one of his companions.' In it the Imam explains in more or less exhaustive fashion what is meant by `everyone who possesses a right' as mentioned in the above hadith. Throughout he provides specific examples, basing himself upon the Qur'an, the sunna, and the actions and sayings of the earlier Imams.
Though in the present context the word haqq translates best as `right', it has a number of closely related meanings which should be kept in mind, such as suitableness, justice, truth, reality, correctness, properness, appropriateness, necessity, incumbency, obligation, due, and duty. A glance at the `Treatise on Rights' will quickly show that the word `rights' might better have been translated as duties, obligations, or responsibilities, since the treatise is not directly concerned with the rights of the individual, but rather with the rights of others which the individual must observe. Nevertheless, I think it is important to preserve the term `rights', if only to show that in considering human rights primarily in terms of responsibilities, Islam diverges profoundly from most modern Western views, though it has deep kinships with other religious traditions of East and West.
Islam views the individual in his total context, which means that it considers first his relationship with God, then his relationship with God's creatures. What is important for the individual in his relationship with God is that he attain to salvation, or in other words, that he follow God's guidance, which is based upon mercy and directed toward his own best interest. In short, Islam devalues the individual's perspective, since human beings on their own can see no further than their immediate interests during life. But this devaluation of individualism is not a devaluation of the individual; on the contrary, it raises him to the ultimate pinnacle of importance, since everything is directed toward his happiness in the next world. Islam merely recognizes the ignorance of human beings and their inability to perceive their own ultimate good without divine guidance. Then it sets about to undermine and destroy individual ignorance, a process which involves deflating the ego and eliminating all self-centered desires. As a result, the human self or soul (nafs) has few `rights', but many duties and responsibilities. Or rather, the soul has only one true right - the right to salvation.
The individual's right to salvation follows naturally upon God's right, which is to be worshiped without any partner (i.e., tawhid). The way to salvation is to obey God, and hence it is the soul's right to be employed in obedience toward Him. By His very nature since `His mercy precedes His wrath' - God displays compassion and guidance, and through obedience the servant opens himself up to the full range of this compassion. In other words, partaking of God's mercy and compassion depends upon following His guidance, and following His guidance means following the Shari'a as revealed through the Qur'an and the sunna. Hence the Imam speaks of `being employed in obedience' as the self's key right, since only that can bring about its deliverance.
As soon as this wide context for attaining to the right of the self is envisaged, dozens of duties become obligatory upon the individual. The Imam makes clear that the primary duties are toward the various organs and activities of the self, since these determine man's relationship to God. The organs have `rights' because they share in the individual's destiny; the `resurrection of the body' is taken for granted (cf. Supplication 31.22). Activities have rights because they shape the destiny of the soul. And other human beings have rights because they form the context within which activity occurs. Human actions can only be correct if the rights of all of God's creatures are observed. This, in short, is the theme of the `Treatise on Rights', a theme which is reinforced by many of the supplications of the Sahifa, number 24 being a prime example.
The treatise has been transmitted in two versions, one in Al-Khisal and Al-Amali, both by Shaykh al-Saduq (d. 581/991), and the other in Tuhaf al-`uqul, by his contemporary Ibn Shu'ba. Perhaps one half of the text of the two versions is identical, but Ibn Shu'ba's version adds a good deal of material that shows it to be a later recension, perhaps by the Imam himself, or more likely by a later author trying to clarify the meaning. The translation follows the earlier version, with a minor addition from the second version which seems to be demanded by the context.


Designs on Property tracks and summarises the property indices.
Weird - that's the view of Designs on Property's Kate Faulkner as she tracks the housing market exclusively for The Negotiator. Read on to find out why.
Finger on the pulse of property prices in Q1.
Designs on Property tracks and summarises the monthly property indices.


From Business: 3RD generation flooring professionals.
From Business: lunch buffet will be mondays thru fridays 11am to 2:30pm.
21. CDC Restoration & Construction L.C.
27. Jones Heating And Air Conditioning, Inc.
The owner is extremely raics, He doesn't want to serve his own people (Habesha)!
We are selling our house and had some small leaks to fix based on our home inspection. The company called to change the first appointment the day of because they overbooked. So there is strike 1. Then they came out to fix our leaks as said. Took them 45 min. The next day we receive our bill, and it is $267 for 2 small leaks. I thought it was very high and upon looking at the bill, we were charged not only 1.5 hours for what they did (only there for 45 min), we were charged that twice because they had 2 technicians there. When I called and asked about it the owner of the company (John) and told him that those leaks did not require 2 technicians, he proceeded to tell me that the job after ours requires 2 so it didn't make sense to leave one guy at the shop and then have to go back and get him later, so they both came to my house...that is not ok. I am not responsible for the job after mine. If my job is small enough to require only one person than I should be charged just for that person doing the job and only for the 45 min it required! Also, found out that they found a leak in the shower (we did not ask or tell them to fix this!) and they took it upon themselves to fix that leak instead of the original leak on the master bathtub so they called my realtor and made another appointment to come back out and fix the original leak that was supposed to be fixed. This company is rude and unprofessional and will try to rip you off any chance they get! DO NOT hire these crooks!
The servers are so nice and the food was amazing! Extremely kid friendly and accomodting to special diets. The kids loved the cheezy noo noos. I love their yummy soups and salads and the care they take with vegetables. We all loved the bread pudding. It would be a great place for a big party!
GREAT COMPANY!Our company has worked with Corlett trucking for over 2 years moving freight daily that is not your typical pallets. This is long, oversized material. Corlett takes exceptional care to make sure the material gets to our delivery service in the best condition possible. The delivery drivers that come in to pick up the material are very courteous and respectful to our employees. We have a very strict safety policy within our company culture and their drivers adhere to all of our rules. I would highly recommend using Corlett Trucking for your trucking needs whether it be local runs or longer runs, they won't let you down!
Awesome place. 100 beers in bottle, 30 beers on tap. Lunch menu was 14 different kinds of sausage with 7 different toppings (choice of 2) and French fries with 5 different dipping sauces (choice of 2). Yes, it's a simple menu, but it quality and it's easy. Awesome. Staff very knowledgeable about beer recommendations - I like IPAs but wanted to try local. Had a 2nd row Acceleration IPA - clean, crisp, hoppy single and a 2nd Row Random IPA - red rye double, full flavor, good hop, excellent double. Both were quality recommendations.
The service was friendly, the delivery was prompt and the food was great. The price was very fair and the servings were large. My only complaint is that the jumbo shrimp was dry and lacked flavor. I will definitely order from here again.
I have been to E Jo twice with my mother and both times were very pleasant. The food and sides were delicious and the service was good. If I lived closer, I would eat there as often as I could!
This review is geared toward the business structure more than anything else with Jared Shupe Constuction. We just completed building a home with Jared Shupe and the home is more than exceptional. It is almost exactly what we pictured and is customized to our liking. Of course, there were some hiccups along the way that were resolved but I think that happens with most all builders.The issue we had was with our property the home was built on. We purchased an upgraded lot and expected most if not all of the lot to be usable. Since the foundation was poured, we asked Jared Shupe to remove the Mountain in our back yard, it extended nearly 30 square feet inside our property. We did not want to pay for the lot if it was not mostly usable. A big concern we had was not being able to place a fence around our yard because of the mountain. We tried reasoning and negotiating with him, but his answer was always no. We were upset because we could not speak with him directly. It was always through a chain of people. They were not transparent and did not give us any reasoning behind their unwillingness to comply. All we heard is no, we will not do this. We knew the reasoning though. They were upset because of the contracted price we agreed to. We believe they thought the price was too low and they wanted us to pay more to grade our lot better. WE WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THIS FROM THEM UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE. This was only an assumption on our end, but it has rung true through the entire building process.We finally came to an agreement that they would pay the excavator for one hour of work and that we would be responsible to pay the rest. We agreed immediately. Had this conversation happened at the beginning of the process when we first brought it up, both parties would have been satisfied and hard feelings would not have been there.I respect him as a person and like I said, we are satisfied with his work. Our home is nearly exactly how we wanted it and we do not have any complaints with that. Our only complaint is transparency. We feel we were treated unfairly and that they lack professionalism.


text:
Available: May 2015
6 1/8 x 9 1/4 , 320 pages
Also available as an e-book
Madam Ambassador
Three Years of Diplomacy, Dinner Parties, and Democracy in Budapest
Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis
A wonderfully engaging, compulsively readable story of a remarkable woman's immersion in the world of foreign diplomacy
"Engrossing, edifying, and funny, too. Kounalakis is a great storyteller, and she puts us in the middle of the action. Yes, action—even the ambassador to a peaceful place like Hungary sees more than her share. Eleni Kounalakis's memoir is an important—and highly readable—look into the crucial work done by ambassadors." —Dave Eggers
A helicopter ride to visit troops in the Afghanistan war zone, a tense meeting with the newly elected prime minister, and . . . a wild boar hunt! Eleni Kounalakis was forty-three and a land developer in Sacramento, California, when she was tapped by President Barack Obama to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Hungary under Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. During her tenure, from 2010 to 2013, Hungary was a key ally in the U.S. military surge, held elections in which a center-right candidate gained a two-thirds supermajority and rewrote the country's constitution, and grappled with the rise of Hungarian nationalism and anti-Semitism.
The first Greek American woman ever to serve as a U.S. ambassador, Kounalakis recounts her training at the State Department's "charm school" and her three years of diplomatic life in Budapest—from protocols about seating, salutations, and embassy security to what to do when the deposed king of Greece hands you a small chocolate crown (eat it, of course). A cross between a foreign-policy memoir and an inspiring personal family story—her immigrant Greek father went from agricultural day laborer to land developer and major Democratic Party activist—Madam Ambassador draws back the curtain on what it is like to represent the U.S. government abroad as well as how American embassies around the world function.
"Ambassador Kounalakis brings us inside the world of American diplomacy in a personal, accessible way, sharing her experiences as a diplomat during challenging times."
—Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi
"Engrossing, edifying, and funny too. Kounalakis is a great storyteller, and she puts us in the middle of the action. Yes, action—even the ambassador to a peaceful place like Hungary sees more than her share."
—Dave Eggers, author of The Cirlce
"If you want to know what it looks like for a woman to 'lean in,' read Ambassador Kounalakis's book. It is an inspiring example of a businesswoman-turned-diplomat taking every opportunity to effectively advance the interests, values, and security of our country."
—Janet Napolitano, former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security
"Eleni Kounalakis demystifies diplomacy and shows how a world shaped by the Internet and social media still needs ambassadors, especially those with strong principles and a good story to tell."
—U.S. Ambassador John Shattuck (Ret.)
"This is an all-American story told by the first Greek American woman to serve as a U.S. Ambassador."
—Admiral James Stavrides, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
"Kounalakis was a quick study. . . . [Madam Ambassador] offers further evidence, if anyone still needs it, that the European Union now faces the possibility of an autocracy taking shape within its border."
Author Eleni Kounalakis, former ambassador to Hungary, discusses the country's xenophobic response to the Syrian refugee crisis in an op-ed for the New York Times
To Move a Mountain
Fighting the Global Economy in Appalachia
Eve S. Weinbaum
Failed Transitions
The Eastern European Economy and Enviroment Since the Fall of Communism
Roger Manser
When We Fight, We Win!
Twenty-First-Century Social Movements and the Activists That Are Transforming Our World
Greg Jobin-Leeds, AgitArte
The Logic of Withdrawal
Anthony Arnove
Ambassador Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis served as the U.S. ambassador to Hungary from January 2010 until July 2013. She chairs the California International Trade and Investment Advisory Council and is a senior adviser to the Albright...


Lifestyle — Goodman Media International, Inc.
TAPPED INTO THE PULSE OF THE LIFESTYLE SCENE.
From restaurants and retail to fitness and wellness, GMI represents companies that span the full spectrum of the Lifestyle category. We create and execute effective multi-channel campaigns that underscore our clients' singularity and market position.
Our experts specialize in the full range of lifestyle PR services, from amplifying events to generating media buzz to running integrated digital initiatives and campaigns.
GMI teamed up with NYC-based food influencers to help promote the unique flavors of Haru sushi and draw a new audience to the restaurant's social accounts and locations throughout the city. These represent select highlights.
Mosafer's Chairman and CEO, Mr. Ashraf Abu Issa, at Mosafer's NYC flagship grand opening.
Influencer Jessica Franklin at Mosafer's NYC flagship grand opening.
Mosafer's Chairman and CEO, Mr. Ashraf Abu Issa, along with two guests at Mosafer's NYC flagship grand opening.


text:
#import "HapticFeedback.h"

@implementation HapticFeedback

+(void)generateFeedback:(FeedbackType)feedbackType{

    if ([[UIDevice currentDevice] systemVersion].floatValue < 10.0){
        return;
    }

    switch (feedbackType) {
        case FeedbackType_Selection:
            [self generateSelectionFeedback];
            break;
        case FeedbackType_Impact_Light:
            [self generateImpactFeedback:UIImpactFeedbackStyleLight];
            break;
        case FeedbackType_Impact_Medium:
            [self generateImpactFeedback:UIImpactFeedbackStyleMedium];
            break;
        case FeedbackType_Impact_Heavy:
            [self generateImpactFeedback:UIImpactFeedbackStyleHeavy];
            break;
        case FeedbackType_Notification_Success:
            [self generateNotificationFeedback:UINotificationFeedbackTypeSuccess];
            break;
        case FeedbackType_Notification_Warning:
            [self generateNotificationFeedback:UINotificationFeedbackTypeWarning];
            break;
        case FeedbackType_Notification_Error:
            [self generateNotificationFeedback:UINotificationFeedbackTypeError];
            break;
        default:
            // do nothing
            break;
    }
}

+(void)generateSelectionFeedback{
    UISelectionFeedbackGenerator *generator = [[UISelectionFeedbackGenerator alloc] init];
    [generator prepare];
    [generator selectionChanged];
    generator = nil;
}

+(void)generateImpactFeedback:(UIImpactFeedbackStyle)style{
    UIImpactFeedbackGenerator *generator = [[UIImpactFeedbackGenerator alloc] initWithStyle:style];
    [generator prepare];
    [generator impactOccurred];
    generator = nil;
}

+(void)generateNotificationFeedback:(UINotificationFeedbackType)notificationType{
    UINotificationFeedbackGenerator *generator = [[UINotificationFeedbackGenerator alloc] init];
    [generator prepare];
    [generator notificationOccurred:notificationType];
    generator = nil;
}

@end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
"Rainham"
Synonym for "Freeloader"
Daggers Archive : 1999/00
by Dave Simpson on 28/11/2001
Review of the Daggers' Isthmian League Championship Season. After four seasons in the Isthmian League, the Daggers won their place back in the Conference.
Season Review 1999/00
The old clich�, "the league championship is a marathon not a sprint" became more like a comfortable jog for Dagenham & Redbridge as they won the Ryman league title by an incredible 24 points from nearest challengers Aldershot Town. After the Daggers claimed the top spot, on September 25th with a 4-0 victory over then leaders Enfield, the Ryman League championship became a one-horse race with only brief challenges from St Albans City and Aldershot Town.
During the Close season, the Daggers installed former Heybridge Swifts and St Albans City manager, Garry Hill into the hot seat. His brief was straight forward, to take the Daggers back to the Conference and build a solid platform for the future. Named as pre-season favourites by bookmakers, William Hill, their first game away to Harrow Borough saw them hiccup as they could only draw 1-1 but with only one defeat in their first twenty league games, they began to pull away from the other sides in the league.
Cup results suffered though and they went out of both the FA Cup and FA Umbro Trophy competitions early on to Burton Albion and Purfleet respectively.
The first crunch game came at the end of January with a visit to Clarence Park, home of St Albans City who were eight points behind them. A 3-1 victory for the visitors stretched their lead at the top and blew away the Hertfordshire sides challenge. February proved to be the Daggers poorest month of results as they picked up only one point from three games but any hopes the chasing pack may have had of catching the Daggers were dismissed as the Essex side then went on a tremendous run of results, dropping only 4 points from their remaining 14 matches.
The title was won on April 22nd when they came from behind to win 3-2 at Hampton & Richmond Borough despite having been reduced to nine men whilst nearest challengers, Aldershot Town lost at home to Enfield.
By the end of the season they had made Victoria Road a fortress with only Chesham United departing with a point as they recorded 20 victories and a draw from their 21 home league games. The average crowd rose over 40% compared to the previous season and topped the thousand mark for only the third time in the clubs history with their following outnumbering the home side at a number of away fixtures during the season.
The 101 points recorded was the joint second highest ever in the Ryman Premier Division and they only fell three short of achieving a century of goals. They were presented with the League Championship on the final day of the season as they defeated Slough 2-1 to record their tenth consecutive league victory.
The Ryman League title together with the required ground grading meant that the Daggers returned to the Conference after a four-year absence.


Buoyed by a firm global trend, copper prices rose by Rs 1.15 to Rs 441.20 per kg in futures trade today as speculators created fresh positions.
NEW DELHI: Buoyed by a firm global trend, copper prices rose by Rs 1.15 to Rs 441.20 per kg in futures trade today as speculators created fresh positions.
At the Multi Commodity Exchange, copper for delivery in November rose by Rs 1.15, or 0.26 per cent, to Rs 441.20 per kg, with a business turnover of 27,937 lots.
Similarly, the metal for delivery in February traded higher by the same margin to Rs 446.30 per kg in 1,858 lots.
Marketmen attributed the rise in copper futures to a firm global trend and pick up in domestic demand.
Meanwhile,copper for delivery in three months climbed 0.9 per cent to USD 8,245.25 a tonne on the London Metal Exchange.


text:
Изгубеното десетилетие (, Ushinawareta Jūnen) е период на икономическа стагнация в Япония от 1991 до 2001 г., причинен от спукването на японския финансов балон в края на 1991 г. От 1991 до 2003 г. японската икономика (БВП) нараства само с по 1,14% годишно – много по-бавно спрямо останалите индустриализирани държави.

Понятието първоначално се отнася за годините от 1991 до 2001 г., но по-късно е разширено, обхващайки и годините до 2010 г. Поради тази причина, в днешно време често се говори за Изгубените 20 години (, Ushinawareta Nijūnen). Сериозно засягайки цялата икономика на Япония от 1995 до 2007 г., БВП на страната спада от 5,33 трилиона долара до 4,36 трилиона долара в номинално отношение, а реалната заплата спада с около 5%, докато държавата търпи стагнация при нивата на цените. И докато съществуват спорове относно мащаба на японските спънки, икономическото въздействие на Изгубеното десетилетие е ясно видимо, а японските политици продължават да се борят с последиците от него.

Причини
Изгубеното десетилетие на Япония в основата си е причинено от спекулациите по време на бум. Рекордно ниските лихви захранват спекулациите на пазара за недвижими имоти и стоки, които поскъпват много през 1980-те години. Оценките на имотите и публичните компании се утрояват и стигат до момент, в който площ от три квадратни метра близо до Токийския императорски дворец е се продава за 600 000 долара.

След като осъзнава, че балонът вече не може да бъде удържан, японското министерство на финансите вдига лихвите в опит да намали спекулациите. Този ход бързо довежда до срив на фондовия пазар, защото кредитополучателите не успяват да изплащат многото си дългове, които дотогава са се крепили на спекулативните активи. В крайна сметка, тези проблеми се проявяват под формата на банкова криза, довела до няколко правителствени спасителни пакета.

Криза
След първоначалния икономически шок, икономиката на Япония изпада в т.нар. Изгубено десетилетие, при което икономическият растеж спира през следващите десет години. Страната търпи много малък икономически растеж и дефлация, а японските стокови борси са сринати. Пазарът на имотите така и не се възстановява до нивата си отпреди икономическия бум.

Някои икономисти хвърлят вината за Изгубеното десетилетие върху потребителите и компаниите, които са пестили твърде много и са накарали икономиката да забави своя ход. Според други, истинският виновник за упадъка е застаряващото население на страната или паричната ѝ политика (или и двете). В частност, бавният отговор на Банката на Япония за намеса на пазара е възможно да е изострил проблема. В действителност, много от тези фактори е вероятно да са допринесли за стагнацията.

След кризата много японски граждани започват да пестят много и да харчат по-малко, което оказва отрицателно влияние върху съвкупното търсене. Това води до дефлация, която от своя страна допълнително мотивира потребители да пестят парите си, като така се навлиза в дефлационна спирала.

Източници

История на Япония
Икономически катастрофи

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: SQL: How can i run nested Stored Procedures and return multiple values I've been trying to run a procedure like this:
ALTER procedure [dbo].[GetViewData]
AS
IF EXISTS( SELECT * FROM dbo.CONFIG )
BEGIN
    DECLARE @count as INTEGER
    SET @count = (select count(Id) FROM dbo.CONFIG)
    DECLARE @TimeFrom as DATETIME
    DECLARE @TimeTo as DATETIME
    DECLARE @unit as INTEGER
    WHILE (@count >= 1)
    BEGIN
        SET @TimeFrom = (select TimeStampFrom from CONFIG where Id = @count);
        SET @TimeTo = (select TimeStampTo from CONFIG where Id = @count);
        SET @unit = (select Unit from CONFIG where Id = @count);
        EXECUTE dbo.GetDataSet @Timestampfrom = @timeFrom,@TimestampTo = @timeTo, @Unit = @unit;
        SET @count = @count - 1;
    END
END

The return value is the correct number og tables, but all tables are empty. And when i run the internal procedure on its own, it recives correct values(one table filled with data).
The internal procedure in the post looks like this.
ALTER procedure [dbo].[GetDataSet]
@Timestampfrom DATETIME,
@TimestampTo DATETIME,
@Unit INTEGER
AS
select
DATA.Unit,
DATA.CO2Data,
DATA.HumidData,
DATA.TempData,
DATA.TimeStamp
from DATA where Unit = @Unit and TimeStamp between @Timestampfrom and @TimestampTo;

A: A solution would be creating a temporary table in the outmost procedure and insert the result in the innermost one.
ALTER procedure [dbo].[GetViewData] AS

IF EXISTS( SELECT * FROM dbo.CONFIG )
BEGIN

    IF OBJECT_ID('tempdb..#DataSetResult') IS NOT NULL
        DROP TABLE #DataSetResult

    CREATE TABLE #DataSetResult (
        Unit VARCHAR(100),
        CO2Data VARCHAR(100),
        HumidData VARCHAR(100),
        TempData VARCHAR(100),
        TimeStamp DATETIME)

    DECLARE @count INT = (select count(Id) FROM dbo.CONFIG)

    DECLARE @TimeFrom as DATETIME
    DECLARE @TimeTo as DATETIME
    DECLARE @unit as INTEGER

    WHILE (@count >= 1)
    BEGIN

        SET @TimeFrom = (select TimeStampFrom from CONFIG where Id = @count);
        SET @TimeTo = (select TimeStampTo from CONFIG where Id = @count);
        SET @unit = (select Unit from CONFIG where Id = @count);

        EXECUTE dbo.GetDataSet
            @Timestampfrom = @timeFrom,
            @TimestampTo = @timeTo,
            @Unit = @unit;

        SET @count = @count - 1;
    END

    -- Display results
    SELECT * FROM #DataSetResult AS D

END

GO

ALTER procedure [dbo].[GetDataSet]
    @Timestampfrom DATETIME,
    @TimestampTo DATETIME,
    @Unit INTEGER
AS
BEGIN

    INSERT INTO #DataSetResult (
        Unit,
        CO2Data,
        HumidData,
        TempData,
        TimeStamp)
    select
        DATA.Unit,
        DATA.CO2Data,
        DATA.HumidData,
        DATA.TempData,
        DATA.TimeStamp
    from
        DATA
    where
        Unit = @Unit and
        TimeStamp between @Timestampfrom and @TimestampTo;
END

If you can't change the innermost procedure, you will have to do an INSERT INTO EXEC, which isn't recommended as your can't nest several ones.
ALTER procedure [dbo].[GetViewData] AS

IF EXISTS( SELECT * FROM dbo.CONFIG )
BEGIN

    IF OBJECT_ID('tempdb..#DataSetResult') IS NOT NULL
        DROP TABLE #DataSetResult

    CREATE TABLE #DataSetResult (
        Unit VARCHAR(100),
        CO2Data VARCHAR(100),
        HumidData VARCHAR(100),
        TempData VARCHAR(100),
        TimeStamp DATETIME)

    DECLARE @count INT = (select count(Id) FROM dbo.CONFIG)

    DECLARE @TimeFrom as DATETIME
    DECLARE @TimeTo as DATETIME
    DECLARE @unit as INTEGER

    WHILE (@count >= 1)
    BEGIN

        SET @TimeFrom = (select TimeStampFrom from CONFIG where Id = @count);
        SET @TimeTo = (select TimeStampTo from CONFIG where Id = @count);
        SET @unit = (select Unit from CONFIG where Id = @count);

        INSERT INTO #DataSetResult (
            Unit,
            CO2Data,
            HumidData,
            TempData,
            TimeStamp)
        EXECUTE dbo.GetDataSet
            @Timestampfrom = @timeFrom,
            @TimestampTo = @timeTo,
            @Unit = @unit;

        SET @count = @count - 1;
    END

    -- Display results
    SELECT * FROM #DataSetResult AS D

END

Please review the result set data types, as I put VARCHAR for most of them.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


In 2019, Forestry England celebrated 100 years of forestry, and are now England's largest landowner, looking after over 1500 forests. They deliver internationally renowned research in sustainable forestry and help other landowners make their woodlands more productive, better for wildlife, and prepared for the challenges of a changing climate. You will ideally be based in their Mansfield office, however they are happy to base people out of their Cannock office.
You will work as an Estates Works Supervisor, working in the Estates department reporting to the district building surveyor and supporting the wider Estates team, leading on reactive and planned maintenance work. You will ensure that all buildings within your district are statutory compliant. You will plan, specify and supervise maintenance, repair and improve buildings to the correct timescales, statutory compliance and business requirements. You will look after the maintenance of the built estate, as well as identifying any issues that may occur. You will also carry out building inspection reports and assist the local building managers.
You will have a higher national equivalent in construction or similar discipline, as well as a full UK driving licence. Though not beneficial, it is desirable to have experience in planning and supervising building maintenance works for rural locations.
You will receive a competitive basic salary, in the range of £23,687 to £25,002, as well as a local government pension and excellent benefits and work life balance. You will work in a fun and friendly environment.
Any 3rdparty or direct applications will be forwarded to Hays as part of the campaign.


Alex Marchand has been playing music at hockey games for the past 22 years. He started at the University of Ottawa, DJing for the Gee Gees games. He then moved to the OHL with the Ottawa 67's from 1999-2005. In 2005, he got to his ultimate goal of DJing for the Ottawa Senators, and has been here ever since. Alex lives off the crowd's energy when deciding the tracks he will play next.
Live Your Life (Ft. Rihanna) - T.I.


text:
Aldborough House, Dublin 1
Portland Row
NIAH Ref: 50010082
Date: 1790 - 1800
Rating: National
Orig. Use: House
Townland: Portland Row
County: Dublin City
Last Reviewed: August 2019
Criteria for Risk
Vacant with no identified new use
Suffering from neglect and/or poor maintenance
Fire damaged
Condition of Structure: Very Poor
Level of Risk: Critical
This building has been vacant for a number of years and does not appear to be maintained. Most of the external fabric remains, but there are obvious signs of deterioration, particularly water penetration, slipped slates and vegetation growth. There is no immediate danger of collapse but the condition is such that unless urgent remedial works are carried out the building will sharply deteriorate.
The last major Dublin Georgian Townhouse, second in size only to Leinster House was built from 1795 for the 2nd Earl of Aldborough. It was vacated circa 2000 and sold by the State. Two development proposals permitted have not proceeded. Major damage occurred to the roof valleys and gutters in 2010 with water saturation now seriously affecting the integrity of the building, which is highly visible on front and west elevations. Roof repairs have been carried out by Dublin City Council. A planning application is currently being prepared under new ownership.
In May 2018 planning permission was granted for the conversion of house into an office complex, despite criticism of the project by the Department of Heritage and conservation organisations. Reliance Investments Ltd plans to refurbish the 18th century Aldborough House on Portland Row for use as offices in addition to building two new five-storey "office wings" in its grounds.
Photograph Credit: Kevin Duff
Location: Aldborough House, Dublin, 1


text:
HOME > Health
Sindh's first forensics lab established at Karachi University
SAMAA | Naya Din - Posted: Aug 30, 2019 | Last Updated: 5 months ago
SAMAA | Naya Din
Posted: Aug 30, 2019 | Last Updated: 5 months ago
Photo: AFP
The very first DNA and serology laboratory in Sindh has been established at the University of Karachi.
It is capable of completing 100 forensic analyses in one month. The newly established lab will help identify perpetrators of rape and violent crimes accurately.
This is the first forensic lab in Sindh and the second in Pakistan. It has been established at the Jamil-ur-Rahman Centre for Genome Research and falls under the jurisdiction of the Sindh Forensic Authority. It was built in part due to a Supreme Court order.
Dr Iqbal Choudhary, scientist and director of the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences at Karachi University, answered questions about the lab on SAMAA TV's programme Naya Din on Friday.
Dr Choudhary said the establishment of the lab would greatly help solve crime cases quickly. He said that the lab was part of the legal system and its costs would be borne by the Sindh government. He said that typically, forensic analysis in a criminal investigation takes one week, given that the sample remains uncontaminated.
Dr Choudhary added that the lab would only carry out investigations of those cases which were referred to it by the Sindh government or courts.
Forensic analysis in criminal cases can take much longer in Sindh than elsewhere in the country. This was because Sindh didn't have a forensic lab and often outsourced analyses to Punjab or Islamabad.
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forensics	karachi university
KU offers scholarship to physiology students
Pakistan's pharmacist shortage means big job market for graduates
Dr Taneer Ahmed
Underage drivers, over-speeding vehicles won't be allowed in KU: officials
DNA Lab, forensics lab, Karachi university, International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, DNA and serology laboratory in Sindh,


Enchanting setting in the heart of the vineyards!
Beautiful holiday home with pool located in a pleasant area of a charming Catalan village. The house is spacious and carefully decorated. The swimming pool and the large terrace are a haven of peace and tranquility.
The village offers entertainment, aperitifs and concerts which will allow you to discover local products.
A small swimming pool will allow you to cool off, a barbecue is available.
3 bedrooms are available with 3 double beds. An area of 50 m2, kitchen, living room, dining room is available on the ground floor.
Large terrace with table 8 covered barbecue.
On the floor, 3 rooms a room of bath and TOILET.
Very quiet and family neighborhood, in a dead end neither party nor evening.
Next to a bus stop, close to airport.
Our cat lives on the spot.
Charming house of character, entirely renovated for your holidays in Mimizan.


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Tagged: 2003
by Andrew Noel · Published April 3, 2015
Album released this week in… 2003: The White Stripes – Elephant
EVERYONE knows it. Everybody knows THAT riff. DUH-DUH-DUH-DUH-DUH-DERRRRR-DERRRR. In case you didn't understand, that was my rendition of 'Seven Nation Army', a song that took the world by storm. But this is not an argument...
by Andrew Noel & Harry Brewis · Published December 10, 2014
The good, the bad, and the Ring: Re-evaluating Middle Earth – The Return of the King
Concluding Peter Jackson's first Tolkien trilogy – with pomp, sturm und drang – is Return of the King. Andrew and Harry weigh up the pros and cons of the endless endings, the monstrous battles and lofty...
by Andrew Noel · Published November 29, 2014 · Last modified November 27, 2014
Album released this week in… 2003: The Strokes – Room On Fire
PIONEERS of the Garage Rock Revival, The Strokes broke out of the New York City underground scene with their critically acclaimed debut Is This It in 2001. The album drew worldwide attention to the...
by Andrew Noel · Published September 20, 2014
Album released this week in… 2003: Muse – Absolution
WHEN one thinks of the famous Teignmouth band that are Muse one of the first things that springs to mind is there dark, elaborate and often apocalyptic commentary. Their 2009 album The Resistance drew strongly...
by John Gallagher · Published August 22, 2014
Album released this week in… 2003: Elbow – Cast of Thousands
ELBOW have graciously been giving listeners the sort of music that can only be described as 'art' for nearly a decade and a half. Guy Garvey and co have been nothing short of National...
Niche Corner
About SCM
SCM's Top 50 Albums of 2021
Film Torments: Black Eagle (1988)
Film Torments: Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
15 Songs That Helped Me Through 2020
SCM Music's Top 50 Albums of 2020
Film Torments: Black Eagle (1988) – Surprisingly Competent Media on The Canon of Cannon: Ninja III: The Domination
Only in the 70s: All This and World War II (1976) – Surprisingly Competent Media on Only in the 70s: The Song Remains the Same (1976)
Wade on The good, the bad, and the Bond: Re-evaluating 007 – Casino Royale
Final Fantasy VII Remake – A monumental, occasionally maddening achievement – Surprisingly Competent Media on A Final Fantasy Retrospective: Final Fantasy XIII (PlayStation 3)
Final Fantasy VII Remake – A monumental, occasionally maddening achievement – Surprisingly Competent Media on A Final Fantasy Retrospective: Final Fantasy XII (PlayStation 2)
Music / News
Games / News
Nintendo Direct September 13th 2017 – Nintendo flex their Software muscles
Ex-Writer for the Half Life games outlines Episode 3 plot
IO Interactive have gone independent


This is a fun twist on a regular braid. Something with a little more eye interest than a plain braid.
So pretty! First, I need to learn how to do a basic braid on my hair… isn't that sad?
lovely, makes me wish I had long hair again. I'm hopping over from Judy's blog Hugs!


Yunnan Province, Dian for short, has Kunming as its provincial capital. It is located the most southwestern boundary of China with the Tropic of Cancer running through its south. It borders the countries of Vietnam, Laos, and Burma and Chinese provinces of Tibet, Sichuan, Guizhou and Guangxi. Yunnan takes its name from its location to the south of Yunling Mountains. The provinces encompasses approximately 394,000 square kilometers (152,000 square miles).
In the entire province, about 84 percent area is mountainous, and the rest are plateau, hilly land, basin and valley. The east features a limestone plateau with karst scenery and unnavigable rivers flowing through, while the west is characterized by mountain ranges and rivers running north and south. Yunnan has a diversified mild climate which is divided into three climatic zones-temperate, sub-tropical and tropical from north to south. The balmy and fair climate is characterized by small seasonal change in temperature, but great range in temperature between the day and the night.
The rugged terrain and diverse climate produces a wide range of flora and fauna, and the province is called a natural zoological and botanical garden. Here offers the largest number of plant species in China and an incredible array of animals, including Asian elephants and golden monkeys. There is even a rainforest known as Xishuangbanna where you will find many rare and endangered species of plants and animals. Yunnan is one of the regions in the world with the most abundant resources of wild edible mushrooms. The so-called 'pine mushroom' is the main product in Yunnan and is exported to Japan in large quantities.
With 38 percent of the total population in the province being minorities, Yunnan is noted for the biggest number of ethnic minorities. Twenty-five minorities live in compact settlements, and each retains its distinct languages, typical custom, architectural style and colorful literature. The Miao, Yao, Lolo, Lao, Shan, Thai, and Lisu are some of the larger tribes; there is also a considerable Tibetan minority. There are several other groups living in border areas and river valleys. Operas of ethnic minorities like Dianju, Baiju, Daiju, and dances like Peacock Dance, Fan Dance, and Lushen Dance are very popular with tourists.
Due to its beautiful landscapes and colorful ethnic customs, Yunnan becomes one of China's major tourist destinations immediately communications are available. The natural beauty here defies description. There are alpine landscapes, glaciers and snow-capped mountain, precipitous valleys, luxuriant virgin forests, lakes and hot springs, rivers and streams and floral splendor. Shangri-La, an Tibetan county set high in north-western mountains, is maybe the last virgin land where one can observe culture which date back for thousands of years. Yunnan boasts a lot of places of interest, such as Stone Forest, a gigantic forest of stone formed by karst outcrops in Kunming; Lijiang, a Naxi minority city listed as UNESCO World Heritage, Dali, gifted with Dianchi Lake, Cangshan Mountain and the historic center of the Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms; and Yuanyang, a Hani minority community with vast rice-terraces.


Shelburne Retirement Community, nestled in the heart of Shelburne, is a 28 suite retirement home. The home is within walking distance to the post office, library, shopping and main thoroughfares. With a bright and cheerful atmosphere, we are dedicated to providing a continuum of care to meet your every need.
We promote an active independent lifestyle with support services available 24 hours per day. Our well-trained nursing staff are committed to delivering a superior level of personal assistance with medications and personal hygiene.
Regular access to an RPN and in-house physician means that there's no need to worry about transportation to primary care appointments. Your daily care needs are attended to with care and professionalism.


St. Thomas Scouts are taking to the street "for the kids' sake." - St. Thomas Times-Journal - SCOUT eh!
St. Thomas Times-Journal, August 30, 2004.
Members of the 20th St. Thomas Venturers hit Talbot Street Saturday, blitzing merchants in an effort to draw attention to the pending sale of Camp Timken, a 65-acre (26.3 hectare) campground located near Iona that has served Elgin Scouts for nearly 30 years.
Armed with colourful flyers, the Venturers braved rain showers as they brought their appeal to businesses throughout the downtown core.
"They're distributing multi-coloured flyers to each of the businesses along Talbot Street," explained Karen Palmer, who resigned as area commissioner in January and is one of a group of Elgin Scout leaders fighting plans by Scouts Canada to dispose of the campground.
"They say `For the kids' sake let's keep Camp Timken in Elgin' and we're asking the business owners if they will display them in their front windows for the month of September."
And the response from merchants has been positive, reports Venturer Ryan Van Pelt.
"Everyone has been happy to take the signs. I haven't had one business not take a sign."
Palmer thought of the idea following a town hall meeting held two weeks ago to discuss the decision of a Scouts Canada property review committee.
The signs complement a 1,700-name petition presented to a pair of Scouts Canada officials who met with four local leaders at Camp Timken last Thursday evening to hear an appeal of the review committee's decision announced last month to dispose of the campground.
As a result of the appeal, Elgin leaders have until Sept. 30 to formulate a five-year program plan for Camp Timken. "We have to develop a program plan for the next five years," said Palmer, "telling Scouts Canada how we would market the camp and how we would use it to increase growth in membership."
If accepted by Scouts Canada, local leaders are seeking a similar period of time to implement the program strategy.
"We'll put together a five-year plan," noted Camp Timken manager Norm Carsons, "and if it looks good to you (Scouts Canada), we want five years to implement it."


VC has turned its attention to Bitcoin. Two Wall Street legends are making moves in the crypto market and when the news was announced in April, Bitcoin prices rallied on the renewed interest. Despite ongoing struggles such as advertisement crackdowns and a nascent regulatory atmosphere, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies remain a big opportunity for investors. That's why Soros Fund Management, the investment fund founded by George Soros, may begin trading in Bitcoin following news that fund manager Adam Fisher has been internally approved to start trading Bitcoin. In separate news, VC firm Venrock, founded by members of the famous Rockefeller family (and an early funder of tech companies like Intel and Apple), is now partnering up with Brooklyn's CoinFund to invest in blockchain startups.
VCs have been investing in the companies responsible for cryptocurrencies and innovating new blockchain technology, but some have also been making money by investing in crypto hedge funds. There are already a number of firms making money by trading Bitcoin, LiteCoin, Ethereum, and investing in ICOs (initial coin offerings). VCs like Bain Capital and Sequoia Capital have gone straight into buying the tokens themselves.
With venture capital now in the crypto market, big moves could easily get out of control, both up and down. There's big money looking at crypto and it can make the market feel like a roller coaster ride. But cryptocurrency is too good of an opportunity for many to pass up. So how do you make money trading Bitcoin while protecting your money from volatility?
Trade Bitcoin with gold. You can buy gold with Bitcoin directly through Silver Gold Bull, skipping the conversion to cash altogether. That means fast trad es so that you can respond instantly to the price of gold and Bitcoin. When you get the latest Bitcoin prices, you need to act fast. Whether you're trying to seize an opportunity or protect your money, buying gold with Bitcoin needs to be quick.
Gold is the ultimate safe haven. Its value increase in a way that negates inflation, making it a safer place to put your Bitcoin earnings than cash. Gold is one of the most durable materials on the planet and its value has proven equally durable.
Knowing that you can buy gold with Bitcoin, you have an easy way to trade out of Bitcoin and shore up your money when prices take another downturn. The extreme volatility of Bitcoin trading means you can lose your progress overnight. Instead of watching your newfound fortunes evaporate, buy gold from Silver Gold Bull to keep it somewhere safe. The process is simple and it's a way to start diversifying your portfolio.
Investing in Bitcoin comes with a lot of risks. Balance it out by buying gold from Silver Gold Bull. Turn your crypto profits into gold and you will walk out ahead of the game.


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Firecrest, Chiffchaff, Scaup, Water Pipit, Bartailed Godwit and Cetti's Warbler were among the highlights here.
Iolo identifies a Cetti's warbler "shouting" at us before continuing.
0) 1 (Locustella luscinioides) Cetti's warbler 3/187 (1.
Today, it's a thriving ecosystem, with several different habitats supporting hundreds of plant and lichen species, and breeding birds such as Cetti's warbler.
A goosander pootled the Conwy estuary, with pintail and Cetti's warbler at RSPB Conwy.
AMONG bird species which bred in Britain and are increasing against the backdrop of climate change are cirl bunting, Cetti's warbler, golden oriole, goldfinch and collared dove.
But Britons who've visited the Mediterranean region may recognise the increasing presence of the famously explosive song of Cetti's Warbler.
Mr Falk said: "Species are moving further north and examples that have already moved into Warwickshire from further south include cetti's warbler, roesel's bush cricket, conehead bush cricket, blub-tailed dragonfly, little egret and the bee wolf, which is a major predator of honey bees.
The Channel Four racing pundits are big supporters of Bourbon Manhattan but Mike Cattermole and Co must have been alarmed that their idol was beaten by 100-1 shot Cetti's Warbler.
The biggest shock came in the first division as Bourbon Manhattan, considered a Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle prospect, was defeated by 100-1 chance Cetti's Warbler.


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A Steller sea eagle has escaped from the Nationwide Aviary in Pittsburgh and continues to be at giant
By jimadmin On Oct 3, 2021
A Steller sea eagle escaped from its enclosure at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh last Saturday, and despite the valiant efforts of the aviary staff and numerous sightings in the neighborhood posted on social media, Kodiak – Kody to his friends – still on the loose and we're all a little worried about him, to be perfectly honest.
This bird is hard to miss: it's large (although we probably wouldn't call it a "giant" in Pittsburgh because the "Giant Eagle" is a food chain here) with a yellow beak, white tail, and white feathers on its wings. It is larger than a bald eagle and has a wingspan of about six feet. Kody has been spotted in and around the Pittsburgh neighborhood where the Aviary is located, which seems like a good thing. But it was hard to catch because you can't just throw a net over it and call it a day, as licensed falconer Richard Lawson told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; a special (and obviously humane) trap will be necessary.
The Steller's white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) usually weighs between 13 and 20 pounds and stands about four feet tall. There are no natural enemies according to the aviary, but Kody has lived in captivity for 15 of his 16 years so he can be a little rusty with the whole hunt / prey thing. Steller's sea eagles eat fish and more fish, "eaten mammals" (ew) and even other birds "when fish is scarce". And in case you were wondering, they are named after the German naturalist Georg W. Steller, who met the birds on a visit to Alaska in 1741.
The Aviary posted updates on social media and got temptingly close to getting Kody, but they've escaped them so far. I was half hoping that Kody could make a majestic appearance at the Steelers game last Sunday, with Heinz Field not far from the aviary and the team at home against the Bengals (we won't be talking about that game) today though ). Unfortunately he didn't.
On Thursday, aviary animal care experts camped to monitor his roost in a tall tree in the city's North Park and they confirmed he was in good condition. They tried to lure him with some food, but he didn't come down. But look at this pretty, pretty boi:
A lot of people – including me before I moved to Pittsburgh a thousand years ago – don't know what a hidden gem the National Aviary is or that it is in Pittsburgh. Your penguins are usually the big celebrities (hi, this is Pittsburgh), but they also have very cute – and very large – owls, eagles, flamingos, hawks, and canaries, along with other birds. You can sign up for educational "animal encounters" with many birds – I remember visiting them when my son was little; We sat in a big auditorium that had some birds of prey flying around and we got like a popsicle with some food on it (I'd prefer not to think about what the food actually was) and you held it up to one of the birds rushed to eat it. Extremely great.
If you're in Pittsburgh and see Kody, call the National Aviary at 412-323-7235. Do not try to approach him, you run the risk of deterring him. And when the Aviary team shows up, avoid them. You want to get him home safely.
Dish Community drops penguins, pirate broadcaster AT&T SportsNet – WPXI
Unemployment Improves however Area Wants Extra Staff


Rogue State is a political simulator where you are the leader of the newly created People's Republic of Bemidji. As the newly crowned Glorious Leader, you have to appoint cabinet members, manage the budget, engage with ambassadors of foreign nations, and perform other governmental functions. As you rebuild your country after its revolution you'll encounter random events that pose difficult decisions that will affect the lives of the people in your country, or your relationship with global powers. How you run the country is entirely up to you.
I really enjoyed the opening cinematic to the game, even though it's a essentially a slideshow. The artwork is nice, the voice acting is compelling, and it does a good job of setting the stage for your first day on the job as Glorious Leader. After the cinematic goes dark, the game loads and you're met with low quality, ugly character models, stunted animations and a user interface where every item is too big. The background and 2D artwork is nice, but it's hard to appreciate them when the character models are a pseudo-3D mess. The characters wouldn't be so distracting if they didn't do so much walking. Glorious Leader has to physically walk around the office to each station before you can access the different parts of the game, like policies and building projects. Also whenever you meet with a foreign ambassador you, and them, have to walk over and sit down to talk. The animations are only a few frames long and very jerky. The game would be better off if Glorious Leader was part of the background, just sitting behind the desk.
The sound quality is better than the animation, but that's not saying much. The best thing I can say about it is that it's adequate. The voice acting in game is worse than the opening cutscene. All of the voices sound vaguely robotic; it can be distracting at times.
The crux of the game is its political and managerial simulation. In that regard the game really comes into its own. There are a variety of factions in your new republic to keep happy or risk a coup. You also have to negotiate foreign relations with supportive and hostile nations. The biggest strength of the gameplay is the random incidents that occur. The game is split into 60 turns. During each turn you are allowed up to 4 actions. After you've depleted all the actions or you decide to the end the turn a random event occurs and you're given a number of different choices as to handle it. Sometimes a foreign nation invades, but other times you find a surplus of natural resources you didn't know existed. I really have to commend the developer's devotion to replay value here; no two playthroughs are going to be alike. With a hard cap on 60 turns (you'll rarely meet the end) there's no shortage of ways this game can play out.
None of the different political spheres is very deep; for example the policies section simply has sliders for various things like public transport, religious holidays and market restrictions. When you move one of the sliders it shows the effect that policy change has on the different factions within your country as well as the budget. If one of the factions starts to hate you then it can lead to a coup, so you want try to keep everyone at least somewhat happy. There's no penalty for drastically changing policies every turn. After every few turns you give a speech to the country and you get to choose different phrases to use throughout; these phrases affect the political factions in different ways.
The most confusing and worst parts of the game involve the intelligence and military. Once you've built up your country a bit, you get access to intelligence gathering. You can spend money to research certain intel on allies or enemies. This intel is extremely expensive and doesn't have a big enough of an effect to justify the price. I have to admit that I wasn't able to really understand how the military aspect functioned. There's an overhead map where you can control the units you've built up, but you can't see the enemy units. Also, the number of units you have at any one point doesn't seem to have any effect on how much damage your buildings take. After a few frustrating attempts, all future playthroughs were mostly peaceful.
Rogue State is a government simulator and thus war and threats of war are commonplace throughout the game. You can choose not to go to war, but in rare instances, due to random events and past choices, it's inevitable. There is a single religious faction called Fundamentalists. I found it extremely reductive to lump all the religious interests in the country into this one group who has vaguely religious policy goals. For example, they enjoy state sanctioned holidays but don't like loose restrictions on gambling and alcohol. The Fundamentalists are given equal importance to the other factions, but that means that if they're angry enough, they'll stage a coup, which isn't a great look.
I was reminded of the marvelous Tropico series while playing Rogue State, as both have you taking the reign of a burgeoning banana republic as it makes its way in the world. However unlike Tropico this game lacks depth and charm. Putting aside the differences in genre, there's just not much to each aspect of the government you're able to control in Rogue State. The random events at the end of each turn make each playthrough unique, but they wrestle control of the game away from the player and put it in the hands of the random event generator. If you think you'll like this kind of government management gameplay then this game is a good pickup for the price, just don't expect a ton of depth.


BUY MY BOOKS ONLINE HERE!
I'm currently drawing COUNTERFEIT GIRL for 2000ad with Peter Milligan. Part one launched in Prog 2000 September 2016.
I just finished our LAST GANG IN TOWN mini series for DC Vertigo, it's available in Comic shops, online and digital now! The Trade Paperback comes out on 12th October 2016.
I also finished BAD COMPANY - First Casualties for 2000ad, with Peter Milligan, and Jim McCarthy came out as a TPB in August this year.
I'm also noodling away on my own projects, Solid Gold Death Mask, and Big Time Charlie (with Al Ewing).
There's an email link here on this site. I do reply. I promise.
What is you work process?
My work process changes constantly, depending on the demands of the project, and the approach, and finish I wish to achieve. I post my 'how to' posts on my blog, which you can find right here on my site.
Do you do work placements?
I'm afraid not. I get asked this a lot, and I'm afraid my deadlines are just too tight. I'm always busy working, and if I can't afford to pay someone to help, I don't want to have someone there for free. One day when I am rich, I'll hopefully have an assistant… or a robot! Or both!
Do you sell your original art pages?
Not right now. I used to, but decided to keep them instead. Maybe one day huh? I do sell some prints though.
Yes I do, as long as I have the time, and we can agree on what we want. Commissions can be a lotta fun, and often some of my favourite pieces have been commissions.
What sort of paper and pens do you use?
I like drawing/painting on Arches Hot press 300gsm water colour paper, or the slightly rough paper DC Comics send you (I think it's Canson comic board).
Experiment and see what works for you, as long as it scans ok, you're in business!


Very few groups start their community plantings with by replacing the soil in previously used containers, much less in entire in traffic islands. But think: last year's plants have used up many of the nutrients in the old soil. The organic matter so essential for water retention has rotted down. Compaction from snow dumping and the winter's deposit of sand, salt and cigarette butts have not helped. Without air, water and nutrients your plants have no chance at all against the heat reflected from the pavement.
No group is going to replace all the soil in every container, but it is possible to remove some of the exhausted growing medium and replace it with fresh.
Similarly few groups would renew the soil in a previously successful traffic island planting. Here a spring raking, cultivating, top dressing with compost and mulching are enough.
Below are some suggestions for soil mixes for new islands or containers, or for replacing soil in areas which have been unsuccessful in the past.
Be sure they have drainage holes. Over the holes put a layer of coarse material—stones, gravel, crushed plastic containers. Cover with fiberglass screening to keep soil from clogging drainage layer. Use a packaged soil mix for containers like Promix, Fafard, or PGM or create your own more economical mix from equal parts of coarse horticultural vermiculite or perlite, peat moss, compost, and topsoil.
Compost can be bought very inexpensively from recycling centers like Wellesley's or Wayland's.
Some groups like to add polymer products like "Soil Moist" to increase the water retention in containers. The dry crystals must be thoroughly mixed with the other dry ingredients and then slowly and completely saturated. A 20 gallon half barrel would require 4 ounces of "Soil Moist"; however, proportions of polymer to soil depend on the product chosen.
Excavate the soil to the depth of about a foot. Check the drainage by pouring a bucket of water into the hole; perforated drains may be necessary if the water will not go away.
Replace the soil with the mix described above, adding horticultural gypsum to counteract the effects of salt spray and bone meal for slow release nutrients. Ideally enough mix will be added to bring the finished level to an average of nine inches above the original grade in a gentle mound a foot high in the middle sloping to three inches at the edges; thus the total depth will be a minimum of one and three quarters feet or twenty-one inches.
Calculate the amount of soil you need carefully, as too much makes a mess on city pavement. Here is how: multiply the width by the length of the island. The depth will be 1.75 x the total. Example: an island 10 feet long by 4 feet wide is 40 square feet. It requires 40 times 1.75 equals 70 cubic feet of mix. Thus we need 70/4 or 17.5 cubic feet apiece of the four elements of the mix: vermiculite or perlite, peat moss, compost and topsoil.
Mulch is both decorative and useful in maintaining moisture. If the top level is scraped off islands in the spring, a signficant amount of sand and salt will be removed with it it.
However, mulch has drawbacks which need to be taken into account. It should be no deeper than 3" and should not touch the stems of plants or it may rot them. Remember that it will steal nitrogen from the soil as it decays, so add extra fertilizer to compensate. Remember too that most mulches are highly acidic; add lime to the mix to compensate.
Mulch is usually sold in cubic yards. To calculate amount of mulch: 3" is 3/12ths or 1/4th of a foot. Since a cubic yard will cover 27 square feet one foot deep, it will cover 4 times 27 or 108 square feet to a depth of 3 inches.