text:
Facebook plans to launch cryptocurrency
Posted by: News Desk June 19, 2019
MNA Science & Technology Desk: Facebook Inc revealed plans on Tuesday to launch a cryptocurrency called Libra, the latest development in its effort to expand beyond social networking and move into e-commerce and global payments.
Facebook has linked with 28 partners in a Geneva-based entity called the Libra Association, which will govern its new digital coin set to launch in the first half of 2020, according to marketing materials and interviews with executives.
Facebook has also created a subsidiary called Calibra, which will offer digital wallets to save, send and spend Libras. Calibra will be connected to Facebook's messaging platforms Messenger and WhatsApp, which already boast more than a billion users.
The Menlo Park, California-based company has big aspirations for Libra, but consumer privacy concerns or regulatory barriers may present significant hurdles.
Facebook hopes it will not only power transactions between established consumers and businesses around the globe, but offer unbanked consumers access to financial services for the first time, according to Reuters.
The name "Libra" was inspired by Roman weight measurements, the astrological sign for justice and the French word for freedom, said David Marcus, a former PayPal executive who heads the project for Facebook.
"Freedom, justice and money, which is exactly what we're trying to do here," he said.
Facebook shares were the most actively traded across US exchanges in pre-market trading, gaining 2.6 per cent to $194.
Facebook also appears to be betting it can squeeze revenue out of its messaging services through transactions and payments, something already happening on Chinese social apps like WeChat.
The Libra announcement comes as Facebook grapples with public backlash due to a series of scandals, and may face opposition from privacy advocates, consumer groups, regulators and lawmakers.
Some Facebook adversaries have called for the company to incur penalties, or be forcibly broken up, for mishandling user data, allowing troubling material to appear on its site and not preventing Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election through a social media disinformation campaign.
It is not clear how lawmakers or regulators will react to Facebook making a push into financial services through the largely unregulated world of cryptocurrency.
In recent years, cryptocurrency investors have lost hundreds of millions of dollars through hacks, and the market has been plagued by accusations of money-laundering, illegal drug sales and terrorist financing.
Markus Feber, a senior German lawmaker in the European parliament, called for the European Union to begin work on regulating cryptocurrencies.
"If Facebook will expose its two billion users to the risks of virtual currencies, this would be a good reason for the European Commission to start work on a proper regulatory framework governing the rules of virtual currencies" he said in a statement.
Facebook has engaged with regulators in the United States and abroad about the planned cryptocurrency, company executives said. They would not specify which regulators or whether the company has applied for financial licenses anywhere.
Facebook hopes it can bring global regulators to the table by publicising Libra, said Kevin Weil, who runs product for the initiative.
"It gives us a basis to go and have productive conversations with regulators around the world," he said. "We're eager to do that."
The Swiss financial watchdog FINMA said it was in contact with the initiators of the Libra project. It declined to comment on whether the project was in the process of obtaining specific regulatory permission or status.
Britain's financial regulator declined to comment. Other major regulators did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Bitcoin, the most well-known cryptocurrency, was created in 2008 as a way for pseudonymous users to transfer value online through encrypted digital ledgers. Early developers believed that the world needed an alternative to traditional currencies, which are controlled by governments and central banks.
Since then, thousands of bitcoin alternatives have launched, and Facebook is just one of dozens of blue-chip companies dabbling with the underlying technology. But its status as a Silicon Valley behemoth that touches billions of people around the world has created significant buzz around Libra's potential.
Partners in the project include household names like Mastercard Inc, Visa Inc, Spotify Technology SA , PayPal Holdings Inc, eBay Inc, Uber Technologies Inc and Vodafone Group Plc, as well as venture capital firms like Andreessen Horowitz.
They hope to have 100 members by Libra's launch during the first half of 2020. Each member gets one vote on substantial decisions regarding the cryptocurrency network and firms must invest at least $10 million to join. Facebook does not plan to maintain a leadership role after 2019.
Though there are no banks among the inaugural members, there have been discussions with a number of lenders about joining, said Jorn Lambert, executive vice president for digital solutions at Mastercard. They are waiting to see how regulators and consumers respond to the project before deciding whether to join, he said.
Major European and US investment banks did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Libra Association plans to raise money through a private placement in the coming months, according to a statement from the association.
PRIVACY, REGULATORY CONCERNS
Although Libra backers who spoke to Reuters or provided materials are hopeful about its prospects, some said they were aware that consumer privacy concerns or regulatory barriers may prevent the project from succeeding.
Calibra will conduct compliance checks on customers who want to use Libra, using verification and anti-fraud processes that are common among banks, Facebook said.
The subsidiary will only share customer data with Facebook or external parties if it has consent, or in "limited cases" where it is necessary, Facebook said. That could include for law enforcement, public safety or general system functionality.
Transactions will cost individuals less than merchants, Facebook said, though executives declined to provide specifics. Each Libra will be backed by a basket of government-backed assets.
The company plans to refund customers who lose money because of fraud, Facebook said.
Sri Shivananda, Paypal's chief technology officer said the project was still in its "very, very early days".
Mastercard's Lambert characterised Libra similarly, noting much needed to happen before the launch.
If the project receives too much regulatory pushback, he said, "we might not launch."
bitcoin cryptocurrency Facebook Libra	2019-06-19
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NATION-WIDE SCHEME
Scotland becomes first country to make period products free
The bill will bring in the legal right of free access to items such as tampons and sanitary pads, also in schools and universities.
A supporter of the Period Products bill at a rally outside Parliament in Edinburgh. Photo: Photo: Andrew Milligan/dpa/file photo.
The Scottish Parliament on Tuesday unanimously approved legislation making period products freely available to all.
Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill, brought forward by Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon, will bring in the legal right of free access to items such as tampons and sanitary pads.
Under the bill, the Scottish Government must set up a nation-wide scheme to allow anyone who needs period products to get them free of charge. It will also require schools, colleges and universities to make a range of period products available for free.
The bill will also give the Scottish Government the power to make other public bodies provide period products for free.
"Proud to vote for this groundbreaking legislation, making Scotland the first country in the world to provide free period products for all who need them," Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said in a tweet after the vote.
'Practical and progressive' legislation
Lennon said the bill was a "practical and progressive" piece of legislation, made all the more vital because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to news agency Press Association.
"Periods don't stop for pandemics and the work to improve access to essential tampons, pads and reusables has never been more important."
"On the issue of period dignity, I am beyond proud that Scotland is leading the way and we have moved at a fast pace in a short space of time," she added.
Free Scotland sanitary pad period tampon products

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Is it possible to rewrite this SQL statement using a join instead of subquery? I have three tables:
animals:
| animal_id | animal_label |
|-----------|--------------|
| 1         | Elephant     |
| 2         | Fish         |
| 3         | Monkey       |
| 4         | Snake        |

fruits:
| fruid_id | fruit_label |
|----------|-------------|
| 1        | Apples      |
| 2        | Oranges     |
| 3        | Peanuts     |
| 4        | Bananas     |

likes:
| animal_id | fruit_id |
|-----------|----------|
| 1         | 1        |
| 2         | 2        |
| 3         | 3        |
| 3         | 4        |
| 4         | 1        |

Each animal can like multiple fruits and each fruit can be liked by multiple animals, so I have a many-to-many relationship between the animals and fruits. This relationship is described using the third table called likes.
I am trying to determine which animals don't like bananas. In order to do so, I wrote this statement:
SELECT animal_id, animal_label
FROM animals
WHERE animal_id NOT IN (
    SELECT animal_id
    FROM likes
    WHERE fruit_id = 4)

That successfully returns the elephant, fish and snake, but not the monkey, because the monkey likes bananas.
However, I was wondering if this statement could be rewritten using a join. This is what I tried so far:
SELECT animal_id, animal_label
FROM animals
LEFT OUTER JOIN likes ON animals.animal_id = likes.animal_id
WHERE fruit_id <> 4 OR fruit_id IS NULL

This time, all four animals are returned. The issue here is that because the monkey also likes peanuts, this statement will return it even though it likes bananas. Is there any way to solve this that would be better than my solution using the subquery?

A: You can group by the animal and take only those having zero times fruit_id = 4
SELECT animal_id, animal_label
FROM animals
LEFT OUTER JOIN likes ON animals.animal_id = likes.animal_id
GROUP BY animal_id, animal_label
HAVING sum(fruit_id = 4) = 0

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Now for my part…designing a pillow to coordinate…This pillow was easy enough…purple quilt…what purple in spring? Lilacs…and you all know I love stitching those flowers in wool like geraniums, hydrangeas and now Lilacs…Here are some closer ups… To replicate the quilt Moda has the perfect Bella color to pull off the reproduction…you can see I used it in the pillow as a accent sashing…CLICK HERE to order quilt or pillow or both..
Here are all the details..
Picture from my balcony pulling away from the dock…this is Miami…Ship is nicer than I thought is was going to be…you know after you been on one of the biggest…you think he others will not be as great…but I actually like that its not huge…sitting by the pool and being entertained, and getting a bit of sun…ahhh SUN!
Did a little stitching yesterday….LOOK at Vickie's Twighlight Garden!!!
and then…Heather made me a Jeter…replica!!!! How thoughtful…How sweet!!! Speaking of Jeter…I miss him…and Nick too…they are both at home…holding down the fort, making sure it doesn't flood with the spring melting… here is our quilt model doing his job…again. all for now….


text:
MIDDLE EAST - ISLAM
Mgr Lahham: the role of religion in the evolution of Arab societies
by Maroun Lahham
For the patriarchal vicar to Jordan (who is the former archbishop of Tunis and direct witness to the Arab spring), the Arab world has changed. He challenges Islamists parties that took power as well as the West, which hitherto supported Mideast dictators. Only moderate Islam can achieve political, economic and social success. For Christians, freedom of conscience is as fundamental as freedom of worship.
Paris (AsiaNews) - Mgr Maroun Lahham, patriarchal vicar to Jordan and a former archbishop of Tunis, spoke at a seminar in France on 19 January on the role of religion in the development of Arab societies. The text of his address can be found on the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem website. In it, the prelate explains how Islamist parties hijacked the Arab spring and goes on to offer some ideas on how Arabs can develop a future democratic society. He warns Islamists and the West that since the awakening of Arab peoples the Arab world is no longer the same. "While the Arab people were always afraid of their leaders now it is the leaders who are afraid of their people."
The role and place of religion in society, in general, and the political world, in particular, is a question as old as the world. Since the Edict of Milan in 313, the relationship between these two "worlds", that is to say, politics and religion has had endless variations: the submission of religion to politics, the submission of politics to religion, the clear and almost negative separation (the law of 1905), the more flexible separation (in English and German speaking countries). Nowadays, on the side of the Christian religion, Vatican II speaks of "mutual independence and healthy collaboration" (GS76) and on the European political side they speak about "positive secularism". The time tones down ideological remarks.
However, this framework seems to be fairly balanced and does not apply to the Arab world. First, societies are not the same, but also the role of religion in politics and society is not the same. Religion, or rather the fact of religion, has always had and continues to have a role in the development of Arab societies. I will not dwell in the past, because the topic which interests us has a strong reference to the present, to what they call "the Arab spring", and especially to the new political regimes which have taken over, regimes of Muslim persuasion or Muslim regimes with Salafist factions period.
A first point to note is that Arab societies, Muslim or Christian, are societies with a strong religious matrix. The religious reference is natural and a part of the lives of individuals and societies. We must take this into account if we want to understand what is happening in the Arab world.
On the other hand, we remember that the religious, in this case Muslim, was totally absent during the protests by young and old alike in the recent movements in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain and Syria. These movements were of social, political and human persuasion. This is also due to the fact that religion in these countries was not subject to challenge, the Arabic religious is quiet, even though the degrees of membership and religious practice varies from one country to another ( Tunisian Islam is not Egyptian Islam for example).
The Arab Spring movements were spontaneous, without prior political structure, without ideology, without real charismatic leaders, and they could overthrow rather harsh political regimes that lasted for 20, 30 or 40 years.
Islamic religious movements (and international politics, but this is another topic), climbed the bandwagon, they came to power with free and democratic elections, and they began to have a leading role in changes in Arab societies. We'll discuss it again. I think that we should not be surprised by the rise of Islam and Islamism or their political "victory".
First, and we repeat it enough - especially for Westerners - religion is a constitutive element in the lives of people and Arab societies.
In countries that have experienced the Arab Spring, political systems did not allow the existence of any serious opposition party. Tunisia, for example, had some opposition parties, as well as Egypt, but it was facade.
By contrast, Islamist parties well and truly did exist, except in Libya (and this is why - in parenthesis - they did not win even if Libyans are 100% Muslims). These parties were oppressed, persecuted, jailed, but they were well organized and structured. The persecution only gives them more strength and willpower to resist and survive.
Once the "oppressors" disappeared, they found themselves all alone to take the political scene. They were organized, well structured and they had social and religious programs fairly well defined, which was not the case for economic and political programs. On this, we will discuss later. While dozens of new political parties emerged before the election (more than 120 in Tunisia), they were but newborns with no programs and no political experience; and their divided voices indirectly helped the Nahda Party (the Tunisian political party with religious reference) to have a relatively easy victory.
Having moved from the opposition to the government, the religious parties were forced to speak on economics and politics, without nevertheless renouncing the desire (will?) to change the society and to make it "evolve" in an Islamist direction. Certainly, they do not say it, they were also defending themselves, but there are many examples: failed attempts - to introduce Sharia in the new Tunisian Constitution; a stricter line in observing the Ramadan fast, partial and full Islamic veil; political speeches in mosques; trial balloons to re-introduce polygamy; to make Halal hotels and Haram hotels; to change the law of adoption and the law of guarantee; to introduce the full veil in universities .... Not to mention slogans such as: "Islam is the solution", "I want to be governed by the Law of God" (Sharia), "a good Muslim is a veiled Muslim", etc.
That said, the presence of Muslim or Islamist regimes at the summit of power is legitimate and legally indisputable. This is an absolutely new fact. And in this there is a lesson for the West and another for Muslim parties themselves.
To the West: The Middle East and the Arab countries, in general, are no longer the same, and a turning back is unthinkable. The Arab street has exploded, and while the Arab people were always afraid of their leaders now it is the leaders who are afraid of their people. This change is of utmost importance, and I do not know if the West is able to measure the significance.
It is no longer possible or permitted to deal with Arab despot leaders, to condone the violation of human rights under the pretext of protecting its own borders against illegal immigration or stop the advance of Islamist parties. Arab countries are Muslim majority countries, and the West must change its course of action and deal with this new reality.
For the Arab countries who choose to be governed by political Islam, they should know that political Islam is moderate or it has no chance of success. No country, Arab or otherwise, can live in a religious or political "ghetto". I give an example: political Islam has to deal with banks powered by interest, which is not allowed in rigid Islam governed by Sharia.
With a West that accepts new rules of the political game, and with an open and moderate political Arab Islam, life becomes possible.
I ask again: the religion as it is today or as it will appear tomorrow in several Arab countries, can Arab societies change and what is their role in their development? Let me sketch an answer.
First of all, I know that the time of the prophets is over. What I say are ideas that are solely my own.
The religious fact can successfully change or evolve Arab societies:
If it takes a clear and decided position against the Salafist movements that have made their official appearance in the countries of the Arab Spring and also, at the same time, the Islamic parties. This is not the case of the government parties in Tunisia and Egypt. There is in these countries a certain complicity between the government and the Salafists: a laissez faire position, of soft and gentle convictions. Recently, positions become clearer, and I hope that the reason is not only the next elections in Tunisia in June 2013.
If political Islam adopts a democratic policy which guarantees human rights and freedoms arising from, to begin with, reciprocity and freedom of conscience, and not only freedom of worship. This is a point that is still meets a lot of resistance from the Muslim side because it goes against the literal interpretation of the Koran. Still, here is opened a great chapter for which we must sooner or later find a solution.
If it accepts democratic politics game, it involves the procrastination of power. Hamas in Gaza, which delays elections indefinitely for fear of losing, is a sobering example.
If it manages to offer people a valid economic program. Because even if the Arab peoples are Muslims in their genes, their first need is that of living (primum vivere deinde philosophare) and work.
If it manages to offer the West a serious political agenda and to come out - like the West - from the complex East/West history, the Crusades/Colonialism, Islamization of Europe/ evangelization of Islam, etc. A purification of memory is required on both sides to achieve peaceful relations between these two worlds.
And if that does not happen? If this does not happen, the parties with Islamic tendencies will have had their chance. And since all the world is talking about freedom and democracy - which is already huge for Arab countries and the religious parties themselves - it will need to give the same opportunity to other parties. The party that will govern Arab countries and develop Arab societies to be better will be the party for which hundreds of young people have sacrificed their youth and their life.
lahham
Middle East wars and unrest lead to lower life expectancy
Amid chaos and opportunities, intellectuals and politicians trace the future of the Arab world in Dubai
Arab spring, drought and climate change fuel migration boom
Growing corruption in Arab countries, Lebanon and Yemen worst of all
Unfinished: the Arab Spring's Islamic winter


text:
Messiah War è un crossover che intreccia le testate Cable e X-Force a cominciare dall'albo fuori collana X-Force/Cable: Messiah War. Pubblicato dalla Marvel Comics fra marzo e giugno 2009 viene descritto come il secondo capitolo di una saga in tre parti che servirà a ridefinire l'universo mutante. Per i temi trattati la storia si collega al precedente capitolo Messiah Complex e termina in Secondo avvento.

Trama

Capitolo I
Mentre Alfiere è impegnato a convincere un misterioso interlocutore ad aiutarlo ad uccidere Cable per salvare il futuro, nel presente Ciclope invia X-Force in soccorso del figlio ignorando le obiezioni di Bestia. Giunta in un apocalittico 2973 con sole trentatré ore e mezza per compiere la propria missione, X-Force viene attaccata da un Deadpool millenario con il quale decide di scendere a patti poiché sembra conoscere la locazione di Cable. Giunti in prossimità di Westchester, sito sul quale sorgeva lo Xavier Institute ormai ridotto ad un cumulo di macerie, Wolverine, X-23, Warpath e Arcangelo entrano in contatto con Cable e Hope e dopo qualche scaramuccia il primo li informa di essere caduti in trappola: utilizzando vari tipi di armi, Alfiere ha distrutto buona parte della Terra obbligandoli a rifugiarsi nell'unico luogo possibile (Westchester, appunto) prima di isolare l'intera zona tramite un campo di forza che impedisce sia l'accesso che la fuga. Promettendo la testa di Cable e quella di Apocalisse, Alfiere riesce ad ottenere l'aiuto del suo interlocutore che si rivela essere Stryfe.

Capitolo II
Osservando la città celeste di Stryfe, Wolverine e Cable costringono Deadpool a raccontar loro gli avvenimenti degli ultimi novecento anni e la sua ascesa al potere dopo che questi aveva sconfitto Apocalisse, risvegliato prematuramente dal suo sonno millenario da Alfiere. Occupato nella discussione, il gruppo non si accorge dell'arrivo delle truppe di Stryfe che ingaggiano battaglia costringendoli a dividersi: Elixir, Svanitore e Hope si danno alla fuga, X-Force, Cable e Deadpool si gettano nella mischia e Arcangelo vola via dopo aver sentito una voce familiare invocare aiuto. Terminato lo scontro il gruppo si riunisce e fa appena in tempo a riprendere il fiato, che Stryfe in persona li attacca mettendoli fuori gioco uno alla volta e rapendo Hope e Warpath, a cui Wolverine aveva affidato il compito di proteggerla a costo della vita. Non lontano, Arcangelo giunge nel luogo in cui la voce lo guidava e rinviene un debole e vecchio Apocalisse ancora in vita.

Capitolo III
All'interno della città celeste impegnato a torturare Warpath sotto lo sguardo di Hope, Stryfe viene colto di sorpresa dai naniti di Alfiere e messo temporaneamente fuori combattimento lasciandogli così campo libero per uccidere la bambina. All'esterno intanto, X-Force dietro suggerimento di Domino decide di dividersi: Wolverine, Cable ed Elixir andranno in soccorso dei prigionieri, mentre Domino, X-23, Svanitore e Deadpool indagheranno le cause dello strano blocco temporale che impedisce loro di fuggire. Ripresosi appena in tempo, Stryfe impedisce ad Alfiere di uccidere Hope e leggendole la mente scopre l'affetto che Cable nutre per lei decidendo di usarla per attirare suo fratello e ucciderlo; incuriosita dal suo aspetto, Hope riesce a togliergli la maschera e, poiché all'oscuro di tutta la sua storia passata, lo scambia per Cable affidandosi completamente a lui. Fatti fallire i tentativi di Warpath e Alfiere, rispettivamente per salvarla e ucciderla, Stryfe viene colto di sorpresa dall'arrivo di Cable che usando la sua telepatia scherma la presenza di Wolverine ed Elixir che riescono così quasi ad ucciderlo. Dentro la città, nel frattempo, X-23 e Domino apprendono da Deadpool che la fonte dello scudo temporale non è un macchinario bensì una persona tenuta in ostaggio. Lontano, sui monti Adirondacks, dopo aver combattuto una dura battaglia con se stesso Arcangelo giunge alla conclusione di non poter uccidere Apocalisse ed accetta di portarlo con sé nel viaggio di ritorno verso la città celeste per vendicarsi del figlio.

Capitolo IV
Messi fuori combattimento gli avversari, Stryfe carpisce dalla mente di Elixir l'importanza di Hope e si lancia al suo inseguimento riuscendo a catturarla e prefiggendosi di istruirla come suo successore mentre Alfiere aizza Wolverine, ormai ridotto ad agire seguendo il puro istinto dalla telepatia di Stryfe, contro Cable nella speranza di rallentarlo. Raggiunto l'ex-alleato ed Hope, i suoi piani di vendetta vengono funestati dall'intromissione dei due X-Men prima impegnati a scannarsi tra loro che non esitano ad ingaggiare battaglia. Intanto, dall'altra parte della cittadella, Svanitore e X-23 trovano l'origine del blocco temporale: la mutante Kiden Nixon. Come spiegato loro da Deadpool, Kiden venne prelevata dal passato da Stryfe e Alfiere ed obbligata dalla telepatia del primo a bloccare il tempo dell'intera linea temporale. Deciso a fare ammenda per le proprie azioni Deadpool annuncia agli altri di voler contribuire ad eliminare Stryfe e raggiunto il luogo dello scontro gli spara contro un raggio laser facendolo precipitare in un crepaccio proprio nel momento in cui i timer temporali di X-Force segnano lo zero. Mentre i loro corpi subiscono gli effetti collaterali del blocco temporale avvicinandoli sempre più alla morte, Domino decide di ascoltare le preghiere di Kiden e porre fine alla sua vita permettendo la scomparsa del campo temporale nel momento in cui Stryfe riemerge dal crepaccio e uccide Deadpool. Ritornato alla cittadella con Arcangelo, Apocalisse recupera le poche forze rimastegli riuscendo a sconfiggere il figlio e portando in salvo Hope dichiarandola degna di ospitare la sua essenza. Al termine dello scontro, menomato di un arto e di un occhio Alfiere decide di scomparire nel flusso temporale ed Arcangelo chiede al suo signore di restituirgli la bambina come pagamento del dolore che in passato gli aveva causato. Allontanasi dal luogo dello scontro X-Force ode le urla di dolore di Stryfe e la minaccia di Apocalisse di farne il suo nuovo ospite. Sopraffatto dal dolore Wolverine ordina a Cable di teletrasportarsi ma, a causa della preoccupazione per Elixir e X-23 che anima Hope, perde la presa sulla bambina e i due si separano nel momento in cui entrano nel flusso temporale. Diviso ciò che resta del gruppo dopo l'anticipato ed egoistico ritorno al presente di Svanitore, Wolverine, Arcangelo ed Elixir si dirigono alla sede delle Nazioni Unite per fermare la Lega Sapiens mentre X-23, Domino e Warpath vengono incaricati di salvare Boom-Boom. Tolti i dispositivi X-Force ritorna al presente.

Pubblicazione
Capitolo 1
 X-Force/Cable: Messiah War (marzo 2009, in USA)
 X-Men Deluxe n. 179 (febbraio 2010, in Italia)
Capitolo 2
 Cable n. 13 (aprile 2009, in USA)
 X-Men Deluxe n. 180 (marzo 2010, in Italia)
Capitolo 3
 X-Force n. 14 (aprile 2009, in USA)
 X-Men Deluxe n. 180 (marzo 2010, in Italia)
Capitolo 4
 Cable n. 14 (maggio 2009, in USA)
 X-Men Deluxe n. 181 (aprile 2010, in Italia)
Capitolo 5
 X-Force n. 15 (maggio 2009, in USA)
 X-Men Deluxe n. 181 (aprile 2010, in Italia)
Capitolo 6
 Cable n. 15 (giugno 2009, in USA)
 X-Men Deluxe n. 182 (maggio 2010, in Italia)
Capitolo 7
 X-Force n. 16 (giugno 2009, in USA)
 X-Men Deluxe n. 182 (maggio 2010, in Italia)

Collegamenti esterni
X-Force/Cable: Messiah War Prologue Preview, Comic Book Resources
Messiah War - Dogs of War, IGN
Duane Swierczynski and Chris Yost talk Messiah War, IGN
Last Hope: Swierczynski on Messiah War, Comic Book Resources

Fumetti degli X-Men
Crossover Marvel Comics

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Account Follow Up Representative
Staff/Administrative
Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) brings together the leading research teams and cancer specialists of Fred Hutch, Seattle Childrens, and UW Medicine. One extraordinary group whose sole mission is the pursuit of better, longer, richer lives for our patients. SCCA's purpose is to provide state-of-the-art, patient and family centered care; support the conduct of cancer clinical research and education; enhance access to improved cancer interventions; and advance the standard of cancer care regionally and beyond.
Every individual at SCCA plays a unique role in supporting our mission. Our collective success hinges on each of us conducting ourselves in accord with a set of core values:
We are patient-centered. Everything we do must be linked to our ability to deliver better, safer outcomes for our patients.
We are innovative. We nurture an environment that fosters unconventional thinking, a passion for discovery, and the open-mindedness to invite discovery from unexpected places.
We are respectful. We are deeply respectful of our patients, their families, and each of our colleagues who serve them in so many different and important ways.
We are collaborative. We understand that asking for and offering help in how to do better is not just a right, but among our most important responsibilities.
We are agile. We cannot just be comfortable with change; we must embrace it as proof that we are making progress.
We are responsible. Because our work is focused on people's well-being, we approach it with the highest level of ethical, fiduciary, and environmental responsibility.
This is an extraordinary opportunity to lead disruptive continuous innovations in the fight against cancer.
The Account Follow Up Representative is responsible for timely follow up with insurance companies on payments, denials and appeals. Responsibilities include:
Review work queues to prioritize account follow up activities (account/payment status, verify and update patient information).
Timely identification of claim denials and appropriate handling of appeals
Review insurance payments and all adjustments to determine patient responsibility
Utilizes hospital billing system, payor websites and system interfaces to effectively manage accounts
Investigate and resolve patient inquires forwarded from Customer Service
Contact appropriate SCCA Departments to obtain information for account resolution
Maintain current understanding of contracted payor agreements
A minimum of one year experience in a business setting
Ability to use a computer keyboard and mouse, navigate computer programs, and use email in a business setting
Ability to communicate verbally in person, on the phone, and in writing in a clear and concise manner
Experience in healthcare billing preferred
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About Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance was incorporated in 1998 as a separate, jointly governed non-profit that included the cancer programs of three partners. Seattle Cancer Care Alliance is a cancer treatment center that unites doctors from Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, University of Washington Medical Center, and Seattle Children's. The purpose of this organization is to provide state-of the-art patient and family centered care; support the conduct of cancer clinical research and education; enhance access to improved cancer interventions; and advance the standard of cancer care regionally and beyond. The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance is the only NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center in the Northwest, and according to the National Cancer Data Base, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance patients in general have better survival rates than patients treated at other cancer treatment centers.
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Proposed seismic exploration on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is on hold, but the Department of the Interior has nevertheless resumed its public process to expand oil development into the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The only chance for the American public outside of Alaska to comment on this plan — a plan to hand the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge over to oil companies — comes on Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
Beyond Washington, D.C., I traveled thousands and thousands of miles to share the story of the Gwich'in and our fight to protect the coastal plain of ANWR from oil and gas development. I have been to New Mexico, California, New York, city after city, month after month to share the voices of my people. The Gwich'in have had a cultural and spiritual connection to the Porcupine caribou for more than 40,000 years.
Others joined me, and we learned many lessons along the way.
I learned that people too far removed from the land and water, and from their obligation to our children and grandchildren, would rather ignore the Gwich'in people than stand up for human rights and our ways of life.
I learned that our own Alaska delegation would rather promote development in a region my people consider sacred than protect our way of life.
I learned that the work of protecting our homes and future generations would take me far away from my own home and community, and that it would exhaust me and test my spirit like nothing has before.
I wake up knowing that powerful, wealthy fossil fuel interests and their supporters in Congress want to turn the calving grounds for the Porcupine caribou herd into another Prudhoe Bay. I go to bed knowing that these same powerful, wealthy interests want to put rigs, roads, heavy equipment and pipelines on land that my people will not trample with even our own feet.
Yet our determination remains strong to follow the direction of our elders. I learned that people thousands and thousands of miles away from the Arctic stand with us. I have witnessed organizations, tribes, activists, political leaders and business people who want to protect the sacred place where life begins. I have accepted that we are stronger together and that standing in solidarity is important.
In the first month of 2019, members of the House Natural Resources Committee helped stop the Interior Department from rushing its drilling agenda during the shutdown. Indigenous leaders from Texas and nearby areas joined me in Houston in delivering 100,000 letters urging SAExploration to stay out of the calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd.
We have lived our ways of life for thousands of years. Our elders teach us that taking care of the land, water, and air takes care of our children and the generations to come. Our traditional knowledge tells us that taking care of the land keeps the caribou healthy and the caribou in turn keep our people healthy. The future of the caribou and the future of the Gwich'in are one in the same.
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is not just a piece of land with oil underneath. It is the heart of our people, our food and our way of life. Our very survival depends on its protection.
Reps. Jared Huffman (CA-02) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) — a Democrat and a Republican — recently introduced the Arctic Cultural and Coastal Plain Protection Act to restore protections to the coastal plain. I urge all members of Congress to support this bill. Together we can protect what we have left.
Bernadette Demientieff, a Gwich'in Athabascan from Fort Yukon, is the executive director of the Gwich'in Steering Committee.


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Warriors Live: Five answers about Thunder, plus…
Warriors Live: Five answers about Thunder, plus updates from Sunday's game
Warriors are in Oklahoma City trying to rebound from rough opener against new-look OKC
By Jon Becker | Bay Area News Group
October 27, 2019 at 5:00 a.m.
Scroll to the bottom of follow our live feed during the game
The Warriors may have been hit with a dose of reality in their season-opening loss Thursday, but there's a pretty decent chance things will get much better for Golden State on Sunday.
That's because they'll be taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder, another team dealing with a rebuild after losing two superstar players.
Here are five questions about the Thunder, who will host the Warriors on Sunday afternoon (Warriors favored by 1):
1. What's left in Oklahoma City with Russell Westbrook in Houston and Paul George in L.A.?
The Thunder still have some star power with nine-time All-Star Chris Paul coming from Houston and Danilo Gallinari from the Clippers, plus rugged Aussie center Steven Adams remains. They also have promising second-year guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who also came from the Clippers in the George trade.
2. What's the early verdict on these new-look Thunder?
The expectations aren't high for this team and so far the team has lived up to its lower-level outlook, having lost both of its first two games, including a disappointing 97-85 home loss to the Wizards Friday night. The break-neck pace at which Oklahoma City played under Westbrook's leadership has become significantly more measured with the 34-year-old Paul running the show.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
3. Have there been any early surprises in Oklahoma City?
The Thunder knew it was getting a talent in Gilgeous-Alexander, but the 21-year-old has been outstanding in his first two games with the Thunder. He's notched career-high point totals in each game and is averaging a team-leading 27 points while displaying the kind of talent and versatility many projected from him.
4. What are some of the other concerns for the Thunder?
Steven Adams, one of the top centers in the Western Conference in the past couple of seasons, has struggled in what was billed as a potential break-through season. He's missed a lot of shots (4-for-17 from the field, 2-of-8 from the line) and hasn't provided the anticipated offensive boost. In addition, Paul has been an early disappointment, even taking blame for Friday's loss when he had just six points on 3-of-9 shooting with more turnovers (five) than assists. A more immediate concern will be the likely absence Sunday of guards Andre Roberson (load management/knee) and Hamidou Diallo (ankle injury suffered Friday).
5. Which Thunder player could be an X-factor on Sunday?
Oklahoma City's sixth man, guard Dennis Schroder, has been troublesome in the past for the Warriors, and that was when they had talented defenders such as Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala on the floor to help out. Schroder scored more points (22.7 average) and hit more 3-pointers (10) against the Warriors last season than any team he faced more than two times.
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Can Nordstrom Inc. Buck the Downward Trend in Retail?
By Motley Fool StaffFool.com
Last quarter,Nordstrom(NYSE: JWN) was one of the few department store companies to grow its earnings per share. To a large extent, this success has to do with its diversification away from full-line stores.
In this episode ofIndustry Focus: Consumer Goods, Vincent Shen is joined by senior Fool.com contributor Adam Levine-Weinberg as they consider Nordstrom's key growth initiatives. The Nordstrom Rack off-price chain represents a particularly intriguing long-term growth driver.
A full transcript follows the video.
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This podcast was recorded on Feb. 28, 2017.
Vincent Shen: All right, let's turn our attention to Nordstrom, which seems to be the one company that was able to get a bit of a boost from its most recent report. It's obviously still running into issues like a lot of the department stores but some bright spots as well.
Adam Levine-Weinberg:Yeah. I think Nordstrom's results definitely showcase the difference between department stores and off-price stores. Nordstrom really is a mix between a department store and an off-price store. You have the famous Nordstrom full-line stores, which are known for great service, they are pretty expensive, generally speaking. Those have been running into trouble lately, despite maintaining a really great reputation. On the other hand, you have Nordstrom Rack, which is this fast-growing chain of off-price stores that's really driving all of Nordstrom's revenue growth. If you look in the fourth quarter, you had a comp sales decline at Nordstrom of 0.9%. But in the full-line stores themselves, not counting online, comp sales were actually down 6.8%. So, Nordstrom is seeing just as big declines in traffic at their full-line stores as other department stores, and in some cases even bigger. That 6.8% decline is not a one-time thing, that was basically their trend for the whole year.
On the other hand, you saw a 10.9% full year increase in off-price sales at Nordstrom, including both the Nordstrom Rack stores and their online off-price business. That drove a really substantial chunk of revenue growth. So, for the fourth quarter, adjusted EPS was up year over year to $1.27 from $1.17 a year earlier. So, that definitely set Nordstrom apart from a lot of its department store competitors, the earnings growth. On the other hand, for the full year, earnings were down with EPS of $3.04 compared to $3.32 a year earlier. Like a lot of the other department stores out there, Nordstrom is again expecting an EPS decline in 2017, along with roughly flat comp store sales, which will almost certainly be comprised of a decline in the full-line business, and another solid increase in the off-price Rack.
Shen:Sure. Let's take this to a 10,000 foot view. What do you think is the big takeaway or trend for this sector from this latest wave of results? I think we've heard a little bit about asset sales, better utilization of real estate, we've heard about a few store closures at J.C. Penney. What do you think is the big takeaway for listeners?
Levine-Weinberg:I think making the best use of real estate is really becoming an increasingly important focus for these companies. Store closures are going to be a big theme in 2017. Macy's, right now, is in the midstof closing more than 60 stores, which is part of a broader plan that they announced last August, under which they're going to close roughly 100 stores over the next several years. That's about 15% of their full-line store base, so it's a pretty significant chunk. Then, as I mentioned earlier, J.C. Penneyalso closing close to 15% of their store base, although in that case, it's mostly the smaller and the lower volume stores.
Nordstrom, on the other hand, is actually still growing. If you look last year, it did close one store over the summer, but it opened three full-line stores, two of them in Canada and one in the U.S. Then, it's opening another store in Canada this year, and only closing one store so far, from what it's announced. Aside from that, if you look at the Nordstrom Rack chain, it's expanding at a pretty rapid pace. Not as fast as it has been over the past four years, it'sopen nearly 100 new stores just in the past four years, which has almost doubled theNordstrom Rack store base. For2017, they have 16 Nordstrom Rack openings confirmed. That would be under 10% growth. They may add one to two more to thatin the next few months, but they're sort of running out of time, at this point, to announce morestore openings for this year. But over the next several years,I would expect Nordstrom Rack to continue at a high single-digit expansion pace,which is probably the right amountin terms of letting the store base mature and growin terms of profitability.
Shen: Among these three companies, or even broader for the sector,do you have a favorite,in terms of who has the brightest outlook, or who you're the most bullish for?
Levine-Weinberg:Yeah. Just on a pureretail basis, I think Nordstrom is by farin the best shape of these three companies. It'slargely because it is not as reliant on its full-line stores anymore. In fact, 2016 was in some ways a really big year forNordstrom because as bad as the full-linesales declines were for the company, now full-line sales are just under 50% of their total sales, just looking at the in store. Therest is made up of off-price sales withNordstrom Rack, and then online sales. So, with the online and off-priceparts of the business still growing, and full-lineprobably declining at a modest paceover the next several years, those growingparts of the business are going to become more and more important. So, I thinkNordstrom is going togradually pull out of this slump that'saffected the department store sector,simply because it's becoming less and less like atraditional department store in terms of its full business,when you look at it from a high level.
Now, itsoff-price business still needs some work. It's not nearly as profitable as a company likeTJX, which is the big bear in the sector.TJX got $33 billion in sales, and it's all off-price.Nordstrom Rack is still about $4.5 billion right now. Still a lot of room to run there, and definitely a lot of room to improvethe profitability of the business. But that's a really exciting long-term opportunity for investors.
Adam Levine-Weinberg owns shares of J.C. Penney, Macy's, and Nordstrom. Adam Levine-Weinberg has the following options: long January 2018 $60 calls on The TJX Companies and short January 2018 $90 calls on The TJX Companies. Vincent Shen has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Nordstrom. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


Watercress (Nasturtium Officinale) is a native plant of Europe and Asia. It was not popular here in the states in the distant past. But how I love watercress when I was younger growing up in Hong Kong. And I still love it. Watercress is one of my favorite vegetables. Thank you, mom, for introducing me to these great veggies when I was wee old.
Recently, I noticed that our local supermarket actually carries watercress. I was pleasantly surprise because normally I can only find it in the Asian markets. However, the price was somewhat higher than what I am used to. So, I am going try my hand in growing them.
As an inspiration, I cooked some watercress soup for tonight. Here are some pictures of it.
This veggie is pack with vitamins & minerals (Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Manganese)It is also a good source of Protein, Folate, Pantothenic Acid and Copper.
There are two methods of growing. You can start from seed or propagating it from the original plants. I will pick the latter.
Take the grocery bought watercress and stick it in a soil medium and keep it moist. Watercress normally grows in fast moving water, like shallow streams. Sounds simple but I do the same with scallions and they grow well.
I LOVE watercress but thought that it necessarily required moving water. When you propagate it from grocery bought, you say "keep it moist in a soil medium." How moist? And what kind of light, I presume shade?
And can you please post the recipe for the yummy looking soup?
Watercress is an aquatic plant but it is not a necessity to plant in moving water. It needs moist, rich soil. Do not let soil dry out between watering. Over watering this plant will not hurt it since it grows well in water. This is an easy to grow plant.
Hope this helps & have fun!


When you daydream about where you would LOVE to travel to… what country comes to mind?
Click HERE to read an interview by Skim Magazine about how journeying with Surfing The Nations has led Zeke to be the first-ever skim boarder in North Korea!
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The National Progression Award (NPA) in Administration: Office Skills and Services at SCQF level 5 is designed as a programme which will provide candidates with theoretical knowledge and also allow them to have hands on experience of key pieces of office equipment, develop communication skills with internal and external customers and improve skills in locating, retrieving and presenting required information.
The qualification structure and Unit content provides a vocational and relevant curriculum which creates and promotes effective articulation and transition into further and higher education, whilst simultaneously recognising and supporting skills for industry and future employment including the soft skills demanded by employers.
Some centres may consider candidates who have successfully completed both this NPA and the NPA in Administration: Information and Technology and Audio for progression onto an HN in Administration and Information Technology or alternatively into the Professional Development Awards in IT in Business and Administration at SCQF level 7.
While entry is at the discretion of the centre, candidates would benefit from some previous work experience in administration.
Centres can choose the order to teach and assess the Units, according to their local market needs and resources. It may be beneficial to have two or three Units taught at the same time to allow integration of teaching and assessments.
The Units are practical and assessment will be a combination of assessment of practical tasks and closed book assessments. It is recommended that centres refer to the evidence and assessment requirements for each Unit.
Assessment Support Packs are available on SQA's website for all three Units which will reinforce the practical aspect of the Unit specification, as well as setting a common standard across centres.


An electronic privacy group challenging President Bush's domestic spying program scored a minor victory after a judge ordered the federal government to release information about lobbying efforts by telecommunications companies to protect them from prosecution. The Electronic Frontier Foundation in January 2006 filed a class-action suit against AT&T Inc., accusing the company of illegally making communications on its networks available to the National Security Agency without warrants. Congress is now considering changing the law to grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that would protect them from such court challenges. "Any attempt for immunity is aimed at getting these very important cases swept back under the rug," EFF spokeswoman Rebecca Jeschke said Wednesday. The EFF wants to know about "discussions, briefings or other exchanges" telecommunications companies and members of Congress have had recently with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence regarding changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, according to Tuesday's court order. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said "all responsive, non-exempt documents" or anything required to be released under the Freedom of Information Act must be turned over by Dec. 10.
While EFF lawyer David Sobel acknowledged he's unsure what he'll learn from the documents, he said they should shed some light on why the companies believe they need protection. "If you're a telephone company executive and you feel like you need this grant of immunity and you're contacting the director of national intelligence about it ... you're going to explain why it is you feel so strongly that you need this protection," he said. Ross Feinstein, a spokesman for the intelligence director, said the department doesn't comment on pending litigation, but "of course we comply with court orders." The EFF suit against AT&T is just one of about two dozen suits against telecommunications companies over the wiretapping program. Those cases have been consolidated in San Francisco's federal appeals court. The president confirmed last December the NSA has been conducting warrantless surveillance of calls and e-mails believed to involve al-Qaida terrorists if at least one of the parties to the communication is outside the U.S. The administration contends the program is legal and necessary, but has been mum on whether purely domestic calls and electronic communications are being monitored. FISA requires the government to obtain court approval before conducting electronic surveillance on U.S. soil, even if the target is a foreign citizen in a foreign country.


AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
development of RUS funded construction projects.
April 14, 2014. Late comments will not be considered.
Federal Rulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow instructions for submitting comments.
available on the Internet at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/index.html.
Staff Branch, Rural Utilities Service, Telecommunications Program, U.S.
Washington, DC 20250-1550, Telephone number: (202) 720-0699.
the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C.
action against the Department or its agencies may be initiated.
regulations at 7 CFR part 3015.
as defined in the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).
more favorable than those generally available from the private sector.
complying with RUS regulations and requirements.
Statement or Assessment is not required.
Comments on this notice must be received by April 14, 2014.
Development and Regulatory Analysis, Rural Utilities Service, U.S.
5159 South Building, Washington, DC 20250-1522, Fax: (202) 720-8435.
Type of Request: Approval of a new collection.
as required by the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (RE Act) (7 U.S.C.
guarantee funds are used effectively and for the intended purposes.
process of equipment during the duration of the project.
RUS Form 395, Equipment Contract.
This form will be used for equipment purchases.
This form will be used in the closeout of RUS Form 395.
RUS Form 395d, Results of Acceptance Tests.
information is estimated to average .25 hours per response.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 284.
Estimated Number of Total Annual Responses per Respondents: 284.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 71 hours.
notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval.
All comments will also become a matter of public record.
businesses and infrastructure throughout rural America.
or exceed a typical narrowband or broadband system.
guarantee funds are effectively used for intended purpose(s).
efficiently and effectively under current budgetary constraints.
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements; Rural areas; and Telephone.
requirements; Rural areas; and Telecommunications.
Federal Regulations by proposing to amend parts 1753 and 1755.
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 501, 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.
2. In Sec.  1753.2, remove the definition of the RTB.
Sec.  1753.6  Standards, specifications, and general requirements.
Sec.  1753.7  Plans and specifications (P&S).
exempted from RUS approval under paragraph (e) of this section.
contractor may subcontract work under the contract.
and to the Government under the contract.
Sec.  1753.18  Engineer and architect contract closeout certifications.
requirements as to strength and safety.
specifications shall be included in the contract.
Sec.  1753.37  Plans and specifications (P&S).
all other pertinent data needed by the bidder to complete its proposal.
d. Revising newly redesignated paragraphs (d)(3) and (d)(5).
whether the software contract stipulations are applicable.
made to obtain at least three competitive bids.
accordance with subpart I, if applicable, or by an approved FAP.
demonstrating compliance will be acceptable.
borrower when using the Form 395 without equipment installation.
(2) Submit one copy of the summary to RUS with an FRS.
238...........  Construction or                            3 sent to RUS....  1 from RUS......  1 from RUS.
395a..........  Certificate of          .................  2................  1...............  1.
395b..........  Certificate of          .................  2................  1...............  1.
remaining funds on the contract.
Sec.  1753.47  Plans and specifications (P&S).
for Construction of Direct Buried Plant.
for Construction of Underground Plant.
Drawings for Construction of Aerial Plant.
Drawings for Service Installation at Customer Access Locations.
borrower to use non-domestic materials.
and-install basis, as well as on a furnish-only basis.
purchased with a Form 395 contract not including installation.
software and whether the software contract stipulations are applicable.
Sec.  1753.67  Contracts and specifications.
g. By revising the table in paragraph (d)(3)(i).
Sec.  1753.68  Purchasing special equipment.
238...........  Construction or         .................  3 sent to RUS....  1 sent to RUS...  1 from RUS.
Sec.  1753.80  Minor construction procedure.
application of RUS construction practices (See Sec.  1753.6).
(b)10), and (b)(13) as newly designated paragraph (b)(11).
words ``or Rural Telephone Bank,'' from the second sentence.
Authority:  7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., 1921 et seq., 6941 et seq.
b. Removing paragraphs (c)(46) through paragraphs (56).
Sec.  1755.30  List of telecommunications standard contract forms.
Contract Certificate of Completion (Including Installation).
Contract Certificate of Completion (Not Including Installation).
Systems Construction Contract (Labor and Materials).
(32) RUS Form 526, issued 8-66, Construction Contract Amendment.
Construction Contract (Labor and Materials), columns 9-14.
by Licensed Engineer or Borrower's Staff Engineer).
and adding in its place ``compliant,''.
Sec.  1755.200  RUS standard for spicing copper and fiber optic cables.
Sec.  1755.390  RUS specification for filled telephone cables.
a manner that the cable components will not be degraded.
flooding compound selected for use is acceptable for the application.
shipped, both ends must be equipped with end caps acceptable to owner.
protection method must be acceptable to owner prior to its use.
Sec.  1755.397  RUS performance specification for line concentrators.
Equipment Contract. (Copies are available from RUS, Room 0174, U.S.
AWG filled buried cable conforming to the requirements of Sec.
1755.390, RUS specification for filled telephone cables.
outside and inside with a duct sealer that is RUS compliant.
Sec.  1755.506  Aerial wire services.
aerial services shall conform to the requirements of Sec. Sec.
STOP 1522, Washington, DC 20250-1522, FAX (202) 720-4120.
Sec.  1755.507  Aerial cable services.
ends of the hole after the cable is pulled in.
RUS technically accepted'' and adding in its place ``RUS compliant''.
paragraph (c) as newly designated paragraph (b).
used if specifically approved by owner.
confined to unique and specific switching system requirements only.
funds under Sec. Sec.  1755.700 through 1755.704 must be RUS compliant.
submitted for acceptance by the RUS borrower's engineer.
(2) The raw materials shall be RUS compliant prior to their use.
Sec.  1755.703  Nonmetallic reinforced (NMR) aerial service wire.
specified in ANSI/ICEA S-89-648-1993, paragraph 3.2.3.3.
and adding in its place '' the purchaser''.
and redesignate APPENDICES B as newly designated APPENDIX A -to Sec.
k. Revising new APPENDIX B to Sec.  1755.860(III)(8).
Sec.  1755.860  RUS specification for filled buried wires.
design must be accepted by the RUS borrower's engineer.
specifically addressed by this section may be allowed if RUS compliant.
utility and long term stability and endurance.
made in uninsulated conductors, the two conductor ends must be butted.
joined in a manner acceptable to the RUS borrower's engineer.
borrower's engineers prior to its use.
RUS borrower's engineer prior to its use.
Sec.  1755.870  RUS specification for terminating cables.
compliant prior to their use.
what constitutes a design change.
acceptable to the RUS borrower's engineer.
h. Removing Appendix to Sec.  1755.902 .
other standard or unique test procedures may serve the same function.
procedures and results on an individual basis.
housing being left to the manufacturer's discretion.
considered by the RUS borrower on a case-by-case basis.
evaluated by the RUS borrower's engineer on a case-by-case basis.
galvanizing per ASTM A 526/A 526M-90 for steel surfaces.


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http://tinyurl.com/y6tnkulg
Fall of Sudan's Bashir is blow to Turkey's AKP
Yavuz Baydar
Apr 15 2019 07:59 Gmt+3
Last Updated On: Apr 16 2019 04:21 Gmt+3
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stands at a decisive moment in his political career but he insists on not giving in an inch of his ambitions, preventing Turkish and Kurdish aspirations for the return to democratic order and rule of law.
Although two weeks have passed since critical municipal elections, the voters of the opposition blocs are left nervously wondering whether Erdogan will let go of Istanbul and whether Kurdish politicians of the Peoples' Democratic Party will be given approval to rule in provinces they have won.
Turkey's extremely centralised and authoritarian administrative system is generously implemented in both cases. The Supreme Electoral Council has given in to the series of breaches of the law by dragging the process in the direction indicated by Erdogan and his circle.
As a result, the gap between the people's will and the totalitarian obstinacy of the current power structure has widened. Every erratic move by Erdogan — supported by adventurers nested in bureaucracy — deepens the crisis in the country to the point of ungovernability. There is no sign of a diversion from that path.
Does Erdogan know the magnitude of the problems his administration piled up and postponed over the years? Given the mental arsenal of assessments, the answer could be "yes." His road map these days may be covered by a thick fog.
Turkey's iron ruler may be estimating that keeping or giving away Istanbul is a crucial moment for his political survival, that he has all the state leverages at his disposal to maintain a reign of fear. However, he must be aware also of the fact that external developments — out of his control — may have started to be set in motion, that they on their own may weaken and shorten his rule.
One is the decline of the economy that makes Turkey needy of the International Monetary Fund. The second is the rapidly gathering storm in Washington over Erdogan's insistence on buying Russia's S-400 air defence missile systems, opening the gates in slow motion about a sanctions regime over his government.
The third one, which seems to have entered unexpectedly, has existential marks written all over it. It was the ouster of Omar al-Bashir, the Islamist ruler of Sudan, by military force. Coupled with developments in Libya, the disruptive change in Sudan is doomed to be the strongest element of preoccupation in Ankara. The change in Khartoum is existential because al-Bashir's fall delivers a severe blow to those who dreamed of a political rule dominated by religion.
"As Sudan turns a new chapter in its history after the removal of al-Bashir, it puts an end to the three-decade-long political Islam project that proved to be a failure. That Islamist project resulted in several crises in Sudan, divided the country and led to civil wars that still have an impact and create agonies," said political analyst Ghassan Ibrahim.
Islamic history expert Rasheed al-Khayoun said: "A new stronghold of Islamist parties is diminishing. States and key figures have expressed their unease, and their frustration has appeared, because their Muslim Brotherhood project has deteriorated."
Sources from Erdogan's party, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), did not hide the fact that the ambition of their leader was to establish himself at the top of the hierarchy in the Islamic sphere, dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood doctrine. However, the AKP has been facing the fact that if ruthless majoritarianism is coupled with hyperinflation in lands ruled by Islamists, the path turns into a cul-de-sac.
Seeing that the severe decline in Sudan's economy was the real reason for al-Bashir's fall, Erdogan certainly must be concerned. His project, which has abandoned all ethics and morality over the years and depended on low-educated cadres of his party, is heading for failure.
The vote results in Istanbul, which turned out to be a nightmare for Erdogan and his cronies, has become strong proof of AKP's shortcomings.
As Turkish scholar Pinar Tremblay wrote in the Jerusalem Post: "AKP, representing Turkish Ikhwan, or Muslim Brotherhood, invested heavily in reversing the secular curriculum into an Islamic one. It backfired.
"Now Istanbul has a youth bulge with little to no skills for the job market… The elites struggle to justify their corrupt rags-to-riches stories along with pious morals to the youth. The youth are fed up with the government's hyped-up Islamic rhetoric and ever-growing lavish lifestyle…
"Different religious order leaders are coaxed to openly endorse Erdogan but they are not sufficient to convince the youth that political Islam is a viable path. 'Dawa [Islamic cause] traded in for iPhone' is a common sentiment. Islamists, particularly young, expected-to-be Islamists, are disillusioned."
So, the claim that Erdogan is instilled with fear by the domestic opposition may not explain his current state but the tremors keep the Islamic geographies uncertain. In Khartoum, his men see darkness mirroring their destructive adventures.
The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Ahval.
New Istanbul mayor highlights $24 million overspending on car rentals
Ankara and Moscow municipalities agree to boost bilateral relations
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Will BYU Mess With Texas? (3)
The Key to Beating Utah is Simple (3)
BYU Report Card vs. TCU (2)
BYU's To-Do List vs. ISU (1)
BYU Report Card vs. Texas (1)
BYU Report Card vs. Oregon State (1)
The Independent Outlook for 2011 – BYU (1)
BYU Report Card vs. Idaho (1)
New Mexico State vs. BYU by the numbers (1)
BYU Report Card vs. UCF (1)
Posts tagged Bronco Mendenhall
The Independent Outlook for 2011 – BYU
Aug 31st
Posted by Quick Slant Admin in BYU Cougars
Much has been written about BYU's bold move into the realm of college football independence since last summer when the university announced it was leaving the Mountain West Conference. At first, most pundits thought it was a suicidal move for the Cougars, but as A.D. Tom Holmoe methodically cobbled together the program's first indy season schedule with the help of broadcast partner ESPN, perceptions slowly began to change.
It's a much stronger schedule than what they'd face if they were still in the MWC.
BYU's 2011 schedule starts impressively – on the road at Mississippi and Texas, then back home for Utah, Central Florida and Utah State. Three additional tough road games are tossed into the mix with Oregon State, TCU and Hawaii. Technically, the TCU game is considered to be at a neutral site – Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Fort Worth. This game is minutes from the Horned Frog campus and it's considered a neutral site? Right.
The rest of the Cougar schedule features Idaho, Idaho State, New Mexico State, and San Jose State, giving the team eight solid games and four that provide a little breathing room during the back stretch of the season. We don't consider Utah State a breather because it's a rivalry game, even though BYU has owned the Aggies for decades (27-8 record since
Bronco Mendenhall
1970). Every team gets up for playing BYU and Bronco Mendenhall can't afford to let his squad take any opponent lightly.
H.B. Arnett of Cougar Sportsline (a subscription newsletter for BYU sports fans) is so high on this year's Cougar football team that he's predicting a BCS berth.
Quote: "… this is the year that BYU breaks into a BCS bowl. I'm not stupid. I know that means an undefeated season for the Cougars. That's how stupid good this BYU team can be."
We'd be inclined to agree with Arnett if Brigham Young's new OC Brandon Doman already had a year of calling plays and total interaction with the offensive players and coaches under his belt. There is a lot of talent on this team and they appear to be unified and excited to take on the world as an independent.
New coaches Ben Cahoon (receivers) and Joe DuPaix (running backs) complement the move assistant head coach Lance Reynolds made to shore up a nationally touted (out of high school) group of tight ends in Austin Holt, Richard Wilson and Devin Mahina. (Note: Mahina is now out for the season with a fractured neck).
Cahoon has senior McKay Jacobson, soph Cody Hoffman, and redshirt freshman Ross Apo headlining a solid group of receivers, while DuPaix has senior sparkplug J.J. DiLuigi, second year bruiser "Juice" Quezeda, and senior Bryan Kariya to handle the rock out of the backfield.
Mark Weber's offensive line is as solid as it's ever been with Outland Trophy candidate Matt Reynolds holding down left tackle, and Braden Brown, Braden Hansen, Houston Reynolds, Terence Brown, and Ryker Matthews manning other ports
BYU QB Jake Heaps
of call at the scrimmage line. They'll protect soph signal caller Jake Heaps who is poised for a big year, and solid backup QB James Lark. Dual threat southpaw QB Riley Nelson will be utilized in the Cougar offense, but not as Heaps' backup, should that need present itself.
Defensively, the linebacker corps is experienced, swift, and highly underrated with three NFL-quality studs in Uona Kaveinga, Jordan Pendleton and Kyle Van Noy. Barring injuries, they'll be considered one of the top units in the nation by the end of this season.
The defensive line depth looks solid, especially now that senior DE Matt Putnam has been cleared academically to rejoin the team. The addition of Putnam's experience and wingspan, not to mention the psychological lift of returning to his teammates, cannot be overlooked. It should take him a few weeks to get up to speed with the line platoon of Romney Fuga, Travis Tuiloma, Graham Rowley, Eathyn Manumaleuna, and USC transfer Hebron Fangupo.
The defensive backfield finally has solid with Daniel Sorenson, Travis Uale and Mike Hague handling safety duties and Corby Eason, Preston Hadley, Joe Sampson, and DeQuan Everett handling the corners. This group just needs some real game-time experience and you'll see them gel nicely as a unit.
Prediction: 10-2 regular season, Armed Forces Bowl win, Top 15 ranking
BYU has a new OC and defensive backfield to break in. Look for them to lose close games on the road to Ole Miss and Texas the first two weeks of September and then rattle off 10 straight wins. Although they'll be deserving of a Tier 2 bowl bid by season's end, without the strength of a major conference affiliation they'll be stuck playing in a Tier 4 bowl game.
Brigham Young University, Bronco Mendenhall, BYU Cougars, Jake Heaps, Matt Reynolds, Uona Kaveinga
BYU at Ole Miss – Keys to the Game
Sep 2nd
By now, you've heard way too much about the heat and humidity factor that will affect BYU in Oxford tomorrow. The Cougars have played in the deep South before – most recently at Tallahassee last year – and they know what to expect and how to prepare for it. I don't see the climate being a factor for Bronco's boys unless they have to play catch-up. More >
Bronco Mendenhall, BYU, Houston Nutt, Mississippi, Ole Miss
Longhorns Respect Cougars
Sep 6th
The gentlemen representing the University of Texas are downright polite and respectful about their opponent this week. And it's not because they're coming off an incredibly humbling 5-7 campaign, just one year removed from playing in the national title game.
In UT's Monday press conference, Brown and his players said a lot of nice things about Brigham Young University's football program. Of course, they don't want to provide any bulletin board fodder, but their respect has more to do with the way Brown approaches the game more than anything else. He expects his student-athletes to respect the opponents they square up against each week – and to earn their opponents' respect in return – because that's the way you respect the game of football. More >
Bronco Mendenhall, BYU, Mack Brown, Texas
Will BYU Mess With Texas?
Cougar Sportsline editor H. B. Arnett is predicting a 38-17 Brigham Young win over Texas in Austin this weekend.
I guess I need to get some of those shiny blue goggles of optimism he's wearing because I don't see it that way.
The Cougar defense is very good this year and they'll take care of business for as long as possible this Saturday, but in the end, I expect the offense to choke and sputter along the line of last week's performance, which will eventually tucker out their faithful band of defensive-minded brothers.
This game will be a fairly low-scoring affair because Texas' offense is still a work in progress, too; so, I'm calling it 20-13 or 20-10 in favor of UT. More >
Bronco Mendenhall, BYU, Jake Heaps, Mack Brown, Texas, Texas Longhorns
BYU Report Card vs. Utah
In the past 37 years of BYU football, the Cougars have hit a 3-game offensive dead-spin only twice before this season: in 1974 under Lavell Edwards and in 2002 under Gary Crowton. Both of those seasons ended in a sub-.500 win-loss record.
With the 2011 season now one-quarter of the way complete, BYU's offense is ranked near the very bottom of Division 1-A college football in Scoring Offense. To put that in perspective for you, Brandon Doman's creation exists in a realm inhabited by offensive juggernaut programs such as Western Kentucky, San Jose State, Kent State, and Akron.
Even worse, the nightmarish offensive performance finally tipped the ship on the defense in Week 3, after we began to see the meltdown take place in the second half of the Texas game.
Watching BYU's Defense get shredded on the ground by Utah in the second half, one couldn't help but get the feeling that they were communicating to the Offense: "Enough is enough. If you're going to keep us on the field this long every game, we're gonna make your butts come right back out here."
It was painfully visible that the Band of Brothers had disbanded. Given up. Thrown in the towel. Whether they can re-group this season is a question that will loom large not only this week but into the future.
What on earth happened to the team that Bronco was gushing about just 20 days ago? Was he fooled by a mirage?
Whatever, he thought he saw, it doesn't exist, and if he truly wants to jump-start the Offense this season, he needs to consider immediate changes. He needs to consider hiring a retired offensive wizard with previous ties to the BYU program – someone like Ted Tollner or Brian Billick – who will get Brandon Doman off the sidelines and into the skybox. Let them tutor him how to read the game from a bird's eye point of view. Let them call the plays and gradually work him into his job, making sure he fully understands what it takes to run an offense and make play-by-play adjustments in crunch time.
Or better yet, let Doman do what he does best – coach the quarterbacks. And just leave the play calling to someone who's got the experience.
If Mendenhall decides not to make any changes and the offense doesn't get untracked, the question that needs to be asked is: What's more important – Doman's career or the BYU football program?
Other Questions Nobody Has Asked: Did any other offensive coordinators ever interview for the BYU job besides Doman, or was he just handed the keys after Anae was shown the door? If so, how did Bronco know that Doman could handle on-the-fly play calling in the heat of battle?
Coaching Grade: F
Seven turnovers.
Whatever adjustments were made at halftime and as the game started to unravel in the third quarter were totally ineffective.
Keeping Heaps on the field in the fourth quarter with a 30-point deficit. Why didn't we see James Lark at that point? Bronco had gushed about how he had competed well in August camp. Conversely, if the season's outcome is so dependent on keeping Heaps healthy, than why wasn't he pulled when the game was already out of reach?
First Half Offense Grade: D
Second Half Offense Grade: F
Heaps 32-yard TD pass to Apo at the 7:19 mark of the second quarter is about the only good thing memorable.
The Offense tallied six of the team's seven turnovers.
Rushing yards per attempt? 0.5
Heaps got his first 300-yard passing game of his career, but quite frankly, who cares? Stats like that are meaningless unless they come attached to a Win.
First Half Defense Grade: B+
Second Half Defense Grade: D-
Kyle Van Noy made a phenomenally athletic interception in the first half. The first half would have been an A if the secondary didn't melt down in coverage near the end of the second quarter.
Eason has serious coverage problems. BYU has better cornerbacks in the depth chart and they need to start using them.
Special Teams Grade: D+
Justin Sorenson banged in a nice 46-yard field goal. He also kicked out of bounds at the beginning of the second half to give Utah primo field position.
Riley Stephenson had a 46.5-yard average on 6 punts with three inside the 20. His longest was a 65-yarder.
J.D. Falslev fumbled at the 3-yard line to give Utah an easy touchdown two plays later.
The punt coverage team gave up a 29-yard return in the second half to negate a nice punt by Stephenson.
Final Team Grade: F+
Bronco Mendenhall, BYU, Jake Heaps
BYU Report Card vs. TCU
BYU held TCU to their lowest total yardage output of the season. They also piled up 24 first downs to the Frogs' 16. But this was a painful game for Cougar fans. Were it not for two botched punts, a fumble and two interceptions, BYU could have won this one. And don't let the 38 points TCU scored fool you. The defense played much better than the final score might indicate. BYU clearly looked like the better team but they kept shooting their own toes off.
Special Teams Grade: F (but Falslev's punt return for TD raises it to a D+).
Riley Stephenson mishandled two punts that gave Texas Christian excellent field position inside Cougar territory, both leading to scores. He also had a muffed punt that gave the Frogs the ball at the BYU 47. J.D. Falslev returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter and Cody Hoffman broke one kickoff return for 49 yards. Kickoff coverage was acceptable except for a 39-yard return. Justin Sorenson hit 2 of 3 field goals and two extra points. He could've had a chance for a third field goal but BYU elected to fake it and ended up throwing an incomplete pass. Sorenson was also hampered on a field goal attempt with just a few seconds remaining in the first half, thanks to extremely poor clock management by the coaching staff.
Offense Grade: C-
BYU out-gained Texas Christian in total yards, 354 to 283 and rolled up 24 first downs to the Frogs' 16, but Riley Nelson had two interceptions and a fumble, all of which were plays he could've avoided by taking the sack. He ended up taking 4 sacks, as it is. Ross Apo had a nice 42-yard catch, but had the ball stripped out of his hands on another long play that would've given the Cougars the ball inside the TCU 10. Nelson did run for 84 yards, the longest being a 32-yard gainer, and J.J. DiLuigi picked up 69 yards on 11 carries. Alisa and Quezada were ineffective and Kariya totaled 15 yards on 4 carries, banging one in for a touchdown. Cody Hoffman led all receivers with 4 catches for 67 yards. Aside from the turnovers, the offense moved the ball fairly well.
Defense Grade: B+
The defense was constantly forced on their heels by Stephenson's mistakes and Nelson's turnovers. They held TCU quarterback Casey Pachall 75 yards under his per game average and TCU's 283 total yards was their lowest offensive output this season. There were a few bonehead plays made on defense – one a flagrant penalty on Brandon Ogletree on TCU's first series that resulted in 15 yards and a first down that led to a quick TD. But all in all, the defense kept the Cougars in the game.
Coaching Grade: D-
This was a winnable game and it's difficult to imagine that execution is all on the players' heads. The team was disorganized, uninspired, and visibly lacked the fire we saw at the close of the Utah State game or a couple weeks ago against Oregon State. Riley Nelson is not a stupid kid, but his three big turnovers and a several other ill-advised passes that were nearly intercepted indicate either that he is, or that there is a serious lack of attention for refining his game in practice. The Cougars left three points on the field when they tried a poorly conceived fake field goal pass, and another three points were lost at the end of the first half because of poor clock management that forced the field goal unit to race onto the field and try to get a kick off. Justin Sorenson slipped in the process of his kick and was way off the mark. There is a vibe about this team that just seems out of whack. The talent is clearly there and the coaching is not molding it properly.
Overall Team Grade: C-
This game was winnable. BYU had the talent – and finally the speed – to keep up with TCU but their lack of discipline and poor execution cost the Cougars the game.
Bronco Mendenhall, BYU Cougars, Riley Nelson, TCU Horned Frogs


If you want to visit Montenegro by bus/coach, there is many destinations that are offering direct lines to Montenegro. If you are coming from Serbia (or passing through) there are many direct bus lines for Montenegro from Belgrade, and all other major cities.
From Bosnia and Herzegovina there are direct lines for Montenegro from Sarajevo and Mostar. During the summer season there is a direct line from Podgorica (capital of MNE) passing through most of coastal towns of Montenegro and Croatia, and going to Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia.
"Blue Line" has regular bus line from Herceg Novi to Dubrovnik (daily).
Dubrovnik - Herceg Novi : every day in 15.30 PM (main bus station in Dubrovnik).
Also, "Blue Line" has line from Podgorica to Pula (every friday).
Pula - Podgorica : every Sunday in 12.30 PM (main bus station in Pula).
At the airport of Dubrovnik, many rent-a-car companies offer cars that can be driven to Montenegro.
Taxi service is also available from/to Dubrovnik Airport, and usual price is from 80 to 120 euros, depending from/to which Montenegrin town you want to go. (Example Kotor – 80 euros; Budva – 120 euros).


The site, www.windsor.gov.uk, is the 3rd to be developed by New Mind | tellUs for Visit Windsor, this time adopting the Tourism Pro platform. This flexible solution has provided the destination with a fully responsive format, with the option to include 'bolt-on' functionality such as TripAdvisor integration, banner ads, featured items and a blog.
The timing of its launch coincides with one of the biggest events in the Royal Calendar. On the Saturday 19th May HRH Prince Henry of Wales (familiarly known as Prince Harry) marries Ms Megan Markle in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, marking the latest chapter in his association with the historic Thameside town.
The Royal Wedding is a major focus for content on the new site, with interest expected to have a global reach and a view audience likely to top a billion people. The site includes a countdown to the wedding date and a video which shows the route which the newly married couple will take for the carriage procession through Windsor, as well as top 12 places to propose, tips for organising the perfect wedding and romantic getaway options.
Some of the UK's most iconic tourism attractions are located in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead so the site's content will also highlight the destination's huge tourism potential, particularly for the family market, with the intention of motivating more visitors to book short breaks and overnight stays. The promotion of internationally renowned attractions such as Windsor Castle, River Thames, LEGOLAND Windsor Resort and Ascot and Windsor Racecourses will be elevated by the site's improved design and new features in order to raise awareness and boost ticket sales.
Julia White at Visit Windor comments "The launch of the new Visit Windsor website coincided with the announcement of the royal wedding so the timing couldn't have been more perfect. The Tourism Pro platform has allowed us to put the wedding plans front and centre and have some fun with engaging new content. As more details are added the Visit Windsor site will become a hugely valuable resource for anyone planning to visit on the day of the wedding and will hopefully inspire future visits by travellers from home and abroad."