text:
Find a tour
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Japan - Land of the Rising Sun
Credit: coward_lion - Fotolia
Spend time in Japan's vibrant capital, Tokyo
Enjoy a cable-car ride over Owakundi Valley
Ride the Bullet Train to Kyoto
Go sightseeing in Hiroshima and Osaka
Explore the traditional mountain city of Takayama
Book with our trusted partner Travelsphere
12 nights from £ 3,949
View departure dates
For enquires: 0330 037 1048
Discover some of Japan's incredible highlights and explore the contrast between traditional and modern cultures and cities. Beginning in dazzling Tokyo, admire incredible views of Mount Fuji, see the beautiful Matsumoto Castle and visit the traditional city of Takayama. After riding the famous Bullet Train to Kyoto, spend three nights exploring this charming city before heading to Hiroshima and uncovering its poignant history. Your journey ends in bustling Osaka, where you'll visit Osaka Castle and have some free time for shopping or exploring the city at your leisure.
Return flight from Heathrow with Cathay Pacific
Overseas transfers and other transportation
10 nights' accommodation in four-star hotels (plus two nights in flight)
10 breakfasts, one lunch and three dinners
Travelsphere tour manager and local guide
Selected departures from May to November, 2020
Choose your booking
Departure dates (12 night stays available)
Oct 6, 20, 2019
Sep 6, 27, 2020
Departures from
For information on flight departure points please call 0330 037 1048
Book with our trusted partner
Travelsphere
Note: All holidays subject to availability. Dates, Prices and departures shown are representative only. Travel insurance not included.
* To see what is included in the price, see what's included below.
** Calls to 03 numbers cost no more than calls to geographic numbers (01 or 02) and are included in inclusive minutes and discount schemes in the same way.
We are sending you to our trusted partner
Single occupancy supplements will apply.
Days 2 - 4 :New Otani Hotel
Located in Akasaka in the city centre of Tokyo. Hotel facilities include free Wi-Fi, restaurants, bar, spa & gym, garden, shops and private bedroom facilities.
Days 5 - 6: Associa Takayama Resort Takayama
The 4-star Associa Takayama Resort is situated in Takayama. Hotel facilities include a restaurant and a bar. Bedrooms have private facilities, air-conditioning and a TV.
Days 7 - 9: Kyoto Tokyu Hotel
The 4-star Kyoto Tokyu Hotel is ideally located within reach of Kyoto's main tourist attractions. Hotel facilities include a restaurant and a bar. Bedrooms have private facilities, air-conditioning, TV, complimentary Wi-Fi and tea/coffee-making facilities.
Day 10: Hotel Granvia Hiroshima
The 4-star Granvia Hiroshima is ideally located within easy reach of the main tourist attractions of Hiroshima. Hotel facilities include a selection of restaurants and a bar. Bedrooms have private facilities, air-conditioning, TV and complimentary Wi-Fi.
Day 11: Hotel Nikko Osaka
Hotel Nikko Osaka is a deluxe hotel located in a prime area of central Osaka. The hotel faces the famous tree-lined Mido-suji Avenue, the city's main boulevard.
Day 1 - UK to Tokyo, Japan
Depart from the UK on your scheduled flight to Tokyo via Hong Kong.
Day 2 - Tokyo, Japan
This evening you'll arrive in Tokyo, where we'll transfer you to your hotel. After time to settle in, why not head out for stroll to get your bearings.
Your exploration of Japan begin here in dazzling Tokyo and take you first to the Meiji Jingu Shrine. This collection of buildings and tranquil grounds is dedicated to the first emperor of modern Japan. Next we'll transfer to the district of Asakusa, where you'll visit the fascinating Sensoji Buddhist temple, and head to the vibrant Nakamise shopping street.
In the afternoon we're going to visit the Tokyo Tower and make a stop close to the spectacular Imperial Palace. This is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan, so make sure you bring your camera! Tonight we'll head to a restaurant for a welcome dinner.
Day 4 - Hakone and Mount Fuji, Japan
A spectacular sight awaits us today, as we journey to Hakone. This is the gateway to Mount Fuji, Japan's highest mountain, and the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. The scenery here is breathtakingly beautiful and we'll take a cable-car ride over the Owakudani Valley to admire views of mountains, sulphur hot springs and crystal-clear Lake Ashi.
The lake formed thousands of years ago in the crater of a dormant volcano, and we'll take a tranquil and scenic cruise across its waters. At the hot springs, you'll have a chance to try the local delicacy of 'black eggs'. Cooked in the sulphur, eating just one egg is believed to add seven years to your life! We'll also make a photo stop at a great spot close to Mount Fuji, so you can capture its stunning beauty if the weather is on our side.
Day 5 - Takayama, Japan
Your next base is Takayama, and a day of discoveries starts with a visit to the ancient and perfectly preserved Matsumoto Castle. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Japanese Alps, it's the country's oldest five-tiered wooden castle and has been designated a National Treasure of Japan.
In the afternoon we're going to tour Daio Wasabi Farm to see how Japanese horseradish is grown. The farm has a number of large fields where the wasabi plants grow and we will admire them from specially designed walking trails. To round off your visit, why not treat yourself to a wasabi-flavoured ice cream!
Your day out today starts early at Miyagawa morning market, where you'll see and even sample the region's exotic fruit and vegetables. We'll then have the chance to see a traditional house and enjoy some free time in Takayama.
One of Japan's most scenic areas is Shirakawago, located along the Shokawa River. You'll head here later to take in wonderful sights of pine-covered mountains and centuries-old thatch-roofed farmhouses.
Day 7 - Kyoto, Japan
A journey by train this morning takes you to Nagoya, where we board one of Japan's famous Bullet Trains bound for Kyoto.
You'll start the sightseeing as soon as you arrive in historic Kyoto. It's filled with fascinating temples, ancient buildings and splendid gardens, and you'll see highlights including Nijo Castle, built in 1603 for the first Shogun of the Edo Period. You'll also admire the Sanjusangendo Temple, the longest wooden building in Japan, which houses 1,001 unique carved statues of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy.
Start the day by viewing the Kinkakuji Temple with its Golden Pavilion. Next you're heading to the beautiful district of Arashiyama today, where a rickshaw ride through a bamboo forest promises to be an exhilarating experience. Sit back and enjoy the sight of the towering stalks swaying gently in the wind and casting shadows on the path. A sushi-making demonstration and lunch are also included before an afternoon of exploration in Nara. This historic city is where you'll find the Todaiji Temple, one of the most famous in Japan, and the Deer Park with its hundreds of free-roaming deer. where you can purchase crackers and feed the deer. You'll also visit Kasuga Taisha, the most celebrated shrine in Nara.
How you spend today in Kyoto is entirely up to you. You could take part in a Kendo lesson, a modern martial art which uses bamboo swords, or maybe enjoy a more genteel experience, a tea ceremony. Kyoto is the birthplace of this traditional ceremony and there are a number of places which offer you a chance to experience it for yourself.
If you fancy a spot of retail therapy, Downtown Kyoto has plenty to offer, including department stores and a wonderful food market. Alternatively, you could opt to learn more about Japanese culture on a Kimono-wearing experience.
Day 10 - Hiroshima, Japan
You're taking another Bullet Train today, and this time it will transport you to Hiroshima. This city is infamous as the target of the first-ever atomic bomb, dropped by the US at the end of the Second World War. You'll tour this rebuilt city and nearby Miyajima Island, taking in views of the beautiful Itsukushima Shrine, a Unesco-listed site built over water. You'll also see the Peace Memorial Park, a vast area of open land dedicated to the promotion of world peace, and the Atomic Bomb Dome. This building stood at the epicentre of the devastating bomb blast and has been preserved as a lasting reminder of that tragic event.
Tonight you'll get together for a farewell dinner. You'll head to a restaurant and try okonomiyaki, savoury pancakes served with a variety of toppings including seafood, vegetables, pork and noodles.
Day 11 - Osaka, Japan
Osaka is the final destination of your tour, and you'll journey here by road, so this morning is all about relaxing and admiring the view from your window. Your hotel in Osaka is located close to the city's main shopping and entertainment district, so there's plenty to keep you busy during a free afternoon. If you fancy a spot of retail therapy, you could make your way to the upmarket stores along Midosuji Street, the so-called Champs-Élysées of the East. And later on, why not head to a nearby restaurant and sample some of the local cuisine.
Day 12 - Osaka, Japan to the UK
You'll spend the first half of today discovering Osaka Castle and the Floating Garden Observatory at the top of the Umeda Sky Building. From here you'll get panoramic views of the city and there will be free time for lunch if you wish. Later, you'll transfer to the airport for your flight back to the UK via Hong Kong .
Day 13 - UK
You'll arrive back in the UK today and make your way home.
Tour provided by Travelsphere
Travelsphere packs in, flights, transfers, accommodation, experienced Tour Managers and a huge range of local excursions are a given. The included meals, give a flavour of the local culture and cuisine, and there is always plenty of time to explore independently. Travelsphere has specialised in providing escorted tours across the globe for over 50 years, offering tours to over 60 global destinations. Travelling with Travelsphere means getting under the skin of a destination and sharing experiences in good company.
Please click here to view our supplier's terms and conditions


text:
The Return of the Foldable Phone
HiQ's Senior Software Tester Tuomas analyses the usability challenges of foldable phones.
"He is the closed circle. He is returning to the beginning."
When I started at HiQ in 2005, the era of smartphones was just beginning. In my pocket, I carried a compact clamshell mobile phone, the more advanced features of which included a clunky WAP browser and polyphonic ringtones.
At the time, the Nokia 9500 Communicator, with its full QWERTY keyboard, was at the top of its class. It was something a newly graduated engineer couldn't afford.
Little did I know then that more than a decade and a half later, flip phones would be back. At least Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, and Motorola are once again producing phones with foldable screens. Google is also rumoured to be creating a foldable phone, if not more than one – maybe even this year.
No innovation is without growing pains
Samsung launched its first Fold phone two years ago. The first model, in particular, was plagued by a number of technical missteps and, above all, an accident-prone structure. In Fold 3, the most obvious teething problems have reportedly already been cleared up. So, it was interesting to find out what you can do with the phone and how the apps work on the two screens that are quite different from each other. As a tester, I personally don't envision new opportunities for taking advantage of the increased screen area in terms of the user interface. Rather, my focus is on usability.
The vertically foldable main screen with a resolution of 2208x1786 is almost square when opened. While it may seem like a great aspect ratio for Instagram, many traditional apps may struggle to scale properly. Typically, some images may be stretched, and some of the interface elements, such as icons or buttons, may be too large – or sometimes too small. On the other hand, some of the texts may become a tad too small next to the huge icons. In the worst cases, a function may seem to spill off the screen, preventing you from using an essential part of the application.
At the other end of the spectrum is the narrow 2268x832 resolution cover screen, which even outshines the 21:9 aspect ratio of Sony's Xperia phones. On this screen, long words, in particular, can be broken unexpectedly. And the Finnish language is full of long compound words, especially when it comes to slightly more technical terms.
Sometimes, these cosmetic problems are caused by third parties: for example, embedded views or WebView elements. These may not be quickly fixed if a partner is not enthusiastic about making changes for a marginal group of users.
Although phones like the Fold 3 are a rare treat so far, buying such an expensive phone can be a bit of a nuisance if the apps are full of cosmetic flaws. Here at HiQ, we believe that quality is in the small details, and, therefore, the needs of users of less common devices should also be taken into account.
Dual-screen devices require a lot of development work
Dual-screen devices involve a lot of planning and testing. In addition to the interior and exterior screens, the transition in both directions must be taken into account. By default, an application that is active on the cover screen is moved to the main screen when the device is opened.
Switching in the other direction will only occur for the applications for which it has been explicitly enabled in the settings. Many applications cannot cope with these sudden changes in screen size and aspect ratio with a clean record. So, there is still room for improvement.
If nothing else, the development tools in Android 12.1, due out later this year, should help with app development. If the preliminary information on the XDA Developers website is to be believed, the horizontal space on the main screen can be better utilised. Manufacturers do not need to make their own tweaks to, for example, the split-screen mode. The lock screen promises functions on one side of the screen, with notifications appearing on the other. But the breakthrough is only likely to happen when another major player in the industry, Apple, joins the game. According to the latest analyses, we should not expect a foldable iPhone from Cupertino until 2024. On the other hand, trends come and go, and in three years, they can change in completely unexpected directions. Whatever the future holds, it pays to anticipate it.
Would you like to keep up to speed with the new technologies in mobile development? The experts of HiQ are at your service. Contact us!
Tuomas Tonteri
Senior Software Testertuomas.tonteri@hiq.fi
HiQ Finland Oy
myynti@hiq.fi+358 9 4355 860

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Carols Cabs is the longest established taxi service on the island of Islay. We provide a 24 hour Taxi and Mini-bus service across Islay, offering island tours, whisky tours, ferry and airport transfers to any part of the island, and cater for both individuals and groups.
Competitive prices and first class service guaranteed.


A private legal practitioner has accused the John Mahama campaign team of hypocrisy in the purported release of some 4,000 Ghana cedis by the GIPC to a group rooting for the president's victory in the December elections.
Mohammed Awal Alhassan has petitioned CHRAJ to look into the case and another involving the release of 20, 000 Ghana cedis to the GIPC Board Chairman Ishmael Yamson as a birthday donation.
The John Mahama Campaign Team has since ordered the group to refund the money.
But Mr Alhassan in an interview with XYZ News said the Mahama campaign team cannot play innocence in the release of the money to the Volunteers for Mahama group since they both support the same agenda. "I will not discount the fact they know about it given the fact that the group is known to the campaign team. As to how the group is raising money for the campaign team should be in the position to tell.
"So if the campaign team is now saying they should return the money we cannot take them serious". Mr. Alhassan is also asking CHRAJ to declare the actions of Mr. Yamson and the CEO of GIPC, George Aboagye as abuse of office.
He said the explanation by Mr Yamson that he rejected the donation does not hold water. "Public office holders in Ghana have the tendency to try to pass the back, anytime they are caught in the act they try to find an escape route. Mr. Yamson would have to go and explain himself to CHRAJ.
"The matter would have to be investigated, this matter cannot be investigated by the GIPC because they themselves are culpable" Mr. Alhassan said.


text:
export interface IQiniuItem {
  key: string;
  putTime?: number;
  hash?: string;
  fsize?: number;
  mimeType?: string;
  customer?: string;

  type?: string;
  year?: number;
  month?: number;
  icon?: string;
}

export interface IQiniuRes {
  marker?: string;
  commonPrefixes?: Array<string>;
  items: Array<IQiniuItem>;
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


YANA presents their first Big Love On-Line Auction.
Feb. 8, 2018 9:30 a.m.
Running until Feb. 20 at 9 p.m., YANA presents their first Big Love On-Line Auction with all proceeds benefitting YANA Comox Valley.
For over three decades, YANA has been hosting an annual dinner and auction to raise funds for local families who need to travel outside the community for the medical care of a child under 19 or a pregnant mother.
"The Big Love Benefit Dinner and Auction is our biggest annual fundraiser," says YANA president Kelly Rusk.
Over the past years, YANA has seen growing need in the Comox Valley related to medical travel which has resulted in significantly higher program costs. This has required the local charity to think creatively and to expand its fundraising.
Links to the YANA Big Love On-Line Auction can be found at yanacomoxvalley.com.
"Now everybody can find cool stuff, see the community's generosity, and be part of the Big Love," adds Dumais.


· Korean Crime Cover-up? The Gag of Political Correctness?
· Should Norfolk Change How its school board gets picked?
County Government is allowing its Public Schools to become an instrument to deny Christians their beliefs while on the other hand pursuing an agenda for the moslem brotherhood and mullah/imam Obama.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion . . . U.S. Constitution U.S. Con. 1st Amd. (1791).
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. U.S. Constitution U.S. Con. 14th Amd., § 1 (1868).


To apply CSL your vehicle must be indoors and it must remain indoors for at least 12 hours after application.
Wash and then decontaminate your vehicle's paintwork with Gtechniq W5 Citrus All Purpose Cleaner and W6 Iron and General Fallout Remover. If required, clay your paintwork to remove other bonded contaminants.
If needed, polish your paintwork either by machine or by hand to remove any imperfections.
Spray Gtechniq Panel Wipe onto a Gtechniq MF1 ZeroR Microfibre Buff Cloth.
With your panel fully cooled after polishing, taking care to avoid any paint protection film or other types of vinyl film, buff away all polish residues. This process ensures you will get the maximum number of chemical bonds between the coating and your vehicle's paintwork.
Put on the gloves provided to prevent CSL coming into contact with your skin.
Soak the application pad with two full measures from the pipette and work the liquid into the pad to get an even saturation.
Replace the lid on the bottle and set aside - do not keep the bottle in your hand as this promotes premature curing.
Apply with applicator provided in overlapping strokes to an area roughly 2' x 2', or work to the body lines of the vehicle.
After coating a single small panel or half a larger panel, remove residue with MF1 ZeroR Microfibre Buff Cloth. Always remove from further than you have applied, working from the outside in. It is essential to check for residue.
You may need to buff the same area several times to remove residue. We recommend using two microfibre cloths at any one time. Please note that you are only removing excess product.
When working with coatings, we recommend you inspect the panels with a bright but diffuse light source and not with bright spot lights which are very poor for spotting coating residue.
Avoid buffing with too much force as this can spoil the surface you are protecting, and you may also drag the partially cured coating off the surface.
Take care that the microfibre cloths you are using are rotated sufficiently and quickly so that CSL does not partially cure in the cloth, this will make buffing residue significantly more difficult.
If you miss removing residue and it cures fully, you should re-polish this area, and reapply CSL.
As soon as you finish put the microfibres in water and wash and dry them as soon as possible.
Use CSL within 1 year of purchasing, for best results, once opened use within 3 months.
Store opened bottles in a dry and cool storage area that's out of direct sunlight.
Pack contents: 1x Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light, 50ml.


Ramachandran, Karunya, Stefan Schimmels, Matthias Kudella, Koen Van Doorslaer, Julien De Rouck, Tom Versluys, and Koen Trouw. 2012. "Measuring Wave Impacts in Large Scale Tests, Using Both Pressure and Force Sensors." In 33rd International Conference on Coastal Engineering, Abstracts, 1–1. Santander, Spain.
Ramachandran, Karunya, Schimmels, S., Kudella, M., Van Doorslaer, K., De Rouck, J., Versluys, T., & Trouw, K. (2012). Measuring wave impacts in large scale tests, using both pressure and force sensors. 33rd International conference on coastal engineering, Abstracts (pp. 1–1). Presented at the 33rd International conference on coastal engineering, Santander, Spain.
Ramachandran K, Schimmels S, Kudella M, Van Doorslaer K, De Rouck J, Versluys T, et al. Measuring wave impacts in large scale tests, using both pressure and force sensors. 33rd International conference on coastal engineering, Abstracts. Santander, Spain; 2012. p. 1–1.
Ramachandran, Karunya, Stefan Schimmels, Matthias Kudella, et al. "Measuring Wave Impacts in Large Scale Tests, Using Both Pressure and Force Sensors." 33rd International Conference on Coastal Engineering, Abstracts. Santander, Spain, 2012. 1–1. Print.


Optional loss assessment coverage is also available to protect you against certain assessments that may be levied by the association. You would be compensated for additional living expenses incurred should you need to vacate your condo after a covered loss. Let Lawhon & Lawhon Insurance help you find the right amount of coverage to suit your insurance needs Mississippi. Call us today at 662-840-9550.
Various limits of loss assessment coverage are available. Be sure to consult the HOA agreement to determine the potential for such assessments. Lawhon & Lawhon Insurance can help you determine your coverage needs to make sure you're properly covered. Call us at 662-840-9550 or online at casey@lawhonandcompany.com.
Contact Lawhon & Lawhon Insurance to identify the best combination of coverage, value, and price for you. We can help make sure your condo insurance continually meets your needs. Call us at 662-840-9550 or online at casey@lawhonandcompany.com.


text:
Canadian Northern Railway
The Alberta Midland Railway
An Engineering Challenge
Alberta Midland Railway
he Alberta Midland Railway (AMR) was incorporated by an act of the Alberta Legislature on February 25, 1909; the principal applicants were William MacKenzie and Donald Mann. Permission was granted to lay down an extensive network of lines. Only two were built, a main branch from Vegreville to Calgary, and a short cut from this branch from Camrose to South Edmonton (Strathcona).
Railway financing had been affected by a stock market panic following the collapse of the copper market in 1907,1 and the economic doldrums that followed. But by 1909, the legislatures of the two new provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan were eager to make up for lost time and were prepared to enact legislation and provide bond guarantees, for branch line construction. Historian T.D. Regehr states "the charters of these local companies were a curious compendium of local commercial and political pressures and aspirations."2 And that "these companies were...nothing more than local extensions of the larger systems and were amalgamated with those systems as soon as the available provincial aid had been collected."3 In fact amalgamation between the AMR and the parent—The Canadian Northern Railway—took effect on July 12, 1909. By Dominion statute dated April 1, 1912 the CNoR was authorized to build the lines of the AMR outlined in the original provincial charter.
The AMR became essentially a coal railway serving the agricultural needs of the country through which it passed. It tapped the coal resource in the Drumheller area to serve prairie markets. The coal was soft and liable to produce sparks that made it unsuitable for steam locomotives but adequate for commercial and domestic use.4
Disagreements with the Canadian Pacific Railway and the City of Calgary led to delays. The CPR had irrigation rights on the Red Deer River and construction was held up between Stettler and Munson until the dispute over the right of way was resolved.5 Initial plans for entering Calgary, submitted in 1910, were opposed and a new plan had to be negotiated.6
Rosebud River Crossings, An Engineering Challenge for the Alberta Midland Railway
An engineering challenge occurred where the track between Rosedale and Redland, followed a deeply incised, old glacial meltwater valley now occupied by the Rosebud River.
The short cut from Camrose was abandoned in 1929 in favour of a cut-off from Bretona to Bretville Junction, just east of the Clover Bar bridge at Edmonton. With other changes and the demise of coal as a primary source for energy the AMR became another grain line of the Canadian National Railways.
Notes | Bibliography | Abbreviations
1. G.R. Stevens, Canadian National Railways, Vol. 2, Towards the Inevitable 1896–1922 (Toronto: Clarke, Irwin and Co., 1962), p. 61.
2. T. Regehr, The Canadian Northern Railway: Pioneer Road of the Northern Prairies, 1895–1918 (Toronto: Macmillan of Canada, 1976), p. 199.
3. Ibid., p. 201.
4. T.D. Regehr, The Canadian Northern Railway: Agent of National Growth, 1896–1911 (Dissertation, Dept. of History, University of Alberta, 1967), p. 202.
5. Duhamel Historical Society, Battle River Country, p. 256.
6. Calgary Herald, 7 September 1910; 30 July 1910.


U.S. Rep. David Joyce of Russell, R-14th, will attend a Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber "Lattes and Legislators" event at the Peter Allen Inn, 8581 Williamsfield Kinsman Road, from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Aug. 17.
Joyce will be given the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Spirit of Enterprise Award during the event.
Tickets are $10. The event is sponsored by MS Consultants, 717 Credit Union and the Peter Allen Inn.


text:
Q: Getting information from a rails class instance I'm pretty new to Ruby and Rails so I'm sure this is really simple, but here is my thing.
I get request like this:
request = Request.where(id: params[:id_request])

So I logged this in console and it's returning what I want, but how do I access some fields of that?
I tried this:
request.required_people

This don't work obviously, but how do I get required_people from request?

A: When you call where, you're returning a collection of items rather than an individual record, even if that where query only returns one result. As this collection is an instance of ActiveRecord::Relation we can call .first to get the first item in the collection:
request.first.required_people

But since you are looking for a single record you can just use .find which takes the model's primary key id as it's argument:
request = Request.find(params[:id_request])

That will let you do
request.required_people

If you really want to see the difference, try doing both the where and the find query. You'll see the where query has a few extra brackets on the return value.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Citroen C5 Aircross has arrived!
February 2019 has seen Citroën unveiling the New C5 Aircross SUV; classically SUV-shaped with its large 720mm diameter wheels, its robust and muscular design and its raised ground clearance of 230mm. Its unique personality and strong style choices such as its Airbump® inspired lower door and wheel arch protectors, roof bars, and a broad range of personalisation options make it 100% Citroën in its design and character.


Dominique Imbert, the creator of Focus, was born in Montpellier in the south of France in 1940. After studying literature in London and Paris, he became, 'by accident', as he puts it, an ethnologist in Alaska and an assistant chef in Manhattan, before being awarded a Doctorate in Sociology at the Sorbonne and becoming a history professor in a Paris lycée. After teaching for four years, he decided he preferred shaping metal to moulding young minds and gave up the blackboard for an anvil and a welding torch.
Tucked away in the foothills of the Cévennes, in a medieval village in the garrigue north of Montpellier, he took up his new calling with ardour: forging, welding and sculpting, heating and shaping metal. What drove him to defy the fundamental elements in this way?


IELTS is the English proficiency exam that is popular across the globe. This test is taken for applicants, who are planning their studies abroad, work or migration. IELTS is recognized by many universities, professional bodies, government agencies, employers, and immigration authorities.


The La Liga title looks dead and buried after top-placed Barcelona cruised past second-placed Atletico Madrid. The Catalans now carry an 11-point lead at the top of the summit with seven fixtures to go. Real Madrid and Zinedine Zidane are now two points behind neighbours Atletico after spending most of the campaign fighting for top four. Elsewhere, Celta Vigo kicked away from the relegation zone after enjoying a three-match unbeaten run. Will Real Madrid leapfrog Atletico? Will Villarreal get relegated?
Mid-table neighbours Espanyol and Alaves are set to lock horns in one of five La Liga ties on the day and kick off round 32 at RCDE Stadium. These teams are separated by seven points, with the visitors fighting for top four while Espanyol are looking to make it to the Europa League. Alaves are winless in their last three league encounters allowing fourth-placed Getafe to move five points clear with seven games to go. Espanyol's 2-1 win at Girona last Sunday brought them back in contention for a spot in Europe next season, though they will have to win such games at all costs. With everything to fight for, back Espanyol to claim maximum points at 15/20.
Barcelona stole the win against Atletico Madrid last Saturday thanks to two late goals from Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi at the Camp Nou. It was a massive victory which almost confirms La Liga as Barca moved 11 points clear with seven games to go. On the other hand, this could be confirmation of Huesca's relegation. The newcomers needed the experience of top flight football and they will comeback much stronger next time. For now, Barcelona will want to wrap up the league as soon as possible so they can focus on the Champions League. Back the visitors at a valuable 6/10.
With seven more rounds to go, Atletico Madrid enjoys a two-point lead at the second spot in the table and has an 11-point buffer as far as challenging for the league is concerned. Diego Simeone's men were kicked out of the Champions League last month after enjoying 2-0 lead at home. This is yet another trophyless season for Atletico, though Simeone can still be proud of how his team played throughout the season. At 4/10, back Atletico Madrid to end Celta Vigo's three-match unbeaten run.
This derby between Sevilla and Real Betis does have the potential to be one of the most exciting ones. Both teams are playing good football and are fighting for a place in Europe next season. Surprisingly, Real Betis have dominated this match in recent fixtures and they come into this game unbeaten in the last three encounters against the hosts. Sevilla have improved under the new coach, winning four of the five matches played under the new mentorship. Back Sevilla to beat their neighbours at 15/20.
Getafe have struggled to impress in the second part of March after enduring a three-match winless run but we've seen them bounce back to the winning ways last week and kept their fourth position on the table. Travelling to relegation-threatened Valladolid in the hope of making back-to-back wins will mean the visitors have to work overtime to achieve that. To be fair, a team challenging for a Champions League spot should be competing in all the grounds especially against bottom-of-the-table teams. Get on the visitors at 16/10.
Athletic Bilbao will be expected to beat Vallecano when the two teams meet on Sunday and it will be another opportunity for the home side to move into the Europa League qualification zone. The hosts have only lost two games in the last three months as they return to the San Mames, where they have won seven and lost just twice all season. Such a result would have been unthinkable a few months ago as the team was struggling in the relegation battle but things changed when Gaizka Garitano took over. Get on Athletic Bilbao to win comfortably at 7/10 and include in all bets.
Real Sociedad and Eibar are going to face each other in the 32nd round of La Liga on Sunday afternoon. Both teams are positioned in the middle of the table and they have been in a very poor streak lately. The hosts have won once from their last seven league matches, while Eibar have tasted victory twice in their last nine La Liga encounters. This match has all the ingredients of a draw and I suggest backing these sides to cancel each other out at 47/20.
Both Girona and Villarreal are struggling to find the right form coming into weekend's tie which has all the ingredients of a relegation six-pointer. Both teams began the season in a promising fashion, but they both experienced a huge slide in form in recent weeks. It wrapped them up into the relegation scrap. Girona are four points above their opponents who occupy the 18th spot in the red zone. Get on Both Teams to score at 7/10.
Valencia have been very consistent since the start of the year and are challenging for a top six place which nobody could have predicted this season as they have come back up from battling most of the first half in bottom half. Marcelino Garcia saw his team's 14-match unbeaten run come to an end when losing 2-0 against relegation-threatened Vallecano. On the flip side, the visitors are winless in their last nine encounters and winning once from their last 14. Get on Valencia to win comfortably at 5/10.
Real Madrid returned to winning ways after suffering their first defeat since Zinedine Zidane's return last Wednesday when they fell 2-1 to in-form Valencia away at Estadio de Mestalla. Though it wasn't the greatest of performances from the European champions, the win moved them two points behind second-placed Atletico Madrid. Knowing Zidane, he will push for that second position on the log so that means this is a must-win encounter for Real Madrid. Get on Zidane's men at 11/20.


Whenever anyone sets out finding a rental house, they many times start out exploring the iconic kinds of rentals like condominiums and apartments. These forms of rentals tend to be more public and communal (meaning less private), scaled-down in size, and with limited outdoor space that is solely yours. In the event you`re intending on relocating to 78108, houses for rent will also be a great option. The reality is that there are many great considerations for renting a house versus purchasing or choosing an apartment or townhouse, and utilizing the proper methods, you can easily find the perfect house for rent in 78108 that will match your way of living and unique identity.
78108 houses for rent are alluring, given that they typically offer more room and comforts when compared to apartments. Considering they`re rentals, they allow tenants to have more flexibility and freedom; like the ability to leave after only 6-12 months and not being held accountable for serious maintenance and other fixes. Landlords or management companies are typically the ones who will take care of maintenance and other fixes, but look over your lease agreement thoroughly to make sure there won`t be any altercation over who is responsible for what if by chance something breaks.
In 78108, houses for rent are located mainly in outer-lying regions, versus the downtown area. Still, you may be able to get a terrific house in the downtown area, supposing you`re willing to put forth a bit of work. Houses for rent in 78108 are perfect for families or people who have more than one housemate, and they can also reduce the occupant`s cost and at the same time give a wide array of options not present in alternative forms of housing. Varying from numerous other styles of housing choices, houses are independent from other homes—they don`t have community facilities just as apartments or some condos do, and typically will have some form of a yard. While they might be farther away from the downtown area, houses for rent in 78108 are still inside of driving distance to a large number of places of employment, attractions and entertainment destinations.
RentFinder allows you to easily track down available houses for rent in 78108 that fit your desires. In case you have kids, for example, RentFinder will allow you to locate K-12 schools and child-friendly establishments in the local area by way of the map on the sidebar of this page. Will a four-legged companion be moving in with you? The tool enables you to look for pet-friendly spots too, and the next step then is to contrast those locations with houses you may be considering. If it`s necessary to ensure that you reside in a spot where it`s convenient to eat your fix of pizza, this web page`s right-hand area can help you do just that.
When you are done deciding on a house for rent in 78108 that fits all your wants, always go have a look at it before offering a down payment for it or filling out official lease papers. And yes, this is specifically implying you`ll want to head out and check it out live and in the flesh, not strictly analyzing images or video clips seen over the internet.
When the day comes and you check out a possible rental, be mindful of the small things that show wear and tear. As said before, the landlord usually manages its upkeep, so if things are in awful condition, it`s a clue to how things will probably be taken care of by the landlord should you decide to rent there. Are the yard and shrubbery, bushes or greenery (if any) in great overall condition? Do you observe any inside areas that are damaged and poorly taken care of everywhere you go? Are all of the kitchen and other household appliances functioning appropriately? Do the back and front doorways lock firmly? You will definitely want to take a look around the neighborhood and examine whether the adjacent houses measure up to your expectations of a neighborhood. Even if not owned by the exact same person, their upkeep can be influential and representative of the vicinity generally speaking.
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text:
Meet the people behind your favourite brands at this month's Puma Select Sessions
Written by TATC Staff on 20 June 2019
This month, PUMA Select is coming at you hard and personal.
It's an opportunity to learn, first hand, from the people behind your favourite brands – about how they built their personal brands and leveraged them to secure collaborations with other brands.
Let's start with someone close to home – Hayden Manuel, currently the Sportstyle Marketing Manager at PUMA South Africa, is the plug on what's hot in the sneaker, fashion and urban lifestyle.
If you've ever spotted anyone rocking the "Gang" drip, then you know about Mpho Makua's brand. The Styla Gang Original Design (S.G.O.D) founder says their clothing label bridges the gap between high-end fashion and streetwear. S.G.O.D has a flagship store in Diepkloof Zone 6 called eSGODini.
Zimbabwean-born Kim Jayde's name continues to rise up the ranks of brands to watch. Today, she fleeks on red carpets and graces our TV screens almost daily. But before Kim was a model, TV presenter and brand influencer, she relocated to South Africa to study, and obtained her Honours Degree in Social Work.
Check out all the details below.
Date: Saturday, 29 June – 11am
Dassler's – Cnr Melle and De Korte in Braamfontein (Enter through the PUMA store.)
Don't play yourself. First come, first served. Register here.
TATC Staff
We're a mötley crüe.
Wayde and Kyle Saxby are fresh outta high school still riding that wave of late adolescent prime and […]
Gazelle teases 2020 comeback through cryptic social media posts, 10 years after the release of his debut album
Black Pistol's latest video "Call to Arms" is a rock offering in all its raw glory
ORMS collaborates with 16 SA artists to launch limited edition wallpaper collection
Oscars 2020 nominate songs from Rocketman, Toy Story 4, Breakthrough, Frozen II, and Harriet, but snub Beyoncé & Thom Yorke


text:
r"""A module for finding the differences between two HDF5 log files.

Compares two log files (referred to as A and B) for differences.
Provides functions for generating a human-readable summary.  Log files
are represented as a dict whose values are either numpy.ndarray
objects or dict objects that are similarly structured.  A "path" will
refer to a sequence of keys indexing into a log file.

Can be executed at the command line to compare two files (use the
option --help for usage information).

E.g.:
  analysis/util/h5comp -t a.h5 b.h5 \
    --root=/messages/kAioNodeControllerA/kMessgaeTypeControllerCommand \
    --record=message
"""

import json
import sys

import gflags
import h5py

from makani.lib.python import algorithms
from makani.lib.python.h5_utils import h5_compare

FLAGS = gflags.FLAGS

gflags.DEFINE_integer('depth', -1, 'Limit depth for printing differences.',
                      short_name='d')
# The parser for the --help flag ignores spaces at the start of a new line,
# so we're stuck using tabs.
gflags.DEFINE_string(
    'config', '',
    'Path to a JSON configuration file. The file contains up to two nested '
    'dicts:\n'
    '\t"exclude": Has a true value at any entry that should be skipped in '
    'the comparison.\n'
    '\t"require": Has a true value at any entry that must be present in '
    'both log files.', short_name='c')
gflags.DEFINE_bool('quiet', False, 'Suppress non-error output.',
                   short_name='q')
gflags.DEFINE_bool('truncate', False,
                   'When comparing arrays with differing numbers of rows, '
                   'only compare up to the length of the shorter array.',
                   short_name='t')

def _GetMissingFields(log_file, required):
  """Returns any required fields missing from the log file."""
  missing = []

  for key_sequence, value in algorithms.TraverseNestedDict(required):
    if not value: continue

    try:
      ref = log_file
      for i, key in enumerate(key_sequence):
        ref = ref[key]
    # A group raises a KeyError, while a dataset raises a ValueError.
    except (KeyError, ValueError):
      missing.append('.'.join(key_sequence[:i]))

  return missing

def _CheckRequiredFields(data, required):
  """Fails the script if any required fields are missing."""
  missing_a = _GetMissingFields(data[0], required)
  missing_b = _GetMissingFields(data[1], required)
  if missing_a or missing_b:
    msg_parts = []
    if missing_a:
      msg_parts.append('Required fields missing from A:')
      msg_parts += ['  ' + s for s in missing_a]
    if missing_b:
      msg_parts.append('Required fields missing from B:')
      msg_parts += ['  ' + s for s in missing_b]
    raise ValueError('\n'.join(msg_parts))

def main(argv):
  # Parse flags.
  try:
    argv = FLAGS(argv)
  except gflags.FlagsError, e:
    print '\nError: %s\n\nUsage: %s ARGS\n%s' % (e, sys.argv[0], FLAGS)
    sys.exit(1)

  if FLAGS.config:
    with open(FLAGS.config, 'r') as f:
      config = json.load(f)
      excludes = config.get('exclude', {})
      required = config.get('require', {})
  else:
    excludes = {}
    required = {}

  max_depth = None if FLAGS.depth < 0 else FLAGS.depth

  # Handle positional arguments.
  if len(argv) < 3:
    print 'Need at least two arguments.'
    sys.exit(-1)
  file_a = argv[1]
  file_b = argv[2]

  # Load data (may exit with IOError).
  data = [h5py.File(f, 'r') for f in [file_a, file_b]]

  _CheckRequiredFields(data, required)

  report = h5_compare.CompareLogs(data[0], data[1], FLAGS.truncate, excludes)
  if not FLAGS.quiet:
    report_string = h5_compare.GenerateReportString(report, '', max_depth)
    if report_string:
      print report_string

if __name__ == '__main__':
  main(sys.argv)


text:
Exclusive: First Look at the Varet Wall's Newest Mural in Bushwick
"Nothing is forever," Brooklyn-based artist Vexta says when discussing street art's temporary life span
Whitney Jordan, April 15, 2015
Varet Wall Mural Project Latest Mural
"Nothing is forever," Brooklyn-based artist Vexta says when discussing street art's temporary life span. Living in Bushwick, street art has become as routine as the L train shutdowns however, with this week's completion of a new mural outside of Tutu's bar, three people – Beth Tully, curator of The Varet Wall Mural Project, Lucas Walters, co-owner of Tutu's Brooklyn, and Australian artist, Yvette Vexta (Vexta) — want to make sure you continue to take notice of the changing community's landscape.
The skilled, Bushwick-iconic murals you see on the corner of Bogart and Varet Streets aren't coincidental. They are the brainchild of The Varet Wall Mural Project (#varetwall), the neighborhood's unique version to the Houston/Bowery wall, and are carefully curated by Tully, a former director to the Fountain Art Fair in collaboration with Walters and Tutu's Brooklyn. Tully commissions artists for six-month rotations, and past participants have included renowned international artists Pixel Pancho, Nychos and the artist collective, En Masse.
Vexta, Varet Wall's first female artist is scheduled to complete her mural by this Thursday, Friday at the latest and Tully couldn't be more excited. Vexta's piece coincides with the impending warmer weather and Tully notes that "its new color {on the wall}, it's sexy".
Living in Williamsburg with a studio a few blocks from Tutu's, Vexta beams when talking about her involvement with Varet Wall. Referring to the space, she states "I always wanted to paint it" and again, she quotes the community element that all three express organically throughout the interview, "Its painting in my neighborhood."
As a curator, Tully selects artists she believes are the "next generation" and who "showcase the best of the best" in street art. She would know, as both her and Walter's circles combine Bushwick's street art subculture and the art world – Walters used to work at Deitch Projects, the now closed contemporary SoHo art gallery.
These connections originally led her to Vexta who moved to Brooklyn three years ago. In fact, they met at one of Walter's infamous "Things Might Get Weird" parties. Unlike most artists, Vexta didn't move to NYC to "move to NYC." She desired something more rewarding and to be taken out of her comfort zone.
A similar vein exists in Vexta's mural for Varet Wall because as an artist, she is working with a new character: the mermaid. Her work is influenced by science, nature and mythology and she navigates both 2D and 3D surfaces, painting on skulls, bones and ostrich eggs to explore themes of life and death. Metamorphism is another source of exploration and she often employs triangular shapes as her subject's tails, describing them as "subatomic particles that remind people that we are all interconnected".
Other works by Vexta
Where there was once controversy over corporate advertisements above the mural space, a new landlord recognizes the importance of Varet Wall's mission and has given them something they never had before: a budget. Donations from Montana Cans and a discount from Crest's True Value Hardware store help offset other costs.
A Blue Moon advertisement ironically made to resemble the street art surrounding it will accompany Vexta as she paints.
See Vexta finish her mural outside Tutu's on the corner of Varet and Bogart Street. Her work will be at The Varet Wall Mural Project until October 2015.
beth tullyBUshwick street artlucas waltersmorgan Lstreet arttutu'sTutu's BarVaret Wallvexta
20 Questions for Party Collective BangOn! Before This Saturday's "Creatures of the Night" Warehouse Rager
Birchwood Forest Brings a Slightly Confusing Mix of Sports Bar, Korean & American Food To Bushwick


text:
American Culture Department Portal
Keyword Search of ac
What can I do with an AC degree?
Accelerated Master of Arts Program in Transcultural Studies
GSI Hiring Information
Anthony P. Mora
Associate Professor by Courtesy in American Culture
On Leave WN22
apmora@umich.edu
3767 Haven Hall
Fields of study:
19th-century United States; historical construction of race, gender, and sexuality in the U.S.; Mexican-American history; Latino/a history; the history of sexuality
American Culture
Ph.D., University of Notre Dame, 2002
Professor Mora's principal research interests focus on the historical construction of race, gender, and sexuality in the U.S. His book Border Dilemmas explores how the first generations of Mexicans living in the United States grappled with the racial and national ideologies that circulated along the nineteenth-century border. He currently has two major research projects underway. The first explores the relationship between African Americans and Mexican Americans in the early-twentieth-century urban Midwest. He also is writing a history of the fictional character of Zorro from 1919 to the present. The iconic character serves as a means of tracing changing representations of Mexican Americans, historical memory, and U.S. regionalism.
Mora has served in a number of departmental administrative positions; currently serves on Michigan's Rackham Humanities Diversity Committee; and also on the Executive Council of the National Latina/o Studies Association. Before joining the University of Michigan, Mora previously taught history at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, and was a Visiting Scholar at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in Cambridge, Mass. Mora teaches courses on Mexican American history, Latina/o history, and the history of sexuality.
Faculty: Department of American Culture (AC), Latina/o Studies (LS)
Faculty: Department of History
Award(s)
Woodrow Wilson Junior Faculty Career Enhancement Fellowship for 2010-2011
ac.inq@umich.edu


text:
Liz Wager: Journals that dare not speak their name
There's a new species of journal lurking in the medical publishing jungle, but it doesn't seem to have a name. As a zoologist turned writer (ie somebody obsessed by taxonomy and words) this bothers me so I hope somebody will christen them soon. To launch this campaign, I'll begin by describing what the new type of journal isn't and then try to describe what it is.
Think of a famous medical journal, let's say the BMJ. It publishes only a tiny proportion of the submissions it receives (currently only about 7%). The result is an influential, respected and widely read journal focused on the needs of its readers rather than on those who'd like to publish in it. Readers trust the "brand" of such highly selective journals and recognise them as good places to go when seeking information. They may even pay to subscribe to the journal (although the BMJ's research articles are Open Access) and may scan the table of contents regularly. This conventional model also applies to most specialty journals – many of these rely on reader subscriptions for their income and their readers/subscribers rely on the journals to select the most relevant material for them to read.
But web publishing has opened up new possibilities. As Kamran Abbasi, editor of JRSM and its new sister publication JRSM Short Reports, notes "Our editorial view is that readers can decide for themselves whether or not an article has value or relevance to them, and this is the way that the internet has transformed publication of all kinds. Print publication, because of space limitations, forces decisions on editors based on their judgement of what's of interest to readers. Online publication allows readers to decide what's of interest to them."
And it's not only JRSM that has a new little sister, BMJ recently launched BMJ Open, which aims to publish "all research study types – including small or potentially low-impact studies." Contrast this with the BMJ, which "gives priority to articles reporting original, robust research studies that can improve decision making in medical practice – and will be important to general medical readers internationally."
So, the new type of journal I'm talking about are these "little sisters": that's clearly an unsatisfactory term, so what should we call them? In my quest for a name I looked at the journals' websites to see how they describe themselves. BioMed Central was one of the first publishers to offer such journals and coined the phrase "bias to publish." It states the acceptance criteria in many of its titles as "validity and coherence." PLoS ONE's website states that the journal's review process 'does not judge the importance of the work, rather focuses on whether the work is done to high scientific and ethical standards'.
While nearly all the new journals are Open Access, this is not a helpful blanket term for them because not all Open Access journals operate this publishing model. Thus, BMC Medicine publishes only papers of "outstanding quality, broad interest and special importance" in contrast to other BMC journals that only require validity and coherence, yet all are Open Access. Similarly, PLoS Medicine, while definitely Open Access, clearly has a different philosophy and acceptance rate from PLoS ONE, since the former aims only to publish 'important original research and analysis relevant to human health' while the latter 'does not judge the importance of the work'.
Another reason why Open Access is not the right term for these journals (although I have heard it used), is that not all of them are Open Access. Nature Communications allows authors to choose whether to pay to make their article freely accessible to readers (if not, the article will be available only to institutional subscribers or via pay-per-view). The Nature Publishing Group website states: "Nature will continue to publish the most significant advances in science." Nature Communications will publish high-quality papers from all areas of science that represent important advances within specific scientific disciplines, but that might not necessarily have the scientific reach of papers published in Nature'.
So, how should we describe journals like BMJ Open, PLoS ONE, and Nature Communications to distinguish them from more traditional journals? I have used the term non-selective, but that's not quite right – these journals do select (a bit), it's just that they use radically different criteria for acceptance. It's unreasonable to expect any publisher to describe their product as a journal for unimportant or even low-impact research, even it that's mainly what they publish. Several publishers seem drawn to naval metaphors describing their more selective titles as their flagship publications. So perhaps that makes the others "second-class ships of the line" or whatever the opposite of flagship is (my husband suggested bumboat, but I doubt this will catch on). (Incidentally, Wikipedia informed me that flagships were usually the most heavily armed so the term is particularly apt for journals with high rejection rates.) Family analogies also appear, with journals having "sister publications" but, strangely, never brothers or parents.
I quite like the distinction between reader-driven and author-driven (or author-focused) publications. The highly selective journals clearly prioritise the needs of their readers above those of their potential authors. Maybe that's a possibility (AFPs and RFPs, perhaps?).
Another difference we might exploit is the way information is sought from these journals. While conventional journals have subscribers or regular readers, the new journals rely on search engines to find articles of interest. Instead of going to a particular journal, or receiving its table of contents, users go to the web (or a portal such as PubMed) and search with key words and then read what they find. But I've just taken 54 words to describe this feature and can't think of a snappier way (search-located sounds tautologous) so that's no use.
We could use negative terms such as unconventional or non-traditional journals but these aren't very descriptive or clear and might seem a bit disparaging. Which would be a pity, as I am a big fan of the new journals and think they represent a real advance in making research results more accessible, which has to be a good thing. Much drug development research is pretty unexciting (e.g. we need to know whether medicines interact with warfarin or alcohol – most don't so the results are negative, but I'd much rather have the information in the public domain than languishing in the drug company's files). Some negative terms are quite flattering, so I suppose we could use non-discriminatory, impartial or even unprejudiced – but then the conventional journals might object.
The term "general" medical journal already has a specific meaning, and you could argue that the new titles are both catering for a highly specialised readership and a non-specialised one so that's a non-starter and likely to be confused with specialty journals anyway. We could look to medicines and try "broad-spectrum" but that doesn't fit the BMC specialty journals. We could focus on the archival function and call them repositories rather than journals, but that's illogical, as all journals act as repositories.
So, I still don't know what to call these journals but I want to write and talk about them. Can anybody help me?
Liz Wager PhD is a freelance medical writer, editor, and trainer. She is the current chair of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Liz Wagerjournalology, medical publishing, open access
Muir Gray: Bye Bye Quality 2.0
Sandra Lako: World Water Day in Freetown


Among these offerings are applications that enable smartphone users to buy, sell or store gold - even in small amounts - kept in secured vaults operated by MMTC-PAMP India Pvt Ltd, a joint venture between MMTC Ltd, the largest national trading firm, and Swiss gold refiner PAMP.
Although online gold purchases have been growing globally for years, they are a relatively recent phenomenon in India, where jewellery and bars of the precious metal tend to be kept in hand and given as gifts.
"In India, the action is really starting now. The digitisation of the economy will certainly lead to digitisation of gold," said Somasundaram PR, managing director of World Gold Council's (WGC) India operations. "It is poised for significant growth, possibly in the next 12-24 months."
It is difficult to gauge how many new buyers are entering the market because of online access. The digital payments firm Paytm said that in the first six months after it began offering digital gold last April, it facilitated about $18.4 million worth of sales - a tiny fraction of the Indian gold market.
Gold-based financial offerings, including Gold Accumulation Plans (GAPs), allow users to buy and store gold in fractions as small as 0.1 grams - an amount that would be an uneconomical to trade physically because of the associated handling costs.
These accumulation plans, along with gold-backed bonds and websites selling coins and jewellery that can be shipped for free or cheaply within India, are especially appealing to young Indians. In the past, even those with an enduring affinity for gold have needed to wait until they have saved enough to build holdings.
But Singh added that because digital gold lowers the minimum price needed to buy gold - from about 3,000 rupees previously, enough to buy roughly 1 gram of gold at current prices - and boosts market transparency via live pricing, there has been a rise in the frequency of gold purchases at other times of the year.
For Bangalore-based P Vinoth, a logistics consultant who still prefers buying ornaments and jewellery from retail stores, e-wallets now offer an alternative. "For long term, I previously invested in exchange-traded funds. Now I am using Paytm gold," he said.


text:
Björk Viggósdóttir & Thorvaldur Jonsson(Iceland)
Residency duration:May 11th - June 7th, 2012
About Björk Viggósdóttir
Graduated from the Art Academy of Iceland in 2006 and has since produced a number of videos and installations.
In her general practice Björk deals with visual images, emotions, sounds and sensations in a similar way to what occurs involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of live, whether in dream or at wake.
Björk works with colors, emotions, signs and other things from the everyday, which she brings to other dimensions by creating for them new perspectives and settings. In her art Björk likes to encourage her audience to use all their senses for viewing her work by using combinations of different media in her works.
She has exhibited her work across Europe, the United States and in Iceland where she frequently collaborates with composers, musicians, dancers and other artists in both solo and group exhibition.
About Thorvaldur Jonsson
Thorvaldur Jonsson was born in Reykjavik Iceland and received his formal education from Iceland's Academy of Fine Arts in 2009. Most of his art is based on nostalgic memories of his childhood and 90´s culture. He enjoys working with various materials often combining them in large installations, trying to create some specific atmosphere based on a mixture of religious themes and modern culture.
Björk Viggósdóttir's residency video work: Kina
Thorvaldur Jonsson's work
Björk Viggósdóttir和Thorvaldur Jonsson(冰岛)
Miko Kuro's Midnight Tea
Karrie Hovey(USA)
The 4th Kunming Loft Creative Fair


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Girls, meet Heather, the teen rock diva! For tonight's concert she's thinking about surprising all her fans with a brand new, totally unexpected stage look: a Disney princess inspired one, instead of her old, rough, edgy rockish looks! Since she's running terribly late now and she's having trouble spotting her Snow White outfit and accessories in her highly messy backstage dressing room, she's counting on your help! Quick, get ready to walk into the shoes of a perspicacious private eye and spot all the hidden items that would put together her stage fashion look! See where her puff-sleeved, Snow White top could be, her chic shorts, as well, look for her dear guitar and funky tall boots and get her ready for stepping into the spotlight and impressing her audience with her roskstar look with a twist of fairytale! You'll definitely come to the conclusion that this might just be one of the catchiest fun spot the hidden object games you've ever played!


text:
Principality adds discount holiday let products; H&R launches self-build mortgage – round up
by: Shekina Tuahene
Principality Building Society has introduced four discount holiday let products into its range.
They include two- and five-year mortgages at 60 per cent loan to value (LTV), up to £750,000, from 2.45 per cent.
Additionally, there are two- and five-year rates, at 75 per cent LTV, up to £500,000, at 3 per cent.
All four products offer free standard valuation and legals and no product or commitment fees.
Helen Lewis, Principality Building Society national account manager, said: "The introduction of discount holiday let products can potentially enable customers to benefit from the preferential rate while tracking our standard variable rate.
"We believe this supports our broker partners in offering products that suit their clients' requirements."
Hinckley and Rugby partners with BuildLoan for self-build mortgage
Mortgage intermediaries with self-build clients can now access a new product from Hinckley and Rugby Building Society through BuildLoan.
The high LTV mortgage is a two-year discount product charging an initial rate of 4.99 per cent.
The money will be advanced in five stages, with Hinckley and Rugby lending up to 85 per cent of the value of the land purchased and then up to 85 per cent of the cost of the build.
The maximum LTV of the completed home is 75 per cent.
The partnership intends to bring the society's experience from six years of self-build lending to a wider field of intermediaries and their clients.
Hinckley and Rugby head of sales and marketing Carolyn Thornley-Yates said: "Partnering with BuildLoan will enable us to better serve the intermediaries advising the growing number of self-builders, many of whom need higher LTV borrowing to create the home they desire."
Raymond Connor, BuildLoan CEO, added: "I am delighted that Hinckley and Rugby Building Society has joined our lender panel with the launch of a new mortgage product for self-build. Notwithstanding the current political unrest, the self- and custom-build sector is growing and we believe 2020 will see unprecedented demand."
Hinckley and Rugby's mortgage has an application fee of £199 and a completion fee of £800. Stage payments are in arrears. There are valuation fees and early repayment charges of two per cent in both years.
Two mutuals reintroduce 90 per cent LTV mortgages
Vernon relaunches specialist buy-to-let mortgage range
Now is the time to get to grips with self-build mortgages – Grimshaw
Nottingham BS restarts lending through 12 mortgage distributors
Buildloan discount Hinckley and Rugby Building Society holiday let mortgage Principality Building Society self-build mortgage
Shekina Tuahene
Shekina is a reporter at Mortgage Solutions. She has over two years experience in the B2B publishing market, with previous industries including the pet, funeral, hospitality, retail and jewellery trades. Follow her on Twitter at @ShekinaMS
The buy-to-let market was this week's focus as a number of lenders adjusted their processes as NatWest simplified its calculator...


text:
Civic Square may refer to:

 Civic Square, Canberra, Australia
 Civic Square, Wellington, New Zealand
 Seattle Civic Square, United States
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The $150,000 Futurity Stakes at Belmont on Sunday was won by unbeaten colt Uncle Benny (2c Declaration of War x Celebrity Cat, by Storm Cat).
A debut winner at Monmouth back in August, the Jason Servis trained colt secured a spot in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint with a last-to-first score in the six furlong turf sprint.
He hit the line hard to win by half a length and has now won two from two with earnings topping $104,000.
A $185,000 Fasig Tipton August Yearling Sale purchase, Uncle Benny is the best of two winners from Celebrity Cat, a daughter of dual Grade I winner Starrer.
Uncle Benny is the seventh stakes-winner worldwide for War Front's Group I winning son Declaration of War.


The primary responsibility of the Public Works Department is to keep the Town's infrastructure in working order for daily public use. We manage the maintenance of building and grounds, streets and sidewalks, parks, stormwater, fleets, street light requests and solid waste and recycling collection. While these are most of the Department's routine responsibilities, it would be impossible to fully list all of the services that are provided to make the Town the best it can possibly be. Our Department takes pride in providing the residents of Indian Trail with the highest level of services possible while maintaining a budget that allows the taxes to remain one of the lowest in Union County.
The Public Works Department is located at 130 Blythe Drive, Indian Trial, NC 28079.
The Public Works Department can help residents with maintenance issues regarding sidewalks, the stormwater system, streets, street lights, and street signs.
The Town provides weekly service for trash. Recyclables, and yard waste are collected on the same day but every other week.
The Town of Indian Trail provides street lights as one of the services by the Town. The Town provides for installation of a wooden pole and light with overhead lines along with the maintenance and power for the light. Any additional upgrades will be paid by others.
Established in response to federal and state clean water regulations, the program will remove debris from streets and gutters before they can enter the storm drain system. The removal of dirt and debris from Town streets will provide a healthy, safe and attractive environment for the residents of Indian Trail.
There are a number of utility needs in Indian Trail that are not maintained by the Town, but by an outside entity - such as electricity, gas, traffic signals and more. Find out where to look for more information on those issues.


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Office of Personnel Management Awards Salient CRGT $39.4M Prime Contract for CASE Processing Operations and Enhancement Support
by Admin | Jun 25, 2019 | Industry Awards, Innovation Centers, Press Release | 0 comments
Providing Application Services in Support of OPM's Personal Investigation Processing System for Background Investigations
FAIRFAX, VA – June 25, 2019 – Salient CRGT has been awarded a $39.4 million prime contract to provide Application Services such as requirements analysis, development support, operational support, integration and customization of application components, COTS product integration, and cyber security/information assurance support for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) National Background Investigations Bureau (NBIB) Information Technology Program Management Office (ITPMO) Case Processing Branch (CPB). The contract has a 12-month base period and four (4) twelve-month option periods.
The ITPMO CPB is responsible for development, enhancement, maintenance, and production support of OPM's Personal Investigation Processing System (PIPS). PIPS supports the background investigations process end-to-end. It accepts the subject-entered data from e-QIP, scopes investigative leads, distributes work to field investigators, provides automated National Agency Checks such as fingerprints searches to the FBI, supports review of cases, closes cases, and delivers closed cases, as well as advance products to the agencies.
"Our support and expertise allow the OPM NBIB ITPMO to provide ongoing Development and Operations support to maintain the core system used to support Background Investigation activities required for clearance processing by numerous federal government agencies," said Tom Ferrando, Salient CRGT CEO. "Central to this experience is our 19-year relationship providing systems engineering and integration support for the OPM National Background Investigations Bureau (NBIB) IT PMO and Personnel Investigations Processing System (PIPS), which processes more than 90% of all federal background investigations today."
Salient CRGT has been supporting OPM's CIO organization since 2000 providing technical support for several of OPM's mission critical applications including PIPS. Their team of developers, system administrators, DBAs, and testers have been instrumental in supporting the agency's mission. The scope of their application support spans the legacy Personnel Investigation Processing System (PIPS) and modernization efforts leveraging an Agile development approach to facilitate rapid product development.
Tweet: Office of Personnel Management Awards @Salient_CRGT $39.4M Prime Contract for CASE Processing Operations and Enhancement Support. http://bit.ly/1MGSz5l