text:
Weights and Measures (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2000
Whole Act
Changes over time for: Weights and Measures (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2000
There are currently no known outstanding effects for the Weights and Measures (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2000.
2000 CHAPTER 5
An Act to amend the Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 to allow self-verification of weighing or measuring equipment, testing by official EEA testers and pre-test stamping.
[20th December 2000]
Section 1—Amendments
Testing by official EEA testersN.I.
2. After Article 9A of the 1981 Order (inserted by this Act) there shall be inserted the following Article—
"Testing by official EEA testers
9B.—(1) This Article applies where—
(a)any equipment which has been tested by an official EEA tester is at any time submitted to an inspector under Article 9(3);
(b)the test report of the official EEA tester is submitted to the inspector at that time; and
(c)that report states which tests have been applied to the equipment and sets out the results of those tests.
(2) Article 9 shall have effect as if—
(a)sub-paragraph (a) of paragraph (3) required the inspector not to test the equipment in the manner mentioned in that sub-paragraph; and
(b)sub-paragraphs (b) and (c) of that paragraph required him to rely, for the purposes of those sub-paragraphs, on the test report of the official EEA tester.
(3) In this Article "official EEA tester", in relation to the testing of equipment of any description, means a person who, at the time when the tests were applied—
(a)had responsibility in an EEA State for the metrological control of equipment of that description; or
(b)was accredited in an EEA State as a person operating a laboratory, in conformity with the criteria set out in the applicable European Standard, for the purpose of testing equipment of that description.
(4) In paragraph (3) "EEA State" means a Contracting Party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area signed at Oporto on 2nd May 1992 as adjusted by the Protocol signed at Brussels on 17th March 1993.".
Pre-test stampingN.I.
3.—(1) After Article 13 of the 1981 Order there shall be inserted the following Article—
"Pre-test stamping by certain manufacturers
13A.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), an approved verifier who is the manufacturer of any equipment to which Article 9 applies may apply the prescribed stamp to the equipment, notwithstanding that it has not been passed as fit for use for trade, if he is satisfied on reasonable grounds that it will not be used (whether for trade or otherwise) unless either—
(a)the equipment has been passed as fit for use for trade; or
(b)the stamp has been destroyed, obliterated or defaced.
(2) A prescribed stamp shall not be applied under paragraph (1) unless the stamp includes the approved verifier's number.
(3) If any person contravenes paragraph (2), he shall be guilty of an offence and any equipment in respect of which the offence was committed shall be liable to be forfeited.
(4) A prescribed stamp which has been duly applied to any equipment under paragraph (1) shall have effect as follows—
(a)at any time before the equipment is passed as fit for use for trade, as an indication that, at the time when the stamp was applied, the approved verifier was satisfied as mentioned in paragraph (1); and
(b)at any time after the equipment is so passed, as evidence of the passing of the equipment as fit for such use.
(5) Where equipment to which a prescribed stamp has been duly applied under paragraph (1) is passed as fit for use for trade, nothing in Article 9(3)(b) or (3A)(b) shall require another such stamp to be applied to it.
(6) Where the approved verifier fails to pass as fit for use for trade equipment to which a prescribed stamp has been applied under paragraph (1), he may destroy, obliterate or deface the stamp—
(a)in any case where there is a prescribed manner of doing so, in that manner; and
(b)in any other case, in such reasonable manner as will leave no doubt that the stamp has been intentionally destroyed, obliterated or defaced.
(7) References in paragraphs (4) to (6) to prescribed stamps which have been applied do not include references to such stamps which have subsequently been destroyed, obliterated or defaced.".
(2) In Article 2(2) of the 1981 Order (interpretation), in the definition of "stamp", after the word "means" there shall be inserted the words ", subject to Article 13A(4),".
(3) In Article 47(1) of the 1981 Order (penalties), after "13(4)," there shall be inserted "13A(3),".
InterpretationN.I.
4. In this Act "the 1981 Order" means the Weights and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (NI 10).
Short titleN.I.
5. This Act may be cited as the Weights and Measures (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2000.
N.I.
Schedule — Amendments
Text created by the Northern Ireland Assembly department responsible for the subject matter of the Act to explain what the Act sets out to achieve and to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified. Explanatory Notes accompany all Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly.


Chrysler's facelifted 300C, which has made its public debut at the Detroit motor show today, is set to heavily influence the future styling of its future models as part of a serious "comeback onto the automotive stage".
Chrysler and Lancia boss Olivier Francois is keen for the US brand to thrive under Fiat ownership and the 300C would play a central role in this.
The chunky four-door gets a mild restyle that includes a liberal dab of chrome around its front end - including the tops of the side mirrors, unusually - and LED daytime running lights. Chrysler's senior vice president of design Ralph Gilles told Autocar the 300C's grille will form the basis of the firm's new corporate look.
The car's overall profile does change slightly, though; its A-pillars are more rakish and thinner, improving visibility. There's also a double-length sunroof, designed to make the cabin feel more airy.
Chrysler is also promising refinements to the interior, including a larger touchscreen (8.4in), a finer grade of leather seats, soft-touch dashboard materials and a revised infotainment package.
The company will introduce its latest 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine to the model, which developes 288bhp and 260lbft of torque. Also available will be the 5.7-litre, V8 HEMI unit with 358bhp and a 0-60mph time of under six seconds.
The 300C will be one of the Chrysler models to remain in Fiat Group's revised UK line-up for the brand - although the British spec of the car is likely to do without some of the chrome flourishes and stick to diesel power instead of adopting the US car's V6 and V8 petrol powerplants.
Chrysler confirmed late last week that the 300C will be joined by the Grand Voyager and rebadged Lancia Deltas and Ypsilons in 2011. The 300C will also be sold in continental Europe, as a Lancia.


Hello Everyone new to the forums but I need a hand if anyone can spare the time. I try to start from the Game Start at the Closers website but this pop up appears. Can someone translate and let me know what it means please?
The game is currently in maintenance. It should be up in 14 min.
(02-14-2015, 07:46 PM)Bunny Wrote: The game is currently in maintenance. It should be up in 14 min.
eh you cannot read korean?
(02-15-2015, 03:00 AM)shardy Wrote: eh you cannot read korean?
Not everyone can understand and read Korean. Anyways, locking because thread is solved.


This smash hit and huge box office success follows Sunny, a pop singer in a mediocre band, playing in dingy halls before distracted audiences, dreaming of stardom in East Berlin in the 1970s.
She lives in a sparsely furnished apartment in an ancient, crumbling quarter of East Berlin, Prenzlauer Berg, and enjoys a kind of Bohemian freedom: she is a free spirit, who is not afraid to call it like she sees it, and who sleeps with whomever she wants. She longs to be happy and recognized as someone special. Through her ups and downs she discovers that it is more important to stay true to yourself than the system—a message that seems to be in direct conflict with GDR policy, where self-actualization really was a radical act. By the time the authorities decided that the film might actually be subversive, it was too late. It had made it to the West and was entered in the Berlinale 1980. Renate Krößner (Sunny) won the Silver Baer and the film was honored with the Gold Plaque at the Chicago Film Festival 1980.
Legendary screenwriter Wolfgang Kohlhaase based his script on a true story. This is the last film for East German star director Konrad Wolf.


Came across this data-rich article on CNN Money which points at an increase of coupon distribution and usage in the United States. Interestingly, the surge is being explained with the economic crisis where savvy consumers are looking for a deal wherever they can get one.
Overall, the volume of aggregated coupon savings amounts to $600 millions more in the first 9 months of 2009 compared to the same period the year before, or in percent, a 30 % up. The merchants from their end seem to have understood luring new customers to their shops by increasing the distribution of such coupons by 41 %. More often than not, the economics of a such a voucher don't pay off in the first place with zero or even a negative margin. However, if relationship building is done right, the customer lifetime value will allow for profitable amortization.
My impression is that coupons are here to stay and that we will see more of them, especially at the crossroad of mobile, location awareness and your social network.


text:
Feast for eyes and ears
Meaningful method to the multidisciplinary madness at Studio 107B
By Laura Bulkin
tempo@taosnews.com
What inspired an interactive event with the unlikely juxtaposition of "Print and Piano" in its name? "It's all about alliteration," quipped artist and Studio 107-B proprietor Maye …
Locals explore their creative sides at the "Print and Piano" event at Studio 107B on Taos Plaza.
Rick Romancito
Maye Torres, director of Studio 107B on Taos Plaza
A monotype is prepared for printing.
Master printer Michael Vigil, left, and gallery director Maye Torres examine a newly pulled print by Jim Wagner.
Posted Wednesday, July 11, 2018 12:27 pm
Come and play
What we're trying to do is start getting artists in all different art forms working together again, collaborating in the shop and talking together. Combining the arts rather than keeping them separate. All my kids were musicians, so I always had live music at home and that seemed like a great addition. We wanted to engage the public and other artists with the process of printmaking. Almost every artist that comes through Taos does some sort of print. My son Zachary is a pianist and offered to come and play."
— Maye Torres, gallery owner
"Print and Piano" opened July 5, and will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Tuesday (July 17) at the gallery located at 107-B North Taos Plaza.
Studio 107-B
107B North Plaza
What inspired an interactive event with the unlikely juxtaposition of "Print and Piano" in its name? "It's all about alliteration," quipped artist and Studio 107-B proprietor Maye Torres. "Aren't alliterations always a perfect poetic process?"
Torres hastened to explain that there was, of course, a more meaningful method to the multidisciplinary madness.
"What we're trying to do is start getting artists in all different art forms working together again, collaborating in the shop and talking together," Torres said. "Combining the arts rather than keeping them separate. All my kids were musicians, so I always had live music at home and that seemed like a great addition. We wanted to engage the public and other artists with the process of printmaking. Almost every artist that comes through Taos does some sort of print. My son Zachary is a pianist and offered to come and play. So, we borrowed Joel Larson's piano for the run of the show, and master printmaker and artist Michael Vigil brought his etching press. We've invited artists and musicians, and we're welcoming all visitors to come in and print and play."
Invited artists, including Jim Wagner, Leonard Salazar, Gretchen Ewert, Christopher Taylor, Pat Woodall, Anais Rumfelt, Sharon Dry Flower Reyna, J. Matt Thomas and others, will be in-house at various times creating original works of art that will be for sale at affordable prices.
"I haven't printed before, and I'm excited to just take a look and give it a try," Thomas said.
On the show's first day, Torres and Vigil demonstrated the process with their own prints and overlays then assisted some fascinated children and adults in painting onto plexiglass and hand-pressing prints of their work.
Invited artist Katie Woodall stopped by to participate on Friday and described the experience. "While I was there, a young girl pulled a print. She loved it. Jim Wagner did a monoprint portrait. Juanita Lavadie did an etching. I did a print that let me go directly to open space where I could find color and abstraction to pull out feeling and even clarity. The music was turned up and Michael (Vigil) offered anyone the chance to play with the immediacy and spontaneity of printmaking. Maye makes a happening all the time in there!"
Vigil co-conceived the event with Torres. He has been creating art and printing in Taos since moving here from Anaheim, California in 1983. He and his artist brother Dan began their printing apprenticeship as young children, learning the ropes from their father, the late world-renowned artist Veloy Vigil.
"Our dad was very prolific," Michael Vigil said. "My brother and myself pulled a lot of editions for him. We were in high production and good quality. Then where we lived, there was a tradition where artists would decorate these gift boxes for charity every Christmas. One year, when they came to give my father his box to paint, they gave one to my brother and me and we collaborated on it. Someone at a gallery saw the box and asked to see more of our work. That was the gallery where I had my first one-man show, and it came close to selling out. My career started taking off from there."
His work has since been shown in prestigious art galleries and graced venues from Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix to a solo exhibition of sports-themed prints at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. His home base is the Graphic Impressions printing workspace and adjacent Michael Vigil Studio gallery at 107 Morada Lane.
"This event here will be a reunion of sorts," he said. "Maye and I, and many of the artists we've invited, we go back a long way. We used to pool our money and go print our work together. Anyone who comes in, I can give them some simple instructions, let them know the different tools available. It's an educational thing to get them into the printing process. And at the very least we're just going to have fun."
He spoke about the process as he painted a detailed railroad scene onto plexiglass then carefully reversed it onto water-treated paper and rolled it through the press. "You have to watch the pressure you're applying all the way through."
"Digital prints are more common now, or giclées," Torres said. "This is more of an old-fashioned process of printing, more painterly. There's something pretty meditative about it."
Torres' son, Zachary Torres-Trujillo, has been composing and playing piano since the age of 10 when he first heard jazz legend Dave Brubeck. His influences since that early inspiration have ranged from classical music to Phillip Glass and Scott Joplin.
His piano performance will accompany the printing work as visitors move through the gallery. Other musicians taking part in the event include Matan Rubinstein, a composer based in Massachusetts who is here in Taos on an artist residency with the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation.
"This is a way to bring people together," Torres said. "Years ago, we used to do a lot more collaborating. One year we got together and made what was, at the time, the world's largest print. We pressed it with an actual steamroller. Then we all got busy with our studios and families. It feels like full circle now to do things together again. The creative renaissance is what we need in the world now. Revolutions are too bloody, and creating is more powerful than 'resisting.' More and more artists are working together and crossing disciplines, like the First Friday events that are happening all over the country. We get so locked into our phones and gadgets. It's powerful to be making art with our hands instead. It's important to keep our culture alive, to keep teaching things that promote imagination and creation. We're trying to bring the 'kind' back into humankind through art, music, working and laughing together."
For more information, call (575) 779-7832 or email studio107bgallery@gmail.com.
print and piano,	studio 107B,	art gallery,	interactive,	taos plaza,	maye torres,	taos,	new mexico,	the taos news,	tempo magazine
Nearly forgotten, now celebrated
The Paseo 2019 artists announced
The sound of visual art
Distinctive expressions

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Ariana Grande's "thank u, next" embodies self-love
Singer rises above recent break-up drama in new single
Tegwyn Hughes
Grande's song has shown us is that she's ready to move on.
Josh Granovsky
This weekend was full of drama surrounding Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson's fresh breakup.
Davidson jokingly proposed to musical guest Maggie Rogers in a preview for a new episode of Saturday Night Live and Grande responded in now-deleted tweets, saying, "for somebody who claims to hate relevancy [you] sure love clinging to it huh."
She followed that tweet up with a now-iconic life motto: "thank u, next."
Split turns nasty. Ariana Grande slams Pete Davidson on Twitter for using their failed relationship to boost his career. The tweets have since been deleted, but here they are. pic.twitter.com/XogVoOMLuK
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) November 2, 2018
The phrase caught on, and on Saturday night Grande dropped an unannounced single, bearing the tweeted phrase as its title, to the world's surprise and excitement.
"Thank u, next" is catchy and heartfelt. More importantly, it doesn't sink to the level of pettiness and sarcasm Davidson has displayed in recent comments about the matter. Instead, Grande's song is an ode to forgiveness and self-love.
Grande starts the song by briefly mentioning her last relationships with celebrities Big Sean, Ricky Alvarez, Mac Miller, and Pete Davidson. She sings, "Even almost got married / And for Pete, I'm so thankful." Grande goes on to explain, "I've loved and I've lost / But that's not what I see / So, look what I got / Look what you taught me."
The artist's single isn't intended to tear down Davidson or wallow in self-pity, it's about learning from past relationships and growing as a result. The chorus repeats the line, "I'm so f—ing grateful for my ex" to fully emphasize this point.
It doesn't place the blame on Davidson, or any of Grande's past boyfriends, for their relationships ending. She takes a mature approach to dating and shows not every breakup needs to be rife with drama.
[Ariana] takes a mature approach to dating and shows not every breakup needs to be rife with drama.
Not only does Grande tell us she's grown from each of her relationships, but she also celebrates how she's prioritizing herself now. Later in the song, the artist confesses, "Plus, I met someone else / We havin' better discussions […] her name is Ari / And I'm so good with that".
These lines communicate a universal message: you aren't your relationships. You can learn from other people and find love but, at the end of the day, you should be your own top priority. You'll always have a relationship with yourself, as Grande seeks to remind us.
These lines communicate a universal message: you aren't your relationships.
Some may raise an issue with the fact that Grande released her single half an hour before Saturday Night Live aired this weekend, but I think this was her strategy to take control of her breakup's narrative. TMZ reported Davidson wrote a skit for the show satirizing his ended engagement with Grande, which was later cut. Whether or not this is true, he's been continuously loose-lipped about their relationship in the past.
I can see how Grande would want to share her thoughts before Davidson had the chance to say something potentially inflammatory about her on live television.
The singer even informed fans over Twitter that her exes heard "thank u, next" before it was released, proving the single wasn't recorded as a jab at her past boyfriends.
What Grande's song has shown us is that she's ready to move on.
The singer's chosen not to be defined by her relationships, but instead by growth. She leaves for her Sweetener Tour in March, has teased an upcoming album on the heels of her May 2018 release, Sweetener, and continues to appear on talk shows and attend other engagements.
Ariana Grande is moving forward, and she doesn't have time to be sad about her past. In "thank u, next," she lets us know this loud and clear: "I've got so much love / Got so much patience / I've learned from the pain / I turned out amazing."
Whether you're fresh out of a breakup and looking for something to empower you, want to be inspired by self-love, or simply want a new song to play on repeat, "thank u, next" is guaranteed to satisfy you.
The Last Summer fails to accurately portray the teenage experience
Peaks and pits of 2018-19 pop culture


text:
Game Night, Review, Tomb Raider, Video Games
Shadow of the Tomb Raider: End of an Origin
June 12, 2020 May 22, 2020 jernahblunt
I was going to review Halo 2 this week. But then I remembered that I'd played this one, so it got bumped up the priority list. Sorry, Halo. You'll have to wait until next week.
While I did have my problems with Tomb Raider (2013) and Rise of the Tomb Raider, I still greatly enjoyed both games. However, when I went into Shadow of the Tomb Raider, I had a strange sense of dread. For some reason, it gave me a similar feeling I got from games like Batman: Arkham Knight and Mass Effect 3. I feared that it would be yet another disappointing finale to a series that I loved.
So, the question is: was I right? Did Shadow of the Tomb Raider fall flat on its face? Well… yes. But also no. It was mostly good! But I struggle with the idea of going back to play it again.
Story: Ending a War and the World
As a conclusion to the modern Tomb Raider trilogy, this story is kind of strange. It does conclude the story established in the previous games. At the same time, however, the plot of this game feels oddly disjointed. Like it wants nothing to do with the other two.
After their adventure in Syberia, Lara and Jonah (heh heh, that's me) head off to stop Trinity from acquiring another ancient artifact. Unfortunately, when Lara herself takes it, the nearby town is consumed by a massive tsunami. Now Lara must race to find the other artifacts before Trinity can take them and the world ends.
Also, there's something about an ancient village caught in a civil conflict with Trinity cause the leader comes from there. That part kind of takes everything over by the end.
Okay, let me elaborate. Later in the game, Lara discovers this old village where Trinity's leader, as well as the game's central artifacts, come from. And apparently, this village is the most important thing in the history of ever. This is where Trinity came from all those centuries ago, the main bad guy wants to save/rule over it, it's the most important thing ever.
Funny how it never came up in any of the previous games. Or how the main baddie was never even mentioned. You'd think if these artifacts could mark the end of the world and they were so central to Trinity's… everything… that they'd not even bother with all the shit they did in the first two games.
This story does feel really disconnected from the first two games. Nothing that happened in either one of them feels like it has any impact on the events of this one. At most, you'll get a few brief references to characters from before. It feels very isolated, which is kind of a problem when your game is the finale to a three-game story.
Now, I'm not saying the story in this game is all that bad. The pacing is a bit rough, going from very slow at the beginning to blindingly fast at the mid-way point. I'd say this one has the best character writing and dialogue out of any of the other three, but it's still not especially great. It has some fun twists and turns that make it more enjoyable and surprising, so it's not exactly predictable. It's not especially great, but it isn't terrible.
The big one for me is the dialogue. My biggest complaint in the previous games was that the dialogue was inorganic and uninteresting, meant only to drive the plot along. Luckily, in this game, we do get a few scenes of our characters actually sitting down and talking to each other like people. And these scenes are great! Unfortunately, they're rare and far-between. Outside of these, the writing is entirely like it was in the other games: meant only to drive the plot along, not to be interesting.
The villain is kind of a step up from the first game, but not by much. He's a more sympathetic character… I guess. He's decently intimidating, but he's more annoying than threatening. He's still not an especially deep or memorable character, but he is still the best villain in the trilogy.
Even if his boss fight still sucks.
To be fair, this game does do a lot with Lara's character. We actually get a playable section with little girl Lara that I loved! Plus, she gets another bad-ass moment like the one she got in the first game! It doesn't hit as hard emotionally, but it's a pretty solid moment all in all! I also love the brief epilogue scene we get after the credits; it's a great way to end the trilogy while still being open enough for more.
All in all, this story is… decent. Not especially strong, especially when connected to the first two. But it's still compelling enough to carry you to the end. In this regard, the game isn't a total disappointment.
Not yet, at least. Maybe.
Presentation: Look at How Real I Look!!
A, photo-realism. We meet again. Why is it that you look more boring the more convincing you look?
Despite my disdain for this realistic style, I can admit that it lands the mark here. All the environments are crisp and highly detailed, though they do sort of blend together as the game goes on. All the character models are rock solid and they're animated pretty well. It's not as impressive as, say, Death Stranding, but it's still a good looking game.
If you like games devoid of any unique style, that is. But given that this is the industry standard these days, I guess I can't be too mean.
Music wise… I have nothing to say here. I genuinely can't tell you if the music is good or bad. Because I genuinely cannot remember a single note of a single tune! When I try to recall any of it, it just flies straight through my mind. It literally went through one ear and out the other.
And that's about all I can say about that. It's another one of those 'Look at how realistic I look!' kind of games. They're a dime a dozen. Technically impressive? Absolutely! But visually distinct? Not so much.
At least Nintendo and Indie games still have style…
Gameplay: Adding Too Much
I could copy-paste my entire Rise of the Tomb Raider review here. But I can add more on top of it!
This game is basically just the last game, only with more stuff in it. Which is kind of a problem, considering that the last game had the perfect amount of stuff! But this one just adds more! More crafting stuff, more weapon upgrades, more of everything!
Except for challenge tombs. You know, the best part. Which brings me to my biggest problem with this game: the challenge tombs.
These are shorter in supply, as well as harder to find. They try to make up for it by increasing their length, but I don't think that works. Part of what made them so much fun in the first two games was their length; you could go in, beat it in ten minutes or less, then move on. But making them longer, even if it isn't by much, pushes them a little closer to the realm of tedium.
Plus, they play a really annoying animation where Lara pulls out her gear everytime you enter/leave one. It's cute the first time, but it gets really annoying later on in the game. I get it, she has gear. I'm the one that equipped the shit! I know what she's got!!
You can also equip all sorts of weapons and even armor. Unfortunately, some weapons are just objectively better than others and the armor is basically useless. You don't get enough of it to really customize Lara to your liking and the game will, very often I might add, remove the gear entirely for plot reasons.
It's not all bad, though. The gunplay feels smoother and more responsive, making shootouts more enjoyable than before. The stealth and climbing mechanics have been expanded upon in neat ways, making climbing more engaging and stealth more interesting. Side quests have been expanded, making each one longer and more distinct than what we got in the last game. The dramatic expansion of the mechanics hasn't been to the detriment of the entire game. Only most of it.
One thing I absolutely love is the customizable difficulty. You can alter the difficulty of exploration, combat, and puzzles individually, each to three different settings. It's not the deepest customization in a video game, but it's a nice touch. It's certainly more interesting than what we got in the previous two games.
Still, despite those gripes, I can't deny that I had a ton of fun with this game! While I do think the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it, just add more' mentality doesn't always work to the game's benefit, it doesn't ruin the overall experience. It's still a fun adventure game from start to end.
But they did sour the challenge tombs, and that is a sin I cannot forgive. 0/10, fucking sucks.
All in all, I can't say this game was a perfect ending to this trilogy. I don't think it was as disappointing as Arkham Knight, which I mentioned earlier. But I still found myself wanting just a bit more then what we got here.
Not to say that it's bad, by any means. It's still a fun game! While it is a letdown in many ways, it's still a satisfying experience! Still, it would be a struggle for me to place this one on a list in comparison to the other two. It's definitely good; but would I say it's better than Tomb Raider (2013) or Rise of the Tomb Raider? I don't know.
If you enjoyed the first two games as much as I did, you'll certainly enjoy this one! It isn't a perfect finale, but it's still solid! It's a decent final chapter in one of my favorite modern game trilogies! And I'm not just saying that because one of the main characters is named Jonah (heh heh, that's me!)
I'm gonna miss that gag…
Tagged Game Night, Review, Tomb Raider, Video Games
Previous postAzula: The Mad Prodigey
Next postThe Last Airbender: The Golden Standard


text:
Policy and Positions
MuniCo Reports
401k Program
Background Checks and Drug Testing
Food Training
Instant Pay
The Illinois Retail Merchants Association is the only statewide organization exclusively representing retailers in Illinois.
The Illinois Retail Merchants Association benefits Illinois retailing through effective management with retailers, the general public, policy makers, and the media regarding the impact legislative and regulatory proposals will have on the success of retail operations. As your voice in the Capitol, Chicago City Hall, Cook County Board Chambers, and regulatory agencies across the State, IRMA closely monitors legislative and regulatory activity, voicing opposition to anti-business proposals and supporting and passing business friendly initiatives.
Employing 1 out of every 5 people in Illinois, the retail industry is a driving force of the state's economy. Retailers across the state are proud to call Illinois home, but Illinois needs to stabilize and strengthen the economic environment to bolster existing employers and attract new ones. IRMA's government affairs team is on the front lines of issues that directly affect retailers' bottom line. IRMA is well-positions to serve members with a single operation, those that represent a national chain, and everyone in between.
Retail Lobbyists
IRMA serves as the voice of Illinois retailing providing full-time advocacy services and representation in front of State, Cook County, and City of Chicago policy makers. IRMA's government relations efforts have resulted in both the passage and defeat of significant bills of major bottom line impact on retail stores. From the nation's largest retailers to independent businesses in every corner of the State, merchants can count on IRMA to fight for the best possible environment in which to do business in Illinois.
Association Services
Among advocacy services and representation, IRMA's group programs ensure a membership with IRMA doesn't cost – it pays. Retailers, at any level of the business, invest countless resources in making the company a success. We help members protect and grow that investment. IRMA group programs contribute to the bottom line in helping small and large companies get the best service at the lowest cost. Inside IRMA membership, there is something for everyone.
Rob Karr
Rob has been with IRMA since 1994, and was named Executive Vice President in 2012 and assumed the position of President and CEO in 2014. Rob has been appointed to numerous boards with entities such as the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Prior to joining IRMA, Rob was Associate Director of Government Affairs for the Illinois Manufacturers Association and a campaign aide in several statewide and congressional races. He is a graduate of Illinois State University, from which he received a degree in Political Science with a minor in history. Rob is a native of Chicago and is a long-time resident of Jacksonville where he and his wife, Lori, reside with their four children.
Tanya Triche Dawood
Tanya joined IRMA in 2008, and directs the activities of the Chicago Retail Merchants Association, where she advocates on behalf of the retail industry in City Hall and the Cook County Board of Commissioners. In addition, Tanya manages IRMA's involvement in legal matters on behalf of its membership. Prior to joining IRMA, Tanya worked as a staff attorney and legislative assistant for the Chicago City Council's Committee on Finance. Tanya is an executive member of the Chicago Bar Association's Alliance for Women and a Board Member of Chicago Women in Government Relations. Tanya earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Vanderbilt University and a bachelor's from the University of Michigan. Tanya is admitted to practice law in Illinois and in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Alec Laird
Vice President, Government Relations
Alec joined IRMA in 2014 and serves as the Vice President, Government Relations. Prior to IRMA, Alec served as Senior Legal Counsel to the Illinois House Minority Leader. In addition to his legislative and government relations experience, Alec practiced employment and labor law in the private sector. This experience included counseling foreign entities seeking to establish a corporate presence in the United States, as well as assisting domestic and international employers seeking to hire, transfer, or retain foreign employees to work in the United States. Alec holds a Bachelor's of Arts in Political Science from the University of Tennessee and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Memphis.
Gary Lukovich
Executive Vice President, Development
Gary joined IRMA in 2019 and is focused on driving membership growth and ensuring IRMA's services reach the widest breadth of retailers in Illinois. Prior to joining IRMA, Gary served as the corporate vice president for Homeowners Choice Insurance Company, where he orchestrated a company-wide plan to enter nine new state markets. In addition, he spent almost 30 years with State Farm Insurance as a corporate Vice President. An alumni of Wayne State University, Darden Business School (University of Virginia), Hillsdale College and Brookings Institute (Washington, D.C), Gary and his wife Susan reside in Barrington and enjoy spending time with their three grandchildren and participating in various church, charities and civic efforts.
Brian Bowe
Vice President, Energy Services
Brian joined IRMA in 2019 and works directly with IRMA's members on a number of energy services including procurement, sustainability initiatives, communication of regulatory changes, and assists with navigating both the regulated and deregulated environments in Illinois. Prior to IRMA, Brian worked in the energy industry for over a decade, most recently with Constellation New Energy, where he managed its government aggregation business efforts across Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Ohio. Brian holds a Bachelor's of Science in Managerial Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Debbie Cole
Debbie joined IRMA in 1984 and serves as Executive Assistant/Government Affairs. Prior to IRMA, Debbie served in the research library of the Illinois Research Unit with the Illinois General Assembly. Debbie and her husband, Steve, reside in Springfield and enjoy spending time with their two grandchildren.
About IRMA
The Illinois Retail Merchants Association benefits Illinois retailing through effective management with retailers, the general public, policy makers, and the media regarding the impact legislative and regulatory proposals will have on the success of retail operations
216 West Jackson Boulevard
© 2020 Illinois Retail Merchants Association.


Within Accenture's Architecture and Emerging Technologies practice, you will be starting one of several exciting projects.
Feasibility assessment for applying your proof of concept at scale.
Point of View paper/presentation on the applicability of VR/AR to the business context.
Working prototype for one of the use cases that proves the added value of these technologies.
We are happy to hear your suggestions on additional deliverables and/or research questions to shape your project together with you!
Excellent verbal/written communication skills in English and Dutch which enable you to translate complex technical solutions into clear and structured solutions.
Are your ready to join Accenture as a Consulting Intern in Emerging Technologies and change the world around you? Apply online! If you have any questions, you can email Cato Beentjes at stages@accenture.com.


The Czech Republic implemented the EU legislation and has set targets for greenhouse gas (GHG) savings, for the share of biofuels and renewable electricity in transportation on total consumption, and blending mandates. There are sufficient production capacities and feedstock available to meet those targets. However, a recent increase in the excise tax might challenge meeting those goals in 2017.
The long term goals of the Czech energy strategy as defined in the State Energy Conception of the Czech Republic 2015 are: safety, competitiveness and sustainability. The Czech biofuel policy reflects that, being also significantly influenced by the European Union policy and regulations. Major energy sources and percent share of total Czech electricity generation based on installed capacities in 2014 are: coal – 50 percent, nuclear – 20 percent, hydropower – 10 percent, solar – 9 percent, natural gas – 6 percent, biogas – 4 percent, wind – 1 percent.
The target set by the European Commission under Directive 2009/28/EC is to reach 13 percent share of energy from renewable sources against gross final energy consumption and a 10 percent share of renewable energy sources in transport by 2020. The Czech Republic in general does not have significant problems in meeting its targets, although in 2010 they did not fulfil the target to replace 5.75 percent of energy content of fossil fuels consumed in transportation with biofuels. Blending of biofuels with fossil fuels has been mandatory in the Czech Republic since September 1, 2007. Recent changes in excise tax legislation might challenge fulfilling the targets in 2017, as they temporarily increase prices of biofuels and make them less competitive.
The Czech Republic has sufficient capacities for biofuel production but they are currently underused. Feedstock for biofuel production is mostly local. Czech producers use locally grown rapeseed for biodiesel and sugar beet and grains as a feedstock for ethanol production. There is exportable surplus of feedstock available.
Czech Republic creates biofuels policy in connection with that of the European Union (EU). The regulatory framework for the EU biofuels and biomass market consists of the EU Energy and Climate Change Package (CCP) and the Fuel Quality Directive (FQD). In the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), which is part of the CCP, specific sustainability requirements are laid out for liquid biofuels. These include minimum greenhouse gas emissions reductions, land use and environmental criteria as well as economic and social criteria.
Act on Air Protection no. 201/2012 also sets mandates for individual biofuels. It is 6 percent vol. for biodiesel and 4.1 percent vol. for bioethanol.
As a result of RED implementation, domestic production of biofuels gradually grows, as well as trade (mainly intra EU). In the Czech Republic local production capacity and feedstock are still not fully used up, therefore no significant third-country imports are foreseen, unless price driven. Many of the producers use ISCC certification.
The first national Multi-year "Program of Supporting Further Utilization of Biofuels in Transportation" made possible the pure biofuels and high-percentage mixtures of biofuels in transportation in the Czech Republic (e.g. B30, B100, E85, E95, etc.) to be partially or fully exempted from excise taxes. The program was implemented into the Act on Excise Tax. This program expired at the end of June 2015.
The new, second national "Multi-year Program of Supporting Further Utilization of Biofuels in Transportation" for 2015 – 2020 was approved with delay. The plan includes a temporary increase in the excise tax in order to compensate for the period of July 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015, which was not covered by any approved plan but the tax exemption was still in place. The increased excise tax for biofuels is now in place for the period of January 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017.
Projection of fuel use prepared by the Czech Association of Petroleum Industry and Trade expects that the share of oil based fossil fuels in transportation will decrease to 92 percent in 2020 and to 78 percent in 2030. Consumption of gasoline in 2020 is projected at 1,811,000 MT and diesel consumption at 4,286,000 MT.
In 2015, the Czech Republic produced 104,715 MT of bioethanol. The main feedstock used in its production was sugar beet (55 percent), corn (45 percent). Production capacities involve 4 ethanol plants that could together produce nearly 300,000 MT of bioethanol annually. In 2015, as well as in 2014, only 2 of them were operating.
E85 consumption in 2014 totaled 23,288 MT. In 2015 it dropped to 12,329 MT. Recent increase in biofuel excise taxes increased price of E85 resulting in a significant drop in demand. Many distributors drastically reduced their E85 stocks and stopped offering this high-percentage biofuel.
Production capacities for biodiesel consist of 5 major plants and a few small scale ones, totaling at slightly over 400,000 MT per year. In 2015 only 3 of them produced biodiesel. Czech biodiesel production in 2015 reached 167,646 MT, with rapeseed the main feedstock.
There is one plant (Oleo Chemical) producing biodiesel from animal fat from a rendering plant in the Czech Republic. Its capacity is reported in the media at 62,000 MT per year. The production is estimated to be lower than what the full capacity would allow. It has been used for export to other European member states so far.
Use of biomass for renewable electricity and heat production has been increasing, with corn silage and agricultural waste the main feedstock. According to data published by the Czech Ministry and Trade, deliveries of electric energy produced from biomass to the grid reached 1,120,003.4 MWh in 2014.
Heat production from biomass amounted to 20,368,960.5 GJ in 2014.
Biogas has good potential in the Czech Republic and the production and number of biogas stations keep rising. Agricultural biogas stations produce approximately 88 percent of biogas in the Czech Republic. Currently there are over 600 biogas stations, however this number includes also those that have not been through a trial run yet.
Under the Rural Development Program 2014-2020 it is possible to receive support for building biogas stations and facilities producing heat and using cogeneration.
Electricity produced from biogas in the Czech Republic reached 2,583,362.5 MWH in 2014. Heat produced from biogas reached 3,964,548.0 GJ. Data for 2015 were not yet available in time of preparation of this report. Increase is, however, foreseen for 2015, as well.
Wood pellets have been popular in the Czech Republic, mainly among the producers. Their production has been growing, since they can be successfully exported (e.g. to Austria). Producers use mostly German certification, because of increased export possibility.
The share of EN plus certified pellets on the total wood pellets production has been increasing. The increasing trend in production and exports is expected to continue, consumption has been stagnating (mainly in households, because coal is cheaper and the pellet heaters can burn it as well). According to the Association for Biofuel producers, there is potential for U.S. Pellets on the Czech market.