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Advice and Opinion
South Africa breaks new ground with Facilities Management Standard
South Africa is the first country in the world to publish a draft of the FM Standard to break new ground in best practice Facilities Management. The Standard was presented to the ISO meeting in Glasgow, Scotland on 5 June 2015 to positive feedback. "I am very proud of my working group and the quality of work produced within a very short time. I am even prouder now that the world has acknowledged the high quality of our approach", said David Khasebe, local convenor of the volunteer group of professionals. He was also invited to join and contribute to the international working group.
The world decided through the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) committee of 32 countries in late 2014 to create an FM Standard globally to ensure effective management of facilities within organisations. The standard prescribes the manner in which facilities management must be implemented within organisations, in the same manner ISO 9001 series of Quality Management System provide best practices within organisation. This had become necessary as facilities professionals managed facilities differently and poorly to their own detriment and that of the organisations, profession and industry.
Pockets of excellence around the world have shown that facilities management, as a strategic business support function, can actually aid and support the organisation's competitive advantage. At the centre of MacDonald's success is facilities management, for instance. Their facilities, including their layout designs, electric corporate car sharing, air quality, efficient lighting and cleanliness are a great example of how, if executed effectively, facilities management can make organisations more competitive. Facilities management, therefore, does not only aid and support cost related strategies only, it can also support differentiation and other sources of competitive advantage.
The Googleplex in the Silicon Valley, California is a corporate headquarters complex which tells a story of corporate culture, environmental sustainability and people-centred organisation. The design, furniture, indoor corporate colours, indoor combination of technology and nature, air quality, cleanliness, food, ambassadorial services, the 'work and play' feeling employees associate with the place – all these elements which make the place tick, is facilities management in practice. This is the power of great facilities management practice within organisation.
Facilities management can effectively be found everywhere: Inkosi Luthuli hospital in Durban, PRASA passenger trains in Bloemfontein, Industrial Development Zone in East London, University of Stellenbosch, Dihlabeng Mall in Bethlehem, Kimberly airport, the ICC in Durban, Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg are examples of varied type of facilities where this management discipline can be applied in South Africa. "FM is everywhere, whether recognised or not, and can add so much value to organisations, be they in the REIT, corporate occupier, government or retail sectors"
It has the potential to be the greatest job creator and economic contributor if effectively implemented. This makes the Standard the greatest contribution to the NDP and national economy SAFMA and the FM industry can make.
FM System Standard
"The working group and I are convinced this standard is the step change the SA industry needs to catch up to leading nations. You see we are at least 10 years behind having started practising FM in late 90s. The US started in the 70s, and UK, 80s." explained David who is also an independent management consultant. "It is an opportunity to leapfrog other nations and we have the most to benefit from the Standard – organisations, the industry and our economy. Everybody knows we need jobs and this is the industry's contribution to this national effort, our own stimulus if you will."
"The standard will become the much-needed hymn sheet for the practice of facilities management in organisations" David continues. Much-needed because organisations are generally unaware of the potential value of FM to create competitive advantage, facilities professionals feel undervalued and that the practice underestimated. The standard will clear this up while raising the bar for facilities management. "Raising bar, game changer; these are concepts that come to mind because FM will never be the same again. Organisations have always recruited people based on one or two technical aspects, the Standard broadens the scope and challenges professionals more. Effectively, if a professional and/or outsourcing provider cannot demonstrate how they support the organisation's competitive advantage strategy, they will be found out by a simple assessment. The Standard ushers in a new era, indeed" adds David.
The standard unpacked
This diagram explains application of the standard within organisations. The diagram is becoming the standard itself after tentative adoption by 13 countries in Glasgow. It is also been subjected to ISO expert review to see it can achieve instant global application.
Orientation: The "strategic", "tactical" and "operational" indicate the level at which processes are undertaken.
The following are salient principles of the Standard:
1. Prescribes the integration of the organisation's strategic management and FM's end-to-end processes. The standard introduces the concept of Demand and Delivery organisations.
2. Six pillars of the Standard are an ISO directive in terms of the Plan-Do-Check-Act mythology.
3. Certification documentation is the minimum the application of the Standard must produce to attain certification, for instance. These are the elements of change expected to raise the bar in FM within organisations
Figure 1: The FM Standard within Organisations (SABS Draft Standard)
Elements of Change
These are shown in the diagram as Certification Checklist are going to change the application of facilities management. No company will achieve certification without these elements as a minimum. As shown below, they are not about ticking things off the list but about the principles of the Standard:
1. Policy
Most companies do not a Facilities Management policy despite its potential value in terms of competitive advantage, budget size in relation to other costs and its impact on other standards such as Quality Management System, Risk Management, Business Continuity Management, Environmental Management System, Occupational Health and Safety, Energy Management, Information Security Management System, Asset Management.
Organisations must put in place a policy that puts all this in perspective and ensure company buy-in and support of the FM function.
2. Strategic Facilities Management Plan (SFMP)
Most company do not define and assign FM in terms of the end-to-end process and thus also undervalue FM. The SFMP will resolve this as it will comprises functional plans including acquisitions, design, workplace optimisation, green building, portfolio maintenance & service, et cetera.
The introduction of this plan will also dispel misconception that outsourcing is bad for career prospects because its development and monitoring is an in-house function. This cannot be outsourced as it must be undertaken by the Demand Organisation. It is multi-disciplinary and requires concepts like core competencies and centres of excellence to be put to action. Our experience show most organisations are understaffed in this regard.
Some bad outsourcing stories have demonstrated that lack of strategic FM sponsorship and ownership by Demand Organisation was behind their failure.
This plan is a symbol of the so-called Strategic FM. Bold and portfolio level planning with bottom line and company-wide impact.
3. Resources Plan
Poor budgeting for people, financial and technology is behind the many stories of poor FM application. Most FM functions are understaffed and as a result are in survival instead of expansion mode. It is a vicious cycle of under-staffing leading to under-performing which leads to under-valued which leads to further under-budgeting.
The three budget categories will be impacted as follows:
• People – the introduction of core competencies with end-to-end FM approach will expand budgets and create more career opportunities
• Financial – Two sets of budgets will be implemented, aligned to business and facility lifecycle replacements
• Technological – 21st century FM demands computer-aided technology and this must be budgeted for. Performance Evaluation depends on availability of data
4. Facilities Management Delivery Plan (FMDP)
This the where the majority of FM currently focuses – at tactical and operational levels. The noise and action, associated with implementation plans, give professionals a lot of misplaced satisfaction and keep them busy while they fail to make organisations more competitive.
This is important work as it is about integration of varied, multi-disciplinary services, use of technology and 'the moment-of-truth' for FM. It will however have limited impact on the organisation and perpetuate the Cinderella syndrome if not aligned to or in the absence of SFMP.
5. Performance Metrics
All the grand FM plans are nothing if performance cannot be proven. Performance Evaluation with company-wide reporting is essential. This depends on the information availability and technology, of course.
Proving performance and reporting to stakeholders will help FM gain credulity on future plans.
6. Improvement surveys and studies
FM in SA is an internally-focused and not the most transparent industries, especially corporate occupier sector which includes corporates, government administration, healthcare, education and others. Only the REIT sector is highly transparent with ongoing IPD benchmarking and reports.
Independent stakeholders' satisfaction, workspace use, facility condition and benchmarking studies are some potential improvement tools which bring about an external perspective.
Although still a draft, professionals are called upon to promote principles of the Standard and commence experimentation before publication by year-end. This pre-publication experimentation will improve the quality of feedback during the formal Public Enquiry process in September.
Furthermore, all other stakeholders are asked to comment and input on the Standard. They include business and industry chambers on the one hand; industry associations on the other including SAFMA, Green Building Council of SA, SAPOA, SAIBPP, Engineering Council of SA; government ministries Public Works, Economic Development and Trade and Industry.
The feedback, comment and input is requested along these lines:
I. Do you agree that FM is currently not delivering potential value?
II. Do you believe the Standard will effect improvement and change?
III. Are the elements of change, policy, SFMP, etc adequate to effect improvement and change or would you add more? Which?
IV. Which elements of change do you not agree with and why?
To comment on the Standard, stakeholders are invited to email project@dkmc.co.za with their input.
Active participants of the working group and their organisations:
Banzi Bam – Public Works
Chris Schoeman – Builtcare
Claire Odgers – Barclays Africa
Craig Henry – SABS
Johan Eiselen – Academy for Facilities Management
Nico Mabaso – Ntumbani Inc
Hendrik Wannenberg – TFMC
Convenor: David Khasebe – DKMC
See more (download PDF): FM Standard TC Draft
commercial property facilities management
Rawson Auctions Gauteng pioneer "bid with a bond" option
How to be the winning tenant


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WORK / HP
HPEDGE
SITUATION: Running a business can get complicated. But managing a massive chain of retail stores, restaurants, or hotels in the age of data? That's beyond complicated. And it's why HP edge was created. It's technology that lets companies gather an extraordinary range of data in real time, process it easily, and put it to use – through automated actions or alerts for employees. HP's challenge was how to share this complex solution in a straightforward way so that anyone – from floor managers to IT pros to c-suite execs – could understand its value.
SOLUTION: To get the job done, we first needed a crash course in edge computing to understand this brilliantly complex technology. After that, we translated the technical language of computer engineers into an easy-to-digest 2-minute explainer video that could sell the product to experts and newbies alike. The project's look and feel along with two minutes of animation was created from scratch by Tilt.
PERFORMANCE RESULTS: Our team successfully delivered an easy-to-get explainer video for the complex HP edge platform.
CLIENTHPSERVICESStrategy
Post-ProductionINDUSTRYTechnology

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Going for a modern mountainside wedding? This is the perfect invitation for you. These simple and stylish aspen/birch trees are coordinated with contemporary block font. Give your guests a real glimpse of your outdoorsy wedding with these real wooden invitations.


The Billionaire's Passionate Revenge is the third book in my Billionaire Romance series. This book is a bit of a departure from the other two as it is set almost exclusively in the heroine's ancestral home, Ravensdale Manor, in Devon, England. The other two books in the series, The Billionaire's Pursuit of Love and Tempted by the Billionaire Tycoon, feature trips to exotic, glamorous locations like Brunei and Paris. Although, in Billionaire #3 there is a spicy trip to London that plays out in a gorgeous suite at The Savoy. I love that hotel.
I based Ravensdale Manor on the many stately homes I visited when I lived in England. I loved heading out from London on weekends and exploring the incredible English history. Visiting place like Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, or Blenheim Palace, the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill, just fantastic.
Xavier's character has been in my head for at least five years. I'm thrilled I've finally got him out on the page. I have to admit I'm a little in love with him. He's suffered so much tragedy and betrayal but gets up and keeps going. I love his determination, passion and his incredible kindness. And Zara. She's in big, big trouble, but you'll have to read all about it to find out why! So hope you enjoy the final installment of my billionaire series.
Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan.
Win the lotto and buy a chateau in France.
I think I only realised the best thing about being an Aussie was when I lived overseas. I realised we are friendly, optimistic and generally can get on with almost anyone.
A great way to escape the everyday!
I've begun a series with hot ex-military men as the heroes, so I hope to bring that to readers in 2016.
Launching into the self-publishing world was a big achievement in 2015. Six other Aussie and New Zealand romance authors , Rachel Bailey, Michelle Douglas, Stefanie London, Helen Lacey, Kandy Shepherd and Louisa George, and I created an exciting independently published Christmas Anthology – Hot Christmas Nights. Not only am I so proud of what we've done, but the process was amazing. Working with these wonderful writers was truly inspiring!
Heiress Lady Zara Ravensdale and Xavier Hunt, the gardener's son, were once inseparable. But before their romance had a chance to bloom, it was crushed by scandal and betrayal.
Together again, passions reignite and the old chemistry becomes impossible to ignore. But Xavier and Zara are both keeping secrets and neither can forget their troubled history. Will they be able to uncover the truth of that night or will Xavier's need for revenge tear them apart forever?
The Billionaire's Passionate Revenge is the third book in my Billionaire series. If you love billionaire romance, don't miss this passionate read!


oh, I wrote a poem about my mother and pastry! I love all 4 of yours you posted above but that last rang bells! My poem was about my mother's hands being too warm for short crust pastry but she had me to do the mixing because mine were cold!


Frontiera is an independent production house based in Ghent.
We create, support and organise cultural projects and events in Belgium and abroad.
Frontiera started in 2006 as the backbone to a couple of projects around musician and photographer Thomas Noël (Livingstone, Tabarnack, a.o.) but soon became more than that as other people joined the initiative and cooperations with other organisations started to grow.


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En värld i krig (originaltitel: The World at War) är brittisk TV-serie i 26 delar, producerad av Jeremy Isaacs för Thames Television. Den visades första gångeni brittisk TV 1973-1974.

Serien beskriver händelseutvecklingen under andra världskriget och tog fyra år att slutföra. Laurence Olivier kommenterade den engelskspråkiga serien. För kommentarererna i den svenska TV-visningen stod Hans Villius.

Avsnittsförteckning

Ett nytt Tyskland
Förnedrat och stukat av första världskriget och kämpande med ekonomisk depression, söker sig Tyskland till en enda man för att återställa hopp och värdighet: Adolf Hitler...

Kriget i fjärran
Nazisternas krigsmaskin rullar vidare med full kraft i Östeuropa. I Storbritannien råder ett ängsligt lugn.

Frankrikes fall
Frankrike förbereder sig för ett krig likt det första världskriget. Katastrofen är fullständig och den franska armén blir förödmjukad.

Ensam
Efter slaget vid Dunkirk förbereder sig England för Tysklands attack. Trots att RAF har vunnit Battle of Britain så sveper blitzen över engelska städer. På kontinenten faller de sista allierade.

Operation Barbarossa
Hitler styr sina arméer mot Ryssland. Efter ett flertal förkrossande vinster sinkas den tyska armén och fastnar i den ryska vinterns hårda grepp.

Banzai!
Japan har fört krig i Kina sedan 1931 och deras självförtroende växer. Den 7 december 1941 attackerar de Pearl Harbor.

Vi är på väg
Norman Corwin, amerikansk radiojournalist: "Det kändes som att England försökte dra oss in i kriget. Det fanns till och med en känsla av att de skulle slåss till siste amerikan".

Ökenkriget i Nordafrika
Under två år kämpar 8:e armén och Rommels Afrika Korps i Nordafrikas öknar. Slutligen vänder krigslyckan vid El Alamein.

Stalingrad
Hitlers framgångar i Ryssland har gjort att han blir våghalsig och han beslutar sig för att erövra Stalingrad. Slaget varar i sex månader och Ryssland står som segrare.

Vargflockar
Som en vargflock jagar de tyska ubåtarna allierade sjömän på världshaven.

Den röda stjärnan
I två år kämpar Ryssarna ensamt mot den tyska armén. Efter det största slaget i mänsklighetens historia står Ryssland som vinnare. Landet är räddat, men till ett pris av mer än 20 miljoner döda ryssar.

Stormen
Brittiskt bombflyg klarar inte av att träffa precisa mål och börjar istället att nattetid fälla bombmattor över tyska städer. Amerikanska bombplan förstärker attackerna på dagtid.

Den ömma punkten
Churchill benämnde Italien som krokodilens mjuka buk. Och att de allierade med lätthet skulle slå sig igenom dess försvar och därefter kunna hota Tysklands hjärta. Krokodilens mjuka buk visade sig emellertid vara en hård nöt att knäcka.

Det blir en vacker dag imorgon
I Burmas djungler stred Englands största armé. I lera och monsunregn lyckades de efter hårda strider få stopp på den japanska offensiven.

England under kriget
Livet i Storbritannien under kriget präglades av gasmasker, evakueringar, matbrist, ransonering, kvinnor i arbetslivet, landsomfattande mobiliseringskampanjer och ständiga angrepp av bomplan och V1-raketer.

Bakom rikets murar
I Tyskland frodades optimismen: Var freden på väg? Men snaran drogs åt och freden var istället långt bort.

Morgon
De allierade har bestämt sig: De ska befria Europa. England förvandlas till ett flytande förråd av militär materiel när USA och England förbereder den största invasionsflottan i historien. Och den 6 juni 1944 är det dags för den stora dagen...Dagen D.

Ockupation
Under fyra år befinner sig Nederländerna under tysk ockupation och dess befolkning tvingas nu välja sida. Men i det ockuperade Europa är det lättare sagt än gjort.

Kniptång
Öst- och västfronten kryper allt närmare Tyskland. Det tredje riket börjar falla sönder, men än är det inte slaget.

Folkmord
Överlägsenheten i den ariska rasen är grundläggande i den nazistiska rasimen. Judar, romer och andra folkslag betraktas som mindre värda. SS, med Heinrich Himmler i spetsen, inleder den ondskefulla planen: Utrotandet av miljoner judar.

Nemesis
Medan Tyskland faller samman drar sig Hitler undan till sin bunker i Berlin. Hans officerare överger honom till sitt öde: Han biter sönder en giftampull och fullbordar sedan självmordet med ett pistolskott mot huvudet. Samtidigt hissar den ryska armén sin röda flagga över Berlin.

Japan
Efter en framgångsrik inledning av kriget är Japans ledare övertygade om att de har styrkan att påtvinga England och USA sin vilja. Men de misstar sig...

Stilla havet
Amerikanska förband kämpar sig fram över Stilla havet i riktning mot Japan och Filippinerna. Japanska styrkor slåss till siste man.

Bomben
Västerländska vetenskapsmän har utvecklat ett nytt, fruktansvärt kraftfullt vapen – atombomben. Skulle det komma till användning?...

Räkenskapens timme
Kriget börjar äntligen långsamt ta slut. England är en av vinnarna, men är också utmattat av krigets alla påfrestningar. Nu ställs de kvarvarande supermakterna mot varandra för att avgöra Europas framtida öde.

Minns
För många av de som överlevde var kriget den största händelsen i livet. För miljontals andra var det den sista.

Bonusepisoder
Vissa episoder gjordes inte för TV utan endast för utgivning på VHS/DVD. Dessa är:

Hitlers mystiska död
I april 1945 meddelar det tyska överkommandot att Hitler har dött i sin bunker i Berlin. Men dog han verkligen? Och om han gjorde det, hur gick det till?

Krigarna
Soldaterna som deltog i andra världskrigets strider berättar om de erfarenheter, tankar och känslor som de upplevde när de slogs för sina liv.

Hitlers Tyskland 1 & 2
Berättelse om Hitlers Tyskland så som vanliga tyskar upplevde det.

Hitlers sekreterare
Traudl Junge, en av Hitlers personliga sekreterare, berättar om sina upplevelser av kriget i Hitlers närhet.

Final solutions 1 & 2
Undersökning av de tyska rasdoktrinerna som slutligen leder till industriellt utformat massmord i Auschwitz och andra nazistiska koncentrationsläger.

Från krig till fred
Vilka konsekvenser fick andra världskriget?

Källor

Brittiska TV-serier från 1970-talet
TV-seriestarter 1973
Dokumentärer på TV
Brittiska krigs-TV-serier

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


ResMan for Labour Hire is our specialised software product for recruiters in the labour hire market.
Part of the ResMan Application Suite, ResMan for Labour Hire delivers all the core benefits of ResMan for Recruitment.
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Museum Shop Sunday: 9 items inspired by museum collections
by Kate McNab, 22-09-18 Post
Forget about Black Friday, Sunday November 25 is Museum Shop Sunday – your chance to support museums, heritage and the arts by picking up a bargain
Museum Shop Sunday sees over 160 not-for-profit museums, galleries and heritage attractions hosting special events, book signings, demonstrations and exclusive discounts to encourage shoppers to support heritage and the arts.
We take a look at some of the participating museum shops, and how they've used their collection to create unique and exclusive items, often with local and independent artists.
A Bloomsbury-inspired bauble
Charleston's Handmade Ceramic Bauble Decoration
Channelling the Bloomsbury style, artist and designer Emma Carlow creates these ceramic baubles in Lewes, just a few miles away from Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant's spectacularly-decorated home.
Each bauble is handmade and one-of-a-kind, echoing Bell and Grant's handmade aesthetic. They wouldn't look out of place within the unique interiors of Charleston and nearby Monk's House.
Enjoying this article? Get more stories like this delivered to your inbox.
An homage to a careful curator
Kettle's Yard's Lemon on a Pewter Dish Brooch and Earrings by I Am Acrylic
In the dining room of Kettle's Yard – the home of prolific art collector Jim Ede – a single fresh lemon sits on a pewter serving dish. Ede's purposeful placement of the fruit echoes the nearby painting Tic Tic by Joan Mirò and can be seen as an extension of the canvas into the room.
Individually handmade by Bristol-based jewellery company I Am Acrylic, these pieces of jewellery pay homage to a small statement made by Ede which perfectly reflects how he curated his art, his home and his life.
A piece of iconic design
London Transport Museum's TfL London Underground Lightbox
The heat, the wind, the rats, that smell – whether the tube is a novel rarity or part of the dreaded daily commute, who wouldn't want the glowing reminder of one of London's most iconic feats of engineering in their own home?
Based on the recognisable roundel that's known the world round as a symbol for London, this lightbox comes with 10 interchangeable signs including some of the network's most famous stations, and the classic 'mind the gap' slogan.
A theatre of insects
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust's Swallowtail Butterfly Scarf
Made exclusively for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust this modal scarf comes adorned with a beautifully intricate illustration of a swallowtail butterfly from Thomas Muffet's Theatre of Insects, which was included in the 1658 edition of Edward Topsell's The History of Four-footed Beasts, Serpents and Insects.
Thomas Muffet was an English naturalist, physician and politician who had a fascination with silkworms and other insects and arachnids. He inherited the Insectorum sive Minimorum Animalium Theatrum (Theatre of Insects), editing and expanding it with the hopes of it being published. It was finally published in 1634, 30 years after his death.
A piece of affordable luxury
Ashmolean Museum Gold Butterfly Tin Plate
This decorative plate made especially for the Ashmolean is modelled on a saucer from the collection made by Chelsea Porcelain Factory in the mid-1700s. The Chelsea Porcelain Factory operated independently, producing the finest examples of Rococo art in England until it merged with Derby porcelain in 1770.
The Ashmolean has more than 130 pieces of Chelsea porcelain in its collection, which cover the factory's red anchor period (1752-1756) and gold anchor period (1756-1769).
A technicolour pachyderm
Sir John Soane's Museum's Saffron Agra Silk Scarf
This fabulous, psychedelic scarf from the Sir John Soane's Museum shop was designed by PJ Studio Accessories. Drawing on images from the museum's fascinating collection of antiquities, furniture, sculptures, architectural models and paintings, their designs reimagine the Soane Heritage and continue his vision in stimulating creativity through his collections.
Sir John Soane was one of England's greatest architects, designing many public buildings from the 1780s onwards. The museum is his former home, left as it was when he died in 1837 and acting as a repository for the many curios he collected during his lifetime.
A miniature piece of Liverpool heritage
National Museums Liverpool's Ceramic Super Lambanana
Part lamb, part banana, Superlambanana is a sculpture designed by Japanese artist Taro Chiezo to warn of the dangers of genetic engineering. Combining two cargoes common to Liverpool's docks – sheep and bananas – the intriguing piece of Liverpudlian public art can be found outside the Avril Robarts Library.
The Museum of Liverpool's shop has ceramic replicas of this adorable oddity, if you fancy owning an unusual piece of Liverpool heritage yourself.
An eye out for Freud
Freud Museum's An Eye Out for Freud T-Shirt
Designed by the British conceptual artist and sculptor Jane McAdam Freud, also Freud's great-granddaughter, this t-shirt features a striking line drawing of Freud, available in two different designs – one fitted and one loose.
The Freud Museum is situated in the Sigmund Freud's final home in Hampstead North London. The Austrian neurologist and psychoanalyst fled to London in the late 1930s, escaping Nazi rule. He died just a year later and his daughter, the pioneering child psychoanalyst Anna Freud, continued to live here until her death in 1982. The museum opened to the public four years later.
A good-luck charm
The British Museum's Gold snake bracelet
Inspired by an original dating from the 1st or 2nd century AD which is in the British Museum's Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities, this gold-plated bangle takes the form of a snake – an important and enduring symbol throughout history. The original piece of jewellery was a gold ring from Alexandria.
Snakes were a very popular theme in jewellery from antiquity, and it is thought that they were worn to help protect against the evil eye, and to aid fertility. The snake, which lends its shape so well to bracelets and rings, has many different interpretations in many different ancient civilisations including good, evil, royalty, everlasting love and good luck.


One of New York's Bravest is objecting to the use of his likeness in a poster marketing the services of a New York law firm that specializes in 9/11-related illnesses. The ad in question features a firefighter holding a photo of the devastated World Trade Center site, accompanied by the words, "I was there. And now, Worby Groner Edelman & Napoli Bern is there for me." And therein lies the issue: the man in the ad, Robert Keiley, didn't become a firefighter until 2004.
According to the New York Post's Reuven Fenton and Jennifer Fermino, Keiley is particularly upset that the photo in the poster was manipulated from a generic promotional photo for the department--of Keiley holding his fire helmet. The law firm's ad agency, Barker/DZP, swapped a picture of the World Trade Center in place of the helmet. They then debuted the poster at a fundraiser, the World Police Fire Games Event Gala; a move Keiley thinks makes him look like a "scumbag."
"It's an insult to the Fire Department. It's an insult to all the families who lost people that day," Keiley, an ex-cop who also works part-time as a model and actor, told the Post. "It makes me look like I'm cashing in on 9/11, saying I was there even though I was never there, and that I'm sick and possibly suing, trying to get a chunk of money."
The ad sparked the ire of popular anonymous advertising blogger Copyranter, who expressed to us that the ad reinforced his long-held belief that "law firms shouldn't advertise" because it's "unethical, and they just plain don't know how."


Blair Recruitment are currently working with a well respected, growing specialist Recruitment Agency with high tech, modern offices in Edinburgh city centre.
They specialise in the recruitment of IT and Technology professionals on both a Permanent and Contract basis in Scotland and the wider UK markets.
They have an enviable portfolio of clients and key accounts and are currently recruiting for Software Developers, Business Analysts, Project Managers, Infrastructure and support specialists.
They are currently in a phase of steady growth and are looking for several key personnel to strengthen their existing successful team. They have just completed a very successful business year and are looking to build on that success moving into the next financial year.
They are currently looking for an experienced billing Recruitment Manager to manage an existing team of permanent recruitment consultants from their Edinburgh offices. It is essential that you have experience of managing a small team of recruiters whilst continuing to recruit within the same market. Whilst experience within the IT/technology sectors would be great, they will consider managers from different market sectors.
The consultants you would manage, will be building up their own desks with varying technology roles using suitable candidate attraction methods and building out that desk via effective business development.
You will also have the opportunity to specialise in a niche sector within IT / Technology and own that particular sector or indeed work on a more generalist basis at for example, a more senior level.
On top of previous recruitment management experience, it is important that you have a sound understanding of the IT recruitment market and are organised and disciplined and driven by success.
In return is an excellent basic salary of up to £45,000, bonus scheme and benefits package with a zero threshold. You will also benefit from flexible working where applicable.


Confused by the multitude of car finance options available in the UK? Which? experts explain hire purchase (HP), personal contract plans (PCP) & personal loans. Find out which car.
# Car Battery Replacement Costs – Car Battery Life Cca. – Car Battery Replacement Costs Recondition Car Batteries In Dallas Texas Subaru Wrx New Car Dead Battery Car Battery Replacement Costs Car Battery Exploded What Is The Best Deep Cycle Battery For Solar It essential to find a quality auto mechanic in front of the need comes about.


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Register for World Coal magazine
Exploration & development
CIMIC targets Sedgman in takeover bid
Published by Jonathan Rowland, Editor
World Coal, Thursday, 14 January 2016 14:00
CIMIC Group has made an offer to acquire coal handling and preparation experts, Sedgman, in a bid that values the company as AUS256 million.
CIMIC, formerly known as Leighton Contractors and owner for Thiess, the world's largest contract miner, already holds just under 37% of Sedgman shares and is now aiming to increase its control of the group to "better support the future direction of Sedgman", it said in its Bidders Statement.
In response, Sedgman has advised its shareholders to sit tight until its board of directors has had time to consider the offer. The board has formed a sub-committee undertake this review and has appointed Citi as financial adviser and Norton Rose Fulbright as legal adviser.
Should the takeover succeed, CIMIC has said it would "reconstitute the Sedgman board" and review the dividend and capital management policies of Sedgman – a clear reference to a dispute last year between CIMIC and Sedgman Chairman, Rob McDonald.
CIMIC voted against Sedgman's remuneration report and opposed the appointment of three independent directors at the company's annual general meeting. Instead, it demanded Sedgman appoint a second CIMIC-nominated director and reduce the board's side to five people.
It also wanted direct involvement in Sedgman's decision making processes, said McDonald in an interview with the Australian Financial Review at the time.
CIMIC is owned by Spanish construction company, Grupo ACS, which sent Spanish executives to run the company after gaining control from its Australian management team in early 2014. Since then, ACS has had some success in turning parts of CIMIC around – success it seems keen to build on at Sedgman.
"There appears logic in the view that […] Sedgman could also be improved, Ben Brownette, an analysts at Commonwealth Bank told the Sydney Morning Herald, noting the CIMIC could also target mining-related businesses, Barminco and Ausdrill.
CIMIC's existing mining business, Thiess, has recently announced a slew of new contracts at coal mines in Australia and Mongolia and was also mentioned as one of the reasons behind the Sedgman bid with CIMIC noting that a number of joint venture arrangements existed between Thiess and Sedgman to deliver certain engineering projects.
Written by Jonathan Rowland.
Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/handling/14012016/cimic-targets-sedgman-in-takeover-bid-2016-53/
BHP confirms new investment on hold due to Queensland royalty tax regime
The Queensland Resources Council has described BHP's decision to place significant new investment in Queensland on hold due to new coal royalty tax rates as a "massive blow".
Copyright © 2023 Palladian Publications Ltd. All rights reserved | Tel: +44 (0)1252 718 999 | Email: enquiries@worldcoal.com


These are the things that have no measure: Peah [corner of the field which, while harvesting, must be left for the poor], Bikurim [First-fruits that must be brought to the Temple and given to the priest], the appearance-sacrifice [brought to the Temple on Pilgrimage Festivals], acts of kindness, and the study of the Torah. These are things the fruits of which a man enjoys in this world, while the principal remains for him in the World to Come: Honoring one's father and mother, acts of kindness, and bringing peace between a man and his fellow. But the study of Torah is equal to them all.
One should not make the Peah less than one-sixtieth [of the entire crop]. And although they [the Sages] say that there is no definite amount given for Peah, it is all based upon the size of the field and upon the number of poor [who will be collecting it] and upon the abundance of the crop.
One may give Peah from the beginning of the field or from its middle. Rabbi Shimon says: only if one gives the full measure at the end. Rabbi Yehudah says: if one has left even one stalk [at the end], he adjoins to it [what he has left to the beginning or middle, and it becomes Peah], if not, he has merely made it ownerless.
They made a rule about Peah: all which is food and which is guarded and grows from the ground and collected in one crop and stored for preservation is obligated in Peah. Grain and legumes are [included] in this rule.
And as for the trees: the sumac, the carobs, the nuts, the almonds, the grapevines, the pomegranates, the olives, and the dates are obligated in Peah.
He may give Peah at any time and it is exempt from the tithes, until he smoothes out [the pile of produce]; and he may declare his produce ownerless and it is exempt from tithes, until he smooths out [the pile of produce]; and he may feed it to livestock, other animals and to birds and it is exempt from tithes, until he smoothes out [the pile]; and he may take it from the threshing-floor and sow it and it is exempt from tithes until he smoothes out [the pile] - [these are] the words of Rabbi Akiva. If a priest or a Levite bought a granary the tithes are theirs, until he smoothes out [the pile]. One who dedicates [produce for Temple use] and redeems [the dedicated produce] is obligated in tithes, until the treasurer smoothes out [the pile].


This soap looks like it was difficult to make but is actually very easy. This is a great soap for selling at craft shows because the clamshells make for a stylish and easy packaging idea. Just put the back on, label and you are ready to sell. The use of a clamshell allows for safe shipping and eliminates labor associated with packaging.
Place clamshells on jelly roll pans for stability.
To large mixing bowl, add White Soap that has been cut up into small chunks. Set side.
To microwave-safe bowl, add cut up Clear Soap and yellow color block. Heat in microwave until melted.
Mix Fragrance Oil and Stabilizer together in beaker and allow to sit for at least 2 minutes. Add to melted soap and stir.
Pour the soap into the clamshells filling them half way full.
Thoroughly spritz the chunks of white soap with rubbing alcohol.
Place cubes of soap into the clamshells. Add enough cubes until the cavities are filled. Spritz with rubbing alcohol.
Let soap completely harden and place backs on clamshells.
Ingredient Label: Propylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Water, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Myristate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Titanium Dioxide, Yellow 5, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben.
"Would I be able to use Lemon Verbena Fragrance instead of the Lemon Sugar Soap? "
Staff Answer Yes you can. You will need to make sure that the Lemon Verbena Fragrance oil is safe to use in the same amount as the Lemon Sugar in our recipe. We recommend testing all substitutions in a small batch before making a larger batch for retail. You alone are responsible for product and recipe testing to ensure compatibility and safety. If selling, you would need to change the INCI ingredient listing to reflect any substitutions or changes to our original recipe.


This service provides valuable information for our clients to plan for equipment replacement, to identify long term cost saving measures as well as code and safety issues.
Energy modeling provides valuable information to building owners regarding the effect different mechanical systems, lighting systems and envelope materials have on energy usage.
We have extensive experience conducting arc flash hazard assessment studies. This assists our clients in establishing appropriate safety measures that should be taken when working on energized electrical equipment.


text:
import numpy as np
from unittest import TestCase

from diffprivlib.mechanisms import ExponentialHierarchical
from diffprivlib.mechanisms.transforms import IntToString

class TestIntToString(TestCase):
    def test_not_none(self):
        mech = IntToString(ExponentialHierarchical(epsilon=1, hierarchy=["0", "1", "2", "3"]))
        self.assertIsNotNone(mech)
        _mech = mech.copy()
        self.assertIsNotNone(_mech)

    def test_class(self):
        from diffprivlib.mechanisms import DPMachine
        from diffprivlib.mechanisms.transforms import DPTransformer
        self.assertTrue(issubclass(IntToString, DPMachine))
        self.assertTrue(issubclass(IntToString, DPTransformer))

    def test_no_parent(self):
        with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
            IntToString()

    def test_randomise(self):
        mech = IntToString(ExponentialHierarchical(epsilon=1, hierarchy=["0", "1", "2", "3"]))
        self.assertIsInstance(mech.randomise(1), int)

    def test_distrib(self):
        epsilon = np.log(2)
        runs = 10000
        mech = IntToString(ExponentialHierarchical(epsilon=epsilon, hierarchy=["0", "1", "2", "3"]))
        count = [0, 0]

        for _ in range(runs):
            val = mech.randomise(0)
            if val == 0:
                count[0] += 1

            val = mech.randomise(1)
            if val == 0:
                count[1] += 1

        self.assertGreater(count[0], count[1])
        self.assertLessEqual(count[0] / runs, count[1] * np.exp(epsilon) / runs + 0.05)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The secret about Waterford Retirement Living is the unique combination of beautifully designed homes, nestled in a pristine location combined with a small vibrant community, at a price dreams are made of. With homes starting from just $465,000 Waterford has the complete retirement package at an affordable price.
At home you'll enjoy the advantages of landscaped gardens, swimming pool, billiard room and library, all carefully maintained by your own on-site building manager. Other facilities and services include: Library and lounge area, fully equipped gymnasium, Art and craft room, Computer room, Billiards room, Hairdressing salon, Beauty salon, Pet Friendly.
The secret about Waterford Retirement Living is the unique combination of beautifully designed homes, nestled in a pristine location combined with a small vibrant community, at a price dreams are made of.
Waterford's streamlined design showcases a distinctive contemporary exterior styling. Designed for a leisure-driven lifestyle, each villa and apartment has been intuitively crafted with open-plan entertaining, an easy indoor/outdoor flow and a flawless interplay of space and light.
Complementing their idyllic coastal surroundings, Waterford's interiors have been meticulously crafted with features and finishes of exceptional quality. A choice of interior schemes is available to suit your taste inspired from the colour, form and textures of Waterford's coastal location.
With homes starting from just $465,000 Waterford has the complete retirement package at an affordable price.


Amelia is a Fine Arts educator, who has been teaching in New York City public schools since 2004. She has also taught English as a Second Language, and believes that advocacy is one of the primary responsibilities of an educator. As a Resource Coordinator at City-As-School, she hopes to guide her students in developing the real-life values and skills necessary to navigate the post-secondary school world they will encounter after graduation. She values dialogue, relationship, collaboration and choice in education, and strives to create learning environments that foster these values.
As a Resource Coordinator, Amelia facilitates students who have a strong interest in the arts with their internships at organizations focusing on arts and art making around the New York City. She also teaches Fine Arts courses at City-As-School, including such courses as painting and mask making. These courses culminate in group exhibits and performance pieces.
Amelia currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. She studied Fine Arts during undergraduate at Bard College, and earned her MA in Education as a New York City Teaching Fellow from Long Island University. She has also studied art at L'Accademia di Belle Arti in Urbino, Italy. Amelia is a reflective and curious learner who continues to enjoy discovering new topics. In her free time she enjoys painting, writing and reading. Amelia has exhibited and published work in various venues in the US and abroad; from articles about obscure churches in Rome for the International Herald Tribune, neighborhood profiles for The Baltimore Sun, to articles on education for online education journals. Her artwork has been shown in such small venues as cafes in Vermont to a much larger audience in a gallery scene in HBO's The Wire. She regularly practices yoga, enjoys long walks in nature, and time spent with family and friends.
Amelia has recently discovered an interest in photography. She has been exploring this medium, taking digital photos during her travels and daily wanderings.


This autumn brought news of some major advancements in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) research.
Efforts by Dr. Jacob L. McCauley, Associate Professor in the Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics who also serves as Director of the Center for Genome Technology and Biorepository Facility at the John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, and colleagues recently identified four new genes that contribute to MS risk and, in a separate study, revealed that people with Native American ancestry are significantly more likely to have optic neuritis as a first symptom of MS.
Previous work by the International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium (IMSGC), of which Dr. McCauley is a member, has identified 233 genetic risk variants for MS. All together, these 233 genetic risk variants only account for about 20 percent of overall disease risk. The IMSGC knew there must be more genes. To find them, IMSGC members pooled more than 68,000 MS patients and control subjects from Australia, ten European countries, and the United States to look for rare variants that damage the gene sequence directly. They found four new genes, each of which acts independently as a risk factor for this disabling autoimmune disorder, which they report in the journal Cell.
Accounting for 25% of the risk for developing MS is a major breakthrough. The 233 genetic risk variants mentioned earlier explain about 0.09% each, on average. The newly discovered genes explain about 1.25% of MS risk each, on average, which makes them better predictors.
To achieve the other research breakthrough, Dr. McCauley and colleagues obtained data from 1,033 self-identified Hispanic/Latino individuals with MS from an ongoing study by the University of Southern California, University of Miami, University of California San Francisco, and San Juan MS Center. The team analyzed information on genetic ancestry (examining DNA to determine ancestry), age at MS onset, and the occurrence of optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve) to uncover relationships among these variables.
Optic neuritis can result in blurring or graying of vision, or blindness in one eye. A dark spot in one's field of vision called a "scotoma" can occur.
It may behoove clinicians to pay closer attention to visual symptoms that hint at MS if they practice in the southwestern United States, where Native American ancestry is common among Hispanics/Latinos.
The study, which was published in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, suggests that genetics can, in part, underlie clinical differences in people of different ethnic backgrounds.


text:
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Taiwan approves same-sex marriage in first for Asia
Supporters of same-sex marriage celebrate as they gather outside the parliament building as a bill for marriage equality is debated by parliamentarians in Taipei, Taiwan, 17 May 2019. // EPA-EFE PHOTO
By Agence France-Presse
3,590 Viewed
Taiwan's parliament legalised same-sex marriage on Friday in a landmark first for Asia as the government survived a last-minute attempt by conservatives to pass watered-down legislation.
Supporters of same-sex marriage react as they gather outside the parliament building as a bill for marriage equality is debated by parliamentarians in Taipei, Taiwan, 17 May 2019. // EPA-EFE PHOTO
Lawmakers comfortably passed a bill allowing same-sex couples to form "exclusive permanent unions" and another clause that would let them apply for a "marriage registration" with government agencies.
The vote -- which took place on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia -- is a major victory for the island's LGBT community and it places the island at the vanguard of Asia's burgeoning gay rights movement.
Thousands of gay rights supporters gathered outside parliament despite heavy downpours, waving rainbow flags, flashing victory signs and breaking into cheers as the news filtered out.
In recent months conservatives had mobilised to rid the law of any reference to marriage, instead putting forward rival bills that offered something closer to limited same-sex unions. But those bills struggled to receive enough votes.
Supporters of same-sex marriage gather outside the parliament building as a bill for marriage equality is debated by parliamentarians in Taipei, Taiwan, 17 May 2019. // EPA-EFE PHOTO
Gay rights groups hailed the vote on Friday, saying the ability to apply for a "marriage registration" -- known as Clause Four -- put their community much closer to parity with heterosexual couples.
"The passage of Clause Four ensures that two persons of the same-sex can register their marriage on May 24th and ensure that Taiwan becomes the first country in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage and to successfully open a new page in history," said the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights.
- Court order -
Two years ago Taiwan's top court ruled that not allowing same-sex couples to marry violates the constitution with judges giving the government until May 24 to make the changes or see marriage equality enacted automatically.
The law does not bring full equality with heterosexual couples -- it only allows for biological adoption, for example, and marriages with foreigners are not recognised.
But gay rights groups have said they were willing to accept compromises, as long as the new law recognised the concept of marriage, adding they could fight further legal battles over surrogacy and adoption down the line.
"For me the outcome today is not 100 percent perfect, but it's still pretty good for the gay community as it provides legal definition," Elias Tseng, a gay pastor who was among the crowds outside parliament, told AFP.
Victoria Hsu, a gay rights lawyer, said it was crucial that conservatives failed in their bid to delete the reference to marriage registration with lawmakers voting 66-27 in favour of the provision.
"In Taiwan a marriage will take effect when it's registered, so allowing marriage registration is no doubt recognising the marriage itself," she told AFP.
The first marriages are expected to be registered next Friday, the date the court set for their deadline.
- Families divided -
In the last decade, Taiwan has been one of the most progressive societies in Asia when it comes to gay rights, staging the continent's biggest annual gay pride parade.
A couple supporters of same-sex marriage hug as they celebrate as they gather outside the parliament building as a bill for marriage equality is debated by parliamentarians in Taipei, Taiwan, 17 May 2019. // EPA-EFE PHOTO
But the island remains a staunchly conservative place, especially outside urban areas.
Conservative and religious groups were buoyed by a series of referendum wins in November, in which voters comprehensively rejected defining marriage as anything other than a union between a man and a woman, illustrating the limited popular support for change.
President Tsai Ing-wen hailed the vote as a "big step towards true equality" that "made Taiwan a better country."
Tsai had previously spoken in favour of gay marriage but was later accused of dragging her feet after the court judgement, fearful of a voter backlash.
Taiwan goes to the polls in January and the gay marriage issue could hamper Tsai's chances of re-election.
Opponents were incensed by the vote, saying the inclusion of the "marriage registration" clause ignored the 70 percent of voters who had cast ballots in the referendum wanting to keep marriage limited to a man and a woman.
Tseng Hsien-ying, from the Coalition for the Happiness of Our Next Generation, told local media the vote "trampled on Taiwanese people's expectations that a marriage and a family is formed by a man and a woman, a husband and a wife".
Australia and New Zealand are the only places in the wider Asia-Pacific region to have passed gay marriage laws.
Taiwan is the first place in Asia to do so.
Vietnam decriminalised gay marriage celebrations in 2015, but it stopped short of full legal recognition for same-sex unions.
"We hope this landmark vote will generate waves across Asia and offer a much-needed boost in the struggle for equality for LGBTI people in the region," Annie Huang, from Amnesty International Taiwan, said in a statement.
Taiwan same-sex marriage Asia parliament attempt watered-down LGBT Taiwan approves first for Asia
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When it comes to birds having ears, you've probably had one of two thoughts - either you assumed birds' ears were tiny, inconspicuous holes like they are on snakes, or you've never really thought about bird's ears that much.
The secret option #3 here is you know exactly what birds' ears look like, in which case it's time to move on, there's nothing to see here.
But for those of you who aren't cool about what's going on in the picture above - we're right there with you. We've spent our entire lives not knowing how outrageous birds' ears are.
Let's just say we weren't expecting something that... big?
Avian ears lack the external pinnae that our human ears have, but they do have an internal cochlea like us - only it's not shaped like a spiral, it's mostly straight.
"Because birds have no external ears, it has long been believed that they are unable to differentiate between sounds coming from different elevations," Hans A. Schnyder from the Technische Universität München in Germany explained.
"But a female blackbird should be able to locate her chosen mate even if the source of the serenade is above her."
Back in 2014, Schnyder and his team investigated the hearing ability of three bird species - crow, duck, and chicken.
"The eardrum differences allowed the bird's brain to determine whether the sound was coming from above or below or at level with the bird," CBC News explains. "That meant the bird's head was able to reflect, absorb or diffract the sounds."
You can read about the experiment here.
A version of this article was first published in December 2016.


Today's IoT deployement model is based on connecting things to IoT cloud platform over Internet (WAN). We bring up a new layer called gateway layer that stays at the edge of the network and connected to the cloud. In this case the things connect to gateway rather than cloud directly.
In current IoT solutions, gateways are only capable of collecting data from sensors/actuators and send it to the cloud without processing or making sense of any of the data. We call this new model IoT2.0. The gateway processes sensor data at the edge of the network, and if necessary sends the processed data to cloud for further processing. The gateway can take immediate actions at the edge thus meets real-time or near real-time responses to actuators.
Obviously cloud may still invoke actions at the actuators directly independent of gateway's decisions. This is essentially a new computing platform which will be performing edge processing; such as rule and device management, edge analytics, edge connection management, etc.
When it's an(y) Android device; IoT-Ignite Agent must be downloaded, if it is a RaspberryPi device, an Industrial Android (PilarOS) comes with all necessary components, ready to connect to the cloud.
IoT-Ignite is a public platform for makers or IoT service providers. We provide; SDKs (for communication of your services with IgniteAgent), REST APIs (for cloud communication for your services), Ignite Node libraries (if your service needs Node controlling), and Ignite service libraries (application samples that discovers and registers your nodes and gateways easily) ready for developers.
You need to develop a service that collects, analyses, and processes the data from nodes and/or sensors. This service feeds the collected and analyzed data to cloud over Ignite agent. The communication of this service is two-sided. If any processing is made in the cloud, this service feeds the results to the actuators.
Your end user service can register your devices (gateways, nodes, sensors), keep the inventory of them, and monitor them (info, status, values, rules,…). You can design customized dashboard for your service using IoT-Ignite REST APIs.
You can create a set of rules for your service, and can configure these rules over your dashboard. Your service can be deployed as a mobile app or web service.
This platform provides a very unique feature; edge processing. You can set your service to act according to any if-this-than-that ruling on the edge device. The data can be processed and analyzed on the edge and it can response in real-time. The best outcome is also the reduced traffic.


The bags run the range from historical interpretations to pure fantasy.
The historically inspired bags are based on documented artifacts while the other bags are my original designs. Custom bags of any sort are available. Please email for a quote.
This is a smaller version of the Sporran.
Large chap leather drawstring bag.
Belt bag with goat fur decorative front.
This pouch is an historical reproduction.
This full-circle pouch is an historical reproduction.
An historical reproduction of a kidney shaped belt pouch.
An elegant, small bag for carrying your wallet and small phone.
Everything you need, except wood, to start a fire.
A nice informal sporran or belt pouch.


Last month I had the opportunity to attend LinkedIn's annual event, Talent Connect 2018. More than 4,000 recruiters and talent professionals came together to listen and learn from each other. While LinkedIn found ample opportunity to tell their story, the themes throughout the conference were definitely talent-centric. Here are some of the highlights.
LinkedIn certainly has their act together. Their current product strategy, in and of itself, is not that unique - recruiting, learning, engagement, job distribution, and social selling. What makes these products special is how they leverage LinkedIn's giant member network today and how they will leverage Microsoft's capabilities in the future. Dan Shapero's keynote and product announcements tell a terrific story.
LinkedIn knows they have to help talent professionals work at the top of the funnel much better with more focus on building out the job data model to include commute time, salary and benefit data, evidence of career growth, and clarity on certifications.
Their development of Recruiter Connect's integration with more ATS platforms brings tangible benefits to recruiters. The future of LinkedIn's interaction with our ATS and recruiting workflows is just getting started. For example, improvements in how LinkedIn will support direct talent engagement by recruiters and help talent better tell their stories are on the horizon.
Better diversity data tools are coming to the LI products to help us reduce bias and improve diversity in sourcing, hiring, developing, and managing talent.
Talent Insights is a breakthrough analytics platform. Talent Insights gives deep data on talent (supply) and jobs (demand), built on their 400 million member base.
Solid products and the LinkedIn network … if you are in the talent business, I'm hard pressed to see how you would NOT want to work with LinkedIn.
LinkedIn serves their members first, customers second. Jeff Weiner's keynote, focusing on the skills revolution, multi-generational workforce, and the opportunity gap, framed how these themes impact LinkedIn members and their member's sense of purpose. He also highlighted the role of the employer in helping their employees realize that purpose.
As a customer of LinkedIn's recruiting, engagement, and job distribution products, they made it clear to me that they aim to protect the trusted relationship they have with their members. In private conversations and public sessions, LinkedIn product managers emphasized that member profile data access rules are paramount. LinkedIn knows that recruiters have an insatiable desire for access and they are often willing to pay for increased access. Still, the 'member first' mantra was frequently cited as a constraint.
Too much change, not enough time to adapt? Get used to it. Tamar Elkefes and Josh Bersin made several key observations and called for a learning transformation. Both cited the common themes we know – increased complexity in a service economy, more and more change, new technologies, the role of skills, emerging markets and global growth.
Tamar shared several examples of how mobility will play a key role in learning. She cited the examples of young children leaning from videos and engaging in a swiping UI. Tamar talked about how 85% of jobs in 2030 will be new. The impact? We are developing and training workers for jobs that don't even exist today! 43% of workers today have some level of working from home. 41 million in the U.S. are independent contractors. By 40, people will have had 8 to 10 different jobs. Josh Bersin's talk was grounded in terrific research around the skill gaps we face today. His focus on micro learning and the learning experience we need to create for our employees was compelling.
Listening to Carla Harris's message of personal development, character and accountability are the best 30 minutes you'll spend in the next 30 days. Listen to the talk and then give the gift of sharing the video with your team or someone else you care about. Her message will resonate if you are just starting your career, navigating your 30's or 40's, or finding your way through your 50's and 60's.
I left the meeting and bought her book. Expect to Win: 10 Proven Strategies for Thriving in Workplace. I read it on the plane ride home. Carla's practical advice and humble way of sharing it make this a special book.
Best title for a talk goes to Delta's HR team - "Designing for Disappointment". If you work in the talent space, you know the issue: you get thousands of job applicants that aren't going to move through the process. Delta received 1.2 million applications for only 10 thousand openings. They shared their strategy for responding to every applicant to preserve each applicant's positive view of Delta. After all, those 1.2 million applicants fly thousands of miles every year and they have a choice!
Glenn's message of clarity of goal and process discipline never gets old. If you are in the talent business and want to improve – read Glenn's blog.
Here's to a strong finish for 2018 and a great start for 2019!
Tim Jackson is Advanced Group's VP of Technology & Operations. Feel free to connect with Tim, of course, on LinkedIn.
Want more insight or dialogue about these concepts? Connect with Advanced Resources today.


text:
Amalia Miller
University of Virginia and IZA
Amalia Miller is a Professor of Economics at the University of Virginia and and a Research Fellow at IZA since 2014. She earned a Ph.D. in Economics from Stanford University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from MIT with a minor in Women's Studies. Miller's research interests include labor economics, health economics, and law and economics, with a focus on issues and policies affecting women and children. Miller has received research funding from the US National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and Department of Defense. Her research was recognized with the 2013 IZA Young Labor Economist Award, the 2012 Garfield Economic Impact Award, and the 2006 Arrow Prize for Junior Economists. She served two terms on the board of the American Economic Association's Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession (CSWEP).
Personal Website Send an Email
Gender Differences in the Effects of the 'Great Lockdown'on Time Use
G²LM|LIC Working Paper No. 64
Browsers Don't Lie? Gender Differences in the Effects of the Indian Lockdown on Digital Activity and Time Use


text:
RED Feather Collar W/Satin Ribbon Ties - Festival Wear, Burning Man, Mad Max,Rave Wear, Cosplay ZUCKER® Feather Place Original Designs
Quantity 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278
Rooster Coque Feather Collar with Satin Trim & Ribbon Ties measures 7"x 26".
This luxurious iridescent rooster coque feather caplet is lined with black satin and worn comfortably over the shoulders. Zucker Feather Place Original Designs!
SIZE: 7" x 26"
SUGGESTED USES: Feather Trims can be worn as a Scarf over a Jacket or Blouse. This collar can also be used as a Fringe to embellish just the right Costume, Garment, or can be used in Garment Manufacturing. Perfect Feather Cape to wear to a Holiday or Halloween Party.
Available in 5 Color Choices : Red, Purple, Black, Natural and Shocking Pink
SEE THIS LISTING FOR MORE COLORS >>> https://www.etsy.com/listing/510720501/feather-collar-with-satin-ribbon-ties
VISIT OUR HOME PAGE https://www.etsy.com/shop/ZuckerFeatherPlace
for more feather, sizes, styles and color options
Our products are made with natural materials, therefore each item will have unique differences and variances.
Zucker Feather Place is an eco-friendly company. With the exception of natural molting, all the feathers we sell are by-products of other industries and would have otherwise been discarded.
We Ship Internationally please call or email us direct:
573-796-2183 (Mon-Fri 8:30am - 4:30pm CST)
There is 15% Restocking Fee of the cost of that item.
YES! Wholesale and Bulk Purchases are available!
Please email us or visit the site listed below to open an online Wholesale Account.
Wholesale purchasing privileges are reserved for established
businesses that distribute feather products or produce products
for distribution from feathers to the retail market.
Call >> Our wholesale department at 573-796-2183
Visit >> https://www.zuckerfeather.com/customer/account/login/
We LOVE your Style
Share the love and tag us on Instagram @thefeatherplace! We are always on the lookout for fun and unique #feather #DIY decor, fashion and craft projects! #FromCostumetoCouture we want to see how you are using feathers!
https://www.instagram.com/thefeatherplace/
INTERNATIONAL SALES AND EXPORT INQUIRIES
We Ship Internationally please call or send us a Direct Message for more information 1-573-796-2183 (Mon-Fri 8:30am - 4:30pm CST)
We are a ECO-Friendly Company!
The ZuckerFeatherPlace is an eco-friendly company! With the exception of natural molting feathers, ALL the feathers we sell are Biodegradable Cruelty Free By-Products of other industries and would have otherwise been discarded.


The 4 star Torremirona Golf Resort & Spa is a quality golf destination in the Emporda region of the Costa Brava in the North East of Spain. The resort has a magnificent golf course with 18 challenging holes, spectacular lakes and outstanding views.
Close to the town of Figueres, the stunning beaches of Costa Brava and the towering Pyrenees mountains the hotel boasts a restaurant which has an excellent reputation for quality and regional food, the Raco Canigou, serving up traditional cuisine with a modern twist in a relaxed atmosphere. Guest can also dine on the Mirador terrace, offering spectacular views of the Pyrenees and the golf course.
Hotel guests can use the spa facilities at the nearby health club (located 400 metres away, supplement applies). The huge spa is one of the most best in the area and features all the usual facilities and treatment options you would expect of a high-class spa.
With only 121 rooms, apartments and suites the Torremirona Golf Resort & Spa is a perfect venue for an excellent golf break with traditional Spanish values in rural Costa Brava.


text:
Q: Xpath code is working in Katalon but doesn't work in Selenium Java I am using Katalon addon for Chrome which works fine. But I wanted to create small app with Selenium in Java to do simmilar thing. I am having the problem with xpath which is working with Katalon on chrome, but it is not working when I use it in my Java application in Selenium.
This it the xpath from Katalon:
xpath=(.//*[normalize-space(text()) and normalize-space(.)='Incorrect: Type your incorrect message here'])[1]/following::label[1]

And this is what I use with Selenium in Java:
WebElement el = driver_1.findElement(By.xpath("(.//*[normalize-space(text()) and normalize-space(.)=\'Incorrect: Type your incorrect message here\'])[1]/following::label[1]"));

It returns:
Exception in thread "AWT-EventQueue-0" org.openqa.selenium.NoSuchElementException: no such element: Unable to locate element:

A: Special character \ is being added in your xPath I guess it's happened while you copy paste. Please use the below xPath,
driver.findElement(By.xpath("(.//*[normalize-space(text()) and normalize-space(.)='Incorrect: Type your incorrect message here'])[1]/following::label[1]"));

If you still unable to access element then please use some Explicit wait statement.
    WebDriverWait wait = new WebDriverWait(driver, 10);
    wait.until(ExpectedConditions.visibilityOfAllElementsLocatedBy(By.xpath(
            "(.//*[normalize-space(text()) and normalize-space(.)='Incorrect: Type your incorrect message here'])[1]/following::label[1]")));
    driver.findElement(By.xpath(
            "(.//*[normalize-space(text()) and normalize-space(.)='Incorrect: Type your incorrect message here'])[1]/following::label[1]"));

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
/**
 * @author Ivan G. Popov
 */

/**
 * Created on 05.23.2004
 */
package org.apache.harmony.jpda.tests.framework.jdwp;

import java.io.IOException;

/**
 * This interface provides wrapper around JDWP transport connection.
 * Particular implementation can interact directly with raw connection
 * like SocketTransportWrapper or use JDI service provider interfaces
 * to support all pluggable JDI transports.
 *
 */
public interface TransportWrapper {

    /**
     * Starts listening for connection on given or default address.
     *
     * @param address address to listen or null for default address
     * @return string representation of listening address
     */
    public String startListening(String address) throws IOException;

    /**
     * Stops listening for connection on current address.
     */
    public void stopListening() throws IOException;

    /**
     * Accepts transport connection for currently listened address and performs handshaking
     * for specified timeout.
     *
     * @param acceptTimeout timeout for accepting in milliseconds
     * @param handshakeTimeout timeout for handshaking in milliseconds
     */
    public void accept(long acceptTimeout, long handshakeTimeout) throws IOException;

    /**
     * Attaches transport connection to given address and performs handshaking
     * for specified timeout.
     *
     * @param address address for attaching
     * @param attachTimeout timeout for attaching in milliseconds
     * @param handshakeTimeout timeout for handshaking in milliseconds
     */
    public void attach(String address, long attachTimeout, long handshakeTimeout) throws IOException;

    /**
     * Closes transport connection.
     */
    public void close() throws IOException;

    /**
     * Checks if transport connection is open.
     *
     * @return true if transport connection is open
     */
    public boolean isOpen();

    /**
     * Reads packet from transport connection.
     *
     * @return packet as byte array or null or empty packet if connection was closed
     */
    public byte[] readPacket() throws IOException;

    /**
     * Writes packet to transport connection.
     *
     * @param packet packet as byte array
     */
    public void writePacket(byte[] packet) throws IOException;
}


I'm engaged to a sneaker head. What is a Sneaker- head? In a nut shell, someone who is extremely passionate about sneakers.
I wrote an article a few months ago inspired by Todd, if you missed it read it here. We got such great feedback that I'm going to have articles more often geared towards the modern dad.
Before I met Todd I owned 1 pair of beat up Ralph Lauren sneakers. Naturally his sneaker passion has rubbed off on me.
We were shopping around Noho last weekend, in and out of sneaker stores looking for a red and black pair of Adidas NMDs for me.
When I say you can pretty much wear these with anything, run all the errands in the world and feel like you are walking on air, I'm not lying. They're a mom & dad must have sneaker. You'll add that dose of cool to your outfit and be oh, so comfy!
If you know a dad out there who needs styling guidance have him subscribe to receive a monthly style guide newsletters for men!


text:
package com.amazonaws.services.iot.model;

import java.io.Serializable;
import javax.annotation.Generated;

/**
 *

 * The output of the CreateThingType operation.
 *

 */
@Generated("com.amazonaws:aws-java-sdk-code-generator")
public class CreateThingTypeResult extends com.amazonaws.AmazonWebServiceResult<com.amazonaws.ResponseMetadata> implements Serializable, Cloneable {

    /**
     *

     * The name of the thing type.
     *

     */
    private String thingTypeName;
    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the thing type.
     *

     */
    private String thingTypeArn;

    /**
     *

     * The name of the thing type.
     *

     *
     * @param thingTypeName
     *        The name of the thing type.
     */

    public void setThingTypeName(String thingTypeName) {
        this.thingTypeName = thingTypeName;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The name of the thing type.
     *

     *
     * @return The name of the thing type.
     */

    public String getThingTypeName() {
        return this.thingTypeName;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The name of the thing type.
     *

     *
     * @param thingTypeName
     *        The name of the thing type.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     */

    public CreateThingTypeResult withThingTypeName(String thingTypeName) {
        setThingTypeName(thingTypeName);
        return this;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the thing type.
     *

     *
     * @param thingTypeArn
     *        The Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the thing type.
     */

    public void setThingTypeArn(String thingTypeArn) {
        this.thingTypeArn = thingTypeArn;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the thing type.
     *

     *
     * @return The Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the thing type.
     */

    public String getThingTypeArn() {
        return this.thingTypeArn;
    }

    /**
     *

     * The Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the thing type.
     *

     *
     * @param thingTypeArn
     *        The Amazon Resource Name (ARN) of the thing type.
     * @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be chained together.
     */

    public CreateThingTypeResult withThingTypeArn(String thingTypeArn) {
        setThingTypeArn(thingTypeArn);
        return this;
    }

    /**
     * Returns a string representation of this object; useful for testing and debugging.
     *
     * @return A string representation of this object.
     *
     * @see java.lang.Object#toString()
     */
    @Override
    public String toString() {
        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
        sb.append("{");
        if (getThingTypeName() != null)
            sb.append("ThingTypeName: ").append(getThingTypeName()).append(",");
        if (getThingTypeArn() != null)
            sb.append("ThingTypeArn: ").append(getThingTypeArn());
        sb.append("}");
        return sb.toString();
    }

    @Override
    public boolean equals(Object obj) {
        if (this == obj)
            return true;
        if (obj == null)
            return false;

        if (obj instanceof CreateThingTypeResult == false)
            return false;
        CreateThingTypeResult other = (CreateThingTypeResult) obj;
        if (other.getThingTypeName() == null ^ this.getThingTypeName() == null)
            return false;
        if (other.getThingTypeName() != null && other.getThingTypeName().equals(this.getThingTypeName()) == false)
            return false;
        if (other.getThingTypeArn() == null ^ this.getThingTypeArn() == null)
            return false;
        if (other.getThingTypeArn() != null && other.getThingTypeArn().equals(this.getThingTypeArn()) == false)
            return false;
        return true;
    }

    @Override
    public int hashCode() {
        final int prime = 31;
        int hashCode = 1;

        hashCode = prime * hashCode + ((getThingTypeName() == null) ? 0 : getThingTypeName().hashCode());
        hashCode = prime * hashCode + ((getThingTypeArn() == null) ? 0 : getThingTypeArn().hashCode());
        return hashCode;
    }

    @Override
    public CreateThingTypeResult clone() {
        try {
            return (CreateThingTypeResult) super.clone();
        } catch (CloneNotSupportedException e) {
            throw new IllegalStateException("Got a CloneNotSupportedException from Object.clone() " + "even though we're Cloneable!", e);
        }
    }

}


text:
BLOG TOUR: The Desire Card - Lee Matthew Goldberg
It's time for some serious crime as I hop aboard the damppebbles blog tour for The Desire Card by Lee Matthew Goldberg. I am releasing my review for the tour so read on to see what I thought.
Any wish fulfilled for the right price. That's the promise the organization behind The Desire Card gives to its elite clients - but sometimes the price may be more menacing than anyone could ever imagine.
Harrison Stockton has lived an adult life of privilege and excess: a high-powered job on Wall Street fuels his fondness for alcohol and pills at the expense of a family he has no time for. Quite suddenly all of this comes crashing to a halt when he loses his job and at the same time discovered he almost certainly has only months left to live.
Desperate, and with seemingly nowhere else left to turn, Harrison activates his Desire Card. What follows is a gritty and gripping quest that takes him from New York City to the slums of Mumbai and forces him to take chances, and make decisions, he never thought he'd ever have to face. When his moral descent threatens his wife and children, Harrison must decide whether to save himself at any cost, or do what's right and break his bargain with the mysterious group behind The Desire Card.
The Desire Card is a taut fast-paced thriller, from internationally acclaimed author Lee Matthew Goldberg, that explores what a man will do to survive when money isn't always enough to get everything he desires.
What did I think?
Harrison Stockton is such an odious character that I didn't think I was going to enjoy The Desire Card at first, but I am pleased to say that I couldn't have been more wrong! I absolutely loved it! It's the first book in a five book series and I can't wait to see where the story goes next.
Harrison is what you would definitely call a workaholic; he is married to his job and it's almost like his wife is the other woman. When Harrison finds out the cause of his sickly pallor that caused him to lose his job, it was like a real wake-up call to me. As the author reminds us: nobody ever lay on their deathbed and wished that they had worked more. I have been guilty of putting work before my health in the past so I could completely understand Harrison putting off his health check in favour of work. What is unforgivable though, is putting work before his children's school events. There is no do-over; you can never get that time back and every time he missed a soccer game or a ballet recital he lost a little bit of his own children. What would he give for a second chance? Read The Desire Card to find out!
I found The Desire Card so very thought-provoking, not only the work/life balance but the thought that money could buy you anything you desired. How much would I pay to save my own life or the life of my loved ones? How can you even put a value on that? The company who run The Desire Card manage to attach a price to absolutely anything your heart desires. It's not so much a case of rubbing the lamp and a genie pops out, as this magic really does come with a price..more often than not, in a six figure sum! Yikes!
The Desire Card is a dark, gritty and disturbing It's A Wonderful Life for the 21st Century. As greed for money, power and possessions fuel the world, money really can buy you anything. It's such an outstanding fast-paced, dark and compelling modern-day thriller that I think it would translate effortlessly to the screen. I'm already looking forward to the next book!
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Buy it from:
Fahrenheit Press
Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of the novels SLOW DOWN, THE MENTOR, and THE DESIRE CARD. He has been published in multiple languages and nominated for the 2018 Prix du Polar.
The second book in the Desire Card series, PREY NO MORE, is forthcoming from Fahrenheit Press in 2019. His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and the Hollywood Screenplay contests.
After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared in the anthology DIRTY BOULEVARD, The Millions, Cagibi, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Underwood Press and others. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series (guerrillalit.wordpress.com). He lives in New York City.
Follow him:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeeMatthewG
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leemgol
Website: http://www.leematthewgoldberg.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leematthewgoldberg/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lee-Matthew-Goldberg/e/B00RPF06TS/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1
Follow the tour:
Labels: family, illness, marriage, organ donation, organ transplant, relationships, terminal illness, thriller, work, workaholic
damppebbles 20 June 2019 at 11:48
Thanks so much for your great review, Michelle x
BLOG TOUR: The Mummy Bloggers - Holly Wainwright
BLOG TOUR: Needlemouse - Jane O'Connor
BLOG TOUR: His Guilty Secret - Hélene Fermont
BLOG TOUR: The Final Reckoning (The Shadow of the ...
BLOG TOUR: A Cornish Summer - Catherine Alliott
BLOG TOUR: What Nobody Knew - Amelia Hendry
BLOG TOUR: Keep Her Close - Erik Therme
BLOG TOUR: The Last Widow (Will Trent 9) - Karin S...
BLOG TOUR: The Friend Who Lied - Rachel Amphlett
BLOG TOUR: The Sunday Girl - Pip Drysdale
BLOG TOUR: Good Grief Q&A - Jon Rance
BLOG TOUR: Dead Inside - Noelle Holten
BLOG TOUR: The Dangerous Kind - Deborah O'Connor
BLOG TOUR: Treble Clef (The Harrogate Crime Series...
BLOG TOUR: The Space Between Time - Charlie Laidlaw
BLOG TOUR: We Never Said Goodbye - Hélene Fermont


Following the super scary events of original Insidious movie, Josh and Renai Lambert (Wilson and Byrne) have moved the family to Josh's mother's house which is where we quickly learn that, even as a young boy, he had a few paranormal experiences. As they try to return to a normal life, it soon becomes apparent that not everything, or everyone is as they seem and before you know it, stuff starts moving around, creepy noises randomly start up, and visions of ghostly things begin appearing out of nowhere.
To help figure out what's really going on, Elise Rainier (Shaye) and her team of would be ghost busters once again swing into action. What they find out opens up some new mysteries as to why the Lambert family can't seem stay away from things that go bump in the night. As more of the backstory is revealed, everyone soon realizes that there may actually be a way to end the haunting altogether but they will need to explore far back into the family's past where secrets even scarier than what they have already experienced are waiting to resurface.
First, let me tell you that I did not like the first installment of this franchise so I really wasn't expecting a lot out of a sequel, but of course, I'm going to see it anyway. What I found with chapter 2 was a fairly similar story that does a good job at digging deep into the family's past to pull out some seriously twisted stuff, but what was most impressive was the volume of truly scary moments that kept the audience firmly planted on the edge of their collective seats.
With a roster of films that includes these two movies along with The Conjuring, and the first installment of the Saw franchise, there is no doubt that James Wan knows how to scare the crap out of everyone. His sense of knowing when to throw one of those jump-out-of-your-seat moments is spot on and he fills his movies with them better than anyone else out there right now. There are times this movie gets a little too silly for its own good but you won't really care because its just that kind of show. Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne continue to do what they do and the solid supporting cast brings lots of expected exposition and some much needed comic relief at just the right moments.
I'm assuming there will be a chapter 3 and maybe a 4 and 5 depending on long audiences are willing to put up with this franchise, but I honestly feel it has as good a chance as any to go down that road. Insidious Chapter 2 is an improvement in every single way over the original and as long as Wan is behind the camera (Maybe not since he's taking over the Fast and Furious franchise), he should be able to keep us all gripping armrests and dumping popcorn for at least a while longer.


Ventaglio was conceived in Italy, and made out Italian raw materials. It offers the perfect combination of craftsmanship and quality. The curved metal legs, main characteristic of this table, can be varnished with different colors. Glass, tempered glass, ceramic and wooden tops are available, both fixed and extendible. Uncover the elegance of its design with the extendible, wooden version.
Solid wood provides further endurance and beauty: a whole board, warm and resistant, elegant and classic, standing out, above the contemporary base.
In store model shown in Extendable wood top in Heat-treated Oak finish and White base.


text:
Q: Use powershell to build VPC's Our developers use VPC's to develop systems. When a developer joins a team he needs a VPC for that project. The developers have also a tendency to "break" the VPC.
Building a VPC and installing the required software is time consuming.
We were wondering if we could use Power Shell to do the following:

*

*Install Windows

*Run windows update

*Install SQL Server

*Install SharePoint Services

*Install Visual Studio

Thanks
Shiraz

A: VMware vCenter Lab Manager is a product that gives the ability to any (authorized) user to 'order' one or more virtual machines of his choice. In your situation the developer will order a 'default development vpc' and he will get the preconfigured vm with sql server, sharepoint etc.

A: As mke points out VMware's vCenter Lab Manager is the benchmark but it isn't cheap (~$2k per CPU on the ESX Hosts in the cluster that runs it) and you need to have vSphere cluster capacity for the VM's too, again not cheap if you don't already have it in your budget. If you have an environment where provisioning any significant number of developer VM's is a regular task though it is worth the cost IMO.
For an entry level solution you can prepare templates\clones with all of the components pre-installed, nicely patched and up to date too. Deploying from such a template will typically be an order of magnitude faster (if not more) and more reliable than scripting a full install followed by app installations, especially of the type you require. In a VMware vCenter environment this is pretty easy as vCenter handles all of the customization\sysprep parts for you but in any virtual environment you should be able to sysprep a baseline VM and save a copy. Provisioning your new VM is then simply a case of making a copy and importing the new VM instance, both are trivial to do for both VMware Infrastructure VM's (Using the PowerCLI) and Hyper-V VM's (using the PowerShell Management Library for Hyper-V) using Powershell but may be harder for other Hypervisors. One possible fly in the ointment is the way SQL Server's identity is handled - you may need to script some additional steps to clean up the cloned SQL instance as outlined in this SQLmag article.
As far as developers breaking test systems is concerned, that should be expected and ideally it should be something that they have no worries about. You want them to be able to break lab systems as much as they need to after all. VM Snapshots are one way to deal with this especially if you have an environment where you can give the Developers the rights to directly manage snapshots of their VM's.


text:
William's Best and Worst Superhero Games
by William | May 19, 2017 | Funny, Games, Mobile, Nintendo, PC, Playstation, Xbox | 0 comments
Let's face it, superheroes are a major part of our lives these days – be it films, comics or occasionally games! Since I've played a fair few superhero games in my time I thought I'd compile a list of some of the best and worst that are out there so that you wont have to waste your time with utter garbage just because you might like the hero *cough* Ironman 2 *cough*
Good: DEADPOOL (2013)
Deadpool is one of those characters that somehow manages to be beloved by almost everyone! A lunatic with a pair of swords, a huge arsenal of guns hidden…somewhere in his skintight red jumpsuit, a complete lack of respect for the forth wall and a face that makes him look like he face planted a belt sander Deadpool has taken the internet in particular by storm and it was only a matter of time before he got his own game. Deadpool handles like most other hack and slash games with the added benefit that the main man himself injects his own brand of humor throughout and obviously heals from any and all damage over time. However, when hurt Deadpool doesn't go without a few scars. You can watch in real time as your suit is ripped apart and bullet wounds and scars cover his (admittedly JACKED) body while he insults your lack of competence in controlling the merc with a mouth. Not many games based on source material get the character so right but Deadpool does a fantastic job!
Bad: Ironman 2 (2010)
I mentioned it earlier and I can't believe I'm actually giving it a second mention but here we go. Ironman 2 is possibly one of the worst games I've played which is a real shame since the first game based on the first entry in the now MASSIVE Marvel Cinematic Universe was a decent play. 2 lets itself down in so many areas it's hard to know where to begin but I'll spin the wheel of disappointment and what do you know it's landed on graphics! You'd think in a game where a key component is flying around large open areas at high speed they'd make sure the draw distance was halfway decent but no, get any more than 25ft away from anything and it reduces to a play doh' version of it's self so the game can keep running at what it believes is an acceptable frame rate.
Not even having Samuel L. Jackson voice Nick Fury was enough to save this sinking ship of a game with all the bad reviews and poor sales its not hard to understand why Iron Man 3 didn't get a console tie in game.
Good: Injustice (2013)
Now I love the DC universe AND I love the Mortal Kombat series. Crossing the two doesn't always work out (more about that later) but Injustice is a fantastic game! As a superhero game it weaves a dark and interesting story focusing on an evil dictator Superman and the resistance against him with many emotional scenes and a real respect for the source material that a lot of franchises fail to capture. As a fighting game though Injustice is anther stellar entry in Netherealm's history leading the way in brutal and rugged slug fests. Though obviously a step down from MK's blood filled battering the battles in Injustice don't hold back and you'll be hard pressed to find anything quite as satisfying as watching Superman uppercut Batman into the upper atmosphere before jackhammering him back to Earth!
Bad: Mortal Kombat Vs DC Universe (2008)
Now let's get this in now MK Vs DC isn't a BAD game. It's a solid fighting game with a few features that really help it stand out but it's definitely a low point for both franchises. Again the gameplay overall is fine nothing to complain about but the story is fairly agonizing to get through and the fact that most DC heroes refuse to kill puts them at odds with the standard Mortal Kombat characters who kill each other for a pastime! The real problem was aiming for a teen rating with the fatalities now being similar to the violence you see in a Hunger Games film that is to say non existent but heavily implied. So you start the game getting hyped to watch Scorpion burn Batman's arse to a toasty medium rare and what do you get? Scorpion turning Batman into a school science class's skeleton. So get it if you want an okay fighting game to soak up a few hours. DON'T get it if you want any kind of excitement or violence…get Mortal Kombat X instead.
Good: Spiderman 2 (2004)
Yes. I saved this for impacts sake… Spiderman 2 is perhaps the best superhero game and easily the best movie tie in game of all time! What did we want? To be able to swing around New York City just like Spiderman does in the films. What did we get? Just that and a lot more! The game loosely follows the plot of the film while adding several side stories featuring plenty of Spiderman's lesser enemies like Shocker and Mysterio that make exploring the city all the more enjoyable. An experience and leveling system is in place to make sure you always have a new skill to use in battle or sick backflip to throw into your usual swinging routine, to keep things interesting! I spent far too long in my early teens exploring the city with the red and blue spider obsessive and webbing as many bad guys to lampposts as possible to make sure the citizens of New York knew just how violent their savior was… there's a chance I wasn't really role playing the character properly but dammit I'm not going to let those car thieves off with a warning!
So there we have it some of the best and worst the superhero genre has to offer obviously there's more to choose from like the Arkham series or some shockers like Superman 64 (please don't subject yourself to Superman 64!) There's a lot more to come in the future for our favorite heroes and villains so let's wait and see if they're good or bad and then we'll just have more memories to look back on with fondness or dread! (Oh how sick would a Judge Dredd game be!!)


You know me. Maybe you hate me. I'm good at everything and the things I'm not, I'm still better at than you. It's not my fault; I have good genes. Follow me on Twitter and I'll let you in on what it's like to be cool and beautiful.
Worst Quality: Sorry, can't think of one! Maybe that's my worst quality? That I have none?
Dream: If I ruled the world … No 'if.' I know I do.
Me, Karl, on the beach, sun is drifting down.