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Air Defense: Lucky 17, Unlucky 14
September 23, 2019: The tiny (778 square kilometers) Persian Gulf nation of Bahrain has become the 17th nation to purchase the American Patriot Air Defense system. Bahrain is spending $2.5 billion to obtain two Patriot batteries and 96 missiles. The purchase price includes training, tech support and help in hiring qualified foreign contractors to help with maintaining and operating Patriot. There are plenty of Arabs in the Persian Gulf who do that now. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates have been using Patriot for years and many of these Patriot batteries are operated and maintained by Arabs. Another major user of Patriot, Israel, also has some Arab speaking Patriot veterans but while Arab Gulf states have better relations with Israel, hiring Israelis to help run air defense systems is not happening just yet. In any event, Israel just introduced a new air defense system, David's Sling, to replace its Patriot systems and eventually compete with Patriot for export sales. Currently, Patriot competes with that and some European and Russian (S-300/400) systems.
Patriot has been in service since 1984 and experienced its first sustained combat in 1990 when it was used against Iraqi ballistic missiles (SCUDs) fired at Israel and Saudi Arabia. Its success rate was mediocre at best, achieving around 40 to 70 percent. That was largely due to the modifications Iraqis made to their SCUDs to extend their range. As a result, the SCUDs had a tendency to fall apart during the terminal (speeding down towards the target) flight phase which created unintended countermeasures. Some of the larger pieces of these modified SCUDs, like additional fuel tanks, broke away and were seen by Patriot radar as the actual missile warhead section. In some cases, non-warhead portions of the SCUD came down on military or civilian personnel on the ground. Patriot has been used against UAVs but firing a $3 million dollar missile at homemade UAVs, as Israeli forces did a few times, isn't healthy for the economy so Israel developed a cheaper solution for UAVs. For manned aircraft, the Patriot took down its first one in 2014 when an Israeli Patriot shot down a Syrian Su-24. While Patriot was originally designed for use against aircraft, most of what it has shot down have been ballistic missiles, either SCUDs or more recent Iranian designs. Since 2016 Saudi Patriot batteries have downed about a hundred ballistic missiles, most of them Iranian, fired from Yemen.
Each Patriot battery is manned by about a hundred troops, and each contains a radar and four launchers. A battery can fire two types of Patriot missile if available. For example, the PAC 2 GEM-T and PAC-3 MSE are the usual choices. The first one is older, cheaper and designed to intercept manned aircraft at ranges up to 160 kilometers, while the second is the newest and about twice as expensive (about $4 million). The PAC-3 specializes in anti-ballistic missile operations and has about 35 kilometers range against missiles or aircraft. The $4 million PAC 3 missile is smaller than the cheaper anti-aircraft version (PAC 2); thus a Patriot launcher can hold sixteen PAC 3 missiles or four PAC 2s. A PAC 2 missile weighs about a ton, a PAC 3 weighs about a third of that.
The Patriot system (with upgrades) will likely remain in production until 2040-2050. Since 1960 over 10,000 missiles and 1,500 launchers have been produced. After decades of service, some were reused and remote to new variants while others were scraped. Patriot missiles can, with regular upgrades and refurbishment, remain in use for over 40 years. A growing number of Patriot missiles are doing just that but many are still fired each year for training and testing. Most Patriot batteries are equipped with both longer range GEM-T missiles for aircraft and shorter-range PAC-3 MSE ones for ballistic missiles (or, if necessary, aircraft).
Bahrain wants Patriot for additional protection from Iran. While Bahrain is surrounded by Arab allies armed with Patriot systems they need their own, mainly for ballistic missile defense. Iran is the main threat and has been for centuries. Over the last few years, Iranian politicians have increasingly mentioned in public statements that Iran considers Bahrain the 14th province of Iran. That's because, well, it isn't called the "Persian" Gulf for nothing. Since all the oil money showed up after World War II the Arabs have been trying to popularize the term "Arabian Gulf," with mixed success. There have been ethnic Iranian communities in Bahrain for centuries, along with a Shia Arab majority, and Iran had a formal claim on the island until 1969, when the claim was dropped, in order to improve relations with Arab neighbors.
Bahrain only has a population of 1.6 million and about half of them are foreigners. Bahrain is considered a successful model of a "post-oil" economy as it has prospered by turning itself into a financial, shipping and commercial center. Bahrain allows the consumption of alcohol and a lot of Western entertainments banned in Saudi Arabia, The locals expect this but this policy also attracts a lot of Saudis and other Arabs as visitors, vacationers and shoppers. Bahrain gets over eight million tourists a year plus even more commercial visitors doing business in the island nation.
One of the major commercial activities is providing all manner of goods and services for the U.S. Navy and thousands of U.S. military personnel who are more as potential Iranian targets than additional security forces. The Bahrain military has only about 18,000 personnel and only 13,000 are full time. Many of these are foreign mercenaries or foreigners who became Bahraini citizens. Since 2011 a lot more Pakistanis have been recruited. Iran pressured Pakistan to halt that recruiting, Pakistan said it would look into it and the recruiting went on. Bahrain has long offered citizenship, and access to the generous social welfare program, to Sunni Moslem migrants who fill many civilian and military jobs. The local Shia, who are a majority of Bahrain citizens, resent this.
The defense budget is about $1.7 billion a year for a well-paid force of professionals using modern military equipment. There are several thousand foreign military contractors employed for training personnel and maintaining equipment. Since 2004 the U.S. Navy has been expanding its naval base in Bahrain. Thus the U.S. Navy has turned a minor naval station in the Persian Gulf into one of its most crucial bases for the war on terrorism. The U.S. moved into Bahrain in 1973, when the British gave it up. The Bahrainis, like most of the other small states along the west coast of the Persian Gulf, like to have some friendly Western power in residence. This provides some insurance against Saudi Arabia to the west and Iran to the east. Before 1918, the British presence helped keep the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire off their backs as well. All the Bahrainis ask is that the foreign troops be quiet and discreet.
Until 2002, the Bahraini base was a place where U.S. warships could tie up for repairs or recreation for the crews. Nearly 4,000 American military personnel were stationed there. There was an airbase for navy and air force transports and warplanes. The Bahrainis denied much of this activity, so as to avoid getting pilloried by other Arab states. But Bahrain is a small place, connected to Saudi Arabia by a 25 kilometers long causeway, and you cannot hide all that military activity.
Since 2004 over half a billion dollars has gone into building more permanent facilities for the American troops. The trailers and other "temporary structures" were replaced by more permanent buildings and infrastructure. This included a new pier just for military ships. There is a shopping center just for the military and a lot of recreational facilities for the troops. Until 2004 some troops could bring their families. But now it's all military and the brass tries to keep everyone happy on base. It's a one year tour for most and Bahrain is a pretty popular assignment. Living conditions are good, and the local Bahrainis are pretty mellow and friendly by Middle Eastern standards, at least most of the time.
Bahrain should be, on paper, an excellent place to live for all its citizens. It isn't. The Bahrani population is less than two million, including lots of illegal foreign workers who make it possible to keep the economy going without a lot of Shia. Oil and gas exports provide a per-capita income of over $26,000. The oil is running out, so Bahrain has been recasting itself as an Arab playground and financial center, replacing Beirut, Lebanon, which ceased to play that role in the late 1970-early 80s because of a civil war. Bahrain has used a lot of their oil revenue to build infrastructure and encouraged entrepreneurs to create shopping and entertainment facilities superior to anything available in the region. Unlike Saudi Arabia, Bahrain does not enforce Islamic law on visitors or residents. That's nothing new. Bahrain has, for centuries, been a port of call for ships and sailors. That means booze and women were always available. But now there are also shopping malls plus a full range of hotels, brothels, clubs, and bars. Most of the business for the entertainment spots comes from Saudi Arabia, but sailors, especially those from the 40-50 foreign warships that base themselves here, come a close second. A little over half the foreign sailors are American.
While generally peaceful, the country has many unhappy and violence-prone citizens. The problems are many. First, there is the monarchy. Although competent, many of the educated citizens would prefer a democracy. Then there's the religion angle. The monarchy is Sunni while most of the population is Shia. Moreover, about 20 percent of the population is Christian and Hindu. This offends about ten percent of the population who are Islamic conservatives. Most of these are Shia and consider all the drinking and partying sinful and offensive. Meanwhile, the police have a Shia majority that is often stirred up when the Islamic radicals get violent. Then more Shia villagers take to the streets and riot if they feel the police are being too hard on Shia Islamic radicals. This violence rarely gets into the urban and tourist areas. But at times the police have to warn visitors going outside the city to avoid certain towns and villages. Because so many of the police are Shia the government cannot always depend on the cops to control large scale rioting by Shia civilians. Since 2013 a new, entirely Sunni, security force has been created.
American military personnel are warned which areas they should avoid and when there is the threat of major unrest in some parts of the small island kingdom. While the local Shia re still unhappy, there is less unrest as the government seeks to improve the lives of the Shia majority.
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Miss Nabams whose real name is Adiebo Onyinye Esther is a rare talent who specializes in laptop repairs, farming and also poetry. Talk about diversity!
In Onyinye's interview with The Spark, the enterpreneur disclosed how she started her farming business with only N90,000.
As for the challenges, Onyinye has faced a lot. From getting her yams stolen, to her father gifting the villagers with it, to getting a good land to plant at an affordable price. But these are not enough to deter her. She gets her inspiration from her mother whose hardworking quality is what she tries to emulate.
She is currently seeking agricultural empowerment program opportunities as she needs funding for her farming business. Her goal is to go into large scale farming. In the area of her poetry, she needs a platform where her works can be showcased.
Onyinye believes that the government should take youth empowerment seriously.
You can contact Onyinye via her social media platforms and email address.


Your problem is you need to look up tutorials for controlling Vue's rendering settings and how to set up a scene for better quality. Hardware only affects speed.
Many people who use Vue, will often export the meshes to different software to render in a better ray-tracer.


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Mahatma Gandhi: How can I force anyone not to slaughter cows unless he is himself so disposed?
October 3, 2015 October 3, 2015 by admin, posted in Governance
A screenshot of the relevant page of Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, Vol 88: 25-May-1947 : 31-July-1947
We reproduce below Mahatma Gandhi's speech at prayer meeting, delivered on July 25, 1947 in New Delhi, where he states that there cannot any ban on cow slaughter in Independent India. What the Father of the Nation said a little more than a month after Independence is relevant for India today more than ever before, when there is an effort to prohibit beef eating across India, when efforts are being made to justify the lynching of Mohamad Akhlaq in Dadri village, Uttar Pradesh, on "suspicious" of stocking beef in the refrigerator…
Rajendra Babu tells me that he has received some 50,000 postcards, between 25,000 and 30,000 letters and many thousands of telegrams demanding a ban on cow-slaughter. I spoke to you about this before. Why this flood of telegrams and letters? They have had no effect. I have another telegram which says that a friend has started a fast for this cause. In India no law can be made to ban cow-slaughter.
I do not doubt that Hindus are forbidden the slaughter of cows. I have been long pledged to serve the cow but how can my religion also be the religion of the rest of the Indians? It will mean coercion against those Indians who are not Hindus. We have been shouting from the house-tops that there will be no coercion in the matter of religion. We have been reciting verses from the Koran at the prayer. But if anyone were to force me to recite these verses I would not like it.
How can I force anyone not to slaughter cows unless he is himself so disposed? It is not as if there were only Hindus in the Indian Union. There are Muslims, Parsis, Christians and other religious groups here. The assumption of the Hindus that India now has become the land of the Hindus is erroneous. India belongs to all who live here.
If we stop cow-slaughter by law here and the very reverse happens in Pakistan, what will be the result? Supposing they say Hindus would not be allowed to visit temples because it was against Shariat to worship idols? I see God even in a stone but how do I harm others by this belief? If therefore I am stopped from visiting temples I would still visit them. I shall therefore suggest that these telegrams and letters should cease. It is not proper to waste money on them.
Besides some prosperous Hindus themselves encourage cow-slaughter. True, they do not do it with their own hands. But who sends all the cows to Australia and other countries where they are slaughtered and whence shoes manufactured from cow-hide are sent back to India? I know an orthodox Vaishnava Hindu. He used to feed his children on beef soup. On my asking him why he did that he said that was no sin in consuming beef as medicine.
We really do not stop to think what true religion is and merely go about shouting that cow-slaughter should be banned by law. In villages Hindus make bullocks carry huge burdens which almost crush the animals. Is it not cow-slaughter, albeit slowly carried out? I shall therefore suggest that the matter should not be pressed in the Constituent Assembly.
Where trees are in abundance, rainfall too is abundant. The foliage in a forest attracts precipitation from clouds like milk from the udder of a cow. It is a law of nature that when there are no trees there is no rainfall and the land soon becomes a desert. I spent many years in Johannesburg. The climate there is very salubrious. After they planted trees there, rainfall too has been favourable. 'Therefore the programme of tree-planting that the authorities in Delhi have started is a very good thing. Those who have no spare patch of ground can still grow vegetables in earthen pots.
I have been asked, 'Since in view of the atrocities being perpetuated by Muslims it is difficult to decide which of the Muslims are to be trusted, what should be our attitude towards the Muslims in the Indian Union? What should the non-Muslims in Pakistan do?'
I have already answered this question. I again repeat that all the religions of India today are being put to the test. It has to be seen how the various religious groups such as the Sikhs, the Hindus, the Muslims and the Christians conduct themselves and how they carry on the affairs of India. Pakistan may be said to belong to Muslims but the Indian Union belongs to all. If you shake off cowardice and become brave you will not have to consider how you are to behave towards the Muslims.
But today there is cowardice in us. For this I have already accepted the blame. I am still wondering how my 30 years' teaching has been so ineffective. Why did I assume, to begin with, that nonviolence could be a weapon of cowards? Even now if we can really become brave and love the Muslims, the Muslims will have to stop and think what they could gain by practising treachery against us. They will return love for love. Can we keep the crores of Muslims in the Indian Union as slaves? He who makes slaves of others himself becomes a slave. If we answer sword with sword, the lathi with lathi and kick with kick, we cannot expect that things will be different in Pakistan. We shall then lose our freedom as easily as we have gained it.
I like the statement that has been issued on behalf of the future Governments of India and Pakistan. But I wish to see it implemented. However, we cannot assume that they will not do in Pakistan what the statement says. To assume this will mean preparing for war. The two armies will confront each other and the two nation theory of Mr. Jinnah will have been proved true. I pray to God that He may not let us drift into such a situation.
(From Hindi]
Prarthana Pravachan-I, pp. 277-80
Source: Vol. 88: 25-May-1947 : 31-July-1947, pages 462-64. Click HERE to view the text
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News / Aberdeen
Grampian to miss out on 'weather bomb'
by Rebecca Buchan
Uist
The north-east will for once miss out on violent storms which are set to batter the rest of the country over the next few days.
Forecasters have warned people to prepare for a "weather bomb" which is expected to produce 65ft waves charging in from the Atlantic.
Those in the north of Scotland are expected to be gripped by the high winds and rain again today which sent children home early from school yesterday and cancelled all non-emergency hospital and GP appointments.
However, Grampian was left unaffected by the rare storm which Met Office spokeswoman Laura Young said stemmed from a massive system of very low pressure moving from Iceland to the north of Scotland.
While those in the highlands and islands were taking shelter yesterday the north east experienced some clear spells with some "wintry showers" and snow falling above 500ft.
Forecasters at the Met Office last night said today should also be calm with bright with sunny spells throughout the morning and a few blustery showers in the afternoon.
Later on today winds are expected to rise to gale force with a maximum temperature of around 5C.
Moving on into tomorrow and the area is expected to see some wintry showers with some prolonged periods of rain or snow which may continue into Friday.
Then it is expected to become much colder with winds turning northerly.
Snow is expected to reach low levels in time for the weekend however Deeside in Aberdeenshire is expected to be basked in the sun.
Amber "be prepared" alerts are in place for the Western Isles, Orkney, Shetland and areas of the western mainland for today, and "don't travel" warnings have been issued.
And all Northlink sailings across the Pentland Firth to Orkney and Shetland have been suspended.
Scotrail has cancelled services between Inverness and Wick and Kyle, with no bus replacements services planned because of "the anticipated poor road conditions".
Trains linking Mallaig, Fort William and Oban with Glasgow have also been cancelled.
The Met Office also issued yellow "be aware" weather warning for the rest of Scotland.


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The machine uses RNG technology to determine the winning line for each round hence it is impossible to manipulate the outcome using cheats or strategies. However, you can still maximize your payout by playing with moderate bets so that you can have more spins. You can also start with smaller bets then increase the value of your bet as you progress.
Wheel of Fortune is a fun online slot machine that can be enjoyed by players of all levels. It has a lot of attractive features to keep you entertained, and the interesting gameplay will enthrall you. You're bound to love this game, whether you have are fan of the TV show or not, and there are lots of prizes to keep you going once you begin spinning the reels. The machine has MED level variance and an RTP factor of 95.96%. You can try out Wheel of fortune for free on your PC or Smartphone before staking real money in IGT casinos online. You can also try out other variations of the game like the Triple Extreme Spin, On Tour, and Triple Action Frenzy for the complete experience.


* When sharing a double room with two full paying adults.
NOTE: If the trip sells out, each person will get a 10€ to 20€ voucher !!!
Help recruit and save some loot!
PSC Bus transportation to/from Patch Barracks, Stuttgart to Arabba.
7 Dinners – dinners with 5 different menu and culinary events that turn every meal into a perfect instant to live again past Italian traditions, through dishes and flavors of the Dolomites.
Welcome drink and snacks on Saturday – shorty after arriving to hotel!
Wellness Center "Thermal Club" as well as a Swimming Pool, Finnish and roman sauna, kneipp, turkey bath, tiepidarium, laconicum and a tropical shower which is all included. Whirlpools, solarium and massages are extra.
Special snowshoeing winter excursion with a mountain guide for enjoying the marvelous nature of the Dolomites.
In the hotel, you will find the Stube Pub, a sports shop with ski and boots rental and a hairdresser.
In front of the hotel, there is a newspaper shop, a service center with ski pass office, ski school, supermarket, greengrocer, bank, post office and pharmacy.
For those who have never seen these extraordinarily beautiful mountains before – prepare to be utterly enchanted. They may be part of the Alps, but these towering, rugged, largely limestone monoliths that dominate the upper reaches of Trentino, Südtirol, Belluno and Veneto have the appearance of a completely different mountain range. The extraordinary thing about them is that much of the rocky terrain that soars skywards, sometimes almost vertically (don't worry, you normally ski round their bases, not down their sheer walls!) was, eons ago, under the sea: hence the limestone. And thanks to the reddish-purple rock of large feldspar crystals embedded in them, reflected sunlight at both first light and dusk produces variety of shades of pink and flaming red. In Ladin – the Latin-Romansch language still very much used in some Dolomite valleys – the word for this magical effect is enrosadira.
Fundamentally the great resorts of the Dolomites – served by a vast array of lifts dominated by the Dolomiti Superski lift company – provide delightful skiing, plenty of sunshine and food that combines the best of the Italian, South Tyrolean and Ladin cultures. Imagine yourself skiing down on snow covered and sun-kissed slopes with the watching eye of the colossal Dolomite mountains focused on you. Nature at its very best whichever way you turn.
The site of the Dolomites comprises a mountain range in the northern Italian Alps, numbering 18 peaks which rise to above 3,000 meters and cover 141,903 ha.
Dolomiti Superski guarantees you 12 different ski areas 12 skiing, slopes which are a constant thrill and others which are for the mild of heart, there's something for everyone, state-of-the-art lift facilities, 1,200 km of snow, sunkissed and enticing slopes.(Sella Ronda circuit) with just a single ski-pass!
You can choose the carousel closer to home or push yourself to the limits, skiing where few men have ever skied before. You can reach the 3,300 meters of the Marmolada, you can cross the Tognola gate and whizz by the Pale di San Martino, cross Ladin valleys and gaze at the 3 Cime di Lavaredo which welcome you with a gracious nod. Cross those peaks which saw the battles of WWI, today, a heaven of peace.
Guaranteed Snow – 90% of the Dolomites 1200km of slopes, are to be found at an altitude of 1,500 to 3,269 metres. And, nearly 100% of the Dolomite Superski slopes have modern snow-making systems. It is not so much a case of artificial snow, but of pure crystal-like water originating from mountain streams and torrents being transformed into fine snow particles free from any additives. So long as its cold, the Dolomites has snow!
spectacular of the world. The tour can be done easily in one day, without removing your skis and passing through the four Ladin valleys: Val Gardena, Alta Badia, Val di Fassa and Arabba. It can be done clockwise or anticlockwise, starting from any of the four valleys. Clockwise the colour of the signposting is orange, anticlockwise it is green. It covers a total distance of 40 km, 26 of which are ski slopes. The Sellaronda tour can be done by skiers of intermediate level.
The First World War is the theme of this tour and in spite of the serious subject there is an optimistic tone. Austrian mountain troops and the German Alpine corps along with the Italian 'Alpini' were present here from May 1915 until November 1917, engaged in a bitter struggle for survival. At the epicentre of the fighting, Col di Lana, the tour passes under the cliff walls of those famed peaks like Civetta, Monte Pelmo, Tofana, Lagazuoi, Conturines, Settsass, Sassongher, Sella and Marmolada. We're talking about a day out on those breathtakingly beautiful slopes for all the family.
Freeride (off piste): If you want to experience the power of freeriding, Arabba has some interesting places, but you never should go out alone off- slope; carry the necessary equipment (transceiver, probe and shovel) with you; recommend in any case to consult the weather and snow.
The International Ski Federation (FIS) Alpine Ski World Cup is the premier circuit for alpine skiing competition. The Dolomiti Classics are among the major events of the Alpine Ski World Cup. Ski resorts, organizers, athletes and guests are looking forward to these competitions in the Dolomites. On 14th and 15th December 2018 the Men's SuperG and Downhill will take place in Val Gardena. On the 16th and 17st December 2018 the Ski World Cup with the traditional Giant Slalom and Slalom on the Gran Risa will take place in Alta Badia.
Arabba is a compact, friendly village in the Ladin-speaking part of the Dolomites. Just over the border from its partners in the Sella Ronda, Arabba is actually part of the Veneto region of Italy (the other ski villages are part of the province of the South Tyrol).
Arabba has had a small following of die-hard enthusiasts for many years, but too many skiers pass through the village rushing around the Sella Ronda circuit or on their way to the Marmolada and fail to appreciate the charms of this small settlement at 1600m.
In the center of the village, there is a natural ice skating rink and a small selection of shops, bars, restaurants and pizzerias. Après-ski is low key and relaxed.
Unlike many ski resorts in the high mountains, Arabba doesn't have a long history of farming or mining. In fact, according to the local tourist office, it is hard to find any details of the settlement before the late 1600s (when the local church was built).
The main settlement was the village further down the valley, the tongue-twisting Livinallongo del Col di Lana, where achaeological finds reveal traces of inhabitants back over 10,000 years. In the Middle Ages, the area was ruled from the spectacular Andraz castle, situated on a rock promontory in the valley.
Nowadays, with good protection on the high mountains, the altitude and the quantity of snow collected in a mainly shaded location are plus points for attracting skiers to the village.
The Arabba Ski Resort, with its 60 km of snowy slopes and 31 modern ski lifts, is the most "high" ski destination of the Dolomites UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site located in the wonderful Fodom Valley and surrounded by the imposing Mount Sella and Cima Portavescovo in the Municipality of Livinallongo del Col di Lana; Arabba is connected to Corvara in Südtirol through the Campolongo Pass and to Canazei through the Pordoi Pass. At the the feet of the majestic mountain "Sella", Arabba is part of the Sella Ronda circuit, which connects 4 Dolomite passes: Campolongo, Gardena, Sella and Pordoi.
Of the resorts that make up the celebrated Sella Ronda circuit, Arabba has some of the most interesting slopes, and is a real skiers' holiday base. It boasts excellent, challenging pistes, and the stunning slopes of the mighty Marmolada glacier are within easy reach. The Hidden Valley is close by too.
Skiers love Mount Portavescovo, above Arabba, for its spectacular slopes. It's a good starting point for the Sella Ronda loop, the Great War Tour and the Marmolada.
Arabba has something for everyone from easy slopes for beginners to black runs for experts.
At the foot of Mount Burz there's a ski school slope where children can learn to ski on short and easy slopes before moving on to more spectacular and difficult trails as long as 4 km and with a difference of level of up to 871 m. In addition to the famous Portavescovo descent, it's possible to skis to the Marmolada, queen of the Dolomiti with its 3269 m of altitude.
Situated at the foot of the piste you can ski right back to the door, before enjoying Italian hospitality in the popular bar and public areas in the evening.
Rooms at the Portavescovo include satellite flat-screen TV and light wood furnishings. Some rooms come with a balcony.
A sweet and savoury breakfast buffet is provided daily, with cheese, cold cuts, and fresh fruit. The restaurant serves both regional and classic Italian cuisine. Rich and tasteful our dishes with an abundant antipasti and vegetable buffet. In the winter season every week a Ladin Dinner and on Fridays a Fish Dinner.
After a day on the slopes guests can unwind in the indoor pool with hydromassage jets, or relax in the sauna and Turkish bath. .Massages are available on request and payment.
At your disposal heated garage, ski deposit with boot-heaters and ski lockers, play-room for children, billiards, a Gym and ping-pong table are also available.
In the same building you will find the Stube Pub, a hairdressers and a sports shop with ski and boots rental.
In front of the hotel a newspaper shop, a service center with skipass office, ski school, supermarket, greengrocer, bank, post office and pharmacy.
Special pre-season offer – Dolomiti SuperPremiere – Ski 4 days at the price of 3 days from 30.11.2018 – 22.12.2018!
A child (born after 30/11/2010) is entitled to a FREE SKI PASS for the same period (except season ski- passes and Superski Family) on simultaneous purchase of a ski pass by an accompanying adult.  This free offer refers to "an accompanying adult for each child". To obtain a free ski pass it is necessary to present proof of identity. Self certification is not valid.
Juniors born after 30/11/2002 get –30% on day. To obtain the junior discount it is necessary to present proof of identity. Self certification is not valid.
More than 50 years of experience + innovative teaching methods + team of excellent professionals, passionate about their job. This formula ensures the best results with the maximum of fun.The team consists of 23 ski and snowboard instructors including carving, telemark, freeride and freestyle (new school) specialists, experts of teaching to children and to people with disabilities and even federal trainers.
A package of 4 private lessons, even non-consecutive, at the price of 3 (the offer is not valid for group lessons). Discounts for skipass, ski courses and ski rental apply only to clients holding a Dolomiti Super Premiere voucher.
We'll wait your kids for walkings, sledging and many different activities at our mini club near the ski slopes.
Learning to ski and having fun with new friends – such an attractive combination. Sign your children up for a group course! Group size is min 4 – max 10 children of the same level.The courses will start on Sunday, but is possible to book different periods. Send un an e-mail and we'll try to meet your request!
Professional ski and snowboard instructors specialized in carving, free ride, children teaching, ski club trainers and federal trainers are waiting for you to give you the chance to experience pleasant hours of fun on the slopes of the Dolomites.
The course starts on Sunday at 11.00 am.
Min 5 children for each group, on Thursday daily ski trip according to the skiing level of the group, and on Friday ski race with prizes for everyone.
· Friday daily trip 10.00 13.00€ 160, 00.
· Thursday daily trip 10.00 16.00€ 135, 00.
3 days ski course – total 6 hours € 100, 00.
Training with poles min. 2 houres € 80,00.- Prices for 1 or 2 persons. For any additional person calculate € 10,00.- more per hour.
The M.S.A. Sport & Rent, affiliated to the Arabba Ski School, is located right in the centre of Arabba/ Fodom/ Dolomities giving very easy access to the slopes of the Sellaronda ski circuit and the DolomitiSuperski area. For your convenience the shop offers an excellent door-to-door SKI-FLY service whereby your equipment can be delivered to your hotel within the Arabba/Marmolada area.
Book online! All online bookings at our ski rental will be entitled to a 10% discount on the published price.The offer is not valid in combination with Dolomiti Super Sun .
Take advantage of 10% discount. Clients who book private lessons for a minimum of 4 hours or group lessons for a minimum of 3 days at Arabba Ski & Snowboard School will be entitled to a 10% discount on all rental equipment at M.S.A. Sport & Rent. The offer is not valid in combination with Dolomiti Super Sun .
Download a Trip Application (Top Right Corner) fill it up, sign it and email a copy to: maritza.taylor@ymail.com. You will receive an email back with your total amount.


text:
package org.zmpp.vm;

import org.zmpp.media.PictureManager;
import org.zmpp.media.SoundSystem;

/**
 * This interface acts as a central access point to the Z-Machine's components.
 *
 * @author Wei-ju Wu
 * @version 1.0
 */
public interface Machine extends ObjectTree {

    /**
     * Initialization function.
     *
     * @param machineConfig a configuration object
     * @param decoder the instruction decoder
     */
    void initialize(GameData machineConfig, InstructionDecoder decoder);

    /**
     * Returns the story file version.
     *
     * @return the story file version
     */
    int getVersion();

  // **********************************************************************
    // **** Main machine objects
    // *******************************
    /**
     * Returns the GameData object.
     *
     * @return the GameData object
     */
    GameData getGameData();

    /**
     * Returns the Cpu object.
     *
     * @return the Cpu object
     */
    Cpu getCpu();

    /**
     * Returns the Output object.
     *
     * @return the Output object
     */
    Output getOutput();

    /**
     * Returns the Input object.
     *
     * @return the Input object
     */
    Input getInput();

  // ************************************************************************
    // ****** Control functions
    // ************************************************
    /**
     * Restarts the virtual machine.
     */
    void restart();

    /**
     * Starts the virtual machine.
     */
    void start();

    /**
     * Exists the virtual machine.
     */
    void quit();

    /**
     * Outputs a warning message.
     *
     * @param msg
     */
    void warn(String msg);

  // **********************************************************************
    // **** Services
    // *******************************
    /**
     * Tokenizes the text in the text buffer using the specified parse buffer.
     *
     * @param textbuffer the text buffer
     * @param parsebuffer the parse buffer
     * @param dictionaryAddress the dictionary address or 0 for the default
     * dictionary
     * @param flag if set, unrecognized words are not written into the parse
     * buffer and their slots are left unchanged
     */
    void tokenize(int textbuffer, int parsebuffer, int dictionaryAddress,
            boolean flag);

    /**
     * Reads a string from the selected input stream.
     *
     * @param textbuffer the text buffer address in memory
     * @param time the time interval to call routine
     * @param routineAddress the packed routine address
     * @return the terminating character
     */
    char readLine(int textbuffer, int time, int routineAddress);

    /**
     * Reads a ZSCII char from the selected input stream.
     *
     * @param time the time interval to call routine (timed input)
     * @param routineAddress the packed routine address to call (timed input)
     * @return the selected ZSCII char
     */
    char readChar(int time, int routineAddress);

    /**
     * Returns the sound system.
     *
     * @return the sound system
     */
    SoundSystem getSoundSystem();

    /**
     * Returns the picture manager.
     *
     * @return the picture manager
     */
    PictureManager getPictureManager();

    /**
     * Generates a number in the range between 1 and <i>range</i>. If range is
     * negative, the random generator will be seeded to abs(range), if range is
     * 0, the random generator will be initialized to a new random seed. In both
     * latter cases, the result will be 0.
     *
     * @param range the range
     * @return a random number
     */
    short random(short range);

    /**
     * Updates the status line.
     */
    void updateStatusLine();

    /**
     * Sets the Z-machine's status line.
     *
     * @param statusline the status line
     */
    void setStatusLine(StatusLine statusline);

    /**
     * Sets the game screen.
     *
     * @param screen the screen model
     */
    void setScreen(ScreenModel screen);

    /**
     * Gets the game screen.
     *
     * @return the game screen
     */
    ScreenModel getScreen();

    /**
     * Returns screen model 6.
     *
     * @return screen model 6
     */
    ScreenModel6 getScreen6();

    /**
     * Sets the save game data store.
     *
     * @param datastore the data store
     */
    void setSaveGameDataStore(SaveGameDataStore datastore);

    /**
     * Saves the current state.
     *
     * @param savepc the save pc
     * @return true on success, false otherwise
     */
    boolean save(int savepc);

    /**
     * Saves the current state in memory.
     *
     * @param savepc the save pc
     * @return true on success, false otherwise
     */
    boolean save_undo(int savepc);

    /**
     * Restores a previously saved state.
     *
     * @return the portable game state
     */
    PortableGameState restore();

    /**
     * Restores a previously saved state from memory.
     *
     * @return the portable game state
     */
    PortableGameState restore_undo();
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub