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Tagged: Berlin
Exclusives / Frontpage news
by Sebastian H · Published January 28, 2016 · Last modified February 1, 2016
The Hateful Eight Review (70mm Roadshow)
Cold wind grabs a small group of men, their coats only a mediocre protection from the freezing winter temperatures. Berlin. January 26, 2016. We stand in line for the red carpet premiere of the 70mm Roadshow...
Photos from the Berlin premiere of Basterds
As promised, a fistful of snapshots from the Berlin premiere of Inglourious Basterds, click the picture below to see them. We'll bring you a full review of this epic world war 2 extravaganza pretty soon. As...
Report from the Berlin premiere of Inglourious Basterds
"Dankeschoen!" he said, visibly moved, after several minutes of applause. A Basterd's work well done, I thought, when the lights went on and Quentin Tarantino had just ended the second world war – on celluloid. Fast...
by Sebastian H · Published July 28, 2009 · Last modified July 29, 2009
The Basterds are invading Germany!
Only months after the shooting of Inglourious Basterds wrapped earlier this year in the Potsdam suburbs of Berlin (at the historic Babelsberg Film Studios), the Basterds are back in town. But this time, they have come...
by Sebastian H · Published January 26, 2009
Exclusive Inglourious Basterds set report
Have I announced this and am I a few days late? Probably. Can I still not believe I did this? Very much so. Was I really blown away and could've taken more notes? Correct. At any...
by Sebastian H · Published December 1, 2008
Little update
It's some sort of a slow week again, in terms of Inglourious Basterds (note that we're no longer calling it Inglorious Bastards anymore) at least, but that's not too bad. While I'm busy with school and...
Basterds start training
From what we can gather, rehearsing on Inglorious Basterds started today, after a joint dinner with cast and crew in Berlin yesterday, that was well-received by some paparazzis (we suspect pictures of a drunk Til Schweiger...
Inglorious Berlin casting continues
A number of French actors have joined Quentin Tarantino's currently prepping WW2 epic Inglorious Basterds, but he's not stopping there. While one of two casting events for extras was attended by hundreds of interested applicants, Tarantino...
Deutsch / Frontpage news
by Sebastian H · Published September 9, 2008
Tarantino wants YOU in Inglorious Bastards
Many of you have emailed me regarding extras casting dates in Berlin for Inglorious Bastards. As TheLocal reports, there are now dates and details for casting. A Berlin casting agency, FilmGesichter, is looking for applicants that...
by Sebastian H · Published August 11, 2008
That man from America – Tarantino caught location scouting
You're the caretaker of an old tower (click to see a picture) in a lovely city in the east of Germany, and a few people from Babelsberg Film Studios books a quick tour of these old...
by Sebastian H · Published August 5, 2008 · Last modified March 16, 2013
Tarantino meets German actors for Inglorious Bastards
You're shooting a film with lots of Germans in them, so while you're in Berlin, why not talk to some German actors for these roles? That's what Quentin did. As reported by the Berlin Morgenpost, a...
Inglorious Bastards to shoot in Berlin this fall
While you're thinking "the movie takes place in France, aren't they shooting it in the Normandy or something?", it should be noted that Inglorious Bastards is neither a remake of The Longest Day, nor will you...


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Getting enough exercise easier than you think, experts say
(dolgachov, Envato Elements)
With New Year's resolutions only a few weeks away, there's good news for those resolving to exercise more: You don't have to go big or go home. Even short bursts of activity can be good for your health.
That's according to federal physical activity guidelines released last month that put a new emphasis on getting sedentary people to move, even for a few minutes at a time. The old guidelines from a decade ago said people needed to be physically active for at least 10 consecutive minutes to improve their health.
"Those little things add up and can have some real benefit," said Dr. Katrina Piercy, a physical activity and nutrition advisor at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services who was part of the team that wrote the guidelines. "The biggest benefits come from someone going from doing nothing to doing something, even if it's just taking the stairs instead of the elevator. The main message is, move more and sit less."
The new guidelines set a higher bar for what it called "substantial" health benefits: Adults should get at least 150 minutes to 300 minutes a week of moderate-level physical activity – or 75 minutes to 150 minutes a week of vigorous activity. Additional benefits come from doing muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week, the guidelines said.
People don't have to do only planned, structured exercise like jogging, playing soccer or working out at the gym to meet the recommendations.
"These guidelines make it clear you don't have to run a marathon to get your heart rate pumping," said Dr. Mercedes Carnethon, an epidemiologist and vice chair of preventive medicine at Northwestern University. "There are many ways to achieve that, from dancing to playing with a child at the park or walking in the mall when the weather's cold."
The new guidelines say children ages 3 to 5 should be physically active throughout the day – a change from the previous advice that focused on kids 6 and older. Children ages 6 to 17 should get 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise each day.
The advice for older adults is the same as for younger adults, with one difference: Older adults are advised to mix balance training with muscle-strengthening and aerobic activities.
"For older adults, multi-component physical activity really makes a difference in preventing falls and lowering the risk of injury if they do fall," Piercy said. "It helps older adults carry on their regular activities and maintain independence in their living environment."
Being physically active is also good for the brain. It improves sleep and reduces the risk of dementia, depression and anxiety, the guidelines said.
"We've seen a huge growth in evidence over the last 10 years in the brain health side of physical activity," Piercy said. "Runners often mention the 'runner's high' feeling they get from endorphins, and you can start to feel some of these same benefits after taking a walk for just a few minutes."
While physical activity levels have improved slightly in recent years, only about 20 percent of American adults get the recommended amount of physical activity. Carnethon said the new guidelines could help raise those numbers by encouraging people to be physically active whenever and however they choose.
"Physical activity is like personalized medicine: There's no single prescription for reaching 150 minutes a week," she said. "You can tailor it to your schedule, interests and lifestyle. You just have to get off the couch and find a way that works for you."
If you have questions or comments about this story, please email editor@heart.org.
Why is Walking the Most Popular Form of Exercise?
It takes more than a bribe to get people to exercise
Breaking Down Barriers to Fitness

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Our unique and colorful Undersea Spirit Christmas card.
The 5" X 7" card is printed on heavyweight glossy stock.
Six cards and envelopes packaged in re-sealable cellophane.
soft and sweet the whole night long.
'til that special starfish is placed on top.


One of the nicest things about summer is that there is no need to spend hours cooking over a hot stove. This is a super simple salad that makes a lovely light lunch or a delicious dinner if you pair it with some grilled chicken or salmon. I grilled the corn but you can skip the cooking altogether and use fresh raw corn in the salad. Try to find good quality tomatoes for this salad, it makes all the difference. The basil vinaigrette adds a nice herbal quality that pairs really nicely with the corn and tomatoes. To see the original recipe and all the other variations be sure to visit The Food Matters Project!
Prepare the vinaigrette. Combine the basil, garlic, water and vinegar in a blender, process and slowly add the oil until everything is smooth.
Grill the corn over a medium grill until the corn starts to brown and smells nutty. Remove kernels from the corn by standing the ears in a large wide bowl and with a sharp knife carefully slice the downward to release the kernels. Discard the cobs.
Add the tomatoes, avocado, black beans to the corn, drizzle a few tablespoons of the dressing and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with a few torn basil leaves.


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Edmonton Prospects
Fort McMurray Giants
Brooks Bombers
Lethbridge Bulls
Medicine Hat Mavericks
Moose Jaw Miller Express
Okotoks Dawgs
Regina Red Sox
Swift Current 57s
Weyburn Beavers
Sylvan Lake Gulls
Lethbridge to face Edmonton in 2021 WCBL Final
August 19, 2021 2:48 pm | by WCBL | Posted In Feature News, News
There will be a new Western Canadian Baseball League champion in 2021.
The Edmonton Prospects played the role of spoiler by sweeping the reigning champion and top-seeded Okotoks Dawgs Black in their semi-final best-of-three series.
In Monday's Game #1, Conor Bronson went 2-for-4 with a double, stolen base and three runs batted in to pace Edmonton's offense in a 10-5 victory at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks. Then on Tuesday, Scott Gillespie pitched a gem by going seven innings, allowing just one hit and one run in his hometown of Sherwood Park as the Prospects edged the Dawgs 2-1.
On to the @wcbleague Finals. @SidearmScotty with the Player of The Game going 7 Innings of 1 Hit baseball striking out 7 and picking up the win.@abdugoutstories @globaledmonton @reidwilkins pic.twitter.com/tP93GiuTiK
— Edmonton Prospects (@EdmProspects) August 18, 2021
The other semi-final featured two teams seemingly going in opposite directions. The Sylvan Lake Gulls had won seven straight games, including four against the Lethbridge Bulls. Meantime, the Bulls were riding a six-game losing streak, capped by a combined no-hitter thrown by three Gulls pitchers.
Despite the recent history and the tag of "underdog," the Bulls capitalized on strong pitching and timely hitting to also complete the two-game sweep of the Gulls.
In Monday's Game #1, Bryce Fraser tossed the complete-game five-hitter to lead the Bulls to a 4-2 win in Sylvan Lake. The second game of the series was postponed Tuesday because of rain, and was able to go ahead on Wednesday night in Lethbridge. Ty Penner drove in Josh Kabayama with a single up the middle in the bottom of the ninth to lead the Bulls to a 3-2 walk-off victory.
⚾FINAL SCORE⚾
YOUR BULLS ARE GOING TO THE FINALS! We will see you Friday night here at Spitz Stadium at 7:05pm for Game 1 against the @EdmProspects ! @wcbleague pic.twitter.com/oJbzgUKTud
— Lethbridge Bulls (@lethbridgebulls) August 19, 2021
That sets the stage for the 2021 WCBL Final, with the schedule as follows:
Game 1 – Friday August 20th – 7:05pm in Lethbridge – get tickets here
Game 2 – Saturday August 21st – 7:05pm in Sherwood Park – get tickets here
Game 3 (if necessary) – Sunday August 22nd – 7:05pm in Lethbridge
Preview: If you're looking for some recent history between these two teams, the rivalry might take some time to renew. Nine of their first ten games played against each other happened before July 19th. If those games are any indication, offense will be a key. They combined to score 176 runs in those ten meetings, with the Bulls outscoring the Prospects 109-67 en route to posting seven wins.
Historically, the Prospects are hoping to capture their first WCBL title, although they went to the final in both 2016 and 2017, losing both years to Swift Current. The Bulls haven't been to the final since they won the Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy in 2015.
© 2023 Western Canadian Baseball League | All Rights Reserved


I like post-apocalyptic fiction, but I am a bit burned out by it. I can tell how burned out because I've now waited a few months to write this post and I can barely remember what this book is about. An airport? Something with comic books? What I do remember is that Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel seems to me to be more about the intersections of the lives of people who knew the actor who dies at the beginning on the novel than the apocalypse that takes place. And that's fine. It seems almost silly to have the apocalypse in there at all, really. It does up the stakes and create the environment to have a traveling, Shakespeare-performing orchestra, though. Since that's my secret dream retirement plan, sans worldwide plague, I liked that addition.
I have nothing particularly bad to say about the book, but if you're looking for good apocalyptic fiction, I can think of a few examples that are better. If you're looking for beautiful writing, I can think of several examples that are better. The book doesn't commit any particular wrongs, but I wasn't as moved by it as by something like The Road by Cormac McCarthy.
No responses to "Book #32: Station Eleven". Comments are closed for this post.


gardener and Miss Phillips' older son, Becket.
more, but wear underwear if you have loose shorts on!  Or maybe not.
breathing, and chocolate.  And "oom" is the sound one makes when squicking.
is a good source for Tyvek and we all know about postal workers and squicking.
"PgUp for Command?, Home for Status," which so stirringly calls us to action.
run so deep that even on board the starship Enterprise, gloryholes abound.
flowers, but Milton Berle made a better woman than I'll ever be.
And what about Naomi?  And what about Naomi?


This bill would require the State Water Resources Control Board, in coordination with the Department of Water Resources, to adopt long-term standards for the efficient use of water, as provided, and performance measures for commercial, industrial, and institutional water use on or before June 30, 2022. The bill would require the department, in coordination with the board, to conduct necessary studies and investigations and make recommendations, no later than October 1, 2021, for purposes of these standards and performance measures. The bill would require the department, in coordination with the board, to conduct necessary studies and investigations and would authorize the department and the board to jointly recommend to the Legislature a standard for indoor residential water use. The bill, until January 1, 2025, would establish 55 gallons per capita daily as the standard for indoor residential water use, beginning January 1, 2025, would establish the greater of 52.5 gallons per capita daily or a standard recommended by the department and the board as the standard for indoor residential water use, and beginning January 1, 2030, would establish the greater of 50 gallons per capita daily or a standard recommended by the department and the board as the standard for indoor residential water use. The bill would impose civil liability for a violation of an order or regulation issued pursuant to these provisions, as specified.
The bill would require the department, in consultation with the board, to propose to the Governor and the Legislature, by January 1, 2020, recommendations and guidance relating to the development and implementation of countywide drought and water shortage contingency plans to address the planning needs of small water suppliers and rural communities, as provided. The bill would require the department, in consultation with the board and other relevant state and local agencies and stakeholders, to use available data to identify small water suppliers and rural communities that may be at risk of drought and water shortage vulnerability, no later than January 1, 2020, and would require the department to notify counties and groundwater sustainability agencies of those suppliers or communities.


In the last few weeks, I learned that two good friends have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Two young, vibrant women I care deeply about are in for a fight, and while I'm confident in their ability to beat this, they'll need all the help and support they can muster.
Over the last several years I've become very aware of how powerful food choices are with respect to health and wellness, and with Amie and Jenny in mind, I created this vibrant soup. It's loaded with healthful ingredients – beets, cabbage, ginger and turmeric, to name a few – and it's enriched with a bit of cream at the end, because in my mind, balance and a little indulgence are important to a healthy lifestyle. Plus, it takes the soup from red to deep pink, a hue that is very much in vogue in October.
Note: If the beets have their greens still attached, remove them and reserve – they're great sautéed in a little olive oil.
Scrub the beets and cut them into halves or quarters if large. Toss with salt and olive oil, place on a sheet pan, add the garlic cloves, and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes, until they are tender when pierced with a fork. Set the beets aside until they are cool enough to handle.
In a deep, heavy bottomed pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt, and cook until just soft. Add the coriander and ginger, stirring through, and cook for a minute or two before adding the cabbage. Pull the skins from the beets and add the roasted beets to the pot. Remove the roasted garlic from its skins and add to the pot. Add the vinegar and water, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally and tasting to adjust the seasoning.
Boston peeps: Amie's husband Brad, one of my oldest and dearest east coast friends, put his musical mojo to work to arrange a benefit to take place at The Middle East on Saturday, October 17th beginning at noon. Live performers include Kristin Hersh (Throwing Muses/50 Foot Wave), Bill Janovitz (Buffalo Tom), Travels, Drew O'Doherty, Colin Clary (The Smittens/Let's Whisper), and Adam Brilla (The Broken River Prophet). Kids under 12 get in free, and those of us who are a bit older can purchase tickets here.
Not in the Boston area? Please sponsor Jenny as she walks in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in NYC on October 18th.
What a lovely post, and a delicious-looking soup too.
So sorry to hear the news about your friends, but can I just say: that cream ribbon loop rocks!
We've got to hold on to a sense of humor, no?
Truly beautiful, in all ways. While I just moved to Brooklyn, will let my Cambridge peeps know about this event.
I just had a friend who is 31 diagnosed with breast cancer. It has metastisized and its very scary. We were just talking about diet choices and surviving cancer. Wonderful post.
Looks beautiful and delicious. I can't wait to try this!!
So sorry to hear about your friends. This looks like such a lovely, lively soup.
I'm hoping for the best for your friends. The soup looks amazing.
Breast cancer awareness is something really close to my heart, having had 3 close friends' mothers battle it (and survive!) and having lost a friend and my great-aunt to the disease. Food is such an important part of arming your body—well said. And a beautiful soup to honor your friends. I'll be thinking of them and praying as they take this journey.
Love the ribbon shaped cream garnish. Very nice recipe and post!
My mother beat stage IV Inflammatory Breast Cancer. There is always hope.
7 weeks out of my own breast cancer treatment (Stage 3, I'm 42) and your ribbon made me SMILE.
Yes, your friends are in for a fight, and with lots of love, and lots of help from family and friends and good nourishing food, they'll get through.
I wonder what recipes you, Jen, will come up with that include ginger, when nausea strikes?
I would return home from a long day at chemotherapy to fine a huge happy-looking orange cast=iron pot on my stove, bubbling with tomato-lentil soup, delivered by my Italian friend Anna. Times like this, you really know who your friends are, and Anna (and her soup) is one dear friend.
My prayers are with your friends and their families.
Interesting recipe and great presentation, I can imaging how important is food when you are sick, cancer or anything else, and yes it's always nice having some comfortable food ready when you don't have the energy to make it by yourself.
I guess I did it for my great friend Allison, and I wish that every body knowing someone is sick, would do it too, make an extra portion of their food and bring to them and their family, this is a little help that doesn't cost much and make you feel better, trust me.
Sad news, it's frustrating that some cancers just appear out of the blue in completely healthy people. But I know they'll be able to fight it, however your friends are in my thoughts. What a lovely soup you made for them too.
What a lovely post. I enjoy your blog, thank you so much. My Mom had breast cancer in her 40's. I was just 21 when we found out, five days after I gave birth to my son and it rocked my world. She is doing well 6 years after her diagnosis. I hope your friends have the same outcome and they are in my thoughts.
I hate that my week has been so crazed that I haven't gotten back here to thank you all, but hopefully this isn't too late – thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your comments and support. I have the best readers ever. Love to you all.


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College basketball odds and lines
#12 LSU vs. Florida: Live stream info, game preview, picks and predictions & more
LSU will go for their third straight win when they head on the road to play Florida on Wednesday night.
By Erik Buchinger Jan 12, 2022, 4:15am PST
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John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
The No. 12 LSU Tigers responded well to their first loss of the season with consecutive victories against ranked teams as they get ready for Wednesday night's matchup against the Florida Gators.
LSU (14-1, 2-1 SEC) closed out 2021 with a loss to the Auburn Tigers, but they took down the Kentucky Wildcats and Tennessee Volunteers since then to start the new year. The Tigers continue to have the best defense in KenPom's adjusted efficiency, but they are outside the top 75 in adjusted offensive efficiency. LSU will be without their leading assist man Xavier Pinson as he's out with an injury.
Florida (9-5, 0-2 SEC) lost their first two games of 2022 by double digits in defeats against the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers. The Gators are a bit better defensively than offensively this season, but they are rate outside the top 30 on both ends of the floor according to KenPom. Florida's top scorer is Colin Castleton, who averages 15.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
How to watch LSU vs. Florida
When: Wednesday, January 12th, 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: O'Dome, Gainesville, Florida
TV: ESPN2
Where to live stream online: WatchESPN, ESPN app
Live updates and stats: At DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread: Florida -1
LSU's defense is playing at an extremely high level as the best in the entire country according to KenPom, and Florida plays at a slower pace. With the combination of those two factors and the Tigers being without their point guard, the under is a solid play on Wednesday night.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-888-532-3500 (VA), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat. (CT). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/MI/NH/NJ/PA/ TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.
Full list of tee times for Round 2 of the 2022 American Express Round 2 of the 2022 American Express tees off at 11:40 a.m. ET on Friday in La Quinta, California. We have a full list of tee times, including the featured groups.


The Olde Gate Inne is Grade II listed and is situated in the heart of the village of Brassington. It is 3 miles North of Carsington Water and close to the market towns of Wirksworth and Ashbourne, on the edge of the Beautiful Peak District.
"The Olde Gate Inn, Brassington, Derbyshire Simply the perfect winter pub: you won't find a cosier place in the country. It pulls off the rare trick of being a genuine local, packed with villagers, but thoroughly warm and welcoming to visitors, too." This year we are 400 years old, and you can feel the history – Bonnie Prince Charlie's soldiers were billeted here on their march to London, and some of the oak beams came from ships of the Spanish Armada.


A TOT is battling severe injuries in hospital after plunging from a first floor bedroom window at her home.
The two-year-old suffered serious head trauma in the fall from the first floor of a house in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs,.
The infant was rushed to hospital before she was transferred to a specialist children's hospital.
Police have launched an investigation into the incident, but do not believe there are any suspicious circumstances.
Emergency services including the air ambulance arrived at the scene in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent at around 12.20pm yesterday.
The youngster was taken to the Royal Stoke University Hospital before being transferred to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool. Her condition was last night described as stable.
Residents living nearby were shocked when they heard what had happened.
Lisa Rathbone, 31, said: "We've heard that she fell out of a window and now she's critically ill in hospital.
"It's absolutely awful. I have a kid on the way and it's horrible to think something like that could happen. I feel for the family."
Carer Cheryl Carr, 30, said: "All I've heard is that a woman came out of the house screaming saying that the girl had fallen out of the window.
"It's terrible. There was quite a commotion. There was lots of kids screaming and a lot of police.
"It's a shock that something like this has happened near where I live."
A 21-year-old man, who asked not to be named, said: "I came back from work and saw all the police cars.
I've heard that she fell from a bedroom window.
"I have a two-year-old niece so it's quite close to home. It has affected me deeply and it's a shock for the neighbourhood."
A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: "We were called at 12.20pm to reports of an injured child at a property in Corinth Way.
"The two-year-old-girl was taken to hospital by ambulance to the Royal Stoke University Hospital with head injuries.
"She was later transferred to Alder Hey Children's Hospital where she is with her parents.
"The incident is not being treated as suspicious at the moment but we are investigating the circumstances as a matter of course. The number one priority is the child's welfare."
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We were called to a medical case in Tunstall.
"The Midlands Air Ambulance from Cosford attended with a doctor on board, along with a second doctor, a land ambulance and a paramedic area support officer. We treated and took a young child to hospital."


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Global M&A values hit $457bn in early 2019, with volumes set to slow
Private Equity had its best year since the financial crisis with $765bn worth of deals in 2018.
Companies have increased their acquisition spending on disruptive technologies, last year they spent $217bn, up 28% from the previous year.
Credit conditions remain favourable and corporates are sitting on record levels of cash.
Global M&A deal values reached $467 billion for the first two months of 2019 according to new analysis from Deloitte. However, the research predicts a slowdown of between 4-7% in M&A deal volumes by the end of the first quarter of 2019, compared to the first quarter of 2018. The prospect of a US-China trade war and a rise in economic and political uncertainties are weighing on the M&A markets.
Iain Macmillan, Deloitte's Global Leader of M&A services, commented: "The last five years have witnessed an unprecedented bull run in the global M&A markets. However, we might now be entering a late-cycle phase - in 2018 we saw the first year-on-year decline in volumes since 2014.
"In addition, nearly $300 billion worth of deals were withdrawn in 2018 due to a tightening of regulatory requirements globally. In order to alleviate deal risks, acquirers need to consider detailed regulatory risk impact reviews before they initiate deals.
"On the plus side, nearly $1.2 trillion worth of cross-border deals were done last year. Despite the slowdown in deals emanating from China, cross-border deal flows remained strong, largely due to the increased outbound activities from US and Japanese acquirers."
Companies issued a record $400 billion of bond financing for M&A deals last year, and cash reserves remain high. The private equity sector is sitting on $1.1 trillion worth of dry powder and last year it concluded $765 billion worth of deals, the highest amount since 2007.
Iain Macmillan added: "We do not expect dealmakers to become dormant, with recent data from the ONS showing domestic UK M&A values hitting a ten-year high in 2018. Instead we expect a greater emphasis on mitigating risk, undertaking thorough diligence, reassessing business portfolios, pursuing rapid turnaround interventions and optimising the integration process."
Companies spent $217 billion acquiring disruptive and innovative technologies last year, an increase of 28% over previous year. While Digital and Analytics are the largest segments, there has been a sharp increase in Fintech, Cyber and Healthtech. Deloitte analysis also shows companies have spent $877 billion since 2015 acquiring disruptive technologies and using them to capture innovation-led growth.
Sriram Prakash, Global Lead for Disruptive M&A, concluded: "Disruptive technologies are transforming industries and laying bare well-established business models. This is driving a fundamental shift in M&A strategy, where the non-tech sector has overtaken the tech sector in acquiring technology assets. Two years ago 60% of such disruptive technology assets were acquired by the non-tech sector."
Note to editors
All of the analysis is based on Thomson Reuters figures. The full report from Deloitte, The Future of the Deal, analyses the key trends influencing global M&A markets.
In this press release references to "Deloitte" are references to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited ("DTTL") a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity.
Please see deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of DTTL and its member firms.
Deloitte LLP is a subsidiary of Deloitte NWE LLP, which is a member firm of DTTL, and is among the UK's leading professional services firms.
The information contained in this press release is correct at the time of going to press.
For more information, please visit www.deloitte.co.uk
Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited
Will Black
wiblack@deloitte.co.uk
Will is the PR contact for HR, Talent and Restructuring.... More


Strange Brigade: Strange… Tyler has more gold than me?!! HTG Brian has a heck of a time keeping up with Tyler when it comes to Gold. There is a Trophy/Achievement for having "Double the Gold of your allies" at the end of a level, and yet Brian can never seem to even have the same amount of Gold, let alone double! Follow along and choose a team: Team Brian / Team Tyler P and see who becomes the victor while we live stream Strange Brigade once again! If you are on PS4 and have a copy of Strange Brigade, let us know and maybe we can slide ya into our group!


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Why a stronger US dollar could hinder Trump's economic plans
Paul Wiseman and Josh Boak, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump's ambitious plans to revive exports, return jobs to the United States and increase oil drilling are running up against a home-grown threat:
The surging U.S. dollar.
Since the Nov. 8 election, the dollar has shot up 5 percent. An index that tracks the dollar against other major currencies reached a 14-year high after the election before dipping a bit since then.
In part, the dollar's gain reflects the U.S. economy's strength and investor confidence that Trump will accelerate growth by slashing taxes and pumping money into roads, bridges and other infrastructure. The dollar could rise even more now that the Federal Reserve has raised interest rates and foresees three more hikes next year. With rates far lower elsewhere in the world, many investors will shift money to the United States to capitalize on higher yields — a shift that could send the dollar even higher.
Which creates a problem: An expensive dollar makes U.S. goods costlier overseas — and imports cheaper in the U.S. That's a recipe for more pain for American manufacturers. A high dollar can also lead some U.S. multinational companies to move operations to countries where their dollars go further.
And a high-priced dollar tends to shrink oil prices, thereby discouraging the increased energy production that Trump has made a centerpiece of his economic plans.
"A strong dollar will make it more challenging to boost the international competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing, bring back jobs and increase exports," says Eswar Prasad, professor of trade policy at Cornell University.
Even before the election, a comparatively strong dollar had slowed U.S. exports for much of the past two years. Exports of goods and services had peaked in October 2014 at $200 billion. The figure fell to $179 billion in March before recovering slightly as the dollar weakened. But then the dollar marched back up and accelerated after Trump's victory. It was no surprise when U.S. exports fell nearly 2 percent in October, according to the Commerce Department.
Consider what the strong dollar does to U.S. corporate earnings, too: Whatever revenue American companies earn in foreign currencies is worth less once it's exchanged into U.S. dollars and returned home. In recent weeks, American companies, from Whirlpool to Apple, have complained that the strong dollar has dented their earnings.
At Vaughn Manufacturing Co. in Nashville, Tennessee, the company president, Mark Vaughn, is fretting about the dollar's 11 percent rise against Mexico's peso since the election. Around 20 percent of Vaughn's tool-and-die business is done in Mexico. And the company competes with Chinese and Korean companies that aren't saddled with an expensive currency.
"It's a concern," he says.
A rising dollar can encourage U.S. companies to move factories and jobs overseas because it makes foreign investments cheaper. Trump, of course, has pledged to stop American companies from taking operations offshore. He's even threatened to impose a 35 percent tax on companies that leave America and then ship goods back to the United States.
The dollar's rally could also complicate the president-elect's plans to spur oil drilling by reducing environmental regulations. Oil is usually bought in dollars. So the higher the dollar's value, the fewer dollars are needed to buy a barrel of oil. The result is that the dollar-denominated price of oil drops.
When oil prices drop, energy companies tend to cut investment in drilling and production. Low oil prices are the main reason U.S. business investment plummeted late last year and in the first half of 2016, thereby slowing the economy. Oil prices have risen since Trump's victory but could retreat again if the dollar keeps rising.
The Trump transition team didn't respond to requests for comment.
William Cline, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, says he worries that the strong dollar could incite conflicts between the U.S. and its trading partners — something that happened during the Reagan administration in the 1980s.
Despite his reputation as a free trader, Reagan used tariffs against Japanese motorcycles and semiconductors, which had enjoyed a price edge in the U.S. market resulting from a sharp rise in the dollar. It took an extraordinary 1985 meeting at New York's Plaza Hotel to craft an arrangement with Japan, Germany and Britain to reduce the dollar's value and ease tension.
Trump, who threatened to tear up trade treaties and impose tariffs against Mexico and Japan, might be even quicker to impose sanctions against what he sees as unfair trade practices, potentially triggering a wider trade war. In an analysis it did before the election, the Peterson Institute warned that the United States could lose nearly 4.8 million jobs in a trade war that would result if Trump imposed the tariffs on Mexico and China — and they responded with equal tariffs of their own.
"The tricky thing in the case of Trump is if his administration sees trade deficits as the result of unfair trade" and not of economic forces that are pushing the dollar higher, Cline says. "You could get into a lot of trade conflicts."


"Desperate Measures" off their upcoming album.
Pop n' Roll band The Slightlys, has a penchant for insistent, hook driven, unapologetically catchy songs. Led by songwriter and frontman Finneas O'Connell (who found success as an actor with reoccurring roles on Glee and Modern Family and in movies such as Bad Teacher), the band consists of four teenagers born and raised in Los Angeles California. The group met each other at a battle of bands at Club Nokia in 2012 while each playing in different bands with all losing the contest that year. In 2014 they came together to form The Slightlys and took home first place in that same competition.
In 2014, The Slightlys returned to the studio to record their debut EP with famed producer/engineer Eric Palmquist (Bad Suns, Night Riots, HUNNY). The result is a collection of power pop anthems with melodic guitar riffs, catchy choruses and a driving insatiable rhythm section rarely heard in rock music today.


text:
Senta (minor planet designation: 550 Senta) is a minor planet orbiting the Sun that was discovered by German astronomer Max Wolf on 16 November 1904, from Heidelberg.

Photometric observations of this asteroid made at the Torino Observatory in Italy during 1990–1991 were used to determine a synodic rotation period of 20.555 ± 0.01 hours.

In light of Max Wolf's propensity around the time of discovery to name asteroids after operatic heroines, it is likely that the asteroid is named after Senta, the heroine of Richard Wagner's opera The Flying Dutchman.

References

External links

000550
Discoveries by Max Wolf
Named minor planets
550 Senta
000550
19041116

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: About Mysql Fulltext Search I have a table and some rows, i want do fulltext search but fulltext col without space.
For Example:
My MySQL Table:
CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `members` (
  `id` int(10) unsigned NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
  `username` varchar(255) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `fulltextcol` varchar(10) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  PRIMARY KEY (`id`),
  FULLTEXT KEY `fulltextcol` (`fulltextcol`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM  DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8 AUTO_INCREMENT=5 ;

Inserts:
INSERT INTO `members` (`id`, `username`, `fulltextcol`) VALUES
(1, 'username1', 'YYYYYNYNYN'),
(2, 'username2', 'NNNNYNYNYN'),
(3, 'username3', 'YYNNYNYYYY'),
(4, 'username4', 'YNYNYNYNYN');

And now my mysql command:
SELECT *,MATCH(fulltextcol) AGAINST('YNYNYNYNYN') as Relevance
FROM members
WHERE MATCH(fulltextcol) AGAINST('YNYNYNYNYN' IN BOOLEAN MODE)
HAVING Relevance > 0.2
ORDER BY Relevance DESC

Yes everything is OK, bu this query is select only exact match (so select only 4th row) , but i want it must select all of them with scores/relevances.
For example first row have "YYYYYNYNYN" and it's not exact match but i want this query select it with low relevance, if 4th row's relevance is 1.18, 1st row's relevance can be 0.32.
I hope I could explain my problem.
How can i do it ?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Tires Unlimited II of Greer provides Differential Service services to Greer, SC, Spartanburg, SC, Greenville, SC, and other surrounding areas.
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We proudly service the Differential Service needs of customers in Greer, SC, Spartanburg, SC, Greenville, SC, and surrounding areas.


text:
Weak monstrosity. Schelling's uncanny and atmospheres of uncanniness
Tonino Griffero
Studi di Estetica 20 (2021)
This paper aims to examine the very unstable concept of the "uncanny" from an atmospherological point of view. Its official theoretical "sanction" is due to Heidegger, who considered it the latent but fundamental ground of any being-in-the-world, and especially to Freud, who described it as the feeling that arises when something familiar suddenly becomes unfamiliar. Freud claimed to be inspired in this conception by Schelling's definition of unheimlich, which I try to explain to better understand what an uncanny atmosphere is. It seems characterized by elements such as ontological ambiguity-vagueness and paranoid subjectification, alien corporeality and unpredictable situations. The paper ends with a brief analysis of the specific uncanny of houses, both in terms of their transformation from a secure interior to an uncanny place and in terms of the anxiety about materially inheriting a house and thus cohabiting with the past. In the perspective adopted here, the uncanny shows that we are not at home within our own body because we always coexist with an external-foreign and in this sense "monstrous" presence.
Keywords Atmosphere Monstrosity Uncanny
Friedrich Schelling in 19th Century Philosophy
journals.mimesisedizioni.it (no proxy)
Feelings of Being: Phenomenology, Psychiatry and the Sense of Reality.Matthew Ratcliffe - 2008 - Oxford University Press.
Philosophical Investigations Into the Essence of Human Freedom.F. W. J. Schelling, Jeff Love & Johannes Schmidt (eds.) - 2006 - State University of New York Press.
The Uncanny.Nicholas Royle - 2003 - Routledge.
The Memory of Place: A Phenomenology of the Uncanny.Dylan Trigg - 2012 - Ohio University Press.
Clara: Or, on Nature's Connection to the Spirit World.F. W. J. Schelling & Fiona Steinkamp (eds.) - 2002 - State University of New York Press.
View all 6 references / Add more references
Heidegger on Being Uncanny.Katherine Withy - 2015 - Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Enstranged Strangers: OOO, the Uncanny, and the Gothic.H. G. Bartholomew - 2019 - Open Philosophy 2 (1):357-383.
The Ill Body and Das Unheimliche (the Uncanny).A. Warsop - 2011 - Journal of Medicine and Philosophy 36 (5):484-495.
Uncanny Robots and Affective Labour in the Oikonomia.Angela Mitropoulos - 2012 - Cultural Studies Review 18 (1).
Seeming Autonomy, Technology and the Uncanny Valley.Rasmus Gahrn-Andersen - forthcoming - AI and Society.
What is the Uncanny?Mark Windsor - 2019 - British Journal of Aesthetics 59 (1):51-65.
Can the Uncanny Be Represented?Ying-Hsiung Chou - 2007 - American Journal of Semiotics 23 (1/4):97-121.
Towards the Techno-Social Uncanny.Alexander Matthias Gerner - 2019 - Revista Portuguesa de Filosofia 75 (4):2171-2206.
Monstrosity and the Limits of the Intellect: Philosophy as Teratomachy in Descartes.Filippo Del Luchesse - 2011 - Journal of French and Francophone Philosophy 19 (1):107-134.
Heidegger: On Being Uncanny by Katherine Withy. [REVIEW]David Vessey - 2016 - Journal of the History of Philosophy 54 (2):347-348.
Freud on the Uncanny: A Tale of Two Theories.Mark Windsor - 2020 - Philosophy and Literature 44 (1):35-51.
"Frankenstein" with Kant: A Theory of Monstrosity, or the Monstrosity of Theory.Barbara Freeman - 1987 - Substance 16 (1):21.
Foucault and the Enigma of the Monster.Luciano Nuzzo - 2013 - International Journal for the Semiotics of Law - Revue Internationale de Sémiotique Juridique 26 (1):55-72.
Delusional Atmosphere, the Everyday Uncanny, and the Limits of Secondary Sense.Tim Thornton - 2012 - Emotion Review 4 (2):192-196.
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The word Cochabamba comes from the Quechua 'qhucha' and 'pampa', meaning swampy plain; the city of Cochabamba is known as "the City of Enternal Spring" for its year-round spring-like temperatures and abundant harvests of wheat, grains and fruits. In addition to being acknowledged as the Bolivian city with the best weather and agricultural products, Cochabamba is also the unofficial culinary capital of Bolivia.
Cochabamba offers ideal climate that harmoniously combine the extremes of heat and cold highlands of the eastern plains.
Busy, buzzy Cochabamba is one of Bolivia's boom cities and has a distinct, almost Mediterranean, vitality that perhaps owes something to its clement climate. The spacious new-town avenues have a wide choice of restaurants, eagerly grazed by the food-crazy cochabambinos, and the bar scene is lively, driven by students and young professionals. Despite this, Cochabamba remains a very affordable city, with prices far below those in Sucre or La Paz. You could easily find yourself staying a lot longer than you planned.
The city's name is derived from the Quechua khocha pampa, meaning 'swampy plain'. Cochabamba is famous for its chicha, a fermented corn drink that is the locals' favorite tipple.


« Passing of Uechi-ryu warrior, Howard Kravets. . .
Thank you very much for attending our timekeeper, scorekeeper and corner judging seminar. We are striving to make our tournaments as fair, impartial and enjoyable as possible for all our students. I also want our judges to understand tournaments are not a "must win" for our personal dojos. We are all Uechi-Ryu and we wish the best for all involved. I also do not want to see the reversal of these sentiments. All competitors coming up to compete are just another student hopeful.
I have all your individual addresses but I think I'm just going to send your certificates to your dojos and you can pick them up there. We now have you on our registry and we will email, call and contact you through all contacts we have on file when there are tournaments. We will only list and rely on your services if you return either an email or letter through US postal. At my age, I don't want to rely on my memory.
Another bit of information I would like to pass along is I will announce every seminar we are holding in case you may want to redo any of the different seminars. Getting more practice is always a good thing. Because the intention is not to make money from your attendance but rather to create better judged, there will be no charge for any seminars you have already paid and attended. However, there will be charges for next level seminars.
The next timekeeper, scorekeeper and corner judging seminar will be held at 117 Great Road, Stow, MA, 01775. The dojo is located in the Stow Shopping Center. The time is Saturday October 25 at 3pm. We'll get done just in time for dinner. If you decide to attend, please bring your material already passed out to you ate the seminar in Brockton. If you don't have it, I'll have more. Let me know so I can prepare.
timekeeper, scorekeeper and corner judging seminar. Place and time to be determined.


In a recent interview with Famitsu, Square Enix's Hiromichi Tanaka discussed in depth just how fully Final Fantasy III DS is being remade over its NES version. While it has been known since Nintendo's DS conference that the game's graphics would be overhauled to 3D, Tanaka revealed that it isn't just the graphics that will be modified, but also the story, characters, and gameplay.
Tanaka, who serves as executive producer on Final Fantasy III DS and was also one of the three planners on the original Final Fantasy III, remarked that the original game was very advanced for the NES, and so he wants to maintain that advanced feel on the DS by giving players a much greater gaming experience.
The original Final Fantasy III starred four nameless, interchangable Onion Kids with identical sprites and lacking distinct personalities. By contrast, the Nintendo DS remake will develop the characters into unique individuals, each with their own character designs and sprites, and with newly developed identities and personalities that will tie into the story of the game, which is accordingly being further fleshed out.
As to Final Fantasy III DS's gameplay, Tanaka commented that his staff is adjusting the balance of the job system to add greater usability to some classes, which will ultimately allow players greater choices in how they play the game. Additionally, Tanaka wants to utilize the unique abilities of the Nintendo DS, and so the touch screen capabilities will be fully integrated into the game. While it won't be necessary, gamers will have the option of playing Final Fantasy III DS entirely through touch controls. Tanaka is also planning on adding some use of the DS's wireless connectivity for some side bonuses outside of the game's main story.
Final Fantasy III DS currently has no Japanese release date, nor has a North American localization been announced. Final Fantasy III is the sole remaining numbered Final Fantasy game to never see a release across the Pacific, though, so gamers who have long been eager to see this particular game in action should keep their fingers crossed.


Owen Farrell is an English professional rugby union player, currently playing for Premiership Rugby side Saracens . Farrell has played international rugby for England since 2012, has previously played for the British and Irish Lions and has been the Captain of England since 2018. He is considered by many to be one of the best currently-active rugby union players in the world, having been nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year in 2012, 2016 and 2017.
Farrell held the record of youngest player ever to appear in English professional rugby union after playing for Saracens 11 days after his 17th birthday, in a 26–17 home defeat against Llanelli Scarlets in the EDF Energy Cup on 5 October 2008, until this record was broken in November 2009 by George Ford of Leicester Tigers .
His father is Andy Farrell, who played both rugby league and rugby union for England. His preferred, and arguably best position is fly-half, but he often plays at inside centre for England during international matches.
Farrell celebrates every point he scores by linking his index fingers together to make a 'JJ' sign, the Joining Jack salute, Joining Jack being a charity dedicated to the needs of sufferers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy .
To book England Ruby Captain, Owen Farrell, as the rugby speaker for your corporate event, function or conference, simply contact the Champions Rugby Speakers agency by filling in our online contact form. Alternatively, call a booking agent directly on 0207 1010 553.


text:
Oscar Directors: Borzage, Frank–Multiple Oscar Winner
Frank Borzage, Winner of Two Best Director Oscars
Borzage is considered to be one of Hollywood's great romanticists, a director who made love stories, which are well acted and laced with warm tenderness and lyrical touches.
Born April 23, 1893 in Salt Lake City, Borzage joined a touring stage company as a group boy and eventually became an actor.
In 1912, he began playing bit parts in Ince films in Hollywood. He continued playing both heavies and leads in Ince Westerns and Mutual comedies.
By 1916, he was directing for Universal, mostly quickie melodramas and Westerns, in which he also often starred.
Borzage's first important film, Humoresque (1920), contains many of the elements that would recur in his work.
Borzage was one of the first Hollywood filmmakers to use the soft focus as a visual device. The beautiful imagery of Borzage's films, combined with a fluid camera movement, gave his stars an idealized look that often contrasted sharply with the cruel socio-political contexts around them.
Borzage is often dismissed by some historians as a sentimentalist, even though he was one of Hollywood's most consistent directors as far as work quality is concerned.
Borzage's reputation reached its peak in the late silent and early sound eras, producing the largest part of his film output.
He had won two Oscar Awards as Best director, for Seventh Heaven (1927), starring Janet Gaynor (who also won Best Actress for the film), and for Bad Girl (1931).
Among Borzage's other memorable films are "Lazybones," "Street Angel," "The River," "A Farewell to Arms," "Man's Castle," "No Greater Glory," "Desire," "History Is Made at Night," "Three Comrades," and "The Mortal Storm."
His films of the 1940s and 1950s were less interesting.
He died in Utah in 1962, at the age of 69.
Oscar Alert
Borzage is the Winner of Two Directing Oscars
In 1929, the first year of the Oscars, which honored films made in 1927 and 1928, Borzage won the Directing Oscar for Seventh Heaven in a contest that included Herbert Brenon for Sorrell and Son, and King Vidor for The Crowd.
In 1932, Borzage won the Directing Oscar for Bad Girl, competing with King Vidor, nominated for The Champ, and Josef Von Sternberg, in his only nomination, for Shanghai Express, starring Marlene Dietrich.
Career Analysis:
Output: large body of work
Career Longevity: 38 years (1913-1961); up until his death
Silent films:
Sound films:
Strong Films:
Output by Year:
The Mystery of Yellow Aster Mine (1913)
The Battle of Gettysburg (1913)
Samson (1914)
The Wrath of the Gods (1914)
The Geisha (1914)
The Typhoon (1914)
Knight of the Trail (1915)
The Pitch o' Chance (1915)
The Pride and the Man (1915)
Dollars of Dross (1916)
Life's Harmony (1916)
The Silken Spider (1916)
The Code of Honor (1916)
A Flickering Light (1916)
Unlucky Luke (1916)
Jack (1916)
The Pilgrim (1916)
The Demon of Fear (1916)
The Quicksands of Deceit (1916)
Nugget Jim's Pardner (1916)
That Gal of Burke's (1916)
The Courtin' of Calliope Clew (1916)
Nell Dale's Men Folks (1916)
The Forgotten Folks (1916)
The Forgotten Prayer (1916)
Matchin' Jim (1916)
Land o' Lizards (1916)
Immediate Lee (1916)
Flying Colors (1917)
Until They Get Me (1917)
A Mormon Maid (1917)
Wee Lady Betty (1917)
The Gun Woman(1918)
The Curse of Iku (1918)
The Shoes That Danced (1918)
Innocent Progress (1918)
Society for Sale (1918)
An Honest Man (1918)
Who Is to Blame? (1918)
The Ghost Flower (1918)
The Atom (1918)
Toton the Apache (1919)
Whom the Gods Would Destroy (1919)
Prudence on Broadway (1919)
Humoresque (1920)
Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford (1921)
The Duke of Chimney Butte (1921)
Back Pay (1922)
Billy Jim (1922)
The Good Provider (1922)
The Valley of Silent Men (1922)
The Pride of Palomar (1922)
The Nth Commandment (1923)
Children of the Dust (1923)
The Age of Desire (1923)
Daddy's Gone A-Hunting (1925)
The Circle (1925)
Lazybones (1925)
Wages for Wives (1925
The First Year (1926)
The Dixie Merchant (1926)
Early to Wed (1926)
Marriage License? (1926)
Seventh Heaven (1927)
Talkies (Sound Films)
Street Angel (1928)
Lucky Star (1929)
They Had to See Paris (1929)
Song o' My Heart (1930)
Liliom (1930)
Doctors' Wives (1931)
Young as You Feel (1931)
Bad Girl (1931)
After Tomorrow (1932)
Young America (1932)
A Farewell to Arms (1932)
Man's Castle (1933)
Little Man, What Now? (1934)
Flirtation Walk (1934)
Living on Velvet (1935)
Shipmates Forever (1935)
Desire (1936)
Hearts Divided (1936)
Green Light (1937)
History Is Made at Night (1937)
Big City (1937)
Mannequin (1937)
Three Comrades (1938)
The Shining Hour (1938)
Disputed Passage (1939)
I Take This Woman (1940)
Strange Cargo (1940)
The Mortal Storm (1940)
Flight Command (1940)
Billy the Kid (1941)
Smilin' Through (1941)
The Vanishing Virginian (1942)
Seven Sweethearts (1942)
Stage Door Canteen (1943)
His Butler's Sister (1943)
Till We Meet Again (1944)
The Spanish Main (1945)
I've Always Loved You (1946)
Magnificent Doll (1946
That's My Man (1947)
Moonrise (1948)
China Doll (1958
The Big Fisherman (1959)
Journey Beneath the Desert (1961) (Only some sequences, uncredited)
Filed Under: BLOG, OSCAR, PROFILE


text:
Syria sack Stange after winless start in Asian Cup
Reuters , Friday 11 Jan 2019
Syria have sacked head coach Bernd Stange after a 2-0 Asian Cup defeat by Jordan on Thursday left their qualification hopes hanging by a thread.
Syria, who were held to a goalless draw in their first group game against Palestine, are third in Group B and could find themselves bottom if Australia beat Palestine on Friday.
"The Syrian Arab Football Federation has decided to dismiss coach Bernd Stange and appoint Fajr Ibrahim," the Syrian FA said in a statement.
Former player Ibrahim had previously coached Syria in three stints, the last of which ended in March 2016.
Stange, 70, had come out of retirement last year to take charge of Syria and nearly secured a maiden entry into the World Cup finals before a playoff defeat by Australia ended their hopes.
Stange accepted responsibility after Thursday's loss to Jordan and refused to point fingers at his players.
"Coaches are always responsible for the performance of the team," Stange said before he was sacked.
"I will never ever blame one player or a group of players for something like this."
Stange is the second coach to lose his job during the tournament in the United Arab Emirates after Thailand sacked head coach Milovan Rajevac following a 4-1 defeat by India in their opening game.
Syria must beat defending champions Australia in their final group game on Jan. 15 to have any hopes of qualifying for the knockout stage.
Also In World


We are following several mortgage and real estate news stories this week.
U.S. home sales sank 8.9% in October. The number of recently constructed, unsold homes on the market rose to the greatest level since 2009. New home sales have been on the decline for four of the past five months, with the sales of new homes having dipped 12% year-over-year largely as a result of rising interest rates. New home affordability is again an issue with the climbing rates. Likewise, existing homes are experiencing a decline in sales, down 5.1% this year. The average 30-year mortgage interest rate was 4.81% as of last week, an increase from 3.92% compared to the same time in 2017.
The last time Mecklenburg County property values were re-evaluated was 2011. In a just over a month, property owners in Mecklenburg County will receive the verdict on their revised property tax values. Both residential and commercial property values have increased significantly over the past eight years in part because of a robust economy and a healthy real estate market. It shouldn't come as a surprise that the new values will reflect that. In addition, these updated property values will affect how Charlotte-Mecklenburg and the other locales will spread out the strain of property taxes over the next several years. Be prepared for some sticker shock as property values across the country have risen 53%; the average home value has increased by 41% while commercial properties, including apartments, are up 77% on average. The county expects homeowners to receive their new property tax value in mid-January.
During the month of October, home showings decreased by 15.2% around the Charleston area. According to the Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS, this is the steepest decline in the past year. But the low turnout for showings is not unique to the "Holy City," as Charleston is nicknamed. Home showings across the South are down for the first time in 12 months. The "South," for purposes of this study, included states from Maryland to Texas. With mortgage interest rates rising to a seven-year high as of October, the decline in showings may be an indicator of buyer reluctance, according to the ShowingTime Showing Index. Another factor could be affordability, which, based on the National Association of Home Builders' affordability index, continues to be a serious constraint for homebuyers. It's interesting to note that although showings have declined in the Charleston region, home sales are on pace to match last year's record sales if the last two months of 2018 are as strong as the first.
Boak, Josh. "US new-home sales plunged 8.9 percent in October." Web blog post. The Charlotte Observer. 28 November 2018. Web 28 November 2018.
Portillo, Ely. "New property values are coming out in a few weeks. Get ready to see a big jump." Web blog post. The Charlotte Observer. 30 November 2018. Web 30 November 2018.
Wise, Warren L. "Home showings plummet 15% in Charleston." Web blog post. The Post and Courier. 1 December 2018. Web 1 December 2018.


We offer a paper to CAD conversion service for engineering drawing details. Our inhouse CAD designers have years of experience with both paper and autocad drafting providing us with the expertise and experience to interpret your drawing files exactly and efficiently.
The service is suited to the conversion of older engineering drawing types with imperial measurements and outmoded detail conventions.
Format Conversion We can also convert paper to CAD from alternative formats such as isometric, perspective and sketches etc.
Vector Based Files All conversions are carried out in vector format by our experienced engineers. We do not use scanning methods as some companies do.


text:
Home / Blog / World Cup fever hits DrinkDrivingSolicitor.co.uk with a hat-trick of not-guilty verdicts
World Cup fever hits DrinkDrivingSolicitor.co.uk with a hat-trick of not-guilty verdicts
M.A.J. LAW
A hat-trick of not-guilty verdicts for DrinkDrivingSolicitor.co.uk last Friday (20th June) as we won three drink-drive related trials in Magistrates' Courts across the country.
Our first client appeared for trial at Sheffield Magistrates' Court having been charged with being in charge of a motor vehicle whilst in excess of the prescribed limit (drunk in charge).
Despite a six month case, our issues remained the same for trial. The defendant was parked in a public house car park after the pub was no longer open to the public. As the car park was no longer open to the public, it cannot be said to be a public place, therefore it was private land.
The landlord of the public house was requested to attended in order to clarify the pubs opening hours.
There was also no likelihood of the defendant driving whilst over the limit as our client maintained he was merely sleeping off the alcohol. During the periods of time where the landlord left and returned to the scene, our client was asleep at all times.
Unfortunately, the landlord failed to show at court but our client was found NOT GUILTY as the prosecution failed to prove the public house car park was open to the public. Costs were awarded.
Our second client appeared for trial at Leamington Spa Magistrates' Court charged with being in charge of a motor vehicle whilst in excess of the prescribed limit (drink-driving).
The Crown Prosecution Service failed to disclose evidence within 28 days of the first court hearing in March. Disclosure was not sent until Thursday 19th June, just 24 hours until the trial! No witness statement from the police officer completing the breath test was received along with no CCTV of the breath test procedure.
Our main issue was the accuracy of the police procedure. Once viewing the CCTV of the breath test procedure, Marcus Johnstone found a number of errors made by the police and once the case went to trial, our client was found NOT GUILTY. Costs were also awarded.
Our final client charged with failing to provide a specimen for analysis and failing to stop appeared at Romford Magistrates' Court.
Our issue for trial was police failed to retain the mouth piece used during the breath test procedure.
Marcus Johnstone found more faults within the police officers evidence and made an application under s78 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 for the evidence to be excluded which was granted by the court. No evidence was offered leading to the police officer walking out of court!
As the evidence was deemed inadmissible a NOT GUILTY verdict was found. Costs were also awarded and our client was free to leave court with his licence intact.
7000 motorists were charged with drink-driving during the 2010 World Cup. If you are charged with drink-driving related offences during the 2014 World Cup you may assume that the police have the correct evidence. Think again. As a law firm specialising in drink-driving we constantly see poor evidence produced by the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.
Any drink-driving related offence is dealt with seriously by the courts. Punishments depend on your alcohol level but ranges from a minimum 12 month driving ban and ?ne, through to a community service order or even imprisonment of up to 6 months. It is vital that you do as much as possible to avoid a conviction.
You have nothing to lose, but everything to gain, by obtaining and thoroughly checking the
evidence and, of course, taking the correct legal advice.
If you have recently been charged with drink-driving or have any concerns with your own case, please contact Marcus Johnstone who will be pleased to discuss all the options open to you. Please call our office on 0151 422 8020 or call Marcus direct on 07810 804 464. An initial telephone conference is always free of charge.


Although most of us do what we can to create the appearance of bright skin—like blending in certain amounts of makeup, strategically standing under soft light, or posting endless "golden hour" photos—it's a small task that we wouldn't mind giving up for something easier. That's why we're particularly drawn to the powers of glycolic acid.
"Glycolic acid is a water-soluble crystalline solid that can be manufactured at various strengths and pHs," says Jennifer Hermann, MD, a dermatologist in Beverly Hills. "In general, it helps dissolve the oils in the outermost skin layer to make skin brighter. Over time, glycolic acid can also help minimize pigmentation, and at higher concentrations, help lessen fine lines." In other words, glycolic acid can give the appearance of brighter skin without any extra strategies at all.
Most skin types can benefit from low concentrations of glycolic acid in face washes, and they're especially good for those with acne-prone skin. However, Jennifer does suggest that those with sensitive or rosacea-prone profiles consult their own dermatologists before beginning a daily routine (more powerful concentrations should be used twice to three times per week). There's one last tip to keep in mind, too. "Those using other agents like retinol, retinoids, or prescription acne medications should be aware that daily glycolic acid could cause redness or irritation," Jennifer adds.
We asked Jennifer to recommend 10 glycolic acid face washes to introduce into our skincare routines so that we can see a difference in brightness over time. You can still post those "golden hour" photos, only soon you'll likely snap them at any time of day.
"This gentle cleanser is perfect for brightening skin and rebalancing the skin's pH," Jennifer says. "Plus, added glycerin helps leave the skin feeling bright and clean!"
"SkinCeuticals Purifying Cleanser helps brighten dull skin tone and uneven skin texture while delivering hydration," Jennifer notes. "Its combination of glycerin and a mild surfactant (soap) gently lift dead skin cells, improving your complexion."
"The foaming nature of this cleanser gently helps remove congestion and brighten skin," she continues. "Its added herbal extracts help soothe and hydrate without stripping skin of its natural oils, too."
"This is a wonderful multi-function product. As a cleanser it helps brighten skin, and as a leave-on mask, its added clay helps purify the skin," she explains. "It's a great option for removing dead skin cells and congestion and making skin appear smoother. It's also fragrance-free, paraben-free, and vegan."
"This is an excellent gentle option since it has just three% glycolic acid for clarifying skin," Jennifer notes. "It also includes panthenol to help calm, nourish and moisturizes the skin to make it glow."
"For those with acne, this cleanser combines glycolic acid with vitamin A and papaya extracts to help remove excess oil and impurities," she says. "This option is also 100% vegan, cruelty-free, paraben free, and sulfate-free."
"This is another fantastic option for those with acne-prone skin because it has higher strength glycolic acid (at 18%) and fruit extracts that help clogged pores and dead skin," Jennifer explains. "It's a soap-free facial cleanser with a high strength, so it's best to use this one two to three times a week at most."
"This gel formula provides an innovative, non-irritating version of glycolic acid for gentle exfoliating action coupled with a naturally derived, sulfate-free cleansing agent to remove dead skin cells and reveal clean, vibrant skin," she says. "Its unique amino acid glycolic complex stimulates cell turnover and washes away surface impurities to prime skin for maximum regeneration."
"This is a bit more moisturizing with rose-hip and tea tree oils, and its ionic acid is a bonus for those who want to lighten skin beyond what the glycolic acid can do," she continues.
"With its 8.8% glycolic acid, this is perfect for brightening the thicker skin of the body," Jennifer notes. "It's especially good for those tiny red scratchy bumps on the backs of the arms, for instance."
Up next: The 10 best drugstore face washes, because cleansers shouldn't be expensive.


People that have a first- through third -degree relative diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) have an increased risk of developing it themselves, according to a study by Gretchen M. Oakley M.D., of the University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, and colleagues.
According to study results, first-, second- and third-degree relatives of PTC study subjects had an increased risk of developing the cancer in comparison with population controls. Siblings of those diagnosed with PTC had the highest risk of developing the cancer (6.8-fold increased risk), followed by first-degree relatives of patients (5.4-fold increased risk), and second- and third-degree relatives (2.2-fold and 1.8-fold increased risk), respectively. There was no significant increased risk observed in spouses of PTC-diagnosed patients.
(JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. Published online October 3, 2013. doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2013.4987.


Those words spoken by Caleb Donehoo of F2F Logistics captures the essence of the business model of this Tomball, Texas based logistics business, located in southeast Texas, near Houston, and the Gulf of Mexico.
Partners Carl Kiser and Caleb Donehoo joined up with Matt Jones and Daniel Peterson to launch a logistics business, leveraging their backgrounds in the US Marine Corps and project management with one of the top 5 Fortune 500 companies – creating a business that delivers tailored logistics solutions for local, domestic, and international shippers in the Energy, Industrial, Manufacturing, Agriculture, Aerospace and Automotive industries.
"We understand, and appreciate, what it means to perform in demanding situations, the importance of communication, and of trusted relationships. We felt that all of these elements in combination would play a role in our logistics business," said Kiser.
Driven by a sense of mission, the will and resourcefulness necessary to accomplish a goal, the partners have an innate understanding of the requirement to act and initiate, stemming from their training on the '70% solution' operating principle of the US Marine Corps.
The 70% solution speaks to the need of soldiers in the field to take action, since waiting for the remaining 30% of information and resources, could mean the difference between life and death. The principle lends itself well to the business world, and especially to the logistics industry, where things are constantly in motion, and the competition can be fierce.
F2F is an acronym for 'First to Fight', another principle of the Marine Corps. And while F2F embraces this the courage and 'can do' spirit of the Marine Corps, it is particular about where it chooses to apply their time and resources, carefully screening and choosing customers that it feels it can best help, and in the very same way, with carriers to determine which are up to the task.
"We are very customer focused, and we like to build long-term sustainable, mutually beneficial relationships – not only with our shipper/customers, but with our carriers as well. And we try to align the two as much as possible so that they [the shipper and carrier] build a trusting relationship as well, one where they can rely on pick-up and delivery times, where people know each other and the way they will handle a particular type of shipment," said Kiser.
When F2F looked at launching a business they understood that importance of teamwork – of marshalling both people and resources towards a goal. So they started looking for a TMS system that was flexible and accessible, offering them the features they needed, and something that didn't break the bank because they were just starting out.
"We had worked with a previous logistics software system before, but we found it wasn't flexible to our needs. We selected Tailwind because it was web-based which helped us because we are a small business and we need access to information, and we needed to be able to communicate with customers, carriers and with one another." said Kiser.
F2F shared that they would have liked to have executed a bit smoother transition of data from the old to the new system, but other than that, they have encountered a smooth transition owing to their familiarity with TMS systems, and what they can, and should do, for a logistics business.
Not content to sit idle, interested in finding ways that technology could better help them grow their business, Kiser offered that he would like to see some additional capability in the phone application – "a document reader or scanner would help," he said.
While F2F Logistics, the business itself, is far from 'mission accomplished', they are invigorated by their journey and growing in confidence as to what they can do, and how they can grow in the freight transportation industry in the months and years ahead.
As such they are in the field of battle, moving quickly, and adapting along the way.
They are motivated with a sense of purpose, by values – a genuine commitment to doing the right thing, and doing it the right way.
They are driven, no doubt, by a sense of mission – something built right into their company DNA.