The first industrial revolutions started in the Midlands and so will the next one. That's the vision of Sir John Peace the Chairman of the Midlands Engine who is encouraging the regions businesses to up-skill, innovate and sell around the world.
David James of UK Export Advice talked to Sir John about how important international trade is to the economy of the Midlands.
Sir John thank you very much for talking to us. Just tell me a little bit about what is the Midlands Engine?
Well the Midlands Engine is a very exciting development that is taking place here in the Midlands. The Midlands region is the biggest economic region outside of London and the South East, so strategically it's very important. The Midlands Engine is a partnership, a collaboration between local and national government, between our Universities, our colleges, between businesses - some of the great businesses of the country are based right here in the Midlands. We're here to drive economic growth.
What do you actually do? If I'm a small or medium size enterprise in the Midlands, how do I engage with the Midlands Engine? What's my way of connecting? And what do I get out of it?
Let me give you an example of what the Midlands Engine and Midlands Connect is focused on right now. Which is of course our roads, our rail network - High Speed 2 is not far away now, it's coming - and international connectivity, all of those things need to be planned on a regional basis.
You can't just plan them for Birmingham separately from Nottingham or Derby, you really do have to look at these on a pan-regional basis. Well how do you do that? Well that's where the Midlands Engine comes in; and one of the parts of the Engine is what we call Midlands Connect and its job is to make sure we're High Speed 2 ready. That we can effectively make sure that our enterprises - and even more so the SMEs where the jobs of the future are going to be created - make sure that they can benefit from it.
So what's the vision? Where are we heading with the Midlands Engine?
Late last year we published a report called the Midlands Engine Vision for Growth. This was in response to the government's Industrial Strategy and the papers they produced on the Midlands earlier last year. Now put quite simply we know that the Midlands region has had problems - our educational achievements, our connectivity is hopeless right now. But if we could, between now and 2030 bring productivity levels for the Midlands as a region up to the national average that would add £56 billion to the GVA not just of the region but the whole of the UK. Now that's important.
Just give me the SWOT analysis then, what's stopping us getting there and where are the opportunities?
When I've talked to SMEs, one of the big issues that's effected them is skills. The lack of young - and not so young - people with the right skills to fill the jobs that they have available. Now we do have the people around the Midlands with those skills but social mobility is not satisfactory. And that's why improving our road and rail networks is so important to get people to where those jobs are. But you have to look at this over a period of time. A decade. A decade when we're going through a great deal of change economically, Brexit is around the corner, socially but also we're living through a period of the next Industrial Revolution, four point zero, where the technology is driving so much change in our lives.
And what excites you when you look to the future? What has the Midlands got that makes you think there's a huge opportunity here?
Look historically at the Midlands, it drove the last Industrial Revolution. We have some great people here, great Universities, great innovators and I think by working together in the way that we are, by focusing increasingly on this innovation and enterprise, I think we can significantly grow our trade, encourage more investment for the future but only by working together.
For businesses in the regions, the SMEs, what kind of ethos and business outlook would you like to see them develop?
Well let's be very clear, from a small and medium size enterprise point of view there's a lot of work to be done. Let's just talk about trade for a moment post Brexit. I think only about 15% of our SMEs export outside of the EU. Around 46% of the Midlands trade is with the EU so its a very big issue for the Midlands in terms of what our relationship with the EU looks like. But those that do export, and particularly outside of the EU, their productivity levels - remember back to the £56 billion you can add - typically are higher. So we need to work with our SMEs to make it easier for them to grow their exports into new markets like China and North America. And I think this is where again the Engine comes in. If we are going to grow the economy of the UK it can't just come from Whitehall, it has to come from our regions, regions like the Midlands Engine, like the Northern Powerhouse that can power that growth.
Now the reason I've had an opportunity to talk to you today is because East Midlands Airport has announced that it has carried £10 billion of cargo to and from non-EU countries in that last 12 months. What's your reaction to that?
Well I'm delighted with that announcement and it gives me the opportunity to stress how supportive the Midlands Engine is of the work that's being done at East Midlands Airport. How strategically important it is, because I've talked to you about the importance of growing our trade, growing our exports, well to do that the connectivity with these new markets - our ability to handle freight - is going to become increasingly important. So the investments that are being made now and the companies that are being encouraged to locate to and use East Midlands Airport, either from a freight or a passenger point of view - I think is strategically important, not just to the Midlands, but I would argue to the country.
Over 50% of that £10 billion is exports - e-commerce seems to be a big driver - just talk a little bit about the opportunity that the combination of e-commerce and air freight might present to businesses in the Midlands.
Well first of all let's just talk about the products coming in, imports coming in - many of them are hooked to a supply chain of a major manufacturere like JLR or Rolls Royce, so those are very important to help them grow their business, grow their trade and investment. But we are increasingly living in a global economy. If we are going to grow our exports, if we are going to grow our business, if SMEs are going to expand into new markets it may be that the way they feel is best to do that is digitally, is through e-commerce and therefore it's not just about the World Wide Web and having that connectivity it's also about the ability to deliver the product to those markets, to those customers wherever they are in the world. That takes you back to how do you do it? And that's why East Midlands airport The investments that are being made there also important.
So I read the government's Midlands Engine strategy and East Midlands Airport was mentioned in the first paragraph of the forward by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, as was Birmingham airport and HS2. So just talk a little bit about the importance of those strategic infrastructure assets that the Midlands has already got or will have in the coming years.
Well I think the Midlands is blessed with two great airports. And today we are celebrating the announcement made by the East Midlands Airport. But in Birmingham again we have a fantastic opportunity, particularly from a West Midlands point of view and I think there is a statistic that something like 90% of businesses in England and Wales are within a four hour journey time of the Midlands two airports. That's pretty amazing stuff. So when I hear about London Heathrow needing a new runway I think 'hang on a minute, just look at the opportunity we have right here in the Midlands'. Then you have High-Speed 2 which is reducing journey times not just between Birmingham and London but High-Speed 2 is then going to go westward to Crew, Manchester and Scotland but also eastward through Nottingham, Sheffield all the way up to the east coast. So the ability for people and freight to move backwards and forwards around the country and to our ports, I think it's going to be pretty transformational for our economy.
So I guess we're almost getting a vision of a highly skilled, highly productive, innovative - and I think innovation it's probably the key for the future - Midlands Engine with all these amazing technologically advance products being sold around the world, that's kind of the vision.
100-150 years ago the last industrial revolution, the Midlands lead the way, lead the world. Thought leaders as well as producing goods and services which were consumed by the world. Maybe that's our future, maybe that's what we've got to go back to. What I do know is that the role played by East Midlands Airport the strategic , importance that that airport has to play here is vitally important. And I'm delighted to say that we had some excellent management at our airports that share our vision as part of the Midlands Engine that's driving us to the future.
So I know that East Midlands airport has ambitions to triple their cargo loads over the next 15 years: what's the message to the region's businesses about supporting that and just doing the research about getting involved in this growth?
A wise man once said to me 'it's better to be travelling than to have arrived'. And I think that ambition is terrific and I hope we achieve it. But it's better to be a traveller than to arrive so maybe we can go on even further. The important thing here is we're ambitious for our region we're ambitious for the opportunities which are out there but these investments which we're talking about now are the enablers to make it happen.
Now you recently went on a trade mission to China, representing the Midlands Engine. What's the narrative you talk to the Chinese that the businesses in the region can start to get behind and really start thinking about and getting behind themselves?
Well actually I know China quite well and I've been a couple of times since the one back in November with Sajid Javid. And what I saw and continue to see in China is a warmth, a relationship that the Chinese want to develop more with the UK, President Xi Jinping you will recall when he was over here talked about 'The Golden Era'. The period that he saw as a very special period of time where he would like to see trade between the UK and China grow. And when I go to China when I go to Shanghai or further to the west I think the people of China have taken that to heart and they are looking increasingly to trade with Britain. And you know being made in Britain really is great!
So the Chinese are interested in doing business with us, we've got this assets of East Midlands Airport right on the doorstep which potentially you could put your product on a plane and it could be in China maybe the next day. What's stopping us? What kind of thinking do the businesses in the Midlands need to do to really make a fit for the Chinese market?
Well these things don't happen overnight. And I think what we've got to do is work with the government to put in place the right framework for these things to become reality. Much of it is happening already but I think the scale of it is what we're trying to increase over time. And I think that with China in particular we have the Prime Minister who is been over there recently which I'm sure was a hugely successful trip. But what I did with Sajid Javid last November is exchange with the Chinese an agreement that over the next five years we would achieve certain objectives and investments in different key sectors like life sciences, advanced manufacturing and I think increasingly we are going to move away from just let's just have a vision into things that are much more tangible. And things that will make a difference not just to big corporations but also to SMEs.
I did read that the Midlands is the only region in the UK with a trade surplus with China. What are we doing right? What can we do more off?
Well you're absolutely right. The Midlands does have and I think with the only part of the country that has a trade surplus with China. And I think the reason for that is they simply want products and services that we have to offer. So going forward I hope that surplus is something that we continue to be very proud of but what I would like to see going forward is the scale of it being even more material and significant than it is today.
Now there's big businesses in the Midlands, like Boots, Rolls-Royce, Jaguar Landrover and Toyota and at the moment they have pan-European supply chains and Brexit may be causing them some complication. So what is the potential opportunity for small British manufacturers that perhaps don't want to export their own products but they can support British exports by supplying into the big exporters like JCB is in the company I should mention.
Well supply chains are very important to the large manufacturing companies in the Midlands and the SMEs too. And I think what many of them are having to do is to reassess their supply chains. The free movement of goods around the EU is now more uncertain, the extent to which they will have to change them will depend on the relationship we end up with the EU. But I don't think they are sat on their laurels they are already looking at ways that they can change their supply chains which might create opportunities for businesses closer to home, in the UK. So it's ying and yang there are challenges for sure but there are opportunities as well. It just takes time.
Is there anything else that you would like to say about the Midlands Engine or international trade at this point?
I think one of the priorities for the government as we get further with the negotiations on Brexit is that we mustn't just be fixated on Brexit itself but what sort of economy do we want to create beyond Brexit? And clearly growing international trade and encouraging more international investment is a priority, it has to be a priority for the government and it's certainly a priority we have identified for the Midlands Engine. And you will see later this year we will be publishing our own reports on how we think we're going to do that. But those reports were done in conjunction with all the different stakeholder groups that we have including businesses large and small.
Any last word of advice for businesses in the Midlands looking to the future?
Well the Midlands right now is the fastest growing part of the UK. And that something to be proud of. And I think we are ambitious. We are trying to put together a vision of clarity and purpose that puts together what we are trying to achieve and if we can work together, be very determined, be very enterprising in terms of how we go about growing the economy, recognise that it's not just about economic growth but it's also about the importance of making it easier for people to live their lives, so housing and things like that, are very important issues. Especially we want to attract people to live and learn and indeed grow businesses here in the Midlands so that's very much part of our thinking. It's a very exciting time for the Midlands.
You can hear this interview with Sir John and other international trade experts on the UK Export Advice podcast visit UKExportAdvice.co.uk. Use the sign up box to get new episodes sent straight to your phone.


text:
Glossary T
The Dutch Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide (Review Procedures) Act
- The Dutch Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide (Review Procedures) Act : The Dutch Termination of Life on Request and Assisted Suicide (Review Procedures) Act is the legislation that went into effect in November 2001 in the Netherlands to provide a special exemption from criminal liability for physicians who terminate life on request or assist in a patient's suicide in accordance with the due care and notification criteria set forth in the law
The Hardy Personality
The Hardy Personality refers to individuals who are especially resistant to illness in spite of increased stress.
The Harvard criteria
The Harvard criteria refer to tests developed by a committee at the Harvard Medical School to determine the existence of irreversible coma
The Holocaust refers to the the attempt by the Nazis during the late 1930s and early 1940s to completely destroy or annihilate the Jewish people
The living-dying interval
The living-dying interval refers to the period between the onset of dying and the arrival of death; described by Pattison as including an (1) acute crisis phase; (2) chronicliving-dying phase; and (3)"terminal phase
The nuclear era
The nuclear era refers to the period from July 1945 to the present during which the splitting of the atom unleashed a new form of power that can be used for weapons or as a source of energy
The Question means asking "what would be different if you were well?" It was a means Adler used to determine if a person's problem was physiological or psychological.
The sandwich generation
The sandwich generation refer to adults who experience pressures from both older and younger generations

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Борис Анатольевич Жилко (род. 18 сентября 1955) — российский дипломат.

Биография
Окончил Московский государственный институт международных отношений МИД СССР (МГИМО) (1982). Владеет английским,  нидерландским и французским языками. На дипломатической работе с 1982 года.

В 1982—1987 годах — сотрудник Посольства СССР в Суринаме.

В 1987—1990 годах — сотрудник Первого европейского отдела МИД СССР.

В 1990—1995 годах — сотрудник Посольства СССР/России в Нидерландах.

В 1995—1998 годах — сотрудник Департамента кадров МИД России.

В 1998—2002 годах — сотрудник Посольства России в Дании.

В 2002—2006 годах — начальник отдела стран Бенилюкса в Первом европейском департаменте МИД России.

В 2006—2011 годах — советник-посланник Посольства России в Бельгии.

В 2011—2014 годах — заместитель директора Первого европейского департамента МИД России.

В 2014—2020 годах — советник-посланник Посольства России в Нидерландах.

С 4 февраля 2021 года — чрезвычайный и полномочный посол Российской Федерации в Мавритании.

Дипломатический ранг
 Чрезвычайный и полномочный посланник 2 класса (23 апреля 2008).
 Чрезвычайный и полномочный посланник 1 класса (17 октября 2016).
 Чрезвычайный и полномочный посол (28 декабря 2021).

Награды
 Медаль ордена «За заслуги перед Отечеством» I степени (29 марта 2021) — За большой вклад в реализацию внешнеполитического курса Российской Федерации и многолетнюю добросовестную дипломатическую службу.
 Медаль ордена «За заслуги перед Отечеством» II степени (25 мая 2000) — За многолетнюю плодотворную работу и активное участие в проведении внешнеполитического курса Российской Федерации.
 Знак отличия «За безупречную службу» XXX лет (22 декабря 2015) — За заслуги в реализации внешнеполитического курса Российской Федерации и многолетнюю добросовестную работу.

Примечания

Ссылки
 Биография на сайте МИД России
 Страница посла на сайте Посольства России в Мавритании

Выпускники МГИМО
Послы Российской Федерации в Мавритании

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Making spring rolls at home has become such second nature to us, that I was a little caught off guard recently. A friend – who's no slouch in the kitchen, herself – expressed surprise at the idea of making homemade spring rolls.
… and then I remembered the first time I'd tried to make them. The rice paper was so thin and fragile, and I would break/rip it no matter what I did. Extremely frustrating experience, and it turned out the ugliest, least coherent rolls I've ever seen in my life.
That only lasted for one attempt, though. We went to a favorite Vietnamese restaurant shortly after that, and THAT is where I learned the secret. I asked the waiter what the difference was between their thick, stable rice paper spring roll wrappers, and the incredibly thin crap I was buying in the grocery store.
The answer? They used the exact same stuff I did.. but a double thickness of it!
From that day onward, spring rolls haven't been a mystery or a frustration to us… and we can easily enjoy them at home!
Here's hoping that the "secret" helps you as much as it did us!
Boil rice vermincelli for a few minutes, remove from heat and allow to soften to desired texture. Drain and allow to cool.
Mix cilantro and mint together, place in a small bowl.
Use a vegetable peeler to process the carrot down into long, thin strips. Place on a plate or work surface, along with bean sprouts and green onions. Set aside.
In a fry pan, saute shrimp in olive oil until shrimp is almost fully cooked. Sprinkle with curry and hot peppers, season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute until fully cooked, remove from heat.
Fill a large bowl with very hot water. Submerge one sheet of rice paper, then immediately submerge another one right on top of it. Wait 3 seconds, remove both sheets from water together, and smooth out on your clean work surface. While smoothing rice sheets out, be sure to push excess water out from between the sheets as you go.
Arrange a small handful of well drained, cooled vermicelli across the middle of the rice paper wrappers, leaving a couple of inches of wrapper on either end of the vermicelli pile.
Sprinkle a little mint/cilantro mix over the bean sprouts, top with carrot pieces and shrimp.
Fold about 1/2 of the wrapper over the pile of filling, pulling it tightly against it. Fold one of the sides up over that fold.
Holding the rice wrapper tightly against the filling, press to squeeze out any air that could be in with the filling, then tightly roll up the spring roll.
Repeat as necessary, serve with fish sauce.


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text:
Infraroodspectroscopie is een vorm van spectroscopie die werkt met het infrarode deel van het elektromagnetisch spectrum.

Infraroodspectroscopie is een vorm van molecuulspectroscopie, een techniek waarmee de structuur van een molecuul kan worden bepaald, en niet alleen de samenstelling van de elementen.

Infraroodspectroscopie is gebaseerd op de trillingsfrequenties van de chemische bindingen in de moleculen van het onderzochte monster. Elk type chemische binding wordt gekarakteriseerd door zijn sterkte en door de massa van de twee atomen aan weerszijden. Samen bepalen deze twee massa's en de stijfheid van de binding een resonantiefrequentie voor buiging en een andere resonantiefrequentie voor strekking van die binding. Voor de bindingen in organische verbindingen geldt dat deze frequenties overeenkomen met die van infrarood licht.

Om het infraroodspectrum van een monster te bepalen, laat men een fijne bundel infrarood licht door het monster schijnen. Door de aanwezigheid van de moleculen in het monster worden karakteristieke frequenties infrarood licht geabsorbeerd. Door de lichtintensiteit na het monster te vergelijken met een referentiebundel die dezelfde lichtintensiteit heeft als de oorspronkelijk lichtstraal, wordt gemeten hoeveel licht van elke frequentie door het monster wordt geabsorbeerd. Het voor infraroodspectroscopie meest relevante deel van het spectrum bevat licht met een golflengte van 2,5 tot 17 micrometer. In experimenten wordt echter de frequentie van het licht voor de eenvoud uitgedrukt door middel van golfgetallen, dit is het aantal golven per centimeter. Er wordt met andere woorden licht van 600 cm−1 (17 µm) tot 4000 cm−1 (2,5 µm) gebruikt. Het exact bruikbare golflengtegebied hangt onder meer af van het materiaal waaruit de monsterhouder, twee dikke schijfjes uit een zuiver zout, bestaat.

Met behulp van moderne infraroodspectrometers, chemometrie en spectrale databanken kan uit een volledig infraroodspectrum een verbinding meestal uniek worden herkend.

Monstervoorbereiding
Watervrije vloeibare monsters voor infraroodspectroscopie kunnen worden ingesloten tussen twee platen van een zeer zuiver zout. Deze platen hebben geen covalente chemische bindingen en worden gekozen op basis van hun transparantie voor infrarood licht. Men gebruikt dikwijls NaCl (keukenzout) en KBr.

Vaste monsters worden in een mortier verpoederd; het poeder wordt met kaliumbromide poeder gemengd en onder hoge druk in een tabletvorm geperst. De tablet wordt zo sterk geperst dat de infraroodstraling niet door insluitingen wordt tegengehouden; dit kan met een handpers worden bereikt.

Een nieuwe techniek is de ATR (Attenuated Total Reflection) techniek. Hiermee is het meten van monsters zeer
eenvoudig en tijdsbesparend doordat er nauwelijks of geen monstervoorbehandeling
hoeft plaats te vinden.

FTIR-spectroscopie
FTIR-spectroscopie (Fourier-Transform-Infraroodspectroscopie) is een alternatieve manier om infraroodspectra op te nemen. In plaats van het meten van de absorptie als functie van de frequentie met behulp van een monochromator wordt het infraroodlicht door een interferometer geleid. Het gemeten signaal is direct de fouriertransformatie van het infraroodspectrum. Hieruit wordt met behulp van een computer het infraroodspectrum berekend en weergegeven.

Omdat een interferometer tegenwoordig goedkoper is dan een monochromator, is een FTIR-instrument niet alleen sneller, maar ook goedkoper dan een traditioneel apparaat. Daarom zijn vrijwel alle moderne infraroodspectrometers van het FTIR-type.

Toepassingen

Infraroodspectroscopie wordt veel gebruikt, zowel in onderzoek als industrie, omdat het een eenvoudige en betrouwbare methode is om een stof te herkennen, of de zuiverheid en/of samenstelling van een monster vast te stellen. De spectrometers zijn kleine apparaten die eenvoudig getransporteerd kunnen worden, zodat metingen ter plaatse kunnen worden uitgevoerd. Verregaande automatisering en databases zorgen ervoor dat het apparaat zelf al een groot aantal spectra kan herkennen.

Door de absorptie van een bepaalde frequentie in de loop van de tijd te volgen, kan de hoeveelheid of de precieze aard van een chemische binding worden gevolgd. Dit kan bijvoorbeeld worden gebruikt om een polymerisatiereactie te volgen. Een modern apparaat kan een heel spectrum tot wel 30 keer per seconde opnemen, indien gewenst ook tegelijk met andere analyses.

Door gebruik te maken van de karakteristieke absorptie van specifieke stoffen, kan infraroodspectroscopie ook gebruikt worden voor de continue meting van de aanwezigheid van bepaalde componenten, zoals de concentratie van stikstofoxiden of koolmonoxide in rookgassen. Vooral het gebied tussen ongeveer 1500 en 900 cm-1, het fingerprint-gebied, is belangrijk in deze analyse.

Een beperking van de techniek is dat sommige oplosmiddelen, bijvoorbeeld water, dusdanig sterk zelf infrarood absorberen dat het erg moeilijk is om spectra van daarin opgeloste stoffen te verkrijgen. Een aanpassing van de techniek, die bekendstaat als ATR, maakt het mogelijk dit obstakel uit de weg te ruimen.

Zie ook
 Niet-dispersieve infraroodsensor
 Vergelijking tussen infrarood- en ramanspectroscopie

Externe link
 Infraroodspectroscopie voor organische scheikunde

Spectroscopie


The removal of deep tissue lymph nodes at the processing plant is time-consuming and may not significantly reduce Salmonella contamination in ground pork, reports Scott Hurd, Associate Professor at Iowa State University.
The objectives of this project were to build and parameterise a quantitative risk model of the Salmonella prevalence along the pork production chain, and therefore to apply the model in evaluating the relative impact of potential Salmonella source, especially lymph nodes, to human food-borne risk.
Attention has turned to the potential negative role of deep tissue lymph nodes in Salmonella contamination in pork products, such as ground pork. Previous research has shown a low likelihood of recovery from non-visceral lymph nodes (deep tissue). The occasional recovery of Salmonella from these tissues does not necessarily represent a significant human illness risk. However, needed is a method that could assist decision makers in quantitatively evaluating the relative impact deep tissue lymph nodes on Salmonella contamination in pork products, thereafter the impact on public health. Without a firm understanding on the impact, regulators may enforce further control measures to remove deep tissue lymph nodes during swine carcass harvest, which might actually a waste of time and money.
Quantitative risk assessment is an approach that is able to quantify and compare the impact of potential risk factors on outcomes of interest. The author and his team developed a risk assessment model quantitatively describing the Salmonella distribution and dissemination from chilled swine carcasses to fresh ground pork serving. Deep tissue lymph nodes were simulated in the model as a potential source of Salmonella contamination in ground pork. The other targeted source is contaminated carcass surface. A scenario analysis was used to estimate the reduction in Salmonella contamination of ground pork if deep tissue lymph nodes were removed and if carcass surface was decontaminated. In the scenario analysis, the amount of deep tissue lymph nodes and the proportion of contaminated carcass surface included in ground pork were tentatively modified. The difference in risk of Salmonella contamination in ground pork were then estimated between the baseline and modified levels.
When the amount of deep tissue lymph nodes were changed from baseline value to zero, the probability of Salmonella contaminated ground pork servings only reduced from 8.3 per cent to 7.9 per cent. This reflects a situation if the deep tissue lymph nodes would be completely removed in processing plant.
If the intervention of deep tissue lymph nodes is the one to consider for the future to provide a high level of ground pork safety, the questions are how likely is the intervention to occur, and at what cost?
In practice, the complete removal of deep tissue lymph nodes could be very time- and labour-consuming. However, when the probability of Salmonella contamination on carcass surface at processing plant reduced from baseline value to its half, the probability of Salmonella contaminated ground pork servings would reduce from 8.3 per cent to 6.6 per cent and even below 2.8 per cent if carcass surfaces were completed decontaminated.
The findings reveal that deep tissue lymph nodes have non-significant impact, and Salmonella contamination from carcass surface has a more important influence on Salmonella contamination in ground pork, concludes Dr Hurd. Therefore, compared to intervention strategies, such as mitigation of Salmonella on carcass surface, the intervention of deep tissue lymph nodes at processing plants might not effectively reduce the Salmonella contamination in ground pork.


(RSF/IFEX) - On 11 March 2008, Journalist Sayed Yaqub Ibrahimi gave a news conference at Reporters Without Borders headquarters in Paris about the plight of his brother, Sayed Perwiz Kambakhsh, a fellow journalist who is under sentence of death in Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan.
"I last saw my brother on 7 March in prison," Ibrahimi said. "Like any prisoner sentenced to death, he was very anxious. And he is in danger all the time because there are around 30 criminals with him in his cell. He should be transferred to a prison where he would be safe. That is why we have asked the government not to put him in a prison with terrorists in Kabul."
Contradicting what has been said in many reports, Ibrahimi insisted that his brother never downloaded, printed or distributed a controversial report about what the Koran has to say about women's rights.
"This was a plot by students close to the fundamentalists who added his name to this report," Ibrahimi said. "They then alerted the secret services and the clerics. It was all trumped up. Perwiz never distributed this document. This should be clear. I am the target behind all this because of my articles criticising the crimes of the warlord and their allies, the religious fundamentalists."
Ibrahimi added: "After 20 days, the letter requesting the transfer of my brother's case finally arrived in Mazar-i-Sharif. This allows us to hope that the appeal will be conducted in better circumstances, especially as we have found a lawyer who is ready to defend him."
Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert Ménard also spoke at the news conference, urging the Afghan authorities to do everything possible to ensure that Perwiz is freed as soon as possible.
"For the moment, the case must be transferred to Kabul, the charges must be reformulated, and both he and his family must be given protection," Ménard said. "In the long run, the legislation on blasphemy must be amended in order to avoid similar cases in the future."
Ménard added: "We have obtained assurances from the Afghan ambassadors to France and Spain that President Hamid Karzai would never sign a decree authorising Perwiz's execution. This is an important point."
A young student and journalist who writes for the newspaper "Jahan-e-Naw"
("New World"), Kambakhsh was sentenced to death for blasphemy by a Mazar-i-Sharif court on 22 January, at the end of a summary trial held behind closed doors at which he was not represented by a lawyer. He has been detained since 27 October 2007.


Let's face it. Some mornings there just isn't time for coffee AND breakfast. But honestly, both favorites. Those mornings when the clock tries to force me to choose between two necessities, I defiantly choose my own third option – the Coffee Smoothie.
My challenge with smoothies is that even though theoretically I know less is more regarding ingredients, I just feel powerless to simplify. It's like every food I've ever loved, and every supplement I've ever read has any benefit is calling out to me "Pick me! Pick me! I will make your breakfast perfect!" I end up with enough calories in the blender to sustain me for three days and what tastes much like a liquid salad (My mom-in-law actually calls them my grass shakes… or maybe it's dirt shakes, I forget).
Anyway, I'm pretty proud of the fact that I limited myself to a single digit number of ingredients when creating this recipe. However, I just can't help myself from mentioning the fact that you could throw an inch of ginger root in there if that is your thing, and I think some cinnamon might do you a little good too, for inflammation and all. But I'm drawing the line and NOT recommending you toss in a beet (although if you were to do that, the nutritional value would skyrocket and you'd probably thank me!). I better get to the recipe before I add the kitchen sink!
This tasty and nutritious treat will keep you satisfied and caffeinated through the most hectic morning!
Throw all ingredients in a high power blender and blast for 60 seconds.
Sweeten to taste with additional maple syrup.
Garnish with additional chia seeds if desired.
*Everyone's preference is different for smoothie texture. I like mine thick and creamy, so I use extra banana. If you'd rather drink your's than eat it with a spoon, you can get away with one banana.


Bored with duck egg blue canvas wall art? You may not believe me, but this will give you an creative measures in order to decorate your wall art furniture more amazing. The important ways of making the right duck egg blue canvas wall art is that you must have the concept or plans of the wall art that you want. You'll need to start collecting photos of wall art's plans and concept or colors from the architect.
It has been shown that, if you're designing your home, functional design is in the details. You could discuss to the architect or create the beautiful ideas for every interior from home design magazines, website, etc. For your inspirations, check out these collection of duck egg blue canvas wall art, these can be stunning designs you can choose if you want comfortable and remarkable interior. Don't forget to check about related wall art examples so you will find a completely enchanting design result about your interior.
Having said that, duck egg blue canvas wall art may be the perfect design and style for your wall art's setup and project, but personality and characteristic is what makes a interior looks amazing. Find your own plans and have fun! More and more we make trial, more often we will see which perfect and which doesn't. The simple method to get your wall art furniture's designs is to start finding concept or plans. You can get from websites or magazines, and get the collection of wall art that wonderful.
Thirdly, critical appearance of the wall art's remodel and decoration is about the best decor and arrangement. Decide the wall art furniture maybe a easy thing to do, but make sure to the decor must be totally right and match to the whole room. Also about choosing the perfect wall art furniture's decor, the functionality must be your crucial aspects. Having some advice and guide gives people a great starting point for remodeling and designing their house, but the problem is some of them aren't efficient for a particular space. So, better keep the efficiently and simplicity to make your wall art looks gorgeous.
Related Post "Duck Egg Blue Canvas Wall Art"


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Home News NGPC | Delano, CA
NGPC | Delano, CA
The off-road season has come to a close with final round of NGPC this last weekend. This was the first time the series has utilized this venue which tested our riders abilities to execute as the track boasted a unique layout. The race was fast and fun and forced the riders to rely on their techniques to get them through to the finish line. Congratulations to all of our offroad O'Neal riders. We cant wait to see you at the season opener in January back at Delano!
Colton Aeck:
After a brutal get off last weekend in Primm for WORCS, Colton had no expectations going into this race as he was still healing. That didn't stop him however in racing a smart race and cruising to the podium for a 2nd place finish and earning the 2nd overall position in points to round out the season. For his first year he is incredibly happy with how his season turned out.
In his words "This season had its ups and downs but that is part of racing. I was hoping for more my first year but I am excited to get to work this off season and come back in January ready to fight for the title. Thank you to all my sponsors who help get me to these races and I cannot share my appreciation for all you do for me to live my dream."
Justin Seeds:
Justin held it down for the team. Getting 2nd in Vet Pro and 5th place pro 250. Incredible rides from him this season and we are happy to have given him the opportunity to stay on the program outside of the Open Pro class he was previously doing for us last season.
In his words: "Vet pro: Start was horrible from spinning on the start. Mid way thru the first lap the track was wet and slippery and I couldn't make a turn and tagged a hay bail going down. Ended up 2nd
250 Pro: Start was good coming around the turn in 4th. I felt good but was a little slow to get comfortable on the track and dropped to 7th after a couple laps. I kept pushing and had some stuff fall into place and I was able to move into 5th at the end of the race."
Ava Silvestri:
Ava has really improved her speed over the last few rounds. She has shown that she can tighten up the gap that has been looming in front of her all season. We are happy to see how much she has grown this year.
In her words: "Awesome time out at the last race of the year! Ran a consistent pace all day and had the speed to get that 2nd place again but still working on my pit strategy so it held me back a bit. But still was able to make up a lot of time after the pit just wasn't close enough at the end to make the pass on 2nd and 3rd. Ended the year with a 4th and a lot more confidence. Had a great year and ready for more racing next year!
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At Least One Dead as Indonesia's Mount Semeru Erupts
Searing ash towered within the sky over the Indonesian island of Java on Saturday after the Semeru volcano erupted, killing not less than one particular person and injuring dozens.
Indah Amperawati Masdar, the deputy head of East Java's Lumajang District, close to Mount Semeru, stated in a information convention that not less than 41 individuals had suffered burns from the lava movement that additionally almost destroyed the village of Curahkobokan and prompted a bridge to break down, making evacuation tough.
But Maj. Gen. Suharyanto, the pinnacle of the B.N.P.B., Indonesia's catastrophe mitigation company, who like many Indonesians goes by a single identify, stated on the information convention that evacuation factors had been arrange in three close by villages and in two subdistricts.
In a press release, the company stated that a number of areas had been reporting "darkness as a result of fog from volcanic ash." But as of late Saturday, air journey remained unaffected, a state-owned air navigation firm stated.
Mount Semeru was spewing volcanic ash on Saturday.Credit…Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management, through Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
The Volcanic Ash Advisory Center in Darwin, Australia, issued a purple aviation warning on Saturday, saying that ash had "indifferent from the volcano," and that it was transferring southwest and west.
But the state-owned air navigation firm, AirNav Indonesia, stated in a press release that no airports or flight routes had been affected by the eruption. Nonetheless, it warned pilots of volcanic ash reaching heights of as much as 40,000 ft.
Mount Semeru, which final erupted in January, is one in all Indonesia's most energetic volcanoes and is Java's tallest mountain. It is among the many nation's greater than 120 energetic volcanoes; a number of hundred others at the moment are thought of extinct.
Categories Asia, World Post navigation
At a sequencing lab in Nebraska, monitoring Omicron to assist gauge its unfold.
Switzerland Backtracks on Mandatory Quarantines for Some Foreign Visitors


Looking to save thousands of pounds when you next move home? If the answer is yes, then look no further than a move to Newbury. New research has revealed how London commuters can typically save £450,000 on the cost of buying a home if they look at locations one hour outside of the capital.
The report by Lloyds Bank cited Newbury, as well as Crawley, Colchester and Chatham, as areas where the cost buying a property is less than half of what you would pay to purchase in London's public transport zones 1 and 2. According to the latest figures from property portal Rightmove, the overall average price of a property in Newbury is £287,746, and that figure was even less in nearby Thatcham (£256,465). Comparatively, the average price for a London property in zone 1 and 2 is £722,000 and the figure doesn't get much more affordable when you at London as a whole, with Rightmove claiming the city's overall average price now stands at £645,875.
One of the biggest gripes among London commuters has been the cost of travelling from outlying counties but the report went on to sensibly put the cost of commuting into perspective. The current price for a 12 month season ticket from Newbury to all London mainline train stations is £4,548. Although this might seem like a hefty investment in travel, the cost of living closer to the centre of London dwarfs this price. In fact, a typical commuter from Newbury making the journey to the capital with a season ticket would have to travel to and from London for 91 years to wipe out the cost difference between buying a house in the West Berkshire town and buying a house in London's zones 1 or 2.
With commuting costs completely justified, many home movers start looking at travel times to London. The journey from Newbury to London Paddington is already under the magic one hour mark, with a direct rush hour train taking as little as 41 minutes to reach the capital, with up to 39 trains per weekday. The good news is that train journeys on Great Western routes will get even better when the rail company finishes the electrification of the line. By 2016, journeys will be faster, more reliable, quieter and greener. A new fleet of trains will be rolled out with 20% more seats and 20-35% less carbon emissions than their diesel predecessors.
If you would like to see a selection of flats and houses for sale in Newbury and across West Berkshire, contact the Jones Robinson sales team today.


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Guisborough ist eine Kleinstadt in der englischen Unitary Authority Redcar and Cleveland. Sie befindet sich am nördlichen Rande der North York Moors, etwa fünf Kilometer südöstlich von Middlesbrough. Gemäß Volkszählung besaß Guisborough 2001 insgesamt 18.108 Einwohner.

Wirtschaft und Infrastruktur

Verkehr
Guisborough befindet sich am Kreuzungspunkt der A-Straßen A171 (Scarborough–Middlesbrough) A173 (Skelton–Stokesley). Die nächste Großstadt ist das 5 km entfernte Middlesbrough. Seit 1964 besitzt Guisborough keine Bahnverbindung mehr, es bestehen jedoch Busverbindungen in die umliegenden Städte und Orte. Der nächste Flughafen ist der 30 km westlich gelegene Flughafen Durham Tees Valley.

Persönlichkeiten
 John Gilbert Baker (1834–1920), Botaniker
 Willie Applegarth (1890–1958), Leichtathlet und Olympiasieger
 Sean Gregan (* 1974), Fußballspieler
 Jonny Cocker (* 1986), Autorennfahrer

Weblinks

Ort in Redcar and Cleveland


LOS ANGELES – The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) today announced a new event that will be held in Madrid, Spain, on Saturday, 13 May 2017. The ICANN DNS Symposium is intended to provide a technical forum for individuals to discuss topics related to all aspects of the Domain Name System (DNS).
Attendees should have a foundational understanding of the DNS. Topics for the initial event will focus on DNS-related activities within ICANN, including research, security, root server operations, IANA functions and more. To learn more about the symposium or to register for the event, please visit https://www.icann.org/ids.
The ICANN DNS Symposium will be co-located with OARC 26 (DNS-OARC Workshop), which will be held 14-15 May. Additional events occurring in Madrid earlier that week are the ICANN GDD Industry Summit from 9-11 May, which is targeted at new gTLD Program contracted parties, followed by the 6th Registration Operations Workshop on 12 May.
ICANN's mission is to help ensure a stable, secure and unified global Internet. To reach another person on the Internet, you have to type an address into your computer - a name or a number. That address has to be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN helps coordinate and support these unique identifiers across the world. ICANN was formed in 1998 as a not-for-profit public-benefit corporation and a community with participants from all over the world. ICANN and its community help keep the Internet secure, stable and interoperable. It also promotes competition and develops policy for the top-level of the Internet's naming system and facilitates the use of other unique Internet identifiers. For more information please visit: www.icann.org.


Combining the famous Mission sound with sweeping good looks, the Mission SX3 speakers lead their class.
Starting at the top, the Mission SX3 deploys titanium domed tweeters for breathtaking results. The light yet rigid titanium gives astonishing purity and detail yet can reach frequencies of up to 40,000Hz! We may not be able to hear these frequencies, but expanding the range reduces harmonic distortion for a pure and natural sound.
Matching these are similarly impressive woofer units. The composite aluminium cones are tonally matched to the treble unit for smooth and consistent sound. The vented chassis allows for a fast, punchy bass that has the typical up-tempo sound you'd expect from Mission speakers. The floorstanding Mission SX3 speakers also come with additional bass drivers. By splitting the mid-range and bass both frequencies benefit. Without having to reach such low frequencies, the mid-range is purer and more transparent sounding. With just the lower frequencies to handle, the bass has a powerful depth and weight that's missing from smaller rivals.
Containing the high tech drive units is a cabinet design that's just as special. The sweeping curves of the cabinet design don't just look good, they also reduce standing waves for a less distorted sound quality. The cabinet is constructed from interleaving wood layers that are glued and pressed at high temperature for 48 hours and then left to cool naturally. The result of this time intensive construction is an acoustically inert design that lets you hear more of the music and less of the cabinet.
Mission realise that it's not always possible to arrange your living space around the speakers, which is why the SX3s are unfussy about placement. Designed for use in a number of different locations, including close to a rear wall, the SX3s aren't nearly as fussy as most speakers are with regards to room placement. Helping to ensure everyone hears a broad and detailed soundstage, the integrated treble waveguide disperses the delicate high frequencies across a broad space.
With a sound that's both powerful yet pure together with easy room placement, the Mission SX3 speakers stand ahead of the competition.


Not long ago I was alerted to a humorous, if somewhat jarring file. This pdf (read it and weep) is the price list for the Fusion series of applications from Oracle. The list has a couple of pages of product items, a bunch of different modules, minimum numbers of seats that need to be purchased per module and different metrics for billing depending on application type. It's a complex quagmire that does nothing to encourage prospective purchasers to actually understand the product and pricing mix.
It's a theme that we looked at in our Cloudonomics whitepaper when we brought up the issue of Total Cost of Ownership or TCO. The thing that I find refreshing about cloud solutions is that pricing tends to be a very straightforward thing. Pricelists are all inclusive – there is not add on maintenance fee on top of a license fee for Cloud product.TCO calculation is simple and straightforward, the buyer is empowered.
Luckily there is a degree of help out there. Jonathan Koomey from Stanford wrote a paper a few years ago developing a simple model to determine TCO for data centers – while this work didn't extend (unfortunately) to TCO for application, it at least goes some way to demonstrating the value that the Cloud can bring.
Unfortunately it's very hard to put a value on agility and focus. While many of us are happy to move to the Cloud based on simple belief in the benefits it brings, until we find a way to really measure its costs, or more importantly measure the costs of its on-premise counterparts, we'll be struggling to grow Cloud further.
This series of posts are companion pieces to the CloudU series of educational material. We'd love you to join in some of our webinars or read the whitepapers – the CloudU homepage is here – and you can register to have updates sent to your inbox (in a non-spammy way of course!) there.


Do Your Clients Worry They're Never Going to Be Able to Retire?
Some people spend more time thinking about retirement than others, but most everyone has at least a few ideas about what their life will be like when they don't have to work anymore.
Unfortunately for many, hoping and dreaming is about as far as they get in the planning process. They don't know whether they can really achieve their goals because they haven't taken the steps necessary to prepare for them.
Threat No. 1: Unclear plans.
This threat is especially difficult for married couples transitioning to retirement. It's amazing how far apart two people who've lived together for years can be when it comes to envisioning what they want and understanding how they'll get it.
How to tackle it: Put together an income plan and an estimated budget.
Start by talking about when each of you would like to retire and why -- and be specific. Perhaps one of you loves your job or still has career goals, and the other doesn't. Maybe one of you is older. Don't assume you know what your spouse wants to do.
Discuss what life will look like every day. What will you do to stay busy? What will you do for fun? What are the "big" things you have in mind: a trip to Europe, a second home, joining a golf or tennis club?
Then consider how much that will cost and how you'll pay for it. You'll need to budget for day-to-day expenses (housing, utilities, food) and all those extras if you really want them to happen. Estimate how much guaranteed income you'll have with Social Security benefits and possibly pensions. And if there's a gap between your costs and those steady income streams, think about how you'll fill it -- by working longer, downsizing your dreams or by carefully managing the assets in your investment portfolio.
Threat No. 2: Medical costs.
A lot of soon-to-be retirees assume Medicare will take care of all their future health care costs, but Medicare and Medicare supplement plans have limits. According to Fidelity Investments' 16th annual retiree health care cost estimate, a 65-year-old couple retiring in 2018 will need $280,000 to cover health care expenses throughout retirement -- and that doesn't include the cost of long-term care. Without a plan to cover unexpected bills, you might end up pulling the money from your investment accounts, a move that can have dire consequences for your financial future.
How to tackle it: Set aside a war chest for major medical bills.
If you plan to retire early, think about how you'll pay your medical bills and insurance premiums before Medicare kicks in. Some possibilities to consider could include individual policies, COBRA coverage and a spouse's employer's plan.
When you're eligible for Medicare, carefully choose the best coverage for you and your spouse.
Set aside a protected "war chest" that will help pay for unexpected expenses, no matter what happens to your health (or U.S. health care laws). Typically, it is best practice to have a minimum of two times your annual retirement income in this account. However, based upon your personal medical history and current condition, you may want to save more, up to $280,000, as mentioned above.
Threat No. 3: Investing too conservatively.
Pre-retirees and retirees are right to worry about market risk when they don't have as much recovery time. But some go too far when transitioning to the protection phase of investing, and they end up putting their entire portfolio into short-term or guaranteed investments earning 1% or 2%.
How to tackle it: Divide the money inside your portfolio into three "buckets" to get a blended rate of return.
The first bucket is for funds you'll need in the near future, 12-24 months. Look for financial products with little or no stock market risk. This bucket will earn a money market rate of return. In today's environment, you should be able to expect 1.85%-2.10%.
The second bucket contains funds meant for needs a little further down the road, three to six years, so you aren't going to touch it for a few years. You may have very low-risk products, such as short-term bonds, laddered CDs and TIPS. But you also should have some conservative growth assets with the idea of marginally increasing your rate of return. Examples of those could include high dividend paying stocks, growth and income stock mutual funds and preferred stock.
The third bucket is for money you'll need much later, six years or more, so you'll have growth-oriented assets in there. These typically would include growth stocks, growth mutual funds and international mutual funds. If the markets move down and these investments lose money, you'll have time to recover because the funds are earmarked for use seven to 30 years into your retirement.
Threat No. 4: Not knowing how much risk is in your portfolio.
People tell me all the time that they're "conservative" investors. They think their portfolio accurately reflects their concern about market volatility and their time horizon. But when we analyze what they actually have, we find that it's not the case at all. For many, if they'd had their current portfolio in 2008, they would have down over 50%. That's a devastating loss for someone who's near or in retirement.
How to tackle it: Get a detailed analysis of your portfolio.
"Conservative" is a subjective term. An analysis can show you specifics.
A long-running bull market can throw your asset allocation out of whack. Some rebalancing could be in order. When you rebalance, make sure that you consider the goal or purpose of the investment portfolio. Consider your goals, time horizons, and tolerance for risk. Often times you will need to sell some of your stock holdings and reposition the proceeds into lower-risk investments, such as bonds, CDs and cash.
Once your portfolio is adjusted for your needs, you may experience some envy when friends who might have less-conservative portfolios brag about their returns. Remember, you're in this for the long haul.
Often, when people build their retirement plan, they set and forget their budget, not recognizing that prices fluctuate over time -- as do the interest rates on the investments retirees typically prefer. So, inflation can quietly and slowly eat away at a nest egg.
How to tackle it: Adjust your investments and your withdrawals.
Don't invest too conservatively. Determine how much growth you'll need to accomplish your income goals. Your income need will increase over time, due to the cost of goods increasing. This is called inflation. Over the last 30 years, the average inflation rate has been 2.54%. That means that the amount of income you need to maintain the same standard of living needs to increase by 2.5% every year. Set aside some assets to do that work.
Many people rely upon an old rule of thumb called the 4% rule. This rule states that if you only withdrawal 4% of your account balance per year, that you will never run out of money. This rule does not take into account extreme market decreases, higher than normal inflation, or personal spending decisions. Instead, a retiree should focus on their projected monthly income needs. Look into the next three years and project how much income you need each month to meet your monthly income needs, your extra fun things that you wish to do, and any larger expense items that will need to pe purchased. By doing so, you will be able to balance out your annual income to stay ahead of inflation.
Sadly, I've seen retirement plans implode -- or darn near it -- when people ignored these common threats. Don't let that happen to you. The next time you start daydreaming about retirement, grab your spouse and start putting your thoughts down on paper. Then get to work on making those dreams come true.


Zeke sighed as he sat in a cell on Kamino. He had been forced teleported here by a device on his wrist which he hadn't been able to take off for some reason. So now he was trapped here doing nothing while the people of Kamino planned to experiment on him and take apart is self made light-saber.
Shoots are heard from with in the prison walls.Fallowed by explodeisons.A alein wearing a hat.Was here attacking Jailers.His being paid by the Sith lord Cut to resue one of his siths.The Bounty Hunter noticed some people takeing apart a Light saber and he toss a grande at their feet.The grande explode killing them.He collected the light saber and grabed the keys to Zeke ceil.He then looked around for him.Once He found him he unlocked his Ceil and Said "Come with me Child your sith lord awaits."
Zeke looked up as he heard explosions and gun shots and for a moment he didn't move until his door opened revealing an alien but this didn't bother him since he was a clone created by aliens. Zeke stood as he noticed the alien had his light-saber so with a flick of his hand it flew from the alien into Zeke's hand. He then adjusted and fixed it before hearing the alien speak. Zeke replied in a voice that was filled with insanity and malice which was fairly creepy with a childs young voice. "I have been told of this lord but he is not my lord. Now move or die." Zeke said as he walked out of his cell while turning his light-saber on.
Bane got upset with the little boys words.He didn't care that he said he not my sith lord.but was offend when the boy said to move or die.He then pointed his pistol at the little boy."Your Sith ask me to free you and that is all little one.But you can stay here and rot in this prison all I care you are free but you must find your own way back to him my job here is done." Cad Bane soon though down smoke grenades.When the grenade vansihed.Sounds of his fighter take off is all you could here as he left.
Zeke just watched as the alien vanished and once he was gone Zeke spoke with his usual emotionless expression. "Good riddance trash." At that point clones came into the hallway and pointed blasters at him and opened fire. Zeke blocked and bounced the blasts back with his light saber and slowly began to retreat down the hallway and once around the corner he ran. Zeke ran with great speed and killed many of his clone brothers during his escape but eventually he found his way to the surface. For a moment he couldn't see any ships about but then on a far platform he could see a clone carrier. He quickly headed for it while still blocking blaster fire.


They say laughter is the best medicine and hearty laughter is usually what good humor provides. Yet there are times when humor serves more than that, for humor on its own gives a glimpse of reality from a perspective one might find amusing but also filled with significant life lessons to learn.
In an ever-evolving and growing society, one thing is never lost among those who truly appreciates its value: humor. And in this collection of poetry and other works, Gus Gregory shares the humor from as far back as the 1930s, when public toilets were wooden outhouses, to the present, when things are a lot different but still with problems to face, laugh at, and do both for.
Gus Gregory has traveled the world over and has been involved in a number of occupations. He has published two books: The Money Tree, a how-to book on how to form a nonprofit corporation to assist small communities in raising monies for various projects; and Animals and Things, teaching stories for young children. In 1988/89/90, he received the World of Poetry Organizations Gold Award for poems published in their annual collection of poetry. Gregory believes that poetry allows people who write it to express themselves in the use and meaning of the English language, and allows the reader self-interpretation, examples in point: Robert Frosts poem The Road Not Taken and Grays Epitaph Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard.
Gregorys education includes Kent Hill School (AA) and the University of Maine (BA), and Masters credits from Northeastern University and USAF Aviation Cadet (Wings 53A).
Credits to my wife, Joy; my friends Lucie, Jim, and Corvy; and my artist, Bill Poephhacker. This book was written for enjoyment as depicted from the authors point of view. Enjoy!


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Paul Pogba admits he is ready to quit Manchester United for 'a new challenge'
Paul Pogba has suggested he wants to leave Manchester United Credit: Getty Images
James Ducker, Northern Football Correspondent
James Ducker
Football transfers
Manchester United transfer news and rumours
Paul Pogba has admitted publicly for the first time that he wants to leave Manchester United this summer as he tries to engineer a move away from Old Trafford.
With United under no financial pressure to sell a player who effectively has three years left on his contract, Pogba recognises that he may have to force the club's hand to stand any chance of securing a transfer.
Real Madrid and Juventus are interested in signing Pogba but know that would be dependent on driving down United's £160 million valuation, especially if the Manchester club proves unwilling to take players in return, so the prospect of the Frenchman agitating may benefit their cause.
Pogba has been telling friends privately for some time that he wants to quit United but he has now decided to publicly reveal his hand in a marked escalation from his flirtation with Real in March, when he admitted it would be a "dream" to play at the Bernabeu.
Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, where he has been on a promotional tour with his sponsor Adidas, Pogba said: "Like you said, there is a lot of talking and a lot of thinking as well.
"For me I have been for three years in Manchester and it's been great - some good moments and some bad moments, like everybody, everywhere else.
Paul Pogba has had a troubled spell at United since returning there for a world-record fee Credit: REX
"After this season, and after everything that happened this season, with my season being my best season as well... I think for me it could be a good time to have a new challenge somewhere else. I am thinking of this – to have a new challenge somewhere else."
United continue to maintain Pogba – who has two years left on his contract with the option of another 12 months to June 2022 on the club's side – is not for sale and will still be at Old Trafford next season. Pogba's request to leave last summer for Barcelona was rebuffed by Ed Woodward and United's executive vice-chairman appears to be adopting a similar stance 12 months on. There is also the question of who would replace Pogba. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is already in the market for two midfielders.
Yet if Pogba steps up his efforts to force a transfer over the coming weeks, Solskjaer may have to consider the risks involved in keeping a high-profile player against his wishes and the potential impact on the dressing room. Some of the rank-and-file members of United's dressing room became frustrated with Pogba towards the end of last season.
Newsletter promotion - football nerd - inarticle
Solskjaer enjoys a better relationship with Pogba than former manager Jose Mourinho, whose public falling out with the midfielder last season became an unwanted sideshow, but the Norwegian has made a big play about only wanting players who are fully committed to the club.
It is also unclear what Solskjaer thinks about Pogba touring Asia on a promotional tour at a time when players are expected to be recharging their batteries. Pogba is due back in that part of the world next month when United tour Australia, Singapore and Shanghai.
Youri Tielemans, the Monaco and Belgium midfielder who spent last season on loan at Leicester City, is one of numerous players to have been offered to United but the club are not thought to be pursuing a deal for the 22 year-old and are instead focusing on other targets. Leicester would like to sign Tielemans permanently but have been put off by his €45m valuation.
Youri Tielemans, who spent last season on loan at Leicester, has been offered to Manchester United Credit: getty images
One player United hope to sign is Aaron Wan-Bissaka and talks over a deal for the highly-rated Crystal Palace right-back are continuing. United are likely to have to pay at least £50m for the England Under-21 international, although it is believed Palace could request that Wilfried Zaha's sell-on clause – negotiated when United sold the winger back to Palace in 2015 – is removed. Zaha is rated at around £80m by Palace and it is thought United would be entitled to at least 20 per cent of any sell-on fee.
Solskjaer has also been linked with a move for Newcastle United midfielder Sean Longstaff but the north east club have yet to receive an approach from Old Trafford.
United's only arrival to date is the Wales winger, Daniel James, from Swansea City for a projected £18m. Solskjaer remains in the market for a centre-half and United are believed to be one of four clubs chasing Leicester's Harry Maguire.
Manchester City are so far balking at Leicester's £80m price tag for the England defender and, for now at least, do not value him at more than the £60m they paid the Midlands club for Algeria playmaker Riyad Mahrez last summer.
United have yet to be deterred by Leicester's valuation, although it remains to be seen what they would be prepared to pay for the 26 year-old, whom they were offered for just £15m two summers ago.


text:
Business leaders join Accountants for Business global think-tank
Global forum appoints joiners to bring new thinking to the finance debate at ACCA (the Association for Chartered Certified Accountants) and IMA (Institute of Management Accountants)
Business leaders from around the world have been appointed to a global think tank to bring new perspectives on the key issues facing Chief Financial Officers, finance functions and global businesses.
The new appointees to the Accountants for Business global forum, a joint venture between ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and IMA (Institute of Management Accountants), join from a wide range of industries and backgrounds. They include CFOs, managing directors and vice presidents of leading organisations who will bring direct insights and new thinking to the key challenges facing finance leaders and global finance functions.
Richard Moat FCCA, CFO of Eircom Group and co-chair of the forum comments: "I am delighted to welcome new joiners to the forum and I am sure they will bring a wealth of experience and perspective to the key issues, challenges and opportunities we all see as finance leaders in today's business environment."
Jamie Lyon FCCA, head of corporate sector at ACCA and co-chair, said: "We're really looking forward to working with the new forum members across a wide range of issues facing CFOs and the finance function today. There's lots happening in this space right now and I'm sure they will make a great contribution to the on-going success of the forum."
Raef Lawson, vice president of research at IMA, adds: "This is a great opportunity to bring in senior leaders from the business world to enrich our discussions on future issues impacting the finance function and the broader business agenda."
The new forum members are:
Richard Aitken-Davies FCCA is currently the independent chairman of Electricity Pensions Limited. Richard has previously served as ACCA's president, and has had an extensive career in industry, including senior executive roles in the Central Electricity Generating Board, Powergen, Railtrack and London & Continental Railways. He was involved in two major UK privatisations and has also worked in the USA, during which he had responsibility for implementing the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act as Chief Financial Officer of LG&E Energy Corp.
Teuta Bakalli FCCA is currently CFO at Pepper Europe since May 2012. Teuta is responsible for managing Financial Control, IT, HR, Legal, Project Management and Risk & Compliance across Pepper's European operations and has over fifteen years' experience of regulated financial markets. Prior to joining Pepper, Teuta held Finance Director roles with Vanguard Asset Management and Willis Insurance brokers. Prior to this she held senior level finance positions with Barclays Capital, Credit Suisse First Boston and Schroders.
Holger Lindner is currently the CFO of the global Product Services Division of TÜV SÜD AG. He was formerly CFO of Daimler South East Asia and Chrysler South East Asia. He spent 17 years in various international functions in finance, sales and marketing, and business development with the Daimler Group in Europe and Asia. He is also a member of the Advisory Council to the Singapore CFO Institute.
Jennifer Tan Yuen Chun FCCA has more than 28 years' experience in finance and general management. She is currently managing director of fixed business at Hutchison Telecommunications Hong Kong (Holdings) Limited, a listed company in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, since September 2012 and joined the group in May 1996. Before joining the group, Jennifer gained extensive senior management experience with various Fortune 500 multinational corporations.
Neil MacLean FCCA, MBA, is vice president for finance transformation at Capgemini Consulting. He has worked in a wide range of operational finance and consulting roles for the past 30 years on international projects and large scale business transformation programmes. He currently leads Capgemini Consulting digital finance initiative assessing the impact the digital economy on the finance function of the future.
Oliver Colling FCCA leads Grant Thornton's Finance Transformation team in the UK and has over 20 years' experience in advisory, line and change roles in professional services and industry. His clients include leading FTSE 100 businesses such as Vodafone, the BBC, BP and Centrica amongst others. Oliver has also held senior line roles at Alcan Aluminium, Aviva and RAC.
Paul Mok FCCA is Group Financial Controller at OOCL in Hong Kong. He holds 30 years of finance experience in a wide range of senior finance roles across industry and the OOIL / OOCLL group. He is also a qualified banker and lawyer and serves on a wide range of public interest bodies.
Dr. Solaiman Altwaijri is IMA board member and CEO of Saudi Amiantit, one of the world's largest pipe manufactures. Before joining Amiantit in 2008, Dr. Altwaijri held numerous management and finance-related positions, including director of shared services for Zajoul for Advanced Communication in Riyadh.
Dr. Altwaijri also serves on the boards of numerous companies and organisations in the KSA and around the world. He also has extensive experience as a trainer for CMA, CPA, and CIA review courses.
Raymond Jack is executive director - finance & operations at ACCA. Raymond qualified with Coopers & Lybrand (now PwC) where he worked for 12 years largely in Corporate Finance, Recovery and Consulting. He joined the retail arm of ScottishPower in 1997 and held posts including Sales & Marketing Director, Business Transformation Director and latterly, became Executive Director of ScottishPower, Energy Retail.
Marc Gerrone, IMA
mgerrone@imanet.org
Alana Sinnen, ACCA Newsroom
alana.sinnen@accaglobal.com
ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants with 154,000 members and 432,000 students in 170 countries worldwide. We aim to offer business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.
We work through a network of over 80 offices and centres and more than 8,400 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide high standards of employee learning and development.
www.accaglobal.com
About IMA® (Institute of Management Accountants)
IMA®, the association of accountants and financial professionals in business, is one of the largest and most respected associations focused exclusively on advancing the management accounting profession. Globally, IMA supports the profession through research, the CMA® (Certified Management Accountant) program, continuing education, networking, and advocacy of the highest ethical business practices.
IMA has a global network of more than 65,000 members in 120 countries and 200 local chapter communities. IMA provides localized services through its offices in Montvale, N.J., USA; Zurich, Switzerland; Dubai, UAE; and Beijing, China. For more information about IMA, please visit www.imanet.org


The important fact of this last period, however, is that Milton now had the leisure to write, or to complete, 'Paradise Lost.
They were interrogated by signs after the lost boats, but could not understand the inquiries.
They were so chilled and benumbed by the cold, however, that they lost all heart, and absolutely refused.
asked Chee- Chee; and he began to scold the parrot for letting them get lost while he was away looking for the cocoanuts.
Then she tripped back to them with sparkling eyes and smiling cheeks, having regained her usual happy mood and forgotten all her worry about being lost.
If the Black went down to defeat, U-Dor could move his victorious piece on to the square occupied by Tara of Helium and the game would be over--over in four moves and lost to Gahan of Gathol.
He now discovered that he might play his own Odwar into personal combat with Gahan; but he had already lost one Odwar and could ill spare the other.
If he lost, the game would be declared a draw, nor do they think better of drawn games upon Barsoom than do Earth men.
Key Biscayne (Hard): Bt J Sanchez, Lost W Ferreira.
No other team at the tournament has a recent record like that, not even Albania who have won three, drawn two and lost two of their last seven.


I'm going out on a limb today. As I look out at the trees in front of my house I think that could be a risky move since many of the limbs have been compromised by the harsh winter. But I promise you, I will only go out on the proverbial limb. And it is this. There is a simple cure to anxiety, depression, mood swings, rage, reactive behaviors, and other psychological ills. I call it the "second thought" and I tell my patients "it's the one that counts," (actually I attribute this phrase to one of my great mentors. Dr. Sonia Nevis). I believe that the stories we tell ourselves, the scripts that we live by from the time we are youngsters, are the reasons for the symptoms of distress I listed above. In other words, it is our thinking or our thoughts that create the tight belly, the down feelings, the rageful blasts at our loved ones. Let me be clear here. There are many events in life that are normally stressful. But distress not related to life events like death, divorce, loss of job, illness etc. but seem not to have a specific cause are due to the way we think , the false stories we tell ourselves. These stories remove us from living in the present. When brought into consciousness they actually appear real and were it not for methods like psychotherapy or mindfulness meditation they would remain rigidified as truth. Worries become fears and phobias, and a person's life is limited, compromised. Bill is convinced he will never amount to anything. John thinks he'll never find a person to love and one who will love him. Mary believes that men are out for only one thing and that dating is a waste of time. Sara worries her son will be without friends. And so on. These thoughts feel as truths. They are automatic, habitual, programmed. They are what I call "first thoughts." Living by the first thought creates all manner of pain. The way out of this problem is first to notice the thought, to bring it into consciousness and then create a second thought, the one that counts. Let's use Bill's notion that he will never amount to anything. When he notices one and all of the many ways he tells himself that he is a loser, he must do this without judgement but with compassion for having learned this at a time when he was most vulnerable. He is then instructed to take a slow deep breath in, saying his name and then breathing out, saying let go. He has then made the space for the second thought, something like. "It's not true, here are the ways I have done well in life, or some positive response that counters the first thought. Done often enough a new set of neural pathways is developed so that the first thought recedes into the background of the person's psyche and the second thought becomes increasingly more prominent, curing the person of his or her symptoms.
1. Non-judgmentally notice the first thought.
2. Breathe to relax and clear a space for the second thought.
3. Create the second thought.
Try this and let me know how it works. Write in and let us know the first thoughts you've been consciously or unconsciously buying into throughout your life. If you need assistance ask your questions or contact Dr. Ike for a personal consultation. As always send us your music. Here's our opening set.
2nd thoughts. I appreciate your technique. I am getting some mileage out of being aware of the reactive, programmed thought…and then instead of "fixing" it, which implies that there is something to fix, I simply observe that the rotten feeling I am having is coming from that thought, which is NOT my reality…it's just creating my current perception of reality. The innate Truth of my very Nature is my reality. I merely have to wait and especially if I detach enough from the programmed thought to label it as such, another thought comes along (the second thought) that comes from a broader perspective. I am not creating the Truth of who I am by my thinking…that has already been done from a place beyond thought. I do create my perception of reality with my thinking, so when I'm perceiving something I don't like, I observe my thinking, and then wait for a better thought, that helps me connect with my perception in a helpful way.
Dear Dr. Ike – I used your technique today, too. I had on my agenda tonight to begin weeding through my box of old greeting cards (which I held onto for I don't really know what reason) in preparation for downsizing from a house to a condo. As I started to make my sorted out piles: Keep, pass on to cousins if anyone wanted them or just plain throw out, I realized I was sweating and paralyzed. I looked at the massive pile of cards my deceased relatives had sent me and I could do nothing with them stare at them. I closed my eyes and started deep breathing hoping to get rid of the anxious feelings as I exhaled slowly. After about five of these, I remembered something I once read: "Why are you spending all your time in the past when the rest of your life exists in the future?" or something like that and I'll be damned – it worked! Other than shaking out the cards for missed checks or cash (LOL) I put all of them in the paper recycling bin in a matter of minutes. Thanks! I am confident I can push past the nostalgia attached to my old stash of Matchbox cars, too and just donate them somewhere.
That's great I would tweak what someone said to you. The rest of your life exists in the present and every moment forward is the present.
I love your show. I read/listen every week. I was inspired to write to you for the first time today. I am a very shy woman. I was born with a very large birthmark on my face that has caused me to feel very self-conscious. Not feeling like I am the same as other people, I keep my head down when meeting new people in the hopes that it will not be immediately obvious, but of course it is and I may possibly make things worse by holding my head down while I speak. My words get all garbled and I feel even more self-conscious and end up making up an excuse to quickly dash off. I get so embarrassed. I have tried special cover-up make-up but it makes my skin irritated and I start itching! If I understood your lesson today, what I will try the next time I meet someone new is say to myself "I am like other people and I deserve to be heard." Dr. Ike, you just would not believe some of the things I tell myself about myself everyday since I was old enough to understand that I looked so different from other people. Sometimes I even told myself I was not human.
Hello Dr. Ike and the PNRR listeners/readers!
Not sure that I used your technique correctly but here is what I did. Early in the day I read your topic and had it in mind when my department head came to me when no one was in the room and asked if I had heard of anything "going on" while she was away from the office. I was so over-joyed with her treating me as a confidant that I almost told her what I had heard…..I took a deep breath before I began to speak and a funny thing happened that little second thought popped in my head- why should I give her a heads up about anything after the shabby way she had been treating me since she became my boss not quite a year ago? I am 20 years older than she and am retiring after nearly two decades on the job partially because of the extreme discomfort I was feeling being dressed down by her in front of the others in our department. I decided it would be better to let her sweat a little and experience in a small way the stress that I felt by her placing me "on the outside" after having been at "near center" all these years. Maybe, what I am describing is really just letting that dark side of me surface and not really using your technique. What do you think of what I did? Oh, another thing…I just heard for the first time today a song "Idle (Second Thoughts) by Adult. Even at my age, the beat was seductive and I found myself toe tapping and finger snapping in spite of myself!
Dr. Ike–I've tried the second thought exercise and found it to be helpful with mild episodes of self/doubt or self/loathing. When Spivey's wrecking ball is in full swing, though, nothing seems to work, except…to envision a cease-fire (not a truce or armistice) in a bitter, endless war of attrition with fixed, impregnable positions on both sides and implacable enemies glaring at each other and committed to a fight to the death. I'll never conquer those demons, I often fear, and at best I can fight off their probes, their patrols among my outposts. In the meantime, I keep my emotional powder dry and my bunkers deep to ensure that I endure the onslaughts that come from time to time. No peace necessarily, but a respite from time to time in which to emotionally reload, relax a bit perhaps, and keep those demons at arms' length for the time being. Sometimes it's all I can do. Where this negativity comes from and how deep it runs I am still trying to figure out, and I may never succeed. To put it to the sword or otherwise decisively master it? A bit overwhelming for me at present…but the second thought exercise is helpful, even if sometimes I feel so dishonest with myself when I try it.
Let's get rid of the wrecking ball Spivey, perhaps listening to "Wrecking Ball" by Bruce Springsteen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2KNqxwt4Qg will help.
First of all, I love the new website! This is such a rich topic. The thoughts we focus on will manifest into out reality. At least that is how I look at it. So if I don't like what I am experiencing, feeling or percieving, then I have to change my thought. It is ongoing, and seems like there is no end to it. Because like you said, we are programmed how and what to think, and to undo those untrue thoughts takes constant awareness and diligence.
Barry here again. Love what you wrote. I have a story to tell. I was driving my car and suddenly felt a wave of depression come over me. I parked the car and sat and practiced your method. It came to me how sad I was that my older son is having problems in his marriage. i made me think of my divorce and I saw that I was worrying that the same would happen to him. I breathed in my name and exhaled let go and realized i had no control over what would happen and that in the present things were fine. it was a good day. I was making good money and I told myself my kid would figure it out as iI had. Thanks for the tool you gave us. I'll try to use it more often.


Home just completed. 4/2.5/2 with over an acre, lots of trees at the back for privacy. Emerald Lakes is a unique area just minutes from 1-45 and North of Willis. Custom homes on acreage lots with a lake, country club with gym, area pool, tennis courts, separate RV and boat parking. If you are looking for low taxes and high quality construction at an affordable price, don't miss this opportunity to live in this great community. Gas & water connections on back covered porch set up for your proposed outdoor kitchen. Plenty of room for pool, barn, extra blds for workshop. Kitchen has under counter lights. Baths and kitchen has granite. This builder specializes in high quality construction from the ground up.


text:
Geek in a Suit
A place for me to talk about thoughts relevant to software, consulting, etc.
Are mocks just stubs by another name, or something more?
[An older article that I published internally to a client community, reprinted with changes to remove client references]
An opinion that I've run into among some of my clients is that mock objects are just what we've always called stubs, and that it's an old approach. It's actually a quite common perspective - one I have held myself for part of my career. In fact early mock object approaches were very much like "fake implementations", but modern mocks are different. While they can both be considered "test doubles" or "test stand-ins", stubbed out interfaces or provide expected data for the system under test, mock objects provide behavioural expectation. These terminologies can be confusing, but we can sort that out.
jMock and EasyMock are two examples of mock object frameworks which allow for the specification of behaviour. jMock uses a domain specific language (DSL) such that you code the expectations in a fairly verbal syntax (often called a fluent interface). Something along the lines of
myMock.expects(methodCall(SOME_METHOD)
.which().returns(A_VALUE))
.then().expects(methodCall(OTHER_METHOD))
... which should be vaguely like english to the initiated. EasyMock, on the other hand, uses a "proxy/record/replay" approach instead, which some find easier. The point is that they both define a set of expected interactions, rather than a first this state, then the next state only.
Martin Fowler, around the middle of his article "Mocks Aren't Stubs", after describing fakes vs. mocks approaches in more detail. He starts to use a clarifying terminology which I like:
"In the two styles of testing I've shown above, the first case uses a real warehouse object and the second case uses a mock warehouse, which of course isn't a real warehouse object. Using mocks is one way to not use a real warehouse in the test, but there are other forms of unreal objects used in testing like this.
"The vocabulary for talking about this soon gets messy - all sorts of words are used: stub, mock, fake, dummy. For this article I'm going to follow the vocabulary of Gerard Meszaros's book. It's not what everyone uses, but I think it's a good vocabulary and since it's my essay I get to pick which words to use.
"Meszaros uses the term Test Double as the generic term for any kind of pretend object used in place of a real object for testing purposes. The name comes from the notion of a Stunt Double in movies. (One of his aims was to avoid using any name that was already widely used.) Meszaros then defined four particular kinds of double:
Dummy objects are passed around but never actually used. Usually they are just used to fill parameter lists.
Fake objects actually have working implementations, but usually take some shortcut which makes them not suitable for production (an in memory database is a good example).
Stubs provide canned answers to calls made during the test, usually not responding at all to anything outside what's programmed in for the test. Stubs may also record information about calls, such as an email gateway stub that remembers the messages it 'sent', or maybe only how many messages it 'sent'.
Mocks are what we are talking about here: objects pre-programmed with expectations which form a specification of the calls they are expected to receive.
"Of these kinds of doubles, only mocks insist upon behavior verification. The other doubles can, and usually do, use state verification. Mocks actually do behave like other doubles during the exercise phase, as they need to make the SUT believe it's talking with its real collaborators - but mocks differ in the setup and the verification phases."
This use of behavioural expectations for "Test Double" objects is quite handy, especially in systems where you have components which make use of heavy service objects or (gasp) singletons which may do more than a simple "call-and-answer" method-call on the object. Deep call chains may require stronger behavioural testing. Being able to provide an object to the system under test that expects to be called a certain way and in a certain order can create a much more precise test, and reduce the amount of code you have to write in a "fake" object. Otherwise, to fully and precisely test, one ends up with severely large number of Test Dummies and ballooning "Fake Objects", which themselves could have error and often have to be tested. Having a system like jMock or EasyMock can reduce the size of your testing code, thus removing some code that could easily become out-of-sync with the system under test, and either introduce false-positive errors or become insufficient and therefore meaningless. So less code, less maintenance, less syncing problems, and the tests are able to be more precise at the same time.
Another approach is to radically re-factor your code into smaller components, each of which is substantially simpler to test. If a component does one thing and does it well, and components interact and collaborate, then you often can use simpler mock behaviours, or simple fakes without as much effort on the testing. Great resources for testable code are available here .
Mocks aren't always easily intuitive for someone used to building fakes (it wasn't for me, and it still occasionally trips me up), but once you're comfortable with the approach, it can be much crisper. This is especially true as people try to get better coverage in isolated unit tests, or who are trying to test-drive their software. The linked Fowler article is a good one, and certainly worth reading for those trying to figure out how to more meaningfully test components without having to start up external servers or simulators.
Labels: agile, christian edward gruber, ChristianEdwardGruber, extreme programming, programming, TDD, test-driven, testability, XP
Christian Gruber
Are mocks just stubs by another name, or something...
Why I hate the java.util collection library.