KABUL -- The Afghan government has welcomed the latest progress made in talks in Doha, Qatar, between US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban representatives.
US and Taliban negotiators wrapped up their fifth round of marathon peace talks on Tuesday (March 12) with "real strides" made but no agreement on a timetable for troop withdrawal, the US special envoy said.
"We welcome US efforts in Afghan peace process," Haroon Chakhansuri, spokesperson for President Ashraf Ghani, tweeted Tuesday.
"We hope to witness a long term comprehensive ceasefire with the Taliban, and hope that direct negotiations [between the] Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban begin soon," Chakhansuri added.
"Just finished a marathon round of talks with the Taliban in #Doha. The conditions for #peace have improved. It's clear all sides want to end the war. Despite ups and downs, we kept things on track and made real strides," Khalilzad tweeted.
"Peace requires agreement on four issues: counter-terrorism assurances, troop withdrawal, intra-Afghan dialogue, and a comprehensive ceasefire," he said.
The sides reached agreement "in draft" on the first two issues, he said.
Khalilzad added the next step would be discussions in Washington but warned that "there is no final agreement until everything is agreed".
The talks in Doha focused on the withdrawal of US troops and assurances that insurgents would not use Afghanistan's territory to stage future terrorist attacks -- one of the initial preoccupations of American policy in the wake of the 9/11 attacks back in 2001.
"Progress was achieved regarding both these issues," said a Taliban spokesman.
"For now, both sides will deliberate over the achieved progress, share it with their respective leaderships and prepare for the upcoming meeting."
To be honest, it is unfair that Americans are holding negotiations with Taliban in absence of the Afghan government. This shows Americans' unfaithfulness towards a friendly system. Besides, I have heard that as a result of these negotiations, America will release a Pakistani terrorist, Aafia Siddiqui. If it is true, Doctor Shakeel Afridi who are in Pakistan's jail should be released in exchange. Afridi has achieved a task which had not only rescued Pashtuns but also the whole world from a big misery, and Americans should put pressure on Punjabis [Pakistanis] to release him. Pakistan can do whatever they are asked for in exchange of money.
We do not want the regional countries to make deals over Afghanistan and each country score its own concessions. We want an intra-Afghan peace through which interests and future of Afghanistan is guaranteed.
whatever achieved in absence of Afghan government can never be in favor of Afghans.
Intra-Afghan talks are the only solution for peace, said US Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad.


A Neo-Romantic smash. John Harbison has always commanded the respect of his fellow composers, although the public at large, I think, has yet to tumble to him. He has written music in every genre, including a few operas, concerti, sonatas, religious choral works, oratorio, and string quartets. He studied with Piston, Sessions, Kim, Blacher, and Dallapiccola, among others, and ended up going his own way. He has received the MacArthur "genius" award. For many years, he has served on the board of Emmanuel Church in Boston, where they do a Bach cantata every week with full forces and at the highest professional level. I first encountered his music in the Seventies, having read a rave review by the New Yorker's Andrew Porter.
Harbison himself claims the influence not only of Bach and Stravinsky, but also of jazz. As a teen, he led a group. Many currents feed his music, and not just the ones you'd think of right away. As I say, he remains true to himself without feeling the need to adapt to this or that "new thing." His music always impresses me with its directness -- the feeling that he has said exactly what's on his mind, without fuzz or static.
Considering Harbison's credentials and career, you would expect a different fate for his two-act, full-length ballet Ulysses. He wrote it twenty-five years ago, without receiving a commission first and trusting that eventually somebody would take it up. Inspired by a television broadcast of Monteverdi's Il Ritorno d' Ulisse in Patria, particularly the climactic scene where Odysseus slays the suitors, Harbison steeped himself in Homer's poem and the major works it inspired. He gathered material for years. Nevertheless, to date, no ballet company has performed it. The separate acts -- "Ulysses' Raft" and "Ulysses' Bow" -- have been played by orchestras, and "Bow" received a recording led by Previn. Yet this is the first recording of the entire ballet, which again points to the unhealthy state of music in my own country. As far as I'm concerned, the ballet takes its place with the other outstanding modern musical treatments of the theme: Dallapiccola's opera Ulisse and Nicholas Maw's super-symphonic Odyssey, neither of which most classical-music listeners will have heard.
Ulysses is a story-ballet, and the story is, of course, that of Homer's Odyssey. It's too much to ask for everything in all twenty-four books of the poem, and Harbison does a spectacular job fashioning something workable which retains the essentials. Unlike Dallapiccola's Ulisse and Maw's Odyssey, the music doesn't meditate on the philosophic implications of journey. Harbison has specifically located his inspiration in the physical: the image of the bow drawn and fired again and again, the killing of the suitors in a confined space with no escape. The music owes an obvious debt to the early Stravinsky ballets, particularly Le Sacre du printemps, in that it's music for both the "eye" and the body. Over and over, it evokes pictures and actions, from the prelude to Act I where your mind "sees" the lapping of the waves against Ulysses's boat, to the cyclops Polyphemus's rage, to the climactic scene. Actually, the music reminded me most of Samuel Barber's ballet for Martha Graham, Medea (Cave of the Heart), but that too shows the influence of the Stravinsky ballets.
Harbison has written that he wanted to avoid the psychological in this ballet. Ulysses is a man to whom things happen but who reacts to them rather than reflects upon them. The music creates a brutal, yet truly classical atmosphere. It looks out, rather than inward, and powerfully at that. We are used to a sanitized classicism -- just think of the centaurs, centaurettes, and punk mini-satyrs in Disney's Fantasia or the "monumental" classicism of Claude of Lorraine or even of some of Picasso. The Greek stories themselves are fairly savage and terrifying. The Homer epics brim full of blood, mutilation, hackings, excrement, even cannibalism, as well as (I admit) some of the most radiant nature-writing in Western civilization. Although Harbison emphasizes the first, he doesn't slight the second, especially in the Nausicaa scene, perhaps my favorite book of the entire Odyssey. Harbison gives us here a mini-suite of dances -- from the ball-tossing of the princess and her girl-friends to the "ritual dances" of the court as they welcome the disguised Ulysses as their guest.
Harbison writes about the difference between ballet and symphony, especially about the different nature of the musical demands for both. The symphony needs "open-ended" ideas which lend themselves to development, while the ballet needs ideas which satisfy the listener with merely their statement (this is surely influenced by the limits of a dancer's stamina). For all of that, however, the musical structure of the ballet hangs together. Motives -- like the ones for Ulysses's wanderings, for Penelope, and for Ulysses's bow -- pop up in more than one section, and there's a similarity of tone (although musical variety) for most sections. Harbison refers to a "quasi-Wagnerian" assignment of Leitmotiven to various characters and plot elements. Surely, most of them have gone by me during my first acquaintance with the score, but what I have picked up on has enhanced the pleasure of the work. Also, Harbison uses inventive orchestration dramatically -- tubas depict Polyphemus, the ondes martinot Circe, yelping trumpets Charybdis, for example. Furthermore, several sections run together to produce a long, quasi-symphonic span, especially true of the second act, where everything seems to rush to the ballet's climax. This score will keep me occupied for a long time.
Gil Rose and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project do a fabulous job, with first-rate playing and a wonderful pace. The ballet runs close to an hour-and-a-half, and yet it never bores you, due, I think, not only to Harbison but to Rose. The sound is fine.


Join the next generation networking utility that has created a new era of communication and relationship management. Webtalk is a global big data software technology company focused on relationship-based data mining, storage and search technologies to power the next generation communication and commerce utility. Using a patent-pending data labeling process, Webtalk has been able to reinvent online relations hip management through a user experience unparalleled in the industry; creating an entirely new class of product to manage contacts, communication and content seamlessly.


text:
What Your Candidate Tells Us About Your Credit Score
by Stacey Tisdale March 14, 2016 September 28, 2017 244
(Image: File)
While the candidates sprint down what's been a rocky road to the nomination nod from their respective parties in this year's presidential election, a new study by WalletHub shines light on the financial makeup of the voters by analyzing their credit scores.
[Related: Americans Carrying Record Amounts of Car Debt]
"While the bulk of the attention is rightfully paid to the candidates themselves, there remains a great deal that we can learn about the very voters supporting them and thus each candidate's message," writes survey researcher Alina Comoreanu.
Almost 26% of Hillary Clinton supporters have bad credit, the most of any candidate. She is followed by supporters of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, at 22% and 20%, respectively.
Almost 60% of John Kasich supporters have excellent credit scores — the highest percentage of any candidate. Marco Rubio supporters came in second, at 58%. Ted Cruz has the most supporters with fair credit.
"The higher a consumer's credit score, typically the higher their income level. High credit scores also skew to an older demographic, since length of open credit lines plays a major role in the overall score," says Jill Gonzalez, an analyst at WalletHub.
Economic circumstance also plays a role in voter participation according to data from the Census Bureau. People with household incomes of more than $75,000 voted at the highest rate of 77% in the 2012 presidential election.
Stacey Tisdale

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


RollYourBall is a Arcade app developed by Pazzizic. We only share original APK files. You can download and install the latest version of RollYourBall APK from our direct download link. On this page we provide RollYourBall 0.1.7 apk file for 4.1 and up .This is a free app listed in Arcade category of apps. Use the download button on the top to download this apk. App Installs: 100 +.
New stage with fantastic puzzle !!


Our Platform community has been busy working on new Code Climate plugins and we're excited to announce that we've given many of them stable channels within the ecosystem.
A tool for static C/C++ code analysis.
Linter for Ember or Handlebars templates.
Sass Lint by Michael Herold (GitHub) A Node-only Sass linter for both sass and scss syntax!
Scalastyle examines your Scala code and indicates potential problems.
These plugins are now available via our hosted platform and the CLI!
If you're interested in building your own Code Climate plugin, you can join our Developer Program here.


text:
Weapons and Gun Crimes
Illegal Traffic Stops and Vehicle Searches
Murder and Violent Crimes
Airport Arrests
DWI/Drunk Driving
Post-Conviction Motions
Violent Crime Appeals
Eavesdropping, Wiretaps and Search Warrant Issues
Criminal Law Overview
Your First Meeting Is Free
STREET CRIME DEFENSE WITH NO JUDGMENT
How to defend yourself against drug possession criminal charges
On behalf of Robert D. DiDio & Associates posted in Drug Charges on Tuesday, December 24, 2019.
Drug possession criminal charges are extremely serious, as a conviction could result in community service, fines, probation and/or a long prison sentence.
If you're facing criminal charges related to drug possession, it's best to quickly formulate a plan for protecting your legal rights and hopefully avoiding a conviction in court.
The circumstances of your arrest have a lot to do with the defense strategy you employ, but these three are always worth your consideration:
Unlawful search and seizure: Make note of how the drugs were found and if your legal rights were violated along the way. For example, if a police officer removed you from your vehicle, broke into your trunk and found drugs there, they may not be permissible in court.
The drugs did not belong to you: Make the prosecution prove the element of willful possession. You can do this by arguing that the drugs belonged to someone else, such as a visitor to your apartment or passenger in your vehicle.
The drugs were planted: It's a challenge to prove, but if you have reason to believe the drugs were planted by someone else, such as a police officer or an acquaintance, gather evidence to back up your claim.
Don't assume that drug possession criminal charges will automatically result in a conviction. If you give in and simply hope that things work out, you are likely to be disappointed with the end result.
You're innocent until proven guilty, so decide on a drug possession defense strategy that positions you to protect your rights with the goal of avoiding a conviction and punishment.
Tags: Drug Charges
Related Posts: New York police confused hemp with marijuana, Possession of prescription drugs can be a crime, What are the penalties for different drug crimes in New York?, Man faces arrest after violating parole with drug possession
Criminal Appeals (71)
Drug Charges (130)
Weapons Crimes (73)
murder and violent crimes (9)
theft and property crimes (9)
7 members of Trinitarios gang face trouble with the law in NYC
Drug manufacturing is a serious charge
Guns and crime: Your gun could lead to harsher penalties
What weapons can I legally possess in New York?
Pedro from Nassau County "I was arrested and charged with being the getaway driver during a knife point robbery. The police stopped my car a block away from the robbery with my co-defendant in the car with me. The victim identified my co-defendant to the police within 5 minutes of the robbery... - GREAT JOB MR. DiDIO!"
Johnny From Astoria "Mr. DiDio represented me during a murder trial in 2008. I was acquitted of all charges and released from jail after a four-week trial. I am now pursuing a civil suit against the police to compensate me for the time I was wrongfully incarcerated. Mr. DiDio literally saved... - I would highly recommend him as a trial attorney."
Frank from South Jamaica "Narcotics officers from Queens County arrested me in front of my house and claimed I had pre-recorded buy money in my pocket after they said I sold cocaine to an undercover officer a few minutes earlier. I was not guilty of the charges and planned to go to trial to prove... - There is no better criminal defense lawyer in NYC."
Lamar from Brooklyn "The Special Narcotics Prosecutor in Manhattan indicted me for the possession of a large quantity of crack cocaine. The police officers claimed they saw me make a sale of cocaine to a female and while they were arresting me, they said a softball size bag of crack cocaine fell from... - Thank you so much Mr. DiDio for the fantastic job you did on my case."
Kenny From Jamaica Queens "I don't know how to thank Mr. DiDio and his Staff. When I first hired the Law Office of Robert DiDio & Associates, I had two violent felony charges pending against me. I had little or no hope of avoiding significant jail time. My former attorney was encouraging me... - Thank-you for a great job done."
Christian from Long Island "My mother hired Mr. DiDio to represent me for my first and only criminal case. I was charged with criminal possession of a loaded firearm and other minor charges. Prior to indictment the Prosecutor's Office offered me a plea bargain that would include me pleading guilty to... - My family and I thank him very much for his hard work."
Robert D. DiDio & Associates
8002 Kew Gardens Road
Kew Gardens Law Office Map
© 2020 by Robert D. DiDio & Associates. All rights reserved. Disclaimer


text:
Q: BigQuery join on closest date match I'm trying to join two tables in BigQuery based on an id and the closest date match.
Transaction Table:

transactionId
dateTime
productId

4a50665e
2022-05-13T14:12:55
abc

7d5889cd
2022-05-22T16:10:21
abc

Product Log Table (log of when each productId is updated to a new version):

dateTime
productId
version

2022-05-19T06:37:24
abc
v2

2022-05-12T04:38:23
xyz
v1

2022-05-10T09:57:54
abc
v1

I want to add a version column to the transaction table by looking up from the product log table, based on productId match and the dateTime match from the product table. To get the active product version at the time of the transaction.
Desired Result:

transactionId
dateTime
productId
version

4a50665e
2022-05-13T14:12:55
abc
v1

7d5889cd
2022-05-22T16:10:21
abc
v2

Something like this
SELECT
  t.*,
  p.version
FROM
  transaction_table t
LEFT JOIN
  product_log_table p
ON
  t.productId = p.productId AND
  t.datetime < p.dateTime

But that doesn't work. I've tried searching a lot and tried a number of solutions but can't get anything to work. Should be simple? How do I do this?
Thanks for any help.

A: Consider below approach
select any_value(t).*,
  string_agg(version, '' order by p.dateTime desc limit 1) as version
from Transaction_Table t
join Product_Log_Table p
on t.productId = p.productId
and t.dateTime >= p.dateTime
group by format('%t', t)

if applied to sample data in your question - output is

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Some people think that I'm still too young but it's just a first impression. I think it's time for me to create my own happy story.
I can be different. Sometimes I'm cheerful, sometimes short-tempered, sometimes funny, and sometimes serious. But I always stay myself, no matter what they say!
I feel that this kind of description would be unique indeed and no one will steal it I don't want to overload you with the lists of qualities you should possess. I feel that something should "click" inside and then we'll both understand that we match. What do you think of it? Does your heart give you pieces of advice from time to time?
If you think I'm the one for you - just write me. Don't hesitate! I'm waiting for your message!


This site contains a variety of copyright material. Some of this is the intellectual property of individuals (as named), some is owned by the Company itself. Some material is owned by others (clearly indicated) and yet other material is in the public domain. Except for material which is unambiguously and unarguably in the public domain, only material owned by Cellmid and so indicated may be copied, provided that textual and graphical content are not altered and that the source is acknowledged. The Company reserves the right to revoke that permission at any time. Permission is not given for any commercial use or sale of this material.


Teachers or Parents: Unbelief is the one unforgivable sin!
Recently a friend told me the story of his move to our community.
Fresh air is precisely what many people feel they never get in church.
At first, just the word that someone had seen him was enough. The eyewitnesses were present.
Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." (v.
Good morning, boys and girls. How many of you like to go hiking?
Happy Easter! Did you know that it's still Easter?
Division and unrest seem to be the general state of affairs in the world today.
Thomas had never seen his friends so excited.
Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."
The Masada was Herod's summer palace and fortress.
Doubt about the resurrection is not just Thomas' hang-up.
The story of Doubting Thomas: It is so easy to demonize his lack of faith.
John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States, would arise at 4 AM every day.
Roger Bannister is the first man to run the four-minute mile.
Rebecca wanted to go out to dinner with all of her friends, but had to work instead.
On January 14, 2011, President Barack Obama issued his proclamation for Religious Freedom Day.
There are some jokes that are just too terrible to tell from the pulpit.
Christianity has always had its doubters. Sometimes it comes in open and public terms.
The urge to be a part of what is going on is very powerful.
I attended graduate school at St.
Jesus came to earth. Jesus left earth.
A Story to Live By: "Seeing Jesus"
A Story to Live By: "Reason to Doubt"
Easter is a time of surprises.
The first Sunday after Easter is Holy Humor Sunday, as it is celebrated in many places.
But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
No biblical character has suffered as much exegetical and theological abuse as Thomas.
My mother's only brother died in March, 1983, in a car/train accident. I was devastated.
Timmy's heart had a small hole in it.
"Peace be with you. Peace be with you."
Harry was a quiet, gentle, kind-hearted man who daily demonstrated his concern for people.
Tommy Russo tried and tried to go to church with his wife.
One: Alleluia! Christ is risen!
This is the second Sunday of Easter.


Datatech UK provides a multitude of ways to access the Internet from your office, ranging from standard dial-up and broadband (through existing telephone lines) through to leased lines, with a wide variety of connection speeds from 56k to 100mb.
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) - A local loop access technology that provides high-speed connections over copper wire, to deliver data, voice, and video information over a dedicated digital network. Variations of DSL services are also known as ADSL, HDSL, SDSL, VDSL and ISDN. DSL is a more popular alternative to ISDN and low end Leased Lines, being faster than ISDN and avoiding dial up charges. It is also less costly than traditional Leased Line connectivity. Datatech UK has many offerings in this field, tailored to meet your every requirement.
To check your phone number or postcode for broadband availability click here.
Broadband A digital service that allows you to make, and take, phone calls in the normal way AND be on the Internet at the same time. Online speed up to 10 times faster than a standard line, is one of many benefits that would be available to you. Datatech UK will deliver an exceptional and cost effective Internet experience via a number of renowned and recognised carriers.
Lease Lines A dedicated private circuit that is rented for exclusive 24-hour, 7-days-a-week use from one location to another (Point-2-Point). This service is completely un-contended (i.e. not used by any other subscribers) unlike Broadband technologies, so that you receive full symmetrical bandwidth in both directions. The highest speed data connections require a leased line. Lease line circuits also come with exceptional service level guarantees for reassurance on mission critical applications.
Satellite A Broadband Internet Service can be delivered via satellite, as opposed to standard line technology, for those areas that do not currently have broadband enabled local exchanges. This is based on open standard technology, enabling businesses to fully enjoy the benefits of broadband Internet in a reliable and cost-effective way.


This MTA Training course helps you prepare for Microsoft Technology Associate Exam 98-367, and build an understanding of these topics: Security Layers, Operating System Security, Network Security, Security Software. This course leverages the same content as found in the Microsoft Official Academic Course (MOAC) for this exam.
Confidentiality; integrity; availability; how threat and risk impact principles; principle of least privilege; social engineering; attack surface.
Site security; computer security; removable devices and drives; access control; mobile device security; disable Log On Locally; keyloggers.
Browser settings; zones; secure websites.
Advantages and disadvantages of specific security types; keys; service set identifiers (SSIDs); MAC filters.
Multifactor; smart cards; Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS); Public Key Infrastructure (PKI); understand the certificate chain; biometrics; Kerberos and time skew; use Run As to perform administrative tasks; password reset procedures.
File; share; registry; Active Directory; NT file system (NTFS) versus file allocation table (FAT); enable or disable inheritance; behavior when moving or copying files within the same disk or on another disk; multiple groups with different permissions; basic permissions and advanced permissions; take ownership; delegation.
Password complexity; account lockout; password length; password history; time between password changes; enforce by using Group Policies; common attack methods.
Types of auditing; what can be audited; enable auditing; what to audit for specific purposes; where to save audit information; how to secure audit information.
Encrypting file system (EFS); how EFS-encrypted folders impact moving/copying files; BitLocker (To Go); TPM; software-based encryption; MAIL encryption and signing and other uses; virtual private network (VPN); public key/private key; encryption algorithms; certificate properties; certificate services; PKI/certificate services infrastructure; token devices.
Buffer overflow; worms; Trojans; spyware.
Types of hardware firewalls and their characteristics; why to use a hardware firewall instead of a software firewall; SCMs and UTMs; stateful versus stateless inspection.
Purpose of NAP; requirements for NAP.
Virtual local area networks (VLANs); routing; honeypot; perimeter networks; network address translation (NAT); VPN; IPsec; server and domain isolation.
Protocol spoofing; IPsec; tunneling; DNSsec; network sniffing; common attack methods.
Antivirus; User Account Control (UAC); keep client operating system and software updated; encrypt offline folders, software restriction policies.
Antispam, antivirus, spoofing, phishing, and pharming; client versus server protection; Sender Policy Framework (SPF) records; PTR records.
Separation of services; hardening; keep server updated; secure dynamic Domain Name System (DNS) updates; disable unsecure authentication protocols; Read-Only Domain Controllers (RODC); separate management VLAN; Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA).


One of Europe's leading Care Service providers is looking recruit Graduates to join it 2019 Graduate Management Scheme. This is a 2 year scheme and could be based at any one of a number of locations across the UK, including multiple locations in England and Edinburgh.
Gain an insight into all areas of this fast-growing business, with opportunities for rapid internal progression and continued personal development.
The company was formed in the early 1990s as an exciting project which sought to offer quality Care services to companies and institutions.
Today they employ more than 75,000 people working across Europe. We're a market leader in both airport services and domiciliary care services across Europe, and we have the ambition and drive to grow to the same position in the UK market.
Across Europe the Graduate programme has helped us to develop rapidly as a company. We are now replicating this success with our UK Graduate Programme.
Since opening in the UK we have grown to a team of over 2,000 care and support professionals, working together to provide bespoke, personalised care and support services to a wide range of people – including those with complex needs – so that they can live at home independently.
We work to improve the quality of life of more than one million people, maintaining and improving the efficiency of our buildings whilst caring for and protecting the environment, whether in our cities or as part of our natural heritage.
Our services are based on our core principles – we ensure our care and support focuses on your overall well-being and allows you to live with dignity. We are fully registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and we are a member of the United Kingdom Home Care Association (UKHCA).
Our success can be measured not only in terms of our diversified business model and our consistent growth, but also by the strong social involvement within the company and in the local communities we work in.
This involvement goes beyond business activity and has become a commitment to society through inclusion, social awareness and the care of people. Today, more than 6,500 of our employees are from the most disadvantaged collectives. It is this vision, effort and commitment which makes us stand out from the rest.
During our two year graduate programme you will have the opportunity to rotate across the business, gaining vital experience in the following core areas: HR, Payroll, Finance, Credit Control, Recruitment. As our branches are based around the UK, we offer a relocation packages to graduates who are moving between branches.
You are receive in-house training to develop into a future leader of the company.
Graduates have made this company what it is today - we are looking to find the future leaders of the company who will help our business to continue to grow and succeed.
We are currently looking for graduates to join teams across the UK.
If you match our requirements below, then apply today -we look forward to hearing from you.


text:
Barakat Contemporary
Third film in Wael Shawky's 'Cabaret Crusades' trilogy on view at Blanton Museum of Art
"History and theatre are caught up in each other. That's why I chose the title Cabaret Crusades." – Wael Shawky
The final instalment of Wael Shawky's Cabaret Crusades trilogy, Cabaret Crusades III: The Secrets of Karbala (2015), is now on view at the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas. This third film continues Shawky's exploration of the Crusades religious wars fought in the Medieval period, and is based on the 1983 book The Crusades through Arab Eyes by French-Lebanese writer Amin Maalouf. Interested in history's interpretation as well as history itself, Shawky creates a highly stylised visual language using marionette puppets, produced in blown glass at the Berengo Glass Studio in Murano, and a handmade, revolving set.
Though the film's source material was originally written in French, Shawky translated excerpts of the text into classical Arabic — a nod to the book's title and concept — in order to create his script. The puppets speak in Arabic with subtitles in English. The result is a mesmerising journey through a conflict whose effects still resonate in today's world.
Cabaret Crusades III: The Secrets of Karbala is on view until 19 April 2020. Find more information here.
36, Samcheong–ro 7–gil
Jongno–gu, Seoul, Korea
info@barakat.kr
Youtube, opens in a new tab.
© Barakat Contemporary


text:
Find an interior designer the easy way
Where do you need interior designers?
contact you
You choose the best
Interior Design Articles
Sydney style: the Art Deco of Potts Point
Last Updated Sep 14, 2018 · Written by Rob Schneider · 7 min read
Art Deco architecture had a fairly brief, but important impact on the history of architecture. Art Deco began to influence global architecture in 1925, when the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs was held in Paris in 1925. Originally, Art Deco was called "Art Moderne," but later became known as Art Deco. The name comes from "Arts Decoratifs" and has persisted to this day.
Art Deco survived through the "Roaring 20's" and even through the Great Depression before other styles became fashionable. The style caught on quickly in Australia. Examples of Art Deco architecture can be found in many areas of Australia, but the largest concentration is in Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay.
What is Art Deco Architecture?
Art Deco architecture was just one aspect of the movement. It also included art and graphic design. While styles have changed, Art Deco architecture is still popular and many classic Art Deco buildings are heritage listed to preserve their style.
(caption: Ziggurat Art Deco design)
While it's hard to pinpoint exactly what an Art Deco building looks like, they are all easily recognisable through the unique design motifs, which were unlike anything that came before or since. Some things to look for include:
Ziggurats were taken from ancient Mesopotamia. Ziggurats have a terraced look and they were used on everything from wallpaper to architectural design during the Art Deco era.
Zigzag patterns were used extensively in Art Deco architecture. The zigzag pattern was taken from ancient Mayan art.
Sunbursts and sunrises were used extensively in Art Deco architecture. They were often a feature of the design and were placed prominently in an exterior.
Some other distinguishing characteristics of Art Deco design included:
Stucco was first used on Art Deco architecture, but not as often in Australia as the U.S.
Many Art Deco buildings in Australia had rendered exteriors
Roofs were often flat, but were adorned with parapets, spires and tower-like facades
Pastel colours were often used on exteriors
Art Deco in Potts Point
Art Deco buildings in Potts Point were often made of brick. Sometimes the brick was rendered, but not always. Some or all of the design motifs were included, both inside and outside of the buildings. If a sunburst design wasn't a feature of the exterior, it was often used as a tile design.
Art Deco in Potts Point and neighbouring Elizabeth Bay is so renowned, tours are available. On the tours, you learn the history of the buildings and learn about their distinguishing characteristics. Some of the most famous examples of Art Deco in Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay are apartment buildings. Some of them include:
Marlborough Hall, Elizabeth Bay
Wychbury, Potts Point
Tahoe, Elizabeth Bay
Cahors, Potts Point
Macleay Regis, Potts Point
Kanimbla Hall, Potts Point
Adereham Hall, Elizabeth Bay
17 Wilde Street, Potts Point
Gowrie Gate, Potts Point
Each of these properties is distinctively different, but they all bear the hallmarks of the Art Deco era. Wychbury has a row of sunbursts adorning the top of the building. Cahors has rows of zigzag patterns and spires. Kanimbla Hall is a little more subtle, but has a rendered exterior and spire-like facades rise from the ground to the roof next to the windows.
(Photo courtesy of Wikimedia)
A classic example of Art Deco architecture is the Metro Theatre at 28 Orwell Street in Potts Point near Kings Cross. In the 1960s, it was still a theatre, but for live performances. Then it was converted into a supermarket. Today it is the headquarters of Kennedy Miller, the producers of "Mad Max" and other films. While you can no longer enjoy a film or live performance at the Metro, you can admire its classic Art Deco facade.
(labelled for "reuse" on Google images)
Renovating an Art Deco Building
Most Art Deco buildings are heritage listed. Regulations vary, but in general councils want to preserve the exterior of heritage listed properties. You probably wouldn't want to modernise an Art Deco exterior anyway. Their classic style is part of their charm and can add to their value. In general, councils want you to:
Preserve the look and style of a heritage listed property
Repair rather than replace distinctive elements of the property
Use original materials when you renovate a heritage listed property
Use traditional finishes (such as oil or wax) instead of modern finishes like polyurethane
This can make renovating a heritage listed building more expensive, but many Art Deco buildings have been maintained well and need little exterior renovation. They may need cleaning up, but some of the more expensive renovations may not be necessary. For example, many heritage listed buildings had visible roofs. Many Art Deco buildings have flat roofs that are hidden from view and you may not need to replace the roof with an expensive roofing material.
Before you buy an Art Deco building, check with your local council. They will tell you what you can and can't do with it. It's better to be safe than sorry, so if you know in advance, you'll know if the asking price is too high. As is true of most older buildings, it's always a good idea to have a pre-purchase building inspection before you buy. You don't want to have to make expensive structural renovations.
For more information, read How to Work with Heritage Listed Homes. The article gives more helpful tips. Also read How Much Does it Cost to Renovate an Older or Heritage Listed House? for some advice about the costs you will be looking at.
Renovating an Art Deco Interior
Art Deco interiors are another matter. Since many Art Deco buildings are apartment complexes, councils allow you to modernise the interior. While you may not be able to do anything about the narrow hallways, you can paint them a lighter colour to make them feel more spacious.
Building standards weren't the same in the 1920s to 1940s as they are today. Many Art Deco buildings have creaky floors and may need other interior work. Most councils will allow you to do what's necessary to make an apartment more habitable and less of a nuisance to your neighbours. Do check with your local council first, though. They may want you to preserve parts of the public spaces in the building.
You may want to modernise an Art Deco interior, but why not update it with elements of the Art Deco era? In the bathroom, you may be able to find Art Deco tiles. If not, you can recreate the look with a zigzag pattern on the bathroom walls.
Black and white go well in an Art Deco interior. To recreate the Art Deco look, use black and white floor tiles. You can use large format tiles or find a design that mimics the Art Deco zigzag pattern. Reproduction wallpaper is available or you can choose a wallpaper that is reminiscent of the Art Deco era.
Art Deco is making a comeback and you can find reproduction Art Deco lighting, mirrors and furnishings in many furniture suppliers. You may even stumble across something in a thrift shop or you can take an image of an Art Deco motif and have a glazier make an Art Deco style mirror for your bathroom, living room or bedroom.
You may not have to make your Art Deco interior a perfect reproduction of the era, but adding Art Deco elements will add a sense of period style to your interior. If you fell in love with an Art Deco home or apartment building, you'll want to recreate the era in your home. You can do that without sacrificing comfort or modern conveniences.
You might also like: How to bring New York style home, Top 10 renovation trends of 2016
How to Make Your Home Look as Good as a Vogue Living Cover
2019 How Much Does an Interior Designer Cost?
Interiors inspired by Latin America
2019 How Much Does an Interior Decorator Cost?
Interior trends to look out for in 2019
Interior design trends to avoid when selling a house
Inside an interior designer's Paddington terrace
How does winter fashion influence home style?
Browse the local directory for Interior Designers
Interior Designers near Australian Capital Territory
Interior Designers near New South Wales
Interior Designers near Northern Territory
Interior Designers near Queensland
Interior Designers near South Australia
Interior Designers near Tasmania
Interior Designers near Victoria
Interior Designers near Western Australia
Interior Designers near Canberra
Interior Designers near Sydney
Interior Designers near Darwin
Interior Designers near Brisbane
Interior Designers near Adelaide
Interior Designers near Hobart
Interior Designers near Melbourne
Interior Designers near Perth
Find great interior designers
Get up to 3 free quotes. Compare and choose the best professional for your job.


Alijenad was born as Masoumeh Alinejad but uses the first name "Masih" (anointed or Messiah) which is the title of Jesus of Nazareth in Islam and Christianity. Alinejad was politically active from a young age and was arrested as an activist for producing leaflets critical of the Government in 1994. Alinejad began her career in journalism in 2001 with Hambastegi daily and then worked for Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA). Papers including Shargh, Bahar, Vaghaye.Ettefaghiye, Ham-Mihan and Etemad Melli have also published her articles. During the sixth and seventh parliament, Alinejad was the parliamentary reporter. In 2005 she wrote an article that showed a considerable sum of money was given to MPs as a New Year bonus. The article generated lots of controversy and led to her dismissal from the parliament.
In 2008 she wrote a highly controversial article in Etemad Melli daily, called 'Song of the Dolphins' where she compared Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's behaviour to the behaviour of dolphin trainers to dolphins. She wrote that the impoverished people who gathered around Ahmadinejad in his provincial visits to give him letters are similar to hungry dolphins that make sounds and perform entertaining acts to grab a morsel of food from their trainer. Some people regarded the article as very offensive towards the president and the people and eventually Mehdi Karroubi the director of the paper had to apologise for the article. Time Magazine published an article in this regard in 7 May 2008 titled 'Jesus' vs. Ahmadinejad.
In the summer of 2009, during her stay in the United States, Alinejad tried very hard to have an interview with Barack Obama; however, she was refused the interview although she was granted the visa based on having an interview with Obama. Her visa expired and she had to return to England. While in the United States, she participated in some of Iranian protests and delivered a speech in one on 25 July 2009 in San Francisco where she said, addressing the government authorities of Iran, "We have trembled for thirty years, now it is your turn to tremble." She was interviewed by VOA, which was shown together with parts of the videos she had made, called 'A Storm of Fresh Air.' In 2010 she and a group of Iranian writers and intellectuals established 'IranNeda' foundation. After the presidential election in Iran in 2009, she published a novel called 'A Green Date'.


Bass Boosted Music Mix → Best Of EDM // Bass Boost // Bass Test // Trap Remix & Music ▻ Daily Bass Boosted music.
IQid=MTrainorAATB As. Click to listen to Meghan Trainor on Spotify: http://smarturl. Meghan Trainor's official music video for 'All About That Bass'.
add_user=OfficialExtremeBassB Click "Show More" for more details/information. Click Here To Subscribe: http://www.
ly/29GSODZ ☑ Facebook: http://bit. ly/29W63kB ☑ All Mixes: http://bit. Follow Bass Boosted Songs: ☑ Subscribe: http://bit.


text:
using System;
using System.Linq;
using NUnit.Framework;
using SharpTestsEx;
using Rhino.Mocks;

namespace MSR.Data.Entities.DSL.Mapping
{
	[TestFixture]
	public class BugFixMappingExpressionTest : BaseRepositoryTest
	{
		[Test]
		public void Should_add_bugfix()
		{
			mappingDSL
				.AddCommit("1")
				.AddCommit("2").IsBugFix()
				.AddCommit("3")
			.Submit();

			Queryable<BugFix>().Count()
				.Should().Be(1);
			Queryable<BugFix>().Single().Commit.Revision
				.Should().Be("2");
		}
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This paper is the synopsis of a larger work completed under the auspices of the CO2 Capture Project, an international effort funded by eight of the world's leading energy companies. It seeks to explain the rationale for the geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) based on insights from the practical experience of the oil and gas industry. It considers the key technical applications that will make storage possible, and the subsurface management processes that will provide confidence to all stakeholders that storage is effective. Four broad areas are described including, the selection and characterization of sites for CO2 storage; issues of well integrity and well construction; the requirements of monitoring programs for appropriate data collection and risk management. Finally, issues arising from storage operations and the eventual closure and decommissioning of CO2 storage sites are addressed.
Keywords: carbon dioxide; storage; site selection; wells; injectivity; containment; monitoring; closure; decommissioning.


text:
What do the numbers mean in a liver function test?
Causes of elevated b12 levels
What is a high GGT level?
Calculate the A/G Ratio
What are the limitations of psychological tests?
HOMEPAGE HOBBIES
What Is the Normal Range for RA Factor?
Written by: Marion Sipe
weathered hands image by robert mobley from Fotolia.com
Faced with a patient exhibiting the common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), such as joint pain, stiffness or swelling, a doctor may order a rheumatoid factor test to determine the levels of RF present in the patient's system.
The rheumatoid factor can signify potential health concerns, so a patient should know a few facts about it in order to better understand test results.
Definition of Rheumatoid Arthritis
RA is an autoimmune disorder causing chronic inflammation. RA often affects the small joints of the hands and feet because it attacks the joint lining, resulting in painful swelling. RA can eventually lead to joint deformation and the erosion of bone. RA can also affect the entire body, producing both fevers and fatigue.
RA is an autoimmune disorder causing chronic inflammation.
RA can also affect the entire body, producing both fevers and fatigue.
The Rheumatoid Factor
The rheumatoid factor (RF) is an antibody in the blood linked to RA and other autoimmune diseases. While high levels of RF in a patient's system may suggest that the patient has or will develop RA in the future, the RF test is not a sole indicator. Approximately 10 per cent of people exhibit an elevated level of the RF antibody without symptoms of RA, and some 20 per cent of patients with RA will test negative or present very low levels of RF. Dr. Joan Bathon, with the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center, says, "The blood tests are used to confirm what is found by medical history and physical examination."
The rheumatoid factor (RF) is an antibody in the blood linked to RA and other autoimmune diseases.
While high levels of RF in a patient's system may suggest that the patient has or will develop RA in the future, the RF test is not a sole indicator.
RF Test
Testing the RF requires a blood sample, which then goes for analysis. Doctors use the test to help diagnose rheumatoid arthritis and aid in distinguishing it from other conditions that cause similar symptoms of joint pain, inflammation and stiffness, such as Sjögren's syndrome.
Testing the RF requires a blood sample, which then goes for analysis.
RF test results come in two forms: units or titres. Because high RF levels make a blood sample cloudy, a Nephelometry unit test measures how much light the blood sample blocks. Using this measurement, a RF level of 100 units is higher than one of 40 units. A test measured in titres determines how diluted a blood sample can be before RF is not detectable. The higher the second number, the more RF is present in the diluted blood sample. So a titre of 1:80 indicates more detectable RF than a titre of 1:20.
Reviewed by Dr. Shoor, an internist specialising in rheumatology, Quest Diagnostics gives the normal range of RF in the blood as 1:20 to 1:80 titres, or 14 units/ml to 60 units/ml. Levels smaller than or within this range are considered "normal" and are not strong factors in diagnosis.
Causes of High RF
A high RF does not only indicate the possibility of RA. The rheumatoid factor may also be elevated in people with lupus, Sjögren's syndrome, or people who suffer from infections such as hepatitis, mononucleosis and tuberculosis. Cancer patients may also test high for RF. "However, a lab test by itself does not make a diagnosis," Dr. Bathon says. "It has to be considered along with the individual patient's signs and symptoms. . . .The best thing to do in cases of persistent joint pain is to see a rheumatologist to see if there is physical evidence of joint inflammation."
A high RF does not only indicate the possibility of RA.
.The best thing to do in cases of persistent joint pain is to see a rheumatologist to see if there is physical evidence of joint inflammation."
What Are High LDH Levels?→
Problems with low calcium levels→
What Are the Causes of Low IgG and IgM?→
Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center: Ask an Expert
Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center: RF 1000
Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center: RF 16
Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center: Rheumatoid Factor
Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center
Marion Sipe has been a freelance writer, poet and fantasy novelist since 2000. Her work appears in online publications including LIVESTRONG.COM and eHow Home and Garden. Her fiction has been publish in Alienskin Magazine, Alternatives, and the Flash! anthology. Homeschooled, she spent her youth flitting around the country.


text:
[ January 18, 2021 ] ILLUSION OF FREEDOM	Freedom
[ January 18, 2021 ] Anteroom of Our Own Extinction	Environment
[ January 15, 2021 ] A Message to Anyone Who Feels Like 'Winston' in Orwell's 1984	Tyranny
[ January 15, 2021 ] The Sheep Syndrome	Tyranny
[ January 15, 2021 ] BREAKING: Left-Wing Activist Charged For Agitating Crowd At Capitol; NARRATIVE DESTROYED!	Media
HomeGovernmentFormer UK Ambassador Says Source Of Clinton Emails Was "Disgusted" Democratic Whistleblower
Former UK Ambassador Says Source Of Clinton Emails Was "Disgusted" Democratic Whistleblower
December 15, 2016 TFD Government 0
Just as the CIA/Democrat/Mainstream Media narrative of Russia's involvement in the election jumps the shark with fact-less accusations of Putin's personal involvement, The Daily Mail blows the entire 'hack' meme out of the water. As an evoy for Wikileaks, former UK ambassador Craig Murray claims he flew to Washington for a clandestine handoff with one source, who "had legal access to the information. The documents came from inside leaks, not hacks… Neither of [the leaks] came from the Russians."
Murray, who blasted The CIA's "blatant lies" in a recent op-ed, has now come forward with more details on how he knows they are lying… (as The Daily Mail reports)
Craig Murray, former British ambassador to Uzbekistan and a close associate of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, told Dailymail.com that he flew to Washington, D.C. for a clandestine hand-off with one of the email sources in September.
'Neither of [the leaks] came from the Russians,' said Murray in an interview with Dailymail.com on Tuesday. 'The source had legal access to the information. The documents came from inside leaks, not hacks.'
While Murray is a controversial figure who was removed from his post as a British ambassador amid allegations of misconduct. He was cleared of those but left the diplomatic service in acrimony. His links to Wikileaks are well known.
His account contradicts directly the version of how thousands of Democratic emails were published before the election being advanced by U.S. intelligence.
Murray insisted that the DNC and Podesta emails published by Wikileaks did not come from the Russians, and were given to the whistleblowing group by Americans who had authorized access to the information.
'Neither of [the leaks] came from the Russians,' Murray said. 'The source had legal access to the information. The documents came from inside leaks, not hacks.'
He said the leakers were motivated by 'disgust at the corruption of the Clinton Foundation and the tilting of the primary election playing field against Bernie Sanders.'
Murray said he retrieved the package from a source during a clandestine meeting in a wooded area near American University, in northwest D.C. He said the individual he met with was not the original person who obtained the information, but an intermediary.
His account cannot be independently verified but is in line with previous statements by Wikileaks – which was the organization that published the Podesta and DNC emails.
Murray declined to say where the sources worked and how they had access to the information, to shield their identities.
He suggested that Podesta's emails might be 'of legitimate interest to the security services' in the U.S., due to his communications with Saudi Arabia lobbyists and foreign officials.
Murray said he was speaking out due to claims from intelligence officials that Wikileaks was given the documents by Russian hackers as part of an effort to help Donald Trump win the U.S. presidential election.
'I don't understand why the CIA would say the information came from Russian hackers when they must know that isn't true,' he said. 'Regardless of whether the Russians hacked into the DNC, the documents Wikileaks published did not come from that.'
Assange has similarly disputed that charges that Wikileaks received the leaked emails from Russian sources.
'The Clinton camp has been able to project a neo-McCarthyist hysteria that Russia is responsible for everything,' Assange told John Pilger during an interview in November.
'Hillary Clinton has stated multiple times, falsely, that 17 US intelligence agencies had assessed that Russia was the source of our publications. That's false – we can say that the Russian government is not the source.'
As Murray concluded in his recent op-ed, the continued ability of the mainstream media to claim the leaks lost Clinton the election because of "Russia", while still never acknowledging the truths the leaks reveal, is Kafkaesque.
It is terrible that the prime conduit for this paranoid nonsense is a once great newspaper, the Washington Post, which far from investigating executive power, now is a sounding board for totally evidence free anonymous source briefing of utter bullshit from the executive.
The worst thing about all this is that it is aimed at promoting further conflict with Russia. This puts everyone in danger for the sake of more profits for the arms and security industries – including of course bigger budgets for the CIA. As thankfully the four year agony of Aleppo comes swiftly to a close today, the Saudi and US armed and trained ISIS forces counter by moving to retake Palmyra. This game kills people, on a massive scale, and goes on and on.
Click above logo for original story.
Deutsche Bank CEO Warns Of "Fatal Consequences" For Savers
WHO KILLED JFK?
Americans' Self-Contradictory Views of Socialized Healthcare – Majorities want single-payer, but not from the government.
ILLUSION OF FREEDOM
Anteroom of Our Own Extinction
A Message to Anyone Who Feels Like 'Winston' in Orwell's 1984
BREAKING: Left-Wing Activist Charged For Agitating Crowd At Capitol; NARRATIVE DESTROYED!
BREAKING: John Solomon Confirms Trump Will Declassify "FOOT HIGH" Stack Of Documents Exposing Obamagate And Russiagate
1000s Of National Guard Troops Briefed On Explosives Threat In DC
2021 May be the Year that the World Loses Confidence in the Dollar
The Liberty Beacon
archives Select Month January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 August 2013
SEARCH BY CATEGORIE HERE
SEARCH BY CATEGORIE HERE Select Category Commentary (1,093) Environment (184) Financial (857) Freedom (909) Government (1,420) Health (465) Media (789) Military (399) Protection (38) Toxic (11) Tyranny (258) Wealth Abuse (516) World Affairs (1,331)


All individual notices, service of which is provided for in the Noxious Weed Control Act, shall be in writing. Service of such notices shall be in the same manner as service of a summons in a civil action in the district court or by certified mail to the last-known address to be ascertained, if necessary, from the last tax list.
Laws 1989, LB 49, § 12.


Bring your hound down to The Brightside on Sunday 4th June and down a Bloody Mary as you kick back with Brisbane's best doggos!
Drinking & Dragons - Free D&D sessions!
Bright at Night - Showcasing our great local talent!
Harry Potter - 20 Year Anniversary Party - Tix on sale now!
Bark & Brews - Rextember - Free entry!


Save time, empower your teams and effectively upgrade your processes with access to this practical 3D secure Toolkit and guide. Address common challenges with best-practice templates, step-by-step work plans and maturity diagnostics for any 3D secure related project.
The latest quick edition of the 3D secure Self Assessment book in PDF containing 49 requirements to perform a quickscan, get an overview and share with stakeholders.
Featuring 948 new and updated case-based questions, organized into seven core areas of process design, this Self-Assessment will help you identify areas in which 3D secure improvements can be made.
What are the barriers to increased 3D secure production?
How will you measure your 3D secure effectiveness?
How do we Identify specific 3D secure investment and emerging trends?
Who is the main stakeholder, with ultimate responsibility for driving 3D secure forward?
Scope Management Plan: What are the risks that could significantly affect the schedule of the 3D secure project?
Cost Management Plan: Are updated 3D secure project time & resource estimates reasonable based on the current 3D secure project stage?
Procurement Management Plan: Does the schedule include 3D secure project management time and change request analysis time?
Step-by-step and complete 3D secure Project Management Forms and Templates including check box criteria and templates.
With this Three Step process you will have all the tools you need for any 3D secure project with this in-depth 3D secure Toolkit.
This Toolkit empowers people to do just that - whether their title is entrepreneur, manager, consultant, (Vice-)President, CxO etc... - they are the people who rule the future. They are the person who asks the right questions to make 3D secure investments work better.
This 3D secure All-Inclusive Toolkit enables You to be that person.


In 1918, workers arrive by train in the middle of the Taiga in order to construct an electrical plant. Among them is Vasily, who is made chief of the depot. He runs into hostility and has to put down corruption. Vasily shares a cabin with other workers and a couple, who sleep in a corner of the room behind a curtain. He falls in love with the woman of the house. Counter-revolutionaries try to prevent the building of the town, but Vasily persists in felling more trees and by his example gets the other workers to join him. His relationship with the woman is discovered and the woman is beaten, bound and imprisoned. Vasily rescues her. The counter-revolutionaries and local peasants, hostile to the Communists to the end, have no intention of letting Vasily and his new bride enjoy a happy ending to the story.
IN RUSSIAN WITH SWITCHABLE ENGLISH SUBTITLES .DVD-R IS APPROX. 105 MINS. See film sample for audio and video quality.


A big THANK YOU to everyone who voted for me in the first annual Houston Web Awards!! I won BEST TWITTERER in Houston!!
Click here to check out the great write-up from Houston Press – we'll be heading to the award ceremony tomorrow night so we'll try to get some pics to share!!
Also, pick up a copy of the in-print Houston Press tomorrow for the full features!!


A range along with damage is certainly exactly what on the planet is actually typically the reason behind the team's 14-27 begin, nevertheless journey personal trainer Alvin Gentry offers discovered this particular the woman's guys can't handle to cover to stop much more actions to be able to assailants they are really necessary to mix.
Maybe customers your pet pointed out all precisely at risk in the event that Revolutionary Orleans seemed to be eliminating throughout halftime for your 13-30 Timberwolves.
"In all dependability WE thought these people: 'Guys you know what occurs? This is really our couple of years, '" Gentry documented,Donatas Motiejunas Jersey due to NOLA. com. "This will determine in case it's great to become involved and obtain the chance in order to frequently end up being stated for any playoff organization as well as many people will not and that's definitely precisely what precisely all of them precipitates to be able to.Jarrett Jack Jersey It really is that simple.
The motivational method formerly proved helpful, whenever Revolutionary Orleans was launched whilst in the finally area in addition held control of the entertainment, outscoring Mn by means of a day problems since the really final not just one however 2 cycles to be able to close by the experience outdoors.


This weekend at the movies, the audience will get a glimpse into the final days of Oscar Wilde, a man who observes his own failure with ironic distance and regards the difficulties that beset his life with detachment and humor. The Happy Prince marks the directorial debut of actor Rupert Everett, who also wrote its screenplay. I recently sat down with Mr. Everett to talk about directing for the first time and playing Oscar Wilde a second.


Introducing the Original Twist canal going house boat; in the style of a narrow boat only bigger, better and absolutely modern. As a living unit it presents an economical lifestyle choice. For around £160,000 you get very low cost housing and maybe some change left over for a holiday house, long ski breaks and other good things. A comparable land based house or flat would be twice the price because of the cost of land, a boat on the other hand effectively rents the river via the canal licence.
A house boat might be small but as well as reduced outgoings there are some great advantages. You are never stuck anywhere you don't like; if you need a change you can just cruise to somewhere else, maybe near a cosy riverside pub. River life can be like an aquatic pub crawl but without the driving. You'll make more friends among the friendly and hospitable canal community too, especially with the most interesting boat on the water.
There is more scope for travel than just the English waters as you can get a tow across the channel to use the huge French network extending all the way down to the South of France where winters are not so harsh. Otherwise the house boat is an attractive proposition for a house swap so the whole world is your lobster.
It's a tough life being retired!
The Original Twist Eco-house boat is all about, modernity, comfort and enough economy to make a modest pension go far. Many traditional ideas have been updated to achieve this.
Unlike a go-anywhere narrow boat ours is 10 feet wide and 55 feet long – we'll forgo visits to a few stretches of narrow canal in exchange for a lot more room and the garage – yes that's right, a garage.
The shell of the boat is normal steel but without the enclosing steel roof parts. The front saloon and the rear transom are full height steel as is the central bulkhead that separates them. The two open parts between the steel constructions are connected at roof level by tubular trellised ladder frames which run the length of the boat interrupted only by the central bulkhead. The open parts of the boat are then covered by 2 insulated wooden rooms made of plywood and foam panels (SIPS).which are factory prefabricated – complete with windows, pipes, wires etc. This makes the boat lighter, cheaper and better insulated.
The two central living spaces house the kitchen a bedroom and shower room, all with heated floors. Each has a large pop-up roof (just like on a camper van) to give a more spacious feel while being flattened whenever a low bridge is encountered. These roofs carry the solar panels and can tilt sideways in either direction to catch the sun – the simple mechanism to switch hinge points is activated by the flick of a switch.
The steel and glass front saloon is very light and airy with a door giving access to the front deck. Standard fan-coil units are turned on end to make a pair of powerful demisters for the huge windscreen and to heat the room too.
A flat sun deck on the roof of the saloon makes a great place to watch the world go by and as we shall see later the boat can be steered from up there too.
The steel rear transom accommodates the propeller shaft, engine mounts, rudder mechanism, a niche for the air source heat pump. A tail hoist mounted across the back (like on delivery trucks) supports a light vehicle such as a Polaris RAZR side by side. After adjusting the height the ramps are dropped and locked onto a nearby bank so one can drive off in style and comfort. What is life without wheels? Because the hoist can be folded up, the length of the whole boat can be shortened to navigate some of the tighter locks. An awning can be extended over the vehicle and there we have it; the first house boat with a garage.
The real point about eco-technomologicalness is to get along as cheaply as possible without damaging the planet. The 24 solar panels on the top produce a nominal 6kWp; more than most domestic arrays and enough for the small air source heat pump and to charge the batteries for the electric hybrid drive system. The hybrid drive is almost identical to that on the Original Twist hybrid 3-wheeler found on this site; here with a Lynch motor and a Kohler water cooled diesel. The usual benefits of a hybrid drive are there; the batteries give a few hours silent cruising and the diesel can take over indefinitely. The batteries are mostly solar charged or sometimes diesel engine charged with the Lynch motor doubling as a generator. Many moorings supply electricity so the batteries can be charged on cloudy days. With the air source heat pump the heating will run cheaply and conveniently off connected electricity or the batteries. So there are 4 sources of heating power; the PV panels, wet panels, outside electricity and engine cooling . Most boat engines are cooled by river water but here a second coil in the heat bank uses the 60% of wasted heat to make hot water. There is no connection to the river or the gunk that blocks up the filters (boat owners nod knowingly here).
Notable omissions are a wood stove and any gas as there is no need for either.
Control of all the lights, heating, entertainment and even the steering is done by i-pad and Z-Wave meshed radio modules which are cheap, reliable and plentiful home automation items. Narrow boats are usually driven from the back, a bit like a bus driver standing on the rear bumper. We can sit at the front in the saloon and steer from there or from anywhere else within range of the wi-fi; perhaps the sun deck even from the nearby pub! The Z-Wave controller allows for plenty of home automation tweaks like lighting control, security and leak detection, all from anywhere in the world. Theoretically the boat can be driven from anywhere there is an internet connection.
Actuators to move things like the roof panels and the rudder are operated by compressed air which is cleaner and easier to maintain. An i-pad and Z-Wave relays makes child's play of these things; even a simple dimmer switch allows proportional control of the rudder. The motorised satellite dish also needs to fold into a recess in the centre section when a bridge is encountered.
To make the kitchen a great place for eating while admiring the view the picture window on one side tilts up and out and a table is pushed outwards to make use of the outside space. Once parked up an extending awning over a drop down side deck, complete with an extending Barbie unit, makes an outside cooking area.
Central dust extraction – The centre section houses a fixed dust extractor plumbed to outlets around the boat to make cleaning much easier.
With a boat like this life will certainly be rich and varied.
ECO-HIPPY – One who is sufficiently off-grid to live almost cost free.
A 270cc engine in a car! Surely we jest?
Well first let's see what the engine is required to do. Remember the car is a light, range extended plug-in electric car with everything minimalised to save weight. Even the electric range is cut back to 25 miles to halve the usual battery pack; half the weight and half the cost. In normal use the car would do the school run or a shopping trip on battery power alone but with no range anxiety thanks to petrol back up. Most electric cars boast longer range but for the majority of journeys they have carried around a heavy stack of surplus batteries. It follows that for most of our short journeys we are also lugging round the petrol engine so weight is going to be a major consideration.
The main use for the petrol engine might come from a weekend run in the country with some fast roads thrown in. With the 20-40bhp electric motor for brisk acceleration and overtaking the 12bhp petrol motor is really just for cruising at up to 50mph. Bear in mind that the engine is charging the batteries when the car is stationary, at the lights say, so the available, combined power when on the move is higher than one might imagine.
The Honda GX engine range actually gives us the choice to go for a bit more power but with weight penalties. Thanks to the go-kart scene they can all be tuned for more revs and more power. The rev limiter is always removed and a stronger flywheel added.
The GX200 only weighs 35lbs and can produce a useful 9bhp. The Loncin Chinese clone version only costs around £250 and makes a good starting point.
Next up is the GX270. Weighing in at 55lbs this might turn out to be the sweet spot between power and weight. With the usual modifications and the bigger carburettor from the GX390 this engine will give a good 12bhp.
The GX390 is good for up to 20 bhp but weighs a back straining 69lbs. Only testing will tell if that is departing too much from the light and minimalist idea but it would certainly be good for breaking the speed limit on the motorway. One should bear in mind that the engine and the electric motor are mounted just ahead of the rear wheel and the aim is to keep the overall weight distribution just slightly front heavy.
The engine mounting plate on the Original Twist hybrid 3-wheeler will be pre-drilled to mount all 3 engines so the choice is there. We can also consider the Briggs and Stratton racing engine with all the right bits built in at the factory – it's called the 'Animal'.
No doubt some inveterate tinkerers will have a spare engine for tuning experiments and, who knows, in time there might even be a racing series.
It is the intention that the engine will be pretty much clipped on and able to be changed in a couple of minutes so concepts like service exchange engines, rented engines etc are feasible. With that in mind the little 35lb GX200 that fits in a shopping bag looks attractive.


Check out our VIP Prediction for Pogon Szczecin vs Zaglebie Sosnowiec!
Pogon Szczecin and Zaglebie Sosnowiec will be face to face this Saturday in Ekstraklasa at 14:30 so try not to miss it.
Pogon Szczecin is ranked on the 5th place in the standings with 43 points, 47 goals scored and 38 goals received in the last 30 leaguegames. They have failed to win 7 of their last 30 matches in Ekstraklasa.In their last match they won against Lechia Gdansk. Pogon Szczecin lost only one match from the previous 5 played before this match with Zaglebie Sosnowiec.
The attacking skills of Pogon Szczecin are mild, they won 3games from the last 5 played.
On this page you can find our predictions & bettings tips for the match between Pogon Szczecin and Zaglebie Sosnowiec. Our predictions for Pogon Szczecin vs Zaglebie Sosnowiec are based on a large number of factors such as direct meetings, Pogon Szczecin last matches, Zaglebie Sosnowiec last matches, Pogon Szczecin lineup, Zaglebie Sosnowiec lineup, standings, insider informations and so on. By visiting our website daily you will increase your winning chances. All the predictions posted here have a huge rate of success!


text:
Human Interest Human rights International Non-violent action
Lord Mayor of Dublin Launches Life in Palestine 2018 Calendar (VIDEO)
On Friday 10th November, the Lord Mayor of Dublin Mícheál Mac Donncha officially launched the 2018 'Life in Palestine' calendar produced by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC). Also speaking were Ms. Jilan Abdalmajid, Deputy Head of the Mission of the State of Palestine to Ireland, IPSC Chairperson Ms. Fatin Al Tamimi, and Jim Bowen from the IPSC's Cork Branch
The theme of this year's calendar is 'Life in Palestine', and every month explores a different aspect of the lives of ordinary Palestinians, and the difficulties and injustices they face living under Israeli's apartheid system and military occupation.
We begin in January, with the Israeli occupation and depopulation of the Latrun area, and end in December with a message from Palestinian Christians asking for justice. There are plentiful notes for taking action, boycotting Israeli products, and supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement accompanying every month.
The calendar was designed by activist Mike Rahr and was produced by the Cork branch of the IPSC.
Speaking about the calendar, Lord Mayor of Dublin Mícheál Mac Donncha said: "As we close this 50th year of Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, it is my honour as Lord Mayor to launch the latest 'Life In Palestine' calendar produced by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
The calendar provides a valuable insight into the daily and historical injustices faced by the Palestinian people as they struggle for the freedom, justice, equality and peace that has been so long denied them.
The Calendar also has lots of useful information about companies and institutions that profit from Israel's military occupation and war crimes, and, importantly, how to avoid spending money that will help them profit further."
IPSC Chairperson Ms. Fatin Al Tamimi said: "We produce this calendar every year because we wish to convey to the Irish public that every day Palestine in the hearts of my people, whether they live in our homeland, in the disapora or are one of the millions of Palestinians in exile.
We hope that people will use it both as an awareness raising and informational tool, and as a guide to taking action to help the Palestinian people end Israel's system of apartheid, military occupation and forced exile."
Ms. Tamimi presented the Lord Mayor with an IPSC plaque featuring of olive wood from Bethlehem and Hebron's famous ceramic art.
Alongside members and supporters of the IPSC, also attending the event were representatives from Academics for Palestine, PalFest Ireland, and we were honoured to be joined by Badee Dwaik of Hebron Human Rights Defenders.
Search IMEMC: "Ireland"
PCHR Weekly Report: 2 civilians wounded, 67 abducted by Israeli forces this week
Video: Jerusalem in October 2017
By IMEMC News & Agencies
Gaza Strip Human rights Israeli attacks News Report
Palestinian Child Dies Of Wounds In Gaza
Human rights Israeli attacks Israeli Settlement Jericho News Report West Bank
Israeli Army Demolishes Six Homes Near Jericho


text:
Tiberius Claudius Paulinus was a Roman general and politician of the early third century.

Several inscriptions in Britain preserve details of his cursus honorum. The earliest office Paulinus held was legatus or commander of Legio II Augusta at Caerleon. After an unknown period of time, he was proconsular governor of Gallia Narbonensis for the term 216/217; this was followed by legatus Augusti pro praetor, or governorship of the imperial province of Gallia Lugdunensis around 218. He returned to Roman Britain where he served as legatus Augusti pro praetor of Britannia Inferior in 220.

He was a popular man.  While he was away governing Gaul, the Silures tribe set up an official monument, the Marble of Thorigny dedicated to him despite their usual hostility to Rome. This monument includes the text of a letter Paulinus sent to his friend, Sennius Sollemnis. By 221, he had been succeeded in Britain by Marius Valerianus.

References

Notes

3rd-century Romans
Roman governors of Gallia Narbonensis
Roman governors of Gallia Lugdunensis
Roman governors of Britain
Ancient Roman generals
Ancient Romans in Britain

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


On episode 33 of the Ego Podcast, we close off our three part interview series at GreeneStone Muskoka. This interview features Trauma Associate, Jim Hall who provides an in depth discussion of what trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are and how they can be treated. We look at where trauma lives in the body, identifying this experience as well as beneficial recovery tactics. This was a very interesting interview that provides a great deal of insight. For more information about Jim and GreeneStone Muskoka, please visit: https://greenestone.net/ This episode was recorded at GreeneStone Treatment Facility in Muskoka, Ontario. Sound editing was completed by Justin Ingraldi and Barry Taylor. Music by Nick Reynoldon.
Listen to Episode 33: Understanding Trauma with Jim Hall now.


text:
Tag: Grant
Leading internal medicine organizations sponsor $400,000 grant program to build trust and advance health equity
PHILADELPHIA, November 1, 2021 – The Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine (AAIM), the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), the ABIM Foundation, the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation have announced a second round of grants for internal medicine residents and faculty members, designed to improve the quality of education and training and create a more trustworthy health system that serves everyone.
The first round of grants in 2020 brought in 170 applications, from which 32 projects at medical schools and training programs were selected. The grants, which totaled $287,500, include projects such as expanding community-focused health curriculum for primary care residents at Magnolia Regional Health Center/University of Mississippi Medical Center and developing a training program for medical residents to work directly with the Hispanic community at UT Southwestern Medical Center, among others.
For this second round of grants, sponsors are devoting a total of $400,000 to support new or existing programs that promote trust and create a more equitable health system by incorporating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) into the fabric of internal medicine and training. Inter-professional programs that incorporate members from across the care team will be preferred.
Specifically, sponsors are seeking proposals that (a) focus on providing training, skill and competency acquisition with the goal of promoting trustworthiness through equitable outcomes, or (b) focus on engineering care processes to promote trustworthiness through equity.
Examples of successful projects could include:
Training programs that incorporate DEI, and in particular those that employ inter-professional education best practices.
Quality improvement programs and program evaluations that advance trustworthiness through health equity.
Ideas on building trustworthiness and psychological safety among teams, including an intentional focus on recognizing bias, lack of diversity and the barriers to being heard due to hierarchical structures.
Innovative approaches to create collaborative partnerships between health systems and community-based service organizations in under-resourced communities.
Approaches that foster and support diverse and equitable pathways into medicine and faculty and leadership positions.
Letters of intent for the second round of grants will be accepted through December 1, 2021 and selected applicants will be invited to submit full proposals early next year. Grants of $20,000 and $10,000 will be awarded in Spring 2022.
About the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine
AAIM represents over 11,000 academic internal medicine faculty and administrators at medical schools and community-based teaching hospitals in the US and Canada. Its mission is to promote the advancement and professional development of its members, who prepare the next generation of internal medicine physicians and leaders through education, research, engagement, and collaboration. Follow AAIM on Twitter @AAIMOnline.
About the American Board of Internal Medicine
Since its founding in 1936 to answer a public call to establish more uniform standards for physicians, certification by the ABIM has stood for the highest standard in internal medicine and its 21 subspecialties. Certification has meant that internists have demonstrated – to their peers and to the public – that they have the clinical judgment, skills and attitudes essential for the delivery of excellent patient care. ABIM is not a membership society, but a physician-led, non-profit, independent evaluation organization. Our accountability is both to the profession of medicine and to the public.
About the ABIM Foundation
The ABIM Foundation's mission is to advance medical professionalism to improve the health care system by collaborating with physicians and physician leaders, medical trainees, health care delivery systems, payers, policymakers, consumer organizations and patients to foster a shared understanding of professionalism and how they can adopt the tenets of professionalism in practice. To learn more about the ABIM Foundation, visit www.abimfoundation.org, connect on Facebook or follow on Twitter.
About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. ACP membership includes 161,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow ACP on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
About the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation
Since 1930, the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation has worked to improve health care in the United States. Founded by Kate Macy Ladd in memory of her father, prominent businessman Josiah Macy Jr., the Foundation supports projects that broaden and improve health professional education. It is the only national foundation solely dedicated to this mission. Visit the Macy Foundation at macyfoundation.org and follow on Twitter at @macyfoundation.
Leading internal medicine organizations award nearly $300K in grants to promote a more equitable U.S. health system
Grantees selected to rebuild trust, tackle health care diversity, equity and inclusion in medical education and training.
The U.S. health care system has fallen short in numerous aspects of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), such as insufficient diversity among clinicians and poorer health outcomes among underserved communities. Bias and discrimination in health care have slowly but steadily eroded trust in the entire system, including in clinicians directly responsible for care. Today, several leading physician organizations announced the awarding of grants to help address the root causes of distrust in the provision of care.
The Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine (AAIM), the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), the ABIM Foundation, the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation have awarded a total of $287,500, split among 32 projects at medical schools and training programs.
Grantees will use this funding to support programs that incorporate DEI into internal medicine education and training.
Grants will be distributed at the $20,000, $5,000 and $2,500 levels, depending on the scope of the program. Examples of funded projects include:
George Washington University will build community trust by increasing colon cancer screening rates among Black and Hispanic patients by identifying barriers that contribute to lower screening rates among those populations. Community health advocates and physicians will also collaborate to develop and provide educational programs for colon cancer screening.
Hennepin Healthcare will prepare all medical trainees to incorporate trauma-informed approaches in their practices, creating a detailed curriculum and framework for competency progress in trauma-informed care.
Magnolia Regional Health Center/University of Mississippi Medical Center will expand the curriculum for primary care residents to include education about community-focused health topics and about patient mistrust and physician bias through a series of lectures, reflective narratives and community-based initiatives.
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) will increase internal medicine residents' understanding of social issues faced by their patients and the local community. Residents will participate in a walking tour of the neighborhood surrounding UPMC Mercy to identify community resources while engaging in conversation about displacement and systemic racism, food access, housing and more. In conjunction with a local nonprofit, residents will also plan and give an interactive presentation on timely health topics for community members.
UT Southwestern Medical Center will build a training program for internal medicine residents to work directly with the Hispanic community in Dallas to increase influenza vaccine uptake. Residents will participate in a year-long practicum facilitating patient focus groups about preferences, perceptions and mistrust in order to design a culturally specific, community-engaged approach to lead the vaccination program.
"The Alliance is proud of this initiative advancing DEI in undergraduate and graduate medical education. The critical work of the 32 grant recipients will resonate throughout AAIM's member institutions and across the internal medicine community," said L. James Nixon, MD, chair of the AAIM Board of Directors and vice chair for education in the Department of Medicine at University of Minnesota Medical School.
"We congratulate the recipients of this grant and look forward to their efforts to advance DEI and to create more equity in health systems by incorporating DEI into the fabric of internal medicine education and training," said George M. Abraham, MD, MPH, FACP, president of ACP. "Dedicated work in this area will benefit medical professionals and the patients they treat so that our health care system can be more just and equitable. The results of these grants will also benefit organizations, trainees, internists, their patients and their communities."
Sponsors reported strong interest in this initiative, receiving 170 proposals from health systems and universities for programs designed to address increasing distrust and issues of bias and diversity in the U.S. health system. According to a recent survey from NORC at the University of Chicago, 59% of adults say that the health care system discriminates at least "somewhat," and that 49% of physicians agree. Black patients say they are twice as likely to experience discrimination in a health care facility compared with their white counterparts.
"As physicians, we strive to provide every patient with the care they deserve, but there's a long way to go before we have achieved the equitable and fair health care system that every American patient deserves," said Richard J. Baron, MD, president and CEO of ABIM and the ABIM Foundation.
With additional funding from the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, a second round of grant funding—which will emphasize inter-professional projects that incorporate members from across the care team—will be announced later this year.
"This past year has made it ever more clear that building trust with our patients is central to a health care system that will truly meet the needs and provide the most effective care for all," said Holly J. Humphrey, MD, MACP, president of the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation. "I commend this initiative in tapping what is our greatest resource – the creativity, commitment and passion that diverse members of care teams bring to the cause of achieving equity in health."
Organizations receiving grant funding include:
Community Memorial Health System
Hennepin Healthcare
Magnolia Regional Health Center/University of Mississippi Medical Center
MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
Mount Sinai West Hospital
NCH Healthcare System
Oregon Health & Science University Hillsboro Medical Center
Riverside University Health System
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Stamford Health
University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix
University of California San Diego*
University of Illinois, Peoria Campus
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
University of Texas Southwestern
University of Washington School of Medicine
*Awarded two grants.


Citigroup analysts said that the global watch industry will generate more than $60 billion in sales in 2013. The industry is highly fragmented but dominated by a few players. There is a strong competition between companies like Fossil Inc (NASDAQ:FOSL), PVH Corp (NYSE:PVH) and Ralph Lauren Corp (NYSE:RL). Further, the industry is showing good momentum with big brands like Movado and Tag Heuer, pushing their sales and having celebrities modeling their products (think Roger Federer and Brad Pitt).
The combined sales of these companies are just $16 billion and given the $60 billion target for the entire industry, you can imagine the opportunity that these companies have to grow just by increasing their market share.
Depending on the brand you love the most you can choose any of the above companies. But I would like to present Fossil, which had an amazing recent quarter and has posted a stellar performance.
Founded in 1984 by two brothers, Fossil designs and manufactures primarily watches and jewelry as well as sunglasses, wallets, handbags, belts, shoes and clothing. Besides its namesake brand, it also makes watches for brands such as Adidas, Michael Kors Holdings Ltd (NYSE:KORS), Emporio Armani, Burberry, DKNY, Diesel and Armani Exchange.
In February 2013, it reported its 4Q results, which beat consensus estimates. Its premium quality watches proved attractive to customers leading to a 14% increase in revenue and a 21% increase in its EPS versus last year. The increase in sales was due to double-digit growth in its global watch sales. Further the company's direct-to-consumer segment posted a 20.4% increase due to higher sales from its repositioned jewelry products. The company's jewelry business, which has been a drag on sales (bringing down Europe's sales by almost 25% in the third-quarter) improved modestly.
Despite currency headwinds, the gross margin increased 80bps due to fewer off-price sales, growth in its outlet channel, production efficiencies and improved product and segment mix. As a result the operating margin also increased 60bps, despite a 15% increase in operating expenses due to the addition of Skagen, store expansion and infrastructure investments in Asia.
The company is focused on growth and expansion. It plans to expand in Asia and Europe due to the strong growth numbers in the recent quarter. Further, it has also been expanding its product portfolio through partnership agreements and acquisitions, which I have mentioned below.
Its acquisition of Skagen benefited all regions, especially Europe, which grew 7.6% vs. flat growth in the previous quarter. Further, in February 2013, it signed a global licensing agreement with designer Tory Burch for watches and expects to launch by 2014. In January 2013, it also acquired the Latin American distribution business of Bentrani Watches, which will help to expand its reach in 16 Latin American countries. Also, its 2011 partnership with designer Karl Lagerfeld is expected to launch an exclusive collection of watches for men and women in 1Q13.
The most important driver of growth for Fossil Inc (NASDAQ:FOSL) will be its arrangement with Michael Kors Holdings Ltd (NYSE:KORS). Michael Kors is the star of the luxury market posting strong revenue growth due to its exemplary product mix. Its strong growth will definitely garner huge benefits for Fossil.
Coming to the numbers; based on the above Fossil Inc (NASDAQ:FOSL) expects FY13 sales to increase 10% to 11% (vs. analyst expectation of 10.6%) with EPS of $5.85 and $6.15 (vs. analyst expectation of $6.08).


The Ateneo Alumni Association (AAA) is the official organization of all Ateneo de Manila University alumni and alumnae.
The Ateneo Alumni Scholars Association, as the name implies, is the organization of Ateneo de Manila University alumni who enjoyed a scholarship grant while pursuing their college degree.
The ALAAI is a foundation of the alumni of the Ateneo Law School, founded in 1979.
The Ateneo Scholarship Foundation, Inc. aims to enhance the tradition of excellence in the Ateneo by enlarging the body of scholars in the university.