Teaching Computer Networks courses (graduate and undergraduate levels), Performance of Radio Resource Management for wireless Networking (graduate level), Performance Evaluation of Computer Systems, Local Area Networks, Internet Engineering Technologies.
Carrying out research in Wireless Sensor Networks security and applications, Radio resource management for Wireless mobile networks, Modeling and traffic characterization.
Serving on various academic committees.
Worked with a team of experts on designing and development of call admission control and dynamic bandwidth allocation for the 3G CDMA2000 (1XRTT). Work resulted in one patent.
Design and Implementation of QoS entities for a Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) prototype based on Data over Cable System Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) standard.
Teaching several undergraduate courses on electronics and electric circuits.


text:
Q: Detect different fonts of audio from a single audio source My code uses Google Voice API, to detect what one person said. For example, if I say one, two, three on my microphone the Google's API returns to me you probably said: one, two, three. But when my brother and I speak at the same time at the microphone it not works. For example: I say: ' one, two, three' and my brother at the same time say: 'hello, testing, sound. The Google' API returns the words of the the speaker who spoke louder. If I say something louder than my brother it returns the words that I said, otherwise, if my brother speaks louder than me, the Google's API returns what my brother say. So I want to use an algorithm that detects all different audio fonts in a audio file,  and then process each audio font using Google' API. It's not necessary to detect 'who spoke and when'.  For example:

*

*Audio File over time:
I said           -->   one      two  three
My brother said  -->    hello testing   audio
Time in seconds:--> 1---1.5---2---2.5---3--3.5--4--4.5
So the algorithm must do the following approaches:
audio = one hello testing three audio

or
audio = one two three hello testing audio

or
my_audio = one two three
my_brother_audio = hello testing audio

And finally send this processed audio to Google' API.
How can I do this? What algorithm should I use to make it possible?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
title: Data Retrieval and Manipulation
nav_title: Managing Data
id: bbe3864c-ad6d-4922-84cf-b48586f12bf8
overview: >
  One of the most crucial aspects of extending a Content Management System is being able to retrieve the data and manipulate it. The Statamic API and it's related classes provide you with ways to handle these sorts of situations.
---

Consider the various aspects of Statamic: Pages, Entries, Terms, Globals, and Assets. They are all `Data`. Data can have variables/fields that you can `get`, `set`, etc.

Some of these are also `Content`. Content can have URLs, slugs, publish statuses, etc.

Here's the inheritance structure:

``` .language-files
Data
|-- Content
|   |-- Page
|   |-- Entry
|   |-- Term
|   `-- GlobalContent
|-- Asset
`-- User
```

## Retrieving Data {#retrieving-data}

You should retrieve data using our API methods. If you've used Laravel, it should feel similar to Eloquent. If it helps, try thinking of each Data type mentioned above as a Model. We have an API class for each of those.

For example, this will find a page with an ID of `1`.

```
Statamic\API\Page::find(1);
// Returns an instance of \Statamic\Contracts\Data\Pages\Page
```

Like Laravel, if you're expecting a collection of models, you will receive a collection. However, Statamic will give you a subclass like `EntryCollection` which will do everything `Illuminate\Support\Collection` does [(docs)](https://laravel.com/docs/5.1/collections), with a few more contextual methods at your disposal should you need them.

If you're expecting a single model (like `Page::find(1)` above), you'll get the corresponding class.

## Manipulating Data {#manipulating-data}

Once you have a data instance, you can go to town on it.

```
$page->set('foo', 'bar');
```

This is like adding `foo: bar` to the front-matter of the page file.

Once you're done, go ahead and save it.

```
$page->save();
```

Now it'll be written to file. Nice.

## Creating Data {#creating-data}

Of course, the data had to get there somehow. You can also create data using the corresponding API classes.

Each of them has a `create()` method that will give you a [factory class][factories]. You can use that factory to build up your object.

```
use Statamic\API\Page;

$page = Page::create('/about') // The pages factory accepts a URI.
          ->order(2)
          ->published(true)
          ->with(['title' => 'About us', 'subtitle' => 'We are awesome'])
          ->get();
```

That `get()` at the end is how you get your newly built object  from the factory. Now you have a shiny new `Page`. Keep in mind that it doesn't exist anywhere until you `save()` it.

**Note:** Never manually do `new Page`. Use the factories.

[Read more about Data Factories][factories]

## Localizing Data {#localizing-data}

To add localized data to an object, first target it "`in`" the locale.

```
$page->in('fr'); // returns a LocalizedData class
```

A `LocalizedData` class simply holds a locale and the object, and will pass any actions onto the object while targeting that locale.

```
$page->in('fr')->set('foo', 'le bar');
```

All the different locales are stored on the object itself. So when it comes time to `save()` it, Statamic will generate the appropriate files for you.

For example, `$page->save()` would write both `index.md` and `fr.index.md` for you.

**Note:** It's worth noting that even though the `Data` class can hold data in multiple locales, some data types are not (yet) capable of being localized.

## Content {#content}

Content is an extension of Data. Content is generally data that will be accessible on the front end. Pages, Entries, Taxonomy Terms, and Globals are all Content.

### URI {#uri}

When we talk about URIs in Statamic, we are referring to the identifying part of the URL that comes _after_ the root.

For example, a page that exists at `/carrot` has a URI of `/carrot`. Simple.

However you may have that page localized in Spanish as `/es/zanahoria`. The URI is `/zanahoria`. Notice that the locale prefix is omitted. This is because the root is `yoursite.com/es`.

**When retrieving data in Statamic using URIs, you should always use the default locale.**

```
$uri = \Statamic\API\URL::getDefaultUri('es', '/zanahoria'); // returns /carrot
```

### URL {#url}

Similar to a URI, a URL is the location from the domain root.

Using the example above, the URLs would be `/carrot` and `/es/zanahoria`, for English and Spanish, respectively.

Absolute URLs (or permalinks) include the domain. They would be `http://yoursite.com/carrot` and `http://yoursite.com/es/zanahoria`.

[factories]: /addons/data-factories

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This is the first kit I've ever snapped together. It was meant as a test to see if I'd like making models and a good practice kit for removing some seam lines and such. I basically just snapped it together, and glued two pieces together. There really wasn't much else to do.
I used Tenax and a Q-tip to glue together a few of the pieces. Q-tips work horrible. Don't try it.
I'll eventually come back to really clean it up and paint it but he's happily watching me for now.


Almost six months after a French court ruled that Twitter must hand over data about users who posted anti-Semitic tweets, the micro-blogging site is finally complying.
Almost six months after a French court ruled that Twitter must hand over data about users who posted anti-Semitic tweets, the micro-blogging site has reportedly complied.
Twitter did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment, but the company confirmed the news to All Things D in a joint statement with French activist group the Union of Jewish Students (EUJF).
"Further to discussions between the Parties and in response to a valid legal request, Twitter has provided the prosecutor of Paris, Presse et Libertés Publiques section of the Paris Tribunal de Grande Instance, with data that may enable the identification of certain users that the Vice-Prosecutor believes have violated French law," a spokesman told the site.
At issue is a complaint filed last fall by EUJF, which demanded that Twitter identify the people behind tweets carrying the hashtags #UnBonJuif (a good Jew), #SiMonFilsEstGay (if my son is gay), and #SiMaFilleRamèneUnNoir (if my daughter brings home a black guy).
The accounts in question were deactivated in October, and Twitter had until Feb. 8 deadline to hand over their identities, or face fines of 1,000 Euros per day. It's not clear if Twitter had to pay any penalties.
During a January hearing, a lawyer for Twitter argued that since data is collected in the U.S., the French judgment should have been authorized by an American judge. The French court, however, disagreed, since the U.S. and France have different laws governing speech.
While racist tweets are frowned upon in the U.S., they are protected by the First Amendment. Countries like France and Germany, however, have laws that ban hate speech.
According to ATD, French authorities will now review the data provided by Twitter and decide whether or not to press charges against those who wrote the tweets.
When Twitter announced in January 2012 that it would block tweets that ran afoul of certain countries' restrictions on speech, users feared that the micro-blogging service would honor takedown requests from repressive regimes. Twitter denied it would do so, and the first time the company blocked content was in October 2012, when it suspended access to the account of a neo-Nazi group in Germany.
Twitter has fought efforts to uncover user data, but has lost a few battles here in the U.S. In September, the company was ordered by a U.S. judge to hand over details about an Occupy Wall Street protestor. In August, meanwhile, it complied with a court order to release data to New York authorities about a user who threatened to kill people in a Manhattan theater.


The Mason Jar's private room has capacity for small groups up to 25 people, and features a 55" TV perfect for presentations and slide shows, as well as a separate audio system for our guests to utilize for either their own background music or presentation audio.
Have a group larger than 25? We are happy to accommodate almost any size group in the main restaurant!
We have several private dining and large group menus available, from box lunches to pizza parties.
Have an office event that needs catered? We can help with that as well!
Please email (info@masonjarkc.com) for private dining reservations, catering and pricing for buyouts.


Thanks to Rilka Warbanoff and Foodland.
Place the bacon in a large, fry pan, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate.
Spread the guacamole on 4 slices of toasted bread and the cream cheese on the remaining 4 slices. Arrange a lettuce leaf, tomato slice, and two pieces of bacon on top of 4 slices of bread and top with the remaining slices.
Preheat oven to 200 C. Stuff each date with 3 or 4 pistachios. Lay a stuffed date and apricot strip on top of each bacon slice and wrap. Transfer to baking tray and Bake until bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes, roll over each date about 5 minutes into the cooking time Transfer wrapped dates to paper towels to drain. Serve with toothpicks.
Heat oil in a wide deep fry pan saucepan, add shallot and garlic and stir occasionally until just tender then add bacon and fry until golden.
Add the wine and scrap all the bits from the bottom of the pan and cook until reduced by half Add peas and stock and simmer until peas are tender .


text:
Home » Local » Somerville parish celebrates 125 years
Somerville parish celebrates 125 years
On: 10/5/2007, By Neil W. McCabe Pilot Correspondent , In: Local
Bishop Walter J. Edyvean accepts gifts presented by representatives of the Haitian community at St. Ann Parish during the offertory of a Sept. 29 Mass. The Mass concluded a year of celebrations of the Somerville parish's 125th anniversary. Pilot photo/ Neil W. McCabe
SOMERVILLE -- The parish community of St. Ann Church capped a yearlong commemoration of its 125th anniversary Sept. 29 with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Walter J. Edyvean and a gala for 250 members of the parish family.
Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley had been scheduled to celebrate the Mass but was called to meetings in Washington.
"If the cardinal had to have a replacement, I am glad it was me," said Bishop Edyvean. "Although I grew up in Medford, my mother and my grandmother were both born in Somerville and attended St. Ann's."
His grandmother's love for St. Ann's was legendary in his family, he said. "Even after she moved to East Somerville, she would still take the trolley to Mass here."
St. Ann's was founded as an offshoot of East Somerville's St. Joseph Church. Later, St. Polycarp Church next to the city's Ten Hills neighborhood grew as an offshoot from St. Ann's. Although, St. Polycarp's closed in 2002, many in the city are still attached to its memory. With the St. Catherine of Genoa Parish, the four communities will be united in a tri-parish initiative under one pastor, Father Brian McHugh, said Luci Spinale, who with her husband James, chaired the anniversary's steering committee.
Father McHugh arrived at the parish on Aug. 1.
"It is good to be with all of you," said Father McHugh in his remarks at the anniversary Mass. "I am pleased to be your pastor--and we will continue to grow--that is what the cardinal asked me to do here."
The outreach to former members of St. Polycarp's was consistent with St. Ann's anniversary theme: "Honor the past. Celebrate the future," she said.
Spinale said in the 12 months leading up to the Mass and gala there were both social and religious events, including a novena with former clergy from both St. Ann's and St. Polycarp's.
During the city's Open Studios, when artists all over Somerville opened their workshops, parishioner Mary Robertson led tours of the church's stained-glass windows and altar pieces carved in oak, she said.
In February, the committee organized a bus trip to Framingham to visit former teachers from the school now at the retirement residence of the Sisters of St. Joseph, she said.
"Celebrating 125 years is a milestone of which everyone associated with St. Ann's should be proud," said Congressman Michael E. Capuano, who was the city's mayor for nine years. "My wife Barbara and I were married at St. Ann's and my children attended CCD there. I know that many other families have similar memories and I wish St. Ann's many more years of service to the community."
Growing up across the street, Somerville Alderman Walter F. Pero said he has spent his whole life in the shadow of the brick church. "I graduated from St. Ann's School in 1961 and my two children graduated in 1986 and 1997."
Pero said that when he attended the school there were two classes for each of the eight grades-- "There were 40 students each class, but it was very strict, so everyone paid attention."
The nuns stressed the essentials, he added.
The then-pastor, Msgr. Andrew J. White, took a direct interest in the students' performance, he said.
"Msgr White would pass out the report cards personally in front of everyone and he would make public comments about your performance, such as, 'You are not doing as well as your brother in the sixth grade,'" Pero said.
George Weigel: 'The two popes': baloney, brilliantly acted

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


As recently reported in the media, potentially leaner times ahead mean that gas distribution networks (GDNs) may need to invest more heavily in training to improve the quality of their operations.
That message comes from Develop Training Ltd (DTL) amid calls for the industry to respond to stronger price controls by becoming more cost effective, reliable and innovative.
Chris Wood, chief executive at DTL, whose clients include SGN, Northern Gas Networks, Cadent and Wales & West, said: "As GDNs and others in the industry look to adapt for the future, they should see this as an opportunity to review and re-energise their training programmes. Greater priority on the right kind of training now could be beneficial in delivering increased cost effectiveness, reliability and innovation in years ahead."
The energy regulator, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets otherwise known as Ofgem, is due to introduce a new pricing regime, known as RIIO-2, from 2021. This is widely expected to squeeze margins. In preparation consultation with industry bodies will start as early as the summer of 2018.
Mr Wood said: "This review comes at a time of intense political and media scrutiny on the energy companies and the new deal is likely to be significantly more demanding than the current arrangements. Energy prices are already a political hot potato, attracting scrutiny of boardroom salaries and even calls for nationalisation. Upcoming environmental legislation is also likely to add pressure with the publication of the government's energy and industrial strategy.
"I welcome calls for the industry to respond by demonstrating its effectiveness, innovation and contribution to UK skilled jobs. Achieving all of that will require more investment in learning and development. I firmly believe that companies which invest more in training over the next three years will have a competitive advantage in the years ahead."
Electricity distributors will face similar challenges when their current price control mechanisms lapse in March 2023.


text:
Q: Music LaTex a two-hand piece of music (C-major K545 by Mozart) I have the following code and it supposes to output the following music  (C-major K545 by Mozart)

But I am unable to make it work, can someone see what is the problem for my package and document setup
\documentclass[11pt,urlcolor=blue, linkcolor=blue]{article}

\usepackage{musixtex}
\usepackage{wasysym}

\begin{document}

\begin{music}
\parindent 1cm
\def\nbinstruments{1}\relax % a single instrument
\def\instrumenti{Piano}%    % whose name is Piano
\nbporteesi=2\relax         % with two staffs
\generalmeter{\meterfrac{4}{4}}\relax % 4/4 meter chosen
\debutextrait               % starting real score
\normal                     % normal 12 pt note spacing
\temps\Notes\ibu0f0\qh0{cge}\tbu0\qh0g|\hl j\enotes
\temps\Notes\ibu0f0\qh0{cge}\tbu0\qh0g|\ql l\sk\ql n\enotes
\barre                      % bar
\Notes\ibu0f0\qh0{dgf}|\qlp i\enotes
\notes\tbu0\qh0g|\ibbl1j3\qb1j\tbl1\qb1k\enotes
\temps\Notes\ibu0f0\qh0{cge}\tbu0\qh0g|\hl j\enotes
\finextrait                 % terminate excerpt
\end{music}

\end{document}

for other info, please see this.
I am using the document class [article].
Many thanks in advance!

A: Don't confuse MusicTeX with MusiXTeX. The example loads musixtex, then code for the music becomes (documentation, "1.2 A simple example"):
\documentclass[11pt]{article}

\usepackage{musixtex}
\usepackage{wasysym}

\begin{document}

\begin{music}
\setlength{\parindent}{1cm}
\instrumentnumber{1}        % a single instrument
\setname1{Piano}            % whose name is Piano
\setstaffs1{2}              % with two staffs
\generalmeter{\meterfrac{4}{4}} % 4/4 meter chosen
\startextract               % starting real score
\Notes\ibu0f0\qb0{cge}\tbu0\qb0g|\hl j\en
\Notes\ibu0f0\qb0{cge}\tbu0\qb0g|\ql l\sk\ql n\en
\bar                        % bar
\Notes\ibu0f0\qb0{dgf}|\qlp i\en
\notes\tbu0\qb0g|\ibbl1j3\qb1j\tbl1\qb1k\en
\Notes\ibu0f0\qb0{cge}\tbu0\qb0g|\hl j\en
\zendextract                % terminate excerpt
\end{music}

\end{document}

MusicTeX is older and seems no longer maintainted. TeX Live does not include it and needs to be installed first. Therefore, I would prefer MusiXTeX. Also, I recommend to take a look at LilyPond.


Hello Melanie, thank you for stopping by Activia's Expert Insights section. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself for our readers?
I am a clinical psychologist and life/executive coach with a practice in Mill Valley, California, just north of the Golden Gate bridge.
I was very fortunate to get a few minutes of Ben's time to talk about his book Will It Make The Boat Go Faster. Ben Hunt-Davis is an experienced performance coach, facilitator and keynote speaker. He is also an author having co-written "Will It Make The Boat Go Faster?", the story of how the men's eight crew that he was in won the Olympic Gold medal at the Sydney Olympics.
This month we interviewed Roger Mavity, who originally started his career in advertising, where he ran his own advertising agency, Mavity Gilmore Jaume, for ten years. Clients of the agency included Burberry, Nestle, Minolta, Olivetti, and Honda.
We were lucky enough to get a few minutes with Jim and Ray to talk about their upcoming book The Art of Learning and Self Development: Your Competitive Edge.
An experienced business change professional who's passionate about the benefits that business change management can bring to organisations and staff going through change, Nicola Busby is here to teach the business world not to fear change!
Patricia McLagan is a global business executive, scholar and author. Founder and CEO of McLagan International, Inc., a strategy execution consulting firm, she is an expert on leadership and human behaviour.
Nat Greene is a business leader, author, and problem-solving champion. He helps smart people make radically better decisions.
Paul Colaianni is a personal empowerment coach and host of The Overwhelmed Brain; a top-rated personal growth and development podcast with over 2.5 million downloads to date!
Hi Amy, thank you for joining us on Activia's Expert Insights. Could you tell us a little about yourself and what you do?
After twenty years of not being able to decide whether he was a "seasoned executive" or a personal growth teacher, Jonathan stopped trying to figure it out.
Kerri Garbis is an expert in business etiquette, presentation skills, storytelling and emotional intelligence. She is also president and co-founder of Ovation Communication, a communication skills consulting firm, and has trained hundreds of executives internationally.
Ian McDermott is a thought leader in the field of leadership, innovation and collaboration, and has dedicated his life to giving people the tools to deal with the challenges they face, and the skills to create their own solutions so that they can realise their dreams.
Stephanie Wachman was born in Montreal, Canada where she attended McGill University. She is the author of Own Your Time: Professional Time Management Strategies for a Profitable and Balanced Life.
Lee Bartlett has enjoyed a highly successful sales career working for a variety of tier 1 institutions. He has held roles in large US, UK and European-based corporations, and sold extensively across most countries in these regions, as well as in Asia.
Shawn Hunter is a serial entrepreneur, best-selling author, speaker, and currently Founder and President of Mindscaling, a company dedicated to creating beautiful, and intelligent online learning products.
Martin Bailey is an unashamed geek. His passion for technology started aged 11 when he bought a Sinclair ZX81, and quickly learnt basic programming before migrating to a ZX Spectrum, BB C Micro and then onto PCs in the early 1990s.
Bruce Turkel has been helping to create some of the world's most compelling brands for over 25 years, and has worked with brands such as Nike, American Express, Discovery Networks, Bacardi and many, many more.
Edie Lush is a journalist and communication skills coach. She is the Executive Editor of Hub Culture and regularly interviews CEOs, entrepreneurs and politicians, and chairs events around the world.
Jennifer Moss is a writer, entrepreneur, and the co-founder of technology startup Plasticity Labs, a software designed to help leaders and managers measure their existing organizational culture and improve employee happiness at work.
With 15 years of speaking, selling and coaching experience, Michael offers a unique perspective. He shares the message that effective communication is not based on title, tenure or position. It's for everyone, and it can have a profound and positive impact on your life.
Rob Kendall is a leading expert on the dynamics of effective conversation. His award-winning first book Blamestorming was published in 2014, and next month sees the publication of Workstorming: Why Conversations at Work Go Wrong and How to Fix Them.
Jonathan Schwabish is a Senior Research Associate at The Urban Institute's Income and Benefits Policy Center. He is also a member of the institute's Communication team where he specialises in data visualization and presentation design.
Today's guest is Patrick Maes, founder and Managing Director of CPI Commercial Performance Improvement.
Today's guest is Victor Lipman, who is here to talk about his latest book, The Type B Manager: Leading Successfully in a Type A World, as well as some of the most common issues managers face today.
Today I had the pleasure of chatting to Alan Barker, who is a communication skills specialist, training coach and author, with a number of successful books under his belt.
Today's guest is Michael McQueen, an Australian-born speaker, social researcher and bestselling author. He comes from a background in research and marketing and has spent much of his career tracking the dominant trends that have shaped society, business and culture.
Today, I am bringing you an expert interview with the wonderful Gregg Ward. Gregg is a speaker, author, consultant, facilitator, trainer, executive coach, and CEO of The Gregg Ward Group - a professional consulting, training and coaching firm.
Today's guest is author Laura Vanderkam, who's here to talk about her book, 168 Hours: You Have More Time to Think, as well as overcoming procrastination and achieving that perfect work / life balance.
Today I'm talking to author and productivity guru Ronel van Tonder about her latest book, "How to Become a Productivity Guru", as well as what to look for in a time management tool or app, and how to deal with interruptions.
Today I'm talking to author and leadership coach Rosalie Chamberlain about her latest book, "Conscious Leadership in the Workplace", as well as the importance of employee development and what makes an effective team.


District in West Kalimantan are still vulnerable and could potentially be the location of illegal logging. The threat of illegal logging is still haunted forests of West Kalimantan. Because of that intensive supervision, especially in land conservation will continue to be improved. Monitoring of forest conservation will also be further optimized. Given the quite prone to be targets of illegal logging. Now the existence of the forest was also shrinking due to illegal logging action.
The Department of Forestry has agreed to provide fiscal incentive for industrial forestry companies. The incentive is stated in the revision of President Decree No. 1/2007. The fiscal incentive is hoped to boost the growth of Indonesia's plant industry. Companies that receive such incentive are companies with at least 50,000 hectares of planting area. Presently, 20 companies qualify.
Logging of Native Forests in Indonesia This class consists of units involved in the logging of limited diameter wood, and the processing, marketing, replanting and cultivation of various types of native plants, like: meranti (a kind of timber tree), Keruing (a kind of tree), Jute, Ironwood, Ulin (a kind of very hard wood), etc. Also includes the transportation of timber by the entrepreneurs themselves.
- Tree cutting or felling.
The Logging of Native Forests industry in Indonesia research report contain trend analysis, statistics, market size information, industry growth rates as well as major competitors.


The Art of Living can be defined as in the balance of core. That moment of "I got it", and "I am living my life" as is.
[Personal Progress and Social Progress].
@Realistic – Personal progress, hardship, handyship.
@Ideal (Wisdom, Moral, Perfection) v.s. @Realistic (Hardship (majority of suffering), hope for pace of mind, envirionment and deal with it or without a scope of aim).
There fore, the golden goal of Core is balancing your lifestyle. To keep you balanced, understand what is ideal to you and what is actually realistic. Because your progress is effect by your self and society.
Without society, there is not civilization. How you stay floated in the "social currencies" is up to you "personal currencies". Those are other ingredients that we are going to cover.


The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Cleveland will honor Bruce Loessin (LC 1995) along with a handful of other committed fundraisers and philanthropists who, give generously of their time, talent and treasure, and the chapter received many outstanding nominees who are all moving the needle to improve the city, the region and the nation," at the National Philanthropy Day on November 2, 2018. Loessin will receive the the Outstanding Fundraising Professional Award.
Learn more about the awards and the other 2018 recipients on AFP's website.


Joe Garofoli July 16, 2016 Updated: July 16, 2016 7:57 p.m.
Donald Trump introduces his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (second from left), in New York. Analysts say adding Pence to the ticket will help Trump gain support among party conservatives.
CLEVELAND — No American younger than 60 has ever seriously used the words "political convention" and "must-see TV" in the same sentence — until this week. But when the Republican National Convention kicks off Monday, there will be a gravitational pull to watch it like the series finale of a Donald Trump reality show.
As its master of ceremonies, presumptive GOP nominee Trump has promised to make the four-day convention entertaining and, like he describes his foreign policy, "unpredictable." But beyond fronting a compelling show, Trump needs to accomplish five political goals by the time the balloons tumble from the rafters of Quicken Loans Arena Thursday night after he delivers his acceptance speech.
Trump's political to-do list for Cleveland:.
Unite the party: It wasn't reassuring for the Trump team to have to snuff out the last remaining embers of the #NeverTrump movement three days before the convention started through some strong-arming of the convention's Rules Committee. "Anti-Trump people get crushed," tweeted campaign manager Paul Manafort.
And it will sting as the TV audience is constantly reminded that an all-star lineup of establishment Republicans — former nominees John McCain and Mitt Romney, the Bush family — and senators facing tough re-election battles — Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Mark Kirk of Illinois — won't be there for fear of being tainted by any association with Trump.
But analysts say Trump's choice of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his running mate was a smart move in blunting those defections. Pence is well-respected among the hard-line conservative Republicans and evangelical Christians who might remain skeptical of Trump because of his previous liberal positions on abortion rights and other social issues and his lack of political experience.
Pence "reassures party insiders, as well as rank-and-file voters, about a nominee who has not been elected to office at any time before," said Harmeet Dhillon, the vice chairwoman of the California Republican Party who was in Cleveland last week with other party leaders.
Dhillon, who describes herself as being in the "support-the-nominee camp," has seen many party leaders with the same doubts coalesce behind Trump in recent days.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence joins Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at a rally in Westfield, Ind., on July 12.
Another reason that conservatives like Pence: He's close with the billionaire conservative Koch brothers, who have yet to embrace Trump. Pence's chief of staff when he served in Congress has a top role in the Koch network of organizations, and the brothers have cited Pence's economic conservatism as a national model. If Pence could bring in some Koch cash, it would help close Trump's fundraising gap with presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Don't say anything "crazy": Trump's admirers love him because he's unscripted — an antipolitician. He was panned when he started using a TelePrompter more frequently after securing the nomination, but analysts say that now is not the time to be wholly untethered from the script.
"He needs to find some point between Crazy Donald and Boring Donald. And that point is Competent Donald," said Barbara Perry, director of presidential studies at the University of Virginia's Miller Center.
The specter of a convention nominating "Crazy Donald" was enough to persuade some sponsors to renege on millions in convention contributions, forcing organizers to ask billionaire Nevada casino owner and GOP donor Sheldon Adelson to fill in the gap.
While Trump may have spooked corporate sponsors, he excited voters. He received more votes than any Republican primary candidate in history.
Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures during a speech in Virginia Beach, Va., on July 11.
Start talking about policy: Despite his popularity in the primaries, one of the main criticisms of Trump's candidacy — even from some conservatives — is that his proclamations have been devoid of substantive policy positions and riddled with factual errors. Of the 158 Trump statements examined by the fact-checkers at nonpartisan Politifact through June 29, 78 percent were rated as "mostly false" — or worse.
Perry said that introducing policy ideas during convention week might be a way to give the campaign gravitas and perhaps appeal to what she called "country club Republicans" who are dubious of Trump.
It would be great to hear him talk about tech policy — something barely mentioned in the campaign, said Aaron Ginn, co-founder of the conservative/libertarian Silicon Valley think tank Lincoln Initiative.
"I'd like him to produce work on what his policies are on innovation — patent reform, data encryption, net neutrality. Something good and thoughtful," Ginn said.
"Trump's smartest move now is to be boring and substantive," said Kori Schake, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, who was senior policy adviser to the 2008 McCain-Palin campaign.
Schake acknowledged that such a move could destroy Trump's image as an unconventional politician trying to disrupt a political system that he says is rigged in favor of the wealthy and entrenched interests.
"But maybe it's time to kill his brand," she said. "The convention would be an ideal moment to show that he has policies on veterans affairs and other issues. It would be terrible television viewing, but great political positioning.
Make Paul Ryan feel comfortable supporting you: Schake will be looking to House Speaker Paul Ryan, who will chair the convention, as "the canary in the coal mine" on how Republicans are feeling about Trump.
Sticking to the conservative party line will make Ryan feel good. But that's going to be a challenge, given Trump's loud oppostion to free trade.
Hug it out with former rivals: Several analysts and insiders have suggested that Trump reach out publicly to his GOP primary adversaries as a way to show leadership.
Former California Republican Party Chairman Mike Schroeder said that Trump didn't just insult his rivals, he often slammed their supporters — even their family members.
In May, Trump alluded to a thinly sourced story in the National Enquirer about a photograph purporting to show Cruz's father, Rafael Cruz, handing out pro-Fidel Castro leaflets with Lee Harvey Oswald in New Orleans, months before Oswald assassinated President John F. Kennedy.
By reaching out to his vanquished rivals, Schroeder said, Trump could re-energize some conservative grassroots supporters whose help he will need this fall. The race remains within the margin of error in swing states like Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania that will help crown the winner, according to a RealClearPolitics analysis of major polls.


text:
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Amy Cragg's Late Surge Powers Her To Marathon Bronze At World Championships
By Gary R. Blockus | Aug. 06, 2017, 1:19 p.m. (ET)
Amy Cragg Hastings (C) celebrates after winning bronze in the women's marathon at the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships at The London Stadium on Aug. 6, 2017 in London.
Two-time Olympian Amy Cragg surged over the final 800 meters to earn a bronze medal in the women's marathon at the 2017 IAAF World Championship in London, becoming the first U.S. woman to claim a world championship marathon medal in 34 years.
The 33-year-old Cragg, who finished ninth in the marathon at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and 11th in the 10,000-meter at the 2012 Games in London, went back-and-forth with Kenya's Flomena Daniel in third and fourth position over the final three miles before executing her medal-winning kick with about 400 meters to go.
Cragg nearly caught silver medal winner Edna Kiplagat of Kenya, a two-time marathon world champion who led the for most of the final three miles. Rose Chelimo of Bahrain passed her with about 1,200 meters to go and won the gold medal.
Download the Team USA app today for breaking news, Olympic and Paralympic team bios, videos and more.
Chelimo finished in 2:27:11 and Kiplagat held on for silver, finishing in 2:27:18. Cragg finished third in an identical time of 2:27:18 to become the first U.S. women's marathon world medalist since Marianne Dickerson won silver in 1983.
Cragg, the 2015 U.S. champion and winner of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the marathon, joined a lead breakaway pack of 14 runners that built a healthy lead on the rest of the field by the midway point of the marathon.
A 10-time NCAA All-American in track, indoor track and cross country at Arizona State University, Cragg had not run a marathon since Rio.
Serena Burla finished 11th overall in 2:29:32 and Lindsay Flanagan finished 37th in 2:39:47 to round out the American performance.
Gary R. Blockus is a journalist from Allentown, Pennsylvania who has covered multiple Olympic Games. He is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
Justin Gatlin Beats Usain Bolt To Win First 100-Meter World Title Since 2005 While Christian Coleman Takes Silver
Jarrion Lawson Rebounds From Fourth Place In Rio, Wins World Silver Medal
Mason Finley Breaks 18-Year U.S. Medal Drought, Wins Discus Bronze
It's All Relative: Siblings Kendell And Devon Williams Are Vying To Be World's Greatest Athletes
6 Burning Questions For Team USA At Track & Field World Championships
Amy Cragg-Hastings


Barcelona (18th of January 2016).The Consortium of European project Optician2020 has begun activities to demonstrate the sustainability of a new model for the creation of personalized spectacles adapted to the morphology of each user, by means of 3D printing technologies and local manufacturing.
The Optician2020 project "combines advanced manufacturing technologies with a network of mini production centres, personalized design, knowledge engineering, sustainable production technology, anthropometry and ergonomics to demonstrate that the manufacture of personalized spectacles can be a local, profitable business while remain sustainable and in line with the latest fashion," explains Guasch.
Additionally, Optician2020 has proven that the manufacturing of personalized products with 3D printing is more ecological than conventional manufacturing methods, given that carbon print reduction (kilos of CO2 equivalent emissions per gram) ranges between 15 to 70 percent less on average, depending on the models and materials, compared to standard processes. In order to validate the new paradigm proposed, the Consortium partners began in the past November the demonstration phase, in which they are producing personalized spectacles for more than 200 people, including real users. This comprises a procedure that will enable the evaluation of user satisfaction and of all those involved in production, and the calculation of reductions in delivery time, production costs and environmental impact. It is estimated that this will be completed by June 2016.
In this regard, "personalization strategies allow manufacturers and dealers to offerunique products, adapted to the needs and wishes of a specific person," such as is the case of eyewear, which is a fashionable product that combines prescription requirements with functional and aesthetic needs," predicts the project coordinator.
Co-financed by the European Commission under the "Factories of the Future, Public Private Partnership" initiative as part of the 7th Framework Programme, Optician2020 (Flexible and on-demand manufacturing of customized spectacles by close-to-optician production clusters) has 10 members from 6 European countries. The project balances active participation from large companies such as Indo Optical, Satisloh Photonics and Melotte NV; small and medium sizes companies like Knowledge Integration; Optica Pita; Alcom Optika; Lens World and 3TRPD Limited, together with research and technology centres such as the Valencia Institute of Biomechanics Research and Eurecat.
Enjoy the Optician2020's dissemination video!
The Optician2020's consortium has just released a dissemination video, focused on how the project aims to demonstrate the sustainability of a new business model for personalized eyewear, delivered through a proximity production network, which would work like local mini-factories.
The Optician2020's first video shows that the consortium is developing new tools and procedures for personalized design and a new personalized manufacturing technologies. Furthermore, new ICT platforms tools are being developed for managing the manufacture of personalized spectacles and delivery through a network of available production sites, in accordance with the criteria regarding delivery time, costs, proximity and environmental impact.
Optician is highly focused on demonstration. Demonstration activities are being carried out to test and validate the robustness and flexibility of the network of mini-factories and the quality of the manufactured spectacles.
By the end of the project, more than 200 EU citizens will have experienced the benefit of eyewear personalization.
Watch the video in our new Vimeo channel!


Veterinary Clinic and Hospital, Doggie Daycare and Kennel services (short and long-term) for dogs and cats.
Posted on October 25, 2016. Brought to you by yahoolocal.
Mill Pond Kennel is located at the address 2255 Mill Pond Rd in Quakertown, Pennsylvania 18951. They can be contacted via phone at (215) 536-4443 for pricing, hours and directions. Mill Pond Kennel specializes in Ferrets, Mammals, Horses.
Posted by Heidi M Ziegler on July 04, 2014. Brought to you by facebook.
Posted by Cherry Bergmann Nielsen on June 18, 2014. Brought to you by facebook.
Mill Pond Kennel can be found at Mill Pond Rd 2255. The following is offered: Animal Services. The entry is present with us since Sep 9, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In Quakertown there are 10 other Animal Services. An overview can be found here.


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CBS19 WEATHER: Warm and windy throughout the day
Multiple departments bring Lindale-area grass fire under control
Tuesday Morning Weather Update
Cybersecurity expert tackles when kids should have phones, and safety tips
The National Children for Missing and Exploited Children reported a 97.5 percent increase in online enticement 2020.
Author: Keneisha Deas
Published: 7:30 PM CDT August 12, 2021
Updated: 7:04 PM CDT August 13, 2021
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — In 2020, we saw a record-breaking rise in online crimes against children during the pandemic. Oftentimes these crimes happen through devices, like smartphones.
It begs us to wonder, when should kids have a cell phone of their own? WZDX's Keneisha Deas has some tips from a cybersecurity expert.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported a whopping 97.5% increase in online enticement 2020.
"They can explore the entirety of the internet of things. The applications that are on those phones. Some of them are reporting back to China. Some of them have inappropriate behavior sort of embedded in the logs on those applications," said Gray Analytics Vice President and General Counsel Jay Town.
The question is, what age is appropriate to have these devices, to begin with?
"What age do we let our children get access to that material is going to be answered by, what age have we taught our kids to avoid it," said Town.
Town says if you do give your phone to a child, it's important to safeguard personal information.
"You need to continue to update those devices. You need to continue to change passwords," said Town.
There's such a thing as 'hidden apps', which can be a gateway to online enticement. But experts say there is a way for you to track these hidden apps.
"You also can do that through your iTunes store or your Google store or whatever it might be or whatever platform it might be. Whatever platform you're using so that you know as a parent what apps, what applications are on a particular cell phone," said Town.
Town says parents can only do so much to protect their children. He said to make sure your kids are vigilant even when you're away.
"Our children need to know that whatever photos they take, and they text it to someone with a promise, a pinky-swear, that it will never be forwarded; it will be instantly deleted. Well, that's not always the case. Whatever we put online, is going to be there, assume that it will be there, forever." said Town.
The great cell phone debate: When should your kids get a cell phone and how do you watch what they're doing?
GenCyber Camp for visually impaired students at UAH
Higher education in East Texas adjusts COVID-19 guidelines as cases surge


We understand that sometimes, getting through the airport can be a little stressful, particularly if you're travelling in a big party or have a lot of luggage. We also know that often, the finer details can make all the difference, which is why we're constantly striving to better your holiday experience. So, to make things a little easier, selected Sovereign holidays now include free airport security fast track* so you can relax from the start. After you've smoothly fast tracked through security, you'll be shown to your luxury airport lounge where relaxation comes as standard.
For a really luxurious start to your holiday, we are now able to offer you complimentary airport lounge access, worth up to £35pp, at a number of UK departure airports including the award-winning No.1 Lounges available at selected^ airports and terminals. Airport lounges are the ultimate way to while away the time before your flight. You can take time out to sample the open bar, indulge in complimentary hot food from a bistro-style menu, enjoy some light snacks, read the paper or simply sink back into a relaxing chair with a warming cup of tea. All lounges include TVs and at the larger lounges there´s a family room, games room, cinema and quiet room. Airport lounges are the perfect way to escape from all the noise and chaos of the terminal building, so sit back and enjoy the panoramic views of the runway whilst you daydream of paradise to come.
Entrance to executive airport lounges includes unlimited beverages (soft & alcoholic, excluding champagne & prosecco), tea & coffee, complimentary daily newspapers and magazines and free unlimited wifi all in a relaxing lounge atmosphere for up to 3 hours before your flight.
Complimentary access to No.1 lounges are available at the following UK airports: Birmingham (T1), Edinburgh, London Gatwick (North & South). Fast track passes are available for Sovereign customers travelling from London Gatwick, Birmingham and Edinburgh.
In a number of airports where No.1 Lounges are not available, complimentary alternative lounges may be offered at Aberdeen, Bristol, and Cardiff, Luton, Liverpool, Manchester Escape Lounges, and Newcastle.
Other airport lounges are available at the following UK airports at a supplement to make sure your Sovereign holiday always starts in style: Durham Tees Valley, East Midlands and Stansted. To book these airport lounges please visit Holiday Extras or call us on 01293 762402.
No. 1 Lounge applies to guests booking a Sovereign package holiday that includes a flight. This offer is not available on your return journey at overseas airports. We will try to provide all services on every occasion, however they are subject to availability and operational feasibility, dependent on the location, date and time of travel. We reserve the right to change or cancel these services without prior notification. Children under 12 are allowed in selected lounges.^ No.1 Lounge is only available on bookings departing from London Gatwick (North and South Terminal), Edinburgh, Birmingham (Terminal 1), Manchester (Terminals 1,2 & 3). *Fast track service through security is only available at London Gatwick (North and South Terminal), Edinburgh, Birmingham (Terminal 1).


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New ways of interacting with environmental data
Research tags
Monitoring a forest plantation used to present a significant challenge, requiring spending hundreds of hours measuring tree heights and locations out in the field. Now, the development of new methods of near surface remote sensing is making it easier than ever to measure and map forests in three dimensions on a regular basis, but at the same time is producing more data than can be easily dealt with.
Recently, researchers have been facing an exponential growth of this problem as more and more drones and automatic monitoring stations become cheap and easy tools for research, producing large quantities of data that, while amazing in their novelty and complexity, still have very few tools available for viewing and interacting with them intuitively.
NCI's VizLab and Dr Tim Brown from The Australian National University's Research School of Biology are producing new software that will allow easy visualisation of these types of environmental data, especially in the form of point clouds. Point clouds are a type of 3 dimensional model of the environment produced from drones flights and laser scans. They can be used to map the size, location, color and other important characteristics of objects in the environment at high resolution. This data, gathered over an entire forest, can provide a clear image of what each individual tree looks like, how it grows over time and where it is placed in relation to the others.
Point clouds of an area can be gathered from airplanes, drones or from the ground; the challenge is bringing all those separate datasets into one single viewer. NCI is building the software and data management systems that will allow multiple point cloud sources to be viewed simultaneously, in virtual reality. This requires accurate GPS data to accompany each dataset, and access to storage and cloud services which provide the computational power needed to integrate all the data together.
Dr Brown's team, along with the ACT Government and CSIRO, has spent the last few years gathering point cloud data in the ACT. Dr Brown's dataset focuses on a forest in the National Arboretum, and when paired with the others, forms a detailed map of the changes in the forest over the last few years.
Critically, once you have multiple point clouds taken of your area of interest over a period of time, you can create a time-lapse component to the visualisation and see the trees grow and the landscapes change. The new tool allows data such as tree height, growth rate or even tree genetic variation to be mapped onto each tree. Dr Brown says "More and more researchers would like 3D models of their plants, but there aren't any tools designed for interacting with a time-lapse stack of point clouds and their associated data. The ability to continuously measure the world in very high resolution has the potential to revolutionise scientific research."
"With tools such as those we are creating, in a few years, a researcher could call up a hologram of their forest on their desk and tap a tree to show the data associated with it. They could rearrange the forest by height or growth rate or genetic markers. They could discuss an analysis with a colleague on the other side of the world while simultaneously viewing the same 3D model in real-time."
"These sorts of tools can completely change our ability to do science with increasingly complex data."
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The Roof rat is the smaller of the 2 commensal rats and the more common rat in the subtropical and tropical regions of the world. It not only damages/destroys materials by gnawing, eats and contaminates stored food, but it is also if human health importance as a vector or carrier of diseases.
Adults with a combined head and body length about 6-8" long with the tail length being 7-10" long. Fur is soft, smooth with colour usually being brown with black intermixed, to grey to black above with underside white, grey, or black.
Roof rats are primarily nocturnal in habit and colonies contain some members that are very cautious. Roof rats prefer to nest in the upper parts of structures, but may be found under buildings as well as occasionally in basements and sewers. Outdoors, they prefer to nest in higher places such as in trees but may occasionally be found in burrows in or under vegetation around the structure.
Although they will eat practically anything, roof rats prefer naturally-occurring seeds, nuts, fruits, and berries when in season. If available, they feed on slugs, snails and insects.


text:
Q: New password using python PassLib same as created in PHP Generate passwords in PHP using crypt(). An example output is:
$2a$10$F47zZrxfkRN4M4djSBPKXeS5QFdOwSrHn03m40WR1rI8g1cBGHgMO

Now, I've requirement to generate passwords using PassLib in Python, that should be validated in PHP.
PHP Code:
function generateSalt($cost = 10) {
    if (!is_numeric($cost) || $cost < 4 || $cost > 31) {
        die('Cost parameter must be between 4 and 31.');
    }
    // Get some pseudo-random data from mt_rand().
    $rand = '';
    for ($i = 0; $i < 8; ++$i) {
        $rand.=pack('S', mt_rand(0, 0xffff));
    }
    // Add the microtime for a little more entropy.
    $rand .= microtime();
    // Mix the bits cryptographically.
    $rand = sha1($rand, true);
    // Form the prefix that specifies hash algorithm type and cost parameter.
    $salt = '$2a$' . str_pad((int) $cost, 2, '0', STR_PAD_RIGHT) . '$';
    // Append the random salt string in the required base64 format.
    $salt .= strtr(substr(base64_encode($rand), 0, 22), array('+' => '.'));
    return $salt;
}

crypt('apasswd', generateSalt());
// Output: $2a$10$F47zZrxfkRN4M4djSBPKXeS5QFdOwSrHn03m40WR1rI8g1cBGHgMO

I want to be able to generate the same hash with python. How can I do that ?

A: You cannot do that because you are generating a hash with a random generated salt. So your final hash will be always different


text:
<?php

namespace Google\Service\ShoppingContent;

class LiasettingsCustomBatchResponseEntry extends \Google\Collection
{
  protected $collection_key = 'posDataProviders';
  /**
   * @var string
   */
  public $batchId;
  protected $errorsType = Errors::class;
  protected $errorsDataType = '';
  protected $gmbAccountsType = GmbAccounts::class;
  protected $gmbAccountsDataType = '';
  /**
   * @var string
   */
  public $kind;
  protected $liaSettingsType = LiaSettings::class;
  protected $liaSettingsDataType = '';
  protected $posDataProvidersType = PosDataProviders::class;
  protected $posDataProvidersDataType = 'array';

  /**
   * @param string
   */
  public function setBatchId($batchId)
  {
    $this->batchId = $batchId;
  }
  /**
   * @return string
   */
  public function getBatchId()
  {
    return $this->batchId;
  }
  /**
   * @param Errors
   */
  public function setErrors(Errors $errors)
  {
    $this->errors = $errors;
  }
  /**
   * @return Errors
   */
  public function getErrors()
  {
    return $this->errors;
  }
  /**
   * @param GmbAccounts
   */
  public function setGmbAccounts(GmbAccounts $gmbAccounts)
  {
    $this->gmbAccounts = $gmbAccounts;
  }
  /**
   * @return GmbAccounts
   */
  public function getGmbAccounts()
  {
    return $this->gmbAccounts;
  }
  /**
   * @param string
   */
  public function setKind($kind)
  {
    $this->kind = $kind;
  }
  /**
   * @return string
   */
  public function getKind()
  {
    return $this->kind;
  }
  /**
   * @param LiaSettings
   */
  public function setLiaSettings(LiaSettings $liaSettings)
  {
    $this->liaSettings = $liaSettings;
  }
  /**
   * @return LiaSettings
   */
  public function getLiaSettings()
  {
    return $this->liaSettings;
  }
  /**
   * @param PosDataProviders[]
   */
  public function setPosDataProviders($posDataProviders)
  {
    $this->posDataProviders = $posDataProviders;
  }
  /**
   * @return PosDataProviders[]
   */
  public function getPosDataProviders()
  {
    return $this->posDataProviders;
  }
}

// Adding a class alias for backwards compatibility with the previous class name.
class_alias(LiasettingsCustomBatchResponseEntry::class, 'Google_Service_ShoppingContent_LiasettingsCustomBatchResponseEntry');


Over on the aguanomics blog, David Zetland has a post arguing that the concept of Daylight Savings Time (DST) is "rubbish". He says that it does not contribute towards energy savings and simply inconveniences people.
I'm pretty sceptical of the 'benefits' of DST myself, but felt compelled to comment on his assertion that "it wold be better (more flexible) for businesses to adjust work hours, instead of facing a command and control 'fix'". In essence, my point is that individual businesses are unlikely to adjust their own work hours, or have much freedom (i.e. scope) to do so in reality. Firms need to operate during "conventional" office hours because this is when everyone else is doing business. It just isn't profitable to break rank when it comes to this kind of thing. Deciding to open shop an hour later would be counterproductive in terms of profitability and competitiveness; you've essentially cut yourself off from the bulk of the marketplace for that entire period.
Anyway, this got me on to the issue of cigarette bans and smoking laws, which I do consider a legitimate problem. I've been chewing on this for a little, since I sympathise with free market arguments over the primacy of private property and market incentives to create "smoke-free" clubs and restaurants if there is a need. Further, if non-smokers freely choose to frequent such places, exactly what externality does Government correct when it passes smoking legislation? However, while there's a seductive logic to these sort of arguments, things just don't seem to work like this in reality... Again, I can draw on my personal experiences.
Having spent most of my childhood in South Africa, I remember restaurants installing separate smoking sections only once they had been required to do so by law. Despite this convention having been in place for over a decade now, bars and nightclubs -- which do not fall under the same law -- have yet to follow suit. So it's not like the market hasn't had time to react. In my home city of Cape Town (and the rest of the country for that matter), I really can't recall a single bar or nightclub that has established smoke-free zones of their own accord. I've asked several friends and family members just to be sure and they can't name any either. It's the same for other areas of the world that I've visited where no smoking bans exist.
Public health issues of cigarette smoke aside, I think that this again boils down a matter of institutional inertia and a coordination problem that is limited by competitive behaviour. Nightclubs and bars may want to switch over to smoke-free environments, but would be nervous to lose clientèle. Further, the problem with these places of social gathering is that they represent, in effect, areas that we like to enjoy in common. I don't wish to exclude my smoking friends from the places that I frequent, and vice versa. (I think that this issue of "commons" is another reason to be sceptical of the "freedom to choose" argument in this particular instance.) Unfortunately, since there are inevitably some people already smoking in the club, there's little point in "polite" -- for want of a better word -- smokers going outside for a drag. Lastly, I'd suggest that it's not a matter of smoking being "socially unacceptable", but rather that these institutions have become so entrenched that we can't assume businesses will change their own rules, at least not on any significant scale.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: We should always question whether Government interventions really make us better off as a society. The rule of thumb is that we want less micromanagement and more freedom to choose for ourselves. However, market outcomes don't always play out as well as we'd like to think they will. As always, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
You come up with this rule. Businesses need to be regulated, how best and when do we do such?


MUMBAI: Salman Khan's latest flick Sultan is on a record breaking spree. The movie has smashed all records left, right and centre.
MUMBAI: Bollywood's new king, Salman Khan is delighted that his admirers liked his stint as a wrestler in his latest release 'Sultan'.
MUMBAI: Bollywood's new king Salman Khan's latest flick Sultan is on a record breaking spree. The movie has smashed all records left, right and centre.
Salman Khan gifts Rs 10 crore house to Bipasha?


SwissBake® Egg Free Chocolate Cake Mix is a quick and convenient mix to prepare superior moist & dark chocolate eggless cakes and sponges that has a good output volume, excellent chocolate profile, high stability, uniform texture and fine crumb structure.
It is an easy to use mix, enriched with real dark cocoa that gives an amazing mouthfeel and makes perfect chocolate layered cakes and sponge cakes and goes well with whipped or chocolate toppings.
It is an ideal solution for the professional as well as industrial bakers looking for a quick and easy solution to prepare a deliciously rich and dark chocolate flavoured egg free cakes and sponges that are sure to please their demanding customers.


Israel has increased its interest rates by 0.15 percentage points, from 0.1% to an annual rate of 0.25%.
This change is the first to have taken place since on October1th 2017, when the Central Bank increasedinterest rates by 0.15 percentage points to 0.1%.
Here we show you the progression of interest rates in Israel. You can see interest rates in other countries in interest rates and see all the economic information about Israel in Israel economy.


text:
∞ https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c89p33w7/
Letchworth Family Photograph Collection: Finding Aid
Finding aid prepared by Diann Benti.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
The Huntington Library
San Marino, California 91108
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Title: Letchworth Family Photograph Collection
Dates (inclusive): approximately 1906
Collection Number: photCL 540
Creator: Letchworth Family
Extent: 33 photographs in 1 box
Repository: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. Photo Archives
Abstract: This collection consists of pages of a disbound photograph album containing 32 various-sized snapshots related to travel by the Letchworth Family in Southern California in 1906, as well as one additional loose print of an audience to a 1906 Pasadena horse show. The images include views of Eagle Rock, Pasadena, Las Casitas in Ventura, and the Miramar Inn in Santa Barbara, California, as well as four images of "Mr. Howard and his Burrows coming from Death Valley." The images include landscape views of Southern California canyons, hillsides, and ranch lands; horseback riding, hotel buildings, and two Native Americans.
Finding aid last updated on July 1, 2014.
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
[Identification of item], Letchworth Family Photograph Collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
These photographs were received as part of a gift of Peter and Sally Letchworth in 2011, along with additional photographs and blueprints of the Letchworth family's "Penjerrick" residence in Covina, California, designed by architect Reginald D. Johnson, which were added to the Huntington's Reginald D. Johnson Collection.
Pierre Edson Letchworth (1876-1924) and Sarah Evans Letchworth (1875-1925), both originally of Buffalo, New York, married in 1898 and had two children Pierre Edson Letchworth Jr. (1899-1991) and William Pryor Letchworth (1902-1959). The family visited Southern California in the early 1900s, before purchasing an orange grove in Covina, California, and moving there permanently in 1910. In 1913, architect Reginald D. Johnson built a residence, known as "Penjerrick Ranch," on the Covina property for the Letchworth family.
This collection consists of pages of a disbound photograph album containing 32 various-sized snapshots related to travel by the Letchworth Family in Southern California in 1906. The images, accompanied by handwritten captions, include views of Eagle Rock, Pasadena, Las Casitas in Ventura, and the Miramar Inn in Santa Barbara, California, as well as four images of "Mr. Howard and his Burrows coming from Death Valley." The images include landscape views of Southern California canyons, hillsides, and ranch lands; horseback riding, hotel buildings, and two Native Americans. The images are mounted on 7 disbound 10 x 12 inch scrapbook pages from a photograph album. 15 of the images are 3 3/4 x 12 inch panoramas. The collection also contains one loose 6 x 8 inch gelatin silver print showing members of an audience in a grandstand during a March 1906 horse show in Pasadena (Item 33).
Related materials in the Huntington Library
Reginald D. Johnson Collection (Call number: archJohnson)
The collection is arranged numerically according to the item numbers supplied by the cataloger.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Huntington Library's Online Catalog.
Recreation -- California, Southern -- Photographs.
Santa Barbara (Calif.) -- Photographs.
Eagle Rock (Los Angeles, Calif.) -- Photographs.
Pasadena (Calif.) -- Photographs.
Forms/Genres
Photograph albums.
Item titles transcribed from captions; supplied titles in square brackets.
Casitas Pass, Rincon Ranch, Carpenteria, Cal.
Panorama.
The Pass.
Sarah Evans Letchworth (identified as "S.E.L") and two men (identified as E.E. and Mr. Loyd) with two horses on the road at Casitas Pass.
[Native American woman.]
A live oak on the Rincon.
Miramar Inn, Santa Barbara : Banana Grove,	May 1906.
Miramar Inn, Santa Barbara : The Wayside,	May 1906.
Miramar Inn, Santa Barbara : Stockton Cottage, May 1906.
Miramar Inn, Santa Barbara : Our Cottage,	May 1906.
Older woman, identified as Mrs. Schaffer with two children identified as E.L. [presumably Pierre Edson Letchworth Jr.] and P.L. [presumably William Pryor Letchworth]
Miramar Inn Santa Barbara, Cal. : The Cottages.	May 1906.
Miramar Inn Santa Barbara, Cal. : The Beach.	May 1906.
San Marcos Pass 3 1/2 Hours to drive up, 52 minute [to drive] down.
Santa Barbara Mission.
Image of a Native American man.
Las Casitas : Hunt Luncheon	January 30th, 1906.
Panorama view of dogs, and women and men on horses with individuals identified as "Mrs Harvey, Miss Dwight, Miss Gaylor, Miss Hall, Miss Phillips, Miss Nelson, E.E., S.E.L. [Sarah Evans Letchworth], P.E.L. [Pierre Edson Letchworth] - William" and additional caption "Three of E's Fluffies."
[Cabins at Las Casitas]	January 30th, 1906.
[View of house and mountains at Las Casitas]	January 30th, 1906.
Mr Howard and his Burrows : The Desert	March 4th, 1906.
Mr Howard and his Burrows : Coming out of Death Valley	March 4th, 1906.
Mr Howard and his Burrows March 4th, 1906.
Eagle Rock Valley : Richardsons Ranch.
Eagle Rock Valley : The Court.
Panorama; caption identifies horses and individuals in photograph as "Dobbin, Pryor, E.P., Chimes, P.E.L. [Pierre Edson Letchworth], Monte, Highball, S.E.L. [Sarah Evans Letchworth], E.L. [Pierre Edson Letchworth, Jr.], and Teddy."
Eagle Rock Cañon : Afternoon.
Eagle Rock Cañon.
Panorama view over mountains with Pasadena in the distance.
The Arroyo : Looking North from Toll Bridge.
Panorama view with Arroyo Drive in foreground.
The Arroyo : Scovill Grade.
Eagle Rock Grade March 1906.
Panorama view, with ranch in foreground.
Mary's Bungalow, Palmetto Drive, Pasadena, Cal. March 1906.
[Dalmatian dog on lawn]	March 1906.
"Chorus Girl" March 1906.
Man with a horse.
Eagle Rock Cañon : North East.
Panorama view showing the ranch and well.
Eagle Rock Cañon : North.
Panorama view towards Eagle Rock and the Verdugo Mountains.
Panorama view towards the Verdugo Mountains, with the Ranch, Eagle Rock, and the road to Pasadena.
Looking East to Pasadena.
Panorama view looking, with the road to Pasadena.
"Our Boy at Horse Show" (Pasadena) Mr. & Mrs. Warden, Mrs. Maruey, Mr. Gillian	March 10, 1906.
Image of men and women, wearing fashionable hats, in the grandstand during a Pasadena, California, horse show.


At the Robinsons Galleria Activity Center, kids and their families were recently treated to a weekend adventure as they were greeted by larger-than-life images of Christmas celebrations.
For kids and kids-at-heart, Christmas is the happiest time of the year as it marks the season of giving.
With most people already excitedly preparing for the Yuletide season—decorating their homes with colorful lanterns and lights and shopping for gifts—Robinsons Supermarket ushered in the holiday spirit with the Holiday Fair.
Children gathered around Santa Claus for a modern-day storytelling session using a big LED storybook while customers rekindled their memories of childhood as they listened to the angelic voices of different choirs which serenaded them all throughout the event.
Families had a wonderful time creating their own take-home gifts from the Holiday Fair. Little kids decorated Christmas cookies with their moms and put together their own Christmas glitter globes with their dads.
Visitors also had an exciting time going around the Christmas Storybook-themed venue to play games and win exciting prizes. All they had to do was make a minimum single receipt purchase of P350 worth of participating products from Nestle, Wyeth, Selecta, P&G, Froneri, Unilever, and Abbott to get a stamp card, collect all stamps to get a special prize, and check all items from their list to get additional freebies.
Families also took holiday pictures at the photo booth and even received free personalized Christmas stockings when they presented their Holiday Fair stamp card.
Customers were also given a chance to donate to World Vision through the Nutcracker game.
Robinsons Supermarket shoppers can also enjoy P100 off coupons for a minimum purchase of P3,000 inclusive of P350 worth of participating sponsor products from November 1 to December 31. Robinsons Rewards cardholders can also earn 1 rewards point for every purchase of any participating sponsor item every Tuesday within the promo period.
Find out more about Robinsons Supermarket's wellness commitment and other activities at their official website at www.robinsons-supermarket.com.ph.
Kids delight in a Christmas story which Santa Claus shared through his LED storybook during Robinsons Supermarket's Holiday Fair.
These parents and kids lovingly decorate Christmas cookies during the Holiday Fair at Robinsons Galleria.
Dads and kids busy themselves with decorating their own Christmas glitter globes to take home from the Holiday Fair.
Kids try their luck at the Nutcracker Game for a chance to help donate to the kids of World Vision.
Christmas comes early for these kids as they get free stuffed stockings during the Holiday Fair.


text:
Kwality Ltd: The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has directed the lenders of Kwality Ltd to reconsider the revised Rs145cr offer by Haldiram Snacks to acquire the debt-ridden dairy firm. The Delhi-based bench of the tribunal has also extended the Corporate Insolvency Resolution period by another three weeks and directed the Committee of Creditor (CoC) to reconsider the enhanced offer. Earlier, the lenders of Kwality Ltd had rejected the Rs142 crore bid of Delhi-based Haldiram Snacks, which emerged as the sole bidder to acquire the debt-ridden dairy firm. Following which, Haldiram Snacks had revised its offer marginally and approached the NCLT with a plea that its latest resolution plan should be considered by the lenders as the offer is higher than the liquidation value.
Let us look at the developments which took place on the global front:
All major US stock indexes posted all-time highs on Friday. The S&P 500 notched its sixth straight weekly gain, the index's longest streak in two years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped slightly over 222 points or 0.80%, to close at 28,004.89. The S&P 500 rose 23.83 points, or 0.77%, to finish at 3,120.46, and the Nasdaq Composite jumped 61.81 points, or 0.73%, to close at 8,540.83.
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow reportedly said that current negotiations between the two countries are 'very constructive', which was enough to drive stock markets up across the U.K., mainland Europe and most of Asia. Kudlow on Thursday said negotiators are getting close to an agreement, but that President Donald Trump wasn't yet ready to sign off.
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text:
Daniel Cabrera Designated For Assignment
By Tim Dierkes | May 26, 2009 at 11:35pm CDT
According to Chico Harlan of the Washington Post, the Nationals designated pitcher Daniel Cabrera for assignment tonight. Acting GM Mike Rizzo was frank: "I was tired of watching him." We all were, Mike. Cabrera told Harlan he would not accept a minor league assignment.
Back when the Nationals signed Cabrera for $2.6MM on December 20th, I thought it was a decent gamble. They beat out the Mets and Pirates to get him. But the velocity that made Cabrera intriguing pre-2008 did not return in 2009. In fact, he lost even more on the fastball. You have to wonder about Cabrera's health. He posted a 5.85 ERA in 40 innings for the Nationals.
Washington Nationals Daniel Cabrera
Keith Law's Projected First Round
MLB Cuts Slots For June Draft


Is it worth buying a mirror from aliexpress or ebay?
Me and my friend are trying to build our first telescope (8" dob), and we are looking for a mirror. We can`t make our own telescope so we`ve been looking for one on the internet. We could get a mirror set for quite cheap on ebay and aliexpress, but are those really worth it or should we get more expensive ones from somewhere else? And if so then where?
The eBay and aliexpress mirrors are spherical junk. Avoid.
Get a mirror from GSO or look at used on the Classifieds or Astromart.
Edited by Augustus, 19 January 2019 - 09:16 AM.
Can be difficult to say.
Have no knowledge of Aliexpress, they seem to be uncommon here but ebay is used.
Since ebay is often "shops" then it depends on the shop and the source. Hubble Optics sell some of their sandwich mirrors via ebay and they seem reasonable mirrors. They also sell hyperbolic mirrors and they are better.
So you need to investigate then decide. ebay will be a case of one online shop and almost world wide exposure. Minimum is the country they go via as in .com covers the US. They do not need to take a few years to get known as ebay presents just about everything to everyone.
Aliexpress is as said more of an unknown, some items appear fair others questionable. You need to be sure of the mirror and if possible the source.
One thing you need to ask yourself is are the "cheap" mirrors even if they carry a recognisable name are they of decent quality. I suspect that optical components are checked and catagorised and the poor ones get sold off. These days it will be a few seconds to check any optical item and get a result. It also prevents the recognised names getting poor items - they buy only the grade A items.
Second that. Aliexpress is quite the labyrinth and it can be impossible to figure out what they are actually selling. In fact, it seems some of the sellers intentionally obfuscate. I bought my first mirror from Aliexpress because it was so cheap, but when it arrived, I was shocked to find out that it was spherical. You also have absolutely no recourse. Made for a pretty crappy experience.
eBay, on the other hand, has been good. Many US shops are on eBay and I bought 2 mirrors this way. Wait around a bit and you may even get complete 8" mirror+cells from makers like Orion or Skywatcher for only 80 bucks. Not superb mirrors, but quite a bargain, in my opinion.
Edited by geyes30, 19 January 2019 - 01:19 PM.
What f # are you looking for? This one listed will have other useful parts...can't beat that!
Edited by ccaissie, 19 January 2019 - 07:04 PM.


We recently sent Lee Folkard to check out the craze that is the Buff Parlour! Have a read at what he had to say about his experience.
"The minute I walked through those doors, I felt as if I was transported back into a retro era. With colourful walls decorated with emojis, feminist posters and quirky quotes, I knew I was in for a real treat.
Amy Winehouse could be heard blaring through the jukebox from the corner, and the smell of donuts and coffee wafted through the air. As a compulsive photographer, I couldn't help but snap away. – I think I must have taken a ba-jillion photos!
I was guided towards my very own station which I like to classify as a "mancave!" Angel and Ayanda treated me to a manicure and a pedicure, while I sipped on a hot coffee and had a Wicked Donut. – Now, how good does that sound?
As a metrosexual, I loved the experience and would definitely be back! – Another thing I noticed was that they stock products for men with beards. From beard oil to brushes, grooming has never been easier!
We have a R500 voucher up for grabs for all the men out there!
To enter, simply drop us a comment below telling us why we should choose you.
Winners will be drawn on 7 December 2016.


I'm excited for the release of Tremontaine, a serialized, 13-part prequel to Ellen Kushner's Riverside novels. Judging by an excerpt released Monday on RT Book Reviews, it should be every bit as excellent as Swordspoint, Privilege of the Sword, and Fall of the Kings (the latter co-authored with Kushner's partner in writing and in life, Delia Sherman). The art looks gorgeous, too. According to the cover reveal on Tor.com, there will be a different cover for each episode, so the awesomeness just increased by a factor of thirteen.
As you can tell from the cover above, this is a group project, with Kushner sharing the byline with Alaya Dawn Johnson, Malindo Lo, Joel Derfner, Racheline Maltese, and Patty Bryant. Knowing just a bit of Maltese's and Lo's work, I'm sure this group of writers will live up to the standards Kushner set in the original trilogy. Swordspoint introduced diverse sexual orientations into fantasy, and this writing team promises a welcome inclusion of other types of diversity in the world of Riverside.
– Read the full excerpt here.
Serial Box Publishing will release the first installment of Tremontaine on October 28th. Full details are here.
In other Riverside news, Kushner is also at work on the fourth full novel in this series, which will take place "about fifteen years after Privilege of the Sword," (so before Fall of the Kings). So the series will soon be a tetralogy, or a pentalogy, or something. It's a great time to be a fan of this writer, who has been such an inspiration for my own historical romance/suspense novel, Daring and Decorum: A Highwayman Novel.


Activity. Students research one of the big cats: tigers, lions, cheetahs, leopards, cougars (pumas), or jaguars. They organize and present research findings on the cats' range and natural habitat, life cycle and habits, threats, and conservation efforts.


Light it Red for Dyslexia is a Volunteer initiative to light significant monuments and landmarks across Australia in red for Dyslexia Awareness. After an amazing inaugural Australian "Light it Red for Dyslexia" 2015, the combined state and national dyslexia support groups are proud to be working on preparations for this year's event on the 15th of October 2016.
The idea of lighting monuments red for dyslexia is a form of empowerment. Many dyslexic learners have been crushed by the slice of a teacher's red pen across work they have poured their hearts and souls into. "Light it Red for Dyslexia" is an opportunity to take back the colour red and transform it from a colour of captivity to a symbol of power and awareness.
If you would like to get involved you can download the letter template, that you can tweak to request support in your community for a building or monument to be lit red. Maybe you can ask your school to celebrate in Week 1 Term 4, which starts 17th October. There are Facebook cover and Facebook profile images, a DL flyer and poster too.
Many people might going to appreciate this kind of writing especially that it can relate many other people who might have that kind of disability and doesn't lose hope to cure their illness.


text:
UAE says deal with Israel good for food security
By Tom Joyce2022-06-15T10:33:00+01:00
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement recently signed between the UAE and Israel will facilitate global supply chain efficiency, according to the UAE's minister for foreign trade
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), signed last month between the UAE and Israel, is expected to assist in supporting the global supply chain and increasing food security, according to Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the UAE's minister of state for foreign trade.
"This CEPA comes at a critical time for the global economy," the minister told Emirates News Agency (WAM). "The world is beginning to emerge from the global pandemic, but challenges remain, not least as conflict and inflation threaten to stall the global recovery.
"The UAE-Israel CEPA will help facilitate global supply chain efficiency, including for agriculture and food products, which would have an impact on food security."
The CEPA is expected to push non-oil bilateral trade to more than US$10bn within five years, seven times higher than in 2021, he revealed.
"In the first quarter of 2022, the value of bilateral trade reached US$1.06bn, a growth that points to bilateral trade closing in on US$5bn by the end of the year," he said.
The minister said he was confident that this would have "a major catalysing effect on mutual investment flows", one of the key objectives of the CEPA agenda.
The CEPA is expected to facilitate investment flows for tourism infrastructure projects and open up more flights between the countries, according to Al Zeyoudi. Daily flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv reportedly start this month.
"#UAEIsraelCEPA is an unprecedented achievement," he tweeted. "Businesses in both countries will benefit from faster access to markets and lower tariffs as our nations work together to increase trade, create jobs, promote new skills and deepen cooperation."
Israel received official authorisation to export fruit and vegetables to the UAE at the end of 2020, following a series of meetings and between the then Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Alon Schuster, ministry employees and the UAE ministry for climate change and the environment.
Given the fierce competition on the European market, the opening of exports to the UAE, whose agricultural imports are valued at around US$10bn a year, was seen as a significant opportunity for Israeli vegetable growers in particular.
"This is wonderful news for Israel's farmers," Schuster said at the time. "The agreement that we signed with the UAE is moving us forward and into a joint future in the field of agriculture."
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U.S. Marines with 1st Marine Aircraft Wing joined forces with service members from seven full participating nations to support the 37th iteration of Exercise Cobra Gold, at various sites in the Kingdom of Thailand, February 13-23, 2018.
Exercise Cobra Gold 2018 is one of the largest theater security cooperation exercises in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and is an integral part of the U.S. commitment to strengthen engagement in the region. It is intended to advance regional security and ensure effective responses to regional crises by bringing together a robust multinational force to address shared goals and security commitments in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.
"The Marines of Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369 are here to promote multilateral training and deliver close air support for the participating nations such as the Kingdom of Thailand and Republic of Korea," said Maj. Kevin M. Keene, an operations officer and AH-1Z Viper pilot with HMLA-369, under the Unit Deployment Program with Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st MAW.
1st MAW sent AH-1Z Vipers, UH-1Y Venoms with HMLA-369, CH-53E Super Stallions with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466 and KC-130J Hercules with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, to provide aerial support for the exercise. Also, to build relationships and improve joint capabilities over a range of activities, to include enhancing maritime security and responding to large-scale natural disasters.
According to Keene, a Carlsbad, Calif. native, HMLA-369 will take part in various training operations, such as live fire exercises, flight landings on Thai and Korean Navy ships, VIP lifts, and integrate with Thai Joint Terminal Attack Controllers.
Designed to integrate the U.S. military with the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Thailand and other partner nations, Cobra Gold demonstrates the commitment of Thailand and the U.S. long-standing alliance. Thailand is a key partner and an enduring ally continuing our broad cooperation on issues that assist both our countries, the region, and beyond. Our relationship with the Kingdom of Thailand remains one of our most important in Southeast Asia.
"The Marines of HMLA-369 'The Gunfighters' are excited to participate in Cobra Gold and be here in Thailand to work with our allied and partnered nations, and we can't wait to show the nations in Southeast Asia what the Gunfighters are capable of," said Keene.
This exercise will improve combined responsiveness to crises in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, and further reinforce our decades-long partnership. Also, it will test the interoperability and bilateral capability of the Thai and U.S. militaries to work together across a variety of areas including humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and a field training exercise.


A Demographic Study of the Sault Ste. Marie Separate School Board, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada.
DeLuca, Kenneth G., "A Demographic Study of the Sault Ste. Marie Separate School Board, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada." (1976). All NMU Master's Theses. 232.


text:
Prempeh I: The Last Asantehene Before British Colonization
On October 13, 2016 October 13, 2016 By Dr. Y.In Great Moments, Great People
Asantehene Prempeh I
Prempeh I was the Asantehene (King) of the Kingdom of Ashanti. He was born as Prince Kwaku Dua III Asamu of the Kingdom of Ashanti, and he took the name of Prempeh I upon ascension on the throne at the young age of 16. His reign was a troubled one as it fell during the time of British invasion/colonization of the Gold Coast. In essence, he was the last king of the Kingdom of Ashanti before the Gold Coast fell under British protectorate.
Europeans were already installed in the region and had been trading on the coast since the 15th century for gold and slaves (as we saw with the slave castles of Elmina and Cape Coast). By the beginning of the 19th century, the British government decided to formalize its control of the Gold Coast. They dispatched a force to conquer the Ashanti. They only won the war against the disciplined Ashanti because of the superiority of their artillery and rifles over the traditional muskets of the Ashanti. Once in Kumasi, the capital, the British hastily looted the royal palace and burned the town to the ground. The defeated Ashanti had already released their prisoners and subsequently were forced into agreeing to a treaty to give up claims on coastal territories, to cease the practice of human sacrifice and to pay a huge indemnity of 50,000 ounces of gold. This was known as the Wolseley's expedition. The Gold Coast was then declared a Crown Colony.
16th Century map of West Africa with Fort Elmina
Having lost their invincibility in war, the Ashantis were now faced with rebelling neighboring tribes, and the Ashanti confederation was descending into civil war. The Ashanti had become so weak that, in 1888, they asked the British governor to send an arbitrator from the coast to decide who, amongst rival claimants, should be the next Asantehene. The governor's delegate decided in favor of the 16 year-old Prempeh. But Prempeh I turned out to be no puppet and refused to agree that Ashanti should become a British Protectorate.
Asantehene Prempeh I began an active campaign of the Ashanti sovereignty. The British offered to take the Kingdom of Ashanti under their protection, but Asantehene Prempeh I of the Kingdom of Ashanti refused each request. Asantehene Prempeh I stated, "My Kingdom of Ashanti will never commit itself to any such policy of protection; Ashanti people and the Kingdom of Ashanti must remain an independent sovereign state as of old, and at the same time be friends with all white men".
Prempeh I and his suite in the Seychelles (taken by F.A.L. Ramseyer) ca 1900-1903
Still wary of the French in Ivory Coast and alarmed by a resurgent Ashanti, the British now (1894) "remembered" that the Wolseley indemnity had never been paid. Prempeh I tried to appeal directly to a fellow sovereign, Queen Victoria, and sent an embassy to London to plead his cause. But the British government refused to give his delegates an audience for almost a year and mounted another elaborate British army expedition to Kumasi. Prempeh I refused to allow the Ashanti to fight, partly because of the memory of the Wolseley expedition and partly because of the British support for him during the succession dispute. Instead, he diplomatically greeted the troops as his guests when they marched into Kumasi, in January of 1896. The British governor arrived and coldly received Prempeh I and his chiefs. Prempeh I desperately tried to placate the invaders and to the horror of his people, he demeaned himself by prostrating himself before the governor in a sign of submission. The governor's only response was to demand the gold promised to Wolseley. Prempeh could not provide such a huge indemnity at once but offered to pay in instalments starting with 680 ounces as a down payment. This was refused and then, to the astonishment of the Ashantis, Prempeh and some of his main chiefs were suddenly arrested.
Prempeh I's place was looted. His throne is still displayed in the Royal Signals Museum at Blandford in England. The abducted Asantehene, Prempeh I, some of his relatives and advisors were first taken to Elmina for about a year, then to Freetown in Sierra Leone until 1900 when, upon the outbreak of Yaa Asantewaa (story for another day), the British feared proximity and sent the royal party to the Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean.
Once there, Prempeh I spent time in his villa on Mahe, the largest of the Seychelles' island in the Indian Ocean. Prempeh I's villa, and 16 new wooden houses with sandy floors and roofed with corrugated iron-sheets were built in Seychelles and allocated to the various Asante's nobles. The place was called the Ashanti Camp. Prempeh made an effort to educate himself in English and made sure that the children received education.
Prempeh I reinstated in Kumasi in 1926 (Source: thekingdomofAsante.com)
On 27 December 1924, Prempeh I and the other remaining members of the exiled Ashanti court were allowed to return to Ashanti Kingdom. Upon his return, and to appease the Ashanti people, the British created for Prempeh I the official position of Kumasehene in 1926, position which he held until his death in Kumasi, Ghana, on 12 May 1931. He was succeeded by his heir apparent Prempeh II of the Kingdom of Ashanti.
Prempeh I was definitely a king caught between trying to hold the sovereignty of his people, and keeping peace, while working with the British invader peacefully. Was his approach the correct one when faced with a greedy, heartless, and treacherous opponent? For more information, please check out Kreol magazine, The Kingdom of Asante, asantekingdom.org websites which are full of great articles.
Asante KingdomAsanteheneAshanti KingdomKingdom of AsanteKumasehenePrempeh IPrempeh IISeychelles GhanaWolseley expeditionYaa Asantewaa
Deportation of African Heads of States
Proverbe Akan sur l'Absence de Choix / Akan Proverb on the Lack of Choices