text:
Home > National > Politics
Gov't restructuring plan still stuck
President Park Geun-hye flashes a smile at her new desk in the Blue House while her aides stand by as they begin official work yesterday. [YONHAP]
Park Geun-hye's first day as president was dominated by pomp and ceremony. But going forward, she will have to work with the prime minister and ministers of the cabinet of predecessor Lee Myung-bak as a series of bills to restructure the government according to her plan remained deadlocked in the legislature.
The National Assembly will have a voting session today but the restructuring plans will probably not come up as the ruling and opposition parties remain deadlocked.
While the ruling party supports Park's plan, the DUP disagreed on who should control the policy on media. Park wants to allow the Korea Communications Commission to regulate the major broadcasters and cable networks while handing over authority on other media including the Internet and satellite TV to the new ministry of future planning and science.
The DUP said broadcasting control must stay with the Korea Communications Commission to ensure fairness and integrity of the industry.
The DUP also disagrees with Park's plan to transfer trade affairs from the foreign ministry to the commerce ministry.
Since a series of bills on the restructuring was submitted to the National Assembly on Jan. 30, no progress has been made to approve them. Saenuri Chairman Hwang Woo-yea held a press conference Sunday and asked the DUP to cooperate with the government plan, but no breakthrough was made as of yesterday afternoon.
Despite the deadlock, speculation grew yesterday that the motion to confirm Jung Hong-won as Park's first prime minister will likely be passed at the legislature today. Jung was vetted at confirmation hearings last week, but the DUP did not immediately approve the hearing report, effectively delaying the process.
A Blue House official said yesterday that Park yesterday made a formal request to the National Assembly to confirm Jung's appointment. She signed the request shortly after she entered the Blue House after her inauguration ceremony earlier in the morning at the National Assembly.
Starting Wednesday, the National Assembly will proceed with confirmation hearings on Park's minister nominees.
Park made public her nominees earlier this month, even before the legislature approved the government restructuring, and the move enraged the DUP.
The DUP particularly vowed to kill the nomination of Kim Byung-kwan as defense minister. Kim's confirmation hearing will take place on March 6.
By Ser Myo-ja [myoja@joongang.co.kr]
CIO's alleged improper surveillance targeted members of PPP fan club
Ruling party's presidential candidate vows to resume tourism to Mount Kumgang
PPP seeks to stop TV broadcasting of Yoon's wife's phone calls
Justice Party campaign leaders resign en masse amid candidate's seclusion
Whistleblower in investigation on DP's Lee is found dead


text:
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(r'^media/(?P<path>.*)$', 'django.views.static.serve', {'document_root': os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'media').replace('\\','/'),}),
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Photo Trip Report Archive
East Coast Photo TR - Updated Page 6
By chadster,
May 18, 2010 in Photo Trip Report Archive
chadster
Hi all, thought I would share my pics from a trip that I have wanted to take for at least 10 years and finally decided to go for it. Appx 10 East cost parks in 16 days (weather permitting, it's rained all day today). First on the list was Kings Dominion (5/15/10). Flew into BWI (yes, a bit far off, but there is a method to my madness) and took a grueling 3 hour drive on a Saturday to Doswell. Traffic scared me far worse than anything KD could put together for Halloween, lol.
Got to the park at 6:30 and this is what we got
You know you are at a "Kings" park when you have fountains!
The new Planet Snoopy sign
Repainted water works or whatever it's called. Too bad it wasn't in operation, it was certainly hot enough, around 85 at the high. Not sure I can dig the colors.
Hmm, what do we have here....could it be what I flew 1k miles to hop onto??
Sure is! I305 - but look at that line!!! Think I'll come back later. After asking around, I got wait time responses of 1.5 to 2 hours.
A better shot of the line.
The line for the volcano was equally as long. I can wait until tomorrow to ride it. For now, I'll head to the back of the park and work my way to the front.
The wheel at sunset. Didn't Americana have a logo last year on the spindel? I could be mistaken.
There's this flying contraption, old school yes, fun, sort of.
hmmmmm how was it you get to grizzly??
over here?
or over here?
ahhh over here
no waiting!! everytime i have come to KD, the back of the park is always empty, good for me.
hmmmmm, what do we have here, a re-ride access point perhaps? I don't know for sure, but that's what I made it. Wish I hadn't, rode the front car, hands in air at tunnel, hand slapped entrance to tunnel, couldn't feel fingertips for 8 hours, bruised badly, still hurts, but not broken. The yellow train if I remember correctly was feshly painted tho, looked great.
the diner.
after hurting my hand, i went to the huler at sunset, and I felt let hurling even before I got on the ride, but a coaster ride made some of the pain go away...
Richochet, one ride I don't like, too jerky for me, and I like most rides. Drop tower ready to let loose.
Speaking of Drop Tower, got stuck at the top of that dude last June for about 20 minutes before they started to winch us down, was cool at first, but when you are up there you are thinking, what if they have to attach a harness to us and, and, and....but they did a great job of keeping us all calm (someone shook a gate too much and the ride went into e-stop, special thanks fo whoever that was)
everybody say OH YEAH!!!!
This side is getting some TLC, but no worries, the other side is up and running with little lines.
and now up to the Dominator
decieded to see what my cheap don't care if I loose or damage it camera will do. I'm trained professionally as a photog and would normall use multi flash points for this stuff
zooming by in a blur
and again, not bad for an el-cheapo camera!!
I got in line for I305 at 9:45. The line was still long, but shorter than in the pic above. The line started at the entrance to the ride queue and took 45 minutes to ride. The crew was hoping and didn't skip a beat, so if you come to ride and see the line that long, you will know about how long it will take. They didn't have a single rider line and the front row line was non existent until you got in the station. It doesn't seem like they did a lot of pre-planning on the queue side on this ride, or in what is becomming typical CF fashion, they are not spending much money on ride stations anymore at their non "flagship" parks. they had all the front row riders stand against the rail while those who didn't want to wait had to squeeze by them, literally. No attendant at the entrance to the station directing traffic was also casuing some confusion. But, despite killing my hand, it was a good, quick, 3.5 hours with a friendly staff.
Anyway, enough of my soap box, I have a real treat in store for day two. Went to Busch Gardens and have some pictures that will blow your minds. Stay tuned. Hope to have that out by Wed. of this week.
Edited June 2, 2010 by chadster
chadster 36 posts
Goliath513 2 posts
PAL 2 posts
bgwfreak777 2 posts
Ok, I promised something big, and here I will start. My journey has next taken me to Busch Gardens Europe (Williamsburg) 5.16.10. And led me to arrive at the park at 7:30 AM, the toll takers had not even arrived at the parking lot. So, why did I show up so early? A behind the scenes coaster tour! So, lets get started.
Way early in the morning
Here we are in the maintenace bay of the lock ness, an arrow inter-locking coatser.
A wheel that was perviously found during testing, no park guests were on the ride I'm told
Born on date? Nope, this is the date that the wheel can be used. The material the "tire" is made of must cure. The wheels on the lock ness are cured in the sun for many days.
The dogs and sample of chain.
These are parts from a former BG coaster, the python I think they said. The mechanics said you could build an entire train from the parts here which will ensure the lock ness runs for a good while longer.
The train from under beneath the station
Here is one of the mechanics, Willie, showing us how the block brakes work. He also told us that the trains would not see the maintenance shed again until the end of season unless a major problem occurs. All maintenance will occur while on the storage tracks.
The control panel. On this ride, my tour guides tell me the operator can send the train whenever, a computer won't prevent them from sending the train if the one ahead has not cleared the second lift hill/breaks.
Trains awaiting us to ride them.
And a close up of the 1st lift hill motor.
Thats me on the left, our tour guide, Bill, is in the center giving us the history behind the loop and installation. He tells me they had a six foot tollerance on where the footers for the ride portion over the water. Arrow said they could "make it work." All of the steal was welded onsite.
That's it for the Lock Ness. Next we moved on to Griffon....
Edited April 2, 2011 by chadster
I was half way thru updating the Griffon portion of the tour when my internet connection dropped, not to mention, Tornado's are in my home town with one spotted less than a mile from my house, hope it's still there when I get back....Anyway, here is Griffon.
Here is a shot of the lift hill that you won't get everyday, it's from a ride restricted area.
Ding Ding, Mezzanine Level! And a shot of the chain. The chain extends over for multiple reasons, one of which is to push the train around to the blocks right before the drop.
The train sitting in the blocks. Did you know the train wasn't orginally designed to be floorless?
It was made floorless to remove weight as the design BG requested made it to heavy to fly.
Proof I was there, taken by our personal photographer
Train sitting in storage. Here's an interesting fact. The wheels on these trains are similar to those on lock ness in that they too must be cured, only they are more or less placed in hot water for a period of time.
Trains are also stored each night on a rail on a set of wheels that are located on the edges of the trains The mechanics tell me that B&M procedure is to take the train off the track when not in use. This is to prevent the equiv of a flat spot in your passenger vehicle that sits to long. It places uneeded wear and tear on the ride and helps it keep it's smooth feel.
We got to watch them add a train to the track. A last minute call was made to run all three after attendance projections went up.
Sliding into place
Time to test, another shot you can only get from the ride restricted area.
Here are the dogs on the train. Cars 1 & 3 are of a normal setup, train 2 is place backwards. This backwards mounting allows the train to be caught by the chain before the drop thus giving you the feeling of hanging out before the drop.
The control panel. Complete with touchscreen. This setup uses a double pressure switch method by the operator to dispatch as well as the button the loaders have to use. The screen tells the operator what gates are open and who is pressing their respective dispatch buttons. Also, all of the restricted gate entries have sensors as do the air gates, and if they are tripped the ride goes into e-stop.
One thing I did not know, the scoops on the back end of the coaster weren't designed on purpose to get people wet and was an unintended feature that was become what the dive coasters are most famous for. They were put in as a method of slowing the train down. So...it has a very mechanic purpose. The original scoopes sprayed water so far that they had to be redesigned. Currently they have three different angles to choose from.
Next, we are going over there, to take a look at another B&M coaster...
Next we moved on to Alpengeist.
Sparkling clean maintenance bay. The mechanic has been responsible for this ride for over 10 years and worked for BG over 20 years and believes to keeping things neat and in it's place. Two thumbs up Bill! (yes, two Bill's)
motors used to push and pull the cars to and from maintenance
The wheel used. Bill tells me to have the wheels refurbished costs 500.00 and is sent out to the B&M authorized remanufacturer in california. A new one I am told costs around 2700.00. They refurb many many many of these throughout the season.
You might not be able to tell from the picture, but like Griffon, these trains are stored at night to reduce wear on the wheels and stored in the special side rails and not on a piece of track.
time to ride all by our selves, I love getting in the park early!!!
But first, here is mechanic Bill explaining about the rails the trains sit on when not in use and how easy they are to work on as a result.
Here we are coming back from a lap. That's Rachel in the middle, she was the photogrpaher that the park provided. To bad I'm not 21 again, because she's a sweatheart.
Last was Appolo's Charriott. Unfortunatley, that part of the park had already opened and we weren't able to see the maintenance section as part of it is in a restricted area and once the ride is turned over, no one is allowed in besides the mechanics unless the ride is locked out. They open the park in stages to allow the gardeners to do their thing, and as you can see below, they kept the area blocked off until we went through (at least I like to think that, beacause the second we crossed, they allowed the gates to be opened.
Look!! Empty!! I'm told that only happens when the park is closed, it's a straight shot to the back of the park, well, sort of a straight shot.
Double Trains in view!!
Griffon and Alpengeist in the same pic
The Chariot's control pannel
Notice the Green, Red, and Yellow sections. The Yellow is for the mechanics, lets them know what the issue is along with an error code on a display next to the monitors. The Red section is for stopage, and the green section is for the operator. The ride lets the operator know that each row is secure.
Becuase Apollos Chariot was in operation, we didn't get many good pics, that, and our guides were able to ride with us if they chose. I talked Rachel into riding this with me, which wasn't too hard. It's a great ride, the turn is a nice twist.
Our tour guide, Bill, was training to operate the Chariot and Rachel was training to operate Griffon while not giving tours which added to their knowledge. Both were fantastic and I can't thank them enough for their hospitality. I plan on writing to BGE(W) to express my grattitude to them for giving the best service possible. Sure, we paid for it, but they made the expeience even better and deserve to be recognized. We also recieved reserved parking less than 500 feet from the gate, which was a huge plus because after all the walking, I was beat. The tour was only scheduled for 3 hours, but lasted almost 4, something they didn't have to do.
Riding these rides empty versus full makes a huge difference, Alpengeist was much smoother empty than full and Griffon was much faster (which by the way I am told when they put on all new wheels, a Griffon train picks up mucho speed)
After 7 hours at the park, time to make the short drive back to Kings Dominion and take care of some unfinished business there.
I drove back to KD and rode a few more things...
With only one ride in on I305, and 1k miles travled, I was riding again darn it.
Rode once, then the ride went down. The Silver train was draging something up the lift hill making a gosh awful noise, sounded like a rollback was broke and dragging.
so...they took it off the track
and done, the mechanics then started giving it a once over.
time for the volcano, it was down too, so....
I decided to ride this bobsled thingy, actually, I think it's a better ride than the single pod ride at SFoT. If it were only longer.
ooooo scarey. NOT, but it does whip you around.
back to 305 where they were still working on the silver train
I never one blacked out or greyed out on this ride, vision blurred a little when coming back up the top of the first hill, but other than that, A-OK. did hear a little people say they were blacking out, but think it was more of a grey out.
It rained Mon and Tues this week but were scheduled as sight seeing days of DC and Atlantic City, so not much loss there, still did some sight seeing. Today I went to Hershey Park, will post that trip tomorrow.
Tbcoasterfan
Great trip report. Thanks for taking the time to give explanations of what was said. Your B&M tours brought back memories of working as a ride op on Raptor.
adeuce02
Nice photos. I love looking at other b&m control panels compared to hulk where i work. I was so confused when i saw the yellow console on apollos chariot. Also was wondering how can loch ness monster send a train without it clearing a block section. Does the lift hill slow it down?
Great question. The lockness is a 20+ year old coaster, built during a period when computerized controls didn't do much, but of course it has been modernized somewhat. The lift hill does vary it's speed, however, I'm told if the op doesn't pay attention to when he/she sends the train, it could stop at any break point during the ride making for some unhappy riders. So in other words, there isn't any signal that it's safe to send the next train to ensure an uninterrupted ride
Tbcoasterfan: No problem, writing it down also helps me relive the experience!! Raptor eh? Another fine product by B&M.
Awesome to see how it backstage is in other themeparks... !
sfot11girl
man it would be so awesome to check our a behind the stage tour of a park. How do you do that?
Yep Raptor didn't have any touch screens or seperate controls for maintenance. IT was all on the one panel, however maintenance had a special override key they could stick in where they could operate the ride in "manual mode." And then of course under Raptors station there is the computer control room, a bunch of lockers for ride ops, and a garage area where they store the big water tank on the trailer that they use to pressure wash the midways.
Disney Freak Andrew
I definitely plan on taking this tour in the future. Great picks, I was almost drooling over them!
Midgetman82
Member Title: Pop-Tart Aficionado
This is a cool TR, thanks for the photos they are great! I would have never known how much a train could cost, till I heard about the wheel for Alpengeist (Yikes!).
The best way is to become a member of TPR or ACE and travel with them on pre-planned outings as the parks often take the clubs on tours. As far as I have come up with only Busch Gardens (Tampa and Williamsburg-Eurpoe) offer a paid tour.
Edited August 6, 2010 by chadster
Okie Dokie, it's off to Hershey (5/19/10) for chocolate and coasters, what a combination!! I just hope they have the water hose standing by
So after 15.00 in turnpike fees from Atlantic City inlcuding 4.00 to cross a bridge, WTF???? I happily paid my 10 bucks to park and started my journey.
YEA!!!
I know which way I'm headed
Nice, reminds me of Univeral Stuidos before you enter their park.
Enough looking around, time to go in.
Hey look, they have healthy foods, so, does that mean if you eat a mushroom burger and a chocolate bar it neutralizes the weight gain?
They have a nice carousel
and crustations.
and of course fudge.
but enough of that, it's time for the comet.
up up and away.
The station sort of reminds me of ZINGO, RIP
Come on Blitzen you can do it! (If you don't remember what Christmas movie that's from, I'm sorry)
The Super's station, love the chain instead of drive wheels to move it along.
Look! A natural waterfall!
Time for me some bear.
This is waaayyy better in my opinion than that contraption at universal, the hollywood rip ride and it's always brokedown when i'm there rokit. No breakruns in the course, nice airtime, and even nicer first drop.
the cat i thought was mighty rough for GCI trains.
if you look close, you can see them testing the pumps out on the giant water slide.
i needed the credit....
I love these rides when they play music, and this one does, the thump of the bass and the energy of the music is what makes these rides rock.
one lightening train, no waiting.
I picked the first weekday opening of the season to come because of the light crowds, the forecast for rain helped keep even more people away, and thus, many outlets were smartly closed. And to be honest, they could have closed more things.
Probably the best looking boomerang I have seen, the train looks emaculate.
hey look, a mini top thrill dragster!
and it has a catwalk already attached....maybe something Knott's shoulda had in place....
I needed the credit....not the best mine train ride ever built, but it counts, and I was the only one riding it
Edited May 26, 2010 by chadster
Hershey was a cool park, disappointed that the make your own candy bar wasn't open, had something special in mind for my boss. Other than that, they have a really nice selection of rides from thrillers to whimpy. I had never been on a whip before and that was quite interesting. Also got to hear Bon Jovi warming up for the concert held at the arena Wed. night, so that was a bonus. I found the great bear to be a fun ride, but a little boring too, nothing compares to my Patriott!!!!
Would highly recommend that anyone who has not been, to put it on the bucket list. Just be sure to have a twenty spot for the toll roads.
saginawhxc
I really liked the photo's of the behind the scenes coaster tour. I recently visited BGE for my first time and I never knew about the tour until I was at the park and by that time it was too late. I'm hoping to return there next year and do it.
YoshiFan
Nice pictures, it's rare to see Hershey that empty. I can't believe they were running 1 train on each side of Lightning Racers and on top of that they had rows closed off. The station looked empty but based on past trips, they are hesitant to open empty rows even if crowds pick up a little.
HPCrazy
I think that Americana always had a logo in the center, just on the other side. I really need to hit both KD and Busch again and get my I305, Dominator and Griffon credits in (it's been since 2004/05 since I've been to both). Nice pics by the way. I'll be at HP in two weeks myself, can't wait!
The Bebes
Nice TR. Reminds me of a reverse version of our Theme Park Tour:Pt 2 from last year (sans i305, but including BBW). Check out our TR if you want some info or opinions of Knoebels, Kennywood, and Waldameer.
Philrad71
Location: Kansas City
Great report...thanks for sharing the behind the scenes at BGE. I would LOVE to do that sometime...and of course, take a TPR trip with behind the scenes awesomeness as well!
Interesting that the Turkey Hill ice cream parlour by Lightning Racer was also closed on Labor Day weekend when we were there last year. It was 80 freakin' degrees and sunny on a holiday weekend! Not sure why this place wouldn't be open...
Also, I fully agree with your assessment on Fahrenheit and HRRR. While they are two different coasters from two different manufacturers, Fahrenheit is by far the better coaster. I can see HRRR getting very rough in the next few years...maybe even like the epic fail coaster at New York, NY in Vegas!
DRACHEN_FIRE_FAN-BOY
Thanks for the review. I had no idea you took a picture of me while I was on the control pannel at Apollo! Haha, I'm glad you enjoyed your tour! I worked at KD when Americana was new to KD, to my knowlage they didn't revive any sign to be put on the wheel/ supports for the wheel.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


In this lesson, learners will be introduced to or review vocabulary for homes, rooms and furniture. They will sing a song and either invent an 'animal house' or design a poster of various animal homes. Then they will watch a grammar video and play games to focus on prepositions of place and items of furniture. Finally they will do a project inventing their ideal room or creating a class house!


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John Oliver: Comedy Newsman, HBO Now Pitchman
By Lisa de Moraes
Lisa de Moraes
TV Columnist
More Stories By Lisa
Third Democratic Debates Set For Houston, But Format Details TBA – Update
'CBS This Morning' Makes More Headlines With Bill Barr Exclusive
Jeff Glor Sticks With CBS News As Co-Host Of Morning Show's Saturday Edition
As Jon Stewart returns to his Comedy Central late-night show this week — he kicked things off with a plea to viewers to give his successor Trevor Noah a chance — John Oliver, the guy many had expected to take over The Daily Show from Stewart, has risen very far very fast at HBO. This morning the Last Week Tonight star debuted as HBO's pitchman for its launch of HBO Now, the on-demand streaming service that became available today on Apple TV and other iOS devices, Optimum broadband services, etc.
"If you're the type of person who 'doesn't own a TV,' first of all, never say that. It's not cool; everyone hates you," Oliver said in the video posted today. "But second of all, you're in luck."
HBO Now, Oliver said, is "a lot like HBO Go, except you don't have to rely on your parents' password," he said. "If you have the Internet, you can now enjoy tons of HBO programming whenever you want. And if you don't have the Internet, wow, you should definitely get the Internet." He said it is home of "some of the cutest and the most racist things you will ever see."
Add this to the list of advantages a network enjoys when its news is delivered by a comic who is not subject to those pesky news-division propriety tests. Just this past Sunday, Oliver scored a real news coup when Last Week Tonight revealed he'd traveled to Russia to interview Edward Snowden, or as Oliver introduced him, "the most famous hero and/or traitor in recent American history." Snowden has been living in Russia in exile after being charged with espionage over the leaking of classified documents related to NSA surveillance programs. Snowden was the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary Citizenfour, which aired on HBO.
"We thought you might want to check out a short video John Oliver recorded to explain what the HBO NOW service is all about," HBO said this morning in a note to reporters.
This article was printed from	https://deadline.com/2015/04/john-oliver-hbo-now-pitchman-video-1201405984/


text:
Crêpes and coffee to tackle youth homelessness
An RMIT student is aiming to help reduce youth homelessness through crêpes and coffee.
Mollie Cowell is a founding member of Crêpes for Change.
Second-year Bachelor of Communication (Media) student Mollie Cowell is one of the founding members of Crêpes for Change.
The brain-child of Melbourne entrepreneur Dan Poole, Crêpes for Change is a not-for-profit crepe and coffee business with 100% of the profits going towards youth homelessness.
The team hope to raise enough funds through a crowd-funding campaign to purchase a van that will roam Victoria's streets, markets and festivals.
Ms Cowell said the idea was born out of disillusionment with the traditional charity model.
"We wanted to achieve more, and so Crêpes for Change was born," she said.
"We were shocked by the number of underprivileged young Australians who were homeless, at risk of homelessness or unable to find work in our lucky country."
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 40,000 Australians are homeless, and of those, 20,000 are said to be youth and children.
Ms Cowell said the Crêpes for Change team were believers in the proverb: "Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he'll eat for a lifetime".
So rather than simply reinvesting the project's proceeds, they plan to actively engage with at-risk young people by providing hospitality and barista (coffee-making) training to give them the skills needed to find employment and improve their situation.
Ms Cowell said she is primarily involved with the creative and production elements of the project.
"I've studied two courses previously at RMIT, Creative Industries and Screen and Media, which taught me how to write, shoot and edit films," she said.
"These skills allowed me to be part of, and contribute to, Crêpes for Change."
Crêpes for Change crowd-funding campaign
Crêpes for Change website
RMIT staff and non/ficitionLab members recipients of RMIT Research Awards
Oscar winner Adam Elliot joins our appeal to reactivate Capitol Theatre
Game on for RMIT game researchers after Microsoft office trip
Crêpes and coffee to tackle youth homelessness


text:
Newt's Bold Gamble
Florida Primary, Newt Gingrich, Satan, sells soul
Newt Gingrich, seen here tormenting the elderly, made a bold decision after losing the Florida Primary. If he was ever going to become president, he needed divine assistance. That's right, he needed to sell his soul to Satan.
However, in a surprising move, Satan rejected the offer, and politely but firmly told Newt that he will never, in a million human lifetimes, change his mind.
As a long-time friend, I was able to speak with Satan directly, and his reasons for giving Newt the brush-off were surprising. Satan said, "If he was truly evil, I'd be all over that soul in a minute. After all, I just had lunch with Hitler, Genghis Khan and Joe Paterno. But the problem with Newt is that he is just half-assed evil."
When I mentioned that Newt abandoned one wife with cancer and another one with multiple sclerosis, Satan shook his head disapprovingly. "That's exactly what's wrong with the guy. He's a scheming, spoiled child, and no one can stand the little prick. Now if he had split their heads open with an axe, that's something I could have worked with."
At the end of the day, it's hard to argue with Satan's logic. Newt Gingrich sucks, and even the minions of hell don't want him around.


text:
Metallica to Perform With Chinese Concert Pianist Lang Lang at Beijing Show
Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images
Those who watched the 56th Grammy Awards may recall Metallica sharing the stage with concert pianist Lang Lang for a special performance on the ...And Justice for All track "One." Well, history is set to repeat itself as the two forces will join together once again during Metallica's upcoming concert in Beijing, China.
"Three years ago we were honored to share the stage with world-renowned Chinese concert pianist Lang Lang at the Grammy Awards as we performed 'One' together," began the band in a statement found on the Metallica website. "It was one of the most creative, unique performances of our career and we're thrilled to announce that Lang Lang will join us again, this time in Beijing on Jan. 18, 2017 when we take over Le Sports Center for a sold-out stop on the first leg of the 'WorldWired' tour this year."
Metallica elaborated, "Having toured around the world himself, we're excited to collaborate with Lang Lang in his home country and are ready to kick off the new year with five shows in Asia... it's just the beginning of a full year of 'WorldWired,' so we'll see you out there!"
The band have a number of tour dates scheduled around the world and fans have been eagerly awaiting a full-blown tour routing, but it appears that may not happen. Frontman James Hetfield recently revealed that Metallica will only be playing around 50 shows this year, stating his body is unable to handle more extensive touring.
As the thrash legends continue to promote 2016's highest-selling hard rock / metal album, Hardwired... To Self-Destruct, they've been switching up the setlist and debuted "Halo on Fire" and "Now That We're Dead" two days ago (Jan. 11) in South Korea.
See Where Metallica Rank Among the Top 50 Hard Rock + Metal Live Acts of All Time
10 Greatest Metallica Riffs
See Metallica in the Top 50 Metal Bands of All Time
Filed Under: Metallica
Categories: Metal, News


Elevate your casual closet with the LEISA JOY navy casual sandal from the CLARKS Collection. The OrthoLite footbed with Cushion Soft technology provides moisture-wicking comfort and increased cushioning, while the flexible TPR outsole offers long-lasting durability and enhanced grip. The Leisa Joy casual sandal from Clarks is a must-have for your wardrobe this season!


text:
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	class Tribe__Dependency {

		/**
		 * An multidimensional array of active tribe plugins in the following format
		 *
		 * array(
		 *  'class'   => 'main class name',
		 *  'version' => 'version num', (optional)
		 *  'path'    => 'Path to the main plugin/bootstrap file' (optional)
		 * )
		 */
		protected $active_plugins = array();

		/**
		 * Static Singleton Holder
		 *
		 * @var self
		 */
		private static $instance;

		/**
		 * Static Singleton Factory Method
		 *
		 * @return self
		 */
		public static function instance() {
			if ( ! self::$instance ) {
				self::$instance = new self;
			}
			return self::$instance;
		}

		/**
		 * Adds a plugin to the active list
		 *
		 * @param string $main_class Main/base class for this plugin
		 * @param string $version    Version number of plugin
		 * @param string $path       Path to the main plugin/bootstrap file
		 */
		public function add_active_plugin( $main_class, $version = null, $path = null ) {

			$plugin = array(
				'class'   => $main_class,
				'version' => $version,
				'path'    => $path,
			);

			$this->active_plugins[ $main_class ] = $plugin;
		}

		/**
		 * Retrieves active plugin array
		 *
		 * @return array
		 */
		public function get_active_plugins() {
			$this->add_legacy_plugins();

			return $this->active_plugins;
		}

		/**
		 * Searches the plugin list for key/value pair and return the full details for that plugin
		 *
		 * @param string $search_key The array key this value will appear in
		 * @param string $search_val The value itself
		 *
		 * @return array|null
		 */
		public function get_plugin_by_key( $search_key, $search_val ) {
			foreach ( $this->get_active_plugins() as $plugin ) {
				if ( isset( $plugin[ $search_key ] ) && $plugin[ $search_key ] === $search_val ) {
					return $plugin;
				}
			}

			return null;
		}

		/**
		 * Retrieves the plugins details by class name
		 *
		 * @param string $main_class Main/base class for this plugin
		 *
		 * @return array|null
		 */
		public function get_plugin_by_class( $main_class ) {
			return $this->get_plugin_by_key( 'class', $main_class );
		}

		/**
		 * Retrieves the version of the plugin
		 *
		 * @param string $main_class Main/base class for this plugin
		 *
		 * @return string|null Version
		 */
		public function get_plugin_version( $main_class ) {
			$plugin = $this->get_plugin_by_class( $main_class );

			return ( isset( $plugin['version'] ) ? $plugin['version'] : null );
		}

		/**
		 * Checks if the plugin is active
		 *
		 * @param string $main_class Main/base class for this plugin
		 *
		 * @return bool
		 */
		public function is_plugin_active( $main_class ) {
			return ( $this->get_plugin_by_class( $main_class ) !== null );
		}

		/**
		 * Checks if a plugin is active and has the specified version
		 *
		 * @param string $main_class Main/base class for this plugin
		 * @param string $version Version to do a compare against
		 * @param string $compare Version compare string, defaults to >=
		 *
		 * @return bool
		 */
		public function is_plugin_version( $main_class, $version, $compare = '>=' ) {

			if ( ! $this->is_plugin_active( $main_class ) ) {
				return false;
			} elseif ( version_compare( $this->get_plugin_version( $main_class ), $version, $compare ) ) {
				return true;
			} elseif ( $this->get_plugin_version( $main_class ) === null ) {
				// If the plugin version is not set default to assuming it's a compatible version
				return true;
			}

			return false;
		}

		/**
		 * Checks if each plugin is active and exceeds the specified version number
		 *
		 * @param array $plugins_required Each item is a 'class_name' => 'min version' pair. Min ver can be null.
		 *
		 * @return bool
		 */
		public function has_requisite_plugins( $plugins_required = array() ) {

			foreach ( $plugins_required as $class => $version ) {
				// Return false if the plugin is not set or is a lesser version
				if ( ! $this->is_plugin_active( $class ) ) {
					return false;
				}

				if ( null !== $version && ! $this->is_plugin_version( $class, $version ) ) {
					return false;
				}
			}

			return true;
		}

		/**
		 * Registers older plugins that did not implement this class
		 *
		 * @TODO Consider removing this in 5.0
		 */
		public function add_legacy_plugins() {

			$tribe_plugins = new Tribe__Plugins();

			foreach ( $tribe_plugins->get_list() as $plugin ) {
				// Only add plugin if it's present and not already added
				if ( ! class_exists( $plugin['class'] ) || array_key_exists( $plugin['class'], $this->active_plugins ) ) {
					continue;
				}

				$ver_const = $plugin['class'] . '::VERSION';
				$version = defined( $ver_const ) ? constant( $ver_const ) : null;

				$this->add_active_plugin( $plugin['class'], $version );
			}
		}

	}

}


text:
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Missed eye appointments may increase sight loss post-lockdown
The COVID-19 lockdown is threatening the sight of thousands of elderly people across the UK as eye clinics have reported more than a 70% reduction in new referrals and a high rate of missed appointments, finds a new study co-led by UCL.
Researchers and national sight loss charity the Macular Society have raised concerns about the long-term impact this will have, as it's predicted it will have led to between 234 and 470 additional cases of severe sight impairment in April alone.
Since the start of the outbreak ophthalmologists in UK eye clinics have reported as much as a 25% reduction in the number of patients with known age-related macular degeneration (AMD) – the nation's biggest cause of blindness - attending appointments for sight-saving treatment.
The new report, published as a pre-print on medRxiv and awaiting peer review, from some of the largest clinics in the country has also revealed the significant drop in new patients presenting with wet AMD, a treatable form of the condition.
Moorfields Eye Hospital, King's College London Hospital, University Hospital Southampton and Whipps Cross Hospital have reported anything from a 65% drop in new referrals to an 87% drop in the first month of the coronavirus outbreak, compared to the same period last year.
One of the authors of the report, Professor Adnan Tufail (Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology) raised concerns that this will increase the burden that COVID-19 is already having on health, well-being and social care costs.
Early treatment may prevent severe vision loss therefore ophthalmologists have urged those at risk to seek treatment, before it is too late.
Professor Tufail said: "We have prioritised appointments for patients who are at a higher risk of their sight deteriorating if left untreated for a short time. It is very important that patient who have symptoms of wet AMD do not ignore their change in vision, as early treatment may prevent severe vision loss."
Cathy Yelf, Chief Executive of the Macular Society, commented: "We know the earlier wet AMD is treated, the more effective the treatment is, so it's important if anyone notices any changes to their vision that they get it seen to as soon as possible.
"The number of people affected by macular disease is huge and it is a problem which is only getting worse – without the threat of a pandemic. We fear that after the coronavirus crisis thousands of people will be left blind because they have missed appointments.
"While we understand people's concerns we know eye clinics across the UK are doing everything they can to ensure patients receiving injections are kept safe and have heard many positive things from people still attending."
In March all routine appointments in eye clinics were postponed, but injections for wet AMD and other conditions which would cause severe visual loss if not treated, were deemed essential.
It is believed that the drop in referrals is a combination of fear of catching the virus, with those over 70 being instructed to self-isolate, and a lack of routine eye checks taking place after opticians have been closed for routine appointments since the UK went into lockdown.
Professor Tufail said patients should not be frightened of attending hospital as clinics are following guidance from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists as well as Public Health England to ensure everything possible is being done to make sure patients receiving these injections are in a safe environment.
He added: "This data highlights how important it is that patients attend their appointments, and not ignore new symptoms suggestive of wet AMD. We would like to reassure our patients that we have made every effort to ensure they are safe on site, such as the social distancing measures we have introduced and providing face masks on arrival. The sight and safety of our patients is always our priority."
Report co-author Professor Paul Taylor (UCL Institute of Health Informatics) said: "The next challenge will be helping to work out how we can safely manage clinics to get as many patients as possible onto the appropriate treatment as fast as possible."
The figures come after the UK Ophthalmology Alliance and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists have calculated that at least 10,000 people with a variety of sight-threatening conditions have missed out on care essential to maintaining their sight in England, Wales and Scotland.
Pre-print of research paper on medRxiv
Professor Adnan Tufail's academic profile
Professor Paul Taylor's academic profile
UCL Institute of Ophthalmology
UCL Institute of Health Informatics
Eye exam (Source: Macular Society)
Macular Society
Email: chris.lane [at] ucl.ac.uk
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text:
Home/Recaps/'The Good Doctor' 5×10 recap: "Cheat Day"
RecapsTV
'The Good Doctor' 5×10 recap: "Cheat Day"
Madeline Klepec March 14, 2022
It's about to get more dramatic on The Good Doctor 5×10.
The Good Doctor review: Season 5, Episode 10, "Cheat Day," aired March 14, 2022.
Things are heating up at St. Bonaventure, especially after Shaun's shocking exit last episode. I have a feeling that won't last long, though. Let's see what Lim and her team are up to this episode! We can only hope they bring Salen down. Let's go!
Glassman pays Shaun a visit
Glassman comes to visit Shaun, where Shaun says, basically, he hates Salen. I think we can all agree on that. It's then that Lea said they've been talking to an investigative reporter about Salen — oh, dang! They both encourage Shaun to ask for his job back, and he agrees. Meanwhile, Salen and Andrews are having a power trip over breakfast. Both snakes.
Shaun busts into Morgan's patient's appointment, which she seems confused about since he quit. Salen sees him and tells him he needs to leave, but he tells her no — that it'd be a PR disaster if she kicked him out. Ayyyyeee — even Salen knows that to be true. Park assures Shaun that even if he doesn't join them in Lim's fight, he knows Shaun's on their side. It's then that their patient starts to have a seizure.
A woman and her surrogate come into the hospital under Lim, Jordan and Asher's care. Outside of the hospital, Salen shows up at Lim's house where they are having a take-down meeting and tells Asher and Park to leave, but they refuse to go. Also, she just straight up fires Lea, Lim and Glassman. THE HELL. This lady is THE WORST.
Everyone's fired…
Lea and Glassman question whether they're wasting their time, but Lim suggests they speak out against Salen at the pension fund meeting. And, of course, they are all in. Surprisingly, Andrews is not happy about her firings, which he shouldn't be — he's worked with them for a long time. Because Lim has been fired, Andrews takes lead on her patient. The surrogate learns that she has cancer and wants to go through chemo to save the baby.
Morgan wants to know why Park is obsessing over all this Salen business. Girl, come on. They, along with Shaun, meet with Andrews about their patient, and Shaun warns Andrews not to shoot down his idea. Meanwhile, Asher says he's going to speak out against Salen, too and wants Jordan to come along, but she doesn't want to jeopardize what she's worked for.
Andrews suggests the surrogate terminate the pregnancy and they can perform a surgery that would remove her cancer, but she refuses and still wants the chemo.
Park tells Morgan that he looked through her files because of her reaction and calls her out for her poor decisions regarding her patients. Good for him, honestly. Hopefully this will shed some light onto Morgan's decisions and taking Salen's side. Now Park is going after Andrews. GO, PARK! In fact, he tells Andrews he is quitting. And that makes Shaun realize he needs to fight for his friends and hospital.
Who are you fighting for?
Jordan figures out that the surrogate would have had to given birth to become a surrogate. Apparently, something happened to her own child. Jordan suggests them doing the surgery which would allow the baby and the woman to live. Shaun orders his patient and his donor a CT scan. He has liver cancer — Park tells him he only has a couple of months to live. Oh gosh.
As Lim is cleaning out her office, Andrews apologizes. Little too late, man. "She lit the match," Lim says, and I am so glad she is standing up to not just Salen but Andrews, too. Morgan checks in with her patient who lost half her vision, and she tells Morgan that she's happier than ever. Ding — time to remember what makes YOU happy, Morgan. Does Salen make you happy or…maybe someone else?
Shaun wants to fight for his work family. Glassman offers to help with Shaun's speech, but Shaun wants none of it because Glassman's speech was trash at his engagement party. HA!
The pregnant patient's surgery is not going well, but Jordan is not giving up. Together, Jordan and Asher come up with a procedure that'll save the baby and patient. Thankfully, they are successful! I wish they could save this man, too.
Morgan goes to Park to say she's going public with her case and Salen's involvement. Good for you, Morgan. Just when I think she's reverting back to her old ways, she surprises me. Once Salen gets the list of speakers, Andrews tells her that she's going to lose — more than just the hospital. Brah.
Everyone's at the meeting — the whole entire St. Bonaventure fam. I love this team! Even Andrews comes swooping in and tells Salen he's going to have to take him down along with everyone else. OH! Do you think he manages to talk her into stepping down from the hospital? Because she freaking does! And that is the end of Salen — will not be missed. Like, at all.
Morgan then shows Park she sent a letter to her patient about her bad medicine. That was REALLY big of her. And then they have the sweetest moment — they make my heart melt. You know, when they're not fighting.
More of The Good Doctor musings
Yeah, no duh you have a morale problem at the hospital, Andrews and Salen.
Not gonna lie, it freaked me out when I saw Salen, like Shaun did.
Jordan is always speaking the truth!!!! Literally, everything she said in this episode was amazing. A queen.
Can we talk about how Salen just totally broke into Lim's house, though?
Honestly, Park's outburst to Morgan and Andrews was everything. We stan that man.
The bond of friendship in this episode is really special. Hold onto those besties in your life.
This episode is radiating GIRL POWER, and I am absolutely here for it.
Very shocked that Andrews was the one to bring Salen down, especially given their relationship and all that jazz.
Lim deserves a damn parade for how strong she was in going against Salen.
Well, the fight against Salen has concluded. I was honestly expecting it to draw out a little more, but I am glad she's gone. GIRL, BYE. It has me curious about what will happen next for The Good Doctor team. What did you think of the episode? Comment below or tweet us your reactions?
Bria Henderson Christina Chang Fiona Gubelmann Freddie Highmore Noah Galvin Paige Spara Richard Schiff The Good Doctor The Good Doctor ABC Will Yun Lee
Madeline Klepec
Madeline is a college student majoring in journalism with a minor in broadcasting. When she isn't writing for Hollywood News Source, Talk Nerdy With Us or her college's paper, she's drinking too much coffee and probably fangirling over Captain Swan. She also likes to watch Hallmark movies and mercilessly rewatches 'Once Upon a Time'.
By Madeline Klepec
'The Good Doctor' 6×08: "Sorry, Not Sorry"


text:
Chapter Index: Types of Databases
There are various types of databases used for storing different varieties of data:
1) Centralized Database
It is the type of database that stores data at a centralized database system. It comforts the users to access the stored data from different locations through several applications. These applications contain the authentication process to let users access data securely. An example of a Centralized database can be Central Library that carries a central database of each library in a college/university.
Advantages of Centralized Database
It has decreased the risk of data management, i.e., manipulation of data will not affect the core data.
Data consistency is maintained as it manages data in a central repository.
It provides better data quality, which enables organizations to establish data standards.
It is less costly because fewer vendors are required to handle the data sets.
Disadvantages of Centralized Database
The size of the centralized database is large, which increases the response time for fetching the data.
It is not easy to update such an extensive database system.
If any server failure occurs, entire data will be lost, which could be a huge loss.
2) Distributed Database
Unlike a centralized database system, in distributed systems, data is distributed among different database systems of an organization. These database systems are connected via communication links. Such links help the end-users to access the data easily. Examples of the Distributed database are Apache Cassandra, HBase, Ignite, etc.
We can further divide a distributed database system into:
Homogeneous DDB: Those database systems which execute on the same operating system and use the same application process and carry the same hardware devices.
Heterogeneous DDB: Those database systems which execute on different operating systems under different application procedures, and carries different hardware devices.
Advantages of Distributed Database
Modular development is possible in a distributed database, i.e., the system can be expanded by including new computers and connecting them to the distributed system.
One server failure will not affect the entire data set.
3) Relational Database
This database is based on the relational data model, which stores data in the form of rows(tuple) and columns(attributes), and together forms a table(relation). A relational database uses SQL for storing, manipulating, as well as maintaining the data. E.F. Codd invented the database in 1970. Each table in the database carries a key that makes the data unique from others. Examples of Relational databases are MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, etc.
Properties of Relational Database
There are following four commonly known properties of a relational model known as ACID properties, where:
A means Atomicity: This ensures the data operation will complete either with success or with failure. It follows the 'all or nothing' strategy. For example, a transaction will either be committed or will abort.
C means Consistency: If we perform any operation over the data, its value before and after the operation should be preserved. For example, the account balance before and after the transaction should be correct, i.e., it should remain conserved.
I means Isolation: There can be concurrent users for accessing data at the same time from the database. Thus, isolation between the data should remain isolated. For example, when multiple transactions occur at the same time, one transaction effects should not be visible to the other transactions in the database.
D means Durability: It ensures that once it completes the operation and commits the data, data changes should remain permanent.
4) NoSQL Database
Non-SQL/Not Only SQL is a type of database that is used for storing a wide range of data sets. It is not a relational database as it stores data not only in tabular form but in several different ways. It came into existence when the demand for building modern applications increased. Thus, NoSQL presented a wide variety of database technologies in response to the demands. We can further divide a NoSQL database into the following four types:
Key-value storage: It is the simplest type of database storage where it stores every single item as a key (or attribute name) holding its value, together.
Document-oriented Database: A type of database used to store data as JSON-like document. It helps developers in storing data by using the same document-model format as used in the application code.
Graph Databases: It is used for storing vast amounts of data in a graph-like structure. Most commonly, social networking websites use the graph database.
Wide-column stores: It is similar to the data represented in relational databases. Here, data is stored in large columns together, instead of storing in rows.
Advantages of NoSQL Database
It enables good productivity in the application development as it is not required to store data in a structured format.
It is a better option for managing and handling large data sets.
It provides high scalability.
Users can quickly access data from the database through key-value.
5) Cloud Database
A type of database where data is stored in a virtual environment and executes over the cloud computing platform. It provides users with various cloud computing services (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, etc.) for accessing the database. There are numerous cloud platforms, but the best options are:
Amazon Web Services(AWS)
PhonixNAP
ScienceSoft
Google Cloud SQL, etc.
6) Object-oriented Databases
The type of database that uses the object-based data model approach for storing data in the database system. The data is represented and stored as objects which are similar to the objects used in the object-oriented programming language.
7) Hierarchical Databases
It is the type of database that stores data in the form of parent-children relationship nodes. Here, it organizes data in a tree-like structure.
Data get stored in the form of records that are connected via links. Each child record in the tree will contain only one parent. On the other hand, each parent record can have multiple child records.
8) Network Databases
It is the database that typically follows the network data model. Here, the representation of data is in the form of nodes connected via links between them. Unlike the hierarchical database, it allows each record to have multiple children and parent nodes to form a generalized graph structure.
9) Personal Database
Collecting and storing data on the user's system defines a Personal Database. This database is basically designed for a single user.
Advantage of Personal Database
It is simple and easy to handle.
It occupies less storage space as it is small in size.
10) Operational Database
The type of database which creates and updates the database in real-time. It is basically designed for executing and handling the daily data operations in several businesses. For example, An organization uses operational databases for managing per day transactions.
11) Enterprise Database
Large organizations or enterprises use this database for managing a massive amount of data. It helps organizations to increase and improve their efficiency. Such a database allows simultaneous access to users.
Advantages of Enterprise Database:
Multi processes are supportable over the Enterprise database.
It allows executing parallel queries on the system.
Next TopicWhat is RDBMS


This particular location is very popular with the Middle Eastern clientele, being close to both Edgware Road, Oxford Street and within easy reach of Hyde Park. The idea was to make a 3 bedroom rental flat which caters for a typical family with a contemporary but fairly neutral style.
The works involved a complete redesigning of the floor layout to give 3 double bedrooms, including a master with ensuite.


In the Tampa Bay region, water prices have consistently trended upward over the past eight years, and experts don't expect this to change anytime soon. Tampa water rates are going up because of infrastructure neglect. Water is expensive, a leaking toilet is a constant drain that never stops. If not fixed properly, it can add up to a lot of money over time.One major problem with a leaking toilet is that you might have a leak and not even know it. In this week's blog we are going to show you a quick and effective way to test for a leaking toilet.
FIRST: Carefully remove the toilet tank cover, it is breakable and sometimes impossible to match if you happen to break it, so be careful. Lay it on a towel or wrap it in newspapers.
SECOND: Put several drops of food coloring into the water tank above the toilet (not in the toilet bowl), be sure to put enough dye into the tank that you can see the color of the water change in the tank.
If there is a leaking toilet, more than likely you can fix it by replacing the flapper valve. If you are not 100% certain, simply give the Tampa plumbing professionals at Cass Plumbing a call. We will at your home fast. If it is a flapper valve we can usually fix that for you very quickly.
This simple plumbing test works great and will end up saving you money by stopping the constant water leaking into your toilet.


Helicentre Aviation have placed an order for the fifth Cabri G2 to join their training academy fleet at Leicester Airport. The order was signed for this week at the company's operating base where Andy Moorhouse of Cotswold Helicopter Centre, the UK Guimbal distributor, met with Helicentre Aviation directors Chris Line and Sarah Bowen.
Helicentre Aviation currently operates two Cabri G2 helicopters and flew a record 185 hours on type last month alone, ranging from ab-initio PPL training to Flight Instructor courses. The company has flown over 1,300 Cabri fleet hours since they began operating the type in late 2012. Delivery of their third fleet addition is expected by late March, with the fourth arriving in August and the latest addition anticipated by January 2015.
Cotswold Helicopter Centre are thrilled with Helicentre Aviation's utilisation of the Guimbal product. "We are really proud to be associated with the busiest helicopter flight training organisation in the UK, and we are so pleased that they have decided to order yet another Cabri G2" Andy Moorhouse commented.
Helicentre Aviation have recently invested over half a million pounds into a new heliport complex and are due to award five training scholarships in 2014 to help the successful candidates fund their professional helicopter pilot training.
Established in 2001, Helicentre Aviation Ltd. has trained and supplied a significant number of helicopter pilots to the industry and their mission statement advocates creating opportunities for new pilots by helping them achieve their first break in the training and charter industry. Helicentre Aviation's key personnel have over 100 years combined professional expertise flying helicopters and providing private, professional, and specialist training, helicopter charter, and utility and aerial services.
From left – Chris Line and Sarah Bowen from Helicentre Aviation with Andy Moorhouse of Cotswold Helicopter Centre.


Ensemble, soutenons les victimes de torture !
Du 4 novembre au 13 décembre, participez à la campagne bougies d'Amnesty International Luxembourg.
Together, we stand with victims of torture !
Join the candles campaign of Amnesty International Luxembourg.
Song used under permission from Nightwish and Nuclear Blast g.m.b.h.
A big shout out for everyone who helped with this video. Thank you all for your hard work. And a big thank you to Nightwish for letting us use their song for this video.


I feel bad that Geeky Jerseys and I haven't catered to Harry Potter fans as much as we would like, so I am floating this design out there for your consideration. Basically, it's all I can do without including the words 'Gryffindor' and 'Hogwarts'.
Posted on January 5, 2015, in Geeky Hockey Jerseys Available, Hockey Jersey Design and tagged davesgeekyhockey, Geeky Hockey Jerseys, gryffindor house, Harry Potter, Hockey Jersey Design. Bookmark the permalink.	12 Comments.
Make a Slytherin one and take my money!
^What Alecia said! I would soooooo buy a slytherin one!
I thought it would go without saying, but if Gryffindor is popular enough for an offer and performs well, then other houses would be looked at. If this stalls, then we won't proceed further.
I admit, I'd snap up a Slytherin as well, but this is a great looking jersey. I suppose I could find room in my closet for both! Accio Jersey!
You have my vote and hope that the other houses get their place..
I like the second version of the jersey with the bigger "scarf-esque" stripes on the arm. It looks good, though I will say I own the previous Gryffindor jersey you designed and that was truly a superb piece of design.
you need to get the real Hogwarts crest on there, and the griffindor name. Then I'm sold.
I realize there are licensing issues, but you've worked through them before.
Gryffindor all the way. Got my muggle money ready to send.
Love this one, but would def snap up a Slytherin one in a heartbeat!
please make this happen oh lord ill get all four!!!


We are all evolving into something we have yet to become, but because we are afraid of our own potential – afraid of our own power – we tend to resist this change, consciously and subconsciously. This helps us justify our desire to run back to times when we felt more sure of ourselves. It is often tempting to retreat and go backwards rather than actually change.
We will evolve anyway because we are moving through TIME, which is the numeric framework on which all movement occurs. Time is a far more vital and multi-dimensional force than most people realize. In the course of time, we are learning the difference between what needs to be feared because it can do great harm, and what does not need to be feared because it has no basis for alarm.
"A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." ~John A. Shedd, "Salt from My Attic", 1928.
Fear will always hold us back if we do not understand its power and purpose in the vast emotional range. So we have to find the courage to FACE our fears: to move through them, and learn as we go, instead of pushing them into denial and opting for what appears to be the "safest" (but often weakest) way out.
The more we deny fear when it arises, the more we attract situations that will force us to face our fears. We are not meant to be "fearless". As evolving beings, we are meant to learn how to process fear in a way that provides intelligence, not paralysis. What we are experiencing now is providing valuable lessons in this regard.
Week 46 began on Friday, 11 11 2016, and because 2016 is a 9 Year, the 11 11 phenomenon will be with us for the entire month. (See link at end of page to my short piece on 11 11 2016).
Week 47 (next week) begins on November 18th which is an 11 day – in an 11 week – in this 11th month. This gives us 11 11 11 – and the master number 33. It will be interesting to see what happens in the established financial and corporate world throughout November, and particularly on November 18 – (and November 21, which also holds triple-11 energy). But that's next week — back to the present…..
Week 46 is a "10/1" week (new beginnings), and as this 9 year of endings merges with the 10/1 energy of the decade, and the incoming 10/1 energy of 2017, we find ourselves at the beginning of an enormous unpredictable turning point – personally, nationally, and globally.
This week's 10 10 10 energy brings forward #30 – which represents the power of COMMUNICATION, the stage, the airways and internet, the arts, entertainment, illusions, and outer appearances. 3 provides the platform to get the message across. Our perception of what is being communicated is extremely important now.
3 is also the number of HAPPINESS and OPTIMISM, and this is a good time to recognize and appreciate what you already have. Be aware of how you yourself are communicating and try not to get caught up in gossip and rumor. 3 also encourages you to check the facts instead of taking what you are told for granted.
Thursday, November 17, 2016 (11+8+9=28=10=1) adds another component of 10, and we have 10 10 10 10 = 40. This reminds us that we are currently traveling a 10-week cycle in which all the Week Numbers begin with 4 – the number of both restriction and breakthrough, effort and laziness, order and chaos, detail and vagueness, and our very sense of identity as individuals, nations, and cultures. 4 helps us to ORGANIZE, and inspires the qualities of dedication, staying power, and efficiency.
10 is such a powerful number as we continue to evolve from the 1000s to the 2000s. The 10 energy takes us to NEW LEVELS, and there is no doubt that a new level of urgency prevails since the election of Donald Trump. This very visible descent into fascism must not be trivialized and "normalized". Its foundations have been laid – it IS happening – and we do have to accept that fact. Already, the new American administration is being embraced by fascist organizations in Europe and around the world.
Fascism is also a form of terror, which is why so many people are terrified of what may lay ahead. Denying that you are afraid will weaken you because you will have to block out large areas of reality from your consciousness. Accepting that your various fears exist, and being determined to move through them anyway will strengthen you and also help you to keep yourself safe. That is how we will evolve emotionally. Emotion is feminine energy, which, first and foremost, is what is under attack here.
As I write this, the Trump administration just announced that he will immediately undo the Dodd-Frank financial regulations which were put in place after the 2008 banking crisis and signed into law by President Obama. With a Republican Congress cheering him on, there is little to stop him succeeding with this. The last time the republicans held all branches of government was in 1928 – followed the very next year by the Wall Street Crash of 1929 – and then the Great Depression which lasted for 10 years.
The Crash of '29 occurred on October 29, 1929. This was in Week 44 (the most balanced form of 8), the number of finance, incorporation, and power in the material world)… it is also the presidential number of Barack Obama.
29 adds up to 11 – and there are two 29s in this date. This 11 11 event affected the whole world, and was instrumental in the rise of fascism in Germany. As foreign investors withdrew their interests there, millions were thrown out of work, and several major banks collapsed. Hitler was able to use the despair of the people to gain support for the nazi (nationalist) party by promising to repeal various laws, boost the economy, and provide more jobs. The rise of nationalism led to World War 2 (nation against nation), at a time when Germany was already under much criticism for its treatment of prisoners-of-war from World War 1. At the same time, the crash in the USA enabled the Fascist Party, founded by Benito Mussolini, to tighten its grip on Italy.
The crash of '29 actually began on October 24, 1929 (1+6+3) which was a 10/1 day in the world. This is a piece of history we can truly learn from in this 10/1 week and 10/1 decade. It is not enough to look at what is happening today and think that we are informed. Many Americans have no idea what fascism actually is because they have never experienced it. Furthermore, the meaning of the word "fascist" has been devalued over the years as people increasingly used it to describe anyone with opposing political views.
Fascism is not mere political ideology. Fascism, nationalism, authoritarianism, nazi-ism, call it what you will, is total control of the people by government, which itself is controlled by the interests of the few, not the many, and is always headed by a bully, dictator, 'strongman'. We are experiencing the 'winner-takes-all' corporatization of government, cloaked by vague promises of "freedom" and "wonderful times ahead", along with a flood of conspiracy theories to keep the population emotionally 'charged' against opposition – it is "divide and conquer" in the extreme.
The old system is cracking down hard on the human WILL which is made of emotional energy – the feminine principles of life – which all men and women possess, just as all men and women possess masculine energy – spirit – light. But when light does not have any love in it, the world has a crisis on its hands.
This is why 11 is such an important number. The number of illumination. The two 1's hold the potential of connection, acceptance, and peace. They also hold the potential of two opposing sides constantly resisting each other. A closer look at 11 reveals what is in the space between those two 1s – the gap that divides humanity and pits 1 against 1, individual against individual, past against future, right against left – IMPASSE.
The space reserved for middle ground is filled instead with the suppressed suffering of generations – and indifference to that suffering, all of which is here again in the PRESENT. The concept of the 'master race' – white supremacy – has raised its ugly head once more. Eventually peace is restored because the alternative is self-destruction. But war never ends. There are no winners. It will happen again and again – until we learn to do things differently.
We cannot know exactly how this will play itself out, or what interventions may occur, if any. As the old ways of the fast-paced electrical masculine 1000s race against the slowness of the magnetic feminine 2000s, it is impossible to keep up with it all. But it is that very slowness in 2 which gives us the depth of vision needed to start building new foundations that are not merely repeats of the past but are based on love and equality, rather than hate, and the abuse of power.
If you are angry, express your anger outwardly. Don't hold onto it and let it morph into rage. But do remember that your emotions are not weapons. There is no reason to hurt yourself or anyone else in the process of emotional healing. Your feelings are your Will, and are your best means of understanding your reality – in-depth – and not merely at the surface level.
Because the situation is so urgent, we have to find a way to process our emotions as fully as possible – and plan for the future at the same time. In fact, our feminine feelings and our masculine minds MUST work together now in order to be effective. THAT is what it means to be whole. THAT is the potential we are so afraid of.
It is not enough to say, "ok go ahead and grieve but be quick about it". That will not help to bring new ideas into the mind but, rather perpetuate the old mindset which brought us to this massive turning point. We cannot 'come together' to accept fascism. We have to 'come together' within ourselves first – the coming together of mind and emotion. Inner connection. Self acceptance.
To do this, we must understand more of how the feminine emotions work within the biological body, and how the masculine mind opposes emotion because it only wants to think – and not have its thoughts interrupted by feelings. But without the input that the feelings offer, the mind cannot learn anything new and cannot come up with anything original (repeated history).
Fascism will be resisted. It always is. But knowing the true nature of what we are up against is paramount. We can learn a lot from people who have resisted this energy in other countries, but because times have changed, we also have to learn as we go. We must give ourselves the time and space to STUDY the situation more fully if we are to approach it 'differently' and effectively.
We are still in the 9 Year of 2016 – which takes the shape of a spiral. Just like being on a spiral staircase, we cannot see what is around the corner. The election of Donald Trump caught the world by surprise and the shockwaves are vibrating strongly. However, this is also triggering 2's evolutionary qualities of intuition and receptiveness, and a desire for new and deeper understanding.
We move ever-forward in the course of time, and we cannot allow ourselves to be pulled back to a time that no longer exists. But we do need to give ourselves time and space in which to think and feel for ourselves. November is a 2 month (11+9=2+0=2) – the number of patience, cooperation, detail, slowness, perception, kindness, nurture, sense, sensitivity, the senses, intuition, and behind the scenes activity.
We can change outer realities all we want, but if nothing moves inside, the old situation will keep coming back. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
That's what all this 10 energy is about – real and meaningful change – innovation – originality – the next level – NEW beginnings.
Well said! Far away, in South Africa, many a citizen echo your views and concerns. In the greater scheme of things, we are all One.
I believe that this not fascism however I believe it's restoring balance to what has gone on for eight years with a president that as fundamentally changing our American founding principles. He took racial divide to a new level, ruots, terrorism on ouour soil. The people have spoken, we want to feel safe, have more jobs, reduce our taxes. That is why a outsider not the same old same old. I believe God energy of the 9 year intervene to restore our country. The people gave spoken we do not want socialism period. Or a global country. We are the United States of America. This reaction is immature and with koombiah.The riots and terrorism have not been handled to insure our safety. The 11/2 with a 9 year says balance ti be restored for humanity. r Donald Trump is not a fascist., nor the American people. How about giving the man a chance.
Keep ur fascism away from here joanne!!!
. "The job of president is too big for one man. " President Barack Obama. There is always a team of people getting things done, or not, as the case may be.


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Recruiting high-tech talent with learning opportunities
Prasanna Tambe, Xuan Ye, Peter Cappelli 22 August 2019
When deciding whether to switch employers, technology workers care not only about wages, but also about other factors, such as technology, perks and the quality of co-workers. Using job board data from 2007, this column shows that high-tech workers also 'pay' for the opportunity to acquire training in a new technology. Tech workers require more money to leave their current employers when they are working with more interesting technologies. For older and more established technologies, this premium disappears. The effects are stronger for younger workers.
Computerisation, routinisation, and aggregate productivity
Sangmin Aum, Tim Lee, Yongseok Shin
Online hiring of offshore workers
Christopher Stanton, Catherine Thomas
Financial incentives as signals: Evidence from a recruitment experiment
Erika Deserranno
How can employers attract talented engineers in tight labour markets? This question has challenged managers for at least a generation, and interest in it shows no sign of abating as investment in AI and data science technologies continue to create demand for workers with specialised technical skills that can support development in these areas. The question of how the available pool of technical talent affects employers' decisions also poses a challenge to policymakers, who are tasked with ensuring that their cities, states, and countries remain competitive in an increasingly digital age. For example, for these public officials, encouraging businesses to invest and create new jobs in the regions they represent often requires convincing them that they will have access to the skilled workers they need to produce goods and services that, more often than not, have a digital component.
Indeed, technology-oriented employers devote a great deal of attention and energy to the question of how best to attract and retain the technologists who can build and support cutting-edge digital systems. Indeed, one might argue that an employer's ability to attract these workers is a key differentiator in the modern, digital economy. How well firms can attract this talent, and what this means for performance has also attracted attention from social scientists. Recent work has shown that it has implications for the speed of technology adoption and for the productive gains that can be realised from a new technology (Branstetter et al. 2019, Tambe 2014).
Although wages for technology workers have certainly seen growth in recent years, a challenge for employers is that technology workers, perhaps more so than other high-skill professionals, often care about many factors other than wages. Work culture, mission, co-workers, perks, and access to interesting data and problems matter a great deal to being able to attract talented technical workers. For engineering hiring, therefore, employers often compete on a number of dimensions, not just on salary alone.
One of the most interesting and important of these dimensions is knowledge, skills, and abilities, especially when the market is moving towards new technical paradigms, such as data science or machine learning. During these periods, workers 'pay' for the opportunity to acquire training in new technology by taking lower wages. The notion that workers choose employers depending on where they can learn new skills has a number of interesting implications, both for where they choose to work and how much they earn.
Dating back at least to the work of Gary Becker (1964), there has been a long tradition of work on the question of when employers pay for training workers and when workers pay for their own training (Acemoglu and Pischke 1999, Autor 2001, Cappelli 2004). Our recent work in this area tests the hypothesis that for engineers, employers compete, in part, on the technologies that they use (Tambe et al. 2019), and that high-tech workers 'pay' for the opportunity to acquire training in a new technology. Such an exchange implies that for a given wage, technical workers are more likely to be attracted to employers who use cutting-edge technologies. For a given wage, employers that use cutting-edge technologies can attract better-quality workers. We also show that younger workers – i.e., those who more likely have long careers ahead of them – are more likely to be attracted to those employers who can offer them the chance to work with these types of technologies.
Directly testing the notion that workers place value on working with more interesting technologies is a challenge, because workers generally do not publicise – or even know – the different components of the value they gain from working in a particular job. One way to elicit the value they associate with working with a particular technology is to just ask workers how much they value it, but they may not know, or depending on the context, may choose not to answer truthfully. A more reliable approach might be to offer them a schedule of wages and different technologies to use, and observe how they make choices, but this would not be realistic in a labour market setting. Our approach was to essentially ask workers, in a labour market context, how much would it take for you to leave your current job? Under certain assumptions, this amount can be broken down into its component values, and can tell us something about the amount of value that technology workers place on working on a particular technology in their current job. Workers who are happier in their current jobs should require more to leave it.
The data we used were from a job board that explicitly asks participants (i.e., workers applying for jobs) for these data. On this job board, job seekers post the target wage they would require to move to a new employer. Because potential employers see this number when considering applicants, there are real consequences to misreporting it. When combined with data on the elements of the job they are currently working in, statistical techniques can be used to reveal how much workers value individual elements of their current job. We measured the kinds of technologies they use while on the job from information on their work experience, and to measure other aspects of employer brand, we studied what workers say about their employers in online reviews. We also worked with the company Glassdoor.com to analyse the textual content of reviews posted by tech workers on their websites, and identified key features of employers that their workers particularly value. For tech workers, some of these key features include levels of compensation, benefits, quality of co-workers, and the emphasis they place on skills development and learning.
Some of our key findings about these relationships are summarised in Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 shows that tech workers require more to leave their current employers when they are working with more interesting technologies. The data are from 2007, so it shows that for technologies that were 'hot' – at that time, such as technologies related to web frameworks – workers placed value on working with them and therefore were more difficult to poach from their employers. For older and more established technologies, this premium disappears, and workers using these technologies would require less to move to a new employer.
Figure 1 Technology age and predicted wages difference
These findings are not the same for all workers. Figure 2 shows that these findings are concentrated in younger workers, which makes sense, because workers are more likely to value a chance to learn new skills if they have a long time over which they can use those skills and improve their future earnings. Workers who are close to retirement should not be expected to place as much value on learning new skills.
Figure 2 Younger workers value new skills more
Of course, there is no 'free lunch', and these findings do not suggest that employers who want to attract and retain tech workers should all go out and invest in the newest technologies. First, a better technology infrastructure is costly, both in terms of the technology itself and the labour required to support it. Even though these workers accept less than they might otherwise earn, they are not necessarily less costly to hire than workers with older technology skills. Second, allowing workers to use 'hot' technologies means they will be attractive to outside employers as well. In fact, we found that while employers find it easier to attract top-flight workers when they use better technologies, these workers also churn faster, perhaps because they develop skills that are in high demand on the external market.
For managers, our analysis adds to the growing interest in the concept of 'employer brand' as a critical differentiator in a highly competitive labour market. It makes explicit the tradeoff between providing an environment in which workers can use new skills and the ability to attract talented engineers. Tech workers require higher pay to move to an employment context where they are using less interesting technologies than they would otherwise.
This type of relationship also has important implications for policymakers. For example, different economic regions vary markedly in terms of the freedom with which workers can move between employers, due to non-compete restrictions, the portability of benefits such as health insurance, unemployment insurance, and other differences. Our results suggest that some of the most important benefits to using new technologies depend on workers' abilities to transfer their skills to future employers.
Acemoglu, D and J S Pischke (1999), "Beyond Becker: Training in imperfect labor markets", Economic Journal 109(453): 112-142.
Autor, D H (2001), "Why do temporary help firms provide free general skills training?", Quarterly Journal of Economics 116(4): 1409-1448.
Becker, G S (1964), Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis, with special reference to education, New York: Columbia University Press.
Branstetter, L G, M Drev and N Kwon (2018), "Get with the program: Software-driven innovation in traditional manufacturing", Management Science 65(2): 541-558.
Cappelli, P (2004), "Why do employers pay for college?", Journal of Econometrics 121(1-2): 213-241.
O'Mahony, S and B A Bechky (2006), "Stretchwork: Managing the career progression paradox in external labour markets", Academy of Management Journal 49(5): 918-941.
Stern, S (2004), "Do scientists pay to be scientists?", Management Science 50(6): 835-853.
Tambe, P, X Ye and P Cappelli (2019), "Paying to program? Engineering brand and high-tech wages", NBER working paper 25552.
Tambe, P (2014), "Big data investment, skills, and firm value", Management Science 60(6): 1452-1469.
Topics: Education Labour markets
Tags: Labor markets, recruiting, high-tech, technology
Prasanna Tambe
Associate Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Xuan Ye
Assistant Professor, Carroll School of Management, Boston College
George W. Taylor Professor of Management at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania


If you are running a camp, a duty roster is a must-have. As the name suggests, such a roster template enables you to clearly define, schedule and divide the different camp-related tasks among all the camp members- according to their exact designation in the camp, such as assistant cook, waterman etc. This way, all the Roster Templates camp members would know when his or her service would be needed and what are his or her exact duties in the camp.
You have a neat camp duty roster template here that comes with a well defined schedule for the weekends to be filled with duty information for the different people in the camp-like grub master, waterman, fireman etc. The template also briefs about the roles of each position or designation in the camp. You may also see Attendance Roster Templates.
This school duty roster template comes with complete camping itineraries to be covered by the school students for 2 months. The list includes date and name of the place to be visited followed by a declaration from the coordinator of the school. The roster has also mentioned the holidays and the tournaments.
This staff duty roster template is an effective tool for the managers to keep track of the work done by the employees. The excel sheet comes with a detailed routine for the whole month that will document both the proposed work and the actual work done each day. The Excel sheet can include up to 8 staff.
You have an elaborate patrol duty roster template here that includes two tables. One table houses duties with blank spaces to be filled by the names assigned to each duty. The other table is for meal-related works- followed by briefs on each duty assigned and the roles of the different designations in the camp.
This is a very neat and smart patrol weekend camping duty roster template that starts with the mention of the different responsibilities to be fulfilled by each designation in the camp. Then, you have routines for weekend lunches and dinners with blank spaces to be filled up by the name of each person assigned to the respective designation.
> How to Plan Duty Roster?
Do you have to create a duty roster? Well, before you start the roster, you must take to thorough planning to ensure that your entire human resource is being deployed effectively. To do that, first of all, you have to get acquainted with the different designations in your camp and their respective duties. Moreover, check out their shifts, if any.
Next, look into the various activities to be performed in the camp and then allot your human resource accordingly. However, you must also take into account the current state of each of the camp members- if somebody is ill, you might have to replace him or her with another one on the duty roster template.
> What is the Purpose of a Duty Roster?
A duty roster is a vital thing in any camp or organization. The main purpose of a duty roster template is to notify all the camp members about their assigned tasks needed to perform to run the camp successfully. The roster is generally prepared by the coordinator or supervisor of the camp. You may also see Blank Order Form Template.
Thanks to the duty roster, each of the camp members knows what is expected of him or her and that too when. The purpose of the roster is to ensure that all the talents in the camp are being utilized uniformly according to their specific skills and knowledge. The roster is also made to assure that nobody is forced to overperform or has the chance to underperform.
> What are the Benefits of Duty Roster?
One of the most inevitable benefits of a duty roster template is that it offers an organized structure to the entire work schedule of a camp. The roster clearly mentions which task is to be performed by whom and that too when- so that each member is aware when he is needed. This way. You may also see Training Roster Templates.
It becomes easier for him to manage his other tasks on time so that he can keep himself free for the camp-related tasks when required. Moreover, most of the duty rosters also specify the exact tasks to be performed by people in each designation. This is to assure that all camp members have an appropriate idea of their respective roles and responsibilities.


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Japan rolls out first domestically assembled F-35 fighter
Photo: Kyodo
Japan's first domestically assembled F-35 fighter was unveiled Monday ahead of the delivery by March of two of the aircraft to the Defense Ministry, which plans to deploy them at Misawa Air Base in northeastern Japan.
That was reported by japantoday.com.
The conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35A for the Japan Air Self-Defense force (JASDF) was unveiled at the site of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) F-35 Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility in Nagoya in central Japan.
The factory in central Japan is one of two plants for final assembly and checks of the fighters outside the United States.
The Air Self-Defense Force plans to procure a total of 42 F-35 fighters, four of which Lockheed Martin Corp has manufactured and delivered to the ministry.
For the remaining 38, local manufacturers will supply engines and some parts, and Mitsubishi Heavy will assemble and check functioning, according to the ministry.
Kenji Wakamiya, senior vice defense minister, said it is important "to acquire F-35 fighters with advanced capabilities" amid increasingly tough security conditions and it will also help to strengthen technology in the domestic defense industry.


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Home » apod , Astronomy , Astrophysics » The Milky Way's Black Hole Ejected a Star Towards Intergalactic Space at 6 Million km/h
The Milky Way's Black Hole Ejected a Star Towards Intergalactic Space at 6 Million km/h
2:44 PM apod, Astronomy, Astrophysics No comments
During a time that humankind's ancestors were learning to walk upright, use their hands, and create the first primitive tools, cosmic events left a mark in our galaxy that our developed society would later see, millions of years later.
Astronomers have traced the trajectory of a so-called hypervelocity star through time, concluding that it was booted from the monstrous black hole at the center of our galaxy during a time when civilization as we know it did not exist.
Dubbed S5-HVS1, this cosmic body is an "A-type main-sequence star" and is considered the fastest ever discovered by astronomers.
Measurements of its trajectory have revealed the cosmic body is traveling at almost 1,755 km/s, or around four million miles an hour.
The black hole at the center of our galaxy, Sagittarius A*, has been visualized in virtual reality for the first time. Image Credit: J.Davelaar 2018
This took place, according to astronomers' calculations, around 5 million years ago. The dramatic ejection marked the confirmation of the so-called Hills mechanism.
The Hill mechanism takes place when a supermassive black hole disrupts a binary star.
Our Milky Way Galaxy, for example, is home to Sagittarius A*, a supermassive black hole that has approximately 4 million times the mass of the Sun. The Hills mechanism describes how stars are pulled apart and then left to continue their separate journey.
What astronomers measured in 2019 was precisely that; a star pulled into orbit around a black hole while its companion star was jettisoned towards intergalactic space at incredibly high velocity.
To understand the origin of S5-HVS1, astronomers studied kinematics and traced the orbit backward in time. Incredibly, they discovered that the star could be traced back to the Milky Way's Galactic Center, where it was expelled at a speed of 1800km/s between 5 and 4.8 million years ago, which makes S5-HVS the first clear demonstration of the Hill Mechanism and one of the fastest stars in the galaxy.
The star was observed in its journey approaching Earth at a distance of around 29,000 light-years away, traveling more than ten times faster than any other star in the Milky Way Galaxy.
Such is its speed that astronomers say that one day, inevitably, it will exit the Milky Way galaxy and never return.
The discovery was of great importance but a surprising one as well. Astronomers have theorized for years that Black Holes could eject stars at an unimaginable speed. Still, they have never associated a fast-moving star with the black hole at the center of the galaxy.
Observing and measuring the trajectory of S5-HVS1 is of great importance to astronomers since it must have formed in the galactic center. Furthermore, it is unique; the environment at the center of the Milky Way is entirely alien compared to our local galactic environment. This makes S5-HVS1 "a visitor from a strange land."


We meet Francesca, a 25 years old girl from Lecce. In a few words, she studies medicine and surgery in Rome and she has many passions, such as reading, writing, drawing and, of course, smoking. She likes strong tastes; she smokes Kentucky, mostly, and her favourite tobaccos are GH Dark Flake and Cimette Tornabuoni.
Her favourite habanos cigars are Behike 54 and Cohiba Esquisitos, but she loves also Nicaragua ones. Talking about Italian cigars, she hardly ever smokes something different from CTS and Amazon. She is always looking for improvement and for learning new things.
I started smoking cigars nine years ago; I was sixteen years old. My first cigar was Antico (MST), which led me in the world of Kentucky; few years later I moved to Rome, where I fell in love with habanos. In 2015 I started to smoke pipes, but there's always room for a good cigar.
My first cigar is usually lit after breakfast, let's say at 9.30 am. After that, I smoke very often, shifting from cigars to pipes.
I'm not sure I can answer to this question properly: the cigar has been my gate to the wide world of slow smoke, which became, for me, an absorbing interest. I remember that, when I was a teenager, I wanted to try the taste of tobacco, since I had been in love with its scent since my childhood. My grandfather used to dry some tobacco leaves in the place where he worked, and he smoked them in his pipes, so he always had that good smell on. When I smoke a cigar, I remember that dusty place and I feel like a child, in my grandfather's arms, again.
I cut the cigars with a guillotine cutter; when I smoke italian cigars, I don't cut them: I like to taste their evolution during the smoke.
I smoke everywhere! On the sofa, while I'm cooking, when I go out with my friends… If I have to choose a place, my favourite one is definitely my bed. There's no place like it!
I smoke no more than two cigars per day; I balance out with pipes!
Thank you very much for your time, Francesca. Good ashes.