With access to over 4,000 private jets and highly trained professional travel consultants worldwide, (Private Jets by Nashville Jet Charter Flights) is simply the best choice in private jet charter. Our business philosophy provides qualified personalized service combined with the exclusive savings and vast global network of affiliates in an industry staple. Safe and reliable Private Jet Charter Service made easy.
Take advantage of thousands of executive airports around the world, and land directly into your final destination without having to spend numerous hours waiting for connecting flights or delays. At (Private Jets by Nashville Jet Charter Flights) your jet charter flights depart when you are ready, minimizing travel time and maximizing working time.
Charter the private jet of your choice and have advantage of booking charter flights with as little as 4 hours notice. What's the point of private aviation if you don't have TOTAL Flexibility? Once aboard one of the business jets, the staff is fully dedicated to catering to your specific needs. We build a personalized profile to ensure that you receive maximum satisfaction in all your charter flights with Private Jets by Nashville Jet Charter Flights.
We also offer ONE WAY SERVICE, taking you from one location to another without a return flight. While many private jet charter services aren't willing to handle such a tall order, we have carved out a reputation as one way flight specialists. We are truly dedicated to your total satisfaction and to giving you a one-of-a-kind air travel experience.
We focus on making your business trip or vacation a completely luxurious experience.
At Nashville Private Jet Charter Flights, customer safety on all our charter flights is our number one priority. Each aircraft charter jet offered through Nashville Private Jet Charter Flights, as well as charter flight crew members, are subject to extensive screening.


For the second time in two months, Chicago-based Fob Inc. is making dramatic changes to its business model--but this latest strategic shift includes at least 30 job cuts.
On Wednesday, the business applications developer laid off 30 of its 84 staff members after CEO Patrick Blake announced plans to suspend development of its Internet-based procurement system software and instead become a company that provides and manages health and safety compliance data online.
In October, the company changed its business model when it shuttered three business-to-business Web sites for purchasing raw materials such as paper and chemicals. At that time, the company said there would be no job cuts and that it would reinvent itself as an application service provider (ASP) and focus its energy on developing its ProSource technology.
Now, fob will just offer its remaining material safety data sheets (MSDS) business. It has two online services, MSDSOnline and MSDSDistributor, aimed at businesses that use chemicals, solvents, paints, adhesives and other industrial products.
"It became clear we couldn't afford to fund both businesses, especially in this environment," said fob CEO Patrick Blake. "To go forward with the development and deployment of Prosource, we needed at least $25 million next year and potentially a lot more. When you compare that with the other side of the business, the capital requirements are much lower and the market opportunity is just as big."
The remaining products are subscription-based and generate recurring revenue and, therefore, are a safer bet to drive revenues. "It's a huge opportunity, and I'm being offered investment now because we are focusing exclusively on this," Mr. Blake said.
Investors pumped more than $40 million into fob since last year, but Mr. Blake says his burn rate was about $1 million per month and would have been even higher if the company maintained its ASP model. Coupled with the downturn in the tech sector, particularly among b-to-b companies, he doesn't regret his decision to switch strategic gears. "I'm hearing things from the venture capital world I thought I'd never hear before," he said.
Regarding the layoffs, Mr. Blake said, "We realize layoffs are common among start-up companies. Still, it's a difficult and unfortunate process." Non-management staff were the first to go, he said, noting that senior managers "have different contracts and out provisions to provide a greater cushion."


text:
What to Expect From Roof Replacement
Various Real Estate Types
Understanding Your Home Loan Options
If you are looking into Lynnwood Roof Replacement you may be wondering what to expect. Specifically, how
Roofing January 11, 2023 January 11, 2023
Real estate, also called real estate investing, is buying and selling of property with the
Real Estate December 28, 2022 December 28, 2022
Whether you're looking to buy your first home or upgrade to a new one, you'll
Loans November 30, 2022 January 7, 2023
How to Get Started in the Real Estate Industry
Real estate consists of land, buildings, and natural resources such as minerals, crops, and water.
Real Estate October 17, 2022 October 17, 2022
Are You Going To College? Read On!
College can be the most fun and exciting time in many people's lives. However, many
General Health Care Blogs August 18, 2022
New study examines vaccination misinformation on social media
Research conducted by Assistant Professor Jessie Chin's Adaptive Cognition and Interaction Design Lab (ACTION) in
Medical Care October 15, 2021 February 24, 2022
COVID-19 conversations: A deeper dive into the impact of COVID-19 on minority youth
Hispanic/Latinx youth have had their say: Staying at home during the pandemic has had a
General Health Care Blogs October 14, 2021 February 24, 2022
Helmet use reduces moderate or severe head injuries in youths riding ATVs and dirt bikes
Neurosurgeons see many young people presenting with traumatic brain injuries following all-terrain vehicle (ATV) or
New drug targets vascular inflammation, drastically improving the long-term effectiveness of vascular procedures
Cardiovascular procedures like bypass grafting and vessel stenting are some of the most common surgeries
Health Care Trends October 12, 2021 February 24, 2022
Research points to a strategy for overcoming colorectal cancers' immunotherapy resistance
Immune checkpoint inhibitors, which unleash the immune response against tumor cells, have revolutionized cancer treatment;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Boat loans share similarities to both vehicle and home mortgage financing. A loan application would need to be completed for our lending partner to underwrite. Similar to a home mortgage, the bank can ask for your personal federal tax returns, proof of assets, and may ask for additional financial information depending on each situation.
Sea Air Federal Credit Union was founded in 1952 as a way to provide affordable financial services to both military and civilian personnel on the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station, as well as retired military within the Seal Beach area.
Optional Financing Programs. At Sea Vista Home Loans, we will offer you a variety of optional financing programs, from Condo Financing, Jumbo Loans, and Homepath Financing to VA Loans, USDA Loans, or FHA Loans.
If you need a loan or a credit card, make Sea West your first stop. We offer great rates on all types of loans. No matter whether you want to buy a car, a house, pay for college, or just consolidate your bills, Sea West is here to help.
Start or expand your business with loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration. Use Lender Match to find lenders that offer loans for your business. Start or expand your business with loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration. Use Lender Match to find lenders that offer loans for your business.
Sea Pay Premium. Sea pay premium is a special pay that is in addition to career sea pay and is paid for unusually long periods of continuous sea duty.


You want to get the most out of your biggest investment this year: your furnace. While your furnace is designed to be efficient and comfortable, it still needs proper maintenance throughout the year. When you do your part, your furnace will keep you warm and keep those heating costs at bay.
Replace Your Filter: Replacing your air filter is a no-brainer. You save on heating costs and unnecessary repairs. It is cost-effective and quick, and you don't need to schedule a maintenance appointment.
Inspect and Clean: Once a year, usually before winter, you should have your furnace inspected and cleaned by an HVAC technician from Comfort Solutions HVAC. We look for everyday wear and tear items that may lead to a breakdown, clean the components, and help keep your furnace efficient.
Seal the Air Leaks: To save money, you also need to be proactive about potential air leaks inside your home. That includes checking drafty windows, doors, and replacing weather stripping where it disintegrates around these entry points. Also, making sure you have proper insulation in your attic, garage, and the exterior walls of your home will help your furnace keep the interior warm.
Check the Vents: Ensure that all supplies and returns to your furnace are not blocked. Blockages force your furnace to worker harder, which not only increases the temperature of the unit but significantly decreases its lifespan.
Inspect and Clean the Ducts: This is not something you need annually, but you should still make sure damaged or dirty air ducts are addressed. They can drive up heating costs and decrease air quality indoors.
Correct Temperature Setting: Set your thermostat to the proper winter temperature and remember to turn it down a few degrees when you step out.
Use Ceiling Fans for Air Circulation: Instead of making your furnace work over time, see if your ceiling fans can go into reverse mode. This helps circulate warm air and gives your furnace a little break.
Check Connections: Check all critical connections, including your gas and oil connection, gas pressure, burner combustion, and heat exchangers.
When your furnace acts up, or you just need a winter tune-up, speak to the technicians at Comfort Solutions HVAC. We can help clean, repair, and keep your unit as efficient as possible, all year long.
Call us at 610-438-9300 or request an estimate for your next furnace service appointment.


Stupidly Small Episode 17: 17: What's On That Mattress?
17: What's On That Mattress?
Today we discussed haircuts, movies and sitting down.
Apparently a hair surgeon isn't what we thought it was.
The name of the movie the excellent Mel Campbell sat through was Exodus: Gods and Kings. It didn't star Webster.
The Prime Minister's Smugenfreude festival last night resulted in a win for Richard Flanagan and the Indigenous Literary Foundation. Bob Graham, who writes beautiful kids' books, donated a big chunk of his fee to the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre.
It's bin night in Castlemaine. Recycleds by mid morning Wednesday at a pinch.
Thanks so much to our sponsor this week is Electric Body. 10% off if you put Stupidly Small in the coupon page this week over at their website.


Karin Weisenborn is an oil and gas lawyer with a master's degree in law from Leiden University and a master's degree in petroleum engineering from Delft Technical University.
Karin has over 25 years international industry experience. After working as a production and reservoir engineer in the United States, the UK and the Netherlands for companies such as Shell, BP and Placid she graduated in law and became senior policy maker for the oil and gas department of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. In this role she was responsible for oil and gas licensing on the Dutch continental shelf and played a key role in the revision of the Dutch oil and gas legislation. Karin also was central to the UK-Netherlands cross-border negotiations leading to the Markham Treaty and initiated discussions with the DTI (now DECC) on the UK-Netherlands Framework Treaty on Transboundary Fields.
Before establishing WL Karin was legal counsel for the Netherlands Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Association (NOGEPA) where she represented the industry in discussions with the government that resulted in the new Mining legislation, the transition from Mining to Health and Safety legislation, various policy notes and industry guidance notes.
Working for WL Karin has been director of Lundin Petroleum and Oceanteam Shipping, consultant to the Ministry of Economic Affairs on the Dutch Mining Climate, UK Corporate Structures, shale gas licencing and permitting and the transfer of the oil and gas concessions and mining licences from the old to the new Mining Act, legal counsel for several new and established oil and gas companies in the Netherlands and in house trainer on oil and gas licencing and unitisation.


text:
Le championnat du monde d'échecs féminin 2013 s'est déroulé sous la forme d'une rencontre d'échecs pour le championnat. Le match s'est déroulé en dix parties du 10 au 27 septembre 2013 à Taizhou dans la province du Jiangsu en Chine.

Le match opposait la championne en titre, Anna Ushenina, vainqueur du championnat du monde féminin d'échecs 2012, à la challenger Hou Yifan, ancienne championne et vainqueur du Grand Prix féminin de la FIDE 2011-2012.

Après sept des dix parties, Hou Yifan a remporté le match 5,5 à 1,5 pour reprendre le titre.

Bilan des confrontations précédentes
Avant le match, en date du 23 mai 2013, Anna Ushenina et Hou Yifan ont joué 8 parties l'un contre l'autre au contrôle du temps classique avec les statistiques suivantes:

Format
Le match se joue en dix parties classiques au maximum à l'hôtel Taizhou, ou moins si un joueur atteint 5,5 points avant. Le contrôle du temps est de 90 minutes pour les 40 premiers coups, puis de 30 minutes pour le reste de la partie, avec un incrément de 30 secondes par coup à partir du premier coup. En cas d'égalité, il y aura un nouveau tirage au sort des couleurs, puis quatre parties rapides de 25 minutes pour chaque joueur, avec un incrément de dix secondes après chaque coup. Si les scores sont égaux après les quatre parties rapides, après un nouveau tirage au sort des couleurs, un match de deux parties sera joué avec un contrôle du temps de cinq minutes plus une augmentation de trois secondes après chaque coup. En cas d'égalité, un autre match de deux parties sera disputé pour déterminer un vainqueur. S'il n'y a toujours pas de gagnant après cinq de ces matchs (c'est-à-dire après dix parties), une partie en mort subite sera joué. La dotation est de 200 000 euros, dont 60 % pour le vainqueur et 40 % pour le perdant si le match se décide en dix parties ou 55 % et 45 % si le match se décide par tie-break.

Match
Le tirage au sort des couleurs a eu lieu le jour de la cérémonie d'ouverture, le 10 septembre. Les deux premiers matchs ont été joués les 11 et 12 septembre. Après chaque deux matchs, il y a un jour de repos. Ushenina a tiré les couleurs blanches et a joué la première partie avec les blancs. Un changement de couleurs a eu lieu après la quatrième partie. Hou Yifan a dominé le match, remportant quatre parties, faisant trois matchs nuls et n'en perdant aucune, et a ainsi regagné le titre de champion qu'elle avait perdu l'année précédente.

Notes et références

Championnat du monde féminin d'échecs
Echecs feminin
Echecs feminin
2013 en Chine
Septembre 2013

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


It's Invest Diva's Kiana Danial with News BTC and today I'm taking a look at Initiative Q, the promise of a new "future" currency that created a frenzy on Invest Diva's Investment group this week. As a crypto enthusiast, you may have already been approached by friends and family with an invitation that only asks for your name, email address and a password to reserve you an amount of the next potential Bitcoin. Except, it is not a cryptocurrency and doesn't even work on the blockchain- yet. They call it a social financial experiment. There's only a limited amount of invites, so things can get hyped up pretty easily especially if the link is shared within an online group. After all, who wouldn't want some free money that can be used in the economy of the future? Doing a quick search online, you'd find a ton of articles that have compared Initiative Q to a Pyramid Scheme. To which, Initiative Q's Twitter handle has responded with a big ole "no", claiming that "pyramid schemes collect money from new members and distribute it to earlier members. In contrast, joining initiative Q is completely free. So, clearly, there is no money to hand up the "pyramid" to earlier members." Personally, I liked the way they described how any currency has come to value in our financial systems, and that is because people demand it and stores accept it for payment. Their website reads: "No buyer will join a new payment network with no sellers, and no seller will offer a new payment option that no buyer uses." They call it a "self-fulfilling prophecy." As millions join, advanced payment technologies are deployed, the payment system becomes even more popular, the Q currency becomes valuable. And of course, if you get invited now, you can secure some Qs for "free." Critics say this is not really free, because they can at least use your name and email address for marketing in the future. Supporters say, what website do you know who doesn't ask you for this minimal amount of information? At the end of the day, all we know for sure is that Initiative Q has no value today. And whether or not it becomes valuable in the future, depends on how wildly popular it becomes, and how sincere the founders, who are former PayPal people, by the way, are. Now I'd like to hear from you. What do you think about Initiative Q? Have you got an invite yet? Do you think this is just a scam or has the potential to turn into an actual currency in the future? Let me know in the comments, and subscribe for more updates!


Why does the Window menu sometimes turn red?
When Sailwave opens a new file, it forks a completely new instance of itself. The window menu will go red if there are two or more Sailwave instances running with the same file loaded. It's just a warning that you have the same file loaded more than once.


Cornelius fits right in with the Beastie Boys' Grand Royal aesthetic. He sees no difference between pop and avant-garde, high culture and lowbrow trash - he throws it all together, coming up with completely unexpected combinations. The thrill of hearing hip-hop loops morph into sheets of My Bloody Valentine guitar noise, then into sweet Beach Boys harmonies, is what makes his American debut Fantasma such a wonder. It's easy to write Cornelius off as a Japanese Beck, particularly since his pop songcraft is as impressive as the busy, multi-layered production, but it's a little patronizing.Cornelius is operating on his own terms, equally influenced by sunny pop ("Chapter 8: Seashore and Horizon," boasting harmonies by Apples in Stereo), garagey hard rock, and kitsch (the cartoonish "Magoo Opening"). He assembles the parts in unpredictable ways, which is why Fantasma is so intoxicating. It is one of those rare records where you can't tell what's going to happen next, and it leaves you hungry for more.


text:
Местанса () — муніципалітет в Іспанії, у складі автономної спільноти Кастилія-Ла-Манча, у провінції Сьюдад-Реаль. Населення —  осіб (2010).

Муніципалітет розташований на відстані близько 210 км на південь від Мадрида, 47 км на південь від Сьюдад-Реаля.

На території муніципалітету розташовані такі населені пункти: (дані про населення за 2010 рік)
 Ель-Ойо: 260 осіб
 Местанса: 496 осіб
 Соланілья-дель-Тамараль: 40 осіб

Демографія

Галерея зображень

Посилання

 Інформація про муніципалітет Местанса

Примітки

Муніципалітети провінції Сьюдад-Реаль


text:
Q: Flink Missing Events With Windowed Processor(Event Time Windows) and Kafka Source We have a Streaming Job that has 20 separate pipelines, with each pipeline having one/many Kafka topic sources and with some pipelines having Windowed Processor and others being a Non-Windowed Processor.
We are noticing data loss for Windowed Processor pipelines when the job goes down and takes some time to recover/when the job needs to be restarted.

*

*I have set UID for all of the Operators and I can see in logs that offsets are being restored from savepoint for the Kafka consumer operator

*we are using BoundedOutOfOrdernessTimestampExtractor to Assign watermarks based on event time.

public class KafkaEventTimestampExtractor extends BoundedOutOfOrdernessTimestampExtractor<Event> implements Serializable{

    public KafkaEventTimestampExtractor(Time maxOutOfOrderness) {
        super(maxOutOfOrderness);
    }

    @Override
    public long extractTimestamp(Event element) {
        try {
            log.info("event to be processed, event:{}", new ObjectMapper().writeValueAsString(element));
        } catch (JsonProcessingException e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        Long ts = null;
        ts = Double.valueOf(Double.parseDouble(element.getTs())).longValue();
        ts = ts.toString().length() < 13 ? ts * 1000 : ts;
        return ts;
    }
}

Pipeline Config looks something like this.

*

*NON-WINDOWED

SourceUtil
  .getEventDataStream(env, kafkaSourceSet)
  .process(new S3EventProcessor()).uid("…..**)
  .addSink();

*

*WINDOWED

SourceUtil
  .getEventDataStream(env, kafkaSourceSet)
  .assignTimestampsAndWatermarks(
    new KafkaEventTimestampExtractor(Time.seconds(4)))
  .windowAll(TumblingEventTimeWindows.of(
    Time.milliseconds(kafkaSourceSet.bufferWindowSize))
  .process(new S3EventProcessor()).uid("…..**)
  .addSink();

*

*Lets say job is down 30 min, in that case pipeline where we do not use window processor does not miss any data but paritial data is missed from the windowed processor for those 30 min.

*when we increase the out-of-order events delay in TimeWinows, ie- we increased It to 30min from 4sec, then the events are not getting missed if the application is up within 30min.we are getting nowhere near the solution since the delay of more than 1 min is infeasible for us also there will be too many live windows which will mean huge infra change for us.

A: The only scenario I can imagine that might explain this is if the event timestamps are affected by the outage. Then a 30-minute outage would cause a 30-minute gap in the timestamps, and with out-or-order ingestion, a 4-second bounded-out-of-orderness strategy will yield some late events that will be dropped by the window.

A: This was happening due to a mistake in my pipeline, instead of using the timestamp Assigner at flinkKafkaConsumer, it was added to the data stream generated from flinkKafkaConsumer.
This change has fixed the issue at my end for automatic recovery but in case of a manual restart post any changes to the pipeline, some data is still being missed for the last window when the job had stopped.
Note:-- we are using checkpoint for manual recovery.
As per docs, Checkpoints are ideal for automatic recovery in case of job failures.
Any note on this would help, if we need to create a savepoint in case we need to make some changes to the pipeline and restart it manually or we can make a complete recovery with the checkpoint.
Our Only concern in case of using savepoint is the reprocessing of same events that might happen, which is not ideal for us in few cases.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Hamilton, Richard J., Almany, Glenn R., Stevens, Don, Bode, Michael, Pita, John, Peterson, Nate A., and Choat, J. Howard (2016) Hyperstability masks declines in bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) populations. Coral Reefs, 35 (3). pp. 751-763.
Bolbometopon muricatum, the largest species of parrotfish, is a functionally important species that is characterised by the formation of aggregations for foraging, reproductive, and sleeping behaviours. Aggregations are restricted to shallow reef habitats, the locations of which are often known to local fishers. Bolbometopon muricatum fisheries are therefore vulnerable to overfishing and are likely to exhibit hyperstability, the maintenance of high catch per unit effort (CPUE) while population abundance declines. In this study, we provide a clear demonstration of hyperstable dynamics in a commercial B. muricatum fishery in Isabel Province, Solomon Islands. Initially, we used participatory mapping to demarcate the Kia fishing grounds into nine zones that had experienced different historic levels of fishing pressure. We then conducted comprehensive underwater visual census (UVC) and CPUE surveys across these zones over a 21-month period in 2012-2013. The individual sites for replicate UVC surveys were selected using a generalised random tessellation stratified variable probability design, while CPUE surveys involved trained provincial fisheries officers and local spearfishers. A comparison of fishery-independent abundance data and fishery-dependent CPUE data indicate extreme hyperstability, with CPUE maintained as B. muricatum abundance declines towards zero. Hyperstability may explain the sudden collapses of many B. muricatum spear fisheries across the Pacific and highlights the limitations of using data-poor fisheries assessment methods to evaluate the status of commercially valuable coral reef fishes that form predicable aggregations.


Photo credit: Bill Boaden. License.
The picture above shows a signpost indicating a public footpath from Virgin Hill to Gwallon Lane not far to the north of Marazion. It is about three miles from where I live. The path crosses land belonging to a farm called Blakan Matti, another of the mystery names in my post of 2009.
The map above is from 1945 and shows Pulau Blakang Mati (aka Pulau Belakang Mati amongst other names). The name is Malay and means ominously 'the island of death from behind'. It lies just a little way south of the main island of Singapore.
I have no idea when or why the farm was named after an island so far away. The name of the island was changed to Sentosa (='peace and tranquility') in 1972 and is now a gigantic theme park. From what Wikipedia has to say about the place it sounds ghastly. But then maybe I'm just a grumpy old so-and-so.
Are the Isles of Scilly becoming homophonous?
To the left is the unofficial flag of the Isles of Scilly. The archipelago is twenty eight miles out into the Atlantic, but it is politically part of England, more precisely part of Cornwall. Scillonians tend to get a bit hot under the collar if you call the place The Scilly Isles or The Scillies, and one can understand why. However, they seem to be undermining their objection to those names.
Go to this webpage on the site of The Cornishman, the local weekly newspaper, and I think you will see what I mean.
I was going to do a simple post about where I went yesterday afternoon. You can see it in the picture above. It is Porthleven. Nice clouds, eh? Anyway, I thought I'd check up on a few facts before posting — such as: it's the southernmost port in mainland Great Britain. While doing so, I came across a reference to one of the streets in the village — The Gue.
Glue, I know about. If memory serves me well, a grue is a nasty beast that might eat unwary players of the old text adventure game Zork. But Gue? Google was no use. All I got was page after page of estate agents' adverts for properties available (now or long ago) in the street. OED tells us that a gue is, or rather was, a stringed instrument used on the Shetland Islands OR an obsolete word for a rogue. Neither of these meanings seemed very relevant.
Further searching threw up the place-name Gue Graze, which is on the coast close to Mullion, not too far from Porthleven. Gue Graze is a source of soapstone (aka steatite) which was important in the early porcelain industry in England. None of the pages I found said anything about the meaning of the name, however.
Then came the aha! moment. Maybe it is a Cornish word that has undergone an initial consonant mutation k → ɡ. Off to the usual books. I was right. Kew is Cornish for "hollow, enclosure", and has cognates cau in Welsh and kev in Breton. Once I found this out I realised that almost every day I pass by a street whose name in English is Hea Close. This now has a street sign which bears the Cornish name too — Kew an Hay.
JDL has just alerted me to the fact that the Standard Written Form Cornish dictionary is now available online. What is more, unlike the previously available PDF version, the online version includes pronunciations in IPA symbols.
The dictionary is published and maintained by Maga Kernow – The Cornish Language Partnership. You can find it here.
I haven't had much time to look at the dictionary yet, but the pronunciations seem pretty good to me. For many words, both Middle Cornish and Late Cornish versions are given, reflecting the differing preferences of Cornish speakers. One thing that I think is missing is an explanation of the meaning of the symbols used (1) because not many users will be familiar with IPA symbols and (2) there seem to be some non-standard uses of symbols. An instance of this is the aspiration diacritic ʰ. In some Late Cornish versions this appears word-finally after a vowel — for instance the word hogh ("pig") has the LC pron. hoːʰ. It is also used word-finally after l, as in the word a-bell ("afar") which has əbɛlʰ as the LC pron. What exactly they mean by this I am not sure.
Watch this space for more thoughts on the dictionary.


Inaugurated in 1979, the Havana International Convention Center is the foremost institution specializing in events and congresses in Cuba. The facility is located only 20 minutes from downtown Havana, in a residential area in the western part of the city and extends over an area of 60 000 square meters. The center is surrounded by exuberant vegetation which harmonizes with the tropical greenery of its interior gardens.
The Havana International Convention Center organizes, promotes and hosts congresses, conventions, symposia, conferences, national and international meetings, fairs and exhibitions. It has an extensive network of official agencies throughout Latin America, North America and Europe which, in conjunction with associations or companies interested in these services promote and market the activities organized for each of the international events and fairs programmed during the year.
The professionalism and dedication of its workers have made it a leader in the Cuban congress and exhibition industry.


In a shakeup for Greek broadcasting, the country has awarded just four broadcasting licenses, a move that drastically cuts back the number of TV channels operating there. Skai TV and Antenna won two of the four licenses, with the other two going to new entrants, Greek ship owner Evangelos Marinakis and contractor Yannis Kalogritsas, after a bidding round held over three days.
With only four licenses offered, some of the eight private channels now broadcasting in the country will have to close. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's says the move will help regulate the sector and is in line with its international bailout obligations. But critics say the move will result in a curbing of free speech and put thousands of people out of work. The new licenses take effect in 90 days, but will most certainly be challenged in the courts.
Sky has taken a €4 million ($4.49 million) stake in France's Molotov, an over-the-top video platform that distributes free and pay TV channels and content to consumers via a "freemium" model. The investment is part of a larger Molotov financing round, according to Sky's release, and the latest in a series of Sky investments in innovative start-up companies. The company released no further details as what the larger financing round entails.
Molotov was launched in 2014 by AlloCiné founder JeanDavid Blanc, Canal+ founder and Cannes Film Festival President Pierre Lescure and Jean-Marc Denoual, former senior executive at TF1 Group. Molotov unveiled launched its first publicly available service in July.


text:
Sierra Nevada, CA
San Francisco: Yosemite National Park & Giant Sequoias Hike
Duration options: 14 - 15 hours
Sierra Nevada, CA: Tours & Tickets
South Lake Tahoe: Sightseeing Cruise of Emerald Bay
San Francisco to Yosemite Park Small Group Tour
Carson City: Hot Air Balloon Flight
From San Francisco: Yosemite National Park
From US$ 169
Lake Tahoe: Emerald Bay Helicopter Flight
Yosemite Valley 3-Day Camping Adventure
Lake Tahoe: Sunset Snowshoe Trek with Hot Drinks and Snacks
San Jose: Yosemite National Park and Giant Sequoias Trip
Sierra Nevada, CA: Our most recommended tours and activities
1. South Lake Tahoe: Sightseeing Cruise of Emerald Bay
Embark on a 2-hour sightseeing cruise starting in South Lake Tahoe either at sunset or during the day. Enjoy the scenic beauty while cruising 11 kilometers across the lake to Emerald Bay, one of the top ten most photographed places in the world. See the majestic mountains of South Lake Tahoe while onboard the world-class Tahoe Bleu Wave yacht. As you cruise, you will find indoor and outdoor seating with 360-degree panoramic views of Lake Tahoe, the snow-capped mountains, Fannette Island, Vikingsholm Castle, Eagle Waterfall, and the Rubicon. Navigate the pristine waters of Lake Tahoe while hearing your captain's narration about this lake. You may even get the chance to see a variety of wildlife such as the bald eagle, black bears, and wild geese. If you've chosen the sunset option, relax and watch the sun dip low below the sky.
2. San Francisco: Yosemite National Park & Giant Sequoias Hike
The Total Yosemite Experience is the only 1-day tour to combine the Yosemite Valley and a Giant Sequoia Walk all in the same day. See why artists and poets have been inspired for generations. Since 1890, beautiful Yosemite National Park has been the jewel of America's National Parks, possessing some of the best–known landmarks in the world, such as the tallest waterfall in North America, Yosemite Falls. You'll have 5-6 hours to explore the stunning national park, and take in the majestic natural wonders, accompanied by a complimentary audio guided tour. Yosemite is home to the spectacular Half Dome & El Capitan, 2 of the most frequently climbed cliffs in the world. It is also home to several groves of stunning Giant Sequoia trees, the largest trees on earth. The Giant Sequoia Walk is along 1 mile (1.5 km) of paved trail with a 400 ft (120 m) incline, snow depth permitting. Experiencing Yosemite in a friendly group, you will see stunning panoramas, go on walks, and even hike a little, before returning to San Francisco. Or if you prefer, you can upgrade to a private tour for your group only.
3. San Francisco to Yosemite Park Small Group Tour
Escape the crowds of San Francisco on a full-day tour to Yosemite National Park. Travel by comfortable, responsible transportation in a bio-fueled mini-coach. Heading east across the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge offers great views of the San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz Island, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Golden Gate Bridge. En route to the park the tour crosses through the Central Valley, where you will stop at a fruit stand for some local produce. Famous for its rich volcanic soil, the Central Valley is the largest agricultural region in the United States. The section the tour drives through is best known for speciality fruits and nuts such as almonds, walnuts, cherries, and strawberries. After this quick rest stop, you will enter the rolling foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. Continuing into the mountains brings you to California gold country and the gold rush town of Groveland before the tour winds its way into Yosemite National Park. On your 1.5-hour narrated coach tour of Yosemite's glaciated valley, you will see famous waterfalls and rock formations including Yosemite Falls, the tallest waterfall in North America. Continue on past El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridalveil Falls, Sentinel Dome, and much more. During the tour you will see Yosemite Valley from a number of great vantage points, the best of which is perhaps Inspiration Point. After the tour, you will stop for the afternoon near the base of Yosemite Falls. If you have not already picked up picnic supplies, there are many options for getting lunch in the park. You will have 3-4 hours of free time to explore the valley as you choose. You can walk to the base of Yosemite Falls, check out the visitor center, visit the Ansel Adams Gallery, stop in at the Ahwahnee Hotel, rent a cruiser bike, or hike some of the trails that originate from the valley. Although you could easily spend 3 weeks in Yosemite, the 3 hours you get on your own is enough time to understand why Yosemite is one of America's most popular national parks.
4. From San Francisco: Yosemite National Park
Travel through the Great Central Valley into the Sierra Foothills where Forty-Niners panned for Gold. Follow the beautiful Merced River to the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains. Glaciers cut through these mountains forming spectacular granite monuments you will see throughout the park. Spend a total of 4 hours within the Yosemite National Park: 1-hour on a guided tour and 3 hours to explore on your own. There is the option of selecting a Chinese-speaking guide on certain days. Take advantage of the photo opportunities at: • El Capitan • Bridalveil Falls • Vernal Falls • Yosemite Falls • Cathedral Spires • Half Dome
5. Lake Tahoe: Sunset Snowshoe Trek with Hot Drinks and Snacks
Embark on a guided snowshoeing trek at sunset to experience the beauty of Lake Tahoe's high country that can only be accessed on foot. Experience the solitude and quiet that define winter in the Tahoe Truckee area while enjoying hot drinks and snacks. After meeting your guide at a location in the North Shore or Truckee area (location based on snowpack and weather), gear up and set out on a trek featuring the amazing views around Lake Tahoe. Venture into the surrounding wilderness and immerse yourself in the tranquility of a snowy forest. Trek on a trail based on you and your group's activity level as well as the snowpack. If you are looking for more of a challenge, you can continue to the top of one of the nearby peaks for panoramic views that can't be beaten. Many options exist for every ability level.
6. Lake Tahoe: Emerald Bay Helicopter Flight
Take off from south Lake Tahoe and enjoy fantastic scenery on a helicopter flight. See several scenic landmarks including Fallen Leaf Lake, Cascade Lake, Taylor Creek, and Pope Beach as you fly towards breathtaking Emerald Bay. Admire the views of granite and forested landscapes surrounding Emerald Bay. See Eagle Falls which feeds into the lakes shimmering emerald-green waters. Take in these incredible sights from a helicopter for a truly memorable experience over Lake Tahoe.
7. San Jose: Yosemite National Park and Giant Sequoias Trip
Towering granite cliffs and giant sequoias headline this full-day Yosemite tour from San Jose. Expert guides will make sure you don't miss the history, geology, wildflowers, and wildlife, that have made this glacier-carved valley the jewel of America's national park system. Your Yosemite Giant Sequoia Tour from San Jose begins with pickup from your hotel, then heads east crossing through California's fertile San Joaquin (aka Central) Valley and into the craggy Sierra Nevada mountains. This is the only Yosemite Valley tour where you will also experience the solitude of the Tuolumne Grove of giant sequoias, the largest living things on earth. You'll reconsider your place in the world, 2,000-year-old trees can make people do that. Your heart (and camera) will be racing as you enter Yosemite Valley, enjoying stops at Inspiration Point and El Capitan Meadow. You will stop for moments at Half Dome, El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, and Bridalveil Falls, with plenty of time allocated to "take some selfies". Yosemite is open year-round, and if you visit in the winter months, you can picture Yosemite Valley covered in soft white snow, with animal footprints scattered about in the meadows and the snow-capped Half Dome casting its long shadow.
8. Yosemite National Park: Valley Orientation Tour
Join an eco-friendly, small group guided tour and witness the stunning Yosemite National Park. Choose between three pickup locations covering hotels on Highway 41, 140 & 120. Then drive 30-60 minutes through Yosemite National Park to reach Yosemite Valley. On the way, your guide will explain the history and geology before stopping at El Capitan, the world's largest granite monolith. Your guide will provide a park orientation and hiking briefing so you can wander around alone. Be dropped off either at Curry Village or Yosemite Valley Lodge in the park. During your 5 hours of free time, explore Yosemite either by hiking its most famous trails or biking your way around Yosemite Valley. Marvel at views of Half Dome, a granite dome known for its distinct shape. Go for a swim in the nearby Merced River to cool down from Yosemite's summer heat. Your expert guide can recommend the best trails and where to rent a bike. After a day of exploration, meet your guide back at either Curry Village or Yosemite Valley Lodge to be dropped off back at your original point: Yosemite View Lodge.
9. From Lake Tahoe: Yosemite National Park Full-Day Tour
Enjoy traveling in a luxury 28-passenger mini bus to the High Sierra. You'll leave South Lake Tahoe at 06:00 on the 3-hour drive to the main valley of Yosemite National Park. This breathtaking adventure provides an unforgettable opportunity to savor the vast array of stunning High Sierra features made famous by the likes of John Muir, Teddy Roosevelt, and Ansel Adams. The exclusive documentary tour includes a full-day of sightseeing in one of America's favorite national parks, conducted by a Yosemite expert. The tour price includes transportation, the park admission fee, a delicious picnic lunch with an assortment of beverages, and a seasonal hike to the Bridalveil Fall or Yosemite Falls. Spend around 6 hours in the park, driving from one scenic location to the next. You can exit the bus to admire the scenery and take photos at each stop. When you reach the main valley at around noon, you'll enjoy a delicious picnic lunch. On the way back the mini-bus will stop at O'Nelly Deli so you can have a bite to eat and something to drink. You'll arrive in South Lake Tahoe at around 20:00.
10. Lake Tahoe: Zephyr Cove Helicopter Flight
Take off from south of Lake Tahoe and fly along the east shore into the state of Nevada. Witness the beautiful indigo blue waters and teal shorelines as you fly to Zephyr Cove. After circling Zephyr Cove, fly west along the south shoreline past Fallen Leaf Lake and Cascade Lake to Emerald Bay. Take in the beautiful views from the helicopter for an adventure that will last long in the memory.
Top Attractions in California
1 USS Midway Museum
2 Aquarium of the Pacific
3 San Diego Harbor
4 San Francisco Zoo
5 Yosemite National Park
6 Golden Gate Bridge
7 Long Beach
8 Monterey Bay
9 Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco
10 San Francisco Bay
11 Universal Studios Hollywood
12 Lake Tahoe
13 Alcatraz
14 Hollywood
15 Warner Bros. Studios Hollywood
16 Battleship USS Iowa Museum
17 Petersen Automotive Museum
18 Muir Woods National Monument
19 Hollywood Sign
20 Pier 39
1 California Segway Tours
2 California Cruises & Boat Tours
3 California Dolphin & Whale Watching
4 California Tickets
5 California Wine Tasting & Winery Tours
6 California Air & Helicopter Tours
7 California Tours
8 California Dinner & Lunch Cruises
9 California Zoos & Aquariums
10 California Sailing Lessons
11 California Quad & ATV Tours
12 California Balloon Tours
13 California Paragliding
14 California Day Trips
15 California Ghost & Vampire Tours
16 California National Parks
17 California Swim with Dolphins
18 California Cave Tours
19 California River Rafting
20 California Bike Tours
Other Sightseeing Options in Sierra Nevada, CA
Want to discover all there is to do in Sierra Nevada, CA? Click here for a full list.
What people are saying about Sierra Nevada, CA
The guide was very passionate and super nice. He taught us a lot, a lot of stories and all with humor. The bus ride is very long even if the guide does everything to make it pleasant: stories, culture, music, jokes and even movies. Otherwise, the places chosen are truly amazing. Yosemite Park is unique and I think this tour really captures all of its splendor. My only regret that I didn't have time to stop more (but hey, it's the time to not come home too late). What I liked the most was the view from the tunnel as well as the view from the bottom of the valley (last stop before departure). Also, the place for lunch in front of the waterfalls is just unique. As for the agency that takes charge, they are top, available and really take you to the hotel and bring you back there: which is comfortable anyway.
San Jose: Yosemite National Park and Giant Sequoias Trip Reviewed by Mathilde, 12/6/2021
Must do when in SF. Yes it's a long ride, but it's so worth the visit! The time you get in the park is around 3h which is ok-ish for a small walk around the lodge to check the falls and maybe some half-dome views. You need days to explore the whole thing! In the winter you don't get to see the sequoias because the road is closed. We stopped to see the tunnel view which is amazing and also stopped 2 times to see different views of elcap which is breathtaking! The driver was also very good and informative!
San Francisco: Yosemite National Park & Giant Sequoias Hike Reviewed by Adamantia, 12/30/2021
This tour was amazing, the guide is very professional and competent. Thank you Denise for making the tour unforgettable.
San Francisco: Yosemite National Park & Giant Sequoias Hike Reviewed by weslley, 12/1/2021
Well organized tour with adequate rest and bathroom breaks
San Francisco to Yosemite Park Small Group Tour Reviewed by Yin, 12/18/2021
The tour was really really nice, we were in a small bus,
San Francisco to Yosemite Park Small Group Tour Reviewed by Anaïs, 11/25/2021


text:
Cuestiones claves
Intereses corporativos
Geopolítica y derechos humanos
Textos de los acuerdos
Acerca de bilaterals.org
UE-América Central
EU and Central America begin new round of talks for Association Agreement, this time including Panama
EFE | 22 March 2010
The European Union and the countries of Central America will begin a new round of negotiations focusing on the commercial aspects of an Association Agreement in Brussels this week, in which Panama will participate for the first time as an official party rather than as an observer.
The EU approved last week a change in the mandate for its negotiators in order to include Panama in the discussions, following a formal request from that country, as well as an assent by Panama to accept all of the points already agreed upon in the negotiations by its Central American partners Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
The EU also agreed to promote the inclusion of Panama in the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA).
The upcoming session will focus strictly on commercial topics, as this is the pillar of the agreement that still needs work – the chapters on cooperation and political dialogue will not be addressed on this occasion – in order to have the agreement concluded before the European - Latin American summit May 18 in Madrid.
The principal commercial points to close are access to the European market for Central American agricultural products (above all, the tariff to be imposed on bananas and sugar) as well as the agreement's chapter on sustainable development.
In this area, the EU is proposing that the principle of productive and dignified employment for all be recognized as a key element in the promotion of globalization and international commerce, according to a draft provided to the newswire EFE.
At the same time, the EU is proposing that the parties comply with the basic conventions of the International Labor Organization, and that multilateral environmental agreements and standards be maintained.
For its, part, Central America will be seeking increased cooperation from the EU to reinforce its capacity to apply environmental and labor legislation.
Another topic on which agreement should be reached is whether the parties should be obligated to undertake a review of the impact that the commercial agreement could have on sustainable development, as the EU is requesting, or whether the agreement should only recognize the obligation to consider such a review, which is the Central American position.
Fuente: Tico Times
América Central Panamá UE
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Latest articles in English
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Derniers articles en français
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Por qué son nocivos los tratados de libre comercio?
bilaterals.org is a collaborative space to share information and support movements struggling against bilateral trade and investment deals which serve corporations, not people. It is strictly non-commercial and for educational purposes only. No one owns it. Open publishing. Multilingual. Global.


text:
Q: Se puede crear un trigger en SQL server 2008 R2 Buenas quiero crear un trigger que cuando yo cree un Procedure el trigger tome el nombre del procedure y el nombre de la base data usada y este se inserte con los 2 nombres data base usada y nombre de procedure en una tablade X basedato ¿es posible esto? Ejemplo:
CREATE TRIGGER PROC_INSERTADOS

DECLARE
@Proc_Name varchar (max),
@DataBase_Name varchar (max)

SET  @Proc_Name = (SELECT proc FROM inserted)
SET  @DataBase_Name = (SELECT proc FROM inserted)

INSERT registro_procedure (Proc_Name,DataBase_Name,FECHA)
VALUES
(@Proc_Name,@DataBase_Name,GETDATE)

A: No se puede, todos los datos son almacenados en la base master y en una vista la cual puedes consultar.
select * from master.information_schema.routines


text:
Tapestry of Faith
What We Choose
Tapestry of Faith: What We Choose: An Adult Program on Ethics for Unitarian Universalists
Part of What We Choose
We are regularly faced with moral choices, big and small. How should we respond to a tricky family or relationship situation? What is the right thing to do when faced with a dilemma at work? What is the most ethical course for a community, state, or nation to follow, and how much am I prepared to invest in advocating for that course? How does morality or ethics enter my food and eating choices? How should morality or ethics enter my consumer decisions? How do we treat others? What must I do to follow the values of my Unitarian Universalist faith tradition?
Unitarian Universalism is a faith of deeds, not creeds. We believe our choices and actions matter. We believe the measure of our religion is the way we live our faith in our day-to-day lives. But how do we decide what course of action to follow when a situation is complex and the moral course is unclear? Where do we turn for guidance that will help us fulfill our own wish to live a moral life? This program invites participants to focus attention on the moral and ethical questions that arise or have arisen in their lives, including challenges not yet perceived or acknowledged, and explore the ethical frameworks that can help in sorting through a dilemma.
This program, like all Tapestry of Faith programs, is based on stories, including stories from participants' personal lives, stories of people, congregations, and organizations at moments of decision, and complex real life scenarios. It offers discussion, reflection, experiential learning, community building, and suggestions for justice-making activities that bring Unitarian Universalist religious ethics to bear in the community and the wider world. May it be a useful tool for Unitarian Universalists who wish to live their values and their faith more fully.
PREVIOUS: Acknowledgments
UP: What We Choose
Download all of What We Choose (Word) (PDF) to edit or print.
For more information contact religiouseducation@uua.org.
Leader Guidelines
Facilitator Feedback Form
Participant Feedback Form
Workshop 1: The Locus of Moral Authority
Workshop 2: Unchanging Truths
Workshop 3: The Collective Good
Workshop 4: Cultivating a Virtuous Character
Workshop 5: Natural, Legal, and Human Rights
Workshop 6: The Story of Our Lives: Narrative Ethics
Workshop 7: Relational Ethics
Workshop 8: Understanding Ethics from the Margins
Workshop 9: An Ethic of Risk
Workshop 10: Locus of Moral Authority Revisited
Stories from What We Choose
Handouts from What We Choose
Leader Resources from What We Choose
A Darker Wilderness
A vibrant collection of personal and lyric essays in conversation with archival objects of Black history and memory. Available for preorder...
Activity 3: WIT Time - Human Chalice
Materials for Activity
More from Riddle and Mystery
Prayer after Terror
Spirit of Life and Love, Shaken by sorrow We wonder why We wonder how Humans can find it within themselves To destroy life That exists also within them.


1) Why are Lenox Solid Plastic Gear Lockers so durable?
Lenox Solid Plastic Gear Lockers Gearner their durability both from the toughness of the plastic and the method of construction, an all welded construction.
2) Are Lenox Solid Plastic Gear Lockers suitable for use in junior and high schools?
Yes, Lenox Solid Plastic Gear Lockers are suitable for use with teenagers and can be ordered in different widths and depths to accommodate the needs of the users.
3) Do Lenox Solid Plastic Gear Lockers rust or corrode?
No, Lenox Solid Plastic Gear Lockers do not rust or corrode. The plastic material, HDPE, is impervious to water and moisture and resists rust, corrosion, mold, and mildew. The lockers should be located in a climate controlled environment and away from direct sunlight.


text:
Often asked: People Who Were Part Of The Orchestra For Star Wars The Force Awakens?
1 Who did the music for the force awakens?
2 Who did music for Star Wars?
3 Who is the Star Wars orchestra?
4 Did John Williams write all the Star Wars music?
5 What is KYLO Ren theme called?
6 What is KYLO Ren's theme?
7 Why is Star Wars music so good?
8 What instrument plays the main theme in Star Wars?
9 Why music is important Star Wars?
10 Who is the most iconic Star Wars character?
11 How many Star Wars songs are there?
12 What are the two types of music in a film?
13 Why did John Williams stop doing Harry Potter?
14 How rich is John Williams?
15 Which Jedi has a purple saber?
Who did the music for the force awakens?
The Star Wars: The Force Awakens soundtrack was released on December 18, 2015, the same day as the film itself. As with the previous six saga films, the score was composed and conducted by John Williams. It's the first Star Wars soundtrack not to feature the London Symphony Orchestra.
Who did music for Star Wars?
…and its ominous soundtrack by John Williams won an Oscar. Its 19th conductor, John Williams (1980–93; from 1994, conductor laureate), became artist-in-residence… film score by American composer John Williams for George Lucas's Star Wars (1977), which launched…
Who is the Star Wars orchestra?
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) performed a majority of the score for the Star Wars films.
Did John Williams write all the Star Wars music?
He has composed nearly all of the music heard in the Star Wars films. He has also composed scores for multiple other well-known movies and television shows, including Indiana Jones, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Superman.
You might be interested: Question: What Are The Four Principal Instrument Groups Of The Classical Orchestra?
What is KYLO Ren theme called?
Major spoiler: Kylo Ren's theme is an updated instrumental version of "Never Gonna Give You Up. " Don't tell anybody I told you shhhhhh. EDM version of the Imperial March, calling it.
What is KYLO Ren's theme?
In introducing the theme for Kylo Ren, Williams approached it as an extension of Darth Vader and "The Imperial March," without being too similar. He wanted the theme to convey Ren's evil power, his strength, and the threat he poses in a way that would be immediately accessible to the audience.
Why is Star Wars music so good?
The Star Wars score is so impressive because of how timely and on-target each cord is. Every pitch, every sound, is perfectly matched to fit the exact moment, action, or expression on the screen. It's a symphony of sight and sound.
What instrument plays the main theme in Star Wars?
tremolos are played by the violins in bar 1. pizzicato strings are heard in bar 33. trills are performed by the flute in bar 26.
Why music is important Star Wars?
It underpins the important moments of the films, allowing us to hear the heroism of Luke Skywalker or the menace of Darth Vader; it characterizes the essential excitement of an attack on the Death Star, and the love between Han Solo and Princess Leia.
Who is the most iconic Star Wars character?
A fallen Jedi, Darth Vader is by far the most popular Star Wars character. The primary antagonist of the series, Darth Vader is seduced to the Dark Side of the Force by Darth Sidious and serves under the Dark Lord of the Sith for decades as they rule the Galactic Empire.
You might be interested: FAQ: What Does Nick Notice About Gatsby After The Orchestra Plays?
How many Star Wars songs are there?
Throughout all of the franchise, which consists of a total of over 18 hours of music, Williams has written approximately sixty or seventy themes, in one of the largest, richest collection of themes in the history of film music.
What are the two types of music in a film?
In most analyses, how film music is used is divided into two categories: diegetic and non-diegetic.
Why did John Williams stop doing Harry Potter?
Asked why he was unable to score the music for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, John Williams said it due to prior commitments to other films and he also says he misses scoring the music for the Potter films.
How rich is John Williams?
John Williams' net worth is an impressive $100 million, which he has amassed over 60 years spent as a successful film composer, conductor and pianist.
Which Jedi has a purple saber?
Windu's lightsaber was unique. As one of the most notable members of the Jedi Order, Jedi Master Mace Windu carried a lightsaber distinguished by its unique amethyst plasma blade.
How Many Drummers Are In An Orchestra?
Often asked: What Section Of Symphony Orchestra Is The Largest?


Join Li'l Rizzo's For Mardi Gras Pub Crawl 2017!!
Saturday, February 18, Li'l Rizzo's is celebrating Mardi Gras! Grab your masks and beads because the best Italian restaurant at the Lake of the Ozarks is participating in the annual Mardi Gras Pub Crawl. There are 17 stops at this year's event and Li'l Rizzo's couldn't be more excited to be one of them.
The 2017 Mardi Gras Pub Crawl will bring you a night full of live music, exciting fun, plus, a safe ride to get you to all the great locations, including the best Italian restaurant at the Lake of the Ozarks. For just $10, you get a wristband that provides you an all-access pass to the 17 participating venues and a ride to get you there. There's no need to drink and drive when Mardi Gras Pub Crawl buses will be making a continuous loop between all 17 participating venues and all participating hotels/motels on the pub crawl route.
Great Specials at Li'l Rizzo's!
With gourmet pizza, pasta, world famous house salad and legendary service, there are many reasons to enjoy a meal at Li'l Rizzo's. In addition to our amazing food and service, we also have great specials throughout the week from wing specials to the best Happy Hour at the Lake of the Ozarks. Keeping reading to learn more about the specials that Li'l Rizzo's offers.
Join us for the best Happy Hour at the Lake of the Ozarks Monday through Friday from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. During Happy Hour at Li'l Rizzo's, you can enjoy specials on drink specials and all your favorite appetizers at half price! From our delicious spinach, green chili & jalapeno dip to the traditional bruschetta, all of our mouthwatering appetizers are half priced during Lake of the Ozarks best Happy Hour!
What We're Craving During National Pizza Week!
The second week of January is recognized as National Pizza Week. While it's always pizza week at the Lake of the Ozarks best pizzeria, we wanted to take some time to let you know what we have been craving this week. The winter months are the perfect time warm up by enjoying a hot slice of delicious pizza, and at Li'l Rizzo's we have lots of different pizzas to choose from and you can even create your own!
The heart of any pizza is the dough. At the best Italian restaurant at the Lake of the Ozarks, we make ours from scratch using un-bromated, unbleached flour, due to health concerns surrounding Potassium bromate. Fine sea salt for its intense, clean flavor and EVOO because it creates a smoother texture and more tender dough. Topped with hand-cut, fresh vegetables, premium meats and the finest cheeses we think you will taste the difference.
Pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, onion, bacon and black olives.


text:
@interface CommentsTests : UZKArchiveTestCase
@end

@implementation CommentsTests

- (void)testGlobalComment_Read
{
    UZKArchive *commentArchive = [[UZKArchive alloc] initWithURL:self.testFileURLs[@"Comments Archive.zip"] error:nil];

    NSString *comment = commentArchive.comment;
    XCTAssertNotNil(comment, @"No comment returned from archive");
    XCTAssertGreaterThan(comment.length, (NSUInteger)0, @"Comment has no content");
}

- (void)testGlobalComment_ReadWhenNonePresent
{
    UZKArchive *commentFreeArchive = [[UZKArchive alloc] initWithURL:self.testFileURLs[@"Test Archive.zip"] error:nil];

    NSString *comment = commentFreeArchive.comment;
    XCTAssertNil(comment, @"Comment returned from archive that should have none");
}

- (void)testGlobalComment_Write
{
    UZKArchive *commentArchive = [[UZKArchive alloc] initWithURL:self.testFileURLs[@"Test Archive.zip"] error:nil];

    NSString *originalComment = commentArchive.comment;
    XCTAssertNil(originalComment, @"Comment returned from archive that should have none");

    NSString *expectedComment = @"Fünky unicode stuff";
    commentArchive.comment = expectedComment;

    UZKArchive *newArchiveInstance = [[UZKArchive alloc] initWithURL:commentArchive.fileURL error:nil];

    NSString *updatedComment = newArchiveInstance.comment.decomposedStringWithCanonicalMapping;
    XCTAssertEqualObjects(updatedComment, expectedComment.decomposedStringWithCanonicalMapping,
                          @"Wrong comment read from archive");
}

@end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


What an amazing shoot, it was definitely one of the most adventurous shoots I've ever done. It included driving at 2 am looking for accommodation, getting pulled over by police, Gasping for some cool air. and then freezing. but none the less, the shoot was amazing to say the least.
The weather was surely against us as one minute there wont be a cloud in the sky, but 5 min later there would be thunder showers, yes quite thrilling.


text:
The Reincarnation of Edgar Cayce – Wynn Free With David Wilcock
by wsmystic in Book Reviews/Interview, clairvoyance/ Telepathy, Death / Dying, Metaphysics, Mysticism / Mystics, Reincarnation
Interdimensional Communication and Global Transformation
Wynn Free With David Wilcock
Edgar Cayce (1877-1945), the "sleeping prophet," is widely considered to be the most documented and accurate psychic in the Western world. Speaking from a trance, Cayce gave the afterlife realms a voice.
Popular contemporary intuitive/researcher David Wilcock has believed since 1998 that he is Cayce's reincarnation, but refused to allow publication of a book about it… until now. Author Wynn Free unveils the stunning case that led him from initial skepticism to conviction of the claim's authenticity.
The Reincarnation of Edgar Cayce? details the intriguing connection between Cayce and Wilcock and presents the case for both having the same source for their prophetic information. Through the inspirational, life-transforming words from Wilcock's Higher Self — part of a group soul known as "Ra" — readers can learn how the now-obvious "Earth Changes" are energetic increases occurring also on the sun and all other planets in scientifically measurable ways.
Breathtaking new scientific evidence indicates how this increasing energy can transform DNA, potentially making ESP, telekinesis, levitation and other paranormal activities as common as breathing — ushering in the "Golden Age" promised by every major spiritual tradition in human history.
You can order "The Reincarnation of Edgar Cayce" at any of the fine bookstores:
Edgar Cayce (L) / David Wilcock (R)
Edgar Cayce is widely known as the most documented psychic of the 20th Century. In this comparison it is quite easy to see the facial similarities between Cayce and Wilcock.
They also have remarkable astrological similarites, with the inner planets on both charts appearing in almost exactly the same positions — at billions-to-one odds against chance. David's birth planets are the closest match to Cayce's in a 157-year period after Cayce's death — which helps him continue to work out the same karma.
Of course, they both also have a very well-documented record of accurate, insightful psychic readings. Edgar's alleged past-life identity as Egyptian priest Ra-Ta was said to have co-designed the Great Pyramid and Hall of Records with Thoth.
The Cayce Readings said "[Ra-Ta] the priest would return in 1998" and be in Virginia Beach, "surrounded by many of those" he knew before.
David's readings began in November 1996, and they asked him to move to Virginia Beach in October 1997. Many key people began noticing his shocking resemblance to Cayce, since the A.R.E. is still headquartered there.
David's readings confirmed that there was a past-life connection in November 1997 — and he visited the A.R.E., the Cayce organization, in 1998 to announce the connection. He was met with extreme interest at all other levels, but harsh criticism from the very top.
Since at least 1993, when he read Hoagland's "Monuments of Mars," David was "remembering" his Atlantean knowledge from the Ra-Ta period, including how the technology of the pyramids actually function and what they are used for — knowledge otherwise lost in the yet-undiscovered Hall of Records, which Ra-Ta designed and cataloged himself.
WTTV – The Reincarnation Of Edgar Cayce? with Wynn Free PT 1
WELCOME TO THE VORTEX. Episode Part 1 of 3. The Reincarnation Of Edgar Cayce? with author Wynn Free. 2008. Please join host Dr. Mattie Klare as she discovers Wynn Free's proofs of reincarnation. Wynn Free's proofs will be astonishing. He proves that David Wilcock is The Sleeping prophet, Edgar Cayce, returned. See the story unfold as Wynn reveals fascinating photographs. Uploaded in 3 parts.
DAVID WILCOCK at the Project Camelot Awake and Aware Conference, Los Angeles, Sept 2009
by wsmystic in Awakening, CHANGE, Freedom /Liberation, JUSTICE, Truth
2012: THE RETURN OF CAMELOT
— DAVID WILCOCK's wonderful and inspired closing presentation at the Project Camelot Awake and Aware Conference, Los Angeles, 20 September 2009.
— A note of apology: we did the best we could with the colorizing of the video. The lighting conditions for the camera were very poor (David preferred the conference room lights turned right down so as to emphasize his slide presentation). The value of the content, of course, is unaffected 🙂
Eckhart Tolle and his Aussie Mate
by wsmystic in Consciousness, Presence / Now, Transformation /Transformative practices Tags: Eckhart Tolle
Broadcast 5 March on Australia's Channel Seven 'News – Today, Tonight'spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle speaks about his 2009 seminar tour and his connection to the Australian teacher Barry Long
Consciousness Drives The Universe
by wsmystic in Consciousness Tags: Consciousness
Outstanding video which depicts that consciousness is what drives and shapes everything. This means ultimately everything in the universe and that even matter is consciousness in the most subtlest and dense form.
This video has Grant Morrisson, David Lynch, David Icke, Gregg Braden, Michael Talbot, David Wilcock, Wayne Dyer and Neil Kramer in it.
Tao Te Ching (pt.1)
by wsmystic in Tao Te Ching Tags: Tao Te Ching
The tao that can be toldis not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named is not the eternal Name.
The unnamable is the eternally real.
Naming is the origin of all particular things.
Free from desire, you realize the mystery.
Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations.
Yet mystery and manifestations arise from the same source.
This source is called darkness.
Darkness within darkness.The gateway to all understanding.
When people see some things as beautiful, other things become ugly.
When people see some things as good, other things become bad.
Being and non-being create each other.
Difficult and easy support each other.
Long and short define each other.
High and low depend on each other.
Before and after follow each other.
Therefore the Master acts without doing anything and teaches without saying anything.
Things arise and she lets them come; things disappear and she lets them go.
She has but doesn't possess, acts but doesn't expect.
When her work is done, she forgets it.
That is why it lasts forever.
If you overesteem great men, people become powerless.
If you overvalue possessions, people begin to steal.
The Master leads by emptying people's minds and filling their cores,
by weakening their ambition and toughening their resolve.
He helps people lose everything they know, everything they desire,
and creates confusion in those who think that they know.
Practice not-doing, and everything will fall into place.
The Tao is like a well: used but never used up.
It is like the eternal void: filled with infinite possibilities.
It is hidden but always present.
I don't know who gave birth to it.
It is older than God.
The Tao doesn't take sides; it gives birth to both good and evil.
The Master doesn't take sides; she welcomes both saints and sinners.
The Tao is like a bellows: it is empty yet infinitely capable.
The more you use it, the more it produces; the more you talk of it, the less you understand.
Hold on to the center.
The Tao is called the Great Mother: empty yet inexhaustible,
it gives birth to infinite worlds.
It is always present within you.
You can use it any way you want.
The Tao is infinite, eternal.
Why is it eternal?
It was never born; thus it can never die.
Why is it infinite?
It has no desires for itself; thus it is present for all beings.
The Master stays behind; that is why she is ahead.
She is detached from all things; that is why she is one with them.
Because she has let go of herself, she is perfectly fulfilled.
The supreme good is like water, which nourishes all things without trying to.
It is content with the low places that people disdain.
Thus it is like the Tao.
In dwelling, live close to the ground.
In thinking, keep to the simple.
In conflict, be fair and generous.
In governing, don't try to control.
In work, do what you enjoy.
In family life, be completely present.
When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you.
Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill.
Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.
Chase after money and security and your heart will never unclench.
Care about people's approval and you will be their prisoner.
Do your work, then step back.
The only path to serenity.
Can you coax your mind from its wandering
and keep to the original oneness?
Can you let your body become supple as a newborn child's?
Can you cleanse your inner vision until you see nothing but the light?
Can you love people and lead them without imposing your will?
Can you deal with the most vital matters by letting events take their course?
Can you step back from you own mind and thus understand all things?
Giving birth and nourishing, having without possessing, acting with no expectations,
leading and not trying to control: this is the supreme virtue.


The most common places men wear makeup are at photo shoots, on stage, and at work. Whilst you can achieve great looks for such occasions with the use of male makeup, it is important to get the balance just right, as the artificial conditions your skin is placed under will be the first thing to blow your cover when it comes to looking good.
In today's men's makeup blog, we'll be teaching you just how to look good during your hours of most need with some handy tips on how to master all manner of male cosmetics for a completely natural look. Whether you'd like to use a foundation for men to even skin tone, a concealer, for those specific male imperfections, or even guyliner. It is important to know that you can make the most of them without having to put your masculinity on the line.
So, without further ado, let's get down to it as we run the rule over the top five tips for men wearing makeup under artificial light.
Firstly, it's crucial to get your makeup for men colour just right. With a slight miss-match of coloured makeup to your skin's tone, you will inevitably lose subtlety. In ordinary day to day life, this may not be the case as your skin's pigments utilize natural light refraction, whereas under artificial light, you do not get such a comfort blanket.
Secondly, there is method in the madness of our next expert male cosmetics tip for such occasions. Apply your makeup under the same conditions as you will be showcasing it. i.e under artificial conditions. Doing so, may seem strange, but with a turn on of the bathroom light and a close of the blind, you will really see how your application is going, and subsequently be able to quickly reverse, should you make a wrong move.
Maintain your subtlety by using the most appropriate male makeup accessories, such as brushes and sponges. Particularly in the application of mens bronzer, foundation and concealer, using a blending or foundation brush for example, ensures the most even and accurate application. Artificial light will bounce off ever sub-perennial layer of your skin, meaning, if you male makeup isn't even, it's not just you who will know about it. Take on board the appropriate accessories and you will be laughing until the preverbal cows come home.
Penultimately gents, never underestimate the power of a good mens makeup base, sometimes called a skin primer. Whilst, in terms of coverage, offering very little, for a skin boosting surface, a good quality primer is simply unrivaled. Ideal at smoothing your skin, and creating the most even canvas before the application of your cosmetics, a makeup for men base ensures bumps, patches and uneven skin is nullified when it comes to work or taking centre stage.
Finally, it's very much little by little when it comes to physically applying your product. Do it slowly and patiently to achieve maximum subtlety. It's easy to add more and more to cover certain imperfections. However, the reverse is impassible without starting all over again. Practice a couple of times before the big day or night just to get a feel of how much exactly is required to achieve a very manly and natural coverage.
So fellas, with our five handy and expert makeup for men tips, derived from the experts here at MMUK MAN, you too can shine for all the right reasons when it comes to putting your best face forward on a daily or one off occasion. Stick to the same series of men's makeup for complete fluency and your look, confidence and skin will very much thank you for it.


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Uptown Bank. Is that a corner of the Green Mill marquee?
The good old Peter Pan restaurant. I didn't know it went all the way back to '56.
We had a reader write in before who mentioned that there was a Peter Pan dress shop kitty corner across the intersection from the restaurant.
I wish this was a better photo; I'd like to find one of the restaurant marquee close up.
Joanne - - re: marquis - - I don't think the Green Mill had a sign that stuck out from the building. That is probably a corner of the Uptown Theater sign, guessing from the distance from the corner.
This photo was taken on the west side of Broadway ave just north of Lawrence, in front of where The Book Box bookstore once stood. The Green Mill is a few doors down from here, directly across the street from Peter Pan (known as the Saxony when I lived in that section of Uptown in the 1970s).


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Related Expertise: Value Creation Strategy and Shareholder Activism Defense, Strategic Planning, Corporate Strategy
To Defeat an Activist Investor, Think Like One
28 April 2021 By Jody Foldesy, Gregory Rice, and Simon Weinstein
Adopting a shareholder activist's mindset and putting strategic and operating plans to the test can preempt disruption and determine if a company is leaving value on the table. Important facts to know:
• Shareholder activism has become more global, more likely to include vocal institutional investors, more focused on ESG concerns—and more successful.
• Some shareholder campaigns force bold changes that deliver positive near-term results, but most companies lose 4% to 25% of TSR within a year of an activist attack.
Click here to learn more about the hard questions to ask to deflect an activist.
Having shaken off its COVID-19 malaise, shareholder activism has made a speedy recovery. The fourth quarter of 2020 already saw 50% more campaigns than the third. With 49 public campaigns launched during the first quarter of 2021, we are virtually back to pre-pandemic levels.
Activism's resurgence reflects precrisis trends. Campaigns are more global. Institutional investors are increasingly part of the mix, and they have become more vocal in pushing their agendas. Unlike the "greenmail" campaigns of the past, today's agendas are often colored by environmental, social, and governance concerns—a very different shade of green. They are also more successful, with activists winning twice the number of board seats in the past decade than in the one prior.
Activist campaigns are all too likely to destroy value, so it's essential that companies preempt them.
From our review of nearly 900 campaigns over the last 15 years, four critical facts emerge. First, shareholder activism is expanding rapidly, especially outside the US, where companies historically enjoyed more natural defenses. Second, all companies are vulnerable. Although most targets underperformed the market, nearly a fifth had strong shareholder returns and attractive forward multiples. Third, management can lose control of the narrative quickly, with the TSR trajectory typically determined in the first three months after the attack. Lastly, investors are looking closely at how companies performed during the pandemic, not just in terms of financial stewardship, but also at how the company treated its employees and customers during the crisis.
Value Creation Strategy and Shareholder Activism Defense
The COVID-19 Investor Pulse Check Series
Ten Lessons from 20 Years of Value Creation Insights
The 2020 Value Creators Rankings
Many activists raise valid concerns, but campaign disruption more often than not destroys value. So it's essential that companies preempt such actions by adopting a shareholder activist's mindset and putting their strategic and operating plans to the test. Acting now will determine if the company is leaving value on the table—and boards and investors in the dark—with enough runway to do something about it.
Activism Is Growing Broader, Bolder, and More Successful
Campaigns are closing faster and handing activists more wins, wrapping up in five months instead of seven and delivering the victors more than 1,000 board seats since 2005. And the number of campaigns is growing steadily. From 2005 through 2009, a period that included the global financial crisis, activists mounted about 74 campaigns each year. A decade later, a period that included a global pandemic, that figure has more than doubled. (See Exhibit 1.) Should growth continue on its current path (a heady 7%–10% CAGR), we can expect to see around 200 campaigns a year, or roughly one attack every other day—a rate that should put companies on notice.
No longer a US phenomenon, activism has gone global, and in a big way. Four out of every ten campaigns over the past five years occurred outside the US, with the biggest surges in Europe and Asia. Activism in these regions increased by a CAGR of 43% and 44%, respectively, between 2016 and 2020. Companies in Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and other parts of the world have also witnessed increased investor saber-rattling, with campaigns growing by a CAGR of 24% over the same period. By contrast, activity in the US rose by only 3%. Many campaigns retain a local character—which means company defenses should also. In Asia, for example, shareholder activists are far more likely to be motivated by balance sheet opportunity than their counterparts in other regions.
Despite regional distinctions, however, we observe several cross-cutting themes. Where short-term financial engineering may have predominated in the past, investor agitators are increasingly pushing for changes that put companies on a stronger long-term footing. More than half of all campaigns globally in the years 2016 through 2020 (55%) were sparked by governance and strategic factors. ESG issues have galvanized particular investor attention, comprising nearly 20% of all activist interventions over the last five years, including climate, diversity, and related demands. The combined assets under management for ESG-driven campaigns now total more than $90 billion, up from $20 billion just five years ago, and these campaigns have become three times more successful over that time.
Activists May Win, but Most Companies Lose
While some shareholder campaigns force bold changes that deliver positive near-term results, these are the minority. Most companies lose between 4% and 25% of TSR within a year of an activist attack. (See Exhibit 2.) Senior leaders are also more likely to lose their jobs; our data indicates that activism nearly doubles the risk of CEO turnover.
Soberingly, the TSR trajectory is typically determined within the first 90 days after a campaign is launched. And for all but the top quartile—the companies with the strongest TSR or price-earnings projections—it's a downward spiral. Nor are the targets just the obvious laggards. In fact, the bottom quartile makes up only 45% of all attacks, proving that anyone can be attacked. (See Exhibit 3.)
Most companies are vulnerable not because they lack a plan, but because their plans lack rigor. They haven't done the stress testing needed to surface critical value creation gaps and they're not acting early enough. Many are also leaving their boards in the dark. Our survey data found that 80% of board directors want to engage directly with shareholders, but only 23% are given the opportunity. And more than two-thirds (69%) want management to provide an independent assessment of the company's performance, but only 40% of directors say they receive this. By the time leaders reach for the necessary remediations, the 90-day clock has already begun ticking.
Our research and client experience show that deflecting an activist requires more than a "break the glass" plan. It requires looking at the business as an aggressive shareholder might. And that starts by asking some hard questions.
Where Are You Most at Risk?
When attacks happen, most leaders have the same first impulse—they dig in their heels, defend the soundness of their strategy, and seek to hold the activists at bay. But activists don't just go away. They can dig in their heels, too. Many have invested significant capital and research resources into developing their investment theses and are increasingly creative in the ways they pursue companies.
Keying in on competitive variances and their severity is the best way for management to gauge an organization's vulnerability.
To shore up their defenses, management should screen for blind spots on at least a quarterly basis. When we wrote "Do-It-Yourself Activism" in 2014, we talked about nine core financial metrics. But today's diverse activist environment requires broader and more robust screening. Indicators likely to catch an activist's eye can encompass everything from expense management and governance practices to a list of whatever activist "hammers" are currently in vogue. It's not uncommon, for instance, for some activists to have a pet practice, such as outsourcing or boardroom diversity, and expressly search for undervalued companies that they feel fall short in these areas. They might also look for potential sale-leaseback transactions for physical real estate or leveraged share repurchases, and mount campaigns against targets that they feel have untapped opportunity in these areas.
Companies then need to run the full set of metrics they develop against a relevant set of peers (every company has some, even those with unique or complex structures) and take a hard look at how their performance stacks up. Keying in on competitive variances and their severity can be uncomfortable, but it's the best way for management to gauge an organization's vulnerability.
Are You Managing Your Portfolio for Full Value?
The worst question an activist can ask is the one you haven't thought about. Management never wants to be in that position. At least once a year—and well ahead of the typical first-quarter spike in activism—leaders should submit their strategic and operational plans to a full examination and ask: Should we pick up the pace of investment in digital or fast-growth areas of the business and starve legacy models more aggressively? What would a private equity owner say about our cost structure if it acquired us? What additional efficiencies would they seek? And are we the best owner of our assets or could we create more value by selling some and refocusing on others?
Much like a war-gaming exercise, the idea is not to validate existing strategy, but to put it through the mill. Leaders should set up a "red team"—a group of individuals who can take an independent view of the company, look out over the next three to five years, and put all potential value creation levers on the table: Maybe aggressive omnichannel integration could lower acquisition costs by 20%? Or perhaps a core technology could generate three times the value if sold or used to kick-start a very different business?
The results of this exercise should give leaders the fact base to underwrite bold change with precision—and a clear rationale to explain why they are not pursuing other changes. Selling a division might raise cash, for example, but it might also raise raw material costs and reduce the company's purchasing power. A common fact base allows leaders to put emotions aside and create a compelling investor story, helping management make informed decisions and effectively parry potential challengers' gambits.
Which Moves Should You Make First?
Companies want a balanced portfolio, with wins that deliver over a mix of time horizons. In shaping that portfolio, leaders should weigh several factors. One is speed to impact. Activists typically like cost moves that have fast payback. Outsourcing, for instance, is a notionally straightforward way for businesses to lower costs, but the transition can take several months and a quarter or two beyond that for results to hit the bottom line. Similarly, growth opportunities with proven results, such as optimizing trade spend in retail or accelerating channel sales in software, are welcomed.
Another is balance sheet capacity. Activist investors will seek out lazy balance sheets so that they can demand a leveraged repurchase of shares or other return of capital to shareholders. Companies need to figure out how many degrees of freedom they have in order to get where they want to go and align their financial policy and capital allocation decisions accordingly.
Leaders also need to consider investor expectations. One manufacturer, for example, felt that it had to make big cuts to pay down debt. But shareholder analysis revealed the company's target investor was more concerned about growth than leverage. Leaders still sought efficiencies, but instead of overhead cuts that would benefit EBITDA, they prioritized efforts that would boost gross margin, such as lowering direct labor through automation and supply chain improvements—actions more likely to appeal to their core investor base.
Do Investors and Boards Feel Included in Your Journey?
Candor is important, even when it prompts challenging discussions. Investors understand that conditions on the ground have shifted and guidance may have to change. But they want to be kept in the loop. Leaders must lay out their value creation plan in clear terms, be up front about existing headwinds, and show how they intend to capture long-term advantage. We routinely ask CEOs how many of their top 15 investors they've met with in the last six months. The answer is often surprisingly low.
Candor is important. Investors understand that conditions have shifted, but they want to be kept in the loop.
The same is true for board communications. It takes courage on the part of management to speak candidly about where they're struggling. But boards don't want to fly blind, and they'll welcome the chance to serve as a strategic thought partner. Directors want to hear where things are going smoothly and where the company could be doing better. They want to know what shareholders think of the company's performance and strategic direction. And they're keen to hear management's plans and timeline for addressing performance gaps. Opening up dialogue builds trust between management and stakeholders and also builds alignment on the value creation agenda, powerful means for heading off investor unrest.
Savvy activists are skilled at finding openings through which to drive their campaigns. The best leaders won't give them any. Those willing to hold their strategy up to the light, probe additional value creation pathways, and proactively engage with their investors and boards will deny activists a platform. Moreover, they'll create a business that is intrinsically more resilient and ultimately more rewarding to shareholders.
Jody Foldesy
Gregory Rice
Partner & Director
Simon Weinstein
Subscribe to our Corporate Finance and Strategy E-Alert.


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Thursday September 15, 2016
September 14, 2016 by Graeme MacKay
Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday September 15, 2016
Canada Post needs 'transformational changes' to be viable, task force finds
A task force studying the national mail carrier says Canada Post isn't financially self-sustainable under its current structure.
And it says transformational changes are needed to prevent taxpayers from having to prop it up.
The four-member panel issued a discussion paper Monday that suggests a number of ways the letter carrier can turn its business model around, including distributing legalized marijuana and cutting back on door-to-door delivery in favour of community mailboxes — an initiative launched by the Conservative government in 2013 but scrapped by the current Liberal government.
The report also suggested charging fees to those who opt to have mail delivered directly to their door.
A House of Commons committee has scheduled cross-country hearings this month to hear Canadians' views of what they want from the postal service. The ideas contained in the discussion paper are meant as a launching pad for those public consultations.
The task force says a significant decline in letter mail deliveries is sapping revenues at Canada Post, a loss that has yet to be made up from its growing parcel and ad mail businesses.
Canada Post applauded the task force findings, saying it reaffirms the challenges faced by the Crown corporation. (Source: CBC News)
Posted in: Canada	Tagged: Canada, Canada Post, debt, dinosaur, Parliament, propped up, relic, subsidy
Monday September 14, 2015
By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Monday September 14, 2015
Trudeau enlists Chretien's support to attack Mulcair during Hamilton rally
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has enlisted the support of former prime minister Jean Chrétien to accuse the NDP of wanting to make it easier to break up the country.
Neil Young / Gordon Lightfoot – 2013
Trudeau told a rally Sunday in Hamilton that NDP Leader Tom Mulcair would put the possibility of Quebec separation back on the table.
Standing alongside Chrétien, Trudeau said Mulcair would repeal the Clarity Act, which says any referendum requires a clear majority for separation.
Ed Schreyer – 2005
Trudeau said Mulcair believes a single vote — 50 per cent plus one — should decide whether Canada remains united, accusing the NDP leader of playing politics for the sake of gaining a few separatist votes.
Mulcair has dismissed such criticism, saying he has fought for a united Canada his whole life but that the Clarity Act doesn't spell out what constitutes a majority.
John Munro – 2000
"I'll let Justin Trudeau continue with his golden oldies tour and bring out Jean Chrétien today and start talking about the quarrels of the past," Mulcair said earlier Sunday after making a senior health-care announcement in Vancouver.
"We are talking about solving the problems for the future." (Source: Hamilton Spectator)
Posted in: Canada	Tagged: #elxn42, campaign, Canada, election, fossil, Hamilton, history, Jean Chretien, Justin Trudeau, Liberal, relic, shadow


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Home / World News / Court rules Indonesian President, ministers negligent on air quality
Court rules Indonesian President, ministers negligent on air quality
admin September 16, 2021	World News Comments Off on Court rules Indonesian President, ministers negligent on air quality 39 Views
While the court made individual findings against ministers and governors and ordered them to take further measures to mitigate air pollution, Joko was singled out in the verdict because he was responsible for monitoring the work of his cabinet.
After the hearing Ayu said Joko was "the primary party responsible in the carrying out of the regulations, so the President contributes to the uncontrollable air pollution".
Indonesia's President Joko Widodo was sued by Jakarta residents along with ministers responsible for air quality and health. Credit:AP
Jakarta was rated by air quality index monitor IQAir as the world's most polluted city in the lead-up to the case being filed in 2019.
Its air quality index reading reached as high 240 that year, well into the "very unhealthy" range which warns the entire population is more than likely to be affected.
Conditions have improved since then, aided by curbs imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jakarta's most recent score of 82 leaves it as the 17th worst globally on a list that ranks Lima, Peru as having the lowest air quality and includes the likes of Johannesburg, Karachi and Wuhan in the "top five".
Central jakarta District Court judges read their verdict on a civil lawsuit filed against several Indonesian officials, including President Joko Widodo and Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, for their failure to improve poor air quality. Credit:AP
The 32 plaintiffs were not seeking a financial payout but took legal action hoping a judgment in their favour would find governments had acted insufficiently to control air pollution and force leaders into taking more substantive action.
One of them, Istu Prayogi, reported he had been told by his doctor to wear a mask wherever he went after the discovery of spots in his lungs after 30 years working in the outskirts of Jakarta.
The verdict quoted from witnesses who claimed that Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan never seriously sanctioned companies who contributed to air pollution in the capital and his administration did not introduce enough air quality index stations in the city.
Hearings were held from January to May last year, with witnesses appearing for both sides, but the outcome was delayed by the spread of the virus, which the presiding judge himself caught.
The verdict was then postponed eight times over the past four months before a result was finally announced on Thursday.
The defendants have 14 days to appeal.
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