How long does it take to open or close a company in Brazil? How many taxes will the business owner have to collect and how much will the tax burden on business costs? What is the size of the bureaucracy to obtain permits for the construction and installation of electrical energy for the projects?
These and other questions are part of an annual World Bank assessment to measure the business environment of 190 countries. The survey, called Doing Business, analyzes 10 indicators and ranks countries from 0 to 100. The closer to the maximum score, the better the business environment. Brazil occupies a timid position in the ranking, only the 109th place, with 60.01 points, behind countries like Mexico, Colombia and Costa Rica. President Jair Bolsonaro has already announced the goal of taking the country to the top 50 list by the end of his term in 2022. To set strategies for how to get there, representatives of the bank met this week with government officials in the Palácio do Planalto.
"There is no way to understand the logic of a country that is the eighth economy in the world and occupy the 109th position for business environment," said the Chief Minister of the Presidency General Secretariat, Floriano Peixoto, in an interview with Agência Brasil. For the minister, the people who wish to become entrepreneurs are still greatly penalized by the country's bureaucracy.
"The citizen who wants to build a physical company takes a long time to get a license, to get a [connection of] energy, to deal with credit and insolvency issues and even to close a business. These are areas where we are working groups to propose and take recommendations for improvement," he adds.
In total, the government created five thematic groups, with the participation of civil society representatives, the World Bank itself, as well as representatives from the Internal Revenue Service, the Securities Commission (CVM) and the Ministry of Economy, all under the coordination of the Special Secretariat of Modernization of the State, linked to the General Secretariat of the Presidency. Each group should focus on five of the indicators assessed in the Doing Business report: obtaining electricity, registering property, opening a business, obtaining a construction permit, and paying taxes.
"These actions will bring concrete results, such as shortening business opening times, less bureaucracy for registering a company and obtaining licenses to set up new industrial and commercial enterprises." It is necessary to facilitate the entrepreneurial path," says Márcia Amorim, special secretary of Modernization of the State.
Asked about the federal government's goal to reduce the time it takes to open businesses in the country, which varies from state to state, she is assertive: "We want to bring this goal to the quickest possible time, in up to one day, that will be our goal," she projects.
The goal set by the secretary is ambitious. According to the latest Doing Business report, which captures data in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, the average opening time of a company in the state capital is about 18 days, but in some states, such as Rio Grande do Sul and the Federal District, this average time exceeds four months. Eleven procedures are required, beginning at the municipal prefecture and ending with state agencies.
In countries like New Zealand, for example, the average time to start a business is only a few hours and only one procedure is required. In the average of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, which brings together some of the most developed economies in the world, the opening time of a venture is just over a week and fewer than five procedures are required.
If it is difficult to start a business, the complications to close a business are often even worse. In Brazil, according to the World Bank, resolving the insolvency of a unsuccessful business, on average, takes about four years. In Ireland, it lasts less than six months. In the average of OECD countries, it does not exceed two years.
"Not all reforms are at the federal level, you will clearly need reforms at the state and municipal levels, which are at the top of the services that are part of the indicator," says Rafael Muñoz, World Bank's economic coordinator for Brazil. According to him, the indicator in which Brazil has the most difficulty is the payment of taxes.
"It is still very difficult to pay taxes in a fragmented system, which probably requires structural reforms to solve the problem," he says. There are at least 10 different types of taxes paid per year in Brazil, compared to three in Hong Kong, for example. But the factor that most causes impact is the burden of the tax burden. In Brazil, this represents 64.7% of business profits, against 46.7% of the average in Latin America and the Caribbean and 39.8% in relation to OECD members.
Despite the long path, Brazil can draw inspiration from other emerging economies, such as India, which in just two years managed to climb 53 positions in the Doing Business ranking, according to Rafael Muñoz of the World Bank.
"In the case of India, which is a federation, like Brazil, the central government has strongly engaged states in approving reforms, including a major tax reform in the rules of value added tax," he says.


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text:
Michael Jackson allegations bring degrees of…
Michael Jackson allegations bring degrees of turmoil to Paris Jackson, Corey Feldman, Oprah Winfrey
Celebrity friends of the late 'King of Pop' now caught in the intense public battle over how to view his life, legacy
From left, Michael Jackson's sister Janet Jackson, daughter Paris, sister LaToya Jackson, brother Jermaine Jackson and oldest son Prince Michael I attend a memorial service for the "King of Pop" at the Staples Center in Los Angeleson July 7, 2009. AFP PHOTO/GABRIEL BOUYS/POOL (Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES,CA - JULY 7,2009: People gathered for Michael Jackson memorial fill Staples Center, July 7, 2009. Jackson, 50, died June 25th, after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles. Jackson is survived by his three children; son, Prince Michael Jr., daughter, Paris Michael Katherine, and son Prince Michael II. Michael Jackson sold more than 750 million records, had 13 number one singles, more than any other male artist, and is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice; once as a member of The Jackson 5 in 1997 and later as a solo artist in 2001.
Paris Jackson (L) and Prince Michael Jackson attend the Michael Jackson diamond birthday celebration at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on August 29, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
Pop superstar Michael Jackson poses with a young Wade Robson. (Photo courtesy of HBO)
(FILES) In this file photo taken on November 15, 2006 US singer Michael Jackson (C) performs at the World Music Awards in Earls Court, London. - Michael Jackson's family on January 28, 2019 lashed out against a new documentary that has renewed focus on allegations the singer sexually abused young boys, calling the subsequent social media outrage a "public lynching." Dubbing the late King of Pop an "easy target," the Jackson family said they were "furious" over the bombshell "Leaving Neverland" expose that premiered Friday at the Sundance Film Festival. (Photo by LEON NEAL / AFP)LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images
1992: US pop star and entertainer Michael Jackson sits with orphaned and abandoned Ivory Coast children he invited to the Intercontinental Hotel in Abidjan on Febuary 16, 1992. Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009 after suffering a cardiac arrest, sending shockwaves sweeping across the world and tributes pouring in on June 26 for the tortured music icon revered as the "King of Pop." (ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP/Getty Images)
1993: US pop singer Michael Jackson (2nd R), holding an unidentified child, points 09 May 1993 to fans in Monaco. (At his left an unidentified official and his right an unidentified child) (JACQUES SOFFER/AFP/Getty Images)
NICE, FRANCE: US "King of Pop" Michael Jackson, 34, with his face covered with a scarf and wearing sun glasses, holds 13 May 1993 an unidentified child, while, accompanied by another boy, he leaves in a limousine Nice airport, after his participation in the World Music Awards ceremony, held in Monaco late 12 May. AFP PHOTO JACQUES SOFFER (Photo credit should read JACQUES SOFFER/AFP/Getty Images)
'The Michael Jackson Experience: I Am King' hits Campbell's Heritage Theatre Oct. 20.
PUBLISHED: March 6, 2019 at 8:34 am | UPDATED: March 6, 2019 at 3:09 pm
Paris Jackson reportedly refuses to believe allegations made in HBO's documentary "Leaving Neverland" that her father, Michael Jackson, was a child molester.
Michael Jackson arrives at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse for his child molestation trial in 2005. (Aaron Lambert/Santa Maria Times via AP, Pool)
Meanwhile, Corey Feldman, Oprah Winfrey, Stevie Wonder and other celebrities with connections to the late music icon have found themselves caught up in the intense public battle over how to view his life and legacy since "Leaving Neverland" aired Sunday and Monday nights.
On Tuesday, Paris Jackson appeared to shake off the controversy over the documentary by posting a short clip of herself dancing to Bob Seger's hit song "Old Time Rock and Roll," People reported. In a tweet posted shortly after the video, the 20-year-old model and actress wrote, "don't take life too seriously, life already takes itself serious enough as it is."
don't take life too seriously, life already takes itself serious enough as it is
— Paris-Michael K. J. (@ParisJackson) March 5, 2019
Later Tuesday, sources close to Paris Jackson told TMZ that she had not seen the documentary — which focuses on detailed claims by two men, James Safechuck and Wade Robson, that her father systematically groomed and abused them as young boys. But TMZ said Paris Jackson is not the least bit torn or conflicted about the documentary's content.
Reaction to "Leaving Neverland" has been intense, with Jackson family members slamming the documentary and superfans spearheading a massive social media backlash against it, along with a a protest in London. Michael Jackson's estate also has filed a $100 million lawsuit against HBO. Meanwhile, the New York Times reported that radio stations in Canada and New Zealand have stopped playing his music.
People have revisited interviews that "Home Alone" star Macaulay Culkin has given about Jackson, in which he said the singer was never inappropriate with him.
"Seriously, he was like my best friend for a good long stretch," Culkin told Mark Maron for his "WTF" podcast in January 2018, adding, "It was a legitimate friendship."
Meanwhile, Feldman and Winfrey have faced backlash from people on both sides of the controversy for taking their respective positions, which both suggested were in part informed by their respective experiences as sexual survivors.
Corey Feldman joins others gathered for Michael Jackson's memorial in Staples Center in 2009.
Feldman, who has been outspoken about pedophilia in Hollywood and about his experiences being molested as a child star, found himself Tuesday and Wednesday having to clarify a series of tweets he issued Monday in which he initially defended Jackson, who died in 2009, and criticized the documentary for being "one-sided."
Feldman's initial line of defense of Jackson is that the singer never abused him when he hung out with him as a young child actor. The 47-year-old "Goonies" star said his memories of Jackson were mostly "fond" and said he got to know Jackson before Safechuck and Robson alleged that they were being molested.
At one point, Feldman argued that pedophiles usually don't have enough self-control to be discriminating about whom they abuse, so it didn't make sense to him that Jackson would have refrained from molesting him if he then supposedly abused Safechuck, now 41, and Robson, now 37. Feldman also questioned whether Safechuck and Robson were motivated by money to make the allegations, or by their belief that Jackson had abandoned them.
By Tuesday, Feldman tweeted that his position had "changed" and that he continued to process the allegations made in "Leaving Neverland." In an interview with Page Six, Feldman expressed sympathy for Safechuck and Robson, then explained that he meant that he could only go by his own experiences with Jackson.
During an interview Wednesday morning on HLN, Feldman apologized for suggesting that Safechuck and Robson shouldn't be believed. Saying he couldn't call himself Jackson's "defender," Feldman said the allegations were "shocking and disturbing" and said both men sounded "very believable."
Feldman reiterated what he told Page Six: "Every victim's voice must be taken seriously and must be heard. In no way would I ever intimate that I would want them to be silenced."
As Feldman was processing his reaction to the allegations "Leaving Neverland," others in Jackson's orbit were being asked to respond to the documentary. That includes Wonder, Jackson's friend and regular collaborator. Approached at Los Angeles International Airport by TMZ, Wonder suggested that it was time to leave Jackson alone and to appreciate his music.
Wonder responded to TMZ: "He's died, he's dead. Hopefully we can continue the legacy he has given a lot of kids and a lot of people."
But Oprah Winfrey is taking a different position with her "After Neverland" special Monday night, which aired after the second part of "Leaving Neverland." Winfrey's 90-minute special consisted of a somber conversation with Robson, Safechuck and Dan Reed, the director of "Leaving Neverland."
By participating in the Q&A, Winfrey left little doubt that she believed Robson and Safechuck's accounts of their relationships with Jackson.
Winfrey pressed both men about their motives in only coming forward in recent years — and after both signed sworn statements to deny that Jackson abused them. Reed emphatically denied that either of the men or their families received compensation for the film.
At various points in the interview, Winfrey mentioned her own experience as a survivor of child abuse. But she didn't bring up her personal connection to Jackson, including how she presented him in a favorable light when interviewing him at his Neverland Ranch in 1993, just months before the first public accusations against him were made.
'Leaving Neverland' review: Michael Jackson depicted as serial predator
Michael Jackson estate sues HBO over 'Leaving Neverland'
Michael Jackson estate denounces 'Leaving Neverland' documentary
New video shows Michael Jackson strangely testifying about Macaulay Culkin relationship
Macaulay Culkin shares the truth about his friendship with Michael Jackson
To Vanity Fair, "After Neverland" felt like Winfrey's attempt to make amends for being a Jackson supporter in the past. By including comments from other abuse survivors in the audience and from an expert in psychological trauma surrounding male sexual abuse, Winfrey showed a desire to help her viewers "establish a working understanding of childhood sexual abuse," Vanity Fair said.
Winfrey concluded the show with words of inspiration for survivors and said, "I hope we can get beyond Michael Jackson the icon, stop staring into the sun, and do what is necessary to heal our children and heal ourselves."
This story has been updated to include Macaulay Culkin's comments about Michael Jackson in a January 2018 interview.
Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle snag secluded Hamptons estate
San Jose: Car crashes into home, driver flees
Emmy nominations: 'Game of Thrones' reigns again, but why?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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text:
Q: 'Where like' clause using the concatenated value of 2 columns with eloquent I have a query that searches for a term in several columns and one of them has to be a full name.
I have separated the full name in name and lastname, so I have to concat these 2 values when searching.
I have this right now only searching for name. How I would add the concat to lastname? I was investigating over mutators but I don't know if it is the way to way.
public function search($searchQuery)
{
    $search = "%{$searchQuery}%";

    return Order::with('customer')
                    ->orWhereHas('customer', function($query) use ($search){
                        $query->where('dni', 'like', $search);
                    })
                    ->orWhereHas('customer', function($query) use ($search){
                        $query->where('name', 'like', $search);
                    })
                    ->orWhere('code', 'like', $search)
                    ->paginate(15);
}

A: Mutators are not the way to go here, because they do not affect the query you're building, they are only used on the values stored in the model. However you can use the following condition:
$query->where(DB::raw('CONCAT_WS(" ", name, lastname)'), 'like', $search);

The MySQL function CONCAT_WS will concatenate two strings, gluing them with the string passed as the first parameter. So in this case if the first name is John and the last name is Smith, the condition will be evaluated to this "John Smith" like "%query%". The DB:raw is used to avoid the first part of the condition to be escaped which would put backticks around the concatenation statement.

A: I tried @bogdan's solution but had to specify the % in front of $search
$query->where(DB::raw('CONCAT_WS(" ", name, lastname)'), 'like', '%' . $search . '%');

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: From bat - open cmd, load doskey macros, and execute a macro Is it possible to use cmd /k "doskey /macrofile=C:\myMacros.cmd && macroCommand" from a bat file.
I have tried that as well as start cmd.exe /k "doskey /macrofile=C:\myMacros.cmd && macroCommand". How can I make this work?
I googled a little and found something about piping, but I don't even know what this is, and even after researching that a little, I don't see how this would help run a macro after starting cmd and loading macros.

A: assuming macros.cmd reside in %userprofile% and in the form of macro list
running :
start cmd /k "(doskey /macrofile=%userprofile%\macros.cmd)"

will get you what you wanted e.g. open a new cmd window loaded with the predefined macros


text:
The rush to constrain the power of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google
Washington seeks to make up for lost time while europe takes up the running against big tech
8 Oct 2020 • 3 min read
If the power of big tech is the problem, what is the answer?
In washington, members of the house antitrust committee have been pondering three possible responses: throw more resources at enforcing existing antitrust rules; tighten up the laws to give the enforcers more teeth; or design entirely new regulatory frameworks with the most powerful digital gatekeepers in mind.
Their answer, in a 449-page broadside against big tech released this week, is: do all three.
In the rush to constrain the power of amazon, apple, facebook and google, politicians and regulators in washington seem to be almost falling over each other to make up for lost time. the house report is an attempt at a sweeping indictment of big techs business practices.
There is a clear risk of overkill. the huge popularity of their services and importance to a fast-growing digital economy arent mentioned. but, read in its entirety, the report draws out common themes that show how the companies have succeeded in entrenching themselves including using their platform power to promote their other services, and making acquisitions to eliminate potential rivals or colonise new markets.
There is certainly plenty of lost time to make up. it is nearly eight years since the federal trade commission backed away from suing google at the last minute, ushering in an extended period of regulatory inaction. next year, the internet search company will be nearly four times bigger in terms of revenue than it was then.
Columbia law school professor tim wu, who worked as an adviser in the obama white house, has conceded that washington has been enamoured with silicon valleys leading companies for too long, and woke up late to the dangers of market concentration. the progressive left now leads the calls for drastic action.
The house committees proposal looks like a legislative wishlist with little chance of seeing the light of day, at least in its entirety. the republicans who are in the minority on the committee refused to back the report. top of the list of recommendations is a drastic call for clear, structural separation between the tech giants operations, as well as limitations on the number of different businesses they can be in. it is hard to see this industry-wide restructuring winning political backing, even if regulatory actions in future target the break-up of individual companies.
For now, europe looks set to take up the running against big tech. unlike washington, brussels has already tried antitrust enforcement. three cases against google set the standard for trying to hold tech power to account. but the remedies that were meant to correct the perceived competition failures have proved to be a case of too little, too late.
Brussels is also further ahead in thinking through the lessons from this and trying to tighten its laws to reflect the new realities of digital monopolies. the outlines of potential legislation are starting to emerge, in the shape of a broad-ranging digital services act.
The european prescription begins with forcing the big tech companies to share data collected through their platforms with smaller rivals, a move designed to break the cycle that locks in the leaders of the data economy. the law would also limit their ability to set a preference for their own services, for instance preventing google from inserting its own maps or local listings above its general search results, and amazon from favouring in-house products. and it would limit their ability to have their services pre-installed on consumer gadgets, something that squeezes out competitors.
Even these measures, though, might not be enough. brussels has also been pondering drastic new enforcement powers. these include the ability to force changes in dominant companies business practices without a full investigation or proof that the law has been broken an idea that would provoke a storm of protest from across the atlantic.
The us is still some way from trying to make legislative choices. but in its exploration of the way big tech operates, this weeks report has at least established a foundation for future action.
The house report also gives regulators a clear green light in one specific area, calling on them to consider unwinding acquisitions that they cleared in the past, but which have turned out to hurt competition. the chances of a belated battle over facebooks purchases of instagram and whatsapp, and googles takeover of digital ads firm doubleclick, just increased.
Nikola tries to rebuild credibility at hydrogen summit
Truck start-up says it has filed patents and is working on project with us energy department
Investor News 9 Oct 2020 • 2 min read
Morgan Stanley: good Eaton
Bank acquires $500bn money manager eaton vance for $7bn


Stacked RAM doesn't offer any particular advantage for desktop use but may be useful for portable devices or possibly servers.
EGGcellent! Finally some increased bandwidth on the desktop in the near future. Being stuck on 128-bit forever is really hurting performance nowadays.
Nvidias volta arch is pr rumoured to have 1tb memory bandwidth capability due to this tech and others will also use it to up the ooomph on desktops , itll be dear though.


text:
Q: What is the formula to slice a nested loop in threads evenly? Having a dataset, where each row needs to apply a weighing function in combination with each other row (cross join). Whether the function is applied depends on the data in both rows, so I can't just use a database.
Therefore, a solution is implemented in python. For a performance boost, threading is to be applied.
The question is now, what is the formula to split the dataset in evenly spreaded iterations, so each thread has nearly the same work.
A simplified version of the code is stated below.
l = 250000  # number of rows
N = 8       # number of threads
for threadid in range(N):
    kstart = ### WHAT IS THE FORMULA TO GIVE EACH THREAD THE SAME WORK
             ### i.e. the starting index of the next thread begins after the last row of the previous thread
    klen =
    # Start thread here
    #threading.Tread(..., (kstart,klen))

def _threaded(kstart, klen):
    for k1 in range(kstart, klen):
        for k2 in range(k1, l - k1):
            # DoSomething(k1, k2)
            pass

Example:
The loop shown above results in this iterations:
k1     | k2
0      | 0 to 249999 = 250000 iterations in inner loop
1      | 1 to 249999 = 249999 iterations in inner loop
2      | 2 to 249999 = 249998 iterations in inner loop
...
249999 | 249999 = 1 iteration in inner loop

*

*A simple version of kstart could be: 'l // N * threadid' - this spreads the whole set in evenly distributed groups.

Thread 1: 0 - 31249
Thread 2: 31250 - 62499
...
Thread 8: 218750 - 249999

*

*Now we let k1 loop over kstart until kstart of the next batch.

*Problem is now, for small k1, k2 has to do a lot of work. For big k1, the work is nearly zero.

How to slice the batches for k1 better, so that?
Thread 1: 0 - 10
Thread 2: 11 - 100
Thread 3: 101 - 500
Thread 8: 128000 - 250000
(this is an example, the numbers aren't correct)


text:
Fortune and Glory: The Cliffhanger Game
It is the late 1930s and the world is in turmoil. But the spirit of adventure and freedom won't be stamped out so easily.
Flying Frog Games neatly sidestepped the IP lawyers with this big-box Indiana Jones pulp adventure game—but you have to admire the chutzpah of calling it Fortune and Glory after a Temple of Doom line!
Fortune and Glory: The Cliffhanger Game is a fast-paced game of high adventure, vile villains, edge-of-your-seat danger, and cliffhanger pulp movie action. Players take on the role of a treasure hunter, traveling the globe in search of ancient artifacts and fending off danger and villains at every turn in a quest for the ultimate reward of fortune and glory.
Gamers have been looking for the definitive Indiana Jones game for some time now, and this unlicensed but, let's face it, shamelessly 'inspired by', take on the 1930s archaeology-and-adventure genre is the closest thing to it so far.
You might be beaten by a Deep Sea Diving card, in which case next turn you'll have to face a Giant Squid Attack.
Like most Flying Frog Games, Fortune and Glory can be played either competitively or cooperatively. If you're playing competitively, players take on the roles of various sterotypical characters—for example the nightclub singer Vanessa Love, martial artist Li Mei Chen, Jake Zane the flying ace, or Duke Dudley the British Lord—travelling across a map of the world in a race for Fortune and Glory. Cooperative play sees the players working together to undo the dastardly plans of some vile and shadowy organisation like the Nazis or the Chicago Mob, whose minions are played by the game itself.
Four artifacts start scattered across the world and the heroes have to hunt them down and overcome Dangers to get their hands on them. Once they have done so, they can take them back to a city to sell them for Fortune; and the player with the most Fortune wins. These artifacts are made up of an Adventure and an Artifact card, so there's a lot of variety in the possible combinations of artifacts.
Once the adventurer arrives at a location where there is an artifact, there are dangers to be faced. These are drawn from a deck, and players may have to fight, or perhaps use cunning, to overcome the obstacle, making a number of dice rolls based on their character stats. Once a danger is overcome, the player can take the Glory listed on the card, or press his or her luck and continue to face the other dangers—but if a danger triumphs, you lose all your accumulated Glory.
This is the 'Cliffhanger Game' after all however, and if a danger beats you, you flip the card to discover the Cliffhanger. For example, you might be beaten by a Deep Sea Diving card, in which case your turn ends with a Giant Squid Attack—which you'll have to face on your next turn!
If you love pulp adventure and Indiana Jones movies like me, you'll grab this. And it comes in a box double the size of previous Flying Frog offerings, including 39 plastic miniatures: heroes, villains, enemy soldiers, Mayan temples, and even a zeppelin. Great, silly, thematic fun which has nothing too new rules-wise but is still a blast with the right players.
Fortune and Glory Rules Summary and Reference v1.1
Jan 2012 1.1 Player winning conditions in the Cooperative game fixed
Jan 2012 1 Original release
Designer(s): Jason C. Hill
Artist/Graphic Designer: Jack Scott Hill
Publisher: Flying Frog Productions
Playing Time: 30 minutes
Website: Flying Frog Productions


GOING SOLO OFF THE BEATEN TRACK?
Going solo off the beaten track is not for every off-road traveller whether you visit Botswana, Namibia or venture further into Africa past Zambia, going north. There are pros and cons to it so you need to consider everything. If you are a social person and like the company of fellow travellers and hate being alone then going solo is definitely not for you. Groups also provide some security and you can share costs of planned activities.
If you like your own company and have some travel savvy then going solo is for you. Going solo gives you freedom of choice and total independence to change your travel plans on the spur of the moment if something interests you on the wayside.
Things that you need to consider when planning your next solo African trip are the following.
You will need the ability to navigate. There are not many countries left on mother earth that is unexplored, thus you will need a basic ability to navigate as there can be hundreds of tracks and footpaths not necessarily indicated on maps. You must be able to understand and read maps whether it is a paper issue or a digital issue. Sometimes you need to trust your instinct and basic sense of direction to find your way.
So you own a GPS, but do you know all the functions of your GPS, such as marking waypoints that you can return to later? This can be of great value when bush camping as you need to mark a nice camping spot early in the afternoon but need to return to it later in the evening after dark when things have quietened down.
A reliable vehicle is not even questionable and some bush mechanics can take you a long, long way as everything is not always available in remote areas. Even if you can phone somebody on your satellite phone it may take days or weeks for a specific part to arrive.
You will need a willingness to interact with the local people to ask directions or permission to camp or even buy some firewood. If there is a village around do the decent thing and ask permission from the headman to camp there for the night. They may even provide some security to you as a sign of respect.
Can you adapt and react to changing situations such as hazardous roads, political climate, etc or are you set in your ways and love your comfort zone? If you love your comfort zone you need to reconsider the urge of going solo.
The bottom line, and I think the most important aspect, that you must ask yourself is if you are prepared to rough it at times and skip a shower (or maybe two) to experience the joy that wild camping can offer?


text:
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City of Ashes Review
City of Ashes
by Cassandra Clare
Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.
To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?
In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.
I gave this book 4.5 stars. Personally, City of Ashes has always been my least favourite book in the Mortal Instruments series. Mostly because it was the one book where we got almost no Clary and Jace moments and in the very beginning I was just here for the ship. It was nice to just go back into the story and see it for what it was and not basing my enjoyment off of whether or not the romance was good.
I don't actually know why I disliked this book more than the others, it was actually really good when I read it over again. I seemed to have forgotten most of the plot of this book and it was so great to go back and read it and see everything from a different angle. I really had a good time reading this book and actually read most of it in one day. Cassandra Clare's writing has always been very addicting and I understand why so many people have loved this series over the years.
Izzy was a bit rough around the edges in the first book, she seemed a bit bitchy, but in this book we saw more of her softer side. She is a lot nicer if she actually cares about you or even likes you, I can relate to that. I feel bad about disliking Izzy so much when I first read the series. I was too harsh on her and she really is a fantastic character. She's a dynamic character, we think she's just beautiful and mean, but really she's just a teenage girl trying to figure things out just like the rest of them. She had her good days.
Malec's relationship was very subtle in the beginning and that's what I loved about it. You had to be paying attention to notice it, all the quick glances, flirty comments, Alec saying the hickey on his neck was from falling. You can also see how much more happy Alec is in the first book. He was pretty miserable and really hated Clary for her part in Jace's life, but I think being with Magnus has mellowed him out a bit. Magnus has a huge part in Alec's character development.
Something I found troublesome was Maia's real age. In the beginning of the book when we first meet her she has her inner dialogue about life before being a werewolf and how she was changed and all that and she states that she's 16. But later when she is captured by Valentine and he asks her how old she is she says 15. Now this probably isn't very important in the grand scheme of things but I'm still really curious, I want to know.
I feel like it says a lot about Jace that when he's getting attacked by demons he's upset that a demon destroyed his favourite jacket. His priorities are so backwards but I can't help but love him for it. Even when he makes everyone think he's the villain by opening his mouth and being an asshole, it's a defence mechanism and I see why he does it considering his tragic backstory. He's just too charismatic for me to hate him. He showed a different side of himself when he saved Simon. There was no one around to see him do it, but he did it anyway, even let Simon drink his blood to keep him alive.
It's become some sort of ritual that nearing the end of each of these books someone needs to get seriously injured or die. First book, Alec gets hurt fighting Abbadon, this book, Izzy after she gets attacked by a giant spider demon. I wonder who will get injured or die in the next book? That was a rhetorical question I already know, but that's for my next review.
The characters are kind of irritating, or at least they're supposed to be but I'm so overcome by nostalgia that I can't be that mad at them. Yeah, they make a lot of questionable decisions. Really, very bad decisions, but they're trying. The first time I read this book I was so irritated by the characters that I didn't read City of Glass till a few months later. They had to star somewhere though, it makes it that much better for character development to take place.
What I find a bit worrying is the amount of people who jumped behind incest during this book because they wanted Clary and Jace to be together so badly. It actually concerns me, but enough of that, I'm just glad those days are behind us.
Luke is such a great character, he doesn't get enough love, but he's one of the better characters in this series. I started crying during the epilogue because I love him so much. I just want him to be happy, he deserves it.
Overall, I don't think this is my least favorite book in the series anymore. The reread really opened my eyes and this is actually a pretty good instalment in the series which you should most definitely read.
"We came to see Jace. Is he alright?""I don't know," Magnus said. "Does he normally just lie on the floor like that without moving?"
"I've got a stele we can use. Who wants to do me?""A regrettable choice of words," muttered Magnus."
"Mom. I have something to tell you. I'm undead. Now, I know you may have some preconceived notions about the undead. I know you may not be comfortable with the idea of me being undead. But I'm here to tell you that undead are just like you and me … well, okay. Possibly more like me than you."
"You see, cuckoos are parasites. They lay their eggs in other birds' nests. When the egg hatches, the baby cuckoo pushes the other baby birds out of the nest. The poor parent birds work themselves to death trying to find enough food to feed the enormous cuckoo child who has murdered their babies and taken their places.""Enormous?" said Jace. "Did you just call me fat?""It was an analogy.""I am not fat."
"No, I'm just a very naughty boy. I do all sorts of bad things. I kick kittens. I make rude gestures at nuns."
"I'll just have them change the entry in the demonology textbook from 'almost extinct' to 'not extinct enough for Alec. He prefers his monsters really, really extinct.' Will that make you happy?"
Posted by Jessie Seymour at 16:11
Cal 12 July 2017 at 02:31
This book was soooo slow at the start-- but was also the book that got me HOOKED.
I also didn't know any spoilers or anything in the future, and lack any foresight, so everything was super entertaining for me.
However, the exact moment I was hooked: The Faerie Court scene. Oh my god. THE TENSION!!!!!! I loooooved it.
Jessie Seymour 12 July 2017 at 13:52
The Faerie Court scene made me cringe so hard the first time I read the series. I get really bad second hand embarrassment so the thought of two siblings making out made me so uncomfortable. Worse was the fact that their friends were standing there watching. It was a lot better reading it a second time.
Blog Name
I feel the overwhelming need to clarify about my blog name because I know that the first definition of this word is usually about projectiles in flight. No I am not doing rocket science with my books.
One Star- I hated it
Two Stars- I didn't really like this, not quite hate
Three Stars- I didn't hate it, but it was not my favourite
Four Stars- Really good, did not blow my mind though
Five Stars - Absolutely amazing, I have no words
Follow @Bookballistic0 :
Jessie has read 81 books toward her goal of 200 books.
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Update Post
Daughter of Deep Silence Review
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The Struggle Review
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Witch's Journey Spoiler Free Review
Mask of Shadows Spoiler Free Review
The Books I'll Probably Never Read Tag
Top 10 Popular Books I Haven't Read
Rant: The "Token Gay" Character
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June Wrap Up and July TBR
9 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Me
Jessie Seymour
My name's Jessie. I love to read, a lot. Since I don't have many people to talk to books about I started a blog. I would have made a booktube channel, but my crippling anxiety keeps me from doing that. I feel much safer writing reviews from behind my keyboard like any other internet troll. With slightly less trolling. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading some of my thoughts and feelings on books I read!


text:
<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

namespace Sylius\Component\Core\Currency\Context;

use Sylius\Component\Channel\Context\ChannelContextInterface;
use Sylius\Component\Core\Model\ChannelInterface;
use Sylius\Component\Currency\Context\CurrencyContextInterface;
use Sylius\Component\Currency\Context\CurrencyNotFoundException;
use Sylius\Component\Currency\Model\CurrencyInterface;

/**
 * @author Kamil Kokot <kamil@kokot.me>
 */
final class ChannelAwareCurrencyContext implements CurrencyContextInterface
{
    /**
     * @var CurrencyContextInterface
     */
    private $currencyContext;

    /**
     * @var ChannelContextInterface
     */
    private $channelContext;

    /**
     * @param CurrencyContextInterface $currencyContext
     * @param ChannelContextInterface $channelContext
     */
    public function __construct(CurrencyContextInterface $currencyContext, ChannelContextInterface$channelContext)
    {
        $this->currencyContext = $currencyContext;
        $this->channelContext = $channelContext;
    }

    /**
     * {@inheritdoc}
     */
    public function getCurrencyCode(): string
    {
        /** @var ChannelInterface $channel */
        $channel = $this->channelContext->getChannel();

        try {
            $currencyCode = $this->currencyContext->getCurrencyCode();

            if (!$this->isAvailableCurrency($currencyCode, $channel)) {
                return $channel->getBaseCurrency()->getCode();
            }

            return $currencyCode;
        } catch (CurrencyNotFoundException $exception) {
            return $channel->getBaseCurrency()->getCode();
        }
    }

    /**
     * @param string $currencyCode
     * @param ChannelInterface $channel
     *
     * @return bool
     */
    private function isAvailableCurrency(string $currencyCode, ChannelInterface $channel): bool
    {
        $availableCurrencies = array_map(
            function (CurrencyInterface $currency) {
                return $currency->getCode();
            },
            $channel->getCurrencies()->toArray()
        );

        return in_array($currencyCode, $availableCurrencies, true);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Planet Garth Forums > PG Misc > Tradin' Post Forum > I need the Chris Gaines album.
View Full Version : I need the Chris Gaines album.
Anyone have this album? I have all other albums( cd ) except this one and the christmas albums and greatest hits.
Hello Skywise yes I would be interested. Just email me at alandbaydad@yahoo.com and we can work something out.
Let me know if you're interested in a private message.


Bolt Thrower; Atlantis Rising; Legacy (Colombia); Kotzen, Richie; Mahangoe, Anand; Riefenstahl; Horizon's End; Gallego, Jose Juan; Hadean; Havoc (US); etc.
Heavens Gate - Planet E.
Did you know, did you know that it's a lie?
Did you know it's cuttin' like a knife?
Did you know she utilized your care?
White dove is flying around the sky, Is this a heavenly sign?
Do they commit a crime?
Who made the nightmare rules?
Or a dream within a dream?
Produced By Sascha Paeth and Miro. Co-produced by Heavens Gate.


text:
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to create and implement the concept of the Field Day aimed at attracting new partners and demonstrating the capacities and scientific development of maize hybrids in the Stepova agricultural corporation.
Target audience: agronomists, farmers, leading scientists in the agroindustrial complex, business owners, foreign delegations.
The concept of a guest Ukrainian house was implemented and it opens its doors to the streets of hybrids, treats, drinking (pubs) and fun.
The registration area, partner zones, the company's image promo stand, the entertainment location, the main location were decorated in the style of the Ukrainian village.
Zoning provided a comfortable presence of 300 guests.
The event included 4 excursions, a fair of dishes, lottery, drum show, Tatyana Reshetnyak performance the finalist of the Voice Show. No one remained indifferent.


Most data counting graphs (including 3GW free) represent directlyusage on a bar whose full span represents a 100% usage.
3GW Pro takes a different approach: the usage graph in the Plan and Day views is not scaled on a usage quota (plan quota or day recommended usage). Instead, the scale represents a timelineof the period (billing period for the Plan tab, or just the current day for the Day tab). Usage is only indicated by the % numbers over the bar (used % over the position corresponding to now, and predicted % at the right end of the bar corresponding to the end of the period). The color of the predicted % reflects the status of your usage (green/orange/red). This color is also used to fill the bar from the beginning of the period to the current position in order to make the current usage status more visible at a glance.
This may be confusing at first since most similar graph bars show usage, not time, but once you get used to it, it's a rather synthetic view which we find superior to the old one (e.g. if you are going to exceed your usage the graph shows you when you will reach the 100%). We experienced with 2 separate bars for usage and time but concluded that it was only more confusing (and took more space on the screen).
Update: since version 1.9.0 you can toggle between the Pro and the free graphs by long pressing on the graph. Your choice will be memorized independently for the Plan and Day tabs.


text:
Business − in inspirational terms
«We want to become the number one digital retail bank in Switzerland»
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Created on 07.03.2019
PostFinance recorded – as expected – a decline in earnings in the 2018 financial year. Hansruedi Köng, Chief Executive Officer, reveals in an interview how he intends to make PostFinance fit for the future. Transforming the company into a digital powerhouse is an important part of this.
We see great potential in the platform business.
Hansruedi Köng, Chief Executive Officer
Hansruedi Köng, how was the result in the past financial year?
In 2018, we generated earnings before tax of 187 million francs. This represents a decline of 276 million francs or 60% year-on-year.
Why did profit fall so dramatically?
Firstly, the result from the interest differential business fell by 164 million francs compared to 2017. Secondly, a one-off gain from the sale of two equity portfolios amounting to 109 million francs had a positive effect in the prior-year period.
So, what you have been forecasting for several years has now happened?
Yes, unfortunately, the decline in earnings is in line with our expectations. There are two reasons for this: the persistently low interest rates on the financial markets and the prohibition on lending. The latter prevents us from issuing our own loans and mortgages. This forces us to invest our customer deposits on the financial markets at very low yields. The lending prohibition has always been a competitive disadvantage for us compared to the other banks. Since the advent of the negative interest rate regime, however, this disadvantage has again been compounded.
Were there also positive developments in last year's business result?
In the commission business, we generated a 17 million franc improvement in results, primarily due to higher revenues from funds. And on the expense side, staff costs fell by 20 million francs. The measures we have taken to develop new sources of non-interest income and improve efficiency are bearing fruit.
Does this mean the turnaround has started?
No, the negative trend will continue. In the next two years, bonds from earlier investments yielding good interest rates and worth around 20 billion francs will reach maturity, and we will only be able to reinvest them at very low returns.
What does that mean in numbers?
In the current low interest rate environment, we may still be able to make new investments at half of one percent. This means that by the end of 2020, we will again lose well over 200 million francs in net interest income. That puts tremendous pressure on our interest margin, and we cannot compensate for this decline in the interest differential business with efficiency improvements alone.
The Federal Council has now rushed to your aid with its proposal to lift the lending prohibition
I was pleased to hear of the Federal Council's policy decision. We presented the Council with various scenarios to advise them of the options available to PostFinance. If the lending prohibition remains in place, our profits will continue to decline. This will not only further reduce the value of PostFinance as a company, it will also threaten hundreds of jobs and, ultimately, a key pillar for the financing of the universal service provided by Swiss Post.
Are you not painting a somewhat black picture?
That, unfortunately, is the reality. However, the decision will not be taken by the Federal Council, but by the National Council and the Council of States. I therefore appeal to Parliament's responsibility towards the entrepreneurial freedom of PostFinance. We are talking here about a systemically important bank that belongs to every single citizen of this country. Step by step, the lending prohibition is destroying this national wealth, and it should therefore be lifted quickly.
The lending prohibition is destroying national wealth, and it should therefore be lifted quickly.
Critics argue that the mortgage market in Switzerland works as it is, and that there is no need for another player – certainly not a state player
This is of course a position that can be taken. But if you advocate for a liberal market order, you should not deny market entry to a new competitor.
What do you think are the chances that the lending prohibition will one day be lifted?
A lot of persuasion is still required. However, I am confident that the strength of our arguments will ultimately prevail among members of Parliament.
When do you expect a decision?
The Federal Administration is currently drawing up a consultation draft. On this basis, the Federal Council will send draft legislation and its report to Parliament. If Parliament approves the amendment, the bill could enter into force in 2021. In the event that a referendum is required, it would probably take a year longer.
What are you doing until then to keep PostFinance on track?
We have a clear strategic goal: we want to become the number one digital retail bank in Switzerland. To ensure that we are technically ready for digitization, we modernized our core banking system over Easter weekend 2018. This was a Herculean task that we were able to master thanks to great commitment from our employees and partners. Equally importantly, the modernization enabled us to prove that we have the ability to implement major, highly complex projects with pinpoint accuracy. That is a significant strength, given the demands placed on us by the accelerating pace of global change.
The strategy has been defined, the technical foundation has been laid. What specifically is next for PostFinance?
We have already implemented numerous measures in our operational business to make PostFinance fit for the future. On the income side, we are reducing our dependence on interest operations by investing in new business areas such as digital investment and platform business. On the expense side, we are systematically harnessing savings potential and reducing our costs through measures such as automating and digitizing processes.
What do these cost-reduction measures mean for employees?
In the middle of last year, we announced that up to 500 full-time positions would be lost by the end of 2020. Most of these can be absorbed by natural staff turnover. Nevertheless, we will not be able to avoid additional redundancies. This is a painful decision, but it is unavoidable if we are to ensure the long-term competitiveness and successful continuity of PostFinance. This is clear from the major decline in the result in the past financial year. At the same time, however, we are pushing ahead with innovations and building up staff in new areas.
You mentioned the platform business. Is that one of the new areas you would like to see grow?
Yes, we see great potential in the platform business. That is why we launched Valuu at the end of January 2019. Valuu is the first fully digital brokerage, comparison and sign- up platform for mortgages. We are confident that mortgage brokering meets a genuine demand and is therefore also relevant to potential mortgage customers.
What is innovative about Valuu?
There are already comparison platforms for mortgages, but they either rely on a physical branch or agency model, or compare only interest rates. Valuu is the only platform which guides mortgage seekers through the entire process end-to-end in a digital channel, including the option of taking out mortgages online.
What makes PostFinance qualified to operate a comparison platform of this kind for mortgages?
Our market analysis has revealed that mort- gage customers associate financing solutions with banks. We have built on this finding. Other banks in Switzerland have little interest in operating this kind of platform as it would cannibalize their own mortgage business. By contrast, PostFinance possesses all of the required expertise, but does not have any significant mortgage business due to the lending prohibition. This makes us the only bank in Switzerland that can operate such a platform without a conflict of interest.
Why is PostFinance investing in new technologies of this kind?
The digital trend indicates that new and different business models will become established on the market in future. Take the music industry, for example. In the past, we all bought CDs. Now, we use streaming services. Similar changes can also be seen in the banking sector. We want to play an active role in shaping digitization in the banking sector and launch development opportunities and potential disruptions under our own initiative, instead of adopting a wait-and-see approach.
And what digital innovations can your customers look forward to?
All of our innovations are designed to make it as easy as possible for our customers to manage their money and their financial affairs in general. Last autumn, we launched the "self-service hub" in the PostFinance App. This allows our customers to manage their PostFinance Card completely digitally with their smartphones. This year, we will be introducing a new login procedure for e-finance that works with facial recognition or fingerprints.
Read up on all you need to know about PostFinance's business performance
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This is my last post of the summer: Goodbye Summer! I feel as though I have spent the majority of this summer, waiting for it to begin, but from what I hear, it is now well and truly over. I am lucky enough to be in the South of France, a couple of weeks snatched at very end of the school holidays. We've had mixed weather, but on the whole it's been pretty glorious (sorry!).
So, in tribute of lost balmy days, the feel of the sun on your skin (a few days in July if I remember rightly), and long summer evenings, I am posting a selection of pictures of my pompom baskets on their French travels, along with some of the dresses that I have blogged about over the last few months.
Enjoy, and here's to summer 2016!
I have lusted after these baskets (pictured above) all summer, but they are usually out of stock and also way above my budget (£270), so I thought I would create my own version of the Muzungu Sisters basket. It involved several evenings sitting making pompoms and tassels round the kitchen table but I can think of worse ways to spend my time.
I found the plain palm leaf shopping baskets online for £12.99 and £4.99 (I decided to do a mini one for Daisy too) and bought most of the wool on eBay. The rest of the trimmings I picked up at my local haberdashery store. Other essential items included craft glue and a darning needle. I also bought proper pompom makers on Amazon as I struggled to make them tight enough using a cardboard ring. I cannot recommend them highly enough. The whole lot came to approx £40.
I drew a plan of what I wanted and began by gluing my pompom trim along the top of each basket. I then glued on the mirrors and threaded the pompoms through, around each mirror, using the darning needed, tying the loose threads to each other inside the basket to keep the pompoms secure.
I found some gold sew-on decorations (the kind of packets you buy for children's crafts) and threaded those on with matching gold thread, again tying the ends of the thread together inside the basket.
Obvioiusly, while I wanted my baskets to feel like a Muzungu Sisters basket, I didn't want them to be a complete imitation, so I made some tassels (You Tube is brilliant for this), and threaded them around the basket handles.
So there are my pompom and tassel baskets, all ready for our holiday in the South of France next week, where I'm sure they'll feel quite a home. Look out for them on my Instagram!


The Škoda Connect app is now integrated with Amazon's Alexa virtual personal assistant, meaning owners can gain access to a range of information about their vehicle's status and condition while hands-free.
Available for the Octavia, Karoq, Superb and Kodiaq ranges, Škoda's Connect app provides three core services – Infotainment Online, Emergency Call and Care Connect – with the latter offering drivers remote access to their car whenever they are away from it.
The integration with Alexa means drivers can now access information about their car with their voice as well as via the app, covering 12 different parameters at launch, ranging from current fuel level to the average speed of the last journey. Drivers can also check to see if they have inadvertently left their lights on and even ask Alexa to remind them where they have parked.
Further functionality is due to launch in the future.


I got the fabric for the costume I'm going to wear at Otakon 15 on Saturday. Yesterday was the pre-shrinking (to reduce the chance it does something rude after it's been sewn).
I'm planning to go as Hyuga Neji from Naruto: Shippuden (the one on the right in this picture).
Need to clear off the dining room table for cutting out. I also need to fix my Haku mask and pad the sandals (having really done a number on my feet at ICon 27 back in April).
I also picked up some fabric for a new Faire skirt - it's this dark red that I think will go well with the Elizabethan corset lostsatyr got me at the Pennsylvania Faire last year.


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The expansion focused on making IGI Airport future-ready begins
Posted: 6 August 2019 | International Airport Review | No comments yet
After this expansion, Delhi Airport will be the first airport in India to have four runways and dual-elevated eastern cross taxiways.
The expansion work focused on ensuring Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) is 'future-ready' has officially begun.
In the last decade, air traffic movements and passenger traffic have exceeded projections. The Phase 3A expansion works, being carried out as per the Master Plan 2016, will enable IGI Airport to handle the expected increase in air traffic.
Upon completion this work will not only increase the passenger handling capacity of Delhi Airport to 100 million passengers per year in the next three years, but enhance the airside capacity to handle 140 million passengers annually.
The objectives of Phase 3A are to enhance capacity for growth in a timely manner, meet optimal service level requirements and introduce new processes and technologies to maximise efficiency, enhance passenger experience and refresh the terminals.
Shri I Prabhakara Rao, Deputy Managing Director, GMR Group, said: "Keeping in view the unprecedented growth in the number of people travelling by air over the last few years, expansion of Delhi Airport has become the need of the hour to make it future-ready with enhanced passenger experience. The mega expansion of Delhi Airport would not only help the existing airlines to enhance their services but create adequate room for new airlines to initiate their services. With this expansion, Delhi Airport will once again set a new standard for the airport experience. Our vision is to be at the forefront of creating world-class facilities and value-added amenities for our customers, making it one of the best airports across the world. As we rigorously build for the next three years, our focus on efficient operations and superior customer service will remain unwavering."
L&T has been entrusted with the entire EPC works of Phase 3A. As part of the overall development plan, DIAL will carry out integration of the departure and arrival terminals of T1, construction of new T1 Apron, fourth runway, dual elevated Eastern Cross Taxiways (ECT), landside developments for circulation and connectivity improvements and T3 modification works.
In the proposed plan, the entire T1 Apron will be demolished and a new and expanded apron would be constructed to provide higher capacity layout. The new T1 Apron, apart from having an increased number of stands, will be equipped with technological upgrades including visual docking guidance system, fuel hydrant system, ground power units and pre-conditioned air.
The arrival and departure terminals are to be integrated under a single roof to form the new integrated Terminal 1, increasing from 64,140 square metres to 192,985 square metres.
Airport construction and design, Airport development, New technologies, Passenger experience and seamless travel, Terminal operations
Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI)
GMR Group
Shri I Prabhakara Rao
Leveraging a Passenger Flow Monitoring solution to optimise airport operations
By Smart Flows
Lessons learned from an airport CEO
By Holly Miles, Mohamed Albinfalah
Leonardo's Customer Support & Services
By Leonardo
Issue 4's In-Depth Focus on Passenger Experience
Would you like to learn from aviation experts how airports can achieve operational excellence in the new world?
By TAV Technologies


Artenia Beast's Academy of Play and Whimsy is dedicated to the schooling of the young creator, inventor, and haver of grand ideas. Beginning with two year olds who have honed the essential adventuring skills of walking with confidence and greeting others with tremendous joy, Artenia Beast's Academy nurtures young world explorers in the essential skills of embracing the possibilities of life.
Children between 2 and 5 years old spend their days immersed in play, adventure and community. Whether studying the properties of the basic elements in the science lab, deepening their connection to the color blue in our artist studio, or trekking across wild landscapes in the outdoor play space, the children ever strengthen their spirits, voices, and bodies.
We nurture each child's inheritance of adventure and passion. We claim friendship and indulge in wonder. We share the work of nose wiping. We hug, laugh, and sing songs. We listen to magical stories and tell them. We extend each day as an offering of space, moments, and support so that each child might make of it what they will.
Artenia Beast offers full and part time care for children 2-5 year olds.
Play and playfulness are the heart of learning in early childhood.
Children learn best through loving, authentic relationships.
We do away with shy, bossy, naughty, tomboy and labels that confine who a child is becoming. We believe the label girl or boy tells us nothing about the play a child desires or the possibilities they hold.
Fill a child's day with moments to build, play and discover and you will not be able to hold her or him back from reading, science, and life-long learning.
We believe teacher is guide, researcher, nurturer, and playful partner.
Children need space and time to hear the whisperings of wonder and to follow where curiosity leads.
Nature should come in large doses and daily.
Born to a rather dull family that ran an accounting dynasty in Plodding, Ohio, Artenia Beast developed her own passion for adventuring at the tender age of three when she breached the milk door of the family home and discovered the thrill of wandering, scaling walls, and hand carving flutes from river reeds. Returning home that night with a missing tooth never clearly explained, Artenia devoted the remaining days of her childhood to claiming experience and fraying her parents' rather delicate nerves.
After four decades of world wandering, Artenia's mind turned back to the days of childhood with the realization that there was no shortage of dull adults ever weighing down the planet. Determined to do her bit to change this trend, Artenia envisioned an Academy of Play and Whimsy where each child's inheritance of adventure and passion was properly nurtured. Touring modern schools, she quickly diagnosed an obsession with the alphabet and the creation of lines of children- a condition that had resulted in a complete disregard of such essential life skills as fording swift streams and capturing the hues of a sunset on canvas.
Artenia Beast ensures each child's day offers endless opportunity for exploration. She also develops essential life skills such as proper response to encounters of wild bears, the raising of tents, and the fundamentals of catapult construction.


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2007: The year we drank Cider
By Peter Cohen
TransGaming Technologies had been making noise about its Cider technology since 2006, but 2007 was the year in which the developer really put the Cider press into action. As a result, by year's end we had a dozen new games for the Mac—the majority of which came from their original publishers. It's an impressive start for the technology—and for the company, which is promising that the best is yet to come.
Cider is a translation-layer technology that has only become possible with Apple's switch to Intel-built processors. An outgrowth of TransGaming's Linux technology, Cedega, Cider makes it possible for a Windows game to run on an Intel-based Mac, without requiring installation of a copy of Windows. The promise, TransGaming says, is faster delivery of Mac games to market than has been possible in the past.
We first reported on Cider back in August 2006, when TransGaming was just starting to outline its Mac plans. But things really began to take off this past January. Since then, TransGaming has helped create Macintosh versions of Heroes of Might and Magic V from Freeverse; Myst Online: Uru Live, GameTap Lite, and GameTap Deluxe from GameTap; Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Need for Speed Carbon, Battlefield 2142, Command and Conquer 3, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08, and Madden NFL 08 from Electronic Arts; X3: Reunion from Virtual Programming; and Eve Online from CCP Games.
Without TransGaming's Cider translation-layer technology, games like CCP's EVE Online would probably not have made it to the Mac as quickly as they did—if they even arrived at all.
Very few of these games would have seen Mac releases if their makers had had to rely on the old way of doing things, which involved finding a Mac game conversion company to license, develop, and publish a Mac version of the game.
Cider isn't perfect. It leaves users of PowerPC-based Macs, who still number in the millions, out in the cold, even with machines that can still run just about everything else they need. And for the most part Cider games don't run on MacBooks or Intel-based Mac minis because of those systems' weaker integrated graphics. Cider games also run a bit slower and may have slightly more demanding system requirements than their Windows counterparts. But at the very least it's a step in the right direction.
What's more, says TransGaming's CTO Gavriel State, it's a means to an end: to promote the Mac as a viable platform for gamers and game publishers. "It's the classic chicken-and-egg problem," says State. "In order for game publishers to support the Mac with native game development, there have to be people buying games, and in order for gamers to recognize the Mac as a viable gaming platform, there have to be games available for them to buy."
Cider helps game publishers with little or no Mac native experience get their feet wet, and it provides Mac gamers with top-tier titles they wouldn't have otherwise. To that end, 2007 was a huge year for TransGaming, and 2008 promises to be even better.
[ Game Room columnist Peter Cohen selected the top Mac gaming products of the year in our Game Hall of Fame feature. ]


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Spain's Grupo iZen and Argentina-Based Non Stop Launch New Shingle Cacao & Cia – Latest trending news
Spain's Grupo iZen and Argentina-based Non Stop have launched Cacao & Cia, a new shingle aimed at producing content for the Global Spanish-speaking market.
With offices in Madrid and Mexico, the joint venture will be headed by Non Stop's Pedro Dávila, who will lead a creative team in close collaboration with Juliana Barrera from iZen in Madrid.
Among its first projects are biopics of celebrated Argentine Formula 1 race car driver Juan Manuel Fangio and legendary Mexican singer Chavela Vargas. The latter is based on the book "Las verdades de Chavela" by Maria Cortina, which is being adapted by Arantxa Echevarría ("El Cid", "Carmen y Lola").
These projects define Cacao & Cia's upcoming line of content reflecting strong IPs with protagonists closely linked to Latin America and with robust international appeal. This partnership between two strong players is crucial in a highly competitive marketplace where content demand is high, but more players have also jumped into the fray.
Said Davila, CEO of Cacao & Cia: "Under this new entity we will seek to support local talent and stories. We want to work with studios, but also with independent creators."
"We have the experience and resources to enter into co-production agreements and we are keen to work on creating new models and offer production and distribution support in Latin America or Europe," he added.
The new shingle counts on the creative knowhow and depth of experience of iZen, run by Sara Fernández-Velasco and Jose Velasco, with notable credits that include "El Cid" (Amazon Prime Video), Netflix's "Insiders" and Disney's "Santa Evita" on Star+ among many others.
Non Stop has the most innovative production infrastructure in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Spain, operating more than 20 studios spanning a total of 70,000 square meters (754,000 square feet). It has been the producing arm of Disney Latin America for more than 25 years.
Non Stop president Patricio Rabuffetti leads a group of investors in Screen I, the $20 million investment fund for films and TV series founded by Screen Capital in Chile.
"The potential and size of Non Stop and its enormous capacity in services and technology perfectly complement the creativity of iZen and our distribution force," noted iZen's Sara Fernández-Velasco and Jose Velasco.
Said Rabuffetti: "In a context where budgets and projects will be tighter, this alliance with a company of the size and experience of iZen allows us to add top-level creative and production capacity to produce exceptional content both in original and in acquisitions, and thus help our clients who will benefit by having high quality programming with a significantly lower investment."
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Nawazuddin Siddiqui's wife Aaliya's lawyer alleges she is being tormented by actor and his family: 'No food, no bed…'


Here are my impressions of five of the six Hugo award Novella Nominees for 2011. Although there are normally only five nominees in any given Hugo category, this year the Novella category had six nominees due to a tie in the nominations. However, since I have not read the novel that it follows (and spoils), I did not read the sixth nominee, Deadline by Mira Grant.
Interestingly, all five of these stories were also 2011 Nebula Award Nominees as well, with a sixth story also nominated due to a tie.
Impressions, comparisons and thoughts on the five nominees reviewed follow.
In Carolyn Ives Gilman's The Ice Owl, set in her The Twenty Planets universe, we are introduced to the prickly Thorn, young inhabitant of an world and universe where travel between planets is possible at lightspeed, but ansibles make communication much faster. The story focuses on her and her fellow members of the underclass, the strata of society who migrate or are forced to move from one world to another. The story explores the consequences of remembering and honoring history, especially tragic events, as well as asymmetric relationships between adults and young adults. Its a decently crafted story in an interesting universe I want to know more about, even if this story did not particularly resonate strongly with me.
Kij Johnson's The Man Who Bridged the Mist is a character focused story about Kit Meinem of Atyar the architect who would be the first to bridge a wide spot in a world where the deadly mists that span this crossing and indeed bisect the empire mean that ferry folk have a lucrative, but extremely hazardous profession. And a bridge would change that forever.
Johnson brings strong literary fiction techniques and style to the piece. Admittedly, the genre nature of the piece is slight enough that it could be read as fantasy, science fiction, literary fiction, or in the polder, the borderlands between genre and non-genre pieces. I wasn't entirely sold on the political aspects of the worldbuilding of the world the story presents, however.
Digging a little deeper, the story explores issues of identity, self-awareness, volition and much more. I don't know if the universe of Kiss Me Twice is the same as her Hugo Award winning story "For Want of a Nail", but while both stories involve issues surrounding an AI, Kiss Me Twice explores issues of AI identity from a different viewpoint. Kiss Me Twice keeps her playful, joyful writing style and this was the most fun (and my favorite) of the five stories.
Ken Liu brings us The Man Who Ended History. A new time travel technique that allows one-time appearances into history is first used by its inventor to explore the circumstances and provide catharsis for the victims of a Japanese medical experiment facility at Pingfang in China during WWII. Every bit as horrific as Nazi experiments and camps, but far less known, the story explores that tragic historical event and place, and in addition brings to the fore questions of what history is and what and who it is for.
I found the story moving, heart-aching and touching, invoking real, tragic, overlooked history I had never heard of to provide an emotional impact that extends from the writing itself into reality.
Silently and Very Fast, by Catherynne M. Valente is the story of an AI developed to be the companion of the scions of a family while within the family estate. Over time, as the family develops, grows and changes, the AI, too, undergoes development, die-back and growth in concert. I found the use of myth and mythological themes, resonances and language, a hallmark of the author's writing, to be haunting and memorable.
Taken as a set, I found many parallels and connections between the five stories. Both Gilman's story and Liu's tale deal with the consequences of history, upon survivors and upon those who would dig it up. Kiss me Twice and Silently and Very Fast are very different takes on Artificial Intelligence, the former wrapping issues of A.I. into police procedural, and the latter taking a long, future historical view of an A.I.'s growth and development, shading it into mythology and legend.
Similarly, that looking forward and the permanence and impermanence of constructs, be they social or man-made, connects the Kij Johnson story with Valente's. Kiss me Twice and The Man Who Ended History both invoked thoughts and comparisons to Asimov, the R Daneel Olivaw for the former, and Asimov's take on the use of Time Travel to process and deal with history both personal and public in his story "The Dead Past".
Even without reading the sixth nominee, Deadline, it is clear that this is a strong ballot of stories to choose from. Whether you vote or not, I strongly recommend that you give the stories a try. While novellas and short stories may not be the economic wellspring and heart-spring of the genre community, I still think that in most ways, they are crucibles of innovation, of technique, of theme, of ideas, and of authors themselves.
Mostly I agree with your impressions.
The Ice Owl did nothing for me and is at the bottom my list.
I'm placing Catherynne M. Valente's novella as the best of my list, followed by The Man Who Bridged the Mist, Kiss Me Twice and then The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary.
The Man Who Ended History is my choice. I did like the other The Man Who story and Kiss Me Twice quite well but the historicity of the Liu story pushes me over the edge. I have not decided on the short stories yet but Liu is in the running there as well.
Loved the Novellas this year – I always think that the novella section is the most memorable of all the awards given out. I would go for either the Valente or the Liu as my favorite but the Johnson and Gilman would be just a titch lower. Kowal and Grant just a bit lower than that. Any of the top four could win and I would be extremely happy. If one of the bottom two won – I would not be too upset. This is an excellent short list and (excepting COUNTDOWN) were my top five votes for the Locus Award this year.
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