Our training venue is just off the M1, situated within a discreet and quiet location away from busy and noisy roads. Within close distance is a range of attractions within the city of Leeds, where you can explore history or enjoy nature's greenery. Also nearby to the training venue is a strip of cafes and restaurants sitting close by to the docks perfect if you're feel peckish!
The course hours are from 8am-4pm and there is parking available close by to the venue and free lunch is provided alongside refreshments.


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Helix – Sie Werden Uns Ersetzen by Marc Elsberg
The author is known for his reality-based plots where he mixes facts of all kinds with pure fiction. Sometimes it is really frightening about what could be possible and you have inevitable the question swirling around your mind if it couldn´t be already a reality. So what if there are already living children like Jill and Eugene among us? I had enjoyed another book by the author so much, that I knew when I got the letter about Helix, I had to read it. Lucky me, I won it for a special challenge at a forum and could jump into it. Nonetheless, this review expresses my honest and unbiased opinion.
Helix-Sie Werden Uns Ersetzen*
by Marc Elsberg
Publisher Blanvalet on October 31, 2016
Genre Thriller
Source Lovelybooks
✶✶✶½
The US Secretary of State dies at a State visit in Munich. During the autopsy a strange sign is found on his heart – caused by bacteria? In Brasil, Tanzania, and India, employees of an international chemical company discover crop plants and animals that can not be found. At the same time, Helen and Greg, a couple in their late thirties, who cannot produce children by natural means, turn to a children´s nursing clinic in California. The doctor gives them hope. He tells them about a – yet unofficial – private research program, which has already produced over a hundred special children. And do not Helen and Greg want to give their offspring the best prerequisites? But then one of these children disappears and everything points to a connection with strange events – not only in Munich but all over the world … (a personal translation of the blurb on the dust cover/German edition by © Vi at Inkvotary).
Helen and Greg are trying to become children. Since they can´t get what they want the natural way, they find themselves one day at a clinic in California where they get an incredible offer. Jessica is on her way back to the US after she had to witness the sudden breakdown of the Secretary of State. And Jegor finds in Tanzania a cornfield that shouldn´t exist and starts to look for the reasons why it does. And Jill vanishes from the earth after she heard the disturbing news about the sudden death of the Secretary of State. All of them are connected in a strange way through a Doctor who is able to make his dream come true: stronger, healthier and smarter children.
Helix-Sie werden uns ersetzen (in English it would be Helix-They will replace us) is told by an auctorial narrator and the reader is from the first line right in the middle of the plot. The Secretary of State lies unconscious on the ground and with his death, the US discover a virus that is beyond anything they ever imagined or thought could be possible.
The author builds a story in which facts and pure fiction are combined so easily that you can´t get rid of the feeling of what if something of this is already a reality? Or would it really be so frightening to have children like described in the story? At some point, I found myself in a weird situation. I couldn´t take some figures of the plot seriously anymore. The way they behaved, how they acted was something I couldn´t really understand. Yes, there are some kids who have very special abilities, yes they are smarter than anyone else in the world, but they didn´t ask for it. They were made that way and now some grownups react as if they were dangerous weapons?
Marc Elsberg draws a picture with sometimes hilarious scenes, an ironic tone and some characters that show their helplessness and their fear for the unknown. He explains difficult medical things in an easy to understand language, makes it very clear that what he describes is fiction but could actually already be happening and yet the message is clear: This is a book. A story that should entertain, not scare.
And yet I was not the way entertained as I was with his other book. With Helix you go on a journey around the globe. Dive into fields in Tanzania, be a part of a conference in Europe, get inside in a chemical concern somewhere in Scandinavia, and back. Well, kind of.
No doubt, Marc Elsberg shows what could be, and no doubt that you will find some great scenes in this book. But after a great start, the story went more and more downwards and the end was lame. An open-end, which can be really very inspiring and lets you think your own thoughts about it, but I expected after all I read by him already, a lot more.
That the human species is frightened or feels threatened by everything that is not what we think is normal, that isn´t controllable the way we are used to, is no news. We see it every day in our real lives. But what some characters do in this story, and how some handle the situation, in the end, that was something I didn´t find ok at all. The hypocrisy that is shown here makes you speechless – not in a good way. Money rules everything, no news either.
Jill is a young girl that made me speechless – in a good way. She is smart as hell, no average at all and what she wants for the world is the best I´ve ever seen in a book like this. She does everything to help others, to undo the disadvantage some folks on this planet have. And she succeeds in a way that looks so easy and simple, that others feel threatened by her. I was not happy at all how the author treated her in the end.
After I had enjoyed his other thriller so much, I have sadly to admit that this newest wasn´t really my thing. His style hasn´t changed, but in the end, I was a bit disappointed. I missed his brilliance he is famous for when it comes to connecting fiction with reality.
*This title was at the time of review only available in the German language.
Marc Elsberg
Marc Elsberg was born 1967 in Vienna, Austria. He was a strategy consultant and creative director for advertising in Vienna and Hamburg as well as columnist of the Austrian daily newspaper "Der Standard". With his international bestsellers BLACKOUT and ZERO, he also established himself as a master of the science thriller. Today he lives and works in Vienna.
2016 New Release Challenge, Blanvalet, Marc Elsberg, Reading Challenge Lovelybooks, Review, sliderpost, Thriller

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Spectators sit in nearly empty seats the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar (Photo: AP)
Qatar faces rocky road to 2022 World Cup after athletics test
3 min read . Updated: 06 Oct 2019, 07:57 PM IST PTI
Qatar has come under fire for its hosting of the World Athletics Championships
FIFA may now seek clarity about Doha's ticketing strategy following the sight of a near-empty stadium on some days at the athletics
Qatar2022 FIFA World CupWorld Athletics Championships
Doha: Despite triumphs on the track, Qatar has come under fire for its hosting of the World Athletics Championships with questions raised over Doha's ability to deliver the football World Cup successfully in three years' time.
Perhaps the most stinging off-track criticism of the 10-day event which concludes Sunday was sparked by the spectacle of a near-empty stadium during the opening days, raising fears for attendances in 2022.
"It's a classic mega-event failing, believing that 'if you build it, fans will come'," said Simon Chadwick, professor of sports enterprise at Britain's Salford University.
Crowds at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and the 2004 Games in Athens also failed to meet organisers' expectations despite ambitious stadium construction, he noted.
International Association of Athletics Federations chief Sebastian Coe has come under fire for the dismal crowds that turned out in Doha to watch blue-riband events including the men's and women's 100 metres.
"The crowd is an easier subject to talk about rather than some of the more insightful stuff around the events," said Coe, who attacked what he viewed as negative media coverage.
Spectator numbers improved as the week wore on after at least one large state-funded organisation offered staff free tickets for the Khalifa International Stadium.
"It totally felt different, there was a lot of energy," said former 1,500m world champion Jenny Simpson on Thursday after the American won her heat.
Silver medalist, of Britain, from left, Asha Philip, Dina Asher-Smith, Ashleigh Nelson and Daryll Neita in the women's 4x100 meter relay final celebrate at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar (Photo: AP)
'Reasons to be there'
Despite Western diplomats warning Qatar would be "judged harshly" for missteps during the athletics, Chadwick said Doha would be unfazed by criticism of meagre crowds.
The country instead sees the Championships and World Cup as a means of bolstering security, he said.
"Even if nobody turned up to watch the athletics, it doesn't matter. Qatar has mitigated the threats it faces by making itself visible, relevant and important," said Chadwick.
Qatar is embroiled in a bitter two-year dispute with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates which accuse Doha of backing Iran and radical Islamists.
They have cut direct transport links, closed airspace to Qatari aircraft and restricted their citizens from visiting over the claims, which Doha denies.
By hosting such events, Qatar "has a degree of protection against some of the threats," Chadwick said, adding that the 2015 World Handball Championship and the 2016 cycling Road World Championships were also poorly attended.
FIFA would now seek clarity about Doha's ticketing strategy following the sight of a near-empty stadium on some days at the athletics, he added.
"People want to know -- is there going to be somewhere nice to stay, can they buy a beer?" Chadwick said.
"What kind of event ecosystem are they constructing around that ticketing strategy? You've got to give people reasons to be there."
Qatar World Cup organisers declined to comment on the ticketing challenges at the athletiics but sought to head off fears around the World Cup, including alcohol prices in the conservative Gulf monarchy.
Officials also sought to reassure LGBT fans their safety would be assured as they showed off rapidly evolving World Cup infrastructure to visiting media ahead of the athletics.
'Qatar no more'?
Another recurring issue was the heat in the road races, with some competitors berating organisers for the sweltering temperatures and humidity during the marathons and race walks that were held outside the air-conditioned stadium.
Canada's Lyndsay Tessier, who placed ninth after 28 of her 68 rivals dropped out of the women's marathon, told AFP it was "really scary and intimidating and daunting" seeing competitors collapse.
But World Cup organisers insisted to visiting media that 2022 will not be dogged by high temperatures as it will be staged in the winter months and played in air-conditioned stadiums.
Championships spectators faced grim traffic jams across Doha with many key roads and junctions undergoing construction, although competitors and VIPs received police escorts.
Congestion surged when the Al-Sadd football team hosted Saudi outfit Al-Hilal at home on Tuesday, just minutes away from the Khalifa Stadium. It also highlighted that soccer is more popular than athletics among Qataris, despite the fact that thousands of locals packed the stadium to see home hero Mutaz Essa Barshim retain his high jump title on Friday.
Pressure is also mounting on the authorities to open all 37 metro stations, of which only 13 are currently operational, by the promised New Year deadline.
Chadwick said Qatar was "skating on thin ice" following the challenges of the World Championships.
"They have to get the World Cup right otherwise, after 2022, there's going to be a question about what happens next," he said.
"If sports governing bodies walk away saying 'Qatar no more', then that does expose Qatar again to geo-political vulnerability."
This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.


Kesztyűgyár Community Centre The Kesztyűgyár Community Centre at Mátyás square 15. started its programmes in 2008 offering free time activities for young from the district and Budapest as well. As a multifunctional institution it is the home of many talent programs, art performances, trainings, courses and an internet cafe as well. The goals of all programs are to create a community with encouraging the local identity and connecting Magdolna District into Budapest's cultural blood circulation.


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You are here: Home / Nikon Z6/7 / Nikon Z7 PDAF banding FAQs
Nikon Z7 PDAF banding FAQs
February 25, 2019 By JimK 4 Comments
The purpose of this post is to answer a set of questions that have come up about the Nikon Z7 PDAF banding issue. First off, let me say that this set of artifacts is by no means a crippling flaw in the camera. In fact, I think that almost all photographers, almost all the time, will never encounter the issue at all.
As with many camera induced artifacts, the Internet comments on PDAF banding fall mostly into three camps:
The banding on the Zx is a fatal flaw. You can never know when and where it will occur, and all the fixes are a PITA and impair quality. Don't buy this camera, and everybody who says something different has a hidden agenda.
The banding on the Zx occurs only under an extremely rare set of clearly-identifiable circumstances. In the incredibly-unlikely circumstance that it should occur, there are fixes that will remove it perfectly. It's a nearly-perfect camera, and everybody who says something different has a hidden agenda.
The banding on the Zx never happens. It's a total myth. It's a nearly-perfect camera, and everybody who says something different has a hidden agenda. Buy this camera. Better yet, buy half a dozen.
To provide further perspective, I'm going to compare Nikon Z7 PDAF banding to several Sony a7x problems that also adversely affect edge cases:
Lossy raw compression
Shutter shock in the a7R
The ever-morphing "star-eater" digital filtering
PDAF Striping
All of these have consumed a lot of Internet bandwidth. None of those materially affects most people's photographs most of the time. All of them affect some people's images some of the time. All of them have partial or complete workarounds or mitigation protocols. The first two have been fixed (kinda fixed, in the case of lossy raw compression) by Sony in subsequent cameras and/or firmware releases.
In my analysis, I'm going to consider four things:
How likely is it that image damage is noticeable
How easy is it to know in advance whether the damage will likely occur
How objectionable is that damage
How onerous and effective are mitigation strategies.
Lossy raw compression is highly unlikely to materially damage images, the situations where such damage may occur are describable to and recognizable by a moderately-skilled photographer, the artifacts can be ugly, and, unless you have a camera that lets you turn off the compression, mitigation can be moderately difficult.
A7R shutter shock is moderately likely to damage image, the situations leading to damage are moderately difficult to predict, the damage is usually not particularly objectionable (to the point where many think there is none), and highly effective mitigation is a real pain.
Star-eater filtering is no problem at all except for those photographers who engage in esoteric pursuits like making tracked night-sky images and maybe photographing fabrics with long exposures. It is easy to know if you're likely to have a problem, the damage is only objectionable to a few, and one kind of mitigation is hard (the other, avoiding the problem shutter speeds, is an inconvenience to some, and too much trouble to consider to others).
PDAF striping is not likely to materially damage images. Predicting exactly when it will occur and how badly is difficult, but it's easy to describe a broad range on circumstances where it will never occur. The damage is at least as ugly as the raw compression artifacts. We have some mitigation techniques.
PDAF banding is not likely to materially damage images unless moderately aggressive tone-mapping is employed. It's not easy to tell what types of images are affected; everything seems to affect the probabilities of visible banding. The damage is unaesthetic. We have some mitigation techniques.
If I had to rank-order the above vicissitudes in terms of their effect on most people most of the time, from worst to best, my list would be:
a7R shutter shock
Sony raw compression
PDAF banding
Sony PDAF striping
Sony star-eater filtering
There's no question in my mind that a7R shutter shock leads the list by a mile. 2, 3, and 4 are quite close together. Sony raw compressions artifacts are like those of PDAF banding, but uglier. However, the raw compression artifacts, while they occur with similar post-production settings as those that make PDAF banding visible (remember, it's always there) are restricted to high-contrast transitions, where the PDAF banding can occur in any shadow areas. Tipping the scales to dropping the PDAF banding below the raw compression is the fact that there are good mitigation strategies for the banding. Star-eater filtering merits its cellar-dweller status because there are few photographers doing the kind of work where it's going to be significant.
So, without further ado, as Jack Webb would have said had his role existed in the Internet era, "Just the FAQs."
Do other cameras have shadow banding? Yes, indeed. If you look closely enough, you can see horizontal or vertical banding in almost all digital cameras. In recent years, the among of banding has decreased as the analog circuitry has migrated to the sensor itself. What distinguishes the PDAF banding from other cameras' banding is the regularity with which it occurs, the severity (much more than usual for modern Sony-manufactured sensors) and the fact that it is model number specific. This artifact is designed in, not the result of random errors in manufacturing.
Do other cameras have PDAF banding? No. As far as I know, this particular PDAF artifact is limited to the Z6 and Z7. It is the result of a in-camera fix to the PDAF striping problem.
Is this related to the a9 sky banding? It is not. That occurs in fairly bright areas. The Zx banding occurs in dark areas.
Does increasing the ISO setting reduce the banding? Yes, it does. By ISO 640 or so, it's hardly ever noticeable, being masked by noise.
Will I see banding in dark areas with lots of texture? Probably not. The texture will mask the banding. The texture that is most likely to hide the banding the best is about the same spatial frequency as the banding when measured along the short axis of the sensor.
I just post images to the web. Do I have anything to worry about? Probably not. The banding will be interpolated out when the image is downsampled to web resolution.
Is this something people will see looking at full frame images on a 4K screen? If it's there, yes.
How big do prints have to be before you see the artifacts? It depends on how bad it is, how good your vision is, and how close you get, but by and large you're safe at 8×10 inches and smaller. At 17×22, and up you should have a good look at images taken in problem situations before you spend a lot of money on a print.
How likely is an amateur who's not paying attention to wander into a situation that causes banding? Unlikely. I don't think such a person will be employing the highlight-centric exposure strategy that leads to big pushes in postproduction. The inattentive amateur may have to accept blown highlights, but is unlikely to need much pushing. However, it is common for lens profiles to apply heavy off-axis pushes to images made with short lenses, and thus even an image that is generously-exposed on-axis may experience such a push in the corners.
How likely is an amateur who's not paying attention to see the banding if it's there? Moderately likely. See the discussion about prints and screen viewing above.
Why is this a special concern to people selling prints or stock photographs? Not because of the high likelihood of the banding. It is not that likely. But because the inspection process to make sure there is no banding is error-prone and time-consuming. There's also the issue of sleeping well at night; you don't want to have to worry if you missed some flaw in your prints that your customer will find. If Raw Therapee is part of your normal workflow, the inspection can be finessed.
How easy is it to fix the problem after the fact? It is best fixed before or during raw development. Raw Therapee has a fix in the current version.
Is the fix perfect? No, sadly it is not. However, since the banding is observable only in areas without much texture, you can brush in the fix only where it's needed, and you can apply some local blurring if that's not sufficient.
If it's so easy to fix, what's the issue for the pros? They may not find the striping before the client sees it. It's not all that easy to see sometimes, but once you've seen it, it's distracting, artificial-looking, and frankly, ugly. Not something you want to have get in the client's hands. Also, most people do not use Raw Therapee. Lightroom and Capture One have no PDAF banding mitigation tools.
Is there another tool optimized for fixing the banding other than Raw Therapee? Not right now, but I have provided files to another developer interested in adding the fix to their raw development program, so there is hope for more tools.
Did Nikon make a good tradeoff when they came up with the PDAF striping fix? I think not. The PDAF striping doesn't occur often. Images with the fix are more likely to show artifacts than images without the fix. My philosophy is to never do something in-camera that can be done just as well in postproduction, and this is a clear violation of that way of thinking. It's not the first time Nikon has decided to do things in camera that I think should be done later; consider white balance pre-scaling. At least they don't do black point subtraction in-camera any more.
Maybe I should just buy a DSLR and forget it. If you are otherwise a candidate for a Z6 or Z7, that would be throwing out the baby with the bathwater. There are a host of downsides to a DSLR (like lens AF tuning). The Z6 and Z7 are excellent cameras.
Is PDAF banding as much of a concern as aliasing in all its forms? Not even close.
Is PDAF banding endemic to on-sensor PDAF? No. It's caused by a fix to the PDAF striping issue that occurs in similar Sony-built sensors with on-sensor PDAF.
Does turning off EFCS fix the problem? No.
Does turning on the electronic shutter fix the problem? No.
I see test images showing the banding, but not great images the were ruined by the banding. Why is that? I've dealt with this elsewhere, but I'll include it here. For that to happen, several things would all have to come together:
A high-DR scene with sufficient lighting intensity to expose at near base ISO. Right off the bat that excludes most photographic images.
A great image except for the banding. Toss out most of the remaining photographic images.
Interest in retaining deep-shadow detail, necessitating shadow lift.
Little texture in the shadows.
Desire to print fairly big.
Critical inspection of the shadow areas, such as you'd do before sending a print to an exhibition or to a customer.
Membership in an Internet forum and interest in posting there.
Cluelessness about the Z7 PDAF banding issue. When faced with the above situations, I don't use a Zx, although I have three of them. I use the GFX 50S or 50R. There are plenty of things that the Zx cameras do well; why take it outside of its comfortable usage envelope?
The odds of all that happening at the same time are low.
← Visibility of Nikon Z7 PDAF banding Violins and cameras revisited →
Andrea B. says
Thank you for this excellent summary! Very helpful as I have both the a7R and the Z7.
A nice write up. I especially appreciate the ranking of the issues, it sort of sets things in perspective.
Just to say, I think it's quite OK to fix issues in the raw files, but there should always be a well documented way to shut it off.
Just to say, Sony could sell an Astronomy version of the A7xx with IR and UV filter removed, star eating disabled and sell it at an astronomical price…
Banding on the Nikon Z7 is a serious flaw. It ONLY happens when on silent mode, but it's image ruining. I bought the Z7 just as it came out. I shot my nephew's wedding on silent mode a week later and all was well-the wedding was outside in daylight and the images are perfect.
I then went to Morocco where there is a lot of florescent light– low ISO and with no exposure compensation I had a lot of banding–but unfortunately didn't notice until after the fact. I considered it a lesson learned and didn't use silent mode for the rest of the trip–it wasn't necessary.
I then went to Russia to photograph the St Petersburg ballet backstage during live performance. One of the main reasons I bought the Z7 was for this assignment–you don't want to be making noise when dancers are thinking about their next act backstage. The silent mode worked perfectly until it didn't. Below is a dropbox link of two images–one taken less than a minute after the first. The first image is perfect, the second is unsalvageable–I believe it was the frequency of the stage lights just behind the orchestra that caused the banding problem. This is DRAMATIC banding, not "fixable". My ISO was 3200. f 1.4 in both shots and there was no exposure compensation. Note: My other camera is a D850 and I'm not selling it.
Dropbox link for the two images: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ljdaos6itr94cgf/AAAj25OzGlotAcCyvkoZX4R_a?dl=0
Fortunately, because I had had the issue already in Morocco, I was checking the screen as the stage light changed , I caught the banding in a minute or two, and changed to mechanical mode for the rest of the performances. I would not trust this camera on silent mode inside during a critical shoot. I love the weight and it works perfectly outside and the "mechanical mode" is pretty quiet anyway. With any florescent light, do not use silent mode–you will get banding. Maybe not all the time, but you don't want to get home and then see it on your larger screen–when it's too late and you have a big problem on your hands of explaining that to a client.
Bottom line–this is a great camera–I do love it and the shoot was a huge hit. Just do not use the silent mode except when you absolutely need silence and you are outside. If inside (like a wedding with some florescent church lights) do a bunch of test shots and check your screen constantly. If you see banding, move to mechanical shutter–it works just fine and hardly makes any noise.
Thanks, Patricia
You're not talking about PDAF banding. You're describing something else. If you want to use fully-electronic shutter with a full frame MILC and have less of that, get a Sony a9. There are some workarounds, such as using shutter speeds that are double the mains frequency, half that, of half that.


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13 Best Anime Like High School DxD [Recommendations]
Action Anime Anime Anime Like HighSchool DxD Anime Recommendations Anime with op mc Comedy Anime Harem Anime Polygamy Anime Rom-Com Anime Romance Anime Top 13 Anime
13 Best Anime Like High School DxD - If you are searching for the best ecchi anime with best action and storyline, I am sure the first name in the list will be High School DxD. It is actually the best ecchi anime with demons setting I have ever seen. I have tried hard finding anime like HighSchool DxD for much time and have found some great anime similar to High School DxD which you might love to watch.
Now, let's jump to our list of 13 Best Anime Like High School DxD.
Also Read :- Top 10 Best Harem Anime With Polygamy or Harem Ending | Must Watch
Also Read :- 15+ Best Chinese Anime/Donghua One Must-Watch
Also Read :- Top 10 Best Comedy Anime [Recommendations]
13 Best Anime Like High School DxD
1.) Shinmai Maou no Testament (The Testament of Sister New Devil)
(Image Source :- MyAnimeList.net)
Genre :- Action, Ecchi, Fantasy, Romance, Harem, Demons
Studio :- Production IMS
Seasons :- 2
MAL Rating :- 6.76
English Dub :- Available
This is the best alternative I found for High School DxD. I am now waiting for its third season, hope it will get announced soon. The main character of this anime is overpowered from the start and becomes even more overpowered as the story progresses. I will not say much to prevent spoilers. You must give this anime a watch if you liked HighSchool DxD.
Summary of this anime :- Running into your new stepsister in the bathroom is not the best way to make a good first impression, which Basara Toujou learns the hard way. When his father suddenly brings home two beautiful girls and introduces them as his new siblings, he has no choice but to accept into his family the Naruse sisters: busty redhead Mio and petite silver-haired Maria. But when these seemingly normal girls reveal themselves as demons—Mio the former Demon Lord's only daughter and Maria her trusted succubus servant—Basara is forced to reveal himself as a former member of a clan of "Heroes," sworn enemies of the demons. However, having begun to care for his new sisters, Basara instead decides to protect them with his powers and forms a master-servant contract with Mio to keep watch over her. With the Heroes observing his every move and the constant threat of hostile demons, Basara has to do the impossible to protect his new family members. Moreover, the protector himself is hiding his own dark secret that still haunts him to this day...
2.) Highschool of The Dead
Genre :- Action, Horror, Supernatural, Ecchi, Shounen
Studio :- Madhouse
Episodes :- 12
If you like anime where world is filled with zombies and the main character with his group survive in this world with many girls falling for the main character and a lot of fanservice, then Madhouse has developed anime adaptation of Highschool of the Dead. You should give this anime a watch, you will definitely love it.
Summary of this anime :- It happened suddenly: The dead began to rise and Japan was thrown into total chaos. As these monsters begin terrorizing a high school, Takashi Kimuro is forced to kill his best friend when he gets bitten and joins the ranks of the walking dead. Vowing to protect Rei Miyamoto, the girlfriend of the man he just executed, they narrowly escape their death trap of a school, only to be greeted with a society that has already fallen. Soon, Takashi and Rei band together with other students on a journey to find their family members and uncover what caused this overwhelming pandemic. Joining them is Saeko Busujima, the beautiful president of the Kendo Club; Kouta Hirano, an otaku with a fetish for firearms; Saya Takagi, the daughter of an influential politician; and Shizuka Marikawa, their hot school nurse. But will the combined strength of these individuals be enough to conquer this undead apocalypse?
Also Read :- Top 10 Isekai Anime With OP Main Character | Must Watch
3.) Hagure Yuusha no Aesthetica (Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero)
Genre :- Action, Super Power, Ecchi, Fantasy
Studio :- Arms
I firstly was not sure that I will like this anime, but when I watched this anime, I found it very good and it is worth watching. If you like anime with op mc and many girls falling for our mc and good action and story, then try this anime.
Summary of this anime :- Since the discovery of "Samon Syndrome" 30 years ago, thousands of young people have traveled to fantasy worlds, the few returnees managing to keep the special abilities they acquired in those parallel universes. Akatsuki Ousawa, known as the "Rogue Hero," discards his peaceful life in the fantasy world Alayzard to face new challenges upon returning to Earth. He comes back with Miu, the daughter of the Demon King he defeated, and is now forced to hide her true identity by having her pose as his little sister. The two soon join Babel, a special school designed for those who have acquired special abilities and magical powers through their journey to a fantasy world. Babel was seemingly founded to train young interdimensional travelers and "guide them to the right path for the sake of humanity and themselves," but its true purpose remains unclear to the pseudo-siblings. Will Akatsuki and Miu be able to overcome the hostile, powerful student council and uncover the forces at play behind the scenes?
Also Read :- Top 5 Best Chinese Donghua With OP MC | Must Watch
4.) Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou (Demon King Daimao)
Genre :- Action, Harem, Comedy, Magic, Ecchi, Fantasy, School
Studio :- Artland
If you like ecchi anime with a powerful demon lord as our main lead with a harem of girls, then Demon King Diamao is a recommendation for you.
Summary of this anime :- Dreaming of changing the world for good, Akuto Sai transfers to Constant Magic Academy where he befriends a virtuous ninja clan member, Junko Hattori. On the way to the academy, they vow to make the world a better place together; however, the situation suddenly takes a turn for the worse upon his arrival—it is prophesied that he will become the Demon King! As word of his destiny spreads, the school begins to fear him, and Junko's trust in him falters. While Akuto is determined to not let his predicted future control his fate, it seems as though everything he says and does only serve to reinforce the fact that he is destined to be the Demon King. Moreover, he is surrounded by a harem of beautiful girls who each have their own plans for him, ranging from bringing him to justice to simply showering him with love. With his newly awakened powers, Akuto must cope with his constantly growing list of misfortune and fight to prove that his fate is not set in stone.
Also Read :- Top 5 Action Anime of Spring 2021 [Recommended]
5.) Prison School
Genre :- Comedy, Ecchi, Romance, School, Seinen
Studio :- J.C.Staff
If you want to watch a ecchi anime with lots of comedy, then in my opinion the first choice should be Prison School. This anime is hilarious with lots of ecchi. You should give this anime a try for sure.
Summary of this anime :- Located on the outskirts of Tokyo, Hachimitsu Private Academy is a prestigious all-girls boarding school, famous for its high-quality education and disciplined students. However, this is all about to change due to the revision of the school's most iconic policy, as boys are now able to enroll as well. At the start of the first semester under this new decree, a mere five boys have been accepted, effectively splitting the student body into a ratio of two hundred girls to one boy. Kiyoshi, Gakuto, Shingo, Andre, and Jo are quickly cast away without having a chance to make any kind of a first impression. Unable to communicate with their fellow female students, the eager boys set their sights on a far more dangerous task: peeping into the girls' bath! It's only after their plan is thoroughly decimated by the infamous Underground Student Council that the motley crew find their freedom abruptly taken from them, as they are thrown into the school's prison with the sentence of an entire month as punishment. Thus begins the tale of the boys' harsh lives in Prison School, a righteous struggle that will ultimately test the bonds of friendship and perverted brotherhood.
Also Read :- Top 10 Rom-Com Anime [Recommendations]
6.) To Love-Ru
Genre :- Sci-Fi, Harem, Comedy, Romance, Ecchi, School, Shounen
Studio :- Xebec
If you like school setting anime with a lot of demon girls and human girls falling for our human main character, then you should give a try to To Love-Ru.
Summary of this anime :- Timid 16-year-old Rito Yuuki has yet to profess his love to Haruna Sairenji—a classmate and object of his infatuation since junior high. Sadly, his situation becomes even more challenging when one night, a mysterious, stark-naked girl crash-lands right on top of a bathing Rito. To add to the confusion, Rito discovers that the girl, Lala Satalin Deviluke, is the crown princess of an alien empire and has run away from her home. Despite her position as the heiress to the most dominant power in the entire galaxy, Lala is surprisingly more than willing to marry the decidedly average Rito in order to avoid an unwanted political marriage. To LOVE-Ru depicts Rito's daily struggles with the bizarre chaos that begins upon the arrival of Lala. With an evergrowing legion of swooning beauties that continuously foil his attempted confessions to Haruna, To LOVE-Ru is a romantic comedy full of slapstick humor, sexy girls, and outlandishly lewd moments that defy the laws of physics.
Also Read :- Top 10 Anime Where the Main Character is OP [Recommendations]
7.) Sekirei
Genre :- Action, Comedy, Ecchi, Harem, Super Power
Studio :- Seven Arcs
Summary of this anime :- Struggling yet brilliant teenager Minato Sahashi has failed his college entrance exams for the second time, resulting in him being regarded as worthless by those around him. However, the course of his seemingly bleak future is altered dramatically when a beautiful, supernatural woman falls from the sky and into his life. That woman, Musubi, is a unique being known as a "Sekirei," a humanoid extraterrestrial with extraordinary abilities. These aliens are known for kissing humans carrying the Ashikabi gene in order to awaken additional latent powers deep within. Recognizing the potential within the seemingly insignificant youth, Musubi kisses the bewildered Minato, initiating a bond between the two of them. This drags him into the high-stakes world of the Sekirei, where he and his new partner must compete against others in a battle for survival called the "Sekirei Plan." However, unbeknownst to the contestants, there is far more at risk that what the competition initially entailed.
8.) Campione!: Matsurowanu Kamigami to Kamigoroshi no Maou
Genre :- Comedy, Ecchi, Fantasy, Harem, Magic, Romance
Studio :- Diomedéa
This is an anime where the main character is powerful enough to defeat a god and has a harem of cute girls who love him.
Summary of this anime :- Some people suddenly find religion, but for 16-year-old Kusanagi Godou, it's that REALLY old time religion that's found him! As the result of defeating the God of War in mortal combat, Godou's stuck with the unwanted position of Campione!, or God Slayer, whose duty is to fight Heretical Gods whenever they try to muscle in on the local turf. Not only is this likely to make Godou roadkill on the Highway to Heaven, it's also a job that comes with a lot of other problems. Like how to deal with the fact that his "enhanced status" is attracting a bevy of overly-worshippy female followers. After all, they're just there to aid him in his demi-godly duties, right? So why is it that their leader, the demonically manipulative sword-mistress Erica Blandelli, seems to have such a devilish interest in encouraging some VERY unorthodox activities? Get ready for immortal affairs, heavenly harems and lots of dueling deities taking pious in the face as the ultimate smash, bash and thrash of the Titans rocks both Heaven and Earth.
Also Read :- Top 5 Anime Like One Punch Man [Recommended]
9.) Date A Live
Genre :- Sci-Fi, Harem, Comedy, Romance, Mecha, School
Studio :- AIC PLUS+
Summary of this anime :- Thirty years ago, the Eurasian continent was devastated by a supermassive "spatial quake"—a phenomenon involving space vibrations of unknown origin—resulting in the deaths of over 150 million people. Since then, these quakes have been plaguing the world intermittently, albeit on a lighter scale. Shidou Itsuka is a seemingly average high school student who lives with his younger sister, Kotori. When an imminent spatial quake threatens the safety of Tengu City, he rushes to save her, only to be caught in the resulting eruption. He discovers a mysterious girl at its source, who is revealed to be a "Spirit," an otherworldly entity whose appearance triggers a spatial quake. Soon after, he becomes embroiled in a skirmish between the girl and the Anti-Spirit Team, a ruthless strike force with the goal of annihilating Spirits. However, there is a third party that believes in saving the spirits: "Ratatoskr," which surprisingly is commanded by Shidou's little sister! Kotori forcibly recruits Shidou after the clash, presenting to him an alternative method of dealing with the danger posed by the Spirits—make them fall in love with him. Now, the fate of the world rests on his dating prowess, as he seeks out Spirits in order to charm them.
10.) Masou Gakuen HxH (Hybrid x Heart Magias Academy Ataraxia)
Genre :- Action, Sci-Fi, Harem, Comedy, Romance, Ecchi, Fantasy, School
English Dub :- Not Available
Summary of this anime :- Hida Kizuna possesses the HHG (Heart Hybrid Gear) ability, but it is not strong enough to make him particularly important. His older sister calls him to transfer to a strategic defense school, where many of the students (many of which are large-breasted girls) use their HHG abilities to fight invaders from another world while wearing extremely skimpy pilot outfits. Kizuna's fighting ability doesn't measure up, but his sister has another plan—apparently having erotic experiences with Kizuna will allow the girls to replenish their energy or power-up. It looks like his new school life is going to be full of embarrassment.
11.) Trinity Seven
Genre :- Action, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural
Studio :- Seven Arcs Pictures
It is also a demons and humans setting, where our main character is a demon lord and is op. He also has a harem of cute powerful girls.
Summary of this anime :- One day, the bright red sun stopped shining, causing the "Breakdown Phenomenon"—the destruction of Arata Kasuga's town and the disappearance of the people inhabiting it. All, however, is not yet lost; by utilizing the magical grimoire given to him by his childhood friend and cousin Hijiri Kasuga, Arata's world gets artificially reconstructed. In order to investigate the phenomenon, Lilith Asami appears before Arata, whose artificial world suddenly disintegrates. He is given two choices: hand over the book, or die. However, Arata chooses the third option—enrolling in the top-secret magic school Royal Biblia Academy, where six other magical users await him. Together with Lilith, these six form the Trinity Seven, the elite of the school who each bolster their own power and skill. With the ambition to save Hijiri and the help of his newfound friends, Arata stops at nothing to prevent the destruction of his beloved hometown and to bring his best friend back.
12.) Dakara Boku wa, H ga Dekinai. (So, I Can't Play H!)
Genre :- Comedy, Romance, Supernatural
Studio :- feel.
Summary of this anime :- NEVER make a deal with a wet goddess you've only just met. That's a lesson Ryosuke Kaga learns the hard way when he foolishly agrees to let Lisara Restole use some of his "essence" to stay in this world. Because despite her smoking hot appearance, Lisara's actually a Shinigami, a Goddess of Death. However, she DOESN'T steal years off his life like any decent Shinigami would do. Oh no, instead she sucks him dry of something much more perverse by leeching off his lecherous spirit and draining his ability to enjoy... er... the things that teenage boys normally spend most of their time thinking about! And now that he's been de-debased and de-debauched by her un-dirty trick, the poor regenerated degenerate's only hope of getting his licentiousness renewed is to join the queen of mental-clean on her quest, since when she leaves our mortal plane he regains his normal immorality! But the termination of the probation of his reprobation isn't guaranteed, because Goddesses of Death can be really harsh mistresses and it's going to be anything but easy to go back to being sleazy!
13.) Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? (Is This a Zombie?)
Genre :- Action, Comedy, Supernatural
Studio :- Studio Deen
Summary of this anime :- Ayumu Aikawa is a 16-year-old high school student who is tragically murdered while investigating a suspicious house. However, he soon awakens next to a strange armored girl called Eucliwood Hellscythe. She reveals herself to be a necromancer who has revived Ayumu, consequently turning him into a zombie! Now immortal, Ayumu sets out to hunt down his killer. One day, while searching in a cemetery, he encounters a boisterous young girl named Haruna, who is fighting a bear with a chainsaw while dressed as a magical girl. After she kills the beast, Haruna attempts to erase Ayumu's memories of her, but he instead absorbs her magic for himself. Stripped of her powers, Haruna now orders Ayumu to take up her role of hunting strange creatures known as "Megalo," monsters that roam the human world and terrorize the population. Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? follows the daily antics of the human-turned-zombie Ayumu as he begins his new, ludicrous life where the supernatural becomes the norm.
Also Read :- Top 10 Harem Anime Where Main Character is Transferred to Another World
So, that's all. These all were the anime that I found quite similar to HighSchool DxD in one reason or another. You should give these anime a try and tell us which one you like the most by commenting in the comments section. Also give your suggestions on more anime like High School DxD in the comments section. Do share this post with your friends who want to watch anime like HighSchool DxD.
Tags : Action Anime Anime Anime Like HighSchool DxD Anime Recommendations Anime with op mc Comedy Anime Harem Anime Polygamy Anime Rom-Com Anime Romance Anime Top 13 Anime
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Y, September 16, 2021 at 11:15 AM
thank you sir for great suggestion


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Le canton de Chalais est une ancienne division administrative française, située dans le département de la Charente et la région Nouvelle-Aquitaine.

Avec le redécoupage cantonal de 2014, la commune de Chalais est devenue le bureau centralisateur du nouveau canton de Tude-et-Lavalette.

Administration : conseillers généraux de 1833 à 2015

Conseillers d'arrondissement (de 1833 à 1940)
Le canton de Chalais avait deux conseillers d'arrondissement.

Sources : Journal "La Charente" https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb32740226x/date&rk=21459;2.

Composition
 Bardenac
 Bazac
 Brie-sous-Chalais
 Chalais
 Courlac
 Curac
 Médillac
 Montboyer
 Saint-Avit
 Saint-Quentin-de-Chalais
 Orival
 Rioux-Martin
 Yviers

Démographie

Voir aussi
 Cantons de la Charente
 Liste des conseillers généraux de la Charente

Notes et références

Chalais

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Fans at Sunday�s Super Bowl will be treated with a dizzying display of glitz, noise and hype before and during the game, including a halftime show featuring Tom Petty.
Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson? Unimpressed, likely. You can be sure that when the Panthers open next season, little will be different at Bank of America Stadium.
Richardson does things his way, and cares little about the backlash. There was intense criticism when the stadium opened in 1996 and the team banned fans from taking their shirts off and displaying painted chests.
Good decorum is emphasized. There is no loud public address announcer. There is a pregame prayer. The music is conservative � some say stale. The game-day presentation is simple, all the way down to the NFL shield at midfield.
�We have the NFL logo on the 50-yard line for reasons we have talked about before � we want to reemphasize to our fans that this is NFL football and not something else,� Richardson said.
Many have suggested the Panthers� toned-down presentation is the reason they�ve struggled to win at home. Carolina lost seven straight at Bank of America Stadium before beating San Francisco in December. It was a rare bright spot in a 7-9 season that left the Panthers out of the playoffs for a second straight year.
But Richardson isn�t easily swayed. He dismissed calls for him to fire coach John Fox and general manager Marty Hurney, convinced the duo can put Carolina into the playoffs next season. And Richardson is sure that a family setting at Bank of America Stadium is the way to go, instead of the loud, intimidating atmosphere that other teams try to create for a home-field advantage.
To Richardson, a former Wofford standout and NFL receiver who played with Johnny Unitas and the Baltimore Colts, protecting the NFL identity trumps everything else.
�This is the most powerful brand in sports,� Richardson said.
Richardson is well respected among his peers. He�s served on powerful NFL owners committees, including a failed stint on a group that tried to put an NFL team back in Los Angeles.
But you�ll never see Richardson on the sideline during games or in commercials, like Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. You�ll never see him in public spats with the league, like Al Davis of the Oakland Raiders.
You�ll rarely hear from Richardson at all. When he sat down with reporters this month, the media-shy Richardson joked that he had met his quota for 2008.
But while Richardson shies away from the spotlight, he�s one of the most influential owners in the league. When he was presented an award in June by a local group, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell flew to Charlotte to present it to him.
There are questions about whether it�s working. The Panthers have made the playoffs only three times in their 13 seasons. While Richardson has never shied away from spending money, the Panthers have never had consecutive winning seasons. They are as far away from the dominant New England Patriots as anyone.
And while there may not be loud music, fans are subjected to numerous advertising announcements during games. Fans have complained about commercials running instead of replays on the outdated video boards, which are scheduled to be replaced this year.
The imposing, grandfather-like Richardson remains confident. When explaining how he decided to keep Fox and Hurney during the team�s five-game losing streak this season, Richardson told a long story about how he first made a tour of the stadium, talking to janitors and grounds crew members and trying to pump up morale.


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NEWS - "Details into Possible Motive in Tremonton Shootings Released"
TREMONTON - By Cari Doutre, Headliner Publisher, September 1, 2022
In a statement released by the Tremonton Garland Police Department on September 1, more information has been made public about Wednesday night's possible motive in a shooting that occurred in Tremonton at approximately 9:45 p.m.
According to investigators, an argument over a stolen e-bike and a backpack containing a financial card and work documents led to a confrontation between the suspect in this case, Richard Barlow, 34, and two other men.
During an interview with Barlow the report said, "Richard indicated that he believed that he knew who had taken the items and knew where he could find that individual."
Barlow told investigators that him and two men had a confrontation near 400 W. and 1000 N., in Tremonton that escalated quickly and according to the report, "Barlow said the men were coming toward him and he fired three times striking both men."
The victims, Jeramy Lott, 40, and Shane Durkee, 36, remain in critical condition.
The report added that Barlow threw his clothing away in the trash and was about to take a shower when officers from the Tremonton Garland Police Department and Box Elder Sheriff's deputies arrived and arrested him. A 9mm handgun was collected into evidence and believed to be the gun used to shoot the victims.
Read previously posted articles by BRVNEWS.com on the links below.
BREAKING NEWS - "Victims Identified in Tremonton Shooting" (brvnews.com)
BREAKING NEWS - "Tremonton Shooting Leaves Two in Critical Condition" (brvnews.com)


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WEB Mauritius: Google Inc. became Alphabet!
Monday, August 10, the Mountain View company announced a major change – and surprise – of its corporate structure. The search engine will become a subsidiary of a new entity, called Alphabet. The latter will be led by Larry Page, co-founder and current CEO of Google. Sergey Brin, the second founder, will serve as president. Eric Schmidt will be executive chairman, a position he already held at Google. The company is publicly traded, instead of the previous one.
Sundar Pichai, New Patron Of Google
"Alphabet is a collection of companies", Page says in a message posted on the official Google blog. "Google is the largest. But this new Google will be alleviated. Remote Internet companies of our main products are now grouped in Alphabet. "Concretely, this means a clear separation between the business heart of Google and all supplemental projects. This is Google X (futuristic projects), Calico (health), Sidewalk Labs (city logistics), Nest (connected objects) Fiber (fiber) and Google and Google Ventures Capital (investment).
The new Google retain search engine, advertising activities, the YouTube video platform, the mobile operating system Android, the Maps mapping, Gmail and other Internet services and mobile applications. The subsidiary will also have a new CEO: Sundar Pichai, the rising star of the company. Head of Android and the Chrome Web browser, he was appointed last year vice president for products. For many observers, it had thus become the number two of the company.
Berkshire Hathaway As Model
"I am very lucky to have such a talented person than him to lead the new Google", says Mr. Page in his message. "This will allow me to free up time," he continues. "He was already somewhat involved in the management of traditional activities of Google," recalls Brian Wieser, Pivotal Research analyst. But Larry Page still want more concentrate on the vision and projects in the very long term business. "Technology should deal with difficult jobs to allow people to do things that make them truly happy," he summed up in 2013.
By creating Alphabet, it completes the transformation of Google beyond search online. It also reproduces the model of Berkshire Hathaway, the company led by US billionaire Warren Buffett that he considers as an example. The group of Mountain View "is no longer just a business but a conglomerate," said Dawson in January, the firm Jackdaw Research. This should allow the respective companies to be independent of all others. Each entity is autonomous and under the responsibility of a Director General with enlarged powers.
Objective: to better innovate.
This entry was posted in New Technologies, Online marketing, Search Engine Optimization and tagged web, web design mauritius, web development, web mauritius, web news, web updates on August 18, 2015 by admin.


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Please click here for Important Information regarding the current COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak.
The Hexagon is a multi-purpose entertainment venue in the heart of Reading, hosting an eclectic mix of entertainers from big name Comedians, Spectacular Musicals, Children's Shows, Classical Concerts, Opera, Pantomime, Theatre, Dance and everything in between.
Built in 1977 by Robert Matthew Johnson Marshall (RMJM) in the Brutalist style of modernist architecture, the venue's capacity varies from 1,200 to 1,686 depending on the programme.
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The Hexagon is closed to personal callers until further notice.
The Box Office phone lines 0118 9606060 are open Mon-Fri 10am-4pm (availability may vary when shows are on)
Please email if you can - boxoffice@reading.gov.uk
Use the Reading Buses Journey Planner to find your best route into the town centre.
@readingartsandvenues
@Thehexagon
Whats On Food And Drink Your Visit Access Information ♿ Reading Arts Membership Venue Hire Group Booking Job Vacancies Classical Music Alive 21-22
Please note that there will be very limited bar/cafe service available at the Hexagon for the foreseeable future. We recommend that refreshments are pre-ordered before the show. A full range of refreshments are available to pre-order and will be available at pick up points at the theatre. Drinks and refreshments can be added to your order at the checkout when booking tickets. We will inform bookers of this service before the show date.
Please note that alcohol sales are for over 18's only, you may be asked for ID and Reading Arts reserves the right to refuse service.
If you have already purchased your tickets you can add a pre-order up to 2 hours before the start of the performance by clicking the link on the event page. (This option will be available a few days before the event).
Please ensure that tickets and pre-orders are purchased with the same Reading Arts account.
You may cancel or amend an existing refreshment order up to 4 hours before the start of the performance.
Please email boxoffice@reading.gov.uk if you need to make any changes.
Please see our full Covid-19 theatre procedures and safety measures HERE.
The information below refers to 'normal' non-socially distanced events.
To ensure that you enjoy your time at The Hexagon as much as possible we have several food and drink areas available to you, selling everything from bottled and draught beers on our bars to hot meals and cakes on our Café to sweets, snacks and coffees on our Coffee Bar.
Please note that all hospitality areas will close on the 3 minute call before a show and re-open again at the interval.
Reading Arts Membership
Join Reading Arts Membership and get invites to exclusive events, priority booking and discounted tickets. Looking for South Street Membership?
Make Your Own Fitted Jacket
Irish Dance Classes for Children 4+ (Tuesdays)
7 Sep 2021-7 Sep 2022
Tuesday dance classes
11 Jan 2022-5 Apr 2022


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Wollaston's Dr Martens HQ welcomes Gregg Wallace inside the factory
Kettering DIY SOS Big Build gets under way for bereaved family - picture special
These are all 16 restaurants and takeaways in Kettering, Wellingborough and Corby with zero or one-star food hygiene ratings
These 16 restaurants and takeaways in Kettering, Wellingborough and Corby have all been given the either zero or one-star ratings by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
Friday, 27th July 2018, 5:20 pm
Updated Friday, 27th July 2018, 5:24 pm
This means that major or urgent improvement is needed due to the businesses failing to meet satisfactory standards at the time of the last published inspection.
A zero star rating means "urgent improvement necessary" while one star means "major improvement necessary".
How unhygienic does a food outlet need to be to get a zero-star rating?
From chip shops to Indian restaurants, cafes to hotels, every business serving food must be inspected by council officials – with each given a rating out of five for food hygiene.
Eateries are judged on three criteria:
How hygienically the food is handled – how it is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored.
The condition of the structure of the buildings – the cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation and other facilities
How the business manages and records what it does to make sure food is safe.
The scheme is run by local authorities in England, Northern Ireland and Wales in partnership with the Food Standards Agency.
What happens when a restaurant or takeaway gets a zero-star food hygiene rating?
The information published below is from the Food Standards Agency website and was correct at the time of publication.
For more information visit the Food Standards Agency website at www.food.gov.uk
Scroll down to read the full list of zero and one star rated businesses, or press control and F (ctrl+F) and enter the name of an eatery to check if it's in the list.
The full list of one star ratings (major improvement necessary):
Cafe Amore (Restaurant) - 12 Lower Street, Kettering, NN16 8DH - rated one on 03 January 2018
Kickin Kebab (Restaurant) - 15c Silver Street, Kettering, NN16 0BN - rated one on 13 June 2017
Poppies Cafe & Restaurant (Restaurant) - 28 Montagu Street, Kettering, NN16 8RU - rated 1 on 17 October 2017
The full list of zero star ratings (urgent improvement necessary):
Okra Indian Takeaway Limited (Takeaway) - 21 High Street, Bozeat, Wellingborough, NN29 7NF - rated zero 15 December 2017
Cambridge Grill (Takeaway) - 37A Cambridge Street, Wellingborough, NN8 1DW, - rated 1 on 02 October 2017
Chicken Town (Takeaway) - 11B Silver Street, Wellingborough, NN8 1BQ - rated 1 on 23 June 2017
Flames Kebab And Pizza (Takeaway) - 47 Midland Road, Wellingborough, NN8 1HF - rated 1 on 24 August 2017
Kun Yi House (Takeaway) - 26 Swinburne Road, Wellingborough, NN8 3RW - rated 1 on 28 March 2018
Akash Tandoori (Restaurant) - 36 Cambridge Street, Wellingborough, NN8 1DW - rated 1 on 19 July 2017
Cafe Aroma (Restaurant) - 22A Market Street, Wellingborough, NN8 1AT - rated 1 on 18 December 2017
Taylor Shows And Events Limited (Restaurant) - Glebe Farm, 65 Harrold Road, Bozeat, Wellingborough, NN29 7LP - rated 1 on 09 August 2017
Zing Indo And Grill Restaurant (Restaurant) - 43 Cambridge Street, Wellingborough, NN8 1DW - rated 1 on 18 December 2017
Rockingham Fish And Chips (Restaurant) - 107 Rockingham Road, Corby, NN17 1JW - rated zero on 11 October 2017
Golden Chois (Restaurant) - 52 Burghley Drive, Corby, NN18 8EB - rated 1 on 12 February 2018
Incuisine (LPSC) (Restaurant) - Lodge Park Sports Centre, Shetland Way, Corby NN17 2SG - rated 1 on 17 October 2017
Oriental Fusions (Restaurant) - 97 Rockingham Road, Corby, NN17 1JW - rated 1 on 28 September 2017


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5 takeaways from HRE's What's Keeping HR Up at Night? research
After a year that saw ongoing turnover, a complex economic situation including record inflation and startlingly high levels of employee burnout and stress, it's no wonder that HR leaders are concerned. Exactly what is mostly capturing their attention? That's what HRE sought to find out in our annual What's Keeping HR Up at Night? survey.
Nearly 500 HR and technology professionals responded to the survey this fall, sharing the issues challenging their organizations' people functions and what they're doing to address them.
Here are a few of the most important themes we noticed in our research:
HR leaders are laser-focused on hiring and retention.
Given that 2022 saw an average of 4 million Americans voluntarily leave their jobs each month—and PwC estimated that about 20% of all workers would quit throughout the year—it's no surprise that HR professionals are concentrating on recruiting and retention, by far. In fact, more than 47% of respondents cited hiring and retaining key talent as their most pressing challenge, followed by improving company culture (18%) and learning and development (13%). When asked how they were spending their time, recruiting was the most-selected focus (32%), ahead of employee experience and leadership development; retention ranked sixth in this area.
Industry analyst and HRE columnist Josh Bersin—a keynote speaker at the upcoming HR Tech Virtual Conference, Feb. 28-March 2—says the push to prioritize hiring and retention is multi-pronged.
"Companies are transforming and creating new roles, most businesses are still growing despite the slowdown and the talent market is tight—people are having fewer children and a significant number of people have left the workforce," he says.
Given current conditions, HR stress is high. The pressure to maximize the potential of the people function, despite these challenges, is weighing on HR professionals. According to the survey, more than 29% of participants said their stress levels have increased dramatically in the last year, while 47% reported they've increased somewhat. Less than 4% said their stress has decreased dramatically or somewhat.
Ben Frasier, vice president of HR at Billings Clinic, recently wrote that the crisis of HR burnout has been a long time coming. After all, in the last three years, HR was tasked with heading up COVID crisis plans, delivering pandemic-related layoff news, managing shifts to remote and hybrid work, managing changing health guidance and, more recently, struggling to combat pandemic-driven waves of "quiet quitting" and turnover.
"Companies need to recognize that their HR staff are vulnerable," he says—not only to resigning but to the physical and mental health impacts of long-term stress. To be proactive about addressing HR burnout, Frasier suggests company leaders ensure HR has a seat at the table, invest in wellness programs and prioritize flexibility.
"The HR crisis is yet another casualty of the pandemic," he says, "but also offers an opportunity for organizations to rethink their values and the way their work environment and policies affect their employees."
Culture is a growing focus. More than 18% of survey respondents selected improving company culture as a top challenge, with only recruiting and retention being more of a priority. That represents a significant jump from the 2021 survey, when it ranked fourth.
Bersin says the emphasis on culture goes hand in hand with HR's hiring and recruiting challenges, along with rising levels of employee burnout.
"Mercer research shows that 81% of employees are 'burned out,' " he notes. "These employees are at risk of leaving, quietly quitting or just working unproductively. Companies are desperate to get people aligned, engaged and productive even as the economy slows."
HR is eager for more investment in tech. According to the survey, the most important workforce/HR technologies being used by respondents are HRIS (44%); core HR, including payroll, time and attendance and benefits enrollment (42%); and learning and development, including LMS, upskilling, reskilling training and coaching (28%). But, HR leaders want to do more with their tech.
When asked about the technology their organizations are most in need of right now, most pointed to L&D tools, followed by people analytics and performance management. Yet, HR professionals are not optimistic about actually being able to access such solutions. Almost 84% said they either wouldn't have the budget to invest in those needs in 2023, or they weren't sure.
This comes amid a new report from McLean & Company that found "significant lags" in HR digitization, with nearly 40% of HR professionals surveyed citing insufficient budgets for the delay. Yet, the report authors wrote, the benefits of HR digital transformation should move leadership to allocate more funding for innovation.
See also: AI and virtual care will be HR tech priorities in 2023
"[HR tech advancement fuels] a more effective and strategic HR department," they wrote, "equipped with the ability to make data-driven decisions."
L&D is having its moment. Throughout the What's Keeping HR Up at Night? survey, respondents pointed to their rising reliance on learning and development to meet today's talent challenges.
For instance, in addition to participants ranking L&D tech top on their wish list, L&D ranked third—after recruiting/retention and improving culture—among the challenges facing today's HR leaders. When it comes to how HR leaders are spending their time, most are focused on recruiting, followed by employee experience and L&D. But, many feel strapped for resources in this area: Nearly half said their HR departments weren't adequately staffed, and the L&D function ranked second (only after general HR) for where participants would like to see more staff added.
The heightened focus on L&D is something the Josh Bersin Academy has also seen through its research, Bersin says. Today's HR leaders aren't just, however, looking for the traditional training programs; they want to tap into offerings like capability academies and talent marketplaces to promote employee growth.
"Providing ongoing training programs is no longer enough," he says. "Companies want their L&D departments to be laser-focused on the key areas of business need. Our research shows that L&D departments that focus on employee growth are seeing four to five times higher employee engagement than their peers."
Talent ManagementCareer DevelopmentCompany cultureHR TechnologyDigital transformationEmployee BenefitsEmployee engagementEmployee experienceLeadershipFuture-ready workforceHR strategyLearning and developmentRecruitingReskilling/upskillingRetentionWork-life balance


The deadline was 30th July 2015 and it is over. University Grants Commission (UGC) wanted the Vice-chancellors of all the Universities in India to send in their 'action taken report' on its directions to scrap animal dissections and the guidelines for experimentation on animals are followed diligently.
All Institutions of Higher Education to strictly adhere to the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
All Institutions of Higher Education to constitute "Dissection Monitoring Committees" (DMC) to look into the use of animals, and UGC to provide guidelines for the same.
For both UG and PG programs, there shall be reduction in the number of animals for dissection and experimentation as well as in the number of species with all ethical considerations. Preference shall be given to laboratory bred animal models.
For UG: 'Only one species' to be adopted for 'demonstration only' by the faculty and 'students should not do any dissection'. For PG: Students shall have the option to perform dissection of 'selected species' as per the curriculum or to have a project related to biodiversity/ biosystematics, etc.
Human Resource Development through training programs towards adopting alternative modalities for animal dissection.
Software development for alternative modalities for animal dissection, experimentation and dissemination.
This decision of the UGC followed its own instructions on partial ban on dissection issued in 2011 and in line with the directive of the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2012. The instructions came into force immediately on issuance. Regarding the use of animals for research purposes, the UGC directed that ' the animals used in research should be procured from laboratory bred sources and removal of animals from their natural habitats should be avoided'.
It also said that all institutions should constitute 'Dissections Monitoring Committees' to ensure strict compliance of the instructions. All the institutions were to register themselves online with the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiment on Animals (CPCSEA), a statutory body of the ministry of environment which was established for the prevention of cruelty to animals.
About 1544 educational institutions and research units have registered with the CPCSEA . The directives given by the UGC with the objective of stopping cruelty to animals in higher education institutions is a well informed decision in the wake of repeated complaints received lately on account of non-compliance. This latest action will pave the way for a different educational system in India by resorting to non-animal methods of teaching as a better alternative.
Animal Welfare activist groups welcomed the new directions of the UGC. They also demand speedy implementation of the directions and urge that all the educational institutions follow suit. The UGC ban on dissection of animals in college laboratories hasn't gone down well with the scientific community. Many are of the view that life sciences courses and research will not be complete without the dissections of animals wherever they are warranted.
Many veterinary science students in India are reportedly of the view that "the move will ultimately hamper their ability to treat animals. The students are of the view that they are not using animals illegally or for personal benefit but for the cause of veterinary science which prevents animal deaths". (Times of India, 8 August 2014). Animal use resulting in harm or death has historically played an integral role in veterinary education, in disciplines such as anatomy, surgery, physiology, biochemistry, anatomy, pharmacology, and most importantly surgery.
Some studies on use of animals for dissection differ in findings. According to them, dissections of animals have negative psychological effects on students. The current trends show that the educators and students prefer cruelty-free science classes. Laboratory experiments with domesticated animals are also on the decline.
There is a rapid increase in the availability of humane alternatives, as ethically-sourced cadavers, preserved specimens, computer simulations, videos, models, 3D dissection software programmes and surgical simulators. These alternatives can save substantial numbers of animal lives. The non-animal-alternatives are gaining popularity as the institutions find that the animals no longer required for practical sessions. The use of animals in graduate education has dramatically declined over the past few decades, Many medical and veterinary institutions in US have resorted to new alternative tools and methods and alternative. Tufts University Veterinary School was the first of its kind to stop using animals for classes and resorting to alternative methods. Now 25 veterinary schools in the US out of 28, use humane alternatives for their courses.
Educators and students in veterinary science in India should lead the new movement and become role models to other institutions in life sciences: as they are the people who pledged to protect the animal health and welfare, to prevent and relieve of animal suffering and to conserve animal resources.


When we speak of righteous living many say, "No one is good but God. We can't claim to be good or righteous" And in the natural man that is true. However, when we are saved, we begin a life of righteousness. Satan has worked an evil deception on many loving and sincere children of God. He has made them feel so unworthy that they are not able to even attempt to live a victorious Christian life. They are confronted with petty sins that they have no strength to overcome. Satan tells them they are no good. When they do struggle to a small victory, Satan raises up and tells them again that they can't hope to continue overcoming because they are no good, unworthy. So they struggle on through life, loving the Savior, but never understanding the fullness of what He has come to give them.
The account of the Prodigal Son beautifully illustrates the Father's actions in our life when we turn from our sinful life. The son returned and said, "I've sinned and I'm not worthy to be called thy son." That describes the sinner's attitude beflre God. Then we see the Father's response to that repentence. He raised him up and made him worthy of being His Son. He does the same for us and the stain of unworthiness is wiped away.
The King of glory, Jesus Christ, comes in and changes the unworthy sinner, making him part of a chosen nation. (… ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; I Peter 2:9) But satan would like to diminish this experience; He operates through oppression and condemnation. As long as we are feeling useless, worthless, no good, we cannot triumph through Christ. Nor can we be an effective witness for Him. But , thank the Lord, He puts His strength and goodness within us and makes us worthy. He changes us and produces a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; I Peter 2:9 That doesn't describe a useless, unworthy, no good individual. We were at one time truly useless and unworthy in our sins, but His saving grace changes us. This experience produces a different people, a people full of love and concern for others, a people full of contentment and joy.


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The Town Park is located in one of the most historic areas of Mullingar. The River Brosna which flows through the western side of the Park is the reason there is a town of Mullingar at all. The Anglo-Normans chose to settle here because of the existence of the Brosna. At that time, it was easier to travel across Ireland by water than by land. Originally the river flowed through what is now the centre of the park where the pond is.
Mullingar Town Park is a public park located in the town centre. The park includes a great childrens playground, a swimming pool, walking trails and a large pond near the centre. This park is one of 22 public spaces in Ireland to be awarded a Green Flag, an award that recognises park's that are managed in an environmentally sustainable way. The town park opened in the 1960s and has been enhanced over the years - a skateboard park and free wifi are the latest additions to the park's amenities.
Address: Pearse St, Westmeath
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Dana White Gives Claressa Shields Update, Cyborg Says She'll Help Her
18th January 2020 18th January 2020 Leon Jennings
Despite the sceptics among the MMA community, Claressa Shields remains serious about making a switch from boxing to MMA. So much so that talks have began between her and the UFC president, Dana White.
Since challenging Amanda Nunes to a boxing contest last July, Shields has stated on numerous occasions that she intends to switch to MMA. Towards the end of last year, the two time Olympic gold medalist boxer declared that she would make her MMA debut in 2020. She was then invited to UFC 245 by Dana.
Then earlier this month, Shields said that she planned to train with Jon Jones at JacksonWink MMA Academy. With the 24 year old appearing to be getting more and more serious about making the switch, Dana gave an update, whilst talking to TSN's Aaron Bronsteter ahead of UFC 246.
"Listen, you don't have to be a genius to put the pieces of that puzzle together. Claressa Shields was here, her and I met, she came to the fight. And we've obviously been talking back-and-forth. She wants to get into MMA, I'm getting into boxing. I bet people would like to watch that fight."
But while all the talk has been on making Shields vs Nunes, Claressa's friend Cris Cyborg, has said that she would like to see her ease her way into MMA.
"If it was my athlete, I would make some fights in MMA first," Cyborg told MMA Fighting, when discussing Shields.
Although Cyborg is advicing Shields to bide her time, the former UFC featherweight champion believes that she can achieve great things in the sport, and said that if she can help, she will.
"I think with everything, she can be great. And people are going to love her, too. If I'm able to help her – if I have the opportunity – for sure.
"I think we need to see how fast she can catch [on to] stuff. If we train together, how she practices and how fast she gets it. But young kids learn it very fast. She can use her boxing, which is amazing. She just needs some details and learn her jiu-jitsu and wrestling."
Shields isn't the only boxer with aspirations of conquering the MMA world. Over the last few months, the lineal heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury, has expressed his desire to switch to MMA, and has even trained with UFC middleweight contender, Darren Till.
As for Shields, Cyborg believes that if she wants to become a two sport world champion, then she should follow her dreams.
"A young girl likes to do what she wants, and if [Shields] wants to fight Amanda and beat her, she should follow her heart and do her best."
Shields is the current WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO and The Ring middleweight, and WBC and WBO light middleweight world champion. And remains unbeaten in her professional career. Speaking to ESPN, her manager Mark Taffet said that while his fighter is serious about competing in MMA, it doesn't necessarily mean that she will stop boxing.
"There hasn't been a conversation about moving full time. It's all been a discussion about being the next great two-sport athlete," Taffet said.
'T-Rex' said earlier this month that she had began a little bit of MMA training. Now according to Taffet, the next step is to find the right team to help her reach her new goals.
"She got her feet wet athletically, her toe in the water athletically. The next step for us would be to look at a few different trainers and coaches and speak to them and then decide who an appropriate coach and trainer would be and then make a plan for her to begin training while she continues to blaze trails in boxing."
Although Shields has not set herself a timescale, Taffet stated that she intends to make her MMA debut this year.
"Claressa doesn't put timetables on it because she is carefully and rigorously investigating all aspects of the sport and the organisations. But we would like to do something in the cage at the end of 2020 or surely within twelve months."
Do you think Claressa Shields can be successful in MMA?
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Tagged: Amanda Nunes, Claressa Shields, Cris Cyborg, Dana White, Jackson-Wink MMA Academy, Jon Jones, Mark Taffet, Tyson Fury, UFC
Danny Kingad Knows The Filipino Crowd Will Bring Out The Best In Him
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Energy & Waste Management
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Industrial ComplianceNews
Survey reveals 71 per cent of UK workers feel unsafe in buildings
Published: 13 January 2021 - Victoria White
Honeywell today released the results of a comprehensive study on workers' perceptions and feelings on the health and safety of their workplace. Conducted by Wakefield Research, the study surveyed 500 workers that typically work in buildings with 500 or more employees across the United Kingdom and was part of a global study of 2,000 workers in a total of four markets.
The findings show that a staggering majority of the UK workforce (71%) does not feel completely safe working in their employer's buildings. This number is even higher for remote workers (78%), who are especially sceptical about the safety of work sites. In fact, almost a quarter of remote workers globally (23%) would look for a new job rather than return to a site that did not implement necessary safety measures, (22% in the UK). Furthermore, only 35% of workers in the UK have received safety training from building management, compared to 41% globally.
"Workers are keenly attuned to the steps employers are taking to make their workspaces safer and healthier, especially when it comes to air quality and adherence to safety guidelines, which wasn't previously a concern for some people," said Vimal Kapur, president and chief executive officer of Honeywell Building Technologies. "Air quality, for example, is not something that will be dismissed once we're on the other side of this pandemic. It will be essential to the occupant experience, and good air quality will help make workers feel more comfortable as they return back to their offices."
The surveyed workers in the UK are equally concerned about COVID-19 transmission through the air (49%) and through contact with a surface (51%). Their level of concern for surface transfer is significantly higher than that of workers globally (44%). In terms of what poses a bigger threat to their safety, 62% point to co-workers not following safety guidelines and 38% note outdated ventilation systems.
Over half (62%) of surveyed UK workers believe that building management is more likely to make short-term changes in response to COVID-19 rather than make long-term investments in building systems needed to keep them safe. Surveyed workers are most worried that building management will not consistently enforce health and safety guidelines (43%), followed by worry that they won't consistently invest in new technology to make working in-person safer (28%).
"Many facilities have made changes to their procedures but have not invested in the building itself – and their occupants have noticed," Kapur said. "Workers are going to demand more from buildings in the future, and we're even seeing with these survey results that creating a healthier and safer environment will be a differentiator for staff retention and recruiting, and it may also impact long-term real estate value."
To return to work and feel safer, UK surveyed workers view health safety protocols such as social distancing or mandatory masks as most critical (51%), yet only 55% of those working on-site have seen such updates happen. Other top health and safety measures that surveyed workers want include protocols such as temperature checks (45%), enhanced cleaning procedures (41%), touchless door entries (33%), updated air quality systems (28%) and technology for contact tracing (23%).
Honeywell's Healthy Buildings solutions help building owners improve their building environments, operate more cleanly and safely, comply with social distancing policies, and help reassure occupant safety. By integrating air quality, safety and security technologies along with advanced analytics, Honeywell's Healthy Buildings solutions are designed to help reduce potential risks of contamination and improve business continuity by monitoring both the building environment and building occupants' behaviours.
Source: Industrial Compliance


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Q: What statistical model is used to calculate the test results for GWO? Google Website Optimizer (GWO) is a tool provided by Google to do A/B and MVT experiments on websites.
This has been an unanswered question for a long time so I thought I'd ask it here and see if I can get any help. Here is some documentation (clues) that Google has published about the statistics used:

*

*All about statistics

*Fractional versus Full Factorial analysis
Example Data (summary pdf):

*

*XML

*CSV
I (as well as many others) are interested in discovering the math used by Google, because no one has been able to reproduce their calculations yet.
Thank you in advance for any help that you can provide.

A: It sounds like they simply use Choice Modeling. You would use conditional logistic regression to analyze it.
The people from JMP (SAS) have a nice (free) book about Design of Experiments and Choice Modeling.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Home TV Show News and Interviews Champions League Group Stage: Full Draw At A Glance
Champions League Group Stage: Full Draw At A Glance
A look at the draw for the Champions League group stage, with four English clubs vying for glory. Liverpool will begin their defence in Group E against Napoli, Salzburg and Genk. Manchester City face a trip to Shakhtar Donetsk for the third consecutive season. Chelsea return to Europe's premier competition by being pitted against Ajax and Tottenham face tough clashes against Bayern Munich in Group B.


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Home / Jobseekers / Childcare
Start of term to be delayed in England
The Government has announced a two-week delay in the return to school for most pupils in England.
Review of 2020 part three
The Education Secretary has announced that the majority of secondary school children in England will have an extended Christmas holiday, with only vulnerable children and those of key workers returning next week for face-to-face education.
Young people doing A Levels and GCSEs will have remote teaching for the first week of term to allow for testing and will return in the week of 11th. Other pupils will return in the week of 18th January to give schools the time to implement mass testing of pupils, supported by army advisers.
Primary school children will mainly return as normal, but in areas of high infection [but not all those in tier four] they will work remotely for the first two weeks. Those areas include London boroughs, large parts of Essex and Kent, parts of East Sussex and Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes. Vulnerable children and those of key workers will return as normal.
To support remote education and online learning during this period, the Government says it expects to deliver more than 50,000 additional devices to schools across the country on 4th January, and over 100,000 altogether during the first week of term. This programme is now being extended to include students aged 16-19 in colleges and schools.
The announcement by Education Secretary Gavin Williamson follows news that more areas of England will enter tier 4. In Scotland the school term begins on 11th January, with remote learning until at least 18th January. In Wales, it will be remote learning for most schools until the week of the 11th January with the rest being back to face-to-face teaching by 18th. In Northern Ireland, all schools will return at the start of term, but years eight to 10 will move to remote teaching from 25th January for at least two weeks.
Meanwhile, the Early Years Alliance criticised the lack of any mention of childcare providers in Williamson's statement.
Neil Leitch, Early Years Alliance chief executive, said: "While we note that newly-published DfE guidance confirms that childcare providers in the worst affected areas of the county are able to remain open as of next week, it beggars belief that during today's critical statement to the House of Commons, the education secretary didn't even bother to mention the early years sector once.
"Absolutely no information has been given as to the scientific basis for this decision, or why it has been deemed safe for nurseries and childminders to remain open, but not primary schools. This is something the education secretary could and should have taken the opportunity to provide during today's announcement."
Mandy Garner
How to homework and homeschool and stay sane
How do you work from home with children around you? It's a question many people are...read more
Review of 2020 part two


The 16-bit era saw the release of plenty of games that would go on to be considered all-time classics, whilst others are remembered for being just plain bad. Unfortunately, 1994's Shaq Fu – a 2D beat 'em up published by EA – falls squarely into the latter category. Flash forward some twenty-odd years and, thanks to a successful campaign on crowdfunding site Indiegogo, the game's spiritual successor makes its way to all major platforms in the form of a side-scrolling brawler subtitled A Legend Reborn.
The game's opening cutscene recaps basketball megastar Shaq's fictional backstory: found abandoned in a handbag on the shores of a Chinese village. Growing up Shaq is teased by the other children for his size and is taken under the wing of kung-fu master Ye Ye and is trained in the ancient Chinese art of self-defence. Following an attack on his village and the death of his mentor, Shaq sets out on a quest to avenge his master and learn the secret of his abandonment; in order to do so, he must vanquish a cabal of six evil celebrities.
Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn is set across six different stages, each one with their own distinct look. From Shaq's village of Hung Low to Los Angeles to Fiji, each stage is well presented with lots of detail in both the foreground and background. The story is told with tongue firmly in cheek, with plenty of humorous lines and sight gags.
Cutscenes throughout the game are stylised to resemble an Anime cartoon, which suits the theme well. Shaq looks like a younger version of the man himself, with the celebrities also looking like their real-life counterparts (though I'll touch on this in a little more detail later in the review). The in-game dialogue is over the top in keeping with the cartoony vibe, with the big man himself lending his own voice to proceedings. Music in-game is a constant hip-hop beat, and being a nerd for all things connected with basketball in the mid-90's, can confirm the tracks are mixes that include some of Shaq's rap back catalogue.
As one would expect from a side-scrolling brawler, Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn is a button-bashing affair, with waves of enemies attacking Shaq from all sides. Combos can be chained together by pressing the same button over and over, culminating in a final big move (whereupon the camera zooms in to capture the action in more detail). These combos also build a special attack meter, which can, in turn, be used to deal more damage to any nearby enemies.
Should Shaq's health begin to run low, green orbs left by fallen enemies or by destroying crates and barrels dotted along the path can be absorbed to replenish his health bar. Certain environmental objects such as kegs and street signs can be used as melee weapons for a limited amount of time. Shaq can also pick up power armour, which gives him semi-invulnerability and increased punching power.
The enemies are varied, from lower order fodder that can be quickly despatched to stronger tank-like brutes and ranged attackers that hurl missiles toward Shaq. The stronger enemies often require different methods other than straight up button bashing to overcome them. I found that it was best to deal with the specialised enemies first, with the basic enemies less of a concern (as they deal less damage), swatting at them occasionally to keep them at bay whilst I focussed on their stronger cohorts.
As with the majority of side-scrolling brawlers, the end of each stage is bookended with a boss fight, which in Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn's case, comes in the form of a "douchebag" celebrity. Obviously wanting to avoid any legal issues the developer has changed their names, though it's instantly apparent who the celebrity is supposed to be. The bosses will attack in a certain pattern, with a certain degree of strategy required in order to overcome them; in fact, one of the battles involves a Dance Dance Revolution-style rhythm sequence, which caught me a little off guard.
Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn is a great improvement on its ancestor; however, the game does have its own set of issues. The most obvious flaw is mainly down to the genre itself, as side-scrolling button bashers quickly become repetitive. It quickly becomes apparent that enemies are a palette swap of ones seen in earlier stages of the game, reskinned to suit the current theme. Shaq Fu's humour comes off as forced at times and can be a tad sophomoric, relying on material that may easily offend certain players.
There are also some collision detection issues, especially when the camera zooms in to capture a combo finisher, with Shaq or the enemies' limbs disappearing completely into the floor or background. Also, the button mapping on the Switch version is a little odd, with the jump button (a necessity in stages where constant movement is required) assigned to X, which felt really awkward. My final grumble is that the game doesn't actually take all that long to complete and having completed the game there's very little in the way of replay value.
Whilst Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn does help to erase some of the mistakes of the past, it will only appeal to nostalgia nuts like me who played the original, or fans of side scrolling beat em ups. Don't get me wrong, I personally found the game to be a short-term blast, but I have to be critical and admit that not everyone will appreciate the game's humour or will be willing to overlook its repetitiveness. So, unless you're old enough to have played the original or just dig button bashers, keep your money in your wallet.
This review is based on playing the Nintendo Switch version of Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn that was kindly provided for review purposes by Wired Productions.


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Chicago Bears receiver involved in car crash
November 8, 2010 | By Dave Abels
Wide receiver Earl Bennett of the Chicago Bears is reportedly thankful to be alive after being involved in an Illinois auto accident early Monday morning, according to ESPN. He is reportedly "okay" after being rear-ended on the Ohio Street feeder ramp just after midnight.
Bennett was driving a 1973 Chevy Impala when he was rear-ended by 1998 Pontiac Sunfire. There may have been one other passenger in the Impala whose name has not been reported, although it is being speculated that it is another Bears player. After the impact both vehicles slammed into a wall on the highway.
The Illinois state police responded to the scene of the accident, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The at fault driver was ticketed for driving on a suspended or revoked license and for failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident. No injuries have been reported so far due to the accident.
Updated: November 8, 2010 4:12 pm


[Sample Of May. 12] How to Resize WPF panel on Runtime.
[Sample Of Nov. 28] How to Resize WPF panel on Runtime.
[Sample Of Nov. 12] How to Resize WPF panel on Runtime.
Sep. 26 Sample : http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/How-to-Edit-XPS-file-in-WPF-37c5ebd0 An XPS document is a paginated set of related pages. The pages have a fixed layout, are organized into one or more fixed documents, and stored according to the Open Packaging Conventions. This document and the attached code sample demonstrate how we can edit the text in XPS document programmatically….
Sep. 15 Sample : http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/How-to-Edit-XPS-file-in-WPF-37c5ebd0 An XPS document is a paginated set of related pages. The pages have a fixed layout, are organized into one or more fixed documents, and stored according to the Open Packaging Conventions. This document and the attached code sample demonstrate how we can edit the text in XPS document programmatically….