text:
No F*cking Around at State Department
March 2, 2012 // 4 Comments »
The March 2012 edition of the Foreign Service Journal on page 42 reports that the State Department has proposed to discipline a handful of employees for off duty conduct– extra-marital affairs between consenting adults. The article notes that the State Department has never formally notified its employees that, "depending on the number of partners, it views such behavior as 'notoriously disgraceful conduct.'"
There are so many questions with this one, who knows where to start?
Assuming State Department people are randy in equal proportion to normal people, a lot of diplomats will be needing stern discipline. According to the Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy, approximately 50 percent married women and 60 percent of married men will have an extramarital affair at some time in their marriage (some of whom are candidates for president). And since it is unlikely that the people having affairs are married to each other in every case, the current statistics on the percentage of married couples who cheat on each other means that someone is having an affair in nearly 80 percent of marriages.
What does State mean by "multiple partners?" Does that mean the to-be-disciplined diplomat had say, affairs with three mistresses over the course of three weekends, or does it mean that while 1:1 affairs are cool, group stuff is, um, undiplomatic?
Since State refuses to recognize same-sex marriages, substituting an awkward partner agreement of its own creation to avoid the nasty hypocrisy of an Administration that allows for partners abroad but won't rescind the Defense of Marriage Act at home, one presumes the naughty diplomats noted above are all heterosexuals. Does this mean gay dips are free to party? Is this a loop hole that needs to be filled by an ever-growing body of regulation?
If State is going to classify an affair by consenting adults as "notoriously disgraceful conduct," what else will they put on the list to clean up our embassies? What about other forms of sexual conduct between consenting adults? State should publish a highly-classified cable listing what the partner threshold actually is, and delineating what acts are allowed and which are punishable. The list may grant allowances for rank, i.e., just like Ambassadors get to fly Business Class and ship more household effects abroad, they should be allowed more leeway with interns and household help.
What about special rules for Diplomatic Security agents?
Will diplomats assigned to Japan have to ration their anime viewing?
But most important of all, given the pressing issues in the world in say Syria, North Korea and other places State is worked up over, why do they have time at Foggy Bottom to enforce morality rules like this?
Posted in Embassy/State


Scope Fluidics – a biotechnological company listed on NewConnect, owner of innovative medical diagnostics projects, has expanded its cooperation with its strategic M&A advisor – Clairfield Partners LLC. The advisory firm will support the Company in obtaining capital for the BacterOMIC system. The Company prefers a scenario in which it would attract a financial investor interested in taking up shares in its subsidiary company which directly manages the project.
The expansion of the cooperation agreement with the advisory firm is due to the acceleration of work on the BacterOMIC system. Clairfield's main task will be to identify potential investors who would be interested in joining the BacterOMIC project at its current stage of development. It is the Company's intention to obtain a part of the project financing (own contribution for the grant of ca. PLN 4 million) by way of the new investor taking up new shares in Company's subsidiary entity, Bacteromic Sp. z o.o. Scope Fluidics is planned to retain control over the subsidiary.
The need to raise additional capital for the BacterOMIC project at this stage is linked to the planned acceleration of the work schedule. The solution we are aiming for would be to attract a foreign investor who would acquire some of the shares directly in Bacteromic. In our opinion, thanks to this we could count not only on financing the development of the project, but also on the support in the process of its commercialization, says Szymon Ruta, Member of the Management Board and Chief Financial Officer of Scope Fluidics S.A.


text:
In praise of loooong games
In my previous post I reflected on 'the luxury of time': spending all day on a game at a more sedate pace than the usual time-pressured Monday night at the club. Since then I have enjoyed an epic three-day wargaming weekend, prompting me to ruminate at more length on the virtues of such long games.
The three battles we fought merit reporting in their own right, so let me start by doing that. First up, some exotic oriental action: the Battle of Tai'erzhuang (1938) from the Second Sino-Japanese War. I do love the esoteric corners of history and, at least for parochial Brits like me, this certainly counts as one of those. I knew of the battle but knew little about it. CB introduced the game by describing the political and military background, the events leading up to it, the armies, their weapons and commanders.
Chinese defenders were hidden in and around Tai'erzhuang (the town by the river). The first few Japanese invaders have emerged from the northern pass (bottom centre) and taken position on the hill above the town and in the village of Lan Ling.
This battle pitted two Japanese divisions against several times as many Chinese. CB 'bathtubbed' this, representing each division by a battalion, to turn it into a feasible scenario to fight with the O Group rules. No proxies today - he had painted up all the right troops and equipment. Some of the Chinese infantry had Chinese characters on their helmets. Japanese combat patrols were represented by standard-bearers flying the Rising Sun. As for the hardware, the Chinese had amphibious tankettes and Vickers light tanks in gorgeous 4-colour camo, while the Japanese had a nifty Ki-10 biplane, clumsy Type 89 tanks and - pièce de résistance - an SS-Ki flamethrower tank.
How it looks on the ground. A Type 89 nestles next to Lan Ling. Opposing Combat Patrols face off in the central no-man's-land. Ki-10 biplane loiters in the distance.
A couple of technical factors slowed the game down. This was only our second or third go with O Group, so unfamiliarity with the rules played a part. O Group is a one-activation-at-a-time set with provision for reactions by the non-phasing player, so really only one thing can happen on the table at a time. In any case, we were playing remotely with players in several locations, which necessarily hinders implementing multiple parallel actions. Consequently, after nine hours of play, the second Chinese battalion had arrived and was heavily engaged, but the second Japanese battalion was not even on the table yet. My first Japanese battalion was pretty much fought to a standstill and had no prospect of mounting any significant attack on the main objective, Tai'erzhuang.
Climax of the action. My SS-Ki does a terrifying 'warm-up act', wiping out a Chinese infantry company and their infantry gun dug in east of Tai'erzhuang. Plumes of smoke mark the devastation wrought by Japanese air strikes on Chinese columns in the open.
Regular readers might now be expecting me to whinge about playing only half a battle in the time in which we could have completed two BBB games. However, this was one of those that was more about the journey than the destination. The ruleset presented us with plenty of tricky tactical choices each turn - there were always more things we wanted to do than there were command points with which to do them. A patient and careful build-up and low-level initial skirmishing ratcheted up the tension as we fed more and more troops into the line. Then, when both sides went on the full attack - the Chinese reinforcements counterattacking from the west of the town while I sent in the flame tank and friends on the east - there was an explosive frenzy of firing dice, saving rolls, and accompanying groans of dismay or whoops of delight.
On to day two. This was supposed to be Waterloo, but a COVID-afflicted GM meant a hasty reshuffle of the schedule. Instead, I laid on a small BBB Hungary 1848 battle, Nagysalló. This is one of my mate Dave W's favourite scenarios and is the one I wrote up for Miniature Wargames in 2017. For background on the battle situation, see a previous AAR here.
Set-up positions: Austrians in the central village with two more brigades approaching along the roads from the left (south); Hungarians lined up ready to storm the village, with reserves behind them waiting to be unleashed to exploit success.
This is a small battle with about half a dozen units a side and lasting just eight turns. Face to face, with regular BBB players, we would rattle this off in two hours comfortably. Playing remotely, with rules-rusty players and no time pressure, we took all day. As Scott and CB knew nothing about the Hungarian War of Independence, I spent the first hour and a half just giving an outline of the course of the war, a more detailed account of the Spring Campaign in which this was the penultimate battle, and various discursions about commanders, armies, tactics, and situating the war in C19-C20 politics and history: the 1867 Compromise and 'hyphenation' of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the 50 'golden years' that followed until WWI, the patchwork of ethnic conflicts across eastern Europe ...
Major punch-up in the centre. The Polish Legion's red czapkas are about to assault disrupted Austrians unsuccessfully. In the woods, Dessewffy's hapless division has accumulated all the possible medals - white fluff = disrupted, black = spent, brown = low ammo, to add to the green counter for being fragile.
Once we got into the game, it was patient stuff. With small numbers of troops, every decision becomes important and every die roll matters. The guys mulled over their options. I lent advice from a rules perspective. When it came to combat, I have the charts in my head and could have resolved it for them in seconds, but they wanted to work through the calculations themselves, which obviously took longer.
As far as the course of the game was concerned, luck was against the Hungarians. The Austrians scored a couple of deadly hits with very high die rolls early on, which has a big impact in a small game. This was compounded by CB being less than fortunate with his reinforcement rolls, only getting one reinforcement into action before we finished. By contrast, Scott got exactly the right unit he needed (his cavalry) at exactly the right time to thwart CB's left hook that could otherwise easily have taken two unguarded objectives to achieve a draw. The end result was therefore a Hungarian defeat.
Game one was fought using Discord and game two via Zoom. For game three, Scott's naval battle, I had to have three laptops open: one on Discord, one on Roll20 (which allows hidden movement) and one just for all the charts and documentation.
Potential conflict zone: the Nicobar Islands. Grey boxes 'PRC TF' are my Chinese naval task forces; 'PRC Enemy' is detected opposition; the small hexagons E and 1 are neutrals.
Naval really isn't my thing. I don't do boats. My major objections are that absence of terrain makes tactical decisions much less complex and interesting, so they are essentially a dicefest, and that all the most interesting decisions happen at the campaign level rather than on the tactical tabletop. Scott's scenario addressed these objections most satisfactorily. We had terrain: the Nicobar Islands, over on the eastern edge of the Indian Ocean, where Thailand and Malaysia and Indonesia meet, near the Strait of Malacca. (Did you know the Nicobars were a Danish possession until they were sold to Britain in 1868? I didn't before this game.) The 'terrain' also included neutral vessels of various kinds, from cruise liners to freighters to a Russian spy trawler and a US warship. It was a campaign situation rather than a straight fight, an imaginary diplomatic confrontation between India (which administers the Nicobars these days) and China. Rob and I were on the Chinese side - him running the subs, me running the surface ships - trying to recover or, failing that, destroy a Chinese spy trawler that had gone missing among the islands. CB played the Indian navy, which of course turned out to have seized it, so the chilly diplomacy went hot.
Roll20 has a chat/whisper function that lets you talk to all players or just to the one you specify. As the exchange on right of screenshot shows, this was the point in the game where the Chinese marines had just choppered in and recaptured the trawler - but it wasn't over yet ...
The rules were from the venerable Task Force board wargame published over 40 years ago. Modern naval warfare is utterly technical, but TF makes this hideously complex business manageably simple enough to play. Of course, understanding your combat units' capabilities is still important, eg knowing which missiles have 2-hex range rather than 9. When matters came to a head and we were having to decide how many missiles to launch in each wave, and which vector they should arrive on, we needed a lot of handholding and walkthrough-talkthrough from our gamemaster. But that worked OK.
Anyway, most of the game was spent not shooting but just trying to find each other and not sink any neutrals by accident. The search rules are clever: an approximate detection tells you there is something in a 7-hex 'megahex', a significantly better die roll can tell you exactly where and what it is, and there is also the chance of a false report on a duff roll. Roll20 did a great job of the hidden movement and fog of war.
There were effectively four players: Indian, Chinese surface, Chinese subs, and neutrals, each with 3 or 4 task forces or commands. The player order varied randomly each turn. Each player activates a TF in turn until all have activated. Each TF rolls a die to see how many action points it gets, using these to move, fire, search, etc. Again, regular readers might expect me to complain here about only getting a quarter of the game. However, I found I had quite a lot to do, exchanging messages with Rob to report my locations and consult him about what we should do next, or responding to the GM asking me whether I wanted to shoot down a passing Indian helicopter. It was thoroughly absorbing. I wasn't able to stay right to the end, but we did manage to have a couple of reciprocal helicopter assaults on the trawler and a skirmish for control of it, before it was sunk in the subsequent major missile exchange.
Thus, after three marathon nine-hour remote online gaming sessions we had finished one game (the small BBB battle), sort of mostly finished another (the naval campaign) and half-finished another (the Sino-Japanese battle). But even though two of the three were inconclusive, I was left happy and satisfied and feeling this had been time well spent. Here are some of the reasons why, reasons which can be offered in praise of long games:
Learn more history! It was valuable having the time for full introductions to explain the historical context of the games. For many of us, learning about the history is a major part of the hobby, so acquiring this new knowledge was worthwhile in itself. Understanding the context also made the games themselves richer and more engaging.
Better aesthetics! For such a major event, GMs put extra effort into the troops and terrain and making the table look good. Even I broke out my nice Timecast roads instead of the functional felt ones. We took time out to admire each other's handiwork. CB's beautiful models were held up to the camera. I showed the guys Colin's handcrafted ship-mill.
More thoughtful play! We had the time to read scenario briefings thoroughly, to examine the situation from all angles, to consider our options and work out (hopefully) good plans. As the battle developed, we had the time to ponder before making decisions. (Except when CB's Indian admiral - an inspired creation - was telling us our Chinese helicopters had 30 seconds to turn away from Indian airspace or be shot down.) While there is something to be said for the Monday night adrenalin of having to crack on and make quick decisions, there is also something to be said for respecting and appreciating a finely crafted scenario, and for being able to engage in preliminary manoeuvring and preparatory fires, and for not having to launch a massed charge just because it is 9:30 and people want to finish in time to get to the pub.
It's about the journey, not the destination! In my usual BBB games the result does matter, and often much of the reward and excitement comes from the rush towards a tight finish. But in these epic games, although of course we were all trying to win, the fun was in all the decisions and incidents and episodes along the way. The Japanese flame tank's attack will live long in the memory, as will Scott's reportage of the skirmish on the trawler, and the Indian admiral's protestations at 'perilous and precarious' Chinese incursions.
Good times with good friends! Sometimes on a Monday night we are so efficiently focused on the game that the small talk is limited to a brief hello-how-are-ya at the start and a rushed goodbye at the end. In these long sessions with friends thousands of miles away there was time for interludes to freshen and empty glasses together, catch up on each others' real lives and families and mutual friends, and talk about things other than games. And good friends are even more important than good games.
On which note: until the next time, my good friends!
Labels: HQGE High Quality Gaming Experience, Reflections on wargaming
Steve J. 19 January 2022 at 07:27
I'm not sure I could cope with 3 back-to-back long games Chris, especially via Zoom which would certainly do my head in! When circumstances permit, a long days gaming with friends at a gentle pace with a convivial atmosphere is something to be savoured. Sadly real life means that this happens but a few times a year, but absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that.
A good mix of games on show and as you say, the journey is often as important, if not more so, than the destination.
ChrisBBB 19 January 2022 at 08:14
Yeah, I was surprised at my own stamina - at the end of the third game I had to drop out because it was midnight and I had to work next day, but otherwise I felt fit to fight and would have liked to carry on. I think it was because the pace was so relaxed compared with the usual more frenetic Monday night excitement.
Martin Rapier 19 January 2022 at 08:25
Your stamina to do a series of such long remote games is very impressive. Being stuck to a screen all day during lockdown is what wrecked my neck and shoulder.
The ability to consider and plan is a very good experience though. For our (much shorter) remote games we usually try and send the briefings out several days beforehand, so the player teams can do some pre planning, ask questions etc. They all said it enhances the experience, even if the actual remote f2f sessions are quite short. Being able to set everything up beforehand rather than lug it all to the club is also rather luxurious.
Indeed, there is a pleasure all of its own in meticulously setting up a table in my war room at home so that it faithfully represents a historical battlefield and looks good too. And I appreciate it when players take the trouble to read a scenario beforehand and turn up with a plan. (I've been guilty myself of turning up without one and paid the price - see my Gitschin AAR!)
Joseph.Cade 20 January 2022 at 21:59
Agree, if done well, I love long games. We used to put on 3 or 4 session long games with some large miniatures armies because we could keep the table set up in the basement.
Or once a year we can get up to 13 players (yep 13) for an all day Kingmaker marathon session plus we always finish it!
I'm torn. As the blog shows, I can enjoy a rich and absorbing long game. On the other hand, I've played enough games that were too long and dragged - dull scenarios, clunky rules, multi-player games with single activation where it seemed like you never got a go and when you did there wasn't anything interesting to do ... I guess short or long, a game needs to be designed well. Like your Kingmaker marathon, by the sound of it!
James Fisher 22 January 2022 at 01:20
I much, much prefer long, slow wargaming. For the reasons that you mentioned: more considered play, discussion of the game and related topics (some tangential ones too!) and just taking time to 'smell the roses'. My preference is to play a game over several sessions (having the luxury to leave it set up). I enjoy look at it, thinking through the 'what ifs' of future turns only to find it transpires nothing like that imagined!
Regards, James
Long and slow isn't always good, though. I have played 9-hour games inching incrementally forward that left me thinking they would have been much better distilled down into a 3-hour BBB game. That would have provided just as many interesting decisions, but in a more exciting way, and still had time for another two such interesting and exciting games in the other 6 hours. The opportunity cost of the wasted time can be frustrating.
I think that you missed my point, Chris.
It is that, related to your post, my preference (and I don't expect it to be yours or anyone else's) is to stage a game over several sessions, to take my time and 'enjoy the journey' as you mentioned above. It's the way that I came into wargaming, with a period in the middle of games constrained by a club evening (which I never really enjoying the same at all). Give me a weekend game or similar over several sessions anytime.
I do agree with you that quick or slow alone is not the determinant of quality. One needs good scenario design and rules that 'work', at whatever level one is seeking to achieve that.
I'm certainly keen to try your Bloody Big Battles, having recently expanded my interest in 'things Ottoman' to include the Russo-Turkish War of 1877. It will take me some time to get there though—painting is something else that I do slowly :)
Kind regards, James
No, I do take your point, James. Actually you make a good additional point about how, when a game is split over two or more sessions, you can have the pleasure of anticipation, reviewing the progress of your plan in the first session and contemplating options and hope and fears for the next.
I hope you do try BBB and like it. As this post showed, it is possible to take your time over a BBB game as well!
Skirmishcampaigns 22 January 2022 at 13:58
Thanks Chris - your after Action is epic! I look forward to our next "long" game!! Cheers, Scott
Cheers, Scott! Huge thanks (again) for making it happen!
Back in Bohemia: Trautenau (1866)
Hungary 1848 #12: Vác - a fighting withdrawal

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


A coroner has warned more deaths could occur at a mental health hospital where three people died from choking on food.
Ravi Sidhu has written to Prospect Park Hospital in Reading with concerns about staff communication, training, and the care of patients at risk of choking.
It comes after evidence in a patient's inquest raised "matters of concern".
The death of a mental health patient who choked on a McDonald's meal in an ambulance has been ruled accidental.
David Scales, 68, requested the food at Watford Gap services on the M1 in Northamptonshire, as he was taken from London to Leeds on 3 January 2017.
He fell unconscious and died on 11 January at Northampton General Hospital after a week in a coma.
A CQC inspector visiting an 'inadequate' Worcester care home had to intervene to prevent a potential "choking hazard" after a person with dementia was given a cake and tried to eat the paper packaging.
Inspectors said staff at Teme Court, in Old Road, Lower Wick, "didn't always protect people's right to dignity" citing an occasion when a resident's jumper had 'ridden up' exposing their body and staff had walked past them without offering to help.
A hospital where three patients died from choking-related incidents also dealt with three similar, but non-fatal, cases.
The deaths at Prospect Park Hospital in Reading were publicised following a watchdog inspection, but the trust has now confirmed the three further cases.
A man in a nursing home died after choking on a piece of bread given to him by a fellow resident, an inquest has heard.
The man, who was on a liquid-only diet, was seated at a table in the dining room where residents were having bread and tea.
Less than 5 months since it first saved a life in the UK, and under a year since it was launched in the UK, Dechoker has once again prevented another care home resident from a choking death.
Set in the beautiful yet somewhat remote rolling fields of the Essex countryside, Dudbrook Hall dates back to the 15th Century and provides care for the elderly, those with memory impairments and Dementia.
A three day inquest at Reading Town Hall has started into the death of Anne Roberts.
A mental health patient was warned to sit up moments before she choked to death on a slice of chocolate cake, an inquest has heard.
Dechoker are pleased to announce they have recorded their 5th life saved in the UK after their Airway-Clearance Device was called upon last week, this time at a Nursing Home in Oxfordshire.
As in all 4 previous cases, a piece of food had became stuck in a resident's airway and who was now rapidly turning blue.


text:
The Flavor Bible
Jim Clark, Holy Family School
Access to Healthy Foods, Community Involvement, Teamwork, Other
The entire student body at Holy Family School in Brillion, Wisconsin participated in many activities, per Fuel Up To Play 60. The main curriculum has been from the USDA. We have established a Walking Club, monitored food waste in the cafeteria, and taught units on nutrition at all grade levels. Probably the biggest success story in our quest for wellness was to put a cookbook together entitled "The Flavor Bible". Students and parents in the first through third grade health class compiled recipes that included all of the major food groups. The recipes ranged from appetizers to main entrees to dessert items. The recipes were compiled and put into a cookbook that the students and parents received. The project truly lived out our Mission as Holy Family School!.
Parents and students collaborated on a nutrition assignment compiling the recipes for The Flavor Bible. This was completed over a two week period with the communication to parents on an app entitled remind.com
The students have a thorough understanding of nutrition as they had to apply the major food groups to the recipes ranging from appetizers to main entrees to dessert items.
The biggest challenge was to allow enough time to complete the task. The students have health class only one time per week, so compiling the recipes, typing and putting pictures on the data and returning the assignments to me were big obstacles. With the emphatic support of everyone in the school grade community, we overcame the obstacles.


text:
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import java.math.BigDecimal;
import java.util.Date;
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	public List<Payment> getPaymentList() {
		return paymentList;
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	public void setPaymentList(List<Payment> paymentList) {
		this.paymentList = paymentList;
	}

	public List<Migs> getMigsList() {
		return migsList;
	}

	public void setMigsList(List<Migs> migsList) {
		this.migsList = migsList;
	}

	public List<RiskPoint> getRiskPointList() {
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	public void setRiskPointList(List<RiskPoint> riskPointList) {
		this.riskPointList = riskPointList;
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	public String getFraudDescription() {
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	public void setFraudDescription(String fraudDescription) {
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	public String getFraudReason() {
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	public String getFraudNotes() {
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	public void setFraudNotes(String fraudNotes) {
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	public List<RelatedOrder> getRelatedOrderList() {
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Search within THINK Blog
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Chasing the Sun with Cognitive Technology
October 1, 2015 | Written by: Steve Hamm
Categorized: Analytics | Big Data | Cognitive Computing | IBM Research | Smarter Planet
The University of Michigan's Aurum 2
By Steve Hamm
IBM Chief Storyteller
In the solar energy realm, nothing beats the drama and fun of the biennial Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, an 1800-mile race in solar-powered cars across the Australian outback. Teams from dozens of universities around the world compete for global bragging rights–combining precision teamwork with advances in software, electronics, materials and aerodynamic design.
For this year's race, which will take place October 18 to 25, there's an exciting new technology in play: cognitive computing. IBM Research scientists are collaborating with the University of Michigan's solar car team to provide solar forecasting technology they hope will give the team's car, Aurum, a decisive edge.
View our full coverage of the technology, the teams and the race here.
In the past, members of Michigan's team–like all the others–relied on weather reports or stuck their heads out the windows of support cars and stared at the sky, guessing at the size and motion of clouds, and instructing their drivers to speed up or slow down to avoid spending too much time in the shade. The practice is commonly called "cloud chasing," though "sun chasing" might be more apt.
Now, thanks to the work of IBM Research scientists, the University of Michigan team will have real-time forecasts telling them how to avoid clouds and longer-term forecasts that will help them make strategic decisions about how fast to go and when to stop to take advantage of the best recharging conditions. Counter intuitively, the Michigan team is actually hoping for rain during the last days of the race–figuring that they alone will have seen it coming in super-accurate detail and planned for it.
"We think this could be a critical factor in helping us finish the race first," says Leda Daehler, Strategy lead, University of Michigan Solar Car.
For IBM, the collaboration with the Michigan students is about more than just a solar car race. If our technology gives the team an edge, it will showcase the advantages that organizations of all types can gain from using cognitive technologies. Best known for their association with IBM's Watson, cognitive systems ingest vast quantities of information, understand it, learn from their interactions with data and humans, and interact with people in ways that are more natural to us.
Says Dario Gil, Vice President for Science & Technology at IBM Research: "Our role in this race represents IBM's commitment to creating technologies that can help individuals and organizations make better decisions–leading to running a business in a way that can transform industries."
In fact, IBM's solar forecasting technology was developed originally for the electric utility industry. These days, utility companies, energy producers or consumers are aggressively adding alternative energy sources to their systems, including solar and wind power. The problem is, solar and wind are intermittent and energy can't be stored at scale, so the utilities have to quickly change their supply mix when the wind shifts suddenly or the sun doesn't shine. It's a major headache. But accurately predicting the availability of solar and wind energy makes managing the grid much easier.
It's also critical, potentially, to the future of the planet. Being able to satisfy ever-larger slices of our energy needs with renewables will help us forestall the worst effects of climate change.
Through our work with the US Department of Energy's SunShot initiative, and, in collaboration with ISO-New England, a regional grid operator and other industrial partners, we have shown that our forecasting system can be 30 percent more accurate than other state-of-the-art approaches.
The forecast technology uses a combination of machine learning, big data analytics and mathematical modeling of complex weather systems. The system continuously monitors weather conditions and analyzes that data to forecast how much solar energy will be available at different locations and times.
One of the differentiating features of the IBM approach is that we incorporate a large number of weather and solar energy prediction models, which we blend to create a supermodel. Our "secret sauce" is the way we learn how to categorize different weather and climate situations so we can predict when various weather models may fail under certain circumstances. That helps us pick an optimal combination of weather models for particular locations.
The new dimension we added for the solar race was our real-time monitoring of weather conditions just ahead of the race car. We added GPS to the solar cameras we developed for the DOE and attached them to the top of a scout car that travels about 30 minutes ahead of Aurum. We capture information about the type, size, speed and direction of the clouds and combine it with weather modeling data and information about the location and speed of the racer, the battery charge levels, and other factors.
We mash together all this data, send it by satellite uplink to our computer system in the United States, analyze it, and send up-to-the minute advice to Michigan's race leaders. They make decisions and radio instructions to the driver.
During one of the mock races that the Michigan team conducted this summer, our forecasts for one and two days ahead diverged from those produced by one of the dominant weather models. And it turned out that ours were more accurate. That told our scientists–and the Michigan team–that our technology could indeed make a difference for them. "This is the kind of experience that convinces you that all your hard work is worthwhile," says Siyuan Lu, one of the IBM Research scientists responsible for developing the solar forecasting technology.
Steve Hamm
Bridgestone World Solar Challenge IBM University of Michigan
The Science of Selfies
A Major Advance in Nanotechnology Could Extend Moore's Law
Meet the Newest IBM Fellows
Since the first class of IBM Fellows in 1962, IBM has honored its top scientists, engineers and programmers, who are chosen for this distinction by the CEO. Among the best and brightest of IBM's global workforce are 12 new IBM Fellows who join 293 of their peers who have been so recognized over the last […]
How IBM is Advancing AI Once Again & Why it Matters to Your Business
There have been several seminal moments in the recent history of AI. In the mid-1990s, IBM created the Deep Blue system that played and beat world chess champion, Garry Kasparov in a live tournament. In 2011, we unveiled Watson, a natural language question and answering system, and put it on the hit television quiz show, […]
This Is Watson
Watson Anywhere: The Future
(Part 3 in a Series) There's a paradox in the world of AI: While it's the largest economic opportunity of our lifetime (estimated to contribute $16 trillion to GDP by 2030), enterprise adoption of AI was less than 4% in 2018. A recent Gartner survey said that the 4% in 2018 has now grown to […]


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Q: Number format with Eval in ASP.NET I would like to format this kind of number:
1234567.99 (obviously all thousands digits are optional)
In this way: 1.234.567,99
I know it is possible with Eval, but I didn't find an useful guide to do this.
Could you help me?
Thanks

A: There is an overload of Eval that takes three parameters (the link also contains a sample):

*

*Container

*Expression

*Format

For the format, you'd specify "{0:c}" or whatever format you like. For a list of the Standard Numeric Format Strings, see this link. If you want to specify your format with a custom format string, e.g. use "{0:#,##0.00}".

A: You can use the ToString() extension
var value = 1234567.99;
Console.WriteLine(value.ToString("C3", CultureInfo.CurrentCulture));

Or by stating your culture
Console.WriteLine(value.ToString("C3", CultureInfo.CreateSpecificCulture("sv-SE")));

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Manque Low Bet 1 - 18 Manque is French for "failed" and is used because the ball has failed to pass 18.
Passe High Bet 19 - 36 Passe is so named because it has "passed" the centrepoint.
Colonne Column Bet A column of twelve numbers The special square at the end of one of the three columns of twelve numbers.
An EGGcelent Game of Egg Roulette!
A fun way to get the party and entertaining started.
Give it a spin and let the wheel determine your fate.
Measures 11.5 inches in diameter, 1.5 inches tall.
Includes a game board, 16 shot glasses and 2 balls for 2-8 players.


As audience migration continues from linear TV to online video, "quality," in the traditional sense, is challenged. YouTube houses a full spectrum of quality—everything from multi-million dollar budget professional content to homegrown videos, shot on a smartphone, consisting of everything from how-to videos to cute puppy montages. So, who defines what quality is and what it is not? And, even once it's defined, how much does content quality factor into number of views?
ZEFR: We're living in a time when anyone can shoot a video and upload it for the world to see. However—as we both know—not all videos are created equally! How important do you think quality is when it comes to popularity and views?
Michael Law: People expect to have good quality content and that's being redefined everyday. There's still billions of dollars being invested in making professionally produced content, but then you've got this generation of people who can create a piece of content in 5 minutes on their phone. So, it's really in the eye of the beholder.
ZEFR: Yes, and as we saw in 2017, not only is content quality up for discussion but also brand safety. Do you see the focus on brand safety parlaying into brand relevance (or suitability) more this year?
ZEFR: If suitability at scale is the challenge, we believe content targeting is the solution. How would you describe the benefits you've experienced working with us?
ML: What we've really seen come to life from Zefr this year is the depth of data that can be provided. Because you're able to look at every single video, you can give us the viewpoint of what's coming in and then scale it. Whether it's suitability or brand safety, you make sure we're there.
ZEFR: Beyond brand safety and brand suitability – what's next?
ML: I think there's still work to be done – this is a never-ending conversation. We can't just say that we turned some dials, we changed the way we think about video safety and we solved it. There will be other issues and we'll have to keep facing them. As we think of building brands and plans from a product level up, we can't make one overarching strategy dictating what's suitable for every single brand. Every brand is so individual but when you think about people-based marketing and the attempt to make that one-on-one connection, suitability is only going to become more and more important.
Previous storyWho's Ready for Coachella 2018?


LCD, an acronym for Liquid Crystal Display revolutionized the modern display technology with its compactness and versatility. Today it is seen embedded in various electronic gadgets and devices like T.V., Computers, Laptops, Watches, etc. A Liquid crystal coating is the heart of the display which is sandwiched between two polarized glasses.
LCD's are available in various shapes and sizes depending on the configurations. A 16x2 LCD shown in the image below can display 32 characters with 16 characters in each row. It is capable to display any character with ASCII values ranging from 0 to 255.
In the backside of LCD, a PCB is attached which contains the required circuitry to process the signals. The key component of the circuitry is a controller and memory in the form of COB IC.
The display glass with the liquid crystal layer in between, on separating with the rest of the LCD structure is shown in the image above.
The above image shows a clear picture of the glass assembly with liquid crystal layer after removing the mechanical structure which is used to hold the glass. The lines on the corners of the glass are the electrodes used supply the necessary electric potential to the liquid crystals. Different layers of the LCD glass are shown in the following figure.
A liquid crystal cell is sandwiched between alignment layers, electrodes, glass plates and polarizers. The electrodes are used to apply voltage over the crystals.
There are two thin films of polarizer glued on both sides of the glass. The purpose of the polarizer is to allow the right amount of backlight to pass through it in order to have a proper display.
On breaking the display glass, two different layers of the glass are visible as shown in the above image. Amid of them there is a very thin layer of liquid crystals sandwiched between two electrodes.
This is part of the LCD module which comprises the control circuitry and a backlight LED. The control circuit sends the electrical signals to the electrodes inside the display unit through the pins indicated.
The above image shows the structure responsible for providing the necessary backlight. It contains an embedded LED.
In this LCD an LED embedded in a diffuser plate is used as a light source. The purpose of the diffuser plate is to uniformly distribute the light over the display area. Two white colored sheets are placed at the top and bottom of the diffuser plate. These sheets reflect the LED light back into the diffuser plate thereby preventing it to escape to the external environment.
Removing the backlight will not affect the functionalities of the LCD and it will continue to display the text but with lower visibility.
Two LCD silicon connectors are shown in the above image. The black strip on the connector bar is a conductor material that connects the electrodes on the LCD glass with the control circuit. It is more clearly visible in the below image.
Different segments on the bar work alike the different wires that are insulated with each other.
The liquid crystals used in the LCD are Twisted Nemantic (TN), a type of liquid crystals that are twisted at 90o with the surface. In this state, crystals allow the light to pass through the polarizer but on applying a voltage, they get untwisted and block the light to passing through the polarizer.
The LCD controller in the form of COB IC sends the electric signals to the electrodes which are sandwiched in between the glasses. Electrodes apply the voltage to the corresponding crystals as per the signals received from the ICs. These crystals are then untwisted and blocks the light (from LED strip) making those area darker on the glass. By applying voltage to specific crystals, a desired shape is formed on the LCD.
Hi. This and all articles are a real "Zoom In", it would be just great if you can place an everyday object near or above the device in the image, like a pencil or eraser etc, to get an idea of relative size of the device. May be you can hold it in your hand. Just to show the actual size of the devices. Thank you.
Mind Blowing Article! First time to see the internal structure of the LCD display.
simple-it is easy to understand with this super explanation.
very usefulll to alll others.thank u so much.
Beautiful mind in Engineers Garage....thums up!!! SHARING IS CARING!!!
I always refer this websites bcz it have depth details of all topic.


Welcome To Galaxy iTech SolutionsComplete CRM Software Solution.
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Galaxy iTech Solutions - A Complete Destination for CRM Software Solution.
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Web Portal Development, E-commerce Solution, Window Based Application, Notification Services, SMS Solution, HTML website, Logo design, Flash website, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Promotion are our other specialities. We also help development & design agencies and IT Companies with overflow work.
Software having all the information you know about your organisation, operations, customers, queries, inventories, products, MIS, Reports, leads, Contacts, emails you've exchanged, notes about your meetings in one place -- all accessible from anywhere with internet access, and shareable within your access.


I forgot to mention the bonus part of my 15 Minute Fat Burning Workouts: my succinct intros and outros reinforcing the concept of positive thoughts, speech and feelings with the forever mindset of making good choices and embracing a healthy lifestyle. Like my lunch today. Check it out – I made it myself. Just like having a well-balanced diet of exercise, the same applies to what you consume on a daily basis. So always take that positive attitude out into the world and don't forget to get your workout in. R Salad Ingredients: European salad mix, bean sprouts, cut & peeled baby carrots, fresh tomato, fresh ginger, one can albacore tuna in water, topped with Sriracha hot chili sauce (my fav!). Plus a non-alcoholic beer and cup of dried cranberries.


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Open Sea Swimming
Rower of the Year
Jetskiing
Displaying items by tag: survey
Marine Notice: Extended Cable Route Survey Off West Coast
#MarineNotice - Fugro will be carrying out further marine operations on behalf of TE Subsea Communications LLC for the HAVFRUE Subsea Cable System Project south of Achill Island from this week.
The operations are an extension of the project outlined in Marine Notice No 22 of 2018 and are scheduled to be carried out between Saturday 13 July and Saturday 17 August, to last for approximately one day weather permitting.
Works will be undertaken by the RHIB Diversity (Callsign: EI-SV-7), which will be towing equipment such as a magnetometer and a side scan sonar to be used during the shallow water phase, from 50m of water depth and shallower.
Survey operations will be conducted on a 24-hour basis. The vessel will display shapes and lights prescribed in the International Rules for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) Rule 27, to indicate that the survey vessel is restricted in its ability to manoeuvre. A listening watch will be maintained on VHF Channel 16.
Details of the location of the project are outlined in Marine Notice No 29 of 2018, a PDF of which is available to read or download HERE.
Published in Marine Warning
Marine Notice
HAVFRUE
2018 Anglerfish & Megrim Survey Begins Today
#MarineNotice - The Marine Institute's annual Irish Anglerfish and Megrim Survey (IAMS) for 2018 is scheduled to resume today, Tuesday 10 April.
After January's survey off the West and South Coasts, this month's survey will be carried out till Saturday 21 April off the North and North West Coasts of Ireland in fulfilment of Ireland's Common Fisheries Policy obligations.
The IAMS is a demersal trawl survey consisting of approximately 50 otter trawls of 60 minutes duration in ICES area 6a. Fishing will take place within a three nautical mile radius of the positions indicated in Marine Notice No 15 of 2018, a PDF of which is available to read or download HERE.
Survey operations will be conducted by the RV Celtic Explorer (Callsign EIGB), which will display all appropriate lights and signals during the survey and will also be listening on VHF Channel 16.
The vessel will be towing a Jackson demersal trawl during fishing operations. The Marine Institute requests that commercial fishing and other marine operators keep a three nautical mile area around the tow points clear of any gear or apparatus during the survey period outlined above.
Specifics of any fishing gear or other obstructions that are known and cannot be kept clear of these survey haul locations can be notified using the contact details provided in the Marine Notice.
Published in Fishing
RV Celtic Explorer
IAMS 2018
Marine Notice: Cable Route Survey In Irish Territorial Waters
#MarineNotice - Fugro is currently carrying out marine operations for the HAVFRUE Subsea Cable System Project, further to its work carried out in January.
The current survey within Irish territorial waters off the North West Coast began on Wednesday 14 March and is expected to run till midweek next week.
The MV Fugro Discovery (Callsign 3EKE6) is surveying on Segment 2 within Irish EEZ waters towards the 1,500m contour line at the shelf, followed by operations at the BU1 position and Segment 3 as indicated on the charts included with Marine Notice No 10 of 2018, a PDF of which is available to read or download HERE.
Published in News Update
Marine Notice: Irish Anglerfish and Megrim Survey 2018 Off West, Southwest and South Coasts
#IAMS2018 - The annual Irish Anglerfish and Megrim Survey for 2018 (IAMS 2018) will be carried out between Monday 19 February and Monday 19 March off the West, Southwest and South Coasts of Ireland, in fulfilment of Ireland's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) obligations.
The IAMS is a demersal trawl and beam trawl survey consisting of approximately 85 otter trawls (60 minutes) and 25 beam trawls (30 minutes) in International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) area 7b, 7c, 7g, 7h, 7j and 7k. Fishing in 2018 will take place within a 3 nautical mile (nmi) radius of these indicative positions.
The survey will be conducted by the RV Celtic Explorer (Callsign EIGB), which will display all appropriate lights and signals and will also be listening on VHF Channel 16 for CE18004. The vessel will be towing a Jackson demersal trawl or two four metre wide beam trawls during operations.
The Marine Institute requests that commercial fishing and other marine operators to keep a 3nmi area around the tow points clear of any gear or apparatus during the survey period.
While there is no statutory provision for the loss of gear at sea, the Marine Institute will make every effort to avoid gear adequately marked, according to legislation, that may be encountered in the notified areas.
In the event that an operator has static gear or other obstructions within 3nmi of the listed points, it is the responsibility of the owner to notify the survey managers or vessel directly.
This should be communicated by identifying specifically which 'station' is of concern using the appendix and contact details provided in Marine Notice No 03 of 2018, a PDF of which is available to read or download HERE.
Marine Notice: Cable Route Survey Off North-West Coast
#MarineNotice - Fugro will be carrying out marine operations on behalf of TE Subsea Communications LLC for the HAVFRUE Subsea Cable System Project from this weekend.
The survey project is scheduled to begin on Saturday 20 January and last for around 14 days, weather permitting, as conducted by the MV Fugro Discovery (Callsign 3EKE6).
Survey operations will be conducted on a 24-hour basis. Throughout, the vessel will be displaying the shapes and lights prescribed in the International Rules for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) Rule 27, to indicate that the survey vessel is restricted in its ability to manoeuvre.
A listening watch will be maintained on VHF Channel 16, and the vessel will actively transmit an AIS signal.
The survey comprises a dynamic programme to be conducted in several stages. The survey vessel will be deployed within the working area at times and positions determined by client requirements, weather and sea conditions.
Co-ordinates of the survey area are included in Marine Notice No 02 of 2018, a PDF of which is available to read or download HERE. Please note that the survey within Irish territorial waters as indicated is not part of this notice and will be undertaken at a later date under separate notification.
Published in Coastal Notes
Marine Notice: Offshore Survey Operations For 'Celtic Interconnector' Project
#MarineNotice - The survey vessel Kommandor Iona is conducting offshore survey operations associated with the proposed Celtic Interconnector, on behalf of EirGrid.
As with last month's nearshore survey, the current works are in two main corridors to three landfall points off the South Coast of Ireland, namely Ballinwilling Strand, Redbarn Beach, Claycastle Beach.
The Kommandor Iona (Callsign: GAAK) was scheduled to begin operating on a 24-hour daily basis since this Tuesday (24 October) for approximately a week's duration, collecting geophysical data utilising vessel mounted sensors and towed sonar extending up to 200m from the vessel.
The survey will be conducted under Foreshore Licence FS006722 in the deeper waters offshore from the Iona survey area limits.
Survey activities will extend no more than 35km from the shoreline within a 500m area or corridor centred on the co-ordinates listed in Marine Notice No 47 of 2017, a PDF of which is available to read or download HERE.
Those engaged in fishing are respectfully asked not to leave any static fishing equipment within a distance of 250 metres of the proposed survey route centre lines as detailed in the route position list, and skippers are advised to withdraw and keep beyond a safe distance (1 nautical mile) from survey vessels.
Celtic Interconnector
Marine Notice: Nearshore Survey Operations For 'Celtic Interconnector' Project
#MarineNotice - RMS Submarine Ltd advises that they will be conducting nearshore survey operations associated with the proposed Celtic Interconnector on behalf of EirGrid, at three coastal locations in Co Cork — namely Ballinwilling Strand, Redbarn Beach and Claycastle Beach.
The survey vessel Severn Guardian (Callsign 2FGL5), an 18m catamaran coastal survey vessel, will operate on a 12-hour daily basis, in daylight hours only, commencing from today (Thursday 28 September) for the next two weeks, approximately. Common frequency VHF Channel 16 shall be used throughout the project.
This survey is to collect geophysical data utilising vessel mounted sensors and a towed sonar which will extend up to 100m from the vessel. The survey will be conducted under Foreshore Licence FS006722, as per the foreshore licence map included in Marine Notice No 41 of 2017.
The nearshore survey activities will extend no more than 5km from the shoreline, within a 1km area or corridor centred at each of the three coastal locations. The remaining offshore sections will be surveyed by a separate vessel in the coming months, for which a separate notice to mariners will be issued.
Full details of co-ordinates of the work areas and more are included in Marine Notice No 41 of 2017, a PDF of which is available to read or download HERE.
Fish Stock Survey On Lough Ennell This Week
#Angling - Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) is currently carrying out a fish stock survey on Lough Ennell, near Mullingar, to assess the current status of the fish populations in the lake.
The survey takes place from today (Tuesday 19 September) till the Friday (22 September) and will involve netting throughout the lake undertaken by IFI staff from Limerick and research staff from Citywest headquarters crewing a total of two boats.
It's expected that the survey will provide a range of information on the fish stocks in the lake, such as size distributions of fish captured, age and growth information for all species, diet of selected species, and catch per unit effort (CPUEs) for each fish species.
Samples for genetic analyses of brown trout and pike will also be taken. The information collected will assist IFI in managing, conserving and monitoring any changes in the fish stocks of the lake.
The survey crews will be very visible on the lake and all sets of nets will be marked with distinctive buoys labelled 'IFI Survey'. Any anglers or other lake users are asked to be vigilant if out and about on the lake to avoid snagging in the nets.
Further details on the background of this survey are available on the IFI website.
Lough Ennell
Fish stocks
Summer Survey Of River Birds Nesting In Built Structures On Inland Waterways
#InlandWaters - BirdWatch Ireland is appealing to users of Ireland's inland waterways to get involved in its survey of river birds in man-made structures.
Ireland supports a rich and diverse network of rivers, canals and other waterways. Though often difficult to access, these sites are regularly visited by tourists, anglers, canoeists and other recreational users.
If you use our national waterways this summer, you can help by recording any river bird nest sites you encounter.
With support from the Heritage Council, Birdwatch Ireland is specifically looking for sightings of birds nesting in or on man-made structures – for example, dippers nesting under bridges, sand martins in quay walls, grey wagtails in holes in old mill walls or kingfishers in artificial banks.
If you are out on one of our fantastic waterways, please keep an eye out for the nesting activity described above.
If you do observe nest site, please submit a record on Birdwatch Ireland's website. All you need are a few details (location, etc) and you can also add a photo of the site if you managed to capture one.
Published in Inland Waterways
River Birds
Marine Notice: Annual Monkfish & Megrim Survey
#MarineNotice - The latest Marine Notice from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) advises that the Marine Institute is carrying out its annual Irish anglerfish and megrim survey (IAMS 2017) in fulfilment of Ireland's Common Fisheries Policy obligations from this Tuesday 14 February to Friday 17 March.
The IAMS is a demersal trawl and beam trawl survey consisting of around 85 otter trawls (60 minutes) and 25 beam trawls (30 minutes) in International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) area 7b, 7c, 7g, 7h, 7j and 7k off the West, South West and South Coasts.
Fishing in 2017 will take place within a three-nautical-mile radius of the positions indicated in Marine Notice No 5 of 2017, a PDF of which is available to read or download HERE.
The survey will be conducted by the RV Celtic Explorer (Callsign EIGB), which will display all appropriate lights and signals during the survey and will also be listening on VHF Channel 16.
The vessel will be towing a Jackson demersal trawl or two 4m beam trawls during operations. The Marine Institute requests that commercial fishing and other marine operators to keep a 3nm area around the tow points clear of any gear or apparatus during the survey period outlined above.
While there is no statutory provision for the loss of gear at sea, the Marine Institute will make every effort to avoid gear adequately marked according to legislation that may be encountered in the notified areas.
In the event that an operator has static gear or other obstructions within 3nm of the points listed, it is the responsibility of the owner to notify the survey managers or vessel directly.
This should be communicated by identifying specifically which 'station' is of concern using the appendix and contact details provided in the Marine Notice. It is not required to provide positional details of commercial operations beyond 4nm of the survey points provided.
Specifics of any fishing gear or other obstructions that are known and cannot be kept clear of these survey haul locations can be notified using the contact details provided.
Common Fisheries Policy
Groundfish
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At the Camel Park, you will have the possibility to ride one of these interesting animals around the base of The Fire Mountains. Great fun for all ages. Or just take it easy and simply use this stop as an opportunity to take pictures. Then we continue into the heart of the Lanzarote Timanfaya National Park, where you will see most of the 300 craters and volcanoes of the island. If you ever have wondered what`s inside a volcano, you will be able to look down into several of them here!
After such a hot experience, a glass of wine or two is probably the best we can offer to you! We`ll take you to La Geria, the wine district of Lanzarote where you can have a refreshing wine tasting moment! We will return around 2.00pm, on time for lunch.
Choose Lanzarote Short south Tour organize your holiday program even before the start of the trip. Day trips, excursions in lanzarote, hiking with children or fully customized activities which advance booking is cheaper than buying directly. It offers Short south Tour Lanzarote. Discover your best activity and enjoy your holiday .
The Short south Tour of Lanzarote is one of the best tours.


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PSG reportedly target Arsene Wenger to take on key position after January transfer window
The Frenchman is currently enjoying some time off from the game
Rob GuestTottenham Hotspur Writer
Everything you need to know about Non-League Day 2018
Arsene Wenger could be set for a return to football in 2019 with Paris Saint-Germain, according to reports.
Having ended his long association with Arsenal back in May, the Frenchman is currently enjoying some time off at present having taken over at Highbury back in 1996.
Linked with a number of positions following his decision to leave north London at the end of last season, including the top job at Bayern Munich, it has been claimed by ESPN that he could return to his homeland as PSG's sporting director.
Antero Henrique currently holds that position at the Parc des Princes, yet he could be on the move after the January transfer window having failed to clinch several of their targets in the summer.
Arsenal news live: Coach to join Henry at Monaco, youth star makes shock claim, interest in ace
Reports have suggested that the Spaniard has clashed with new manager Thomas Tuchel, thus leading to talk that Wenger could be the man to help bridge the gap between the ex-Borussia Dortmund boss and the boardroom.
ESPN also claim that the Ligue 1 champions would allow Wenger to restructure a number of aspects on and off the field in the French capital, notably the youth academy.
While the 68-year-old will no doubt want to return to management in the future, he revealed last month that he is in no rush at present to sort his future out.
Antero Henrique chats to Thomas Tuchel (Image: FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
"To be honest, for the moment, I have not really thought about that because I fixed myself something whereby in the first few months I would not take any decisions," said Wenger, as reported by the London Evening Standard .
"So I have not been too worried about that. It is not even going through my head.
He added: "No, I am not retired. If I was I would have been for a long time. I will be 69 in October."
Bernd Leno reveals the two Arsenal players who played a major role in his move to the Emirates
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Information for Welsh learners
Llangynog and Pennant
Hall diary
Booking Form (PDF)
Wedding Brochure (PDF)
Extension opening
St Cynog's
St Melangell's
Clwb y Cwm (The Valley Club)
Contact Club
Craft Club
Women's Institute
County Councillor
Community Council Meeting
18 January 2022 (agenda)
19 October 2021 (agenda)
18 May 2021 (AGM)
Items of Interest from Community Council Meeting 18th February:
Matters Arising from Previous Meeting:
Proposed Closure of Public Toilets by Powys County Council: Powys County Council have advised that there will be no further action on this until after the budget debate at the end of February and that negotiations will take place with Town and Community Councils between then and April 2015, when final decisions will be reached.
Community Website: The Website is now online and can be accessed via www.llangynog.org. Members of the Community are encouraged to support this venture, which is being provided for the benefit of all.
Grant for St Melangell's Churchyard from Rothschild Foundation: The Clerk advised that further correspondence on this matter had been received from Mr Freeman-Attwood, who has indicated he would be willing to help with the maintenance of the yew trees. It was resolved to request that he liaises with the Community Council when any work was to be carried out.
Donation from Pearce Cycles, Ludlow: The Clerk advised that the donation of £250 had been received from Pearce Cycles, the organizers of the annual Rhydefelin Downhill Bike Race, in appreciation of the co-operation and help given to them by the community of Llangynog, had since been received by the Hall Committee.
Outstanding Roadworks: County Councillor Mayor had contacted the Highways Department about all of the concerns about outstanding roadworks and a response has been received from them advising that Tilhill Forestry will be carrying out the work to adapt the entrance to their access road within two to three months. They will be contacting Community Councillor John Jones about the potholes on Quarry Road and hope to install the warning bollards on the verge at the brow of the hill by Bryn Glas, within the next week.
Any Other Business:
Flooding on upper Pennant Road: Community Councillor Tibbot reported on a meeting he had on site with Adrian Jarvis, Highways Operations Manager, on Thursday 13th February, when it was agreed that a new culvert would be constructed to take away the water and an open ditch constructed along the hedge in the adjacent field, provided permission could be obtained from the owner of the land. It was suggested by Community Councillor Williams that dredging of the upper reaches of the river would also help.
Requests for use of Playing Field: Following consideration of applications for use of the Playing Field by children attending functions in the Memorial Hall on Saturday 17th May and Saturday 23rd August, it was resolved to grant permission and advise that it would be at the risk of the organisers.
Date of Next Meeting: Tuesday 18th March 2014 at 7.30pm.


Off road jeep ride to trek point.
Your life surely needs some freshness and all you need is to escape into the jungle trails! Trek along the river as it flows through the lush green grasslands of Vagamon near Kottayam. This would be a perfect weekend getaway for those who are looking to find bliss amidst nature. Experience the thrill of walking deep inside the Western Ghat forests where the clouds would accompany you till the end, and if you are lucky – you'll get a chance to get drenched!
A pristine hill station with virgin glory, Vagamon lies in the Idduki District of Kerala with certain areas coming under the Kottayam District as well. In spite of having a beautiful series of hillocks, valleys,and cascading waterfalls, this place isn't visited by many, and that's what makes this place even more special. It would be the ideal destination for you if you are planning to ditch the lousy crowd!


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Halfway through its term, how's the government doing?
The GSLP/Liberals are now halfway through their second consecutive term of office. An opportunity to dust down their 2015 election manifesto and fill in their mid-term report.
At the time the manifesto was written the European Union referendum loomed over the horizon but it's probably fair to say most people, including the Gibraltar government, thought the UK would opt to stay in. The opposite result, when it came in June 2016, threw a major spanner in the works.
The chief minister has conceded that the £1 billion Blue Water project highlighted in the manifesto did not materialise because the developer got cold feet when the UK voted to leave the EU. And it's understandable that talks to review and modernise the 2006 Constitution, a manifesto pledge, have been put on the back burner as both governments focus on dealing with Brexit and its consequences.
Still, responsible governments have to be prepared to deal with worst-case scenarios and in his personal message in the manifesto Fabian Picardo acknowledged as much. He said a re-elected GSLP/Liberal administration would "continue to work to understand the potential economic impact of leaving the EU and/or leaving the Single Market". And it's doing so, both at a local level consulting with the finance and business sectors and the unions and bilaterally with the UK through the Joint Ministerial Council.
So far Brexit doesn't seem to have impaired the government's ability to progress its main capital investment projects. Medical and residential facilities to care for the elderly and for Alzheimer's and dementia patients have been created or improved. Last month an ambitious schools programme was announced that exceeds what the manifesto promised.
Affordable housing schemes are going ahead, although not all flats will be ready within the present term of office. And the new power station, which the manifesto states would be "completed and operating in the next 24 months", is now due for completion in 2018.
But not everything in the garden is rosy.
On social media last week the chief minister praised his justice minister, Neil Costa, for "working on new legal assistance qualification requirements that meet (the) needs of the deserving". This after a single mother who earns less than £5,000 a year was denied legal aid because she owns a flat. Had the qualification criteria been reviewed and "the appropriate changes to legislation made before the end of 2016", as the manifesto envisaged, the woman might not have had to rely on the generosity of a local law firm that offered to represent her for free.
The Fire and Rescue Service is still waiting for new premises, even though a new Fire Station was "a priority" in the alliance's 2011 manifesto; never mind the 2015 one, according to which the government would "continue to plan the NEW fire station that will be located at Rooke as part of the redevelopment of that area".
Although the manifesto decreed that the select committee on Democratic and Parliamentary Reform should report back to parliament by September 2016, it has yet to do so.
Private sector employees are still waiting for occupational pensions to be made compulsory, when the manifesto asserted they would be introduced during this term.
Other pending pledges include the restoration of Orange Bastion, live streaming of meetings of the Development and Planning Commission, the of Inces Hall and the establishment of an International Film Festival.
There are, of course, a possible two years to go before the next election, which means the government has ample time to meet many more of its manifesto commitments.
For now, I reckon a 'B' or a 'B+' may be a fair grade.
Author gibstevePosted on 25 November 2017 3 December 2017 Leave a comment on Halfway through its term, how's the government doing?
Cue Caruana
On the 2nd of November, as I predicted in this column last month, Sir Peter Caruana threw his considerable political weight behind his one-time deputy Keith Azopardi in the duel with Roy Clinton to be the next leader of the Gibraltar Social Democrats.
As the elder statesman of the GSD Sir Peter has a particular responsibility to the party that he arguably saved, following the decision of its founder Peter Montegriffo to quit politics.
Mr Montegriffo left the AACR to found the GSD in 1989 and gave up his opposition seat in parliament in the process. When he decided not to contest the ensuing by-election, Peter Caruana stepped into the breach. Much as Mr Clinton did following the shock resignation of Daniel Feetham last summer.
Mr Caruana, as he then was, won that by-election against the AACR's Douglas Henrich and went on to secure all seven opposition seats for the GSD in the 1992 general election. The party triumphed in 1996 and Sir Peter would be chief minister for the next 15 years.
When Peter Caruana speaks, people, especially in the GSD, listen.
In his personal statement in relation to the leadership contest Sir Peter recognises the abilities of both candidates. Roy Clinton filled the leadership gap with "considerable skill" and has "masterfully articulated" issues relating to Gibraltar's public finances. Keith Azopardi, meanwhile, was a "successful, leading minister" who "has now returned to his natural political home".
The statement's sting is in its tail.
Unlike his namesake Peter Montegriffo, who in his letter ruling himself out of the contest said he would support whoever emerged as the party's choice, Sir Peter comes down unequivocally in favour of Mr Azopardi describing him as the "better and stronger of the two candidates".
Sir Peter cites his former protégé's "experience of party political leadership (and) of ministerial office" as important attributes. What he doesn't mention, however, is that when Mr Azopardi was no longer under his wing and led the Progressive Democratic Party into the 2007 and 2011 elections, the PDP obtained 3.75% and 4.36% of the votes respectively and won no parliamentary seats. Had fewer than half the votes the PDP secured in 2011 gone to the GSD, the Social Democrats would have been celebrating a fifth successive term in office.
And while experience of party political leadership and ministerial office may be desirable, Sir Peter might reflect that he himself had neither when he entered the political arena seeking the electorate's support. Just as he would have been short of "the maximum possible experience of Gibraltar's public affairs" that he asserts the electorate expects of a chief minister.
On at least one thing Sir Peter Caruana says in his statement, though, I think most GSD members will agree. Regardless of who wins, the party would have a better chance at the next election with both Mr Clinton and Mr Azopardi in the line-up.
Author gibstevePosted on 17 November 2017 3 December 2017 Leave a comment on Cue Caruana
A recent article in the New York Times caught my eye.
California had just become the 15th US state to begin the legalisation of a process that I'd never heard of for disposing of a body after death. The technical term for it is alkaline hydrolysis but it goes by various other names, like flameless cremation, water cremation and green cremation.
Photo courtesy Bio-Response Solutions Inc.
Basically, the human remains are dissolved in a hot chemical bath over a period of hours until all that's left is an inert brownish liquid and soft bone, which is crushed and returned to relatives much as ashes are after a cremation. When I read that American families are requesting this more frequently in preference to cremation or burial I decided to dig deeper (sorry!).
It turns out that alkaline hydrolysis has been around since the late nineteenth century, but then it was used to process animal carcasses into plant food. It wasn't until the mid-1990s that the method was sufficiently developed to use it to dispose of human cadavers and pets. Around a decade ago the machines became available for ordinary funerals.
While some people may instinctively recoil at the thought of simply flushing away what's left of a dear relative, others find the procedure more comforting than cremation. They perceive it as gentler than having the body literally go up in flames. The chief executive of a US funeral services company that offers both traditional and water-based cremation is quoted in the New York Times as saying that more than two-thirds of families choose the latter when it's offered.
And alkaline hydrolysis has a significant benefit: it's more environmentally friendly.
Graphic courtesy Bio-Response Solutions Inc.
Liquefaction uses a fraction of the energy of a standard cremator and releases no fumes; because much less heat is required, metal implants like teeth fillings do not melt, which means no mercury emissions.
Advocates also claim the carbon footprint is one-sixth that of a burial, which requires concrete for headstones, wooden coffins and chemicals for embalming.
In common with cremation it requires less storage space for the buried ashes and a family vault may be reopened at any time, whereas you have to wait a year after a burial. Important considerations in a small town like ours.
As yet, the Roman Catholic Church has no official opinion on alkaline hydrolysis (like me, a local priest I spoke with had never heard of it). But it has permitted cremation since 1963 provided the ashes are buried in an urn in a cemetery or church, and not separated or scattered. There's no reason to suppose the Church would find it more objectionable to dissolve rather than cremate a body.
As far as I can tell, this relatively new way of disposing of human remains is presently legal in 14 American states and three Canadian provinces (Saskatchewan, Quebec and Ontario). It's also legal in the UK, but not yet commercially available.
So could "biocremation" become an option in Gibraltar?
We've trail blazed in many areas, most recently the plan to host the first regulated cryptocurrency exchange in the world. Maybe we can become the first country in Europe to offer a more modern way of "encrypting" our loved ones in the future.
Author gibstevePosted on 12 November 2017 3 December 2017 Leave a comment on Ashes to Ashes
Direct Democracy Again
I wonder how reassured Gibraltar Defence Police officers were by the Chief Minister's comments on GBC Television's Direct Democracy programme a couple of weeks ago? Fabian Picardo was quizzed about the state of negotiations for the transfer of the force from the Ministry of Defence to the Gibraltar Government.
He pointed out that what's being talked about at the moment is a transfer of ownership, but not yet an amalgamation with the Royal Gibraltar Police as the GDP Federation is seeking. While stating that the youngest officer in the GDP today will retire as an officer of the RGP Mr Picardo offered no timeframe, suggesting that for older officers the merger may come too late.
The Chief Minister claimed that a "forced" merger now would be a disaster because by pushing two organisations together you put people's careers out of joint. Maybe though it's GDP officers' noses that will be put out of joint by delaying the amalgamation: because of the ongoing MOD pay freeze, they earn 40% less than their RGP counterparts and Mr Picardo made it very clear they would not get a 40% pay rise the day the GDP came to be owned by the government.
CAR OWNERSHIP
In a recent column I highlighted an international survey that suggested attitudes to car ownership might be changing, with more and more people seeing ride sharing and summoning a taxi with their smartphone when they need to as viable alternatives to owning a car.
It's a slow process though. Two-thirds of those sampled preferred to have their own wheels and I'm pretty sure that in Gibraltar, which has one of the highest car densities per capita in the world, that proportion would be higher still.
On Direct Democracy, it was put to Fabian Picardo that the time for tough decisions on car ownership and pollution would have to come. He partly sidestepped the issue by focusing in his answer on vehicle emissions. In five years' time, he mused, cars may not pollute as manufacturers switch to electricity as the main means of propulsion. Problem solved.
But that still leaves traffic congestion. Whatever cars are powered by, they occupy physical space and that's not going to change because they're "cleaner", or even driverless. By not addressing this aspect of the question, Mr Picardo drove me to conclude that we should not, as a community, expect to see radical measures to reduce the number of vehicles on our roads anytime soon.
BLUEWATER UP THE CREEK?
Direct Democracy also served to confirm that a development once hailed as the largest ever inward investment into Gibraltar is dead in the water.
When it was launched in 2015, Blue Water Gibraltar was to provide more than a thousand affordable homes, 450 high-end apartments, a five-star hotel and a Super Yacht marina, among other amenities. Not to mention payment by the developers, Camoren, of an £83m premium to the government.
That's all now gone to pot.
The Chief Minister said he believed the East Side project would still go ahead but in a different "incarnation" with the government itself developing a (presumably smaller) plot, perpendicular rather than parallel to the Rock as Blue Water would have been.
Brexit, it seems, has made Camoren vote with their feet. Dragging them so much they never made it here.
Author gibstevePosted on 3 November 2017 3 December 2017 Leave a comment on Direct Democracy Again
Camel here I come!
After an interlude of 15 years, and provided both they and I make it, I'll finally get to see my favourite band once again next year!
By the time I went to uni in 1976 Camel had replaced the likes of Genesis and Yes as my progressive rock idols, which they still are to this day. I got to see them during my first year as an undergraduate student in Bristol and managed to get a ticket for their gig in Paris in 1978, where I was undergoing the first part of my year abroad.
It would be a quarter of a century before another opportunity arose this time, oddly, in Granada of all places.
As you can see from the T shirt it was billed as their farewell tour. And for some years it seemed it might be just that. Camel's founder, lead guitarist, vocalist and main songwriter, Andy Latimer, became seriously ill in 2007 and his future, let alone the band's, hung in the balance. Happily he recovered and is back on the road.
Camel's breakthrough came with their third album 'Snow Goose', an excerpt from which I included in my Classic Rock Instrumentals post in August (scroll down to read it). But their masterpiece, in my opinion, is 'Moonmadness' which came out in 1976 and was the soundtrack to the long hot summer of that year as some of my cohort and I prepared to embark on our university careers.
And it's precisely this album that the latest Camel incarnation (only Andy Latimer remains from the original line-up) will be playing in its entirety next September in the Royal Albert Hall!
Needless to say I couldn't resist, and was sitting expectantly at the computer, finger poised over the 'buy' button, at eleven on-the-dot this morning when the tickets went on sale. Thankfully I was able to complete the purchasing process in the three minutes I was given and emerged with two tickets, for me and my son who shares my love of classic rock.
Do give 'Moonmadness' a listen, and if you like what you hear tell me. I'll recommend other gems from the Camel catalogue.
Author gibstevePosted on 3 November 2017 3 December 2017 1 Comment on Camel here I come!


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Unable to continue, she told the Speaker to consider the rest of the speech as laid and sat in her seat.
Many of the announcements including reduction in personal income tax rates were welcomed with thumping of desks by treasury benches. Prime Minister Narendra Modi too joined the members in the applause.
However, some of her remarks regarding Beti Bachao Beti Padao programme were met with protests from the Opposition benches.
'Entrepreneurship' - The strength of India
Lauding India's spirit of entrepreneurship, she said, "Entrepreneurship has always been the strength of India. We respect the risk-taking appetite of India's youth."
She also proposed a slew of measures to ensure ease of doing business for Indian startups, including a seed fund to support early-stage startups and an investment clearance and advisory cell for entrepreneurs, among other measures.
Calling India's growing crop of entrepreneurs "job creators", the Finance Minister noted that the young men and women of India are today giving up greener pastures to create new businesses and employment opportunities in India, ensuring further economic growth.
Apart from entrepreneurship, the finance minister ensured that there is a focus on subjects like new economy as well as emerging technologies in her Budget announcement and allocations for the same.
She added that in terms of emerging technologies - 3D Printing, Data storage, Quantum computing, IoT are changing the face of the world; while India is embracing the new sharing economy displacing conventional businesses.
The FM also added that Indian government is looking at new technologies for DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer), and that Analytics and Fintech are changing the way we are dealing with our lives.
She emphasised the importance of IP creation and protection and announced the launch of a digital platform for Intellectual Property Protection.
"The platform will facilitate seamless application, and a centre will be established to work on the complexity and innovation for IP. She also proposed knowledge transfer sectors, which would help in proof of concept and creation of products."
Sitharaman also announced that - there will be a policy to build data-center parks throughout the country; a digital platform for seamless submission for IP applications; and knowledge transfer centers for new emerging sectors.
She also announced an outlay of Rs 8,000 crore for five years for quantum-technologies related computing and other applications
(With inputs from PTI).
(Edited by Megha Reddy)
Budget 2020 Highlights: FM Nirmala Sitharaman presents Union Budget to 'fulfil aspirations' of all Indians
Government to skill youth in new-age courses such as AI, IoT
Govt to formulate new data policy for research sharing among startups


Studied Medicine at Manchester University (BSc (1st class Hons) in Medical Biochemistry, 1988, MB.ChB (with Hons), 1991). After junior hospital posts at Royal Preston Hospital (MRCP(UK) 1994), I returned to the University of Manchester to train in gastroenterology and to perform research with Prof J. Hickman and Prof C. Potten (Digestive Disorders Foundation and MRC Clinical Training Fellowships leading to PhD, 1999). During this time I studied the genetic regulation of apoptosis in the GI tract.
In 2000 I moved to the University of Liverpool as a clinical lecturer to complete my clinical training (2002). Following this I was awarded an Advanced Clinical Fellowship for Clinicians from the Wellcome Trust to study apoptosis in the stomach. I was appointed clinical senior lecturer in 2006, Professor in 2009 and Head of Department of Gastroenterology in 2010. I was awarded the ASNEMGE rising star award 2007 and the Sir Francis Avery Jones research medal from the British Society of Gastroenterology in 2008. I was academic lead for Integrated Clinical Academic Training (ICAT) at the University of Liverpool from 2010-15. Since July 2016 I have been Head of the Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology.
I am also an honorary Consultant Gastroenterologist at Royal Liverpool and Brodgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust where I also lead the European Neuroendocrine Tumour Society (ENETS) Centre of Excellence for the management of patients with neuroendocrine tumours.
Chair of the BSG Gastroduodenal section committee and member of both the Research and Education committees.
Editorial board member for the journals Gut, American Journal of Physiology and World Journal of Gastroenterology.