text:
Claim: French President Macron's Climate Change "Mini Steps" Are Not Good Enough
Guest essay by Eric Worrall French President Macron, arguably the greenest French President ever, appears to be in serious trouble. Radical French greens are accusing him of being in thrall to big business, of not doing enough to combat climate change. Emmanuel Macron under attack over climate change French president accused of doing too little,…
September 4, 2018 in Politics.
NYT blames Federer's U.S. Open loss on…'global warming'
From the "global warming is the universal boogeyman" department. h/t to Charles Rotter Roger Federer Is Tough to Beat. Global Warming Might Have Pulled an Upset. By Kendra Pierre-Louis Roger Federer, one of the world's greatest tennis players, may have become an unwitting spokesman for the effects of climate change on Monday at the U.S. Open.…
September 4, 2018 in Climate Craziness of the Week.
A Look at Impacts of Wind and Solar Electric Generation on Electricity Price
Guest essay by Michael MacDonald Energy Performance Measurement Institute (EPMI) Electricity generation using wind and solar energy has come a long way over the last five decades. Governmental subsidies have come a long way also, from mainly fostering fossil fuels to assisting solar and wind deployment big-time. In this second decade of the 21st century, some…
September 4, 2018 in Energy.
A Reanalysis of "California's climate moon shot" (Grand-Scale Climate Fail)
Guest reanalysis by David Middleton Analysis California's climate moon shot Jeff Spross August 31, 2018 California may be done waiting for everyone else to get their act together on climate change. Earlier this week, by a vote of 44 to 33, the state Assembly passed a bill that would require California to get 100 percent…
September 4, 2018 in Climate FAIL.
Claim: Episodic and intense rain was caused by 'ancient global warming'
From the University of Bristol and the "models before measurements" department comes this highly speculative claim that is entirely based entirely on climate models. There's no actual measured data from any sort of paleo research. It's science, but not as we know it. A new study by scientists at the University of Bristol has shown…
September 4, 2018 in Climate News.
The Climate-Change Derangement Syndrome: Undermining Science and Demonizing Skeptics
Guest essay by Vijay Jayaraj Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) is fairly popular. Even people in far eastern countries like India and Australia know about it. But little do we hear about Climate-Change Derangement Syndrome (CCDS) and another new syndrome emerging from it. CCDS is a behavioral pattern in which a section of our society responds…
Clueless study: Can social media networks reduce political polarization on climate change?
From the Universoty of Pemmesylvania and the "obviously they've never engaged with Michael Mann or Gavin Schmidt" department comes this laughable study that suggests "incorrect interpretations" of climate data can be cured by interaction on social media. Yeah, riiiiight. Can social media networks reduce political polarization on climate change? A study from the Annenberg School…
Newsbytes: Time is running out to save the Paris Climate Accord
Newsbytes from around the web (h/t to Climate Dispatch) Time is running out to save the Paris Agreement, UN climate experts warned Tuesday at a key Bangkok meeting, as rich nations were accused of shirking their responsibility for environmental damage. If nations cannot reach an agreement by a December summit in Poland—known as COP24—the Paris…
September 4, 2018 in Newsbytes.
Bangkok Climate Conference: "Urgent Session" Required, Not Ready for Poland
Guest essay by Eric Worrall Fiji PM Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama is worried insufficient progress is being made in Bangkok, which only leaves three months to sort out remaining so far intractable issues before the COP24 "changing together" conference in Poland. Governments 'not ready' for Poland climate change talks: Fiji PM Amy Sawitta Lefevre BANGKOK (Reuters)…
September 4, 2018 in COP conferences, Paris Climate Accord, United Nations.
Almost Earth-like, We're Certain
Guest Essay by Kip Hansen There has been a lot of news recently about exoplanets. An extrasolar planet is a planet outside our solar system. The Wiki article has a list of exoplanets. I only mention exoplanets because there is a set of criteria for specifications of what could turn out to be an "Earth-like…
September 4, 2018 in 99% certainty.


What might a world without effective antibiotics be like? Recently, World Health Organization director-general Margaret Chan sounded a dire warning. She said that thanks to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, "things as common as strep throat or a child's scratched knee could once again kill". Chan added that "some sophisticated interventions, like hip replacements, organ transplants, cancer chemotherapy and care of pre-term infants would become far more difficult or even too dangerous to undertake".
Antibiotic overuse and underdevelopment has led us to this precipice. Even if we used such drugs as conservatively as possible, bacteria would still develop resistance. But it is our misuse and overuse of these drugs that is accelerating that process. Making matters worse, as old antibiotics lose their effectiveness, new ones to treat serious infections are few and far between.
While medical professionals and public health experts in the US and around the world are encouraging more moderate use in human medicine, the same cannot be said for industrial farms. In the US, for example, 80 per cent of all antibiotics are sold for use in food animal production, most often not to treat sick animals but to make healthy animals grow faster and to compensate for unsanitary and overcrowded conditions. These practices spur the evolution of drug-resistant bacteria, which can spread from animals to farm workers and their families, to nearby communities via air and water, and to consumers of meat, poultry and produce tainted with animal waste.
Data from the US Department of Health and Human Services illustrate the speed at which resistant bacteria are evolving. Just 3 per cent of Salmonella found on chicken breasts were resistant to five or more antibiotics in 2002. By 2010, that number jumped ten-fold. Another report revealed that in 1993, fewer than 2000 people were hospitalised with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Twelve years later, the superbug was responsible for 368,000 hospitalisations.
Emerging resistance is exacerbated by the lack of new antibiotics. In the US, drug makers brought 29 new systemic antibiotics to market during the 1980s. That number dropped to 23 in the 1990s, then down to nine in the 2000s.
What's behind this innovation drain? Simply put, antibiotics are difficult and costly to discover, develop and bring to market, yet they tend to produce less revenue than other drugs.
They face unique challenges during clinical testing and marketing approval. Hindered by a lack of rapid and accurate diagnostic tests, subjects for clinical trials are hard to find. And while most trials rely on comparing a new medicine to a placebo, it is unethical to give patients with potentially deadly infections something that won't work.
Antibiotics that do garner approval are used sparingly to slow the rate of resistance. They are often taken for short periods rather than every day for life – as required in treatments for conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. And these antibiotics tend to be priced lower than other drugs. Such factors create disincentives to invest in new antibiotics.
First, we must rein in antibiotic overuse on industrial farms. Fortunately, some countries are making significant progress. Denmark, for example, ended its use of growth promoters in the late 1990s. Since then, the prevalence of resistant bacteria in animals and in meat has dropped, livestock production has risen and meat prices have remained stable. Other countries, such as Germany and South Korea, have announced similar agricultural antibiotic policies more recently.
The US, unfortunately, has been lagging. It has only a few narrow restrictions. Many drugs important in human medicine remain available without a prescription for use on industrial farms. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued voluntary guidelines that will hopefully encourage industry to make some positive changes. But ultimately the US needs to ban use for non-health purposes and enhance veterinary oversight.
Secondly, we need new drugs to treat serious and life-threatening infections. The US Congress is considering extending market protections for qualifying antibiotics. Federal defence and health agencies are funding dual-purpose research to develop antibiotics that have value both as protection against bioweapons as well as naturally occurring infectious diseases.
In addition, we are encouraged by the FDA's efforts to work with the pharmaceutical industry to create a clearer, more predictable and more feasible regulatory pathway for antibiotic approval.
The prospect of a world without antibiotics is too chilling to ignore. We must translate the signs of change into firm action today so that we can protect ourselves tomorrow.
Shelley Hearne is the managing director of the Pew Health Group, which conducts research to form pragmatic policies that prevent unnecessary health risks. She is also a visiting professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.


text:
Tag: "American Rescue Plan"
Allentown, Pennsylvania Proposes Using Rescue Plan Funds for Muni Fiber Network
Posted January 13, 2022 by Maren Machles
Once a booming center of manufacturing, Allentown, PA (pop. 120,900) is looking to reinvigorate its economy by reinventing itself as a modern 21st century "smart city," bringing fiber-to-the-home Internet connectivity to every resident in the city.
In October, the city proposed using $7 million of its $57 million in American Rescue Act Funds to aid in the deployment of a citywide FTTH network. City leaders hope the investment will help them reach the goal outlined in its strategic economic development plan to become a smart city by 2030.
The city will work with Iota Communications to conduct a feasibility study they hope will be complete in the coming months. While the possibility of a FTTH network is in the early stages for the city, the proposal signals a serious ambition to bridge the digital divide in the region.
Feeling The Way Forward
Allentown is one of three cities that make up a larger geographic area known as Lehigh Valley, with the other cities being Easton (pop. 27,000) and Bethlehem (pop. 75,500). For a while now, leaders in the valley have been talking about the digital divide and it's been made clear with the pandemic that it can no longer be put on the backburner.
Pennsylvania lawmakers recently passed a law clearing the way for municipalities to have more of a say in how 5G is deployed in their communities. And while many local officials say the new law will help pave the way for Allentown to stay ahead of the curve, some have cautioned that a focus on 5G is a major distraction.
"My caution (at a recent roundtable) was that putting our focus on 5G and not focusing on the digital divide that still exists would be leapfrogging over the problem," Lehigh University Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Officer Donald Outing told LehighValleyLive.com. "5G will not resolve that digital divide. If we are not intentional about our...
Treasury Simplifies, Improves Rules for Rescue Plan Aid for Broadband Networks
Posted January 13, 2022 by Christopher Mitchell
Communities across the United States got an unexpected gift from the Biden Administration last week in the form of additional flexibility to use Rescue Plan funds for needed broadband investments, particularly those focused on low-income neighborhoods in urban areas.
When Congress developed and passed the American Rescue Plan Act, it tasked the Treasury Department with writing the rules for some key programs, including the State & Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF). That program is distributing $350 billion to local and state governments, which can use it for a variety of purposes that include broadband infrastructure and digital inclusion efforts.
Treasury released an Interim Final Rule in May, 2021, detailing how local governments would be allowed to invest in broadband. I promptly freaked out, at the restrictions and complications that I (and others) feared would result in local governments backing away from needed broadband investments due to fears of being out of compliance with the rule.
After we worked with numerous local leaders and the National League of Cities to explain the problems we saw in the proposed rule, Treasury released updated guidance in the form of a Q&A document to explain how local governments would be able to build and partner for needed networks.
Given the many challenges the Biden Administration has had to deal with, we did not expect significant new changes to the Rescue Plan rules around the SLFRF. But after many months of deliberations, the Treasury Department has resolved all of the concerns that we identified as areas of concern in May.
As we explain below, local governments have wide latitude to use SLFRF funds for a variety of needed broadband infrastructure investments, especially to resolve affordability challenges.
Summary and TL;DR
The rest of this post will cover some key points in the Final Rule with references to the text in the hopes that it will help communities better understand their options and share key passages with their advisers and attorneys...
Harlingen, Texas Looks to Build Bridge Just North of the Border
Posted January 11, 2022 by Sean Gonsalves
While a national debate rages over immigration and the border wall, just 30 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, Harlingen city officials are coming together to plan the building of a bridge – across the digital divide deep in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley.
When Harlingen (pop. 75,000) was founded at the turn of the 20th century, it established itself as a prominent commerce and transportation hub – the "Capital of the Rio Grande Valley" at "the crossroads of South Texas." Over the years, thanks to its fertile delta soil, the cultivation of citrus fruit, grain, and cotton became a major part of the local economy. Today, however, the biggest industry in the second most populous city in Cameron County is healthcare.
As attractive as Harlingen has become to residents and visitors – with its extensive park system and tropical bird-watcher's paradise (the city happens to be located where two primary avian flyways converge) – one thing the city lacks is adequate access to broadband, which is particularly acute among households with school-aged children.
Pandemic Spurs City into Action
That realization was the impetus behind a recent city commission vote to move forward with a feasibility study to determine how the city might build a broadband network and whether it should rely on fiber, fixed wireless, or a mix of deployment technologies to modernize Harlingen's telecommunications infrastructure.
"What brought this to our attention was of course the pandemic," City Manager Gabriel Gonzalez told Valley Central News. "When the school district had to go to virtual learning, we found out that there were students and some families that did not have access to (the) Internet."
Harlingen city commissioners opted to hire the Houston-based civil engineering firm ConnFendley to conduct a $100,000 feasibility study, the cost of which is being split by the...
What Does All This Money Mean? - Bonus Episode 15 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Posted December 28, 2021 by Maren Machles
For episode 15 of our bonus series, "Why NC Broadband Matters," Christopher Mitchell is joined by Catharine Rice (Co-founder of NC Broadband Matters and Project Manager at the Coalition for Local Internet Choice) and Doug Dawson (Owner and President of CCG Consulting) dig into what all these different pots of federal funding mean communities across the country. They talk about the communities that have already announced plans to use the funds for municipal networks. They offer advice and direct communities in the early stages of planning to resources on how to use the funds effectively.
This show is 38 minutes long and can be played on this page or via iTunes or with the tool of your choice using this feed, or at the NC Broadband Matters page. We encourage you to check out other "Why NC Broadband Matters" content at the podcast feed so you don't miss future bonus content that may not appear in the Community Broadband Bits Podcast feed.
Read the full transcript here.
Gainesville Earmarks Rescue Plan Funds for Citywide Municipal Network
Posted December 17, 2021 by Sean Gonsalves
In August we reported on the effort to bring municipal fiber-to-the-home service to Gainesville. At the time, city commissioners were wrestling with whether to spend a portion of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to start construction on the first phase of a citywide fiber network.
After postponing a previously scheduled vote on how to spend the money at a meeting in October, city commissioners earlier this month voted to set aside $9.6 million of the city's $32 million in Rescue Plan funds to extend its existing fiber network to connect over 2,000 businesses and nearly 10,000 homes in areas of the north central Florida city identified by planners as neighborhoods where service is most needed. Those neighborhoods include Springhill, Grove Street, Oakview Duckpond, Stephen Foster, Lincoln Estates, Duval, and Highland Court Manor.
"This is a huge step forward for our community," said Bryan Eastman, founder of Connected Gainesville, a citizen-led advocacy group that launched in 2017 pushing for the city's utility company to build out its existing fiber network to serve all of Alachua County.
Our city residents are tired of the status quo and are ready for a more connected future with better Internet [access] options. Thank you to our city commission for investing in this future. This is not the final vote on this, but it's the biggest step we've taken yet.
'Powerful forces' Lurk Behind-the-Scenes
While city commissioners voted to "set aside" the ARPA funds for broadband expansion, it was not a final vote to fund the project. The final vote is slated for January 6, 2022 after commissioners hear from city staff on how they intend to roll out the initiative.
Eastman said that while the final vote seems likely to pass, now is the time to keep pushing.
"There are still powerful forces that don't want this to come to fruition, so we're doing everything we can to get citizens to reach out and tell their commissioners they want municipal broadband in Gainesville," he told us earlier this week.
Majority Believe Expanding Broadband Access is 'Essential'
Gainesville Regional Utility (GRU) has...
Waterloo, Iowa Approves $2.5 Million Municipal Network Design and Engineering Contract
Posted December 8, 2021 by Sean Gonsalves
Earlier this month, Waterloo City Councilors unanimously approved a $2.5 million contract using its American Rescue Plan funds to hire Magellan Advisors to design and engineer a fiber-to-the-home network for the ninth-largest city in Iowa (est. population 68,000).
The plan, as we previously reported, is to deploy 309 miles of underground fiber across the city, which according to Magellan's proposed contract, will pass "nearly every household and business throughout the community."
Although the design and engineering work will provide city officials with an official estimate on how much it will cost to build the network, a study commissioned by the Waterloo Industrial Development Association (WIDA) in 2019 estimated it would cost between $39 million and $65 million to construct a city-wide network, according to the Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier.
The city's Chief Financial Officer, Michelle Weidner, told Government Technology magazine the city is likewise eyeing American Rescue Plan funds to help pay for construction costs, although City Councilor Pat Morrissey noted that a bond issue will likely be necessary – something that Morrissey said is well worth it "in the long run."
"You don't grow a community by cutting, you grow a community by investing," Morrissey said. "And what we as taxpayers will be doing is investing in something that is so long overdue, and I believe will be so appreciated."
Long Time Coming
While Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart touted his 2030 Vision Plan, which included bringing better broadband to the city in his recent...
Connecticut Town Works With Consultant On Open Access Design Plans
Posted October 29, 2021 by Maren Machles
Across New England, local-controlled, publicly-owned Internet infrastructure is on the rise -- from Bar Harbor, Maine to the Berkshires of Massachusetts. In Connecticut, however, it's a different story. The Constitution State is a municipal broadband desert.
That may be changing, however, as Bristol (pop. 60,000) inches closer to becoming the first city in Connecticut to transform itself into a fountain of community-owned connectivity as city officials consider whether to use its federal American Rescue Plans Act (ARPA) funds to build a citywide open access fiber network. With $28 million in ARPA funds at its disposal, city officials have been in a months-long process of deciding how much, if any, of that money should be spent building fiber optic infrastructure.
The city's chief technology staff has been working with a consultant to draft design recommendations for the network, which were anticipated to be presented to both City Council and the Financial Board in August or September.
"That plan has been completed but has not been presented to City officials as of yet," City Chief Information Officer Scott Smith told ILSR in an email. "The consultants would like to present their plan in person to City officials and so we thought it might be more prudent to have them present it at an upcoming meeting of the Mayor's ARPA Task Force. We are hoping that we can use some of the ARPA funds to fund a portion of this broadband buildout, especially in the areas of the City where we have a significant digital divide."
Building this infrastructure would increase competition and address local concerns about the lack of reliable, affordable, high-speed Internet access.
"With the covid pandemic, it catapulted it to the top (of concerns)," Smith told the Bristol Press. "We have a digital divide issue in Bristol that is quite large."
Currently, there are no fiber options available in Bristol, with Comcast, Frontier, Viasat, and HughesNet offering only cable, DSL, and satellite. And while, BroadbandNow reports that Comcast's highest service tier offers gig speed connectivity in the region, we know that privately-owned infrastructure does not mean universal access. It's not...
How American Rescue Plan Broadband Funds Stack Up in the States
Posted October 19, 2021 by Sean Gonsalves
With American Rescue Plan funds flowing into state government coffers, about a third of the nation's 50 states have announced what portion of their Rescue Plan dollars are being devoted to expanding access to high-speed Internet connectivity.
The federal legislation included $350 billion for states to spend on water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure, though everything we have seen suggests that the vast majority of that will not go to broadband. There is also another $10 billion pot of rescue plan funds, called the Capital Projects Fund, that mostly must be used to expand access to broadband.
Laboratories of Broadband-ification
As expected, each state is taking their own approach. California is making a gigantic investment in middle-mile infrastructure and support for local Internet solutions while Maryland is making one of the biggest investments in municipal broadband of any other state in the nation. And although Colorado does not prioritize community-driven initiatives, state lawmakers there have earmarked $20 million for Colorado's two federally-recognized Indian tribes to deploy broadband infrastructure with another $15 million devoted to boosting telehealth services in the state.
Undoubtedly, individual states' funding priorities vary. Some states may be relying on previously allocated federal investments to boost broadband initiatives and/or have been persuaded the private sector alone will suffice in solving its connectivity challenges. And in some states, such as Illinois, Minnesota, and Maine, lawmakers have prioritized using state funds to support broadband expansion efforts while other states may be waiting on the infrastructure bill now making its way through Congress before making major broadband funding decisions.
As of this writing, 17 states have earmarked a portion of their Rescue Plan money (totaling about $7.6 billion) to address the digital divide within their borders. Those states are Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Missouri, Virginia, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
A handful of those states are making major investments to boost broadband with an emphasis on community-driven solutions where local governments, public entities, and non-profit organizations can...
Tides Are Turning With Digital Inclusion - Bonus Episode 14 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast
Posted October 7, 2021 by Maren Machles
For episode 14 of our bonus series, "Why NC Broadband Matters," we're joined by Amy Huffman, Policy Director at National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) and Christa Vinson, Program Officer of Rural Broadband and Infrastructure at Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), to talk about the state of digital inclusion across the country.
Vinson updates us on the recent developments with the collaboration LISC and NDIA have been working on to bring rural Digital Navigators (DNs) to 32 communities across 20 states. As the federal government begins to recognize the importance of digital inclusion and equity, DNs are helping fill a role in the community to build digital skills in the community.
The three also discuss the $10 billion Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund that has been allocated through the American Rescue Plan Act and the newly released program guidelines. They talk about the potential to use these funds to address digital inclusion — pointing out that an eligibility condition for the projects is providing an affordable option for low income families.
Read the transcript here.
Thanks to Shane Ivers...
Join Us Live on Thursday at 5pm ET To Talk About Treasury Infrastructure Rules, Digital Redlining, and Microtrenching - Episode 20 of Connect This!
Posted September 28, 2021 by Ry Marcattilio-McCracken
On Episode 20 of the Connect This! Show, co-hosts Christopher and Travis Carter (USI Fiber) will be joined by Doug Dawson (CCG Consulting) and Kim McKinley (UTOPIA Fiber) live on both YouTube and Facebook to talk about a grab-bag of issues including the new Treasury rules for the $10 billion in broadband infrastructure funding, digital redlining, and microtrenching.
Join us for the live show Thursday, September 30th, at 5pm ET.
Subscribe to the show using this feed, or visit ConnectThisShow.com
Email us broadband@muninetworks.org with feedback, ideas for the show, or your pictures of weird wireless infrastructure to stump Travis.
Watch here on YouTube (or below), or here on Facebook Live.
The issue is, does our community control our own fate, or does someone else control it?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


With the start of free agency last week, the Cowboys have had their share of players already come and go.
However, the majority of the 2019 roster is already in place. In the coming weeks, the staff of DallasCowboys.com will preview those players, analyzing where they've been and where they're going.
Today, we'll continue the series with running back Ezekiel Elliott.
What's Been Good: Just about everything – especially in 2018. Ezekiel Elliott didn't get any votes for the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year, but it's hard to think many players had a better "comeback" in their careers than Zeke, who bounced back from a six-game suspension that plagued his 2017 season, to lead the NFL in rushing for the second time in his three-year career. Elliott was not only a workhorse for the Cowboys on the ground, but his 77 receptions also led the Cowboys.
What's Been Bad: It's not so much about what has been bad, but what could be bad down the road. The amount of touches Zeke got last year – 381 – led all NFL players and was the seventh-highest total in franchise history and the most since DeMarco Murray had 449 touches in 2014. Again, the production is there but the fear of Zeke having too much of the workload is certainly a factor. It'll probably be addressed in the draft as the Cowboys should make a focus on taking a backup tailback.
2018 Highlight: When you lead the NFL in rushing, there are several highlights throughout the season. But the Nov. 11 game at Philadelphia was definitely a turning point for the Cowboys, who had lost two straight games and needed a win over the defending champs in the worst way. Zeke came through for the Cowboys, rushing for 151 yards and a touchdown, while catching six passes for 38 yards and another TD. His best highlight was even a score but when he jumped straight over an Eagles defender in the middle of the field.
What's Next: The big news for Zeke centers on a contract that is looming within the next two seasons. The Cowboys now have the ability to re-sign Zeke to a long-term deal now that he has played three seasons. The Cowboys don't have to do anything with Elliott right now but considering the position he plays, it would make sense to get a new contract in his hands sooner than later. That is the approach the Rams took with Todd Gurley, although he suffered through injuries in the second half of the season, complicating that example for the Cowboys. Either way, Zeke will be back for the Cowboys in 2019 looking to win his third rushing title in a four-year span.
Bryan's Bottom Line: To say that 2017 wasn't a rough season for Ezekiel Elliott would be a vast understatement. The one thing that Elliott loves to do is play football and for six games that was taken away from him. In 2018 Elliott was able to put all that behind him and just concentrate on doing what he does best and that's playing in the games. What is so impressive about Elliott is throughout his football career whether that's been college or professional he has always welcomed the opportunity to be the center piece of the offense. There is an old saying in scouting. Don't tell the mule how heavy the wagon is – just keep loading it. Elliott doesn't want to hear how heavy it is he just wants you to keep loading it. As much as Elliott wants that responsibility you could tell that the wear and tear of the season was affecting the way he played. By the time the club had reached the playoffs he was dealing with more than just everyday soreness. As fans as we want to see them continue feeding him the ball, the more were need to be mindful of what he goes through each week when it comes to playing these games. I fully expect that we will see this front office make a move in the draft in order to help Elliott's situation in games. As much as he might disapprove taking that workload off him now gives the club the best chance for long term success.


Ann Skrobarczyk Adams, born Corpus Christi, TX., moved to Dallas in 1997. An award winning artist, she has exhibited in local and national shows and her work can be found in private and corporate collections as well as The Art Museum of South Texas permanent collection. She holds a B.A. in Art and is a signature member of the Pastel Society of the Southwest President in 2006, signature member of Texas Visual Arts Association, and The McKinney Avenue Contemporary.
Artist Statement: Every individual has a story to be told and as such, these works have evolved out of my ongoing visual observation of nature's cycles in response to the seasons. Like a diary,each piece documents my response to the natural currents of changed filled eddies, echoes and refrains of past journeys in contrast to the imagined dreams and promise of unknown paths we are yet destined to travel. Surrounded in life's richness, it is my desire to share with others and invite all to celebrate the wealth of their experience through these works.
Ann Skrobarczyk Adams, born Corpus Christi, TX., moved to Dallas in 1997. An award winning artist, she has exhibited in local and national shows and her work can be found in private and corporate collections as well as The Art Museum of South Texas permanent collection. She holds a B.A. in Art and is a signature member of the Pastel Society of the Southwest President in 2006, signature member of Texas Visual Arts Association, and The McKinney Avenue Contemporary. Artist Statement: Every individual has a story to be told and as such, these works have evolved out of my ongoing visual observation of nature's cycles in response to the seasons. Like a diary,each piece documents my response to the natural currents of changed filled eddies, echoes and refrains of past journeys in contrast to the imagined dreams and promise of unknown paths we are yet destined to travel. Surrounded in life's richness, it is my desire to share with others and invite all to celebrate the wealth of their experience through these works.


We are an energetic and entertaining team of DJs, lighting professionals, and videographers working weddings, corporate events, and private parties throughout the state of Florida. We believe the foundation of every good party is the music and you shouldn't settle for anything less than a DJ that can "Shut It Down!" Our talented DJs are handpicked from the hottest clubs but garnished with professionalism to keep your event high energy and fun, while keeping it clean and professional. We are truly the best of both worlds and we look forward to "Shutting Down" your next event!
If you want a fun party, hire this team!
When I first spoke to Burton, I made it clear that as a gay couple, we were very focused on throwing out tradition. What was most important to us was to bring our friends and families together for a celebration that none of us would forget. He clearly understood that and matched us with an incredible talent in DJ Chocolate Rain. He threw an insanely fun party and kept the energy up the entire time! So many of our friends and family told us in the days after that it was one of the most fun times they've ever had a wedding, largely thanks to the Shut Down Productions team! If you're looking for professionalism, excitement and a team who knows how to throw a party, hire Shut Down Productions!
We Hired Shutdown Productions for our wedding, Burton was our DJ/MC. We loved the fact that we had the option of picking songs played on the dance floor. We had a lot of control over the playlists and our DJ know how please a crowd. Burton is very organized, we were very happy that we chose Shutdown Productions for our wedding. Our wedding had at least 4 different ethnic groups, and Burton managed to please every body. I can't stress enough how organized Burton was. Our guests had fun, they still talking about it. We would hire Shutdown Productions again for future event without a doubt. Thank you so very much.
Shutdown Productions Shut It Down!
Burton and Shutdown Productions were absolutely the best! From the beginning, Burton was very responsive and wanted to make sure our wedding went off without any issues. The detailed questionnaire he provided was so helpful and made the night go exactly as planned. Our DJ literally had everyone on the dance floor until well after the time we were supposed to pack up and leave. We had numerous guests tell us that it was the best wedding party they've ever been to and told us how awesome the DJ was. Thank you Shutdown Productions for making our day amazing and for seriously shutting it down!


text:
HomeCelebsMichael Strahan Has a Long List of Shady Romances and Messy Break-Ups
Michael Strahan Has a Long List of Shady Romances and Messy Break-Ups
September 10, 2019 | by Olowokandi Fiyin
Agreed Michael Strahan has a blossoming career. He is, however, not as lucky with his love life judging by the strings of shady affairs and messy split-ups. They include losing millions of dollars over a divorce settlement among many other Waterloos.
The TV host and former pro football player, Michael Strahan, noticeably has ill-fortune when it comes to finding true love, much to our chagrin. We mean he is a super nice guy, and he deserves the best, but oh well!
A post shared by michaelstrahan (@michaelstrahan)
Strahan has reportedly been married twice, engaged once, and currently dating.
His lengthy list of lousy romances and controversial break-ups are backed up with facts. Let us show you the chronicles of how unlucky Strahan is when it comes to love, as stated by Nick Swift.
1. A shady partner
We would start with his latest love interest, Kayla Quick, who has supposedly had multiple altercations with the law. At the age of 14, Quick was arrested for disorderly conduct, and at 18, she was taken in on grand theft charges for purportedly stealing $6,000 worth of jewelry from her grandmother's home.
2. A messy marriage and an even messier divorce
Micheal has had two divorces and the second one from his ex-wife, Jean Strahan, was prolonged.
The case monopolized the news for over two years with both parties spreading incriminating things about each other.
Michael accused Jean of overspending over irrelevant things, while Jean accused him of domestic violence, sexually harassing her sister, and having affairs.
The settlement was the $15.3 million prenup agreement, but the Court reduced it in 2008 after an appeal.
3. Strahan's engagement didn't bode well
Strahan and his long-time girlfriend and fiance, Nicole Murphy, Eddie Murphy's ex-wife, were separated before the news came out. The split-up came into light the night Strahan was to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, which seemed like a deliberate attack.
Former football player Michael Strahan and Nicole Murphy attend professional tennis player Serena Williams' Pre-ESPYs House Party held at a private residence in Bel Air, California | Photo: Getty Images
TV Shows Jul 20, 2019
Michael Strahan and His Mom Appear on 'Good Morning America' Show in Houston
The reason for their separation is ambiguous. Several rumors like cheating, distance, busy schedules, and even dispute over their prenup, came up. However, there was never any substantial answer.
THE BETTER HALF OF STRAHAN'S LIFE
Despite his misgivings, two things are certain about Strahan: he is goal-oriented and also, a good father. Strahan has four kids, a son with his first wife, Wanda, and three children with Jean, as reported by BHW.
Even more, his career is going well, as he is famous for being a co-host on "Live! With Kelly Ripa," a patron on the Good Morning America show and lastly, a football analyst on TV.
Michael Strahan of GMA Fame Jokes His Twins Tried to 'Kick Him out' of New Family Photo Together
Celebs Jul 04, 2019
The Sun Appears to Be Setting on Steve Harvey but It's Rising on Michael Strahan
Youtube/Strahan and Sara
Stories Jul 03, 2019
Keke Palmer Is Co-Hosting 'Strahan and Sara' This Summer - Here's Why
Instagram/michaelstrahan
People May 23, 2019
Michael Strahan Shares Photo of His 4 Kids and the Resemblance Is Uncanny


On Sunday 25th June the Old Bedfordians progressed to the Quarter Finals of the Cricketer Cup with a comfortable seven-wicket win over the Felsted Robins. Having won the toss and opted to bowl first, Harry Aitkenhead (06-12) picked up two early wickets with the new ball and restricted Felsted well along with Mark Gibbs (93-98).
At 63/2, the introduction of Shiv Patel (04-15) changed the complexion of the innings though with his cunning off spin reducing Felsted to 88/6 as he took four wickets for just one run in his first six overs. He finished with outstanding figures of 4/18 and, although Felsted staged a minor recovery to post 203/9 at the close, the Old Bedfordians were more than happy with their work.
The chase never really looked in any doubt as opener James Kettleborough (00-11) was joined by Christian Davis (00-11) at 85-3 and the pair looked in little trouble as they knocked off the remaining runs in an unbeaten partnership worth 119. Kettleborough finished a superb 101 not out and Davis ended 56 not out, including a six to win the game.
The Old Bedfordians now face a trip to Marlborough College in the Quarter Finals on Sunday 9th July…all support would be most welcome!
* photo: James Kettleborough and Christian Davis following their 119 run, match-winning partnership.


Ask a question, shake the box, and let the all knowing MurgaLua Magic 8 Box solve all of life's problems.
This post was last modified: 04-20-2010 11:36 AM by iGame3D.
Figured out how to shake the box with the resize(x,y,h,w) function.
I tried using EightBox:y(), Fl:check(), and a timer, and got nothing.
Nice to see you got it working.


With summertime approaching soon, it's time to put away the porters and stouts and stock up on light, fruity, easy to drink beers. Here are my top 3 favorite beers from Bay Fest that are perfect for hot summer days.
Bohemia Blonde (American Blonde Ale): 6.6% abv – A hint of apricot makes this blonde ale fruity and easy to drink.
South Batch (Motueka): 5.1% abv – If you love sour beers, you must try this kettle sour dry hopped wheat ale.
"Did you hit it": 5% abv – The "Did you hit it" beer is dry hopped with Huell Melon and is fruity and crisp.


Parker Ranch exhibits incredible views among a beautiful Hill Country backdrop.
The property is located approximately 15 +/- miles west of Fredericksburg and 25 +/- miles north of Kerrville. Drive time from either San Antonio or Austin is approximately 1.5 hours.
The ranch is comprised of a nice combination of bottom land with a gentle rise in elevation. The southern portion of the property consists of fertile soils ideal for a personal orchard or garden. The land slightly rises in elevation to the north atop a hill resting at 1,985 +/- asl. Multiple possible building sites in the higher elevations to take advantage of beautiful Hill Country views. Vegetation includes a healthy array of native grasses and a variety of oak including Heritage, Spanish and Blackjack. A large portion of cedar has been selectively removed with the remaining retained for wildlife cover.
The Ranch is accessed by a private caliche road off FM 2093 through an iron automatic gate entrance. The private road has a maintenance agreement in place and traverses along the east boundary of the property serving two additional neighbors. There is an access easement down the west boundary line to access a neighboring property.
The property is raw land with no structural improvements in place.
Wildlife includes white tail deer, axis deer, turkey, dove and other animals native to the Hill Country.
The property does not have a water well.


text:
Quaequam Blog!
SARCASM WARNING
Why the drokk is it called Quaequam Blog!?
Dredd Stuff
R is for Robot Wars
2 September 2012 A-Z of Judge Dredd, comics and geek culture, Dredd Stuff2000AD, abc-warriors, comics, john-wagner, judge-dredd, ro-busters, robo-hunter, robotsJames Graham
I've already written several times about pivotal moments in the development of the Judge Dredd series; points which proved decisive in the survival of the strip and its development. Robot Wars (progs 10-17, 1977, with a prologue in prog 9) is the first of these pivotal moments.
It is easy to forget given how it came to dominate the comic, but in the early days there was no reason to regard Judge Dredd as different to any other strip running in 2000AD. It was not "featuring Judge Dredd" – indeed the character only first appeared in prog 2. If anything, it was "featuring Dan Dare", the 1950s space pilot who editor Pat Mills had revived to spark interest in the new comic. True, it is clear that Pat Mills felt he was onto something with Dredd, which is why its development process ended up being quite so tortuous, but that was no guarantee that the character would survive if it couldn't prove itself.
John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra's decision to walk away from their creation was a severe blow. The first seven Dredd strips to appear in 2000AD were written by Peter Harris, Pat Mills, Kelvin Gosnell, Charles Herring and in particular Malcolm Shaw. With the exception of Judge Whitey (prog 2, 1977), Dredd's first appearance, none of these stories are remembered with any particular affection.
Robot Wars was the first multi-part storyline. More significantly, it was also the first story written by John Wagner to appear in print (and the first story drawn by Carlos Ezquerra, albeit only for one episode). The difference in quality is quite striking.
The story revolves around a robot called Call-Me-Kenneth, a carpenter droid (and yes, that is a Biblical reference) who kills his brutal master and leads a rebellion amongst the robots. Dredd defeats this rebellion, assisted by his robot servant Walter, who is granted full citizenship at the end of the story but chooses to continue working unpaid for Dredd anyway.
This is the first time the satire in the Dredd strip really bites. The analogies being drawn between African slavery and the brutal treatment of the robots by the humans are pretty easy to spot. Call-Me-Kenneth is enjoyably villainous, but the humans and in particular Judge Dredd don't exactly come off well in this story either. It is the much put upon robots caught up in between we are really being invited to sympathise with.
The both the theme of robots-as-oppressed-people and the comic potential of robots were to go on to become recurring themes in 2000AD. Killer Car (progs 53-56, 1978) recycles a lot of the comedy in Robot Wars, and Wagner went on to collaborate with Ian Gibson, artist on both Robot Wars and Killer Car, on Robo-Hunter. Meanwhile, Pat Mills went on to make the plight of intelligent robots a theme in Ro-Busters and ABC Warriors.
Back in Judge Dredd, Walter would go on to be a recurring character for many years, even getting his own series of one-page strips drawn by Brian Bolland. Rejected by Dredd, Walter ends up founding a Call-Me-Kenneth worshipping cult in Giant (Megazine 2.50-52, 1994). And there was a second robot war, this time lead by crimelord Nero Narcos, as recounted in the Doomsday Scenario (progs 1141-1164 & Megazine 3.52-59, 1999).
Robot Wars was a triumphant return to the Judge Dredd strip by John Wagner which set the tone of the series for years afterwards. While simplistic by today's standards, it's quality shines through. As with The Pit almost 20 years later, if Wagner had not returned to write was in effect a manifesto for the strip at this point, it is very unlikely that the strip would have lasted the year, let alone 35.
Follow @jamesgraham
blognotes
Chris-Huhne
civil-liberties
commentariat
conservative-party
david-cameron
electoral-reform
gordon-brown
judge-dredd
land-value-taxation
leadership-election
lembit-opik
lib-dem-leadership
liberal-democrats
Menzies-Campbell
nick-clegg
Simon-Hughes
swivel-eyed-loons
the-left
Comment is Free (n.b. articles from time when I was a party activist)
Liberal – but not so democratic in the Lords | James Graham
Lib Dems must agree to publicly disagree | James Graham
Labour's accusations of gerrymandering are self-defeating | James Graham
On electoral reform, it's AV or nothing | James Graham
Refusal to enter Lib Dem coalition was Labour's final failure | James Graham
Election 2010: A cruel result for the Lib Dems | James Graham
Election 2010: Cameron plans to stuff the Lords with Tory peers | James Graham
Lib Dems will make Labour sweat | James Graham
A new politics is up for grabs | James Graham
Digital economy bill exposes broken system | James Graham
d100 News
My Tumblrs
Quaequam Blog (Tumblr edition)
Jack Fairhall
Liberal England
Oliver Kamm
Party Political
Flock Together
Green Liberal Democrats
Lib Dem Blogs – Aggregated!
Scurrilous Journals
Squaxx Dek Thargo
2000AD Prog Slog
2000AD Review
2000AD.org
Vicious Imagery
Centre Forum
Social Liberal Forum
Unlock Democracy


text:
{ "item_title" : "She's Faking It", "item_author" : [" Kristin Rockaway "], "item_description" : "Smart, fun, fast-paced.--Helen Hoang, USA Today-bestselling author, on How to Hack a Heartbreak You can't put a filter on reality. Bree Bozeman isn't exactly pursuing the life of her dreams. Then again, she isn't too sure what those dreams are. After dropping out of college, she's living a pretty chill life in the surf community of Pacific Beach, San Diego...if chill means delivering food as a GrubGetter, and if it means uneventful. But when Bree starts a new Instagram account -- @breebythesea -- one of her posts gets a signal boost from none other than wildly popular self-help guru Demi DiPalma, owner of a lifestyle brand empire. Suddenly, Bree just might be a rising star in the world of Instagram influencing. Is this the direction her life has been lacking? It's not a career choice she'd ever seriously considered, but maybe it's a sign from the universe. After all, Demi's the real deal... right? Everything is lining up for Bree: life goals, career, and even a blossoming romance with the chiseled guy next door, surf star Trey Cantu. But things are about to go sideways fast, and even the perfect filter's not gonna fix it. Instagram might be free, but when your life looks flawless on camera, what's the cost?", "item_img_path" : "https://covers1.booksamillion.com/covers/bam/1/52/580/456/1525804561_b.jpg", "price_data" : { "retail_price" : "15.99", "online_price" : "15.99", "our_price" : "15.99", "club_price" : "15.99", "savings_pct" : "0", "savings_amt" : "0.00", "club_savings_pct" : "0", "club_savings_amt" : "0.00", "discount_pct" : "10", "store_price" : "" } }
She's Faking It
by Kristin Rockaway
Smart, fun, fast-paced.--Helen Hoang, USA Today-bestselling author, on How to Hack a Heartbreak
You can't put a filter on reality.
Bree Bozeman isn't exactly pursuing the life of her dreams. Then again, she isn't too sure what those dreams are. After dropping out of college, she's living a pretty chill life in the surf community of Pacific Beach, San Diego...if "chill" means delivering food as a GrubGetter, and if it means "uneventful".
But when Bree starts a new Instagram account -- @breebythesea -- one of her posts gets a signal boost from none other than wildly popular self-help guru Demi DiPalma, owner of a lifestyle brand empire. Suddenly, Bree just might be a rising star in the world of Instagram influencing. Is this the direction her life has been lacking? It's not a career choice she'd ever seriously considered, but maybe it's a sign from the universe. After all, Demi's the real deal... right?
Everything is lining up for Bree: life goals, career, and even a blossoming romance with the chiseled guy next door, surf star Trey Cantu. But things are about to go sideways fast, and even the perfect filter's not gonna fix it. Instagram might be free, but when your life looks flawless on camera, what's the cost?
Publisher: Graydon House


text:
Young Stars 2016 Day One
A Review of the first night of pre-season action from Penticton
By gmonk33 Sep 17, 2016, 12:13am PDT
Share All sharing options for: Young Stars 2016 Day One
It's been a pretty long day today having driven from Calgary to Penticton, but the journey to the 2016 Young Stars tournament has already been worthwhile! There's something special about seeing top prospects play their first shift in their team's colors. Tonight saw all four teams in action with the Calgary Flames taking on the Winnipeg Jets followed by the Edmonton Oilers and YOUR Vancouver Canucks.
Game 1: Calgary (4) vs. Winnipeg (1) Highlights
For your own protection, do not cross glass barrier while wild Tkachuks are on ice
This game was interesting to say the least. Going into the game, all eyes were on Matthew Tkachuk. He was seen as NHL ready by many scouts and media personalities on draft day. After his first night, that is up for debate. Tkachuk led the team in... Penalty Minutes with 16 including a 10 minute misconduct that came as a result of a line brawl with around 5 minutes left in the game.
You were warned, but chose not to listen!
Andrew Mangiapane: the 'veteran' (if you can call anyone at this tournament a vet) was very effective, scoring the game winner and assisting on another. He was visible all night, which is exactly what he needs to do to keep himself near the top of the Flames prospect board.
Oliver Kylington: The Swedish d-man who was very slight and easily taken off the puck showed great improvement over last year. He made smarter plays with the puck, and won more puck battles than in his previous appearance.
Brendan Lemieux: Let's call him the reason Matthew Tkachuk lived in the penalty box tonight! No one knows what was said, but it was bad enough to take the focus away from the best player in the matchup. That type of peskiness will be what gets Lemieux to the NHL, it will be his skills as a scoring threat that will keep him there.
Matthew Tkachuk: Playing with an edge is one thing, but taking three minor penalties and a 10 minute misconduct is not the kind of hockey that is needed out of a top prospect with the offensive prowess of Tkachuk.
Light on Skates: Jankowski, Connor, and Roslovic were at times a little to light on their skates. It seemed as though they were looking to draw a penalty in the event that a stick were to come in close proximity to their skates. It can't be called diving, but it definitely was a recurring theme.
Line Brawl: It's the first game of the preseason, did you really have that much pent up aggression? Apparently so! The stripes handed out 7 ten minute misconducts as a result of this brawl. Finishing strong is one thing, but line brawls aren't part of finishing strong.
Game 2: Edmonton (4) vs. Vancouver (1) Highlights
This score line isn't what we were hoping for out of the local boys, but the scoreboard only tells part of the story. The Canucks never stopped trying to get back into the game.
Jesse Puljujarvi: Hard to see how this player fell to 4th overall in the draft this year. The big Finn is exactly as advertised: He can score, pass, and skate with the best of them. 2 goals is a great way to start his tenure in an Oilers jersey!
Nick Ellis: The Oiler netminder was solid, stopping wave after wave of Canuck pressure throughout the last 30 minutes of the game.
Marc-Olivier Roy: Hopefully this was not a single game revenge effort for the former Oiler draft pick. Roy was very active on the forecheck and was rewarded by scoring the lone Canucks goal.
Curtis Valk: Talk about a man on a mission, Valk was everywhere! He played the point on the 1st powerplay unit, center on the penalty kill and was on a dangerous 3rd line.
Tate Olson/Carl Neill pairing: More often than not when this tandem was on the ice, the puck was heading towards Demko on the stick of an Oiler forward. This tandem was on ice several times last year with similar results... When will Willie & Co. give up on this pairing?
Tate Olson: The puck had eyes tonight, and those eyes were fixated on being behind Tate Olson's stick. Olson couldn't buy a break with the puck whether it was on offense, defense or in the neutral zone the puck just wasn't with him tonight. Hopefully a day of rest will reset his puck Karma!
The Offense: Plenty of quality scoring chances tonight, not a lot of goals. This team will be grinding for every goal they score and will need to focus on getting point shots through traffic and maybe capitalize on a few deflections.
What did you see out of the opening night of Young Stars?
Gamethread #49: Canucks vs Blue Jackets Canucks come home to re-group as they face Columbus
Wake With Elias: Andrei Kuzm-Extension Andrei Kuzmenko has signed an extension, and It has implications for the roster moving forward.
Some Parting Shots... Billionaires don't care about you, but we do.


Image Title: Endura Flap 6 In X 11 Small Single For Doors With White Dog Door Decorations 17. Post Title: Endura Flap Dog Door. Filename: endura-flap-6-in-x-11-small-single-for-doors-with-white-dog-door-decorations-17.jpg. Image Dimension: 1000 x 1000 pixels. Images Format: jpg/jpeg. Publisher/Author: Lonnie Pacocha. Uploaded Date: Friday - October 12th. 2018 11:32:26 AM. Category: Design. Image Source: diy.com. Patio Pacific Endura Flap Dog Door For Doors Exterior Pet Pertaining To Remodel 0. Patio Pacific Endura Flap Pet Door For Walls In Wall Mount Dog Plans 10. Dog Doors Cat Walls Endura Flap Pet Intended For Door Remodel 4. Endura Flap Quick Panel 3 Dog Door Sliding Glass Inside Decor. Pet Door Woes Endura Flap Doors PetDoors Com Inside Dog Designs 5. Endura Flap 6 In X 11 Small Single For Doors With White Dog Door Decorations 17. Endura Flap Pet Door Temperature Testing YouTube Inside Dog Inspirations 13. Using The Variable Magnet Strength Feature Of Your Patio Pacific With Regard To Endura Flap Dog Door Plan 11. Endura Flap Pet Door For Walls Dog Doors In Decorations 1. Dog Doors Cat Endura Flap Pet Patio Pacific Inside Door Plans 8.


text:
How to Photograph Tennis: Tips from Professional Photographer Ella Ling at the U.S. Open
Dan Havlik | Sep 7, 2019
Serena Williams during her Ladies' Singles quarterfinal, Wimbledon Tennis Championships, Day 8. © Ella Ling/BPI/Shutterstock
With the U.S. Open tennis championship reaching its exciting conclusion this weekend, we caught up with a pro photographer who is currently covering the Open to get her tips on how to photograph tennis.
In the Q&A interview below, we ask pro sports shooter Ella Ling, who sells her images on Shutterstock, for her advice on how to capture killer shots of tennis players in action. Read on to find out what she told us. You can see more of her work on her website.
Q: What are your recommended camera settings for shooting tennis?
Ella Ling: It's really hard to say, there is no single setting that I stick to. My camera settings are constantly changing because of the constant movement and changing light conditions.
Q: What's your favorite lighting for tennis?
Ella Ling: Natural sunlight is usually best. While it can sometimes get warm I've captured so many amazing shots just because of how the sunlight is hitting the athlete like this one of Naomi Osaka from the Australian Open. The magic hour for me is when the shadow starts to come across the court and we can shoot the player in the evening sun with shadow in the background, creating a stark contrast and beautifully clean images.
Q: How much flexibility do you have in terms of shooting positions? Do you have to spend the whole match in one small area, or can you move around?
Ella Ling: This depends on the tournament. At Wimbledon they are quite strict with shooting positions and we don't have the flexibility that we might have at other Slams. There are certain spots on each court where we are allowed but outside of those, we are forbidden. From the Semi-Finals onwards, we are each allocated a seat which we are supposed to shoot from the whole match.
Sunset over Rod Laver Arena, Australian Open 2019. © Ella Ling/BPI/Shutterstock
Q: Is there a particular camera you like for shooting tennis? What lenses do you use and why?
Ella Ling: I use two Canon 1D-Xs and my go-to lenses that I carry around are the Canon 400mm f/2.8 Mark III and the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 Mark II. They are the most useful to have as they basically cover all bases, both tight action/details and more full-body/ambience shots, without having to change lenses which is time-consuming, and you end up missing shots.
Q: Do you know players' style of play well enough to anticipate particular shots?
Ella Ling: For players that have been on the circuit for a while, I think photographers start to pick up on certain trends in how they play and move. For example, Nick Kyrgios is known for his underarm serve and the power in Serena Williams' serve is always amazing to shoot. Other examples will be Rafa's forehand follow through and Federer's backhand from certain positions on the court which only those who have experience shooting will be able to predict.
Q: Who is your favorite tennis player you've ever photographed and why?
Ella Ling: Having been a fan of the sport for as long as I can remember, it is really tough for me to choose a favorite player since I have the opportunity to shoot so many amazing athletes. Rafael Nadal always provides great action, power, emotion and details, as does Serena Williams.
I'm also lucky to shoot a sport like tennis where you can see so many rising stars make their way to the top. I'm a huge fan of Naomi Osaka. I especially love shooting her with her hair down, as it looks like it's on fire when shooting her backlit, creating some really stunning images.
Naomi Osaka of Japan in action, Australian Open 2019. © Ella Ling/BPI/Shutterstock
Q: What's the biggest challenge with shooting tennis?
Ella Ling: The biggest challenge is competing with other photographers to get that one of a kind shot. At big tournaments like the U.S. Open, there are tons of photographers all fighting for the best pictures. My tactic is to not always follow the ball. I'll take shots of the crowd, or of the opposition player waiting for the ball to land in their court to get unique photos that others might not think to take. I also love to play with the light and create more artistic shots.
Q: For photographers who aren't professionals, what key advice would you recommend to get them started with shooting tennis and sports in general?
Ella Ling: To get your foot in the door as an aspiring pro, you have to be prepared for long hours in a competitive industry. It's also a very competitive industry with no guarantees. I recommend reaching out to different agencies or photographers to see if they have internship opportunities as a start.
My advice for shooting sports action photography are:
1. Pay attention to what's going on around you and don't just follow the ball. Some of my favorite shots often happen off the ball so I try to make sure I'm thinking beyond strictly action shots.
2. Find a unique shot. I always try to shoot something non-traditional whether that be playing with the light, looking into the crowd or changing my angles around.
3. Don't follow the crowd. I think there's a lot of value in choosing your position if it's possible. It's a guaranteed way to get a shot that no other photographer will have.
Sports Photography: 5 Tips For Shooting With A...
Try This Classic Photo Technique to Tell a Story...
Want to Know What It's Like to Be a Pro...
How to Photograph Big Wave Surfing: Jay Watson...
Photographing World Series-Winning Shortstop...
How It Was Shot: The Story Behind This Photo of...
Sports Photography as Art: Eric Bakke's Tips on...
How to Become a Professional Sports Photographer...
Learn How to Shoot Great Action Photos While...
Sports Photography Tips: Here's How to Get the...
Shooting Baseball Sharpens Your Photo Skills
How Pro Sports Photographer Brad Mangin Makes...
8 Tips for Better Action Photos with a Simple...
These Striking B&W Images Combine the Best of...
Full Frame: The Story Behind the Image
How Do You Photograph Michael Phelps? Fire As...
f 1.4 lens
500mm above lens caps
f 2 filters accessories
500mm above camera filter accessories
500mm above battery chargers
f 3.5 lens accessories
medium large format filim
color calibration charts
macro camera lens
500mm above camera
macro digital camera lenses
f 4 filter sets


text:
Home Business NewsBusinessAutomotive News Nextbase receives £10m investment from Sandton Capital Partners
Automotive NewsBusiness NewsFinance NewsInvestment News
Nextbase receives £10m investment from Sandton Capital Partners
by Peter Smyth Tech Journalist July 13, 2020
written by Peter Smyth Tech Journalist 13th Jul 20 10:40 am
Nextbase, the world's leading Dash Cam manufacturer announced on Monday that it has completed a £10m round of growth funding from Sandton Capital Partners, a London and New York based private equity fund.
Nextbase is the category leader in the fast-growing Dash Cam sector with market share of 80% in the UK and 50% in Europe and is already market leader in the US, where it only recently launched. A similar growth and share pattern is anticipated in new territories around the world.
Sandton's investment will be used be used to accelerate the implementation of cutting edge new technologies, including 4G/5G functionality, and the development of leading Automotive and Insurance products and services. The investment will also fund continued expansion in North America and new international territories.
Matt Meehan, UK Head at Sandton said, "Nextbase is a market leading UK technology business with ambitious export growth plans, despite the impact of COVID-19. We are impressed with Nextbase's achievements to date and see a very bright future ahead.
"They came to us with a record of strong growth, clear revenue streams and an impressive strategy and Sandton are delighted to invest in their next phase of growth – expanding into markets that present huge opportunities and advancing technology in what is very clearly an exciting space.
"It is rare to see a British business which has realised such success in both local and international markets and we are excited to be playing a major part in their future growth in these uncertain times."
Nextbase is a privately owned British consumer technology company which is bucking the trend by investing in UK-based infrastructure, staff and R&D. It has built up a large catalogue of proprietary Intellectual Property – widening product appeal and introducing the product sector to new customer demographics. Revenue has grown by over 30% per annum in each of the last 5 years and will be approximately £62m for the FY19-20 financial year.
Richard Browning, Director of Nextbase said, "Our success in driving and evolving the Dash Cam category over the past five years has given us a very strong, market-leading position on which to build further.
"We have grown our business to date without external funding and as Dash Cams increasingly become an essential part of everyday driving we feel it is time to accelerate our plans.
"We see this investment as the route to expedite the roll-out of our cutting edge proprietary technology and our territory expansion, bringing this innovative technology to all drivers globally. We look forward to partnering with Sandton who share our values and goals."
The global Dash Cam market has expanded rapidly and is expected to reach a total market size of US$7.5bn by 2027. Nextbase's growth has been attributed to its award-winning, category leading technology, wide range of models to cater for motorists varying needs and innovative sales and marketing strategies. The company has forged key partnerships over the years with national retail leaders including Best Buy, Walmart, Halfords and MediaMarkt. Nextbase products are now sold in more than 10,000 retail stores worldwide.
AutomotivefinanceInvestment


Scott Sanderson has over a decade of experience at a large IP specialty law firm in Chicago including years at a patent litigator before shifting focus to patent prosecution. Favorite technical areas in which Scott has advised and obtained patent rights for clients in the past include hard drives, breed-and-burn nuclear reactors, national supply chains, e-commerce retailing, and internet service providers. He is currently the founder of Sanderson IP Law, a firm that devotes substantial time to studying decentralized consensus in areas of interest including decentralized corporations and decentralized jurisdictions, crypto economics, wet and dry smart contracts, and decentralized funding mechanisms.


text:
Hotel ROI
STR data show Dubai occupancy down for two consecutive months
by Elliott Mest |
STR Global released its preliminary June data for Dubai's hotel indistry, showing a 5.5-percent increase in supply and a 2.6-increase in demand, as well as a 1.4-percent increase in average daily rate. However, the emirate posted a 4.2-percent decrease in revenue per available room, down to $134.41.
This is the second month in a row Dubai recorded a decline in occupancy, said Elizabeth Winkle, managing director of STR Global.
"Demand growth slowed during one of the hottest months in the year and supply growth remained strong", Winkle said. "ADR continued to grow, posting the highest levels of any June since 2008. However, such an increase was not able to fully offset the negative occupancy performance".
Hotel Optimization Part 3 | January 27, 2021
With 2020 behind us and widespread vaccine distribution on the horizon, the second half of the new year is looking up, but for Q1 (and most likely well into Q2) we're very much still in the thick of what has undeniably been the lowest point of the pandemic. What can you be doing now to power through and set yourself up for a prosperous 2021 and beyond? Join us at Part 3 of Hotel Optimization – A Virtual Event on January 27 from 10am – 1:05pm ET for expert panels focused on getting you back to profitability.
According to The National, thousands of Dubai hotel rooms are expected to go to market this year, including a 430-unit Pullman property in Jumeirah Lakes Towers, the 304-room Coral International in Sports City and the 765-room Ghaya Grand Hotel and Apartments.
Laurent Voivenel, the chief executive of the hotel operator Hospitality Management Holdings, told The National that hotel rates in the company rose while occupancy dipped. HMH runs the Coral Dubai Deira Hotel, Coral Dubai Al Barsha Al Khoory Hotel and Apartments, Corp Dubai Al Wasl Al Khoory Hotel, and EWA Dubai Deira Hotel.
Dubai first posted declining occupancy numbers earlier in the year, but at the start of June it was forecasted that slowed occupancy growth in the emirate could lead the way for rising rates, which could recoup the losses. Only time will tell.
Subbply is not a concern for Dubai, which has 71 hotels under planning or construction, accounting for 22,000 additional rooms, according to a Deloitte-STR report released in May.
Elliott Mest
https://twitter.com/celmest
https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliott-mest-a16a746a


ta-da! although not quite finished here and I could at least have moved the toy bucket. The lights are 1950s hospital lamps that I found on eBay. The boy spray-painted them matt black and I love how they've turned out, they're one of my favourite things. The worktop is made up from pieces of reclaimed science lab top, again from eBay. I love how the timber blends in with the mahogany floor.
I will eventually get round to doing some nice magazine-style shots with the ubiquitous diptyque dotted about here and there (and no toy bucket). But in the meantime, what do you think, folks?
I do love the ones who get stuck in. My least favourite houses, although still amazing, were those whose owners had obviously just gone shopping one day and bought everything in sight. I like interiors best when you've slaved over the contents, lovingly built up a collection of crap from car-boot sales, junk shops, flea-bay… I love nothing better than buying a bit of old tat for a tenner and scoffing loudly when I see something identical in some fancy pants antique shop for a few hundred quid. Smug but satisfying.
Oh dear. Whatever happened to choosing paint? Turns out rising damp isn't that straightforward… now we're floorless and seeing as we've got ourselves into this, we may as well go the whole hog and knock the wall down. We've got a structural engineer coming round in two weeks to survey it properly and say yay or nay.
I have a bit of an obsession with Retrouvius, a London-based architectural salvage and design firm and I highly recommend the book Reclaiming Style, which showcases some of their design projects – my copy is well pawed. I love that these kitchens don't look too 'kitcheny': the drawer fronts shown in pic 1 are made from fluted oak pillasters, reclaimed from the altar apse of a 1920s church in Marylebone; the others feature teak worktops reclaimed from school science labs. We're a long way off choosing worktops but I'm starting to get some ideas together for my dream kitchen: parquet, marble, brass taps and maybe a knackered old museum cabinet or two?
Yesterday we celebrated the boy's birthday up at Goodison Park, in honour of Poppa Bear, to see Everton play. You'll be pleased to know the boys in blue won 2-1.
Daubed on the walls, it looks darkly dramatic – especially with black accents as shown here. I'm not sure these walls aren't green, mind you, but they look amazing all the same.
p.s. this chandelier is a bit gorgeous. We've had a light binge on ebay recently, more of that in another post.
Oooh it's been an exciting few weeks. Hen weekend pottery painting and flamenco tapas followed by an amazing 50s stylee rock n roll wedding with dweebs and pigs and to top it all off the Salty Morrises welcomed the beautiful Artemis Ida to the world.
Here's what I painted at Carly's pottery painting hen-do. I got told off by the pot lady for not covering it in garish flowers but I ain't no artist: play to your strengths, I say. The Victorian taxidermy dome was purchased in two stages from the carboot for the princely total of £10.
Hurrah, we're back on the DIY. After a mini hiatus that involved a wedding anniversary, a wet week in Devon and the boy starting a new job, we are planning to finish the living room. This is the original Victorian paint, revealed under about three layers of wallpaper. Having lived with the distressed look for a while, we've decided to paint over it. What colour to choose?


Bakeries, diners, cafes, and restaurants all face plenty of challenges with regards to health and safety regulations. Consumable products are not something to be messed with because if a food safety risk is linked to your company then you could be held responsible for all costs associated with these types of incidents.
One of the most challenging issues in the food industry is smoking. As a bakery, you welcome smokers and non-smokers alike because they are all valuable customers but you also need to create health safe environments for all of these customers.
Here are a few great tips for creating a clean and fair environment for all of your customers and for yourself even though you might be a smoker.
It is important for you to have smokers sitting and dining areas at your bakery. Smoker's areas are great for those who want to enjoy a smoke with their lunch and for those who prefer to sit outside. By creating a smokers area you also keep those bad smells out of your bakery so your foods won't end up smelling like tobacco.
Are you a smoker? Then you defiantly need to visit thevapeshopla.com right now and buy a vape pen. Vaporizers are perfect for busy bakers who have to tend to all the needs of their customers. These devices are electronic and allow you to enjoy a quick smoke break at any given moment. You can puff your vape a few times between rushed orders without any of the waste you normally would have with cigarettes that you have to waste whenever you are in a rush. Vaporizers are also much healthier since they don't contain all the toxins that normal cigarettes do and they can actually improve the aroma of your cake shop since these pens can be loaded with a wide range of fragranced oils and nicotine salts. It also is a much cleaner smoking habit since there is no ash or buds left behind after you smoke.
While you are setting up your smokers area you might as well create a bit of awareness on these handy, healthier and cleaner smoking devices. Add a few posters and pamphlets so your smoking customers can learn about the benefits of vape pens.
Live plants are a good investment whether your smoker's area is located inside or outside of the building. Live plants absorb toxins, impurities, and carbon dioxide from the air and create oxygen. They freshen the air and reduce those bad tobacco aromas.
Don't sweep or dust smokers areas. The ash will only resurface and can smell even worse over time. Vacuum and mop your smokers area and use a damp cloth to wipe down all surfaces instead of dusting. These cleaning methods will reduce ash in the area and when you mix in a good fragrance with your cleaning solution you will also freshen up the entire area at the same time.


text:
FintTech
Web-Based Software For Corporate Sales Teams
The B2B information services market is developing along with technology evolution, since it involves such unique features as data processing and scalable computing. The growth and profitability of this market have been driven by a surge in the number of white-collar workers globally and the increasing importance of data and information in decision-making. Following the demand, the tools appear that allow access to a great number of companies, contacts, and insights to boost sales teams' performance.
LeanCode, a member of the PrediqTank consortium, developed web-based software that offers access to up-to-date contacts' information related to a specific industry, company, and position. The scope of work included product development and ensuring a seamless user experience, but also the analysis of current processes and the proposal of the new approach supported with the web application.
Project Description & Client Benefits
LeanCode built a web app application for IRD Group from Australia from the Information Services Industry. In this case, we approached a challenge to rebuild the product that has already been on the market so that it's based on the latest technology and allows for an upgrade in the form of new features. We also offered guidance based on our experience on other solutions that could be useful from the user's perspective and make the product more valuable.
Our team of Backend and Frontend Developers used .NET and React technology to provide key features, such as a possibility to run complicated searches using the powerful Elasticsearch framework. Thanks to that, the real-time search and filtering was made possible on a database that consisted of millions of records. The new tool also makes it possible for the Sales Representatives to receive notifications about changes to the data of followed contacts, monitor their associates' activity with the use of the tool, and more. During the delivery, we were working in SCRUM methodology, which significantly reduces the project development time.
LeanCode delivered the application and migrated the data from the legacy solution. We also implemented a payment processing solution for subscriptions and billing. The final product is embedding critical business intelligence and sales triggers directly into the user's Customer Relationships Management tool, helping sales and marketing teams find, connect with, and sell to the right buyers.
Industry: Information Services
Project category: Web App Development
Lead Member: LeanCode
Using OCR to Automate Invoice Processing In Accounting
Debt Recovery Process Optimization
Customer Churn Prediction in Banking
Back to the project list
PREDIQTANK
Our Capabilities
Our org. in numbers
Our Consortium
Why Poland
Who we are
Copyright © 2021-2022, PrediqTank / PrediqScience LLC. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | Made with in San Diego


text:
Will Stone appears in the following:
By Rob Stein / Will Stone
Long criticized as discriminatory, the policy has prevented many gay and bisexual men from donating blood. The Food and Drug Administration revealed a draft of its new approach on Friday.
I usually wake up just ahead of my alarm. What's up with that?
By Will Stone
Call it "precision waking" — the alleged ability to decide when you want to wake up and then doing so, without an alarm. If you think you can do it, you're not alone, though how is still mysterious.
Seattle Children's Hospital is being inundated with respiratory illness patients
Pediatric hospitals in the U.S. are being inundated with patients due to an unusually early and intense surge of respiratory illnesses. Here's how one Seattle hospital is coping.
CDC issues a revamp of opiod guidelines, giving clinicians more leeway
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a long-anticipated revamp of opioid guidelines that give clinicians more leeway in prescribing the medicines for pain.
CDC issues new opioid prescribing guidance, giving doctors more leeway to treat pain
By Will Stone /
The updated recommendations seek to course correct after guidelines from 2016 were criticized for harshly limiting access to needed pain medication.
Early signs suggest monkeypox may be slowing in the U.S.
By / Will Stone
Rates of new cases are declining in major cities, suggesting public health campaigns are working.
Pfizer asks FDA to greenlight new omicron booster shots, which could arrive this fall
Pfizer has submitted data on its bivalent COVID-19 booster shot that specifically targets the latest omicron subvariants. If authorized, the company says the shots could be ready as soon as September.
The new U.S. monkeypox vaccine strategy offers more doses — and uncertainty
Missteps and delays have hampered the U.S. effort to vaccinate people against monkeypox. Now state health officials and community members are trying to adapt to a controversial "dose sparing" plan.
With new guidance, CDC ends test-to-stay for schools and relaxes COVID rules
Revised guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looks to minimize COVID-19's disruption of daily life while conceding that the pandemic isn't over.
With supplies low, FDA authorizes plan to stretch limited monkeypox vaccine doses
By Ari Daniel / / Will Stone
The Biden administration is allowing the shot to be given between layers of skin — a method that only requires a fifth of the full dose — in order to increase vaccinations and slow the outbreak.
Poll: Black, Native American and Latino families face serious problems from inflation
Those households are struggling to stay afloat, according to a new poll from NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
White House declares monkeypox a public health emergency
By Will Stone / Jane Greenhalgh
Declaring a public health emergency can free up resources to help the administration respond to the monkeypox outbreak. So far more than 6,000 people in the U.S. have been infected.
Still testing positive after day 10? How to decide when to end your COVID isolation
Nobody wants to infect their friends and friendly, but do you really have to keep isolating at day 12, 13 or beyond? Unfortunately — and perhaps unsurprisingly — the science is not entirely settled.
Nurses have had an up-close view of the pandemic deaths in the U.S.
The one million U.S. deaths from COVID-19 happened out of sight for most Americans. It was often nurses who were caring for these patients and bearing witness to their deaths.
Some clinics are bracing for a huge influx of patients if Roe v. Wade is overturned
If abortion bans are enacted, millions would be forced to travel to less restrictive states, and some health providers are warning they may not be able to handle the surge in demand.
Large numbers of people may travel to other areas if Roe v. Wade is overturned
Clinics, in states where abortion will remain legal even if Roe v. Wade is overturned, worry about the influx of women traveling to their states. Will they be able to accommodate them all?
For two years, this Washington island has grappled with the long reach of COVID
The virus hit Whidbey Island early in 2020, and photojournalist Lynn Johnson was there. A million deaths later, we return to see how the pandemic has subtly but indelibly altered life there forever.
Older adults shouldn't start a routine of daily aspirin, task force says
By Allison Aubrey / Will Stone
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says people 60 and older should not start taking aspirin to prevent heart attacks and strokes. People ages 40 to 59 should consult their doctor.
Here's why you might still want to wear masks on public transport
By Will Stone / Maria Godoy
Sure, you don't have to wear a mask on airplanes, buses and ride shares anymore, but you still might want to depending on the circumstances. Here's what experts say about the risks.
CDC extends transportation mask mandate until May 3
The Biden administration will continue to require travelers to wear masks on planes and other forms of public transport,.
Will Stone Newsfeed
Subscribe to the RSS Feed (Atom)


Tickets may be purchased at the door of the church on the night of the performance or in advance at Kinburn Pharmasave (Mahone Bay), Shop on the Corner (Lunenburg) or Strings and Things (Bridgewater).
Leave a message giving your name, the concert and the number of tickets you require and the tickets will be at the door of the church on the evening of the concert.
If you need more information someone will reply to your message within 24 hours.


Trust property refers to assets that have been placed into a fiduciary relationship between a trustor and trustee for a designated beneficiary. Trust property may include any type of asset such as cash, securities, real estate or life insurance policies.
Trust property is also referred to as "trust assets" or "trust corpus".
Trust property is typically tied into an estate planning strategy used to facilitate the transfer of assets and to reduce tax liability. Some trusts can also protect assets in the event of a bankruptcy or lawsuit.
The trustee is required to manage the trust property in accordance with the trustor's wishes and in the beneficiary's best interests. A trustee can be an individual or a financial institution such as a bank. A trustor sometimes called a "settlor" or "grantor" can also serve as a trustee managing assets for the benefit of another individual such as a son or daughter.
Regardless of the role a trustee plays, the individual or organization must abide by specific rules and laws that govern the functioning of whichever type of trust is established.
There are several different types of trusts individuals can establish. But they typically fall under two categories which are revocable trusts and irrevocable trusts. In a revocable arrangement, the trustor maintains legal ownership and control of trust assets. For this reason, the trustor would be responsible for paying taxes on the income those assets generate and the trust may also be subject to estate taxes should its value breach the tax exempt threshold at the time of the grantor's death.
With an irrevocable trust, the trustor passes legal ownership of the trust assets to a trustee. However, this means those assets leave a person's property effectively lowering the taxable portion of an individual's estate. The trustor also relinquishes certain rights to mend the trust agreement. For example, a trustor usually can't change beneficiaries of an irrevocable trust after they have been established. This is not the case with a revocable trust.
Trusts can be created during an individual's lifetime or they can be established following the grantor's death. This situation applies to Payable on Death (POD) trusts, which transfer assets to a beneficiary following the death of the trustor. Generally speaking, this type of trust and similar ones are called testamentary trusts because property is actually transferred following the trustor's death. Assets in these trusts flow directly to the intended beneficiaries following the trustor's death, which means they avoid the often long and expensive process of probate. These trusts can also be outlined in a person's will.
Assets within living trusts, however, can be transferred during the trustor's lifetime. For example, several individuals open accounts in trust with banks for the benefit of their children or to help fund their college expenses. A trustee carefully manages the assets held in the account to achieve this goal, but the children don't have complete access to the funds or the freedom to spend income from the fund as they please. An example of this type of arrangement is a unified gift to minors act (UGMA) account. In some cases, beneficiaries such as children would have access to the trust's assets and the income they generate only after reaching a certain age.


Home » Browse » Academic journals » Politics and Government Journals » Demokratizatsiya » Article details, "Russia's 1997 Law Renews Religious Persecution"
While the two 1990 laws--adopted about a year before the final collapse of the USSR--contained flaws, they generally embraced an American-style approach to church-state relations. In the aftermath of the adoption of the two laws, something roughly approximating freedom of religion as we understand it in the United States came into existence in the Russian Republic, which had become an independent state in December 1991. Parishes of several Orthodox ecclesiastical jurisdictions in direct competition with the official Russian Orthodox Church (or "Moscow Patriarchate") were legally established, and Roman Catholics and numerous Protestant groups were able legally to expand their activities. Even religious organizations representing what Russian political leaders today refer to as "totalitarian sects"--Mormons, Hare Krishna, the Unification Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Baha'i, and so forth--were able to develop their activity relatively unhindered.
According to a useful handbook (spravochnik), issued by the Russian Council of Federation in early 1996, the Moscow Patriarchate was able to expand the number of its officially registered parishes in Russia from 3,451 in 1990 to 7,195 as of January 1996 (that is, the number of its registered parishes more than doubled in six years.).(3) But the Moscow Patriarchate's Orthodox religious competitors were also able to broaden their activities. Thus the Free Orthodox Church under Archbishop Valentin of Suzdal' claimed ninety-eight registered parishes as of January 1996, while the "catacomb" True Orthodox Church had twenty-six (plus a number of unregistered parishes). The Russian Orthodox Church Abroad under Metropolitan Vitaly of New York had succeeded in opening five dioceses in Russia (although none of its parishes had apparently gained official registration), and even the Ukrainian Orthodox Church/Kievan Patriarchate, a body execrated by the Moscow Patriarchate, possessed seven registered parishes in Russia. In backing new legislation on religion, the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate above all wanted to rid itself of such pesky Orthodox competitors.
In addition, the official Russian Orthodox Church found itself in competition, as of early 1996, with 183 registered Roman Catholic parishes, 677 Evangelical Christian Baptist ones (with many more Baptist parishes being unregistered), 248 Evangelical Christian parishes, and 141 Lutheran ones. Islam, not surprisingly, boasted the second-largest number of registered religious communities--2,494 in early 1996, up from 870 in 1990--while Buddhism had 124, and Judaism, 80. There also existed, as of early 1996, 129 registered Jehovah's Witnesses parishes, 112 registered Hare Krishna communities, and 20 registered Baha'i groups. As can be seen, the 1990 Russian law on religion had fostered religious diversity in the country.


As far as ergonomics go, the 's nicely-stitched facet and finish handles feel comfy and balanced, even when overstuffed. Though it does not permit for a shoulder strap, just like the Eagle Creek, you can wear it as a slightly awkward backpack in a pinch. Overall nevertheless, we expect the 's harder material and lighter weight make it the superior packable duffel for most makes use of.
Nestled in 1500 acres of woodlands about 30 miles southwest of Birmingham off of I-20/fifty nine, Tannehill Ironworks Historic State Park takes you back in time with its previous blast furnaces, craft cabins and artifacts from the 1800's. Located at 12632 Confederate Parkway in McCalla, Alabama, Tannehill is a deal with for historical past buffs and nature lovers. The FCM cell app gives entry to itinerary details, on-line check-in and flight status notifications, as well as airport guides, a foreign money converter and weather forecasts.


12 cards and 12 envelopes 3 cards of 4 designs Mixed Scripture text Folded card size: 4 1/2" x 6 9/16"
Inside: ...and hold you in His arms as we hold you in our prayers.
Inside: ...and asking God to cover you with peace, fill you with hope, and keep you daily in His unfailing love.
Inside: ...but my prayers for you are many.
Inside: I'm lifting you up to the Lord today. Praying for you.


text:
Apple could soon sell video subscriptions through its TV app
Josh Levenson | May 10, 2018 10:27 am BST
Apple will soon let you subscribe to popular streaming services from within its dedicated TV application, according to a new report.
The firm has entered discussions with a number of leading streaming services, reports Bloomberg, with a view to striking a deal to have them offer a sign-up option within its standalone TV application for Apple TV, iPad and iPhone.
With the move, Apple plans to begin selling subscriptions to certain video services – like HBO Go and Netflix – from its TV client, rather than asking users to subscribe to them through applications individually downloaded from the App Store.
As it stands, TV for Apple TV and iOS acts as a hub for on-demand content, aggregating films and shows from a host of services; saving users the hassle of having to bounce between applications to find what they're looking for.
Related: WWDC 2018
Once a show has been selected, Apple sends customers outside of TV to view it. Bloomberg notes, however, that the firm could eventually bake the streaming element into its own application, instead of sending users to third parties.
We shouldn't have to wait too much longer to find out whether the change is coming to fruition, as Apple tends to make all of its software announcements at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), scheduled to commence on June 4.
Do you think Apple's ultimate goal is to make TV into an all-in-one streaming solution? Let us know on Twitter @TrustedReviews.


Hey! I'm Ami, I'm 20 from Oklahoma, US!
I'm looking for some snail mail pen pals!
Favorite Movies: Lord of the Rings/Hobbit, anything Nicholas Sparks, Transformers, Marvel, Rom-Coms.
Favorite Tv Shows: Vikings, Grey's Anatomy, NCIS: New Orleans, Walking Dead, Nikita.
Random things I like: coffee, pickles, anything medical, books, tattoos/piercings.
I would prefer 18+, any gender, and anywhere!
I'm looking forward to fangirl and getting to know you ?


text:
import logging
import os
import os.path
import urllib

from edge.writer.solrtemplateresponsewriter import SolrTemplateResponseWriter
from edge.response.solrjsontemplateresponse import SolrJsonTemplateResponse

class Writer(SolrTemplateResponseWriter):
    def __init__(self, configFilePath):
        super(Writer, self).__init__(configFilePath)

        self.contentType = 'application/json'

        templatePath = os.path.dirname(configFilePath) + os.sep
        templatePath += self._configuration.get('service', 'template')
        self.template = self._readTemplate(templatePath)

    def _generateOpenSearchResponse(self, solrResponse, searchText, searchUrl, searchParams, pretty):
        response = SolrJsonTemplateResponse()
        response.setTemplate(self.template)

        return response.generate(solrResponse, pretty=pretty)

    def _constructSolrQuery(self, startIndex, entriesPerPage, parameters, facets):
        queries = []
        filterQueries = []
        filterQueries.append('status:1')
        sort = None

        for key, value in parameters.iteritems():
            if value != "":
                if key == 'keyword':
                    #Special case keyword search on glossary_items only match title
                    if 'table' in parameters and parameters['table'] == 'glossary_items':
                        queries.append('title_t:('+urllib.quote(value) + ')')
                    else:
                        queries.append(urllib.quote(value))
                elif key == 'year':
                    start = value + "-01-01T00:00:00.000Z"
                    end = value + "-12-31T23:59:59.999Z"
                    filterQueries.append('created_at:['+start+'%20TO%20'+end+']')
                elif key == 'table':
                    filterQueries.append('type:' + value)
                elif key == 'glossary_title':
                    range = value.lower().split('-')
                    filterQueries.append('{!frange%20l=' + range[0] + '%20u=' + range[1] + 'z}' + 'title_lc')
                elif key == 'sort':
                    sort = urllib.quote(value)
                elif key == 'topic_id':
                    filterQueries.append('categories_id:' + value)
                elif key == 'mission_id':
                    filterQueries.append('mission_ids_array:' + value)
                else:
                    if type(value) is list:
                        if 'table' in parameters and parameters['table'] == 'news_items':
                            filterQueries.append(key + ':(' + '+OR+'.join([self._urlEncodeSolrQueryValue(v) for v in value]) + ')')
                        else:
                            for v in value:
                                filterQueries.append(key + ':' + self._urlEncodeSolrQueryValue(v))
                    else:
                        filterQueries.append(key + ':' + self._urlEncodeSolrQueryValue(value))
        if len(queries) == 0:
            queries.append('*:*')

        query = 'q='+'+AND+'.join(queries)+'&version=2.2&indent=on&wt=json&start='+str(startIndex)+'&rows='+str(entriesPerPage)

        if len(filterQueries) > 0:
            query += '&fq='+'+AND+'.join(filterQueries)

        if sort is not None:
            query += '&sort=' + sort

        logging.debug('solr query: '+query)

        return query

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Snapd error while searching I'm a new snapd user and I've some trouble trying to use it.
I'm on a fresh ubuntu server 18.04 install.
I try few thing and most of the time I've this error, did someone already had the same issue ?
root@kanban:/#snap find test
error: Get
   https://api.snapcraft.io/api/v1/snaps/search?confinement=strict%2Cclassic&fields=anon_download_url%2Carchitecture%2Cchannel%2Cdownload_sha3_384%2Csummary%2Cdescription%2Cdeltas%2Cbinary_filesize%2Cdownload_url%2Cepoch%2Cicon_url%2Clast_updated%2Cpackage_name%2Cprices%2Cpublisher%2Cratings_average%2Crevision%2Cscreenshot_urls%2Csnap_id%2Clicense%2Cbase%2Csupport_url%2Ccontact%2Ctitle%2Ccontent%2Cversion%2Corigin%2Cdeveloper_id%2Cprivate%2Cconfinement%2Cchannel_maps_list%2Ccommon_ids&q=test:
   Forbidden

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange