text:
Q: Putting UILabel in center of Collection View? I want a UILabel to appear in the center of my Collection View with a background color. However, when I drag one onto the view in my Storyboard and set its background color it seems to take up the whole view. Instead I want it to just take up a small rectangular section that just surrounds its text within. Here's what I have and what I want it to look like:
Current:

Goal:

Is there any way to set the labels height and width manually? I want it to continue its current behavior of appearing over the cells that get generated in the collection view, but to only take up a limited amount of space instead of taking up the whole view.

A: EDIT:
Thanks to @robmayoff for commenting that this solution is not possible in case of collection view controller.
This Answer is applicable only if you have a regular view controller but not a collection view controller.
The reason why I'm didn't delete it because -hopefully- it might be useful for some of other viewers.

I suggest to:

*

*Let the label behind the collectionView:

From here (document outline):

Drag the label to be on top of the collectionView (not as a subview). Make sure that both of the components at the same hierarchy, but the label is behind the collectionView. Once you've done this,

*

*Double click on the label (also from the document outline):

Now you are able to move it to the center of the view (by using the arrows on the keyboard for example), make sure to let it be at the center of the screen.

*

*Add the appropriate constraints to let the label to be always in the center of screen.

*Make the background of collectionView transperent (clear color).
That's it!
I hope this helps.

A: Please follow the below steps:

*

*Create an extension of CollectionView

*Add the Below function in it.
  extension UICollectionView {
  func setMessage(_ message: String) {
      let messageLabel = UILabel(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: self.bounds.size.width, height: self.bounds.size.height))
      messageLabel.text = message
      messageLabel.textColor = .black
      messageLabel.numberOfLines = 0
      messageLabel.textAlignment = .center
      messageLabel.sizeToFit()

      self.backgroundView = messageLabel
  }
  func removeMessage() {
      self.backgroundView = nil
  }
  }

*If you want to remove that message then just use the above removeMessage() function.
Usages

*

*To set message:
self.collcetionview.setMessage("message")

*To remove the message:
self.collcetionview.removeEmptyMessage()

A: *

*Drag a UIView and place it in the collection view to cover it completely.

*Drag a UILabel and give its height and width constraint in storyboard and also set constraint for centre in horizontally and vertically.

*You also need to set the height and width of collection view in code as shown below
func collectionView(_ collectionView: UICollectionView, layout collectionViewLayout: UICollectionViewLayout, sizeForItemAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> CGSize {
return CGSize(width: collectionView.frame.width, height: cellHeight)
}

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Whether you're looking for short-term or long-term Port Tampa Parking options, you can choose from several parking lots and garages located within a short drive from the main cruise terminal. We've made it simple to find the best rate son Tampa cruise parking and provide you with several options for area garages and lots, as well as long-term cruise terminal parking. Save yourself time and money by choosing a Port Tampa parking lot that meets your needs.
You'll find several parking lots near the Tampa Port that offer easy access to the cruise terminal and surrounding areas. Many are located less than a mile from Port of Tampa terminals and offers safe, secure, and monitored parking options. Some offer amenities such as complimentary shuttle service to the port, and complimentary baggage assistance. Some also offer comprehensive car care services, including car detailing, car washes, and other auto care services for a fee. You can save as much as $7 per day or more when parking at an area lot instead of at the port.


Observations by the Kepler spacecraft suggest there are 50 billion planets within the Milky Way galaxy. Understanding planets that orbit other star systems can be enhanced by studying worlds closer to home. Planets in the solar system have a number of characteristics that can be measured, one of the more important being the albedo, or the amount of light reflected from a planet's surface. This measurement helps determine the materials that make up the planets. The albedo scale theoretically varies from 0 percent, which means no light is reflected from the planet, to 100 percent, when the planet's surface reflects all light that falls on it.
The material on its surface and in its atmosphere determines a planet's albedo. The Earth's surface consists of 71 percent ocean and 29 percent land. Liquid water absorbs most of the sunlight falling upon it and reflects very little. The albedo of water, from light high in the sky (normal incidence), is low -- approximately 10 percent. The albedo of most land areas, such as soil or sand, is also relatively low, varying between 15 percent and 45 percent. The exception is snow, which is most frequently found at the poles of the Earth. Snow reflects the majority of the light that strikes it, leading to a high albedo of approximately 90 percent. Atmospheric clouds also play an important role in the albedo of Earth. Most clouds are made from water ice and have a high albedo. The planetary albedo of Earth, which is derived from the combined effect of the individual elements, stands at approximately 30 percent.
Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, is mainly composed of dark porous rock surface, which reflects very little light. Its atmosphere consists of 95 percent carbon dioxide, 2.7 percent nitrogen and other trace gases. Carbon dioxide is optically transparent and thus does not contribute to the planet's albedo. The planetary albedo of Mercury is 6 percent.
The planet Venus' surface is covered by rocky mountains, volcanoes and seas of lava. The surface of Venus, however, is completely obscured by the dense atmospheric cloud that blankets the planet. The atmospheric clouds primarily consist of sulfuric acid, which reflect the vast majority of sunlight that is incident upon them. This makes Venus the planet with the highest albedo in the solar system, with a value of 75 percent.
Saturn can be found at a distance of 1.4 billion kilometers (870 million miles) from the sun. The planet has no solid surface, so the albedo is completely characterized by the gases in its atmosphere, which consists of hydrogen, helium and other trace gases. These gases combine to form clouds made from water vapor, ammonia and ammonium hydrosulfide clouds. These clouds reflect a significant quantity of incident light, leading to a planetary albedo of 47 percent.
The surface of Mars, the fourth planet from the sun, consists mainly of a red soil whose composition is still being investigated by the NASA Opportunity rover. The soil analyzed so far includes glass particles and common volcanic minerals. Because the atmosphere of Mars is very thin, its albedo, at 29 percent, is dominated by the relatively dark surface.
Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, has a similar atmospheric composition to Saturn, consisting of hydrogen and helium. Jupiter's albedo is 52 percent. Uranus, the second furthest planet from the sun, has a composition mainly of hydrogen, helium and methane, leading to an albedo of 51 percent. Neptune is the outermost planet and also consists of mainly hydrogen and helium. The albedo of Neptune is 41 percent.
Markings, Samuel. "Albedo of the Planets." Sciencing, https://sciencing.com/albedo-planets-5203.html. 25 April 2017.


It seems design afficianados can't get enough of David Trubridge's gorgeous Koura pendants. Now he has created a middle-sized one, to be launched at Santa Monica's Westedge Design Fair in California next month. The Koura 750 is the most recent addition to the Seed System family, ensuring that whatever size your space, there is a Koura pendant light that is just right.


Round 2 of the 2018 U4RC Summer Series was held at Apple Valley RC Raceway in Apple Valley, California. I've never been to this location before so, for me, it was quite a trek out to the high desert – multiple freeways followed by long open roads and, finally, a dirt path that led up towards the mountains. I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into but, after arriving, knew it was going to be a great day. The view of the high desert from this track is absolutely stunning!
The Apply Valley track is nestled up alongside the owners property – lots of off-camber turns, rugged rock sections and pea-gravel – TONS of pea-gravel. All of this made for a tricky surface to run on, at first, until the rains came.
Near the end of the first round of qualifying, a light drizzle hit the track (you could see it coming from far off in the distance) that actually added quite a bit of traction and made it really fun to drive on! The rains lasted for a hour or so – just another variable to some fun rock racing!
After Round 1 at Cherry Valley, I did some shock tuning to try and get my Axial RR10 Bomber handling a little bit better. The most difficult part is that there's no Rock Racing courses open for practice, so you can't gauge any changes until you're actually at the track on race day. During the first round (after the drizzle hit), the Bomber felt awesome! Lots of grip, however still a little sketchy through the rocks. I just had to remember to keep a slow, steady pace and it was all good.
Qual 2, however, was a bit of a different story. The track had dried out a little and, well, I must have ran out of talent because I couldn't keep the Bomber on its wheels. Horrible 2nd qualifier, however my first run was good enough to post me 2nd on the grid for the main.
A good launch got me into the lead at the first rock section, then it was all downhill from there. A flip sent me all the way to last, followed by another flip at the next corner, another flip and the next corner – you get the idea – in short, SIX crashes during the first lap sent me WAY to the back of the pack. Thankfully, I was able to settle down a bit, gather it back together and pull off a 4th place finish. It was extremely hard to drive so more suspension tuning is in the works – hopefully I can get it together for the next race!
In Round 1 of the Series, I found that the stock Axial rod ends were, ummm, not that great for Rock Racing. I was breaking them left and right, so I made a call over to RPM RC Products and ordered a set of their long and short Traxxas Rod Ends. These are perfect to replace the 'straight' stock rods ends, having a 5mm hole for the stock set screw and are made from RPM's engineering grade nylon. Let me tell you, these things are bulletproof! If you plan to race your RR10 Bomber, this is a first MUST upgrade item!
The rod ends are available in a few different colors as well (black, blue, green and dyeable white); I chose the dyeable white so I could color match them red to my car. Unfortunately I left them in the dye to long and they turned out more of a dark bloody red than a cool bright red. Oh well, they still work great and should prevent any more rod end failures.
After the race at Round 1, I had a chance to drive my buddy Rich Morgan's 2.2 Unlimited class Tekno RC DB48. Two words – this thing drives like a freaking Cadillac! Ok, that's more like 7 words, but the difference in handling and performance is straight up off the hook compared to anything else out there! The moment I got home I contacted Tekno about getting one of these beasts for Round 2!
The DB48 is not a production vehicle … yet. It's based on Tekno's SCT410.3, fitted with a longer chassis to extend the wheelbase (and a few other parts) and topped with your choice of cage; I'll be using the cage and panels from the Team Associated Nomad (based on Rich Morgan's DB48 build). The only downside to this is the body mounting options – since these two don't officially go together, you need to cobble up a mounting system. I used zip-ties to attach it to the shock towers – more on this in a bit.
Having only 1 practice run with the DB48, I was still a little unsure of its overall handling. The track was tight with lots of hairpins, something I struggled with a bit given the DB48s longer wheelbase. It just didn't provide the rotation that some of the other, shorter-wheelbase vehicles had. I was still able to pull of a TQ run, but only by a few tenths of a second. This was more of a good, race-pace reconnaissance run to see how this new ride was going to stack up.
At the horn for Round 2, I was able to get out front again and started pulling away, however things got interesting after my first pass through the rock garden. I was pressing the DB48 a little harder than normal and sent the front straight into a large rock (not on purpose, of course). Normally this wouldn't be that big of a deal, but my ghetto body mounting setup (remember the zip-ties?) wasn't up to the task of staying together! I broke the front zip tie (I was only using 1 on both the front and back), causing the dreaded 'alligator body' for the whole rest of the run! While it did make the DB48 difficult to drive fast or jump, it actually helped me slow down a bit, resetting my TQ by 9 seconds!
At the horn, I got a great jump out front and started quickly pulling away, the DB48 was feeling simply fantastic! By lap 4 I was coming up on some backmarkers and, while trying to make a pass in the rock garden just past the start/finish line, I got tangled up and sent tumbling down the rocks. The marshall that was in the area was busy tending to another vehicle and didn't see me crash behind him, so I sat there for about 15 seconds, flailing around trying to right myself. Finally, my buddy Jake Wright ran all the way from the other side of the track to get me, however by this time I had dropped down to 5th place. Guess it was time to do some work.
The next 3 laps were awesome! I drove the DB48 as hard as I could, risking bigger jumps and a bit more speed through the rock sections. I can't express how amazing this buggy is – it seems to be made for the this type of racing! By the end of the race, I had taken the lead and won by over 14 seconds! Now, I'm not trying to gloat, more trying to point out that the Tekno RC DB48 is simply THAT good almost right out of the box (watch for a DB48 tuning article in the near future). I'm really excited to get it back out at Round 3 of the Series!
Being based on a Short Course truck, I knew I could get away with a more moderate servo for steering. I went with Futaba's BLS175SV servo, a great S.Bus2 servo that boasts a torque and speed rating of 292oz/in/.12 sec respectively. On the track, the BLS175SV did a fantastic job of keep the front wheels pointed in the right direction, even as the DB48 bounced through the rock sections – and it's not going to break the bank. Definitely give this servo a look when you're building your DB48.
I had originally planned to use the Castle Creations Monster Mamba X system in this rig (based on my still excellence experience with the one in my Bomber), but it wasn't meant to be. The first Mamba X I installed stopped working when I screwed the ESC mounting tray into the DB48, accidentally threading the screw THROUGH the ESC lead wire (the wire routes under the mounting tray). I pulled that ESC and installed a second one, however during my initial fire up to test all the electronics, it went up in smoke. That left me with no other choice but to mate my Castle 2200kV sensored brushless motor to a Tekin RX8 Gen 2 that I had in my spare electronics box – a choice that would lead me to the winner's circle! I ran this combo on a 3S LiPo and it was buttery smooth, however I might just bump the power up to 4S for the next race. Kind of miss the brutal acceleration!
I know that Rock Racing isn't all about power, so I figured a 3S LiPo would be sufficient. My MaxAmps pack was plenty fast and provided excellent driveability, exactly what I was looking for with the DB48. There were a few jumps I couldn't make without really setting up for them, but I knew that wasn't always the fast line around the track. The DB48, though, is a race-proven 1:8 scale buggy that screams performance, so I'll be loading up a 4S at the next event, you know, just in case.
What can I say – my Futaba 4PX is still my go-to radio when I'm out in the dusty dirty (and drizzle). I've loaded all my trail/scale/rock racing rigs into it, so I guess this will be the one I bring with me from now on. Excellent radio system, tons of tuneability and that Freqeskinz wrap – man it looks good. Love it.
Because the Pro-Line Hyrax tires were so incredibly awesome on my RR10 Bomber, they were a no-brainer for the DB48 as well. I stuffed them with a set of Pro-Line's dual stage inserts, an upgrade I need to get for the Bomber. This combo helps keep maximum traction while reducing tire squirm, something that you get quite a bit of while powering through uneven rock sections.
While plastic wheels will get the job done, aluminum has a durability factor you just can't beat. Oh, and they look awesome as well! I went with the KMC 2.2 XD229 Machete beadlock wheels not only because the look great, but you can alter the width using different hubs. The 2.2 Unlimited class has a width restriction, however the DB48 comes in a little narrow, so adding wider hubs will bring it up to the max.


text:
"The pick and roll will be interesting. Memphis won't be able to do what they've done against us. Kansas is too good defensively.
"I really think who ever gets inside play will win the game because both teams are going to guard each other on the perimeter. I think that it's going to get down to who gets those 50-50 balls. It's going to come down to offensive boards. Who wants those? They're going to guard each other so well, people are going to have to make plays.
"Turnovers are going to be huge. Both teams are absolutely great at turning turnovers into quick baskets.
"Where Memphis has impressed me is their shot blocking. They're challenging everything. And they turn them around real quick because sometimes Dorsey doesn't come down the floor, and they throw it down to him.
"Memphis is long, man. It will be interesting if their length bothers Kansas.
"People talk about who Kansas is going to guard. I think it's more interesting the other way. How is Memphis going to match up against Kansas. Look at what we did. We had D.J. (Augustin) guarding Robinson. We put (Justin) Mason on Chalmers and we put A.J. (Abrams) on Rush. What are we saying? We're more concerned about Chalmers. Rush has troubling going down low.
"The one thing Memphis has done in this tournament is they figured out if they keep the ball in the hands of Rose and Douglas-Roberts we're going to shoot a high free throw percentage. They have right guys taking the shot (In the tournament, Rose and Douglas-Roberts are a combined 79 percent from the line and rest of the team shoots 52 percent)
'Game of Thrones,' 'Veep,' 'Big Bang,' seek final Emmy nods
By LYNN ELBER AP Television Writer
'Game of Thrones' seeks to claim the Emmy Awards version of the Iron Throne one last time.
Von der Leyen seeks to secure EU top job at parliament

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How Does Alcohol Marketing Affect Alcohol Use in Young Adults?
Advertising is a growing industry and has been for some time. We see ads pop up everywhere. TV and radio stations have advertised the products and services of sponsors for decades now. Billboards, vinyl wraps on public transportation, newspapers, signs in store windows, and now the internet. Just about everywhere we look, there's an advertisement for something.
Usually, we perceive advertising as being harmless if perhaps annoying when you're trying to watch a Youtube video or listen to music. But still more or less benign. But what about the correlation between alcohol marketing and alcohol abuse? What about the fact that, as alcohol marketing has continued to increase in the U.S., so has alcohol addiction grown? What about the fact that, as young people, in particular, are increasingly exposed to alcohol advertising, the more likely they are to consume alcohol?
Alcohol Marketing—Looking at the Facts
The American Public Health Association compiled a thorough and rather shocking research study on this subject. The document is dated, so we should take that into account, but the conclusions drawn from the research are just as relevant today, if not more so, than they were in 1992.
The APHA focused explicitly on the effect that alcohol and tobacco marketing has on young people. Quoting the APHA: "Countless times before reaching age 21, the average American child will see alcohol attractively presented on television advertisements, in magazine and billboard ads, and in point-of-purchase displays where alcohol is sold. Studies show that the more children are exposed to beer advertising, the more likely they are to expect to drink as adults. Additionally, surveys have consistently demonstrated that young people see and are influenced by beer commercials."
The APHA cited multiple research papers, books, Surgeon General reports, National Institutes of Health surveys, and other material. Compiled, the data showed a strong effort on the part of alcohol and tobacco companies to market to youth.
In 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics published a similar paper, this one focusing on alcohol marketing to underage youth via the internet. According to the study, internet marketing of alcohol is one of the fastest-growing mediums that alcohol companies are using. However, this region of advertising and its effects on youth remains more or less unstudied.
The AAP was able to conclude that, "Although high levels of engagement with Internet alcohol marketing were uncommon, most underage youths reported seeing it, and we found a prospective association between receptivity to this type of alcohol marketing and future problem drinking, making additional research and ongoing surveillance important."
A comprehensive research paper published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine examined the correlation between alcohol marketing and youth alcohol consumption on a global scale. This research paper compiled data from 12 individual studies, drawing on information from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the UK Health Forum, the Public Health Advocacy Institute of Western Australia, and other reputed health organizations.
"All 12 (studies) found evidence of a positive association between level of marketing exposure and level of youth alcohol consumption."
According to that study, "All 12 (studies) found evidence of a positive association between level of marketing exposure and level of youth alcohol consumption. Some found significant associations between youth exposure to alcohol marketing and initiation of alcohol use, and there were clear associations between exposure and subsequent binge or hazardous drinking."
Three research papers from three research institutes. We cannot prove that alcohol marketing causes more alcohol misuse among youth, yet we can certainly see that when young people are exposed to such promotion and advertising, alcohol consumption among them is more likely to go up. And that's something to be concerned about.
Alcohol Misuse—A Major Health Problem in the U.S.
We don't need to spend a lot of time on the harmful effects of alcohol. But it's worth mentioning the current extent of alcohol misuse among our nation's youth, and how that's harming them.
According to a survey compiled by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, about 7.7 million people between the ages of 12 and 20 reported having at least one drink in the past month. About 5.1 million young people reported binge drinking in the past month. About 1.3 million in that same age bracket reported heavy alcohol use in the past month.
Quoting the NIAAA directly: "Research indicates that alcohol use during the teenage years could interfere with normal adolescent brain development and increase the risk of developing AUD. In addition, underage drinking contributes to a range of acute consequences, including injuries, sexual assaults, and even deaths—including those from car crashes."
When young people misuse alcohol, they significantly increase their risks for a range of adverse health problems. Yet still the issue goes on, and alcohol companies continue to spend between one and two billion dollars each year promoting their products.
Those of us who are old enough will remember how the tobacco industry was forced to drastically cut back on the promotion of their products. A nationwide public campaign against tobacco companies began in the late 1960s and carried through into the 1970s. The result was that tobacco companies could no longer promote tobacco even to a fraction of what they once could. Why hasn't the same campaign occurred against alcohol companies?
Helping a Loved One with an Alcohol Addiction
Do you know someone who is struggling with alcohol addiction? Whether they got hooked on alcohol via exposure to alcohol marketing or some other means, they must get off of alcohol as soon as possible.
The best way to break away from an alcohol habit is with the help of a residential drug and alcohol addiction treatment center. Residential drug rehabs offer the safest and most effective means of helping people who struggle with addiction.
Reducing alcohol addiction in the U.S. will take a multi-pronged effort of combatting alcohol marketing, raising awareness of alcohol misuse, getting the public educated on alcohol, and so on. But most important of all, we have to help those who are currently addicted to break free from their vicious, life-threatening habits. Narconon offers a sensible, long-term, and highly effective recovery program for those who struggle with alcohol addiction. Learn more about the program and what you can do to help, and do whatever you can to get your loved one into treatment.
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/137/2/e20152149
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-facts-and-statistics
https://www.multinationalmonitor.org/mm2008/072008/jernigan.html
https://www.apha.org/policies-and-advocacy/public-health-policy-statements/policy-database/2014/07/29/10/58/advertising-and-promotion-of-alcohol-and-tobacco-products-to-youth
young adults Young People and Alcohol Alcohol Abuse alcohol consumption Alcohol Education alcohol promotion child safety Drug Prevention marketing teen alcohol abuse Underage Drinking
After working in addiction treatment for several years, Ren now travels the country, studying drug trends and writing about addiction in our society. Ren is focused on using his skill as an author and counselor to promote recovery and effective solutions to the drug crisis. Connect with Ren on LinkedIn.
Slow-Onset Alcohol Deaths, Overlooked by Media and Activists Alike
Excessive alcohol consumption is killing more people than drug overdoses, but you see almost nothing about this problem in the headlines. We take a closer look at the depth of this challenge to social and individual health.
Karen in Alcohol
Should State Governments Regulate Alcohol Consumption?
It's clear that consuming alcohol can be harmful. In fact, anything beyond infrequent and conservative levels of drinking should be strongly discouraged for health reasons alone. To drink with any kind of frequency is to open oneself up to potential health problems, including addiction.
Ren in Alcohol
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First Crash-Tested Mass-Produced PHEV Conversions from Hymotion/A123
Apr 27, 2008 (From the CalCars-News archive)
Big news from Hymotion below, but first our overview:
Ever since CalCars first turned a Prius into a PHEV in Fall 2004, we've been promoting conversions as part of a strategy to build awareness of PHEvs' benefits and support for our main goal: mass produced PHEVs from the world's large carmakers. Since then, as people have clamored for PHEVs, the pace of conversions has been frustratingly slow, with about 150 completed both from our EAA-PHEV project and from a few private companies. (Many of those cars are listed at our Where PHEVs Are page, http://www.calcars.org/where-phevs-are.html .) Most have gone to utilities, national labs, and a few to early adopters. Toyota has even converted less than a dozen of its own Priuses. Now, three-and-a-half years later, many of the small companies and our "do it yourself with the help of an engineer" solution have advanced to the point when Prius PHEVs are becoming more broadly available.
SOME MEMORABLE TURNS OF PHRASE BY JOURNALISTS:
A few weeks ago, the Wall Street Journals's Senior Automotive Editor Joseph White said, http://www.calcars.org/calcars-news/941.html PHEVs "have made the journey from the auto industry's fringes in near record time," and called the PHEV campaign "a victory for the technological insurgents who pushed the plug-in concept over Detroit and Nagoya's objections."
And today, Matthew Wald begins The New York Times's exclusive report (full text below) on Hymotion's launch of the first mass-produced conversions by describing PHEVs as "possibly the most sought-after technological innovation since Captain Kirk first flipped open his communicator." No wonder people have been banging down the doors of the conversion companies!
HERE'S HOW WE SUMMARIZE TODAY'S CONVERSION OPTIONS:
This is taken from our How To Get a PHEV page, http://www.calcars.org/howtoget.html Depending on the choice of battery types, PHEVs using lead-acid are now available for $6-$10,000, nickel-metal for $8,000 and up, and lithium chemistries for $10,000 and up. Conversions are mostly for the Prius, with a few for the Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner hybrid SUVs. At these prices, people are buying the "environmental feature" -- they want to be among the first owners of the world's cleanest extended-range vehicles. They are early adopters, buying "Version 1.0" PHEVs with "Good Enough to Get Started" batteries.
In addition to our someday seeing "from the ground-up" PHEVs like the Chevy Volt, Fisker Karma, Tesla WhiteStar, and cars from Aptera, BYD, Venture and others, we believe carmakers, benefiting from economies of scale and far larger development resources, will some day extend their current hybrid lines with far better PHEVs, and we think they will be able to sell them for $3-$5,000 more than standard hybrids. At that point, we expect the aftermarket companies' prices to have come down sufficiently so that their conversions will be attractive to owners of hundreds of thousands of hybrids already on the road.
The nonprofit CalCars does conversions to demonstrate new designs and provide a platform for different batteries; we don't sell conversions. We have sponsored the EAA-PHEV project http://www.priusplus.org -- our Open-Source designs are being used by some of the private companies as well as technically advanced individuals. We maintain links to the companies offering conversions at the CalCars "How to Get a PHEV" page, http://www.calcars.org/howtoget.html .
WE SUMMARIZE TODAY'S NEWS FROM HYMOTION/A123
In May 2007, Canadian company Hymotion was acquired by Massachusetts batterymaker A123Systems, which thereby became a source for aftermarket conversions as well as a vendor offering its pto carmakers -- including contending for the prize of supplying batteries to GM for the Volt and the Saturn Vue. Since then, its conversions have showed up at the White House, Google and many other locations. Now it's announced the launch of its consumer product: $9,995 + $400 delivery for a 5kWh battery pack. It gives you a 30-40 mile all-speed boosted range at 100+MPG plus about a penny a mile of electricity. Hymotion has not-yet-identified installation centers in Boston, Washington, DC, Minneapolis, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. It's offering a three-year warranty to start, with additional possible warranties in the future. (To GM, A123 says it believes its Nanophosphate lithium batteries will to meet GM's criteria of 150,000 miles/10 years.) Its crash-tested system has received federal NHTSA and FMVSS safety approvals and conditional California certifications. The batteries go under the rear deck, in the area usually occupied by a tool tray and the "doughnut" (minimal spare tire). The company's revamped website at http://www.hymotion.com includes a handy calculator where you can enter your driving patterns etc. and compare the fuel and greenhouse gas results with an internal combustion car and a standard Prius. It's taking $1,000 deposits for delivery of cars this year. (One of our correspondents who signed up on Day One told us he was #114 in the queue.)
BELOW WE INCLUDE:
Hymotion's letter to those who had asked get their latest news
Excerpts form the website's blog discussing California certification, etc.
Excerpts from its FAQ about those warranty issues that always come up
The New York Times story (complete version)
HYMOTION'S LETTER
Greetings from the A123Systems Hymotion product line team!
Thank you for your interest in our product line and for filling out our Hymotion request form. We know that many of you registered for updates quite a while back and have been patiently awaiting news of our product development progress. We apologize for the silence over the past year, but assure you that we have dedicated ourselves over that time to completing development and testing of our first product, the Hymotion L5 Plug-in Conversion Module (PCM) for the 2004-2008 Toyota Prius. We have recently added several new members to the Hymotion management and customer service teams that will enable us to better respond to your questions and orders as we now move into commercial production and sale of the L5.
Over the past year, with the help of our fleet and demo partners, we have completed the field testing and product development protocols to produce the market's first fully tested, standardized and publicly available PHEV conversion module - the Hymotion L5. We have released the product to mass production and are now offering the L5 for purchase by consumers, as well as fleets and government programs. Lead times for each customer will depend on overall demand and product availability, but we expect consumer deliveries to begin in July 2008.
We are happy to announce that our new Hymotion website launched today with consumer order capability! We are committed to ensuring that those of you who have already expressed your interest in our products are given priority for product delivery. If you are interested in purchasing the L5 for your Prius, please reply to this email to indicate your purchase intent AND place your deposit online on our new website to initiate your order. A member of our customer service team will respond to you with further information regarding your order within 5 business days.
Thank you for your loyalty and your patience over the past year. We appreciate your interest in our Hymotion L5 conversion modules and your support of plug-in hybrid technology! Again, if you are interested in purchasing an L5, please respond to this e-mail indicating your purchase intent to ensure your priority for delivery of an L5 AND place a deposit online to initiate your order. We hope that we can serve you as customers soon!
FROM HYMOTION'S BLOG
http://www.a123systems.com/blog/hymotion Other Hymotion Highlights:
First Hymotion PHEV Conversion for Individual Consumer Completed We recently completed the first conversion of a privately owned Prius into a Hymotion PHEV with our L5 PCM, which we unveiled at the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference in Washington, DC on March 5th. James Woolsey, Former Director of the CIA and ardent spokesperson for US independence from foreign oil, now has the first privately owned Hymotion PHEV in the world. President Bush also stopped by our booth to check out the Hymotion PHEV: http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=344.
Hymotion Dealer Network We are currently establishing and certifying our A123 Green CHIP (Certified Hymotion installation Partner) dealer network in major cities around the country. Initial Green CHIP dealers will be located in Boston, Washington, DC, Minneapolis, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
California Air Resources Board Approval In April 2008, in the absence of established PHEV certification procedures, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) working together with our team outlined a path for conditional approval for A123Systems to sell up to 500 L5 PCMs in California as a means of initiating our rollout to consumers. We are now in the process of finalizing that approval. Additionally, we and others are also working with the CARB to establish certification procedures for PHEVs. Once those CARB PHEV certification procedures are final, we expect to certify our Hymotion L5 for sale in California under those procedures with no restriction on quantities sold.
FROM HYMOTION'S FAQ: WARRANTY ISSUES
http://www.a123systems.com/hymotion/products/faqs
The L5s have a standard 3 year warranty. Additional warranty options may be offered at a later date. Will the Hymotion conversion alter the warranty given by the vehicle's manufacturer?
Federal consumer protection laws do not allow a vehicle's OEM to void a consumer's warranty for installing a Hymotion module unless the Hymotion module is the direct cause of an otherwise warranted problem. For example, Toyota shouldn't void your warranty on your headlights for putting a module in your trunk. The Hymotion L5 is engineered not to adversely affect any OEM-warranted system. Our product field testing of over 200,000 miles of real life driving did not show any otherwise warrantable problems on the stock vehicle caused by the L5. If a vehicle's OEM denies a Hymotion customer warranty service due to a problem caused by a Hymotion module, A123 will pay for the otherwise warranted repair. SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association provides guidance on understanding the legal protection for aftermarket products, specifically the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. Click here for more information.
THE NEW YORK TIMES EXCLUSIVE STORY APRIL April 27, 2008 [This is the online version; the print version was half as long and lacked the zingy intro] A Plug-In Conversion for Prius By MATTHEW L. WALD http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/automobiles/27PLUGIN.html?
_r=1&ref=automobiles&oref=sloginhttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/automobiles/27PLUGIN.html
WASHINGTON: Possibly the most sought-after technological innovation since Captain Kirk first flipped open his communicator is the plug-in hybrid, a vehicle that runs first on a battery charged from house current, and then on gasoline.
Big car companies have talked about it, but they do not yet sell plug-ins. Beginning this week, a company in the Boston area will be taking orders for what it says is the first mass-produced aftermarket conversion kit. The company, A123 Systems, is starting out with the Toyota Prius, with what it calls a range extender module. The module fits in the well normally occupied by the spare tire, with a charging port installed on the back bumper.
The A123 conversion will allow a Prius driver to substitute electricity, at about 3 cents a mile, for gasoline at three or four times that price. And it would let the United States shift toward the use of coal, wind or sun energy sources instead of imported oil.
About 50 converted vehicles are already in service around North America, some for more than a year, but so far they have been available only to fleet or institutional buyers.
The module carries 5,000 watt-hours of usable energy, compared with about 300 watt-hours for the battery that is built into the Prius, the one that is charged by the engine, or by electricity generated as the car slows down. That one is charged when the car's brain decides it is time; the one that A123 adds takes about four hours to charge on 120-volt household current.
Leslie J. Goldman, the Washington lobbyist for A123, opened the hatchback of his Prius, pointed to an orange extension cord coiled in the back and said: "That's the only infrastructure you need!"
In most parts of the United States, a full charge would cost 60 cents or less. How much extra range the car gets depends heavily on the driver — as does everything in the Prius.
"If you drive like a maniac, you get about double the Prius mileage," Mr. Goldman said. With a lighter touch, a driver can get a lot more, at least until the charge runs out. In city driving, the battery could give an extra 35 or 40 miles, he said. That may be more miles than the car goes in a day.
A driver who could plug in while at work could get 60 or 80 miles a day on the electric drive system, although most people have a much shorter daily itinerary.
The A123 conversion makes barely any changes to the car. Electrically speaking, it sits between the original battery of the Prius and the car's computer, serving as a buffer for the factory-installed battery. Mostly what it does is tell the Prius that there is still lots of charge remaining, and thus no need to start the car's engine to recharge the battery.
Driving around Washington last week, the Prius engine started up as normal whenever the combination of the accelerator pedal position and the grade of the road demanded more torque than the electric motor could deliver. Stomp on the gas, so to speak, and the Prius drew energy from both the internal combustion engine and the combined battery pack.
Maximizing the value of the extra watt-hours requires the same expert touch that driving a stock Prius does. So I recruited a self-described Prius geek, Charlie Richman, who lives in Bethesda, Md., and drives to his job in the District of Columbia municipal planning department in a Prius that is still equipped as Toyota built it.
"Very cool," said Mr. Richman, test-driving the battery-equipped 2007 Prius.
Mr. Richman said that the car "handles just like a Prius." But there is a difference. In his own car, when he accelerates gently and drives for extended periods at just below the level that causes the gasoline engine to kick in (though eventually it will to re-charge the battery). With the A123 pack installed, the gas engine never had to do that, at least not in the 10 miles or so that he cruised along North Capitol Street and then New Hampshire Avenue N.W., four or six-lane city streets with a few straightaways and frequent traffic lights.
The Prius comes with an instantaneous fuel economy gauge that runs up to 99.9 miles per gallon, but A123 installs another with an extra digit. After I drove the Prius for a distance the gauge said my mileage was in the 80's, but Mr. Richman quickly moved the average back up over 100. (The test car was covered with decals proclaiming 120 miles per gallon.)
A123 uses a battery technology it calls lithium ion nanophosphate, developed at M.I.T. It stores 5,000 watt-hours in a 140-pound module. In comparison, Toyota's nickel metal-hydride battery weighs about 100 pounds and holds 1,300 watt-hours.
But to increase the longevity of the nickel metal-hydride battery, the powertrain control control of a standard Prius keeps the charge from falling more than a few percentage points below 50, so its 1,300 watt-hour battery is effectively much smaller. A123 says its battery will withstand 7,000 cycles of full charge and then discharge. At a charge a day, that is longer than the likely life of the Prius.
The warranty is a bit more modest, at three years. David Vieau, president and chief executive of A123, said the battery had been tested in hot and cold conditions, and was legal to install because it reduces the already-low emissions of the stock Prius. He also said that it would not void the Toyota warranty because it does not alter the function of any Toyota system. Toyota, though, has yet to be heard from on that point, he acknowledged.
(Martha Voss, a spokeswoman for Toyota, said that an after-market part would, in fact, void the warranty if Toyota decided it was responsible for the failure that occurred; this would be determined on a case-by-case basis, she said. Toyota is working on its own version of a plug-in, she said, using in-house engineering.)
A123's long-term goal, though, has always been to sell its batteries to companies like Toyota. Mr. Vieau said he had gotten into the aftermarket parts business backwards.
"It's hard to sell to the car guys unless you are already in mass production," he said, so the company began with a smaller market: power tool manufacturers. Soon, though, it found that a tiny Toronto company, Hymotion, was buying its batteries and assembling them into conversion kits for the Prius. Mr. Vieau said his company was worried that untrained mechanics could build an unsafe car.
So A123 bought Hymotion, which had done only a handful of conversions but had extensive experience in hybrid vehicles. Now A123 has six approved installer companies around the country and is planning to add more, he said.
But selling to General Motors (A123's batteries are being tested in G.M.'s development program for the Volt plug-in hybrid) or other manufacturer would make life simpler, said Ric Fulop, A123's founder and vice president of business development; that would simplify charging systems, cooling systems, packaging and other aspects, he said.
As an add-on, the A123 module is a bit cumbersome and quite expensive, $9,999. Using a calculator on the company's website, www.hymotion.com, a shopper can enter his anticipated daily mileage and see the savings in fuel and carbon dioxide. For example, a 16-mile-each-way daily commute, half city and half highway, and a total of 12,000 miles a year, saves about 162 gallons a year compared to an ordinary Prius. (A problem in a way, is that the A123 module is an add-on to an already-efficient car, and thus saves a substantial fraction of a number of gallons that is small to begin with.) That indicates a payback period of more than 17 years. If a shopper anticipates a tax on carbon dioxide of, say $20 a ton, that reduces the payback period by about a year.
But a shopper who drove more miles and could recharge at mid-day, and who expected gasoline prices higher than the mid-$3 range over the lifetime of the car, might find the economics better.
"If the price of fuel stays at $3.50, we'd agree that for most people this is a marginal case," said Mr. Vieau. The target market is clearly first-adopters with some disposable income.
As with all great energy innovations, the next thing the inventors want is a tax credit for their product, just as the Prius and other hybrids got. That would allow manufacturers to build volume and cut costs, they say. A123 says costs could fall 20 or 30 percent in the next few years just on volume.
For Mr. Richman, the conversion might not be cool enough to justify the $9,999 price. "If I had $10,000, I'd be half way to a new minivan," he said, adding that he would like to find something more efficient than his Honda Odyssey. Strictly speaking, the Prius itself may not have been an economic choice, he said, "but I convinced myself it was almost neutral" in dollars, and worth it because it reduces the family's carbon footprint, he said.
But for the time being, the discussion of how best to spend $10,000 is hypothetical, he said, because "I don't have $10,000; I have children."


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Q: Keycloak Inputless Authorisation I'm trying to write a custom Keycloak Authenticator that can retrieve user credentials from some request and dynamically submit these for authentication without the end user having to manually enter them into some login form.
Using this question as a starting point, I have created my own custom Authentication SPI in Keycloak. I have also configured the Keycloak Authentication Flow as necessary.
Custom Authenticator
import javax.ws.rs.core.MultivaluedHashMap;
import javax.ws.rs.core.MultivaluedMap;
import javax.ws.rs.core.Response;
import org.keycloak.authentication.AuthenticationFlowContext;
import org.keycloak.authentication.Authenticator;
import org.keycloak.authentication.authenticators.browser.UsernamePasswordForm;

public class CustomUPForm extends UsernamePasswordForm implements Authenticator {

  @Override
  public void authenticate(AuthenticationFlowContext context) {
    System.out.println("Authenticating....");

    Response challenge = context.form().createForm("custom-up-form.ftl");
    context.challenge(challenge);

    MultivaluedMap<String, String> formData = new MultivaluedHashMap<>();
    //Changed here - but otherwise valid credentials
    formData.putSingle("username", "xxxxx");
    formData.putSingle("password", "xxxxx");
    context.form().setFormData(formData);
  }

  @Override
  public void action(AuthenticationFlowContext context) {
    System.out.println("Action....");
    context.success();
  }

}

Custom Authenticator Factory
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import org.keycloak.Config;
import org.keycloak.authentication.Authenticator;
import org.keycloak.authentication.AuthenticatorFactory;
import org.keycloak.authentication.ConfigurableAuthenticatorFactory;
import org.keycloak.models.AuthenticationExecutionModel;
import org.keycloak.models.KeycloakSession;
import org.keycloak.models.KeycloakSessionFactory;
import org.keycloak.provider.ProviderConfigProperty;

public class CustomUPFormFactory implements AuthenticatorFactory,
    ConfigurableAuthenticatorFactory {

  public static final String PROVIDER_ID = "custom-up-form";
  public static final CustomUPForm SINGLETON = new CustomUPForm();

  @Override
  public Authenticator create(KeycloakSession session) {
    return SINGLETON;
  }

  @Override
  public void init(Config.Scope config) {

  }

  @Override
  public void postInit(KeycloakSessionFactory factory) {

  }

  @Override
  public void close() {

  }

  @Override
  public String getId() {
    return PROVIDER_ID;
  }

  @Override
  public String getDisplayType() {
    return "Custom Authenticator";
  }

  @Override
  public String getReferenceCategory() {
    return "Reference Category";
  }

  @Override
  public boolean isConfigurable() {
    return true;
  }

  public static final AuthenticationExecutionModel.Requirement[] REQUIREMENT_CHOICES = {
      AuthenticationExecutionModel.Requirement.REQUIRED
  };

  @Override
  public AuthenticationExecutionModel.Requirement[] getRequirementChoices() {
    return REQUIREMENT_CHOICES;
  }

  @Override
  public String getHelpText() {
    return "POC Custom Authenticator";
  }

  private static final List<ProviderConfigProperty> CONFIG_PROPERTIES = new ArrayList<>();

  static {
    /*
    Add properties here
    */
  }

  @Override
  public List<ProviderConfigProperty> getConfigProperties() {
    return CONFIG_PROPERTIES;
  }

  @Override
  public boolean isUserSetupAllowed() {
    return false;
  }

}

And below is my custom login form, which based is off the form provided in the Keycloak "secret question" SPI example here
<#import "template.ftl" as layout>
<@layout.registrationLayout; section>
    <#if section = "title">
        ${msg("loginTitle",realm.name)}
    <#elseif section = "header">
        ${msg("loginTitleHtml",realm.name)}
    <#elseif section = "form">
        <form id="kc-totp-login-form" class="${properties.kcFormClass!}" action="${url.loginAction}" method="post">

                    Login

                    <input id="totp" name="username" type="text" class="${properties.kcInputClass!}" />
                    <input id="totp" name="password" type="password" class="${properties.kcInputClass!}" />

                        <input class="${properties.kcButtonClass!} ${properties.kcButtonPrimaryClass!} ${properties.kcButtonBlockClass!} ${properties.kcButtonLargeClass!}"
                        name="login" id="kc-login" type="submit" value="${msg("doLogIn")}"/>

        </form>
    </#if>
</@layout.registrationLayout>

All components are rendering fine, but I keep getting "invalid username/password" responses when dynamically trying to pass my credentials by adding them to the form data.
How can I pass a username and password combination without having a user manually enter them?

A: The problem was that I was attempting to perform this within the scope of authenticate(), when it should included in the logic for action().
Additionally the MultivaluedMap containing the form data should be derived from the HTTP request contained within the current Context
The following solution is derived from this question
public class CustomUPForm extends UsernamePasswordForm implements Authenticator {

  @Override
  public void authenticate(AuthenticationFlowContext context) {
    Response challenge = context.form()
        .createForm("custom-up-form.ftl");
    context.challenge(challenge);
  }

  @Override
  public void action(AuthenticationFlowContext context) {
    System.out.println("Processing form...");

    MultivaluedMap<String, String> formData = context.getHttpRequest().getDecodedFormParameters();

    formData.putSingle("username", "xxxxx");
    formData.putSingle("password", "xxxxx");

    if (!validateForm(context, formData)) {
      return;
    }

    context.success();
  }
}

Note that in this example validateForm() contains some custom validation logic that is not necessary for the scope of this question. However the values for username and password can be extracted through calling getFirst()
formData.getFirst("username");


Georgia Pink Hoodie - The quality is second to none, and possibly the cosiest thing I have ever worn in my life! It's created in soft fleece back sweat shirting and it also comes in soft grey.
Charcoal Jumper - I like how this has a touch of festive red to it! It can be dressed up or down, and again the quality is superb. It combines cashmere and fine wool, and also comes in charcoal and light grey.
*My knitwear from Baukjen was kindly gifted to me; however all opinions are my own.


A 4 bedroom detached home that is tucked out of the way with a study downstairs which could be used as a 5th bedroom, if required.
There is plenty of room for everyone in this spacious home. The lounge is the perfect place to sit, relax and watch the TV. Eat together as a family in the separate dining room which could also double up nicely as an additional room for the children to use their game consoles or for them to sit and do their homework.
The garden is a relaxing space with room for both the children, pets and the adults too. Invite your friends round and enjoy a barbecue in the warmer months or just sit and relax with a cuppa in the conservatory.
Whatever the children's ages there is plenty of things to see and do on the island. Just a short drive away is the Blue Flag awarded beach at Minster which is great for the children to splash around in the sea while you sit back and relax in the sunshine. There is also a small park a short stroll away where they can kick a football around.


text:
Home/Prince Harry may delay return to US, stay for Queen Elizabeth's birthday
Prince Harry may delay return to US, stay for Queen Elizabeth's birthday
United News Team April 19, 2021
Prince Harry was expected to jet back to his pregnant wife Meghan Markle on Monday after attending his grandfather's funeral in London – but he may delay his return for Queen Elizabeth II's birthday, according to reports.
Markle, who is expecting their daughter in early summer, was banned from accompanying her hubby on doctor's orders.
The Duchess of Sussex reportedly instead penned a handwritten note to Prince Philip to be left alongside a floral wreath presented in honor of the Royal Marines.
Harry, who reportedly held two hours of peace talks with his brother Prince William and their father Prince Charles after the funeral, is said to have booked an open flight to the US, according to UK newspaper Metro.
Queen Elizabeth II seen in a photograph with Prince Philip.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
"If all goes well, he could stay for the Queen's birthday," a source told The Sun, which also reported that Harry has said he would join William for the unveiling of Princess Diana's memorial statue at Kensington Palace on July 1.
Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Peter Phillips, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex follow Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh's coffin during the Ceremonial Procession during this funeral at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021 in Windsor, England.
Chris Jackson/WPA Pool/Getty Images
Prince Harry seen during Prince Philip's funeral on April 17, 2021.
Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage
The embattled Duke of York, 61, was seen in the…
Royal insiders hope the ceremony could also help ease tensions between the estranged brothers as they stand together on what would have been their mom's 60th birthday, according to The Sun.
Prince Harry may stay in England until Queen Elizabeth II's birthday on April 21, 2021.
William had personally asked not to walk side by side with his younger brother, leading the two to be separated by their cousin Peter Philips, son of Princess Anne.
Queen Elizabeth II seen with Prince Philip in 2003.
The Countess of Wessex via Getty
But the brothers were seen amiably chatting for several minutes during the televised funeral for 99-year-old Prince Philip on Saturday and then spent a couple of hours together behind closed doors with their father, Prince Charles.
Louis Castle joins GreenPark Sports as chief product officer
Cannabis lender Bespoke Financial raises $8m from Casa Verde Capital and Sweat Equity Ventures – TechCrunch


text:
Costs and Benefits of Shore Power at the Port of Shenzhen
Seven of the world's 10 largest and busiest container ports are located in China. These booming ports serve as the engines of China's economic growth.
Putting China's Water Pollution Action Plan into Action
While air pollution is serious in China, worsening water quality of lakes, rivers, and groundwater is perhaps a larger challenge. In April 2015, China's State Council issued the Water Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan—a comprehensive water policy with strict targets that aims to break down silos between government agencies to reduce water pollution, particularly from industries.
Currently Seeking - Resource Efficiency Specialist - China Water Program, World Bank
International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, pursues its dual missions of reducing poverty and increasing shared prosperity by promoting private sector development through investment and advisory services. IFC looking to recruit an experienced operations officer to help implement various E&RE programs, including the China Water Program.
Impact of China's Cap and Trade Announcement
What are the implications of China's "Cap and Trade" program announcement? Will it position China as a leader in addressing threats posed by climate change? And what impact will it have on the global debate about how we should respond to a warming planet? That's the focus of this edition of Wilson Center NOW.
The Xi-Obama Meeting: Outcomes and Expectations
The meeting between President Xi and President Obama has come and gone leaving in its wake opinions on outcomes and expectations. Kissinger Institute Director Robert Daly helps us sort through the details and also provides thoughts on how China views the TPP agreement. That's the focus of this edition of Wilson Center NOW.
Lessons Learned from China's ETA Pilot Programs, says CEF Director Jennifer Turner in Xinhua News
In September, President Xi Jinping told the UN Sustainable Development Summit that China wants discussion on establishing a global energy network to meet the global power demand with clean and green alternatives. China is promoting green, low-carbon, climate resilient and sustainable development through institutional innovation, policy and action.The government will also encourage banks and enterprises to issue more green bonds, to establish green development funds that support environmental management and protection.
CEF Director Jennifer Turner Quoted in the Washington Post on China's Cap and Trade Plan
Chinese President Xi Jinping made his commitment to introduce a nationwide cap and trade program to limit greenhouse gas emissions. However, the effectiveness of the emissions trading system, now being used by seven Chinese cities, will hinge on how the system is designed and implemented.
Does China Have the Institutions to Make Cap and Trade Work?
When China announced that it would institute a cap-and-trade program to control greenhouse gas emissions, many environmentalists praised the development. They took it as a sign that the world's second-largest economy is serious about becoming a leader in the fight against climate change
CEF Director Jennifer Turner Featured on BBC News Discussing China's New Carbon Trading System
At the height of President Xi Jinping's recent visit to the U.S., China announced a national carbon trading system to begin in 2017.
CEF Director Jennifer Turner discusses China's new market mechanism for curbing carbon emissions, examining issue areas and its role in the U.S.-China Climate Agreement made in November 2014. Turner cites transparency issues on the road ahead for implementation.
Dr. Turner's commentary is featured at 13:41-16:57. For full interview, please click here.
Decarbonizing China's Power Sector for Cleaner Air and Climate Smart Cities
At the US-China Climate Smart/Low Carbon City Summit held September 15-16 in Los Angeles, 11 Chinese cities and 3 provinces committed to taking steps to reduce carbon emissions and reach "peak coal" earlier than China's national 2030 target. Continued expansion of renewables, gas, nuclear power and energy efficient buildings in China's cities will depend heavily on efforts to decarbonize the country's power grid.


text:
Cambridge University Museum of Zoology & GDPR: manage your data
Rightly is a free service that helps you have more control over your data. Find out whether Cambridge University Museum of Zoology has your personal data, and tell them what to do with it.
Cambridge University Museum of Zoology provides the following services:
Find out what Cambridge University Museum of Zoology knows about you and how they're using your personal information. Request your data from Cambridge University Museum of Zoology for free, with Rightly.
You can delete all of the information that Cambridge University Museum of Zoology stores and shares about you in less than a minute. Send them a deletion request and get a response within 30 days.
If you've ever worked at Cambridge University Museum of Zoology, you likely have a form of pension with them. Learn more about your savings with Cambridge University Museum of Zoology by sending them a request, for free.
Moving can be stressful but Rightly makes it simple. You can notify Cambridge University Museum of Zoology of a change in address and save hours when moving. Send a rectification request, today.
Cambridge University Museum of Zoology uses cookies to track your activity on their site, and may also share this information with third parties. Delete your data with Cambridge University Museum of Zoology to clear your cookies.
Contact Cambridge University Museum of Zoology
Making a subject access request without Rightly Alternatively you can send a subject access request to Cambridge University Museum of Zoology in writing at the following address:
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Because requests must be in writing, you can't make one over the phone. However, if you need to contact Cambridge University Museum of Zoology for anything else, their contact number is 01223 337733.
Rightly is not affiliated to, linked with, or otherwise endorsed by Cambridge University Museum of Zoology. We are an independent tool to help consumers to own and manage their data.


text:
Sub Genre
Love & Taxes
Love & Taxes is a riveting comic tale of seven years of tax avoidance. Following the possibly real-life exploits of Josh Kornbluth, an autobiographical monologist, Love & Taxes is a comedy that blends solo performance and scripted scenes to bring the subjective reality of the storyteller hilariously to life. A tale of procrastination, making movies and growing up, Love & Taxes is a middle-aged coming-of-age story that is also, quite possibly, the first ever pro-tax romantic comedy.
Jacob Kornbluth
Josh Kornbluth
loveandtaxesmovie.com
© 2022 Sub Genre
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text:
Tag Archives: Sikhs
Canada's Prime Minister apologized for Komagata Maru, when will Sikh Jathedars apologize for Jallianwala Bagh massacre?
Justin Trudeau, Canada's Prime Minister, on 11th April 2016 said, "next month, I will rise in the House to offer an apology to Sikhs for the Komagata Maru incident." Komagata Maru was ship that sailed from Hong Kong to Vancouver in 1914, carrying 376 people, mostly Sikhs, were denied entry to Canada. Ship had to return to Calcutta, where a few people were shot dead by British and rest were jailed.
So, almost 100 years later, Prime Minister of Canada has offered apology.
World War – I ended in November 1918 and people from Punjab who fought in that war (mostly from lower castes) came back to homes. They decided to pay homage, say thanks, offer prayers at Golden Temple, Amritsar for keeping them alive at World War-I. These lower caste people were stopped by Sikh Jathedars (clergy) from entering the Golden Temple.
As described by Dalit writer, Gurnam Singh Muktsar, to protest this inhuman behavior and not letting lower castes to enter Golden Temple, lower castes (Dalits) decided to gather at Jallianwala Bagh and stage a protest against caste discrimination.
Sikh Jathedars could not digest that Dalits organising protests for equal rights. At that time, head of Golden Temple was Giani Arur Singh, grandfather of Simranjit Singh Mann who is president of the Shiromani Akali Dal.
Jallianwala Bagh Memorial , Amritsar
On 13th April, 1919 when Dalits were protesting against the inhuman behavior of Sikh leaders, on the directions of Jathedar Arur Singh, General O'Dwyer opened fire on people who were protesting at Jallianwala Bagh. In Jallianwala Bagh massacre thousands of people died.
Later, Jathedar Arur Singh invited General O'Dwyer to Golden Temple and honored him not only with Siropa but also offered him Turban and Kirpan. Jathedars even declared him a true Sikh despite O'Dwyer being a smoker! (In Sikhism smoking isn't allowed.)
Since then, every year people gather at Jallianwala Bagh and Sikh leaders give lengthy speeches. It's almost 100 years since Jallianwala Bagh massacre, where 1000s of lower caste people were butchered. No apology has even been issued from Golden Temple management nor a decision to honor General O'Dwyer been revoked. Sikhs are happy with Canada's Prime Minister apologizing for Komagata Maru. I would ask when Sikh Jathedars (Golden Temple Management) will apologize for Jallianwala Bagh massacre?
Filed under Caste Discrimination, Casteism, Dalit, Dr B R Ambedkar
Tagged as Amritsar, dalits, General O'Dwyer, Jallianwala Bagh, Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, Jallianwala Bagh Memorial, Komagata Maru, Sikh jathedars, Sikhs
Facebook India runs according to RSS (Brahmin Terrorist Organisation)!
Today, once again staff at Facebook India office proved that they are also Brahmins! Sanghis have occupied every space. Facebook India removed my post named 'Welcome to Brahmin India' and removed the same post from my Facebook page 'Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's Caravan', claiming these don't follow Facebook Community Standards! Wow! What standards, Facebook India is claiming? What happens to those standards when Sanghi leaders name Dalits as Dogs and Muslims as Terrorist or Dalits as Terrorist Sympathizers? I can still see 1000s of posts against reservation and calling minority communities with all sorts of names. Where are Facebook Community Standards, Sanghis?
Facebook India is asking me remove anything that is against Brahmin lords from my facebook page – 'Dr. B. R. Ambedkar's Caravan'!
To stop Dalits expressing their views, Facebook Sanghis are you gonna write letters to Brahmin leaders that Facebook has become a den of anti-national and casteist activities? So much pressure on Facebook India Sanghis to quickly delete any post that is against their Brahmin lords! I must acknowledge that Facebook Sanghis are doing a great job on that – keeping Facebook clean of any post that is against their Brahmin lords so that not many Dalits, Muslims or other minority communities get to know the real face of Brahmin lords!
So much so on the name of Freedom of Speech and claims that Arab Spring showed the power of Facebook. In reality, Dear Facebook Sanghis if you have problem with any point in 'Welcome to Brahmin India' post, then why don't you search on Facebook and you will find the answers whether Dalits are not labeled as Terrorist Sympathizers or hasn't founder of terrorist organisation, RSS, written that wherever Christians have gone they have proved to be 'Blood Suckers'. If Facebook Sanghis think my posts are anti-national or inciting hatred then why not they go to court and sue me? Babasaheb have given enough legal provision to everyone, including Sanghis, no matter Sanghis follow those legal provisions or not but they are there for Sanghis also.
Where is the spirit of open discussion and debate in Facebook India Community Standards or it just follows rules set out by leaders sitting at Nagpur? Read your books properly before deleting any message, it shows how much you care about Freedom of Speech! Shame on you Facebook India Sanghis.
Here is the 'Welcome to Brahmin India' post that Facebook deleted.
Tagged as Brahmins, Caste, Caste Discrimination, Christians, Dalit, Facebook, Muslims, RSS, Sanghis, Sikhs, Untouchability
31st July (1940) in Dalit History – Death anniversary of Shaheed-i-Azam Sardar Udham Singh
Why don't governments give importance to Saheed Udham Singh? Is it because he was Dalit? Why does government give so much importance to Bhagat Singh and his colleagues, is it because he was Jat Sikh, who consider themselves as par with upper castes and better than other Sikhs? Rajguru was from Maharashtra and belonged with Deshastha Brahmin community. Sukhdev Thapar was Khatri Sikh again they consider themselves nothing less than kshatriyas! Saheed Udham Singh suffered so much in life but has been ignored by governments.
Check also – Video traces Shaheed Udham Singh's life
Check also – 26th December (1899) in Dalit History – Birth Anniversary of Saheed Udham Singh
Udham Singh (26 December 1899 – 31 July 1940) was an Indian revolutionary and a brave hearted man best known for assassinating Michael O'Dwyer on 13 March 1940 in what has been described as an avenging of the Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre.Singh is a prominent figure of the Indian independence struggle. He is sometimes referred to as Shaheed-i-Azam Sardar Udham Singh.
Udham Singh (second from the left) being taken from 10 Caxton Hall after the assassination of Michael O'Dwyer
On 13 March 1940, Michael O'Dwyer was scheduled to speak at a joint meeting of the East India Association and the Central Asian Society (now Royal Society for Asian Affairs) at Caxton Hall. Singh concealed his revolver in a book, entered the hall, and stood against the wall. As the meeting concluded, Singh shot O'Dwyer twice as he moved towards the speaking platform, killing him immediately.
On 1 April 1940, Singh was formally charged with the murder of Michael O'Dwyer. While awaiting trial in Brixton Prison, Singh went on a 42-day hunger strike and had to be forcibly fed.
When asked about his motivation, Singh explained:
I did it because I had a grudge against him. He deserved it. He was the real culprit. He wanted to crush the spirit of my people, so I have crushed him. For full 21 years, I have been trying to wreak vengeance. I am happy that I have done the job. I am not scared of death. I am dying for my country. I have seen my people starving in India under the British rule. I have protested against this, it was my duty. What a greater honour could be bestowed on me than death for the sake of my motherland?
Shaheed-i-Azam Sardar Udham Singh had changed his name to Ram Mohammad Singh Azad, symbolizing the equality of all faith and of the three major religions of India: Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism.
Filed under Dalit Bahujan Ideals, Dalit History, Dr B R Ambedkar, Latest, Today in Dalit History
Tagged as Bhagat Singh, Brahmin, Castes, Dalit, Dalit History, Dalit Shaheed-i-Azam Sardar Udham Singh, Dalits of Punjab, Death Anniversary, equality, government, Hinduism, Hunger strike, india, Islam, Jat Sikh, Maharashtra, Ram, Shaheed-i-Azam Sardar Udham Singh, Sikh, Sikhism, Sikhs, Struggle, Udham Singh, Upper Castes
Free Download - "The Buddha and His Dhamma" book in Hindi, Marathi and English
Dr. Ambedkar's portrait at Gray's Inn, London, only Indian who found a place there!


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Florida Losing Bank Branches at a Fast Clip
SNL Financial
Florida is one of the leading states for closures of bank branches, according to a study by SNL Financial.
The state had a net loss of 79 branches during the 12 months ended Sept. 30, with 99 branches opened and 178 closed.
Closings exceeded openings during each quarter of that period, including nine openings versus 44 closings during the third quarter of 2013. It had more closings during that quarter than any state in the nation.
Branches certainly aren't going extinct. Florida had 5,635 branches on Nov. 7, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
The branch closure trend isn't limited to Florida. SNL found that banks nationwide closed a net of 1,343 branches during the 12 months ended Sept. 30. Mergers have caused some of that, such as Branch Banking & Trust Co. (NYSE: BBT) buying Fort Lauderdale-based BankAtlantic and shuttering branches that were too close to the pre-existing network. The spread of electronic and mobile banking is another reason so many physical locations aren't needed.
Read more about why SNL says there are fewer branches.
The only states with a greater net loss of branches than Florida were Pennsylvania at 109, North Carolina at 92 and Georgia at 81.
Nebraska and Montana were the only states with a net gain of branches during that period. FDIC data shows that the most active branch openers in Florida in 2013 have been JPMorgan Chase Bank with 25, PNC Bank with six and TD Bank with four.
The FDIC doesn't have a list of closed branches, but a comparison of branch totals in Florida on June 30, 2013 versus the year before shows a net loss of 20 branches at SunTrust, eight branches at Wells Fargo and seven branches at Bank of America.
From The Financial Brand: Why Bankers Won't Ditch Branches, Despite Digital's Explosive Growth
From The Financial Brand: Banks May Still Need Larger Branch Networks to Find Sales Success
From Reuters: Return to big offices? Why bank branches may get a new lease of life
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Essex pigs were developed in the United Kingdom. Essex pigs are popular because they are easy and cheap to keep.
The modern day Essex was developed by breeding local pigs in area denoted in the Essex area. The original Essex, also known as the Old Essex, was a small black and white pig. By the nineteenth century, the Old Essex was improved by crossbreeding with imported pig breeds.
Although the breed had been changed, they still remained popular until the 1950s, especially during and after World War Two, because they retained their hardiness and independence. In 1955, a report was released by the Advisory Committee on the Development of Pig Production in the United Kingdom stating that the variety of pigs throughout the United Kingdom was hampering competition with foreign pork producers, specifically Denmark. Breeders were then encouraged to focus on producing the large white, the Welsh, and the Landrace breeds. Because of this, the Essex pig experienced a major decline in population.
The Essex pig and Wessex pig, a similar breed, had joined together by 1918, but the official end of the Essex breed occurred in 1967, when the studbooks of both the Essex and Wessex were combined with that of the British saddleback in hopes of improving breed characteristics. It was thought for many years that the Essex pig became extinct in 1967, but one farmer named John Croshaw had not combined his pigs with the other breeds. This herd, known as Glascote Herd, remained pure genetically, although it was registered as a herd of British saddlebacks. In 1997, the Essex Pig Society was formed to help promote education and re-establishment of the Essex breed.